“Once you are in the hills, you will head east, towards the mountain,” he continued. “The Dark Ones fortress lies on the other side of the mountain. I cannot help you more for I have only gone to that cursed place once.”
“We appreciate all that you have done,” Jonas said warmly. “With the One’s help, we may yet emerge victorious. If that happens, may we meet again as friends.”
“I would gladly embrace you as friend, Jonas of Sanduas,” Celric said. “I will not forget the gift you have given us with Decan.”
“It was a gift from the One, the Creator of all things,” Jonas said. “Even if we do not meet again in this life, remember that.”
They gathered their gear while Celric drew a detailed map of the trails in the hills. The villagers provided them with extra water and rations. Once they had packed their supplies, they climbed into the saddles of the captured horses. The horses were skittish as first, but calmed after they got used to the new individuals on their backs.
Celric came over with his map and gave it to Dominic. “May luck go with you, Dominic of Sanduas,” he said as he shook his hand. “I fear that you will need all of the luck you can muster. Even that may not be enough against the power of the Dark Ones.”
“That may be true, but I am unconcerned, Celric, Clan Chief of the Gabo clan,” Dominic said simply, shrugging. “We know that death comes for us all, at a time of her choosing. We can only fight with all of our strength and skill and pray that she has other things to do.”
Celric chuckled. “I understand that sentiment well,” he said. “Still, luck be with you.”
“And with you,” Dominic replied.
Redric joined them. “Follow me,” he said, gesturing towards the hills.
With a final farewell to Celric, the small party left the village, going behind some of the buildings to find a small dirt path. They rode in silence, trusting in the horses to find their footing in the darkness as they slowly climbed into the hills.
Redric was familiar with the terrain, even in the dark, and kept them on sure paths. They rode through the night, only stopping briefly to rest the horses. As the sun rose, lighting the land, they were deep in the hills. The ground was a reddish brown, sparsely covered with short green grass and bushes. There were stands of tall, but thin, trees, with large canopies of bright green leaves that swayed in the light cool wind.
“I must leave you now,” Redric stated morosely. “My uncle said I was to lead you until morning, and then return to the village.” He looked over at Dominic, a sudden intensity in his eyes. “I could join you. I can fight and I wish to be free of the Dark Ones’ control.”
“I admire your courage, but you must obey your uncle and return,” Dominic told him. “If we are successful, that wish may yet become true. You will know soon enough.”
Redric nodded, sullen again. Without another word, he turned his horse and rode away.
Dominic pulled out the map that Celric gave him. He studied the terrain and compared it to what was drawn. “It appears that this trail leads east, but there will be an intersection of several trails,” he told them. “Once we reach that, we are to take the second trail on our right. That will lead to another intersection of trails. There we will find a path that will take us around the mountain and to the fortress.”
“How long?” Jonas asked.
“It is unclear, but looking at the distance to the mountain, I would say that it will take several days, at least.”
“Let’s ride until late afternoon and find a place to camp,” Jonas said. “We could all use some rest after yesterday, but I would like to travel as far as possible.”
Dominic nodded and took the lead. As they made their way down the trail, climbing and winding through the hills, the sky overhead was still cloudy, but the clouds were lighter and more sunlight reached the ground, warming the air. They kept watch, with Dominic in the front and Jake acting as rear guard, but did not see another person all day. They reached the first intersection of trails as the sun was sinking low into the horizon.
They turned onto the trail they needed and rode for another hour to get some distance from the intersection. Jake was feeling groggy, struggling to keep his eyes open, by the time they found a stand of trees surrounded by bushes that would give them some shelter, as well as cover from anyone passing by. They made camp and ate a cold meal, forgoing a fire. Dominic set up a watch schedule and Jake drew last watch. He gladly crawled into his blankets on the ground and quickly fell asleep.
It only seemed moments before Jonas shook him awake. Jake reluctantly pulled himself out of his blankets, quietly stretching to work out the kinks. He took up a position near Hailyn and sat there in the dark and quiet night, struggling to stay awake. To stay occupied and focused, he swept the surrounding area with his awareness, searching for the telltale points of energy. Other than his companions, he felt nothing.
As the dark sky began to lighten in the east, Dominic woke and joined Jake. They sat in silence, watching the black of the night turn into the grays of the early morning. As the sun slid above the horizon, Dominic woke Jonas and Hailyn.
After another cold meal, they rode back to the trail and continued on. The mountain, its slopes dark and its peak lost in the clouds, loomed ahead, like a harbinger of danger. By mid-morning, the sky was again covered by dark gray clouds and the wind increased, bringing occasional rain showers.
Throughout the day, they were forced to hide on several occasions when Dominic spotted movement ahead. They sat quietly in cover, Dominic and Jake with their swords drawn, until Dominic was confident that they were alone again. After the second time, Jake tried to sweep around him with his awareness, seeking signs of life, but he did not detect anyone.
They found the next intersection of trails by mid-afternoon and followed the trail indicated on Celric’s directions. This trail led them in the direction towards the southern edge of the mountain. The terrain became rockier as they drew closer to the mountain. They were able to find a rocky alcove with a stand of bushes near its opening to camp for the night.
As night fell, Jake was lounging on his blankets, talking quietly with Hailyn, while Jonas and Dominic sat on a nearby rock, going over their plans. Suddenly Dominic stood, looking towards the opening of the alcove, hand on his sword. Everyone went silent. Dominic slowly drew his sword and stepped forward.
Jake reached out with his awareness and found a single point of life, only a few yards away. It was the now-familiar feel of a person. He tapped Dominic on the shoulder and indicated with his hands that there was only one person out there.
“I mean you no harm, friends,” a low voice came from the other side of the bushes. Suddenly, a golden glow shone. An older man slowly walked around the bushes, hands held up, palms out. Jake heard the sharp intake of breath from Jonas, even as he goggled at the man. The stranger was surrounded in the light of the clerics’ power!
“Please lower your weapon, friend,” the man said pleasantly to Dominic, looking unafraid. “I only wish to speak with you.”
“It will be fine, Dom,” Jonas said as he stepped forward. Dominic nodded and sheathed his sword, but kept his eyes focused on the man.
“Thank you,” the man said as he slowly lowered his hands. Unlike the other men Jake has seen on the island, this man had a short beard and his graying long hair hung free. He was dressed in worn leather pants and a ragged shirt. Jake noticed a series of scars and what looked like old burns on the man’s face and arms. “My name is Elis, of the clan Rade,” he told them.
“I am Jonas, servant of the One, and these are my companions,” Jonas said, studying the man. “What do you wish to discuss, friend Elis?”
“May I sit?” Elis asked, indicating the nearby rocks. Jonas nodded and joined him, sitting across from him on another rock.
“I can see that you have noticed my scars, friend Jonas,” Elis stated. “It is true that I was once a warrior in the service of the Dark Ones, but I have a different path now.”
/> “What path is that?” Jonas asked.
“When I was in my late twenties, I began to have strange dreams, visions of a different life, one in which I did not serve the Dark Ones,” Elis said. “Shortly after the dreams began, two Dark Ones came for me. They realized that I could wield this power, even if I did not. When they tried to take me, a voice came to me, telling me what to do. I grasped the power and destroyed the Dark Ones. The voice then told me to flee for my life, so I came to these hills. Since then, I confront any Dark Ones that venture into the hills, but I have tried to learn other uses of this power. I have recently discovered that I can use it to heal wounds and sickness, so I journey from time to time to the villages of my clan and treat all that need it. While my clan is still under the yoke of the Dark Ones, they have not betrayed my presence, even though they risk death for it.”
“We believe that this power is a gift from the One, the Creator, to help us defend the innocent from the power of the demons, your Dark Ones,” Jonas said gently. “I too have dedicated my life to learning its uses.”
“May I ask how you came to this place?” Elis inquired. “It is clear that you are not from Karnath.”
Jonas hesitated for a moment. “Before I say, how did you know we were here?” he responded.
“Last night, the voice came to me in my dreams. It told me to come to this area. As I wandered the hills this morning, I felt something in the air, something wonderful, like a bed of flowers in the spring. Intrigued, I followed its trail here.” He pointed over at Jake. “It seems to be coming from him.”
“It is through your use of the power that you are able to detect it,” Jonas stated delicately. “He is not the source of it, but rather it comes from what he carries.”
Jonas was silent for a time as he thought about what to say next. Elis, for his part, seemed content to wait. “As to your question,” Jonas finally said, “we are here to seek an end to the demons’ dominion. We go to confront the demons’ leader and destroy him, if we can.”
Elis eyes widened at that. “You are brave, friend Jonas,” he said. “He is the strongest of them all. I overheard other Dark Ones say that they feared him.”
“We must trust in the One,” Jonas replied resolutely, “that He will grant us the strength we need.”
“The demon lord rarely leaves the fortress,” Elis said, a curious expression on his face. “But this One of yours may have provided for you. I often watch the coming and goings from the fortress from a safe spot on the mountain. Usually, it is well guarded, with many Dark Ones present, but several weeks ago, it was nearly emptied as a great fleet of ships sailed from the harbor. There are still soldiers and Dark Ones there, but not in great numbers.”
“Do you know where we could enter the fortress without being seen?” Dominic asked.
“No, friend,” Elis replied, shaking his head. “All of the entrances are guarded and you are likely to encounter Dark Ones and their servants once you are inside.” He paused for a moment, and then said, “I served in the fortress for a time. If you are going to attempt this, I believe your best chance will be to go through the servants’ entrance, which is located on the southern side of the fortress. There, while you will find guards and servants, encounters with the Dark Ones will be less likely.”
“Can you tell us where to find the demon lord?” Jonas asked.
“If you can make it inside, then you will likely find him in the throne room,” Elis said. “It is in the center of the fortress.”
“Thank you, Elis,” Jonas said. “May we offer you some food?”
“Thank you, but no,” Elis said as he rose. “I must continue on. May you have success, friend Jonas.”
“Go with the blessings of the One, Elis,” Jonas said, offering his hand. Elis shook it, and then left the alcove, disappearing into the night.
“What do you think, Jonas?” Dominic asked after Elis was gone. “Do we trust what he said?”
“I believe that he was sent to us, Dom,” Jonas said as he stared at where Elis departed. “I think we should trust his words until we find a reason not to.”
“Even so, I believe that we should keep a tight watch tonight,” Dominic stated. “We don’t know who or what else may be following the sword’s trail.”
They stood watch in pairs, cutting into their sleep time, but the night passed uneventfully. In the early morning, they gathered their gear and departed, continuing towards the mountain. The trail grew more difficult and the vegetation grew sparser as they approached the mountain slope. There were jumbles of rocks strewn about, scattered randomly across the landscape.
As they climbed a rocky spur that ran down from the mountain, Jake noticed a slight sulfur smell in the air. It took him a few moments to recognize what it meant. This is a volcano, not a regular mountain.
It was near dark when they rounded the southern edge of the mountain and saw the fortress for the first time. It was boxlike, rectangular in shape, with tall walls made of dark gray stone. It had few windows, but Jake could make out several patios that extended out from the walls. It was nestled between the arms of the mountain. Like the area they had just traveled though, rocks of various sizes were scattered around the approaches to the fortress. From its front, a paved road ran down towards the city, its buildings clustered around the large natural harbor. Even at this distance, they could see people moving around the outside of the fortress.
“What do we do now?” he whispered to Dominic.
“We will find a place to camp, safely out of sight,” Dominic replied. “In the morning, I will go down and scout for the servants’ entrance that Elis mentioned.”
“And then?” Jake asked.
Dominic turned his head to face Jake, eyes like chips of blue ice in the dim light. “Then, Jake, we will end this, one way or the other.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Warned by the sound of a rattling fletching, Marcus ducked as arrows flew out of the light early morning mist. He raised his shield and ran for cover behind a wooden barrier, made of small logs, on the defensive line. He heard the muffled thud of more arrows driving into the logs. He glanced back and saw Nathen and Daen crouched behind an overturned wagon. They waited as their own archers loosed a volley in the direction of the attack. He heard the cries of wounded men along the line, those not lucky enough to get down in time. They would have to wait until it was clear before the clerics could see to them.
In the distance, he heard the screams and shouts of the enemy as the arrows rained down on them. Now knowing where the enemy was, his archers unleashed another volley. More cries rose as those arrows struck the enemy forces.
He signaled for a halt. The archers lowered their bows, but had arrows notched and were ready to strike. After a few moments, a horn sounded from a lookout, signaling that it was now clear.
Marcus stood and stared out across the ground that separated his forces from the enemy. He could just make out dark shapes in the mist withdrawing towards the enemy lines, dragging their fallen companions. He felt a growing frustration at this now-familiar tactic of the enemy
Since they could not launch a direct attack the enemy, due to the terrain and disadvantage in numbers, the army had been hunkered down in its camp in the hills for days. If they left camp in force, the enemy would descend on them and they faced the prospect of a fighting retreat that would likely drive them back to Sanduas. Unwilling to accept that possibility, they had reinforced their defensive line and waited.
Helgrant felt it was better to allow the enemy to commit to an assault first, so he could use the army’s fortified position and superior bowmen to reduce that force. He could then unleash the knights and cavalry in a series of quick strikes to disrupt the enemy as it tried to adjust its forces. If they were successful in breaking apart the enemy formations, the infantry would attack into the chaos. After speaking with Brother Trence, he also felt confident that he had a plan to concentrate the clerics’ power to counter the demons.
Unfortunately, the
enemy had not moved against them. They seemed content to keep them in the camp and launch periodic raids on the line, targeting the clerics and generally sowing chaos. Their outriders had them encircled, so any messenger or scout that went outside of the barricades was quickly overwhelmed. So they were stuck here, waiting for the enemy to attack or reinforcements to arrive.
Nathen and Daen hurried over to Marcus, keeping their eyes towards the enemy lines, and they continued on towards the command tent. They had shared the morning meal with the soldiers and clerics who were manning the defenses in this section, talking and trying to keep their morale up.
When they reached the tent, Daen and Nathen took up positions near the other guards as Marcus went inside. He saw Commander Helgrant standing at the main table, which was covered with maps of the area, and Sir Alleon in the far corner, his armor dented and scored from the fighting. Most of the other commanders and nobles were already present. He was greeted with short bows and nods of the head. He pulled his helm off and set it on a nearby small stand.
“Let us begin,” he said, gesturing towards Helgrant.
“Thank you, Highness,” Helgrant replied. “We had several attacks along the defenses overnight, one of which was sustained, including the presence of demons. We lost twenty soldiers and two clerics before we were able to repel the attack.”
Marcus winced at that. They had lost nearly one-third of the clerics during the main battle. He was worried that every new loss put them at a greater disadvantage against the demons, increasing the strain on the remaining clerics, and reducing their ability to heal casualties.
Marcus clenched his jaw and tried to keep his temper in check when Genela spoke. “Why are we still sitting here?” the noble demanded. That question seemed to pass the man’s lips several times a day. “The enemy will continue to pick at us until we are exhausted. We should attempt to break out and retreat to the city. If we are defeated, then the citizens of the city will be vulnerable to attack. We must look first to our own; the people of the Keep are not our concern.”
The Eternal Darkness (The Jake Thomas Trilogy - Book 3) Page 23
