Nes’egrinon hissed, “Keep quiet you two. Don’t attract any unwanted attention.”
Kerlith ignored the wizard. “Yeah, I know you had nothing to do with it. But you’re here right now.” Kerlith flicked his finger and a small stone rose up from the ground and pelted Bel on the face.
Bel wanted to smash him but he knew he couldn’t. Kerlith always was kind of irritating, but now, with his master just dying, he had an excuse. “Listen Kerlith, I get the message. You don’t want to be bothered. I’ll leave you alone. Just quit throwing stones at me.”
Kerlith kept walking then shook his hand again. Several rocks popped up and struck Bel.
Bel said, “Why are you being so childish? Stop it.”
Kerlith flicked his finger again, tossing a handful more rocks at Bel. One hit him on the bottom lip, cutting it open.
“I’ve had about enough of you,” Bel said as he flashed his staff full of bright white light, pushing all his anger and frustration into it, the anger at watching people who were good and upright reduced to babbling blood-drinking fiends, the rage at watching children run in terror from their dead parents lest they be drained by them, the disappointment at being picked last and somewhat reluctantly and then his first assignment, a suicide mission; he poured it in, bright white and hot, and the glare shone for miles.
Kerlith smiled broadly as he leapt up the cliff edge, gaining the higher ground, quickly yanking his stone out from behind his shirt, the rock already glowing, tiny flecks of amber-red light swirling around it. He howled, “You want a piece of me? Let’s go! I beat you before; I’ll do it again!” He swung his arm, stone in hand, down at Bel and a wave rippled out towards him.
Bel did not know what was coming but he knew that he could reflect it; he made giant arcs above his head with his staff. When the shockwave reached him it was scooped up in the rotation and sent back towards Kerlith. Bel smiled as Kerlith flew into the air. He would have flown off the cliff had not Nes’egrinon stopped him in midair, him pointing his staff at the apprentice, deep concentration twisting the mage’s face, his eyes squinted tight.
The wizard bellowed, “Enough!” and somehow the words were not audible but reverberated through Kerlith and Bel’s insides, rattling their bones. Nes’egrinon slowly motioned his staff toward the ground and Kerlith, who was hanging still in the air as if suspended by wires, slowly lowered. The mage whispered again, “Can you two stop acting like idiots and just shut up? Like a bunch of babies.”
“Babies. Mmmn, yummy,” Muolithnon moaned and they all realized they had to do something about his hunger. Fast.
The old mage stopped and took the dead man’s flask. He cut his thumb and drained some of his blood into it as the two boys looked on in disbelief. Nes’egrinon passed the flask to his dead friend and he drank of it eagerly.
The old mage sucked his finger to try to stop the bleeding. “Yuck. I don’t know how you like this stuff. But I am getting hungry myself. Hey. Look there.” Just over the horizon they could see a halo effect stretching over the far mountain. There was light there.
“Master, what do you think it is?”
“Light. That’s for sure. And not from the sun. Torch-light certainly. A lot of them. Just don’t know from whom.”
Kerlith interjected, “Ghoul-kind? Do you think they would use torches?”
“We don’t know much about them do we. Hey. Ghoul. What do you think?”
Muolithnon replied, “You gave me some blood. That’s cool, but don’t call me that.”
Nes’egrinon smiled at him.
The dead mage continued, “I don’t think so. My eyes actually don’t like the light anymore. I feel like I see much better in the dark. It’s more comfortable.”
“That’s good to know. If you have more insights like that, be sure to share. We could use your help you know.” The mage started walking. “We should be able to make that ridge in a morning’s journey or so. We’ll know more then. We’ll go to that area over there. That’ll give us a good vantage point, then, if it’s safe, we’ll head in. Maybe we can get some food. Some shelter and information would be nice too.”
Of course he said nothing about what they were all thinking. How can they walk into a town with a ghoul in tow? They couldn’t. What were they going to do with him?
They marched on and it didn’t feel like they were getting much closer. Bel was growing tired of everything: tired of walking, tired of the darkness and tired of watching a ghoul with a rabbit hanging out of his pocket. He wanted to be anywhere but here walking with this monster towards more monsters who were in all likelihood going to kill them and eat them. Bel drank the last of his water and announced loudly, “Oh well. I’m out of water.” He suddenly didn’t care if someone heard him.
“Sshhh,” Kerlith hissed.
“You sshhh yourself. I don’t want to be here anymore. This sucks.”
Nes’egrinon said, “Kerlith, take the lead. Bel, walk with me.”
The lithe boy slowed and passed the torch then walked next to the old hobbling man.
“Fifth Year, you seem a bit on the jittery side. First you promised me that the apprentice over there wouldn’t get under your skin and then what? A day later and you two are at each other’s throats. Now a little march and you’re crying about it. What’s going on?”
“I’m not a Fifth Year.”
“What?”
“I took six years to graduate,” Bel said glumly.
“And you think I didn’t know that? Listen son, I’ve been at this a long time and I don’t quite remember what it feels like to be your age but this here, what we’re doing, is man stuff. There’s no room for whining and acting like a pansy. Now you need to grow a pair real quick ‘cause the stuff we’re about to face doesn’t play kid games. If you blink, you’re dead. Understand?”
“I got it.” Bel looked at the old man and something changed deep inside of him.
“Now if you got any more sissified concerns then you go ahead and mention them to me and I’ll act like I care, maybe for a few seconds anyway, and then we can move on. Now go ahead and get back up there.”
Nes’egrinon’s harsh words stung but somehow Bel felt better about himself. He was here to train, here to learn, but deep inside he felt like something more was happening; he was giving himself up to the old man. He had always been good at everything he did. Fishing with his father always went well when he was on the boat; they all said he had the gift. When the searchers came, it felt so natural that they would come to his door; it was like he knew it all along; it felt right. Then at Lasaat, all had come easily to him as if it was just a game and he was so good at playing it. There was only the one incident, the one he wanted to forget, and even then he excelled. No one else would have even dared try what he did, not even the masters. Now something deep inside of him was awakening, not by some school boy challenge or an easily accomplished test at the University of Arts and Magic, but by danger and impending doom, by the half-scarred face of an old man long past his years who could cause earthquakes with the slam of his mage-wood staff, by a calm voice full of salty wisdom, by a frail body that could turn into a hawk, a frail body that hobbled slowly behind him and told him to man up.
By the time they reached the far ridgeline that jutted over the light source, another half-day’s journey had passed, all in silence. Nes’egrinon had to cut his hand two more times and Bel didn’t think he should do it again but refused to speak up about it. The old man was looking more and more drained. And they all were tired. They must have been walking for at least a day if not more.
The lights were a sight to behold though. It was a small fortress tucked into the side of a mountain, carved into the rock. A valley sat below it so that all entering must first climb down the mountain and cross the valley to reach the entrance. It was a perfectly designed and perfectly defensible entrance. It was Protolith, the Keep of the stonecutters.
Chapter 10
Protolith
“Old friend, stay here.
We will be back to retrieve you soon,” Nes’egrinon said softly as they stared down at the fortress. He could not look at the dead man’s face as he spoke.
“Blood,” Muolithnon said distantly. Bel realized that Muolithnon did not understand much anymore. More and more his only concern was stopping the gnawing hunger and the longer he went without drinking blood the less human he behaved.
“We’re just going to leave him? Out here? On these rocks?” Kerlith asked incredulously.
Bel’s shoulders tensed and he gripped his staff harder. He did not like Kerlith’s tone toward his master.
The mage held up his hand at Bel and motioned for him to calm down. He replied, “Young apprentice, your master asked me to join him on this journey but now it appears that I am leading it. Sometimes I feel like turning around and going back to my forest. This place is so foreign to me; rocks and stones, I cannot understand them, I cannot relate to them. I feel out of place and disjointed. But… here I am. We have gone far and maybe we have a long way to go. What is to become of us? I do not know. Will we be successful? I don’t know. But I will tell you this. You are in your lands. You have no tie to me, a forest mage. You can stay here if you like; tend after this man if it is your will. For me and the Fifth Year here, we are going to refresh our supplies, hopefully, down below and continue on. At least for a time. You are welcome to join us but do not feel obligated.”
“And my master? Were you planning on taking him with you?”
“I thought it was a good idea when we left the village, but now I cannot say. He needs blood to be of any use to us, but there doesn’t seem to be much around, as you well know. I don’t think it is a good idea to keep giving him mine.”
Bel flinched. He didn’t like it either. It was the old idea of association that the creature mages taught him. Never give an animal food out of your hand, especially one that eats meat, because the predator will begin to associate the person with food. His master had already done this and he could see it in Muolithnon’s vacant stare that never seemed to leave the dried, caked blood on Nes’egrinon’s hand.
Kerlith’s face was blank but Bel knew he was troubled. The gray-haired wizard, having nothing left to say, started down the mountain carefully as the path was dark and full of jagged rocks. Bel followed, suddenly wanting to eat something and lay in a bed, any bed, even a floor would do right now he was so tired of this endless march.
Kerlith watched them leave then turned to the dead man and said, “I don’t know what to do.”
“Blood. Some blood. Very hungry.”
“Master? Should I stay with you? I don’t know what to do.”
“Blood. Hungry.”
Bel heard them speaking as they climbed down the hill and he was terrified for Kerlith and what he might do. Even though he didn’t really like him that much he still thought staying with the dead mage would be a huge mistake.
Kerlith cut his finger and squeezed some blood onto the knife and gave it to the ghoul who eagerly licked it clean.
He quickly changed. “Wow. That was great! Wooh! You don’t know how exhilarating that is. I feel like a new man. Hahaha. Okay. Wooh! Listen here. My head’s clearing. Gimme a second. Okay, is that? Yes. Oh, we’re at Protolith, the Keep of the stonecutters, and is that? Yes, Master Nes’egrinon. Oh, he did well. Got us all the way to the Keep, he did.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Certainly without my help. I think I’ve been out of it for a while. Last I remember we were still on the forest edge. Okay, listen. I’m dead; remember? I don’t want you hanging around here with me. You go after those two and get some food and rest. Here, take that rope and tie me down. When this wears off I’ll be out of it and I don’t want to get lost where you can’t find me. Okay? Hurry up. It’s wearing off already.”
Kerlith did as the dead man asked but he certainly didn’t like it. He felt like he was tying up a dog. It was degrading and he didn’t want to do it. But he did. He wrapped the rope around his master’s chest and tied it in the back, then around a large boulder and secured it where the mage wouldn’t be able to reach either knot in his demented state.
“Okay? I’m going,” Kerlith said without a smile.
The mage’s skin had already gone gray. “Blood,” he said shallowly, looking at Kerlith as if he did not know who he was.
Kerlith turned and began descending the mountain quickly, refusing to allow himself to look back and occasionally wiping the moisture from his eyes, telling himself that he was only sweating. The apprentice caught up to the two just as they reached the base of the mountain and the open field leading up to the fortress entrance.
A voice rang out from an opening above, “Halt! Who approaches?”
Nes’egrinon held out his arms and motioned for them to stop. “I am Nes’egrinon, mage of the western forest, with me are my two assistants. We seek refuge and shelter.”
“Hold.”
As they waited, Bel studied the fortress. It was lit up with torchlights all around, but the surrounding mountains were quite dark. He found that odd and thought that they would have wanted light surrounding them so that their archers could see their targets if need be. As it was only the castle was lit. Bel turned around and looked back up at the path they just descended and it was pitch black. He knew Muolithnon was there but he could not see him. The Protolith sentries wouldn’t be able to either. Somehow he was not comforted by that fact as that also meant that they could be surrounded by ghoul-kind tucked into and behind the nooks and crevices of the large boulders and no one would be the wiser.
“Step forward and wait,” the sentry hollered out.
The three said nothing and walked into the light and across the open field. After walking by the light of a single torch for so long, the three found the light of thousands of torches to be blinding; they squinted their eyes to slits as they approached. Bel was nervous and did not want to look up at the archers that had their bead on them. They stopped in front of a large wooden door which had a smaller door inlaid into it. The smaller door opened and the sentry said, “Proceed.”
They each stepped through the smaller door into a caged area. The door closed behind them mechanically. On the other side of the cage was a group of soldiers looking them over. One said, “What business do you have here, wood-mage?”
Kerlith stepped forward, “Alexius, it is I, Kerlith, apprentice to Master Muolithnon, the wizard of these lands. You remember me, don’t you?”
“Aye. Kerlith, it is good to see you here. We have been without anyone of decent magical ability for a time. A lot has happened since you and your master left these parts some weeks ago. We are at our wits end. So you brought a forest-mage with you, ay? What has become of your master?”
Kerlith looked at the floor. “He does not live.”
“Aye. I suspected as much when I did not see him at your side. It is a hard time for all of us and I am sorry to hear this. Forest mage, my apologies for keeping you in this cage but please, let me call the king and I will be right back with his word of release.” The head guard quickly trotted away. The other guards stood silent as it was not in the stone people’s nature to take to much talking but they did seem glad to see that people of magic were about.
Alexius returned and unlocked the cage, saying, “Sorry for the delay. No one knows what is day or night anymore. The king was in his bed. I will take you to clean yourselves and let you make yourselves presentable and then to see the king. He would like word of your journey and the things you have seen.” Bel thought that it might be a long time before he would be able to sleep and the idea drained him.
The guard led the three down several unlit, damp and slimy hallways. The Keep felt like a dungeon which was unpleasant for Bel who had only known the wide openness of the ocean and the embrace of the trees in the forest. He felt as if the large, cut stones forming the walls and ceiling were bearing down on him. When they reached the door to a room, Bel unconsciously placed his hand on the wood and caressed it. Nes’egrinon lo
oked at him and said, “I know. I feel it to. It will pass.”
Kerlith, not understanding, said, “Feel what?” but no one answered him and they all went into the room and began disrobing, bathing and cleaning themselves. The room was small but nicely appointed and in the corner was a mirror, which struck them all as odd. Bel thought the room must only be for visiting royalty. He looked at himself in it and saw a grim, dirty, gaunt face staring back. He knew who it was but somehow could not believe that in such a short time he could degrade so quickly. After they washed themselves and knocked the majority of the dust and grime off of their clothing they put their clothes back on and opened the door.
Alexius said, “Follow me.”
The long hallway led to a chamber with two more guards and a door. Passing through the door, they entered a large open room with a cathedral ceiling made of intricate crystal glasswork. Kerlith seemed to glow in there. At the end of the room was the king’s chair but he did not sit in it; he stood nearby looking out of an open window into the darkness. Nes’egrinon stopped about three paces away and waited.
The king did not turn from his dark view but said, “My name is Luthgar. Welcome, mage of the forest. Our peoples of recent times have been on peaceful terms and with what is now happening now I can only assume that this situation is what has drawn you from your forest?”
“Yes, good king. My name is Nes’egrinon and you speak correctly. My people have been afflicted by this darkness just as yours have here and we intend to continue on to its source. We will try to stop it. We request whatever aid you can provide us.”
“Yes, yes. Alexius, see to it.” The king turned and looked at them. “Kerlith I know and have met. Yes, you look quite haggard young apprentice. I am sorry to hear that our mage is not with the living. Is it so?”
Kerlith said, “Aye, it is so.”
Under the Shadow of Darkness: Book 1 of the Apprentice Series Page 9
