by Joe Jackson
“And you were wed when he was sixteen?” Starlenia prodded. “How old were you?”
“Oh, I’m a couple of years older than Max. And yes, we were wed early by our people’s standards, but that was because of King Kalamaris’ death. I wish he had lived to see us married, and how happy we are together. I owe that man an apology, and never got the chance to deliver it before he was taken from us.”
“I’m sure he knew,” Leighandra offered. “If your courtship went as well as you suggest, I’m sure Kalamaris knew you and Max would be happy. And that was likely all he wanted.”
“I hope so,” Audrei sighed. “It still bothers our people that his body, or at least a grave, has never been found. And that bothers Max more than he’ll ever admit. It’s why when the subject is broached, he can become a little bit testy. It’s one of the only times you will see him behave that way.”
Max turned around and smiled at his wife, almost as though he overheard the women talking. Leighandra had seen such a marked difference in his demeanor since Audrei joined them. He was still a bit over-serious on most matters, but he seemed more focused with his wife beside him, and only their impending meeting with a red dragon seemed to frazzle him at all.
“So, what about you?” Audrei prompted, turning the tables on her three lady friends. “Any of you married? Have children? Looking at one of the men you travel with?”
Yiilu grinned but shook her head. “None of those,” she chuckled.
Starlenia shook her head as well, and Leighandra smirked when Audrei looked her way. “Nothing of the sort. Not yet.”
“None of you? Tsk, tsk,” the luranar woman said. “And here I was wagging my tongue about everything! Now I feel cheated. What about Delkantar or Galadon?”
“Not that we know of,” Starlenia answered.
“An entire party of bachelors and bachelorettes, how disappointing,” Audrei huffed. “Well, perhaps in our travels, we can fix that issue as well.”
“Who says it’s an issue?” the rogue challenged. Audrei’s ears went back and she looked mortified, and Starlenia made a placating gesture. “I was just teasing, don’t get upset.”
“Oh, all right. I thought I had spoken out of turn. Sometimes my grasp of your language isn’t as good as I believe, and I’m afraid I say the wrong thing.”
“Eh, you speak it perfectly so far as I’ve heard. And I think we’re pretty hard to offend. Hopefully, you turn out to be the same, because the teasing in this group can get pretty brutal.”
That wolfish grin came back. “I can give as good as I get.”
“I’ve no doubts about that.”
Passage through the Roaring Plains was light and easy, few creatures about during the day while the friends did the majority of their traveling. Delkantar began to suspect it was unnatural, like the wildlife and even the other, less civilized species were keeping hidden with the undead issues. The ranger came across droppings and tracks now and then that suggested there were gnolls hunting in the area, but they kept themselves out of sight. More importantly, they didn’t bother the group and force Max to play diplomat.
“What would gnolls be doing this far north, though?” Audrei mused.
“Hunting,” Max answered.
“This far from home?”
The luranar prince glanced at his wife and nodded. Not much more needed be said; things had to be incredibly dire in the gnolls’ homeland to force them so far out to hunt. Not only were these plains far from their home, but the risks of hunting here – the dragons, for one, but also the people who didn’t hesitate to wipe out “invading” gnolls – had to mean the hyena-folk were desperate.
It was a fact that weighed on Max heavily; Leighandra could tell. Might be that’s why he wants to go back home again, the chronicler thought.
The foothills began to test Audrei’s conditioning, but the woman kept up well. With all the walking the rest of them had done in the previous months, they were all becoming quite athletic. Leighandra felt as though she could walk for days without rest now, though the hills changed that perspective a bit. Max and Galadon both seemed more at home in their plate armor, which was far more impressive for the luranar prince who didn’t ride a horse for most of the day. And for the others, their leathers were becoming like a second skin.
It wasn’t long before the hills gave way to the mountains, though, and Delkantar found what he suspected was Fireblade’s Lair. “Up there on the mountainside,” he said, pointing to a massive cave opening. “Looks like she might have blasted right through the rock with her breath. I can’t see a cave like that forming naturally; not that high up.”
“It’s not my eyes, right?” Starlenia said, squinting at the distant cave mouth. “That cave really is huge?”
The ranger grunted. “Yeah. I’ve heard she’s big, but that cave still makes me think she’s bigger than I thought. This is certainly going to be interesting.”
“But maybe only for a minute or two.”
Yiilu waved off the comment and continued forward. “Oh, stop that. Come, this may be something you tell your children’s children about over a bedtime drink someday. We may find the undead have been pestering her as well. Perhaps if she knows we are combating them, she will be more likely to give us what aid she may.”
Galadon handed Kalamaris’ sword back to Auremax. “Here, you carry this. She may even recognize it and remember your father if she sees you carrying it. She didn’t help in the battle with Arku that I can remember, but I’m sure she remembers it, all the same. Maybe it will help convince her that she needs to do something this time if she cares one whit about the world she lives in.”
“It cannot hurt to try,” Max agreed.
Delkantar took point once more and led them toward the mountain cave. “Are you sure you can get us up there without climbing gear?” he prompted the druidess.
Yiilu nodded. “Easily. Carry on.”
The ranger exchanged glances with the other two men, and they all shrugged. As usual, Delkantar didn’t raise much of an objection or argument, and continued to scout the trails ahead for the companions.
~ * ~ * ~
They made camp when the light began to fail, intent on visiting Fireblade during daylight hours, for all the good that would do them inside a cave. Still, Yiilu insisted the climb might be treacherous in the darkness, and the dragon might assume the worst if they approached at night. That made a lot of sense, though Leighandra was looking forward to seeing what magic the druid would use to get them so far up the mountainside.
Audrei set to work preparing them a meal, singing in the luranar tongue all the while. Max didn’t join her in this song, but any time their eyes met, the two smiled softly to each other. The chronicler figured being on the road and among others might put a little strain back into their relationship, but that didn’t seem to be the case. Instead of thinking too much about it, she pulled the miniature harp from her bag and began to play along with Audrei’s singing.
“That is a beautiful song,” Leighandra said when Audrei finished. “What is it about?”
“Oh, just keeping one’s faith and persevering in the face of trouble,” the luranar woman said, turning her gaze up toward the cave. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t terrified of what may happen tomorrow.”
“Wouldn’t we all?” Galadon offered.
Just then, there was a brilliant flash of light in the center of their camp. The radiance was difficult but not painful to look at, and Leighandra’s jaw dropped open when she realized what she was seeing. At first, it appeared simply as a wisp of light, but then it grew until she could discern the shape within: winged humanoid. She rose slowly to her feet, hardly cognizant of nearly all of the others doing the same.
Audrei and Max both fell to their knees, holding their hands out toward the light. It was impossible to see who or what the angelic being was looking at. Its features were indiscernible, other than its basic shape. Leighandra had read enough stories and seen enough artwork of angels to have a
good idea that such was what she was seeing, and the warmth that radiated from it only helped confirm her thoughts.
“Who are you?” she asked softly.
No answer came forth. The angel merely stood among them, warming them and their camp with its glowing presence. The luranar continued to kneel, watching the being for any sign or sound of its voice. Starlenia was in a half-kneeling, half-ready-crouch position, looking a little bit awed but also wary. Delkantar and Galadon stood agape just as Leighandra. Yiilu, by comparison, looked more curious than awed, and the chronicler understood why easily enough: There were no angels among the faith in the Earth Mother, for she had no need of any such physical messengers.
And then, just as quickly as it had appeared, the being vanished. Silence reigned in the camp, but only for a few moments.
“Great Spirit, are we on the right path, then?” Starlenia muttered.
“What did you see?” Leighandra asked, curious if everyone witnessed the same thing.
“Winged person… humanoid,” Delkantar answered, and Galadon, Starlenia, and Yiilu nodded to his words.
“Did you two see a winged luranar?”
Max and Audrei exchanged a glance but then shook their heads. “No, it appeared as a winged human… humanoid to us as well. But that would be in line with our faith,” Max said. “I just… I have no idea what to make of that. Our people have never witnessed such a thing in all the years since Saint Kaegan came among us – and certainly not before.”
“Was Saint Kaegan the one who proselytized you?”
“Indeed he was. I cannot help but think that if it did not warn us against this path, then perhaps it was simply giving us comfort in our current task.”
“Or just making sure none of us can sleep tonight,” Starlenia said.
Delkantar chuckled. “I wonder if that was Karinda’s angel…?”
“Or maybe Karinda herself,” the rogue grunted. She shrugged when everyone looked her way. “Hey, she’s obviously leading us toward some goal. How much do you really believe her when she says she’s seen some series of signs and wonders, or an angel weaving its way through history, or that an angel just appeared in front of us? I know you two say your people don’t believe in coincidence, but in a way, neither do mine. When it seems like someone’s trying to get you to do something, and everything keeps lining up to guide you in that same direction, and that person happens to be a really powerful wizard… well, I don’t want to accuse Karinda of being behind all of this, but I can’t help but wonder.”
“You don’t mean the undead?” Galadon challenged her.
“No, not that! Just all the other stuff she’s been sending us off to see to,” Starlenia said. “I mean, how much trouble would it be for a wizard to conjure up something that looks like what everyone thinks of as an angel? I’m not saying I don’t think Karinda is on our side, just that now – just like you said before – I feel like we’re being manipulated, led about by the nose, and I’m getting rather tired of it.”
“Did you not say your Great Spirit works in similarly mysterious ways?” Max asked.
“Don’t go bringing that into it.”
“If you believe in a divine being, do you not also believe it cares for you, and has some plan for your life?” Audrei added.
“I don’t know what I believe anymore,” Starlenia said with a dismissive gesture. “Six months ago, I probably thought much like you do. An undead scourge, powerful necromancers, a buried demon god, and who knows what else have sort of washed all that away, though. Right now, I’m not sure what the Great Spirit wants, only what Karinda does. And for however kind and powerful she might be, she is not a god, and doesn’t belong manipulating us like one.”
“You are jumping to conclusions too quickly, my friend,” Yiilu chided her. “You are exceptionally bright, but that can often be one’s undoing. There is no evidence Karinda has been behind any of this. There are no angels among our theology as we reckon the Earth Mother, but there clearly are among your people, among Max’s people, and among the pantheons of the rir and humans as a whole. If one of them has sent a messenger of peace and comfort to aid in my path, I will not get standoffish and feel as though I am being manipulated. Learn to take aid from others, Starlenia, and not rely too much on yourself.”
“Ah, shut up,” the Okonashai woman said with a chuckle.
Max shrugged. “Both of you make valid points. I think, at this time, we are best served moving forward. Our only other option is to move backward… to return empty-handed to Solaris and either go our separate ways, or else wander around combating symptoms rather than the plague itself.”
“Well said,” Galadon agreed. “For now, we have one very clear path: We must eat this delicious meal Audrei has prepared before it gets cold.”
Audrei laughed and began handing out wooden bowls of stew to everyone. There was still an air of mystery about the camp, but the food was good and the conversation more light-hearted over the meal. Leighandra took the time in between mouthfuls of food to write down what they’d seen in her journal. She scratched out a rough illustration of the angelic being and smiled contentedly when everyone else agreed that it looked just as they had seen. It had been a few days since she’d reviewed her notes to put everything in order in her mind, but she was satisfied that she was keeping adequate records.
The night was quiet and calm, most of the friends wrapped up in their own thoughts over what they’d seen. Despite the wonder of it all, Max and Audrei curled up together and fell asleep easily. Yiilu meditated, communing with the Earth Mother despite not getting any proper sleep at first. Delkantar sat on watch duty with Leighandra, but Galadon was still awake as well, the knight’s brow creased with worry and over-thinking. Amusingly, despite her words to the contrary, Starlenia slept like a baby.
The chronicler turned back to the sleeping luranar at that thought and wondered if their children were safe and warm and happy without their parents there. If you only knew the lengths your parents were going to in order to protect you, she thought. She began to scratch out a little image of the two luranar sleeping in each other’s arms. They might not appreciate the attention, but then again, perhaps it would be something Leighandra could share with their children. When she thought about how much the absence of Max’s father and mother had affected him, she thought perhaps having a record for their children to marvel at might make a world of difference.
More than that, though, she wanted to make sure they got home. All of them.
~ * ~ * ~
The following morning dawned late over the hills and lower peaks, and the companions cleaned up the camp to begin the final approach to Fireblade’s lair. It was such an unassuming-looking mountain, nothing other than that massive cave up high suggesting that something incredibly evil lurked within. Leighandra thought of the white dragon they’d seen up north and wondered if Delkantar’s assessment was anywhere near true for something of Fireblade’s size and strength. Would she even hesitate to destroy a group of adventurers?
Well, perhaps after her dealings with Karian Vanador and Saint Bakhor, the chronicler thought. That was an epic that always roused the masses and brought in great tips when she performed it in the taverns. Leighandra did find some confidence in knowing a band of men and women not unlike her own had stood up to the red dragon and her brood. Not only had they survived, but they’d dealt two great blows to the evil band of reds, and to this day, neither Fireblade nor her children were anywhere near as problematic as they once were.
Then again, maybe she truly has calmed down as Lady Karinda said, Leighandra mused. Could it be that the lesson actually sank in? Might we find she is hesitant to harm us out of fear of retaliation?
“All right, then, let’s see some more of that druidic magic,” Delkantar said, rubbing his hands together.
There was a jagged ascent ahead, one that could be managed if the friends had climbing gear and an experienced climber to show them the way. As it stood, there was no way they could get ve
ry far up the mountain’s base, much less scale the sides and reach the high cave. There was no easy way to Fireblade’s lair, making it difficult enough to get to her, much less be in any condition to threaten her once one did. Her defenses had been thought out and crafted in masterful fashion; Leighandra had to give the dragon that.
The chronicler wasn’t familiar with the extent of the druids’ magic, but she had heard – and told – enough stories that her imagination went a little wild now. Would Yiilu lift them aloft on clouds? Have a vortex or zephyr carry them to their destination? Or would it be something simpler, like a herd of goats coming and leading them to the cave?
“This will take several minutes. Please stand clear in case something should go awry,” the druidess said, stepping to the front of the group. She shooed Vo’rii back, but the wolf was hesitant to leave her side.
“Keeta, Vo’rii,” Max called, and the wolf went to his side and sat there.
Leighandra couldn’t help but laugh when Audrei looked at the wolf, then at Max, and gave her husband a cool look. He shrugged but didn’t meet her eyes. She reached up and took hold of his snout, then gave his head a gentle shake, but she was smiling when she did so.
A tremor brought the chronicler’s attention back to the matter at hand. Cracks appeared along the mountainside, and Leighandra backed up, mindful of a possible landslide. The others did likewise, but Yiilu held her ground, her hands up before her, eyes half-closed as she put her full will into the weaving of her magic. She made a sound of exertion deep in her throat, and her face twisted into a grimace as rocks began to tumble down the mountainside. For the briefest of moments, she looked like she, too, was going to retreat.
Audrei stepped forward and laid a hand on the druidess’ shoulder. “You can do this,” she said softly, yet with confidence. “I can feel your power; have faith that it is sufficient. We have faith in you; have faith in yourself.”
Yiilu took in a deep breath through her nose and closed her eyes all the way. There was another tremor, and some more rocks rolled down the incline, but they were small and scattered. Now the solid stone of the mountain itself buckled and then flattened in a pattern. Leighandra marveled as a staircase formed in the mountainside, a long series of stone steps winding its way up the side toward the cave. The druidess continued concentrating, and the steps smoothed out, forming a steep but easily passable path for the companions.
