The Wizard Knight Companion

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The Wizard Knight Companion Page 10

by Michael Andre-Driussi


  They end up at the Grotto of the Griffin, source of the river. It looks dangerous. Able sleeps and dreams. Then he questions Toug and learns that Toug will be able to speak when Able gets Eterne. Able goes into the cave. He finds an altar and calls out. Nothing happens. He dives down into the wellspring of the Griffin to retrieve his lost boots and mail. Through repeated efforts he manages to get a different suit of mail and a sword.

  The dragon’s head erupts from the well. It is Grengarm, and some Aelf (Uri among them) are making a human sacrifice to him. Able draws the sword he has just found: it is Eterne (68).

  Able fights the dragon and Aelfs, supported by the phantom knights of the sword. The dragon escapes. Able saves the woman, but then she disappears.

  Able goes outside and with Toug rides the animal Griffin in pursuit of Grengarm. They harry the dragon and Able kills him. Then Able is caught up by Alvit the valkyrie (69).

  The Wizard

  Uns and Toug tell Lord Beel and Princess Idnn of Sir Able’s death. They are all preparing to face giants. Mani talks to Toug (1).

  Svon rides up and insults Toug, so Toug sucker-punches him with the butt of his crude lance, breaking Svon’s nose. Svon tells how Org is following him. Together they find the giant’s farm where blinded Bold Berthold awaits the return of Sir Able (2). They take Berthold to Beel, and he tells of the giants eating there. They move to get the pack animals and fight the giants on horseback. In the middle of battle a serving man is riding in the saddle with Toug. He knocks Toug out. When Toug wakes up, on foot, the battle is still going on, now with bows. Toug takes a fallen giant’s knife as a sword. Then Sir Able appears in green and gold.

  After the battle, Able teaches Toug how to care for his horse (3).

  Baki is near death and begs Able to save her with a sacrifice of his blood. He refuses, but he tells Toug how to do it (4). Afterwards when they sleep, Toug and Able visit Dream, next door on the fourth level. When awake, Able knights Svon and Toug becomes Svon’s squire. Able leaves to hold the pass as he had promised. Idnn has a private interview with Squire Toug to ask about Sir Svon, with whom she is romantically interested (5).

  The party led by Beel arrives at Utgard. Thrym the guard giant says his king wants Idnn’s cat Mani. Toug is sent ahead with Mani (6).

  Meanwhile Able’s party is heading to the pass to fulfill his quest. Gerda’s half-giant children Hela and Heimir join them (7).

  Thiazi, prime minister of King Gilling, questions Toug and Mani. Then Mani goes out the tower window and climbs down to another window. Toug and Baki follow, searching for Mani and Ulfa, Toug’s sister (8).

  The Knight of Leopards faces Able at the pass (9).

  Toug finds Ulfa. She tells him to look for her husband, Pouk. Toug, Ulfa, and Baki swear an oath to help each other: to help Ulfa and Pouk escape; to help Toug be a knight like Able; to help Baki bring Able to Aelfrice to kill Setr. Mani then tells them King Gilling wants Able to conquer Celidon for him (10).

  The Knight of the Sun faces Able at the pass (11).

  Lord Beel and party are formally presented to King Gilling. Gilling proposes a combat between giants and knights. In the confused melee, Gilling is struck a major wound by an unknown assailant. A hasty wedding is arranged for Gilling and Idnn (12).

  Uri visits Able at the pass. Then Idnn comes from the giant side, now a queen. The Black Knight challenges Able (13).

  Back at Utgard, Huld (Mani’s ghost witch owner) tells Toug how she has played as a false Idnn to allow the real one to ride out for Able.

  Idnn tells Able and his group about the wounding of Gilling. They puzzle over the mystery of who did it. They arrange things so that Able can leave the pass with his honor intact and the party can go to Utgard (14).

  At Utgard, Schildstarr argues with Thiazi. Squire Wistan tries to question Squire Toug about voices, then grows belligerent at his evasive answers. Wistan takes Sword Breaker from him. Gilling’s wound starts bleeding again (15). Schildstarr announces to the crowd that his faction is guarding the king. Beel tells Toug he has a secret mission for him.

  With Able’s group, Idnn tells him about giantesses. After the rest of the camp is asleep, Able rides Cloud through the sky to Utgard.

  Beel’s mission is for Toug to search the giant village for siege ladders. On his way out on this deadly task he meets and beats Wistan. Out on the street he stops Org from eating a girl, Etela, who tells him about the siege tools she knows of (16). She takes him to the place where she lives, where the tools are being forged. He meets Vil. Uri shows up. Toug meets Etela’s mother. The giant master Logi wakes up and charges Toug, but Org helps Toug kill Logi.

  Toug takes Etela to the castle, where Able has already arrived. They meet at the sickbed of Gilling (17). Then they meet with Schildstarr about action to take on the tools. Able returns Ulfa to Glennidam, and hears the wind in the chimney. He rushes out to meet Disiri. Then he rides back to camp, sobered (18). Mani had been hiding in the saddlebag, so he is now reunited with Queen Idnn at the camp. He tells her that Beel is trying to get Toug killed.

  At Utgard, Schildstarr is sent out to buy the forge and its tools. Svon and Toug are sent out to buy food and to bring Logi’s slaves back to the castle.

  Mani tells Able about the Room of Lost Love.

  Svon tells Toug about Ravd and how their own mission is like the one that killed Ravd (19).

  Uri visits Idnn. Uri is on the verge of naming the one who stabbed Gilling when the Valfather enters the pavilion. He urges Idnn to help Able regain his only love.

  Svon and Toug set out.

  Able asks Mani about the Room of Lost Love.

  Toug kills a giant at the forge. Svon and Toug find an auction going on, where Schildstarr is buying up most of the items. Svon takes possession of the slaves in the king’s name. They buy food at the market but a giant starts trouble so Svon kills him and they all hurry to the castle. The fighting escalates. Queen Idnn appears and orders them to stop. In the courtyard the body of a dead Frost Giant is King Gilling (20).

  Able bargains with Thiazi, discussing the murder of Gilling. Thiazi allows him to go into the Room of Lost Love if he takes Etela’s mother Lynnet with him (21). They enter the room and find Goldenlawn, Lynnet’s home. Mani sneaks in, too. Then Able finds his way to Parka’s grotto, and from there he swims to the Isle of Glas where he meets Mag, mother of the real Able and Bold Berthold. Now he finds he can read her scroll.

  After they come out of the room, Pouk comes to tell them Schildstarr has declared himself king. Lynnet, now somewhat recovered, asks Able if he will be her new husband. He declines the offer (22). Vil performs his conjuring tricks for Able. Mani confesses what he saw in the Room of Lost Love.

  Hela shows the Duke’s party the giants’ ambush and in the fighting Able’s party from Utgard arrives to help (23). The next day the group heads south into unseasonably warm weather. At the evening camp Idnn convinces Able to take her with him in flying to scout behind. They find the enemy camp and return to their own (24).

  The next morning has a thick fog. Toug and others become lost in it. Able sets out to find them (25). Uri shows up and they are in Aelfrice. They go to the beach where a large white dragon stands out in the water: Kulili. Then Able sees the Tower of Glas, and at the isle on top he sees Toug and the others.

  Down on the beach Garsecg meets them. Garsecg tells his version of things. Then Able goes into the sea to fight Kulili.

  After dealing with Kulili, Able swims to the Tower of Glas where Toug had fought his way down. They meet up with Svon and Garvaon. Able sets up the fight of Garsecg/Setr versus Svon and Garvaon. Able tells how he yielded to Kulili and Setr strikes at Svon. Setr kills Garvaon but is throttled by Vil who is using Able’s magic bowstring that he had stolen. Garvaon seemingly confesses to killing Gilling, and dies. A Valkyrie gathers him up (26).

  Able and party return to camp in Jotunland, where they bury Garvaon. They fight their way out of the mountains. Able has to explain why he wouldn’t fig
ht Setr. Later the ghost Mag talks to Able through Lynnet. The party continues south. Able rides ahead to Redhall, his new manor, stopping first at Goldenlawn in the same area. At Redhall he hears the wind in the chimney and runs out to see Disiri, seemingly over at Goldenlawn’s garden grotto (27). Morcaine magically visits him at Redhall, reminding him that he rescued her at the grotto of the Griffin. Wistan, Pouk, and Uns arrive bearing his loot from Jotunland, including a magic helm. Uri comes by but she flees when Able asks her about the helm (28).

  The group travels south for more than a week to reach Kingsdoom. Able and Wistan ride to the castle Thortower the next day and meet with Escan the Earl Marshall (29). Able tries the helm and sees different forms of Uri and Gylf.

  Able performs well at the mounted archery contest but his borrowed bowstring breaks and he does not dine with King Arnthor. Still, Queen Gaynor chooses him as her champion (30). Morcaine says she will help him meet her brother. Able wins three matches and expects to be invited to the king’s table, but the invitation does not come. Escan invites Able to stay at the castle and begins bargaining with him (31). Escan deduces that the secret message Able carries is from Disiri. Escan admits his dream is to visit Aelfrice, and Able agrees to take him after the message is delivered.

  Able is Gaynor’s champion in a trial by combat. Morcaine’s champion is a reanimated dead knight. Able triumphs and at last is invited to the king’s table (32). At the dinner the message starts coming out of Able. Accusing Able of treason, Arnthor takes Eterne and has Able thrown into the dungeon (33). Uri visits, then Morcaine. Uri gives him an Ice Aelf sword that was hidden away (34).

  Time passes. Arnthor leads an army against the Osterlings. The Queens Gaynor and Idnn consult Able about shoring up the defenses of Kingsdoom. He bends his parole, for which he is chained at the dungeon’s twelfth level. After weeks Arnthor returns and releases him. Able takes Escan on a trip to Aelfrice, and then to realms below (35).

  They are gone for half a day but return to find Kingsdoom in ruins under Osterling occupation. With Uns and a beggar woman they head for Sevengates. Disiri meets Able and tells him of his friends holding out at Redhall. They go there and wipe out the Osterling besiegers, but Able betrays his oath to the Valfather by doing some weather magic, and so loses his magical mount Cloud (36).

  Able leads a group south to aid the king, passing through the ruins of Irringsmouth, Forcetti, and Kingsdoom on the way to the Mountain of Fire. Arnthor is wounded, resting in bed. Able learns about the sword destined to kill the Black Caan. Then the king’s forces abandon the hard-won mountain.

  Morcaine tries to tempt Able into becoming king by marrying her. She introduces him to Lothur, who proposes a deal of three wishes granted for Able breaking his oath three more times (37).

  Queen Gaynor visits Able and tries to tempt him into becoming king by marrying her. He forestalls.

  Ten days later they meet Smiler with his five hundred Dragon Warriors and engage in a deadly contest. Able seems to die in the first set, Woddet falls in the second set, and Kei dies in the third set. Yet Able flies Cloud to snatch Smiler, taking him to meet Lothur (who presumably tells the dragon warriors to join with Able against the Osterlings, to gain a kingdom for themselves).

  The ghost Mag talks through Lynnet to Bold Berthold and Able (38).

  They meet the Osterlings in a series of battles. Preparing for the final battle, Able promises a thousand Aelf archers. Arnthor gives Eterne back to Able and Able gives him the sword fated to kill the Black Caan (39).

  At the River Battle, Able fights a dragon and then summons the Aelf archers as a god. Arnthor meets the Black Caan at the water and triumphs over him yet dies shortly thereafter.

  After the battle, Able breaks his oath and heals wounded Bold Berthold and many others. Valfather comes and invites him to return to Skai. Instead Able sacrifices his Overcyn-infused blood to Disiri, sealing his fate (40).

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  bibliography

  Davidson, Hilda Roderick Ellis. Scandinavian Mythology. London: Penguin Books, 1964.

  Ellis, Peter Berresford. Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, c1992.

  Lacy, Norris J. The New Arthurian Encyclopedia. New York: Garland Publishing, 1991.

  Lindow, John. Handbook of Norse Myth. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, c2001.

  Monaghan, Patricia. The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore. New York: Facts on File, Inc., 2004.

  Orchard, Andy. Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend. London: Cassell, 1998.

  Rose, Carol. Giants, Monsters, and Dragons. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2001.

  Stone, George Cameron. A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor: In All Countries and in All Times. New York: Jack Brussel, 1961.

  Sturluson, Snorri. The Prose Edda. Translated by Jean I. Young. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1973.

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