by Brad Clark
“I thought Sak’Hurai were supposed to be disciplined.”
“She is still Human.”
“Hurai.”
“Same thing to me.”
Conner watched Nikki slowly make her way up the cliff face. Many thoughts were swimming in his head. Presumably, they had reached their destination, and it was only a long climb ahead of them. He did not feel fear, but certainly there was a sense of anxiety that caused his heart to race and his breathing to be short and shallow. The fate of the world could really rest on whether or not they found the Spear. Whether it could do what the legends said should have concerned him, but not as much as whether or not it actually existed. Two years ago he would not have believed that it existed. The world was what he saw. It was harsh and cold. Yet, now, after seeing magic first hand, there was no end to what strange things could happen in the world. It was definitely possible that such an artifact existed. If the Ark of Life could exist, then the Spear of Salvation could exist, too.
He glanced at Glaerion, whose eyes were focused on Nikki. “Do you really think we’ll find it?”
“Yes,” Glaerion replied without looking away from Nikki.
“You have no doubts at all?”
Glaerion looked over at Conner. “No, I don’t. We don’t have the luxury of wondering if it exists or not. The Spear is the key to killing the Deceiver, or sending him back to his realm, or whatever it does.”
“What if it doesn’t?”
“Why worry about it?”
“Should we not have an alternative plan?”
Glaerion smiled his reply and patted Conner on the back as a father would do to his son to comfort him. “One step at a time. You should worry right now about climbing this cliff.”
They both looked up to see Ryshak reach down and pull Nikki over the edge of the cliff. A moment after they both disappeared, Ryshak reappeared and gave them a quick wave.
“Your turn,” Glaerion said. “Remember to use your legs.”
Conner tried to do as he was told, but it was extremely difficult. He ended up using his arms more than he knew he should have so when Ryshak reached down to grab him, his strength was almost gone, and he had little left in which to grab Ryshak’s hand. Fortunately, Ryshak anticipated Conner’s exhaustion, and instead of grabbing for his hand, he firmly gripped his forearm. This gave him a better grip, and with one yank, Conner was pulled over the edge of the cliff and toppled onto the soft grass.
He took a few moments to gather himself before he sat up. His hands and arms were sore, almost to the point where he wouldn’t be able to use them for a short time. He flexed his fingers and rubbed his arms to try and relieve the pain. Then he looked up, and all pain went away at the sight that he saw.
Chapter Fifteen
Conner did not know what he was expecting to see, but the sight that he beheld stunned him into silence. Taking a few steps forward, he bumped into Nikki, who was also looking out upon the valley.
“Is this the Valley of Ghosts?” Conner asked.
The valley was ringed by tall mountain peaks. Unlike the White Mountains in Karmon, these mountains were not rocky. Tall, thick evergreens provided a year-round blanket that covered the mountain from the valley floor to their rounded peaks. The cliff they stood upon was about halfway up the mountainside in a cutout between two taller ridges. Below them was a wide peanut-shaped lake that glistened from the sun. Past the lake was a meadow with tall grass where elk and antelope were peacefully grazing. The trees of the mountains descended to the valley floor at the far end of the valley. Directly in the middle of the forest rose a castle with round towers at each corner. It wasn’t an enormous castle, but it was large enough for them to see it clearly from several miles away and several hundred feet below them. What made it unique, though, was the castle appeared to be constructed of bright white stone.
“It is nothing like I thought it would be,” Nikki said. “I thought it would be a dark and dismal place. This is a beautiful sight.”
Just as she spoke the words, a large bird flew into their view and descended quickly for the lake. In an instant, it hit the water with its feet and came out with a large fish squirming in its talons. It quickly rose into the air and banked away from them and disappeared into the distance of the bright blue sky
“Look!” Nikki excitedly pointed to a large animal wandering near the edge of the meadow. It had a dark brown coat and walked on all fours.
“The bear?” Conner said. He had seen many of them in Karmon, but none quite as large as this one.
“I have never seen a beast like that!”
As they watched it, it sat back on its haunches while two small cubs came bounding from the trees and playfully jumped at the momma bear.
Glaerion had finished his climb and stepped between Conner and Nikki to look upon the valley himself. “Peaceful and tranquil,” he said after a moment’s reflection. “It is why we should be wary.”
“This is nothing like we expected,” Conner said.
“It is exactly like we expected,” Ryshak said, pushing his way past them and started to walk down the gently sloping mountainside towards the lake. “You Humans are so naïve.”
Glaerion shook his head at the brashness of Ryshak and said, “There is a flower in the jungle that blooms a bright yellow in the springtime. It is bright and beautiful and attracts all sorts of bees. However, it has a sticky film on the inside of its petals, and if a bee touches a petal, it will get stuck. The sticky film also is poisonous, so it will kill the bee and devour the body, feeding it for the next time it blooms.”
“So this valley is your sticky flower from the jungle?” Nikki asked. “And we are the bees?”
“I said we should be wary. It may be nothing. It may be simply full of bears and elk and antelope and birds that fish from the lake. I am sure many other animals are living in the trees, too. Some may be dangerous and some may not.”
“And what about the ghosts?” Conner asked.
“We will find out soon enough. There is a small grove of trees along the shore. We should camp there and rest up.”
“What if nighttime brings out the ghosts? Should we not try and get to the castle and make camp there? It doesn’t seem that far.”
“Ryshak?” Glaerion shouted out to the other Elf. “What do you think? Camp or move on?”
Ryshak stopped and turned around. “The elk and antelope graze in the meadow without care. If there were predators to be concerned with, they would not be so casually grazing. Nighttime could be a different story, though. The darkness could bring out the worst of the valley, and the protection of the castle does sound appealing. But we do not know anything about this castle and who might be there. The sun will soon set beneath the mountains and darkness will come quickly. Setting up camp along the lakeshore is our best option.”
Conner added. “I think I agree. This is a peaceful lake. Antelope and elk are grazing in the grass too casually for there to be any danger, even at night. If there were, now would be the time for them to run away and hide. Darkness is only an hour or so away. They don’t fear the night, so I don't think we should, either.”
“You’re not afraid of your ghosts, now?” Nikki asked with a slight grin. “Maybe they only come out at night.”
“I have lived most of my life outside and slept in the open more than I’ve slept in a bed. I’m not afraid of what might come in the night.”
“I guess it’s settled, then,” Glaerion said. “We’ll camp tonight by the lake and move out towards the castle at first light.”
The walk down to the lake was an easy one. The tall grasses reached mid-thigh but weren’t very thick. They left a clear trail, but with no one following them, it didn’t really matter. The lake was fairly still, but there was enough of a current that kept the water moving. Being fed by underwater springs, the water was crisp and clear. As they walked along the water’s edge, they could see schools of small fish.
“We should be able to catch some fish for dinner,�
�� Conner said. They didn’t have all the tools to catch a fish, but he could improvise a spear. With the water being so clear, it would not be a difficult task.
They came to a grove of trees that would allow them some protection. It didn’t take them long to clear an area in the center and start a small fire.
***
Conner stood still in the shallow water at the lake’s edge. His boots were left on the grassy shore, and his trousers were rolled up past his knees so he wouldn't get them wet. By the time he had climbed up the cliff face and walked down to the lake, they had dried up from when he had fallen into the small stream. The lake water was very cold, which led him to believe that the lake was spring-fed. Ignoring the numbness that was coming to his feet and lower legs, he stood very still.
In his right hand, he held a crudely fashioned spear. It had been cut from a tree near where they had made camp, and he used one of the Elf’s daggers to make a sharp point at one end. He had slowly wandered out into the lake and waited patiently for the fish to come to him. With the crystal clear water, he would easily be able to see them coming towards him from several feet away. He thought it would be an easy task to spear a couple big fish, but it took a while before one got close enough to him. By the time one did get close enough, his lower extremities were numb. He was sure that he would hardly be able to walk once he got his fish or decided to give up.
A large shadow in the water caught his attention, and he twisted his upper body to get a better look. It was a large fish with a shape that he didn’t recognize. It had a long, narrow body and short dorsal fins. It glistened with silvery scales. He didn’t want to move his feet for fear of startling it, and the twist in his body started to feel awkward. He hoped it would continue traveling near him, but it stayed to his right. Experience told him that the fish wouldn’t stay in one place too long, so he needed to make his move quickly. After a couple breaths, Conner decided that it wasn’t going to come any closer and he made his move. Pulling his right arm back, he drove the spear forward with all his might. But just as the spear entered the water, the twist in his body caused him to lose his balance, and he toppled over into the water.
The cold water shocked him, and he let out a cry. Immediately he heard laughter from the shore. Nikki, who had been sitting near the edge of the water was trying to hold in her laughter, but she could not contain herself. Awkwardly, he stood up, but he was still holding onto the spear.
“You think that was funny!” He shouted out with a bit of anger in his voice.
She nodded her head and continued to laugh. “Yes!”
Conner held up the spear, the large fish firmly stuck through. “Then, you won’t get any of this tonight!”
She continued to laugh but clapped her hands. “Congratulations!”
While Conner pushed his way through the water on numb legs, his teeth began chattering.
“Water cold?” Nikki asked with a smile still on her face.
Conner let out a grunt and continued towards the bank. As he neared, he held out the spear for Nikki to take. The grassy bank was a step up from the water, and with his numb legs, he would need two hands to climb out of the water.
Princess Nikki took the spear and helped him up and out of the water.
She said, “We need to get you to the fire.”
With each step, his legs became less numb, but they were still cold and ached from standing in the cold water.
Back at the camp, Glaerion smiled at him when he saw him drenched and shivering. He had heard the splash and cry from their camp and had run out to see if there was something wrong. All he saw was Conner lying on his back in the cold water. By the time Conner arrived, Glaerion had built up the fire, so it was burning high and hot.
Glaerion took the fish to prepare it for dinner. Conner stripped off his clothes and hung them high above the fire so that they would dry from its heat. He sat on the ground, a blanket wrapped around his cold, naked body. Having grown up living outdoors, he knew it was more important for him to be dry first and then the warmth would follow.
The sun had fallen below the tops of the mountain peaks sending the entire valley into shadows. Soon it would be completely dark. Already the temperature had dropped several degrees indicating that it was going to be a cold night. They would have to sleep in shifts not only to keep an eye out for danger but also to keep the fire going strong.
“Where’s Ryshak?” Conner asked when his teeth stopped chattering. While Glaerion was busy gutting and cleaning the fish, Nikki was readjusting his clothes on a line above the fire so that they dried out, but the other Elf was nowhere to be seen.
“He is out scouting.”
“By himself?”
Glaerion clearly had thought nothing of it, as he turned to give Conner a blank look. “He will be fine.”
“But it will be dark soon.”
“Elves can see very well in the darkness of night. The light of the stars will give him all the light he needs. I thought you were going to get two or three fish. This one is large and will suffice for dinner tonight, but we have little for breakfast.”
Nikki giggled.
“The water was cold,” Conner said coldly. “Next time, you can spear the fish.”
“You said you were the expert, though.”
Conner was in no mood for Glearion’s humor, so he just ignored him. Soon enough, Glaerion finished cleaning the fish and used some small sticks to spear the meat and placed it over hot coals of the fire. The scent of the cooking fish made his stomach grumble.
“It seems that I am hungry,” Conner said.
“I believe we all are,” Nikki said.
Rustling in the trees caught their attention, and they all jumped up. Conner looked around for his swords, but they were far away. Nikki, who still had hers strapped to her back drew them. Glaerion did not move. He stayed by the fire to turn the meat.
A heartbeat later, Ryshak appeared.
“Put those away,” he said. “It’s only me. The fish smells good. I thought you were going to catch two or three?”
Conner let out a grumble and pulled the blanket tighter around himself.
“Find anything?” Glaerion asked.
“I didn’t get far,” Ryshak replied, settling onto the ground. “There is something odd about the forest that surrounds the castle, though.”
All eyes fell on Ryshak, and they waited for him to continue.
“From outside, the forest looks just like any other. The leaves of the trees are green and look normal. But once you step into the forest, there is a darkness about it that goes beyond nighttime. The tops of the trees might look alive, but underneath the forest canopy, the trees all look dead. What little underbrush there is all dead and withered. There is a smell, too. It smells of decay and death.”
He reached over and took a slice of freshly cooked fish and stuffed it in his mouth.
“That is all?” Nikki asked. “It just smells?”
Ryshak looked up, his eyes cold. He chewed his fish and said nothing.
Conner could sense that something was slightly off with Ryshak. He never remained silent when provoked by Nikki.
“Did you see anything else?” Conner asked. “Any predators that might be dangerous for us?”
Ryshak slowly shook his head. “I saw nothing. No animals of any kind. Not even a bird or a squirrel. There’s something wrong with the forest. I can’t place my finger on what it is, but there is something wrong.”
“We should be extra vigilant tonight,” Glaerion said. “I will prepare some spells to help secure the campsite. But we will need to sleep in shifts. I’ll take the first shift…”
Ryshak interrupted him. “I’ll take the first shift. I won’t be able to sleep anyway. He stood and wandered away from the fire to tend to his possessions.”
Conner leaned into Glaerion. “He is really spooked.”
Glaerion smiled a reassuring smile. “Do not worry about Ryshak. He will be fine. Now you and Nikki finish your meal while I
prepare my spells. It will take some time to commit them to memory.”
He then stood and walked to the other side of the camp, away from Ryshak, and kneeled down on the hard ground. He lowered his head and closed his eyes as began memorizing spells so that he could cast them as needed to protect their camp.
Nikki watched Glaerion walk away and then stood and walked over to Conner and sat next to him. “Those Elves are sure creeped out. I guess they can be frightened.”
Conner nodded his head, his eyes moving from Ryshak, who had pulled out a whetstone and began sharpening his daggers, to Glaerion, who was silently chanting on his knees.
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” Nikki said. “At least nothing a little cold steel can’t take of.”
“Hmm,” Conner muttered. “I don’t know. I have been around Elves quite a bit, and frightened is not something that I have seen them be. Maybe we should be more concerned.”
“I do not trust their magic,” Nikki said softly.
Conner looked over at Nikki, realizing she said it in a low enough voice that Glaerion would like not have heard her. “But you do trust the Elves, right?”
Nikki hesitated long enough for Conner to feel concerned. “I have been with Glaerion a long time, and I trust him with my life. Ryshak, I trust too. They care about us and care about saving this world. I can’t make you trust them, but you must.”
Nikki glanced over to look at Glaerion and then back at Conner. “They are not like us. They might walk like us and even talk like us, but they are different. You have to know that, right? Their spells are dangerous.”
“Their spells saved my life,” Conner snapped back sharply. He did not like the direction of their conversation. “If you can’t trust them, then I need to know now. Whatever is out there, whatever those ghosts are, is going to require all of us to work together as a team. They would give their lives for you. Will you be willing to give your life for them?”
