“The Universe of Estara,” murmured Jenneva. “And you say there were humans there too?”
“Yes,” nodded Kail nervously as if he did not wish to continue.
“Tell us about them,” prodded Sayrak.
“The humans were almost as bad,” Kail continued as he bit his lower lip. “They hunted the dwarves and took many captive. Whole families were taken from the dwarves. None of them survived.”
“Why would the humans want dwarf prisoners?” asked Arik.
“The humans offered them as sacrifices to the dragons,” shivered Kail. “The humans had built a monstrous castle in the northern mountains. It was supposed to be their protection against the dragons, but they must not have felt so secure. They hunted dwarves and offered them up to the dragons from the highest tower of the great castle. As long as they continued to offer dwarves, the dragons would not attack the castle.”
“That is horrible,” shuddered Tanya. “I am sorry that my species would act so horribly.”
“That must be where the castle near Tor came from,” nodded Alex. “I always wondered who built that. It is an immense fortification, greater than any castle built in our Universe. It just appeared during the Collapse.”
“I think that would also explain why the goblins chose to live in the dwarven tunnels,” suggested Jenneva. “It sounds like living on the surface in a Universe filled with dragons would not be conducive to long life.”
“Is there any mention of King Astel in the scrolls you have read so far?” asked Sayrak.
“Yes,” nodded Kail. “There are many mentions of him. That was another reason that I thought it was just stories. Our own histories say that he left and never returned. I could not imagine a true history talking about his death.”
“How did he die?” asked Alex.
“He was captured by the humans and sacrificed to the dragons,” frowned Kail.
“Is there any mention of the Shield of Oykara?” questioned Arik.
“None that I have read so far,” answered the young dwarf student.
“No mention of it being handed down to the next king?” queried Sayrak.
“No,” Kail shook his head.
“Surely that would have been noted had it happened,” frowned Sayrak. “I fear that the Shield of Oykara may have ended up in human hands.”
“Well at least that gives us something to investigate,” responded Alex. “I know where that great castle resides. Perhaps there are some written records there that we can peruse.”
“Were there no dwarves left alive in that Universe?” asked Wylan. “We might be going a long way for nothing.”
“None survived in the tunnels where I am reading the scrolls,” offered Kail. “I have read one scroll that described the last stand of the dwarves against the goblins. There were only six dwarves left and thousands of goblins were attacking. The scroll was never finished.”
“Let us spend the rest of the day in the new library,” suggested Jenneva. “If we find nothing new regarding the Shield of Oykara, then we leave for Tor in the morning.”
“Shouldn’t we stay until we exhaust all of the new scrolls?” asked Tanya. “How long can it take?”
“The library is not that large,” offered Kail. “I have only been devoting my time to the scrolls for one week, and I am about half-way done. “With many eyes it would be a short task.”
“Then we leave after all of the scrolls have been read,” decided Alex. “That still might be tomorrow or the next day.”
* * *
Kamil watched the gaily-painted gypsy wagon pass by as Master Khatama pulled his wagon off the road and into a clearing.
“Did you see that wagon pass by?” Kamil asked Boris as Niki jumped down from the seat to take care of the horses.
“Yes,” nodded Boris as he also climbed down and extended a hand to help Kamil down.
“Did you see the couple driving it?” questioned Kamil. “Could they have been Ora and Beka?”
“Who?” Boris asked distractedly.
“Ora and Beka,” Kamil repeated. “The gypsy couple you mentioned earlier in the trip. You know, the gypsies you were searching for.”
“I am not looking for any gypsies,” Boris responded. “I am trying to get you to Tagaret.”
Niki looked up from the hitch she was working on and stared at Master Khatama. The old merchant extended his hand to Lara and helped her off of the wagon.
“She means the people you were looking for when you found Tanya,” interjected Niki.
A puzzled frown fell over Master Khatama’s face. “I do not remember where I found Tanya,” Boris finally said. “Or if I found her at all. Let’s get the campsite set up and not worry about things of little relevance.”
“He is losing his memory again,” Bin-lu offered quietly as he bent over to help Niki with the hitch. “I hope he remembers the way to Tagaret.”
“Hush,” scowled Niki. “Perhaps he just has a lot on his mind. I am sure that he will remember it again.”
“I wish I had gotten him to tell me the secret that he had kept hidden about Tanya,” frowned Bin-lu. “At least I could have relayed that information to her when I go to join up with the Rangers. Now Master Khatama’s revelation will be lost to everyone.”
“I don’t want to talk about this,” snarled Niki as she left to get a bucket for water.
“Will this Darkness go away like it did in Lanoir?” Lara asked Boris as she gazed up at the dark sky.
“Eventually it will,” nodded Boris, “if the Children are successful in restoring the Sword of Heavens. Only time will tell.”
“I wonder if Tedi has caught up to them yet?” Lara wondered.
“He should have by now,” nodded Boris as he paused and looked southwest. “He had a much shorter distance to go than we do.”
“What is it, Master Khatama?” asked Lara as she saw a frown appear on the old merchant’s face. “What is troubling you?”
“He is farther away than I would have thought,” Boris said quizzically. “We are making excellent time though. I am sure that he must have caught up to them by now.”
“I hope you are right,” frowned Lara. “I could not bear to think of losing Tedi now.”
* * *
Rax looked up as Tedi exited the wagon. She smiled at him as she patted the log next to where she was sitting.
“Good morning,” greeted the old healer. “You are getting used to gypsy hours now?”
“Yes,” smiled Tedi. “It is not that I never got up before the sun. It is just that I am not used to doing so for no reason. Usually, we got up early if we were traveling or expecting something to happen.”
“So there you are,” grinned Natia as she rounded the corner and handed a cup of tea to Tedi. “I thought you were going to sleep all day. Here is your tea. Drink up. I have lots of things planned for today.”
“Natia,” Adan called from a distance just as Tedi accepted the cup of tea, “I need your help for a moment. Come quick.”
“I will be right back,” smiled Natia as she turned and dashed towards her brother’s voice. “Drink your tea and don’t go anywhere without me.”
“And where would I go without her?” Tedi chuckled to himself.
“An interesting question,” mused Rax as she reached for Tedi’s cup of tea. “Let me hold that for you. I want you to get something from the wagon for me. It will save this old woman from a few extra steps.”
“Sure,” laughed Tedi as he handed the cup of tea to Rax. “You certainly do not appear frail to me though. I certainly wouldn’t want to wrestle with you. What do you need?”
“There is a small bag under my bed,” responded Rax. “There should be a small piece of red cloth in it. Get it for me.”
Tedi nodded and bounded up the steps of the wagon and disappeared inside. Rax held the cup of tea to her nose and inhaled deeply. Her brow wrinkled with concern as she smelled that tea. She rose swiftly and walked to the edge of the clearing and dumped the contents o
f the cup in the brush. With a swiftness belying her age, Rax walked back and seated herself on the log just before Tedi stuck his head out of the door of the wagon.
“I cannot find any red cloth in the bag,” complained Tedi. “Are sure that is where it is?”
“Oh never mind,” smiled Rax. “Perhaps I used it already. You know how old people can be forgetful. Come and sit back down.”
“I do not think of you as old,” smiled Tedi as he closed the door and sat next to Rax. “I mean you have certainly seen many more years than I have, but you are still full of energy. I think you are too hard on yourself.”
“Perhaps,” smiled Rax as she handed the empty cup to Tedi. “I am afraid that I spilled your tea, Tedi. I hope you are not upset with me.”
“Not at all,” answered Tedi. “I think I actually prefer coffee instead, but I don’t want to hurt Natia’s feelings. She is so kind to bring me a cup every morning.”
“Oh I agree,” nodded the old healer. “Let’s not tell her that it got spilled. I wouldn’t want her upset.”
“I won’t say a word,” agreed Tedi.
“See, that didn’t take long,” Natia exhaled as she raced around the corner of the wagon. “Are you ready to go?” she asked as she peered into Tedi’s cup.
“Sure,” grinned Tedi. “Let’s see what you have planned for the day.”
“Don’t wander far from camp,” Rax called as Tedi and Natia pranced away.
Concern etched into the old healer’s face for several minutes before Adan walked around the corner of the wagon and sat on the log next to her.
“I trust that was enough time for your needs?” asked Adan.
“It was perfect,” nodded Rax. “I am afraid that it is as I suspected. The tea was laced with wendalweed. It is no longer a mystery why Tedi’s memory has not come back.”
“Why would Natia do such a thing?” posed Adan. “Surely she could not think that she could continue this trickery forever.”
“I sure hope she has more sense than that,” frowned Rax. “Wendalweed is a poison. It may accomplish her goal of memory loss for Tedi over the short term, but eventually it would kill him. I wonder if she has thought far enough into the future about what she will do when he recovers his memory?”
“It is something that we need to think about as well,” sighed Adan. “I like Tedi, but his history is unknown to us. I cannot allow his presence here to bring harm to our people. How long before his memory comes back if we stop the morning doses of wendalweed?”
“Not long,” mused Rax. “Maybe two days. Maybe tomorrow morning. He remembers some of his old life each morning that he arises. I dumped this morning’s dose in the brush.”
“So we must decide what to do with him today or tomorrow then,” nodded Adan. “There are many here who will miss him when he goes.”
“One in particular,” added Rax. “Have you thought about how Natia will react to his leaving? Will she go with him?”
“She cannot abandon her people,” Adan said with more conviction than he felt. “It is an infatuation that she will just have to get over.”
“Infatuation?” echoed Rax. “Are all men as blind as you pretend to be? I see the way Natia looks at him. He is the center of her life. Why do you think she is playing this dangerous game with wendalweed? I know that she knows better. I taught her about herbs and medicines. She is using the drug to avoid losing him.”
“But she must know that it cannot continue forever then,” protested Adan. “Maybe she is just trying to delay the inevitable.”
“As are you,” Rax pointed out. “You have grown rather fond of him, haven’t you?”
“What is there not to like?” nodded Adan. “The lad is willing to be helpful to anyone who asks. He never complains and has never said a harsh word to anyone. Can you tell me that you will not miss him when he goes?”
“I would be lying if I uttered such words,” admitted Rax. “He has become much to me like the son that I lost, but I will not poison him to keep him here. Still, I wish there was some way to convince him to stay.”
“He was in a hurry when we captured him,” reflected Adan. “I suspect he will be in a hurry to leave when his memory returns.”
“That is as I expected,” Rax admitted sadly. “I do not believe that he would ever endanger our people though. He is not that kind of lad.”
“I am tempted to believe you,” replied Adan. “Yet I must remember my obligation to our people. We are due to meet up with the other tribes in a few days. In fact, I must leave the camp today and post directions for them to follow if they are to find us. The new tribes will know nothing of Tedi. I suspect it is best if he is gone before they arrive.”
“You will not harm him?” questioned Rax. “He has done nothing to harm any of us, and we will have moved on before he gets to wherever he is going. I know this is against our practices, but I think Tedi should be an exception.”
“He will not be harmed,” promised Adan. “I cannot imagine him doing anything to harm Natia’s people. His belongings will be returned and he may leave peacefully. In fact, I will deliver his things to you before I leave the camp. You know what you must do if I do not return to the camp.”
“You will be here tomorrow to make the decision,” smiled Rax. “Never dwell on failure. If you do, it may come true.”
“I will not dwell upon it,” promised Adan, “but there is much more at stake here than my hide. No leader of the gypsies can afford to think that he is above death, especially in these coming days. If I am not back by morning, give Tedi his belongings and send him on his way, whether his memory has been restored or not.”
“I think that is a mistake,” argued the old healer. “I can certainly handle Tedi, but I think you should be here to handle Natia.”
“Natia will do as she must for her people,” protested Adan. “She could not even think of leaving with him.”
“With age comes a certain amount of wisdom, young leader of the gypsies,” smiled Rax. “I know love when I see it, and I know how powerful a motivator it can be. This decision will wait until you return to handle Natia. If I must drug the young lad myself because you are late, believe that I will.”
“That is something that I do not believe,” countered Adan. “You may have the wisdom of seeing many years, but you could no more hurt that lad than I could hurt Natia. Very well, the decision will wait until I return. Make sure that no more wendalweed gets into his body. I will not have my people responsible for his death. Now I must get going.”
“Safe travels to you, leader of our people,” nodded the old woman.
Chapter 13
Gypsy Champion
Adan scanned the meadow from the edge of the forest. He stood in the shade of the large tree for a long time observing the edges of the meadow and looking for any movement. Satisfied that nobody was around, he mounted his horse and rode purposely toward the lone tree in the center of the meadow. There he dismounted and secured his horse before searching the ground for rocks. He picked up two handfuls of rocks and walked back to the tree. He knelt and arranged the rocks carefully, making sure the sizes were in proper order and that the other tribes would not mistake his message. He was just about to mount his horse when he heard distant sounds. He whirled and saw several Lanoirians racing towards him from the far side of the meadow.
Adan grabbed the reins of the horse and leaped onto it. He looked over his shoulder as his horse raced for the forest. He calculated what his actions would be when he reached the relative safety of the trees. He could not afford to lead the Lanoirians back to the camp, so he planned to make his stand among the trees. He felt fairly confident that he could prevail against the three Lanoirians.
Just as he gained the forest, more Lanoirians appeared before him. They were spread out in a semicircle, leaving Adan no escape except back into the meadow. Adan knew that he had been lured into a trap. He pulled back on the reins, and his horse reared up. He never saw the fisherman’s net dropping out of the t
ree above him until it was too late. The horse panicked and Adan fell to the ground. The Lanoirian soldiers immediately surrounded him.
* * *
The prayer room was packed with worshipers, and the volume of the prayers was loud enough to make one lose his concentration. The prophet Azmet beamed as he walked into the room. Like a receding tide, the followers began to notice his presence, and the room fell silent.
“As Abuud has promised me,” Azmet declared loudly as he held up his hand towards the statue of Abuud, “his new likeness has been given to the faithful. Let there be no further doubt as to who Abuud has chosen to lead you. Let there be no question about the powers that Abuud has gifted to me, his loyal prophet. I, the prophet Azmet, have been instructed to guide you in the mission to bring peace and harmony to all peoples. It is a task that I dare not refuse. For to argue with the great god Abuud is to deny your place in paradise.”
Azmet smiled inwardly as he watched the multitude of followers before him. Not a word was being spoken and all eyes were glued on Azmet’s own movements. Azmet walked away from the statue for the mere thrill of watching the eyes of the worshipers follow him. Finally, he turned and faced the followers and raised his hands high above his head.
“For the glory of Abuud we are all called to his service,” Azmet shouted. “We have been called to spread his message of peace and harmony. We have been chosen to give our lives in his service that we might gain a favored place in paradise. Are there any here who would deny the chance to gain favor in Abuud’s eye?”
Azmet stood and watched as the worshipers glanced left and right to see if anyone was foolish enough to raise his hand. When no hands were raised, Azmet’s lips curled into a grin.
“Look now at your neighbors,” commanded Azmet. “Look to your brother on your right and your brother on your left. Look at their faces and picture them in paradise before you.”
Murmurs rose from the worshipers as they did as instructed. There were faces full of puzzlement from some of the worshipers and sneers of disdain from others. Azmet let the worshipers continue for several moments before regaining their attention.
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