“Welcome to Faroos, one of the temples where we worship the God of Fire ArD’Buror, who has now disappeared. I am the Iptaan of Hoomasaas which, where you come from, would translate as king so Balthazar has explained to me. My name is Saaldún Evoor of the House of Evoor, ancient pilgrims of Saalayaa and sanctuary of our ancestors.”
The leader of the Catalgar seemed to take an especial interest in Tenchi when he saw him flying around Elgahar. The Naevas Aedán changed colors at being looked at so closely since in Saaldún’s gaze was a contagious sadness.
Merkas studied the Iptaan carefully. He was truly gallant, but in those eyes with their horizontal pupils was exhaustion which seemed to have taken too high a toll. He found that he still felt uncomfortable in the company of so many strangers and knew that Khad’Un and Amon Ras felt the same. He found himself studying the environment, admiring the Catalgar’s achievements.
Unna the Wild Woman felt uncomfortable around the he-goats since back in Devnóngaron, she had been in the habit of hunting wild goat for dinner. The goats of Devnóngaron, though, were smaller and stupider in comparison with the intelligence of the Catalgar. On two occasions, she had thought of the Catalgar as a source of food because she was famished and her stomach was growling. But when she had heard the he-goats speak and express themselves in words, her urge to eat them had dwindled and vanished quickly.
“Balthazar prepared us well for your coming,” the Iptaan said, turning towards Tagulumich and Ushka. “We knew you would bring strange beings to our home. You are all welcome. You will eat at our table and enjoy our comforts.”
Elgahar felt a flash of unease. He said, “We are grateful for your hospitality, Saaldún. We come in haste and we cannot stay long, since there are other worlds we must visit to complete our mission. As Balthazar told you, we need your legions to migrate to the Meridian as quickly as possible. We would be very glad if you could add one of your brave warriors to our Committee.”
Iptaan looked uncomfortable. He turned to look at one of his commanders, the centurion Ekimidos.
“I am sure Ekimidos has told you how desperate we are, and that we are delighted that such a powerful mage has come to our home. For us, it is not by chance that you are here, Elgahar, and for some of us, your presence is the answer we have been given to our prayers. I am sorry to say, my friends, that I have changed the terms of the deal we made with Balthazar.” Saaldún said this as though pronouncing a sentence, which unsettled Elgahar.
I knew something wasn’t right, the mage thought. I knew it!
Trying to prevent the meeting from going on any longer, he said, “Here is the copper coin the legion will need to present—”
But he was interrupted. “Put that coin away,” the Iptaan said coldly. “It’s not the moment for negotiations.” He stretched out his hand with the palm outwards, as if pushing the coin back to the satchel it had come out of.
Turi felt the mage’s alarm, and he became worried at the sight of the most powerful member of the Committee in a state of full alert. Nobody else, on the other hand, seemed to be concerned.
“Let us sit down to drink some galdúz,” said the leader of the Catalgar. “It is a drink made by fermenting the yamalán, a grain we consume and from which we create wonderful recipes. Centurion, make sure our guests are well looked after. Show them their rooms, get the nymphs to tend to them, and look after all their needs.”
“Rooms! Saaldún, with all due respect, we can’t—”
“Be patient, mage!” shouted the Iptaan. They fell silent. Saaldún regained his poise and allowed sadness to return to his features. “At least let me express my gratitude and my intentions while we are at the table. Here is not the time to refuse my proposal since you have not even listened to it yet. Please.”
Merkas, Amon Ras, and Khad’Un appeared eager to be invited to eat and drink at the Catalgar’s table, enjoy the comforts on offer, and get to know those nymphs.
“All right then, fine,” Elgahar said resignedly. “We’ll listen to your proposal.”
“You should have said no,” Turi whispered to him. But by then the Iptaan had already withdrawn and most of the travelers were smiling in anticipation, telling one another how hungry they were.
“Ekimidos,” the Iptaan said as he went out, “Send Talo the Healer to tend the travelers’ injuries. Their hands are cut after climbing the mountain for so long.”
“It will be done, my Iptaan.”
“I can’t deny I’m hungry,” the mage said. “So we’ll go and listen.” He shrugged “At least they’re going to feed us.”
The powerful centurion took off his armor and handed it to a squire, a young he-goat with small horns and a nervous look in his eyes. “Follow me.”
Chapter XXVII — The Old World
Luchy felt a strange relief on getting back to the Meridian. She had just traveled countless leagues, crossed impossible distances, met other races she had always thought belonged in the realm of fairy tales, and had come back to her world of origin with her mind completely in a whirl, wearing garments that the nobles of Háztatlon would have considered outrageous.
But she knew that was the least of it. Nobles and landowners could think what they wanted, but if in the end, they were dead, impaled, and skinned, what did it matter?
She shook her head, trying to get rid of those melancholy thoughts. She had just been through something very few people would go through in their entire lives. She had seen Mother and interacted with her, and although she was not yet fully aware of the fact, she was privileged because of it. She had seen the elves! And one had fallen in love with her!
It’s crazy, she told herself. To think that the God of Chaos once conquered the world I live in, where he created thousands of portals so that he could command his legions; that this world, after being forgotten, was the one that humans and other species occupied, not knowing that it holds the tunnels that are controlled by evil.
Flóregund unsheathed his sword. “Danger at hand!” he shouted. Alaris shone brighter, going from rosy to crimson. Luchy had not realized they had appeared in the Interim until danger was on its way. It did not take her long to become aware that she was surrounded by green light.
Luchy unsheathed the short sword of elemín. Mojak went in front of them. He wants us to follow him, Alaris said to Luchy and Floregund in their minds. They ran after the Wild Man.
Out of nowhere, several shadows took shape around them. There was no doubt that the defenses of Kanumorsus had been intensified. Perhaps the commanders in charge of it knew that an emissary of good had appeared, or perhaps they knew about Luchy’s progress and that she had some idea how to save Manchego.
Flóregund was trying to behave like a hero. “Stay close to me at all times!” he shouted.
An enormous creature with fifteen legs and two huge mandibles like a giant spider appeared before them. It had the wings of a dragonfly and the hooked claws of a mantis. It was entirely black, with shadows running through its body. There could be no doubt that this infernal creature was a product of hell brought into reality by Mórgomiel.
The creature attacked. Luchy leaped to one side, and Flóregund ran behind a rock. Mojak took his mace from his belt and began the battle against the demon. Those spider legs struck rapidly. The Wild Man could barely turn the strikes aside with his mace. Luchy ran to help him and slashed with her short sword at one of the creature’s supporting legs. The elemín sword severed cleanly, and from the maimed limb of the beast came a stream of black blood.
Mojak could not cover himself in time before another attack came, and one of the hooked claws stabbed his right arm. Flóregund was still terrified, hiding behind his rock and unable to move. He wanted to help Mojak, but his legs would not react. He was petrified.
Luchy ran to his side. “Mojak!” she cried. On her way, she cut off another of the beast’s legs while at the same time dodging one of the hooks, which might have killed her then and there.
The Wild Man howled with pain. T
he spider tried to shake off its prey but did not realize that Mojak was much stronger than he looked and much fiercer. His left arm began to shine so that the tattoo on it turned incandescent, like a forge hot enough to melt iron.
Mojak opened his mouth and, although no cry came out of it, blue energy came from inside him as if his soul had been imbued with that power. Luchy saw that his eyes were becoming energized. The Wild Man delivered a blow with his mace on the limb that was buried in his right arm, then took a leap and placed his left hand, with the tattoo on his arm shining brilliantly, on the loathsome spider’s body. The beast burst into a thousand fragments, leaving behind a trail of shadows that vanished instantly.
Flóregund was still hiding behind the rock, petrified and unable to move. He turned when he heard footsteps and wet himself when he saw the walking corpse coming toward him with outstretched arms, red eyes, and jaws eager to bite into his flesh. It was the corpse of an elf, as he could see from its pointed ears and long silver hair.
“Flóregund!” shouted Luchy. “Wake up, man! It’s just a walking corpse, you can get rid of them like this!” With a single blow, she cut off the corpse’s head. The sword flew so fast that it left a trace of platinum in the air. “The head. You have to go for the head. That’s the only way you can stop the walking dead. Are you listening? Flóregund! Wake up!”
Moments later, the Naevas Aedán had transferred them back to the real dimension. When they appeared in the tangible world, the elf recovered, although not completely. He was still affected by the event, more so than Luchy would have expected.
“We’ve got to get out of here. Mojak? Are you all right?”
I think so. Alaris, take us to the way out of these caverns. Let’s get out of here as soon as possible.
Kanumorsus was dark when they were not in the Interim. It was only thanks to Alaris’ light that they were able to find their way out through the tunnels.
***
“Alaris, where are we?” Luchy asked.
Hiz the Spellcaster has sent us straight to Kanumorsus, the seraph said in thought. The portals here only exist in the Interim. I’m sorry we appeared there. We’re on the other side of the world.
The girl walked, entranced, toward the mouth of the cave that would take her into the open air. “So we’re in the Old World already. I can’t believe it. All my life, I’ve heard people talk about the Old World as something enigmatic and mysterious, a place nobody goes to. And now, here I am. It’s nighttime. Is it nighttime? But how bright the moon is…”
No, Luchy, it’s daytime. That’s the sun. What happened was that the Old World never recovered from the War of One Lament. Here, when evil came back to life, the death of the races was almost genocide, according to what the elves told me. It was thanks to the survivors of Flamonia who migrated to what you know as Mandrake and Devnóngaron that the Flamonian culture survived. The destruction left behind it a spiral cloud that blocks the passage of light. It doesn’t fill the whole sky. If you look over there, there’s a strip where the sun can manage to shine through.
Luchy knew nothing of the Old World or the details of the War of One Lament. But she knew that Flamonia had fallen because of a demon and that it was then that the Flamonians had traveled to establish Mandrake. It was true, the cloud was in the form of a spiral. As Alaris had told them, there was a small strip where the light poured in and lit up the moorland.
“Luchy,” Flóregund began. “I just want to say thank you for getting rid of that walking corpse. But was it an elf? How could that be? How is it possible for there to be the corpse of an elf on a planet where there are no elves?” He was deeply affected. His skin had turned even paler and in his eyes, blue as the sea, was a deep sadness.
“What on earth happened to you?” demanded Luchy. “You were frozen to the spot.”
The elf did not answer.
“I have no idea how the dead elf came to be here,” Luchy said. “The only thing I can think is that Mórgomiel knows about us and he is trying to stop us. Perhaps that’s why he sent a dead elf, knowing you’d break down. I don’t know. But it looks like a message.” She looked long and hard at the elf. He was paralyzed, uncertain of what to do. So much beauty and all for nothing, she thought as she looked at him. How old would this one be? If elves are as long-lived as that, he might be a hundred, even though he doesn’t look it.
She stopped talking and stared at the horizon instead. Someone coughed. She turned quickly and found the Wild Man lying on the ground. Oh, by the Gods! She had completely forgotten about him! How thoughtless of me! The worthiest warrior in this group is hurt, and all I can do is stare out at the landscape!
She knelt beside him. “Mojak!”
It’s nothing. I’ll heal fast, Alaris said. I’m saying what he asks me to tell you, by the way, he added.
The girl put a hand on his shoulder. “Mojak, you know you can trust me. I owe you my life, and I’ll do whatever I can to help you recover. Tell me what to do and I will.” The giant seemed to grow calmer at her touch.
Go hunting, he told her through Alaris. Then, make a small fire to roast the meat. I need food to recover. I have drinking water in the skin-bag.
Luchy turned to look at the elf, who was still confused by what was happening. His long blond hair was a rat’s nest and his eyes were staring at her curiously.
And this is the worthiest warrior the elves could offer the group? Luchy thought. It’s impossible. If elves are as cowardly as this, we’re finished.
“We’re going hunting,” she told the elf. “Mojak needs to recover.”
The elf stared at her blankly.
“How did he tell you? Did he whisper? Why does he only speak to you? That’s not fair. I think he ought to speak to both of us.”
“You’re refusing to acknowledge that he’s badly hurt?” she asked the elf, stony-faced. “A dead elf appears and you break down like a three-year-old. What’s happening to you? Are you sure you have the guts to go on with this mission?”
The elf bowed his head and wept. “We elves are very close and there are very few of us left. It’s devastating when an elf dies. When I saw that corpse, I could only feel sadness, and I don’t know why. I mean, do you feel great sorrow when you see a human corpse walking? I’d never left Allündel before, never left my home, and I thought it would be a great adventure—easy and light-hearted. But this is turning into a path full of death and terror… a nightmare! Doesn’t it affect you to see so many monsters, walking corpses, and beasts that want to kill us at every step? I mean, am I wrong to react this way? Isn’t this how normal people react to terror?”
Luchy felt bad. The elf was right. Oh, how right he was! She had spent years seeing horrors, and it was a pity that she had become so used to it all to the point that she was not even afraid anymore!
“The truth is that I don’t feel anything when I see a walking dead, a human I mean, unless I knew him before. And I’m sorry, Flóregund. Now I understand why you’re acting the way you are. These horrors are all new to you. Your pure soul has never seen anything like it. But I—oh, Gods, I’ve seen too much already. Better if I don’t tell you, because I’d make you cry. I apologize. But I beg you, I urge you, please, to find the strength within you to mature fast and get used to the horrors as fast as you can. All right?”
Flóregund wiped away his tears. “All right. I’ll do whatever I can.”
“Well then, tell me more,” Luchy said. “We’ll talk while we go hunting. Let’s go.”
“All right.”
Don’t go far, Alaris said. If you go too far, I won’t be able to translate what you’re saying and you won’t be able to understand each other. The moment you don’t understand anything it’ll mean you’ve gone too far. Is that clear?
They both nodded, and Luchy set out on the hunt.
***
Luchy applied the principles of hunting Mojak had taught her when they were in Devnóngaron. She had not had enough time to learn how to be an expert hunter or to le
arn the secrets of the Wild People, but at least she knew how to catch small animals and kill them efficiently.
“We elves don’t hunt animals unless we know the animal isn’t going to suffer,” Flóregund explained. “We like to be sure the animal is about to end its natural life. If we feel it’s going to suffer, we prefer not to hunt it at all.”
“Do you go hunting in Allündel?” Luchy asked as she studied the land around them.
“No, we really don’t hunt at all. I don’t even know why I said that. In Allündel, we eat everything except meat. It’s only on special occasions that I’ve seen the meat of deer or some other beast. But I don’t know where they get the meat…” Flóregund sounded more befuddled than ever.
Luchy sighed. The deeper they went into the sparse vegetation of the Old World, the more the young elf talked. His wretched chatter was getting on her nerves and she was beginning to think whether it would have been better if she had done without his company.
“How old are you?” she asked suddenly.
“Why do you ask?”
“Just curiosity. I’m almost eighteen springs.” She turned to see whether the elf reacted in any way.
“Springs? Eighteen doesn’t sound very many, but you seem older than I do. I mean, by the way you act.”
Luchy turned a stony gaze on him. “Are you saying I look old?”
“No! No! Just that you seem to have a lot of experience!”
“You know, that’s an insult where I come from. It means I’m easy to get.”
“Easy?”
Luchy rolled her eyes. “Forget about it.”
“I suppose that a world where seasons like winter and summer exist, you can be exact about your age like that,” the elf explained. “I’ve never seen a spring, although I know what it means,” he assured her as he wondered at the landscape they were going deeper into. It was not the most attractive of landscapes, but for such an elf as young as he was, one of the first to set foot on another planet after thousands of years, everything was a source of fear and wonder.
Necromancer’s Sorrow: (Series Finale) Page 21
