In reality, he wasn’t much taller than the two guards but he seemed so much more imposing than his size. His ever present arm and shoulder guard on his left side seemed to accent his broad-shoulders. Of course, he never wore any armor other a wide belt and a leather loincloth. Then, there was the matter of his flaming bronze trident and his quick temper; both had caused his commander to become legendary over the last year. When his commander stopped in front of him, Jerrick swallowed deeply.
“Any word from Adok?”
Surprised at being singled out, the young guard stammered his answer. “No…no sir, there has been no word or at least nothing was passed on to us.” His partner nodded in agreement.
Jagoda moved over to the cliff edge and looked down. It was over five-hundred feet to the valley floor and there was no way he could see the lands below but he looked anyway. It had become a habit. Of course, anyone on foot would have to brave the winding mountain trail leading to the fortress and no one could do that safely at night without some form of light. Taking a deep breath, the warrior turned back to the fortress. “Keep a close eye out and have someone alert me the moment Adok returns.”
“Yes sir.” Jerrick nodded and returned to his duties.
Jagoda moved through his mountain fortress with a restlessness he’d never felt before. He paced the ramparts like a caged lion before a meal. It was nerve wracking. He didn’t know why or how but something was wrong or would be soon. Moving to his bedchambers, he found that his lover was still awake and deep in meditation.
Aaliyah was a Sha’ir; which literately meant poet in Arabic. She was a type of wizard from the Burning Sands expansion of Lost Lands which could summon and control the ancient djinni. After being with her for nearly three years, he knew that her magic had its limits compared to other spellcasters but the ability to summon a djinn or an elemental to act as a servant outweighed any weaknesses. With their aid, Jagoda had become the master raider of Hyperborea.
Even though he had been able to tame the wyverns which inhabited the Crags, he knew that his winged serpents were no match for their larger cousins which the Atlanteans rode. That thought irritated Jagoda. He had not forgotten his vow of vengeance spoken nearly three years earlier. If anything, his vow spurred him forward and he would not rest until Argos was avenged.
Aaliyah opened her eyes as he entered. “You are troubled.”
Jagoda gazed at her perfect body. Even after all this time, she took his breath away. One part of his mind knew that there had to be Freudian explanation to his attraction to her since she looked so similar to Barbara Eden’s character from the TV series ‘I Dream of Jeanie’ that she could be her twin. Beyond that Jagoda knew she had a gentle soul and that was what had truly captivated him. Crossing the twenty feet between them, he wrapped her in his arms. “It’s nothing. I just feel restless; nothing to concern yourself with.”
Leaning back, Aaliyah looked up at her lover and frowned. “Anything that concerns you, concerns me. I will have one of my djinni look into it.” With a wave of her hand, her air spirit disappeared, off to do her bidding. Aaliyah gave her lover a playful tug and asked, “Now is there anything else I can do to relax my master’s body?”
“Now that you mention it, there is something you can do,” Jagoda said with a grin and all of his worries disappeared into the night as he pulled the beautiful sorceress into his arms.
* * * * *
Kastle, Callistra and Tariq traveled throughout the evening. Callistra had summoned her customary steed, the Nightmare, while the other two rode conventional horses. Of course, the two normal horses were extremely skittish of the demon steed until the witch cast a simple enchantment on them and they immediately calmed down. Kastle lead them west along the northern edge of the Dark Forest until they reached the remnants of Roland’s pyre. It was naught but a smoldering heap but the priest insisted on stopping.
Tariq hated to admit it but he felt a tightness in his gut at the sight but remained silent. Callistra just waited patiently, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to sway her friend from his current path. Kastle knelt by the pyre and prayed to the Thunder God for forgiveness for what he was about to do. After a moment, he stood and began rummaging through the ashes.
Tariq slid off his horse and cocked his head to the side. “What are you doing?”
Kastle looked up from his mission. The ashes had already marked up his face. “Simple. I want to see if the sword that the paladin received from Al Shaytan survived the fire. If so, it could be useful in the right hands or extremely dangerous in the wrong hands.”
“Why?”
Kastle turned back to his task while he explained. “The magic in the weapons are bound to our souls as Callistra demonstrated. But unbound, the magic could throw off the balance of this realm. These items are imbued with magic far greater than anything else in this land. Trust me on this.”
Callistra said, “What he says is true. I just didn’t voluntarily give up my wand. It was taken from me and having to deal with its loss has not been a pretty picture.”
Tariq looked back towards the dazzling witch and a glimmer of understanding crept into his mind. There was much more to this story than what he knew but one thing for certain, the katar he received from Al Shaytan was more important than he realized. Unconsciously, he placed his hand on its pommel and felt comforted by its touch.
“Found it!” exclaimed Kastle. As the cleric pulled forth the silver blade it glowed with an inner white light which illuminated the area.
Callistra couldn’t help but shade her eyes from the holy light. Her demonic steed tossed his head a few times and backed away. Pulling on the reins, the witch struggled for a moment to get her demonic steed under control before saying, “Kastle…would you mind? That hurts.”
“Oh, sorry.” The priest tucked the holy sword under his cloak to block the divine light. Moving back to his horse, Kastle wrapped the blade with his sleeping blanket and tied it securely to his saddle. “Now let’s find Jagoda and Aaliyah.”
“Lead on. We have about three hours till sunrise.”
Tariq raised an eyebrow. “How do you know?”
Callistra graced him with a little smile. “After living with this condition for the last four years, I know when the sun will set or rise. I can feel it.”
Accepting her at her word, the assassin just nodded his head and fell in behind the holy man. He seemed to be the only level-headed one in this bunch and who might know of a way home. Tariq was planning on sticking real close to Kastle whether he wanted him to or not.
Chapter 13
The companions found Camp-Five easily enough given the landmarks on the map. It was located in a grove of trees. No one was exactly sure of the type of trees. They looked similar to birch but they were larger than anything back home, except maybe the famous redwood trees of California. They could tell from the air that there were several huts built in their branches with rope bridges spanning the gap between huts.
Tao had the wyverns circle the camp twice before landing. If anyone was inside, they should’ve come out to investigate. But to be on the safe side, the samurai sent Mathias, Gamble and Pixi inside to investigate while the rest of the group stood guard. Minutes later the trio returned and declared it empty.
Breathing a sigh of relief, the companions lead the winged serpents into the center of the trees where there was a huge pen woven from the branches like an enormous bird cage. A stream flowed through the center of the cage and several large crates of dried fish were stored under tarps near the entrance, obviously food for the beasts.
Tao’s first order of business was taking care of their mounts. Given the lack of specific knowledge on wyverns, he defaulted back to basic horsemanship. After making sure he knew how to strap them back on, Tao pulled off the saddles and placed them on the nearby racks. Using the under-blanket, Tao proceeded to rub the great beast down. After a moment of watching, Cozad, Mathias, Bjǿrn and Gamble mirrored his actions while the girls disappeared into the hut
s and several minutes later the aroma of cooking stew filled the small grove.
Once Tao was satisfied that his wyvern wasn’t overheated, he led his grey to the small stream that ran through the enclosure and let him drink. After a few moments, Tao pulled his head up and guided him aside. It was obvious that Shadow wasn’t done drinking but the samurai knew better than to let the beast drink his fill on the first opportunity. His companions followed his example. It was nearly an hour before all five beasts were watered and fed.
Tired and sore, the men headed to the huts. A small rope ladder had been lowered which allowed access to the lowest platform. Mathias scrambled up the flimsy device easily and Gamble followed not as quickly. Tao looked at the ladder then back at the heavily armored dreadknight. “I seriously doubt that will support your weight.”
“No matter.”
Calling on one of the innate powers granted to his class, the dreadknight began to float upwards. With a grin, Tao climbed up the rope ladder to join his friends. Once Cozad landed, he pulled off his helmet and smiled.
“Levitation is one of the first spells the crusader class is granted. It is very useful for someone wearing full plate armor. There are tales of knights who died during the Crusades just because they fell off their horses and landed on their backs. Since they couldn’t turn over, they baked in the hot sun until they died of dehydration.”
Moira stepped out of the small hut which was situated on one side of the platform. Judging from her color and movements it was obvious that she was still weak but she seemed to be in good spirits. She passed out several hand-carved wooden bowls and spoons to her companions. “Whoever designed this campsite did a wonderful job. I found crates full of dried food. Mostly grains, beans and smoked meats. I would guess that there is enough food to keep us fed for several weeks. And to top that off, the grill was already laid out for a fire.”
Arieal moved forward with a large pot of stew, set it down between them and began to ladle out portions. “I can’t vouch for the taste but it was the best we could manage in such a short time.”
Bjǿrn gently nudged his wife. “I’m sure it’s delicious. What is it?”
Moira waited until her husband took his first bite before answering. “Smoked bat meat with kidney beans.”
It wasn’t two seconds later when Bjǿrn spewed up the contents. Unfortunately, the disgorged broth coated the entire left side of the armored Dreadknight. There was a moment of silence while everyone waited to see his response. Cozad calmly reached down, ran his finger through the mess and stuck it in his mouth.
“It needs salt.”
Everyone burst out laughing.
Cozad calmly threw a chunk of the offending stew onto the Norseman and their laughter became louder and harder. It was infectious. It was healthy. It was cleansing. It was a release of pent up emotions. All their fears, anger and worries about their situation encased in laughter. Several minutes passed before they regained control of their rampant mirth and returned to their dinner.
Mathias asked, “So…what’s next?”
Tao stood up. “Sleep. No discussions. No worrying, just rest.”
Gamble asked, “Who has first watch?”
Tao shook his head. “No one. The wyverns will alert us if anyone enters the grove.”
Cozad cocked his head to the side. “Are you sure that’s wise?”
“Yes. Stay awake if you want. I for one am looking forward to a good night’s sleep. And by the way, we are going to spend at least a few days here. At least until we get a better lay of the land, so get comfortable.” Tao began moving across one of the rope bridges but paused and looked back. “When I say comfortable I don’t mean lax, we are still in hostile territory; so be on your toes.”
Everyone looked at each other for a moment before realizing the logic of Tao’s reasoning. Bjǿrn and Moira followed first, moving across the rope bridge arm in arm. It was obvious that they were heading off for a long overdue reunion. One by one, the companions moved off to the different platforms to get some much needed rest until only Arieal was left alone. She chewed on her hair for a moment, obviously wrestling with an important decision. Shrugging her shoulders, she made up her mind and went off to find a place to rest.
* * * * *
Hyperborea was technically a large island that was about the same size as Australia which was divided into three major regions; the Westlands, the Eastlands and the Wastelands.
The Westlands was supposedly the oldest settled region outside of Atlantis, the island kingdom. The city of Agharti was originally established as a garrison for the Dragon Kings. It was built in the image of Atlantis with crystal towers and wide avenues. However, centuries ago the inhabitants broke away from the Dragon Kings and built large gates across the only two passes through the Crags, effectively sealing off the Westlands from the rest of Hyperborea.
The area known as the Crags was a mountain range that ran the length of Hyperborea from north to south. It was the home of the dwarves and the nesting areas for the wyverns. The majority of all the precious metals mined in Hyperborea came from this region and the best weapons in the land were forged by the dwarves. It was a rough land and only rugged people settled in this region. There were a few scattered villages but only the dwarves had carved out a major city in this unforgiving region. Valhöll was a marvel of dwarven engineering and spectacular architecture. However, the dwarves had closed the doors of their kingdom to the outside world centuries ago.
On the opposite side of the continent was the Eastlands and it was a widely populated region with the primary inhabitants being humans. Antioch was a human city on the northeastern coast. Actually built as Agharti’s sister city, it had been abandoned by the Dragon Kings long ago. Left to its own devices, it became the busiest port city of Hyperborea. There were numerous small hamlets and villages scattered the length of the coast and along the edges of the Dark Forest which covered the southeastern region.
However, deep inside the Dark Forest was Mount Sarai, a long dormant volcano and the supposed location of the lost city of the Elves. The whole region was considered taboo to those not of Sídhe, or faerie-folk, blood.
Between the Crags and the Eastlands was a vast dry, hilly region that was unforgiving to any traveler who was unprepared for its demanding conditions that was known simply as the Wastelands. It was only sporadically inhabited, only prospectors, outcasts and bandits called this arid land home.
Legends tell that once the Wastelands was a land of rolling hills and grassy plains until there was a mighty battle. An alliance of men, dwarves and elves under the leadership of the Atlanteans fought against the Horde, an untold number of goblins and their kind. Thousands upon thousands died during the battle until finally the two leaders; the High Mage of Atlantis and the Goblin King met in a mighty duel. The rules were simple, winner take all. Their battle lasted two full days until in a blinding flash of magic, both leaders were gone. Without the Goblin King, the Horde was defeated and the goblins slunk back to their hovels in shame. However the alliance of men, dwarves and elves was also severed as each race blamed the other for the disaster. Within one lifespan, the green hills and rolling plains had become an unforgiving wasteland and Hyperborea was changed forever.
* * * * *
Kastle, Callistra and Tariq traveled throughout the day and into the early evening before reaching the small hamlet known as Crooked Creek. It was not a very large town, just a handful of buildings; stable, general store and saloon but it was the last town on the East-West road, the only path which wound its way through the Wastelands. Very few caravans stopped here for last minute supplies since it was a lawless town, full of the scum of Hyperborea. There hadn’t been a lawman in Crooked Creek for over a year, ever since the last one had been strung up and gutted on the saloon steps. It was the type of a town where thieves, cutpurses and brigands walked openly in broad daylight instead of lurking in the shadows.
The three companions rode into town and stopped in front of the local st
able. Callistra’s demon steed attracted a lot of attention until she dismissed it with a wave of her wand which caused the townsfolk to shy away from her whenever she turned their direction. Many made the ‘Sign of the Horn’ over their hearts which was supposedly a blessing that would ward off demons. It didn’t work but it gave the townsfolk comfort.
Kastle completely ignored the townspeople and lead the two remaining horses into the stable, paid for a week’s care before heading off to the local saloon.
Tariq just followed along, eyes darting from shadow to shadow while trying to come to terms with the knowledge that they were being watched. If the cleric felt it, he gave no indication to the assassin. When they entered the tavern, Tariq felt like he was stepping into an old western movie. The entrance had a swinging door and inside were gambling tables, dancing girls and a piano player. The only major difference was there were no six-guns present and it wasn’t as dusty as the movies. Once Tariq leaned on the bar, he reconsidered his thought about the dust. “What are we doing here?”
“Waiting,” said Kastle as he downed his first shot of whiskey.
“Waiting for what?”
When the music stopped and the sound of sliding chairs echoed through the room the cleric replied, “That.”
The two companions slowly turned around to find five armed men. Two had loaded crossbows pointed at their chests and the rest with swords drawn. Tariq noted that everyone in the saloon had a weapon drawn and was watching the two travelers with suspicion. One of the warriors stepped forward and placed his sword on the holy man’s shoulder with the blade touching his throat. “I thought we made it clear the last time you were here that you were not welcome.”
Tariq didn’t take his eyes off the crossbowman directly in front of him. “Friends of yours Kastle?”
“I came through here about a year ago, shortly after they murdered their lawman who was an acquaintance of mine. I brought Thor’s judgment to the guilty parties.”
Lost Lands: The Game - Atlantis Page 10
