The Broken Key (02) - Hunter of the Horde

by Brian S. Pratt

  “We’ll head due west until we come to the edge of the forest,” Riyan announced.

  “From there we’ll better be able to determine which way to go.” Bart was the first to cross the river. The water only came halfway up his horse’s legs at the deepest point. Before entering the woods on the far side, he glanced back to where Pyck was standing. The man was staring in their direction, watching them leave. Behind him, the two groups of men that had been hiding appeared and began moving to join with Pyck.

  Chad brought up the rear. Once he was across and into the woods on the far side, Bart moved out ahead and rode point. Riyan rode near the middle of the column as he had Tad to contend with. Every once in a while Tad would give out with a groan, but so far he hadn’t regained consciousness. The continued presence of Tad’s heartbeat gave Riyan hope.

  Throughout their ride to the western fringe of the forest, they kept a constant lookout for any of the men who had fled during the mock attack of the demon. Soth thought he might have seen one moving off among the trees, but by the time he had called the other’s attention to it, it was gone.

  Almost two hours later, they began to hear the unmistakable chopping noise of men wielding axes. A few minutes later one of the lumber camps that harvested trees on the fringe of Ki’ Gyrx Forest appeared out of the trees before them. You could imagine the shock and surprise those men felt when they saw their party ride forth from the heart of the woods. None of the men called out to them. Rather, they tossed down their axes and fled.

  “After what Tad told us of these woods, I’m surprised men would even think to harvest wood here,” commented Chad.

  “A man’s got to eat,” replied Chyfe. “Besides, nothing had happened out here on the fringe for a very long time.”

  “I suppose,” agreed Chad.

  “Anyone know where we are?” asked Riyan.

  “No, I’m all turned around,” Seth admitted. The others were just as lost as he was.

  The only thing they were sure of was that Gilbeth was to the north.

  Bart brought them to a stop before they left the lumber camp. He glanced around and could see the lumberjacks watching them from deeper in the woods. Digging into his pouch, he pulled forth a silver. Holding it aloft, he said in a loud voice, “I’ll give this silver to any man who can tell me the quickest way to Gilbeth.” He glanced around at the men hiding behind the trees. “Our friend is in dire need of a healer and we haven’t much time,” he explained.

  At that, the men began to edge back into the camp. One man, older than the rest came forward. He pointed off towards the northwest. “It’s that way,” he said.

  “How far?” asked Bart.

  “Around two hours,” the man said.

  Bart nodded and flipped the coin to the old man. “Thank you sir,” he said. Then kicking his horse in the side, he got them underway once more.

  It wasn’t long before they came across the main road coming from the south. Soon those from the area began to recognize landmarks and informed the others that they weren’t very far away.

  In fact it only took them less than an hour’s ride before the walls of Gilbeth appeared on the horizon. Tad was still with them. Kevik had recast his spell each time it had run its course. And every time, he had stuck Tad securely to Riyan.

  Riyan frankly couldn’t wait to reach the Guild. Not only for Tad’s sake, but because he was growing rather annoyed with being stuck by the goo.

  One would think the mood would be one of happiness at having survived the encounter with Durik. But no, the mood of the Recruits was far from that of jubilation.

  Rather, their minds were on the reception they were going to receive from their Drillmaster upon their return. Leaving the Guild without permission for two days, and now they bring back one of their instructors with a life threatening wound? They all felt their time with the Guild was at an end.

  Bart on the other hand couldn’t care less, other than how it was affecting his friends.

  Riyan and Chad were solemn, all his attempts at conversation was met with either single worded replies or silence.

  It was a quiet group that entered the outlying buildings of Gilbeth. A growing dread overcame them as they made their way through the streets towards the Guild. People on the streets took note of their passing. When they saw Tad riding with Riyan covered in goo, they stopped and openly stared in wonder. Riyan could hear whispered conversations begin in their wake.

  “Tad!” an older gentleman hollered to him. Though having regained consciousness by this time, he was so weak from loss of blood and the ordeal of traveling with the wound he suffered, all he could do was return the man’s gaze.

  “What happened?” the man asked Riyan.

  “We were set upon by bandits,” he replied.

  “They get away?” another man asked.

  “Only the ones that fled the battle,” declared Seth with some pride.

  Startled exclamations met his declaration.

  Bart slowed his horse until he was riding next to Riyan. “It might be best if Kevik and I left you here and headed out to the estate,” he said.

  Riyan nodded. “I understand,” he said. “What about Tad?” Bart waved Kevik over and told him that he thought they should leave and that he needed to dispel the goo coating Tad and Riyan. Turning back to Riyan, he dug into his saddlebag and pulled forth a less than clean cloth. “You’ll need this to hold the wound closed until you get to the healer.” He put it in Riyan’s right hand.

  Tad lifted his head slightly and turned his gaze to Kevik. “Thank you,” he said weakly before slumping back into Riyan.

  “Hey, no problem,” Kevik said. He then looked to Riyan. “Ready?” When Riyan nodded he dispelled the goo.

  Riyan immediately pressed the cloth tightly to the opening of the wound. Some blood escaped before he could get a good seal over it.

  “Once I have Kevik ensconced within his tower, I’ll come back later tonight,” Bart told him.

  “Okay,” replied Riyan. “That is unless Chad and I aren’t expelled from the Guild and meet you at the estate first.”

  “It may not come to that,” argued Bart.

  Riyan gave him a look that said he didn’t believe him. “At least we came back alive,” he said, resigned to his fate. Holding the cloth tight to Tad’s chest, he shrugged.

  Bart gave him a grin. “Things often have a way of working out for the best,” he assured him. He waited for Riyan to give him a half smile in reply then indicated for Kevik to join him. With a wave of farewell to Chad, he and Kevik left the group at the next intersection.

  Riyan watched his friends turn off and head down the side street. Sighing to himself, he wondered what his fate would be. Would he be allowed to stay in the Guild? And if so, what sort of punishment would be meted out by the Drillmaster? Thoughts such as those haunted him all the way to the Guild.

  It wasn’t long before the Guild appeared before them. A groan escaped Chyfe and Riyan could see the reason why. The Guildmaster as well as the Drillmaster were standing on the steps watching their approach. Next to them stood the healer who rushed forward with an apprentice to take charge of Tad. Two other men followed bearing a stretcher between them.

  “He had an arrow in his chest,” Riyan told the healer as they were helping Tad onto a stretcher.

  “How long ago did it happen?” the healer asked.

  “Just before dawn,” Riyan replied.

  A glow surrounded the healer once Tad lay upon the stretcher, then it extended to his patient. The crowd surrounding them stood quietly by as the healer worked. When the glow disappeared, he turned about and headed back toward the Guild at a quick pace.

  “He’ll live,” he said to the Guildmaster as he reached him. “Any longer and he may have been beyond my abilities.”

  “Take care of him,” said the Guildmaster.

  The Guild’s healer nodded then hurried into the Guild with the two men bearing Tad following right behind.

  Riyan was
thankful that Tad would live. But all thoughts of Tad disappeared when the Guildmaster turned his attention toward the wayward Recruits. He stood there silently, the crowd waited with bated breath to see what he would say. From one Recruit to the other his gaze went, and the look on his face told them he was less than pleased about the situation.

  He turned to the Drillmaster. “Take charge of them,” he said.

  “As you wish,” the Drillmaster replied.

  Turning about, the Guildmaster passed through the door and into the Guild.

  “Alright!” the Drillmaster hollered. First to the crowd he said, “I’m sure you all have something better to do?” A murmur developed among those in the crowd as they began to disperse. Then he turned his attention to his five Recruits. His gaze bore into them like the fires of hell. Whatever retribution they were to receive wasn’t going to be done on the front steps of the Guild for all the world to see.

  “Take your horses to the stable,” he said in barely controlled rage. “Then go to your barracks and wait.”

  “Yes Drillmaster,” they said as one. Before they began to move, the Drillmaster turned and stalked into the Guild.

  “They’re going to kill us,” Chyfe said.

  “He definitely didn’t look too happy,” added Chad.

  “Come on,” Riyan said. “Let’s hurry this up. No sense in prolonging the inevitable.” The five Recruits took the horses around to the Guild’s stables and were soon on their way to their barracks. As they made their way through the hallways, they could hear the other Recruits at drills in the courtyard. What Riyan wouldn’t give right now for an extended session with the fat-uglies. A tear threatened to emerge at the thought of being expelled from the Guild.

  Back at their barracks they rested on their beds while they waited for whatever was to come. Riyan soon found himself drifting off to sleep. He hadn’t slept for two days. With nothing else to do, he let sleep claim him.

  “Think they’ll get kicked out of the Guild?” Kevik asked.

  “Maybe,” replied Bart. “Might be for the best anyway.”

  “How can you say that?” Kevik demanded. “They love being a part of the Warriors Guild.”

  Bart glanced at him. “I didn’t mean it that way,” he replied. “Simply that things could move ahead quicker if they were out.”

  “I hope they can get their situation reconciled,” Kevik stated. “Even if it meant postponing the continuation of our quest.”

  Bart shrugged. He was impatient to get going again. After this last escapade, more people knew of their involvement with the King’s Horde. Not only the men that Durik had with him at the Tower, but now Seth, Soth, Chyfe, and Tad all knew as well. Had he known how all this was going to be, he never would have suggested for Riyan and Chad to fence those coins to Thyrr. It wasn’t going to take much longer before everyone knew.

  His biggest worry was that the situation may escalate into something similar to what happened thirty years ago when that large cache of coins was discovered.

  His mind mulled over possible outcomes and stratagems to get them through when Kevik suddenly turned from the street that led to his estate and onto a side one. Turning to follow, he caught up with him and asked, “Where are you going?”

  “The Tower of the Magi,” he said. Gesturing above the rooftops ahead of them, he pointed to the Tower where it rose above them all.

  “Now?” asked Bart.

  “Yes,” he replied. “Though I have yet to test my staff, I’m confident in its ability.” Then he glanced over to Bart and added, “Besides, I get the feeling I may not have much time to do this before circumstances start spiraling out of control.” Bart nodded. “I get that feeling too.”

  “I’m hoping this will only take a minute,” he said. “I’m somewhat tired.” Chuckling, Bart said, “Me too.”

  The Tower of the Magi encompassed one full block, its rounded outer wall rose straight up for eight floors. No windows broke its surface until the fourth floor. The only entrance was a massive set of double doors reinforced with iron. At the moment, the left hand door was open and people were passing in and out through it.

  A series of posts rose from the ground to one side of the door, each held over a dozen eye rings where horses could be secured while their owners were inside. A score of horses were at the moment waiting amongst the posts for their owners to return. Kevik rode to one of the posts closest to the door and then dismounted. He looped his reins through one of the eye rings and turned to Bart.

  “You might wish to remain here with the horses,” he said.

  “Why?” asked Bart as he too secured his horse’s reins to an eye ring.

  “Just within the door is a large hall,” he explained. “It’s the only place unaccompanied nonmembers are allowed. I just felt you might be more comfortable out here. I’m not a member yet so cannot vouch for you.”

  “As you wish,” Bart said, giving in to his request. He glanced around and saw an open air eatery across the way. He pointed over to it and said, “You can find me there when you’re done.”

  “Excellent,” nodded Kevik. “I’ll be but a moment.” As he headed for the entrance to the Tower of the Magi, Bart crossed over to the eatery.

  He had been to the Tower of the Magi on various occasions with his master, and returning here again brought back many good memories. It was here that he had acquired his first spell book. Passing through the door, he entered a short hallway. Globes of light positioned just above eye level every five feet illuminated the interior of the Guild. You could find such globes in every room and along every hallway.

  The hallway ran only fifteen feet before opening up onto the Hall. In the middle of the Hall were six large columns that rose in a hexagon pattern all the way to the ceiling some three stories above. Outside of the area encompassed by the columns were many tables, each with four to six chairs placed around them. The tables were spaced in such a way that those using them had some degree of privacy from those sitting at another. This area was similar in nature to the foyer at the Warriors Guild. Nonmembers would use it to visit with members, while members were often found out here reading or socializing with one another.

  Three tables sat within the area encompassed by the columns. These were of much finer construction and the chairs around them were of the finest quality. This area was reserved for only those high in the Guild and other nonmembers of rank. Kevik thought to himself that neither he nor Bart were likely to be invited to sit there any time soon.

  From the Hall were four exits besides the one he just passed through. Two were across from the entrance to the guild, they were both hallways. To the right was another large door, not nearly as massive or grand as the outer door behind him. And to the left was another hallway that he knew led to one of the Guild’s libraries. From what his master told him, the Guild held many libraries. The one here on the ground floor was accessible by just about anyone, provided they had the Guild’s permission. The others were allowed only to those who had reached sufficient proficiency.

  He had asked his master about that. Instead of answering, his master had asked him a question. “Would you sit a small child before a bowl of lantern oil and give him a lit torch?”

  “That would be unwise, master,” Kevik had replied.

  “So too would giving the untrained access to information they weren’t able to handle,” Allar had said. “When you are ready, the Magi will allow you access.”

  “Yes, master,” Kevik had replied.

  Now he better understood what his master had been talking about. If nothing else had convinced him of the wisdom of that rule, his encounter with the flowering necklace had.

  He hadn’t been ready for the trap the necklace bore, and it almost cost him his life.

  Thankfully Riyan and Chad had been there with him that day.

  He looked around for one of the Seekers to take him where he needed to go. Here in the Tower of the Magi, the Seekers held the same job as that of the runners of the Warriors
Guild. Here though, they were boys and girls anywhere from twelve to sixteen years old who were hoping to be chosen as an apprentice by one of the members. Many though, from what his master had told him, would never be chosen. Once they reached their seventeenth birthday, if they hadn’t yet been chosen to be an apprentice, were summarily dismissed from the Tower.

  Seekers wore plain brown robes tied with a black belt that bore silver on each of its ends. He spied a young Seeker standing near one of the six columns and made his way towards him. The lad couldn’t have been more than twelve. The Seeker quickly became aware of Kevik moving towards him and stepped forward to meet him.

  “How may I be of service?” the Seeker asked most humbly. Since they never knew if anyone visiting was in need of an apprentice, they treated each with absolute respect. One bad word spoken of them could prevent them from ever being chosen by anyone.

  “I’m an apprentice who wishes to make arrangements to test for Practitioner,” Kevik told him.

  “Then you must see Magician Harkan,” the Seeker explained.

  “Is he available?” Kevik asked.

  “If you would rest yourself at one of the tables,” the Seeker said, “I will find out for you.”

  “Yes, thank you,” Kevik replied.

  The Seeker bowed and then turned and went down the hallway to the left of the entrance.

  Kevik moved to a nearby table and sat in one of the chairs to wait for the Seeker’s return. He didn’t have long to wait before the lad reappeared from the hallway and crossed the Hall towards him. Kevik was on his feet by the time the Seeker reached his table.

  “Magician Harkan has time to see you now,” the lad said. “If you’ll follow me.” Kevik nodded and followed the Seeker back into the hallway from which the lad had just emerged. The hallway curved noticeably to follow the contours of the outer wall with doors lining each side at roughly twenty feet intervals. Behind the third door on their right was the library which Allar had brought him to that one time when he needed to do research on a spell. This one was also the library which Kevik would have access to once he attained Practitioner.