“Likely, he is in the castle with the king. And if he is, he will certainly die in the siege, as you will too when we find you there. We will spare no one.”
“Then could we come along with you on your siege? Could we at least attempt to find the Spellcrafter before he is killed and rescue him? Certainly, you have no quarrel with the Spellcrafter?”
“If he is helping the king, then he deserves to die with the rest.”
“But he is our only hope for getting out of this land.”
“You are not from here? Where did you come from?”
“We come from another world. Neverwind.”
“Ah, Neverwind. I have heard of it. I thought it was a myth.”
“Quite real. But we need to get back to prevent another great injustice from happening, probably by the same person that sent your world into chaos: the Sorcerer Zaleus.”
“Ah yes. Zaleus. I have heard that if he is killed, the curse upon our land will be broken and we will enjoy prosperity and beauty once again. Do you have knowledge of this?”
“Until yesterday, your world was only folklore to us. But what you say makes sense. If he cast the spell, then he holds the power of it, and only he can undo it. If he is gone, the spell will be broken.”
“And if you can get to this Spellcrafter, can you get back and do away with Zaleus?”
“That is my hope,” the wizard said.
“Then we will allow you to join us, but only to see that the Spellcrafter is safe and able to get you back on your mission.”
“Thank you. And what is your name, sir?”
“I am Lord Frantis, leader of the Lionborne.”
“It is our honor to be of service to you, Lord Frantis,” the wizard said, offering a shallow bow before the leader of the Lionborne. The rest of us followed suit.
“No need to bow before me, nor shall you kneel. I am not a king. Tomorrow morning, we leave for Ebony City. Be ready to travel. It is a day’s travel, and we will attack at sunset.”
“We will be ready.
“Very well. Then Colem here will show you to a place you can make camp until tomorrow. There is food in the mess area if you are hungry.”
“Meat on a stick,” my big friend mumbled.
“They probably don’t have meat on a stick,” I said elbowing him in the thigh.
“This way,” Colem said, motioning for us to follow him.
“Meat on a stick.”
“Drop it.”
“You let them get away!” the sorcerer scolded the hapless barbarian. Dhell stood there at attention, looking straight forward, afraid to make eye contact with the angry mage, for fear of being turned into a small amphibian or rodent. Or worse. “What do you have to say for yourself?”
“Great Zaleus, we chased them into the woods, and we were close to catching them, but they just disappeared.”
“I know they disappeared. I made them disappear. I want to know how it came to be that you allowed them to be free to run from your custody into the woods in the first place?”
“Sir, somehow they snuck into our camp as we slept and managed to kill Glos and take the key that held the wizard. I think it was their girl, a chameleon.”
“And why did you think it was a good idea to stop and camp? Your job was not to rest, it was to bring the wizard to me.”
“It was Glos, sir. He was in charge. He felt celebration and rest was in order.”
“Celebration and rest. Bah! You are lucky I don’t feed you to the dragon.”
“Great sorcerer, I sincerely appreciate your mercy and wisdom in that matter. May I ask what your plans are now that the wizard is gone?”
“Clever of you to change the subject. There may be hope for you yet. My plan? Within a week I believe Diatsieg will be grown enough to be a powerful force in Neverwind. I will take the young dragon and the orc army and begin my sweep over the land. I will conquer cities one by one until all the land is under my control. I will need a general to lead the army. One that will not stray from my mission. One with enough discipline not to drink himself silly and fall asleep when the enemy is near. Do you know of such a leader, barbarian?”
“Great Sorcerer Zaleus, I would be honored to lead your army. I will not fail you.”
“Let’s hope you do not. You will not enjoy the reward for failure.”
“Yes, Master Zaleus.”
Chapter 13
Walking past the Lionborne soldiers I could see many of them in groups, most huddled around a campfire, drinking ales or other semi-toxic liquids, sharpening their blades or arrows, laughing and telling tall tales. Tent after tent there were warriors seeming to be having the best of times, quite unlike what I would imagine warriors faced with going off to battle soon would be acting.
“Why are they having so much fun?” I asked the fighter escorting us.
“They are celebrating what might be the last day of their lives.”
“Well, that makes sense. I guess.”
The fighter led us to an open area near the end of the camp. “You can set up your bedrolls and make a campfire here. They will be serving a meal in the mess tent within the hour. You are welcome to join us. But make sure your ogre saves some food for the rest of us.”
“Half-ogre.”
“Whatever,” he said, turning and walking away. Gnath grunted and offered an obscure finger gesture to the fighter as he departed.
“So, what now, Arick? Are we really going to be part of this siege?”
“I suspect we would be of no help to their cause, and even if we made it inside alive, finding the Spellcrafter before they kill him would be an even bigger challenge.”
“Then what do you suggest?”
“I suggest we sneak out this evening, when the majority of the camp is drunk asleep. We will get to the castle six or more hours ahead of them and find the Spellcrafter.”
“There is still the matter of the road guards blocking our exit from camp. Do you suggest killing them?”
“Nothing of the sort. I suggest we leave the camp, away from the road. There is plenty of cover; we should be able to sneak out without any violence.”
“Sure. Sneak around. I was going to suggest that.”
“I know you were, Master Wellington.”
We set our modest camp, lacking tents that the other members of the Lionborne had. We were packed light, with only our bedrolls to keep us off the hard ground. We gathered some dry wood, which seemed to be in abundance in this world, and built us a firepit. We didn’t light the fire, as there was little need, but we were ready if it grew cold, and our camp was completed in time to head to the mess area.
The line was long, and the occupants of that line were a rowdy bunch. Some were pushing others out of the line, others were down on the ground fighting, punches flying. There seemed to be no authority to stop them, and the cheers of onlookers only spurred them on.
Though long, the line moved quickly, and we soon found ourselves at the table where two people were serving what looked to be a thin stew. I picked up a spoon and bowl, of which there was only one size, though in my hands it seemed quite large. In Gnath’s hands, it seemed very small, and I felt for him. A server dropped a dry biscuit into my hand, and the next server plopped a ladle full of stew into my bowl. Behind me, Gnath received his portion of stew, and he looked sad.
“More?” he asked, hoping for a second ladle full.
“Only one, ogre! Move along! You’re lucky we feed you at all!”
I know it took every bit of Gnath’s will not to reach across and break the scrawny server’s neck, but to my surprise he let it go with only a bit of a growl.
“It’s okay,” I said. “I will give you most of mine. I can’t eat all of this.”
“You can have some of mine too, my friend,” Rika said from the other side of Gnath. My offering didn’t seem to phase him, but Rika’s offering brought a smile to the giant’s face.
I could feel the eyes of every being at mess looking at us we found ourselves a t
able at which to sit. Gnath opted to sit on the ground at the end of our table, which brought a few laughs from those warriors nearby.
I broke a corner off my biscuit and dunked it in the watery broth and ate it. To my surprise, it did have flavor, and it was not unappealing. Pulling a bit of the meat from the stew, I offered it to Anni who grabbed it and gobbled it down eagerly. I then took a few spoonsful of the meat and vegetables myself and finished the corner of my biscuit, then handed the rest of the dry bun and stew to my big friend. He had already gulped down his portion and was looking dejected. It wasn’t long before Rika offered Gnath the remainder of her meal.
An evening meal later that day went very similar, with a serving of some other form of meat boiled into a broth, this time served over the biscuits. Again, we shared our portions with Gnath, and later he supplemented with some of the jerky in our packs.
At the wizard’s urging, we all laid down for a nap. His role would be to keep watch on the camp and wait for the rest of the camp to doze off, at which time he would awaken us, and we would move out.
It wasn’t easy for me to sleep; it never is for me in strange places, especially with our upcoming desertion from the Lionborne. As difficult as it was, I managed to get a short bit of sleep before the wizard began waking us up. At that point I could have used several hours more sleep.
We had no way of knowing what time it was, but we suspected it was somewhere near midnight. The camp was quiet, many of the fires were dwindling down to a dim glow, and the guards at the west entrance to the camp could be heard chatting back and forth quietly.
Without talking we rolled up our bedrolls and once our gear was packed, we were ready to make our way out of town. The wizard motioned us to make our way north, deeper into the camp a bit. We followed as quietly as possible, though Gnath was not skilled at sneaking. Stomping was his strong point.
On the northwest corner of the camp, we discovered a small knoll that worked well to block our exit past the two guards south of us. We ducked down and hurried along the small embankment to the point where it disappeared into the flat ground. We hoped we were far enough away that in the dark we would no longer be seen. We scurried up the western hill leading out of the valley, taking as much cover behind the dried brush and dead trees as we could. When we finally crested the hill, and we knew we had made a safely clear of the camp, we lit torches once again.
“The Lionborne were going to try to make it to Ebony City by nightfall. We need to get there far enough ahead of them to find the Spellcrafter and get him to safety.”
“Have you considered alerting the King of the impending attack?” I asked. “If they are ready and waiting for the Lionborne, it would buy us more time, and might even put us in favor of the King.”
“That is certainly something to consider. But if what Lord Frantis said is true, then we should consider how our actions might affect the lives of so many suffering individuals. The Lionborne might be their only hope for salvation. Would you want to stand in the way of that?”
“I guess I wouldn’t. So, if we only go in to save the Spellcrafter, then we must be quick to find him and hope he will have enough time to craft a spell that will get us back to Neverwind before the attack takes place.”
“If it looks like we are running out of time, we can spill the beans about the attack to save our necks.”
“Anni, do you know where the Spellcrafter is located?”
“I do not. But I hope you find him. I am in need of his services as well.”
“Oh? What do you wish to ask of the Spellcrafter?”
“Why? To turn me back into a human again, of course.”
“You were a human once?”
“Do you think I learned to talk at mole school?”
“Um, no. I guess not.”
“Let’s just say the Spellcrafter has a bit of a sick sense of humor about him when you anger him.”
“What did you do to anger him enough for him to turn you into a mole?”
“I picked his pocket. I’m a bit of a thief, you see. Not a good one, but a thief, none-the-less. It’s all I know. So, as punishment, he turned me into a mole and had a hawk carry me out to the wastelands and drop me. It’s been five years. I am hoping he can forgive me and turn me back.”
“A thief, huh? Not sure I like the idea of helping out a thief.”
“I don’t thieve my friends. Do not worry.”
“Do not let me catch you in a lie.”
Once again, we entered woods as dead as the other. We weren’t in there long before a screech and a roar stopped us dead in our tracks.
“What was that?”
“I think it is a gryphon,” Anni said, cuddling up close to my neck. “They are quite rare, but stories of them ripping men to shreds are told over campfires far and wide.”
Another screech echoed among the dead threes, when suddenly a large creature with the body and rear legs of a lion, and the wings, front feet and head of a giant eagle darted down and landed before us. It stood up on its hind legs, showing its massive talons as it roared, then fell back down on all four feet.
“Well, I can cross this one off my bucket list,” I said, pulling my sword.
Chapter 14
Instinctively the wizard attempted to shoot off a fireball at the bird-beast, but the spell only fizzled and popped like static from a wool sweater. Before anyone else could react, the gryphon lunged at Gnath, knocking him back onto his huge rear. Nyssa fired an arrow into the beast as it clawed at my friend, while Gnath did everything he could to keep the talons away from his face and body.
Without thinking, I also attacked the beast, plunging my sword into its side. Its massive bird head swung my way, its beak open wide though for me to see down his throat. A screech that rattled my eardrums pierced the air, as it jumped from Gnath and with a whoosh, its massive wings flapped, lifting it into the air. Hopes of it retreating were quickly squashed when it dropped back to the ground, this time taking me in one talon and pinning me down to the ground. This time its beak was wide open again but coming straight for my head. I couldn’t move my arm enough to try to stab it with my sword, and I could see the huge tongue and gullet of the eagle head getting closer and closer, as if in slow motion.
Unexpectedly, it reared up again, letting me go free, the sword of Gnath buried up to the hilt into its ribcage. Another arrow pierced its neck, and another ghastly screech echoed through the trees as the bird-beast backed away. It tried to lift itself off the ground, but it seemed as though it had no strength in its wings. It staggered, then it fell to the ground. A final, pathetic screech marked the end of the gryphon.
I pulled myself up to a seated position and did a check of my body for injuries. A scratch on my arm appeared to be the only wound I sustained. I stood up and brushed myself off when I suddenly realized Anni was no longer on my shoulder.
“Anni? Where did you go? Anni?”
My heart sank when I saw her lying on the ground near where I fell, lifeless, blood coming out of her mouth. I rushed to pick her up as the others gathered around.
“Anni, talk to me,” I begged, trying to swallow the lump in my throat.
Anni slowly turned her head and looked up at me. She tried to speak, but almost no sound came out. I moved my ears closer to her tiny mouth to listen for her diminutive words.
“Talons. Get the talons,” she whispered.
“Why, Anni? Why the talons?”
“Magical properties. The Spellcrafter will pay dearly for… gryphon talons. Thank you for… giving me hope. Don’t give up on your quest…”
And then the light faded from her eyes. Though we’d only known her for a very short time, I couldn’t help but shed a tear or two. Rika openly wept, and even the gruff Nyssa let a tear sneak down her cheek. Gnath, in his own way of grieving, let out a long, sorrowful moan.
No one answered.
We buried Anni right there, in what seemed to me to be all to unceremonious. But we didn’t have any more time to waste. We
needed to get moving again, and barring any more creatures or mobs, we might make it to Ebony City before midday. Gnath made short work cutting the talons off the gryphon, tucking them into his bag. He then plucked a bluish brown feather from the neck of the birdlike head of the beast and presented it to Rika. She smiled, wiped a still wet tear from her cheek, and placed the feather in her hair above her ear.
“Thank you, brave warrior,” she said.
“Um, I had a bit to do with the defeat of that thing,” I offered.
“Yes, brave Wellington. We would have been lost without you.”
“I only hope,” the wizard said, “the Spellcrafter can craft me some magic that I can use in this wretched place. Let us hurry. We must talk less and walk faster.”
“I hope we can find it without Anni.”
It was as though the spirit of Anni had caught up with us, because at the point I was beginning to think we might never find Ebony City, our friends, the Pixets, showed up again, dancing playfully around our torches. I think everyone felt a bit of joy in seeing them again.
“Where were you when the gryphon attacked? Could have used some help.”
His wings caught the air like massive sails on tall ships, the wind whistling over the rough surface of his skin. Dragons were never known to be the best suited for winged flight, but they always seemed to overcome their aerodynamic shortcomings with raw power – something Diatsieg had plenty of. Dragonroth, his father, was the largest and most powerful dragon ever to scorch the land of Neverwind; the spread of his wings would put whole sections of a village into darkness. Diatsieg could prove to be equally as massive and powerful when fully grown.
Crossing the Gulf of Edenkeep, he flew low and fast. For fun, he would send a wall of fire from his throat down at the water to watch the steam rise in his wake. Sometimes, if he was lucky, he could boil a school of hapless fish, or an unfortunate fishing boat looking for those fish.
The steep rocky face of the western coast of the Gulf rose high in front of him. At great speed, he flew, flapping his massive wings harder and harder, building his momentum, and only at the last moment pull straight up to clear the rocky cliffs. High in the air he would climb, and at apogee he would arch his back and gracefully roll over to dart back down towards the ground. The wind howling across his wings and body as he gained more speed, he would pull up and skim the tops of the trees, occasionally lighting some on fire for fun.
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