“We’re almost there!” yells the young girl. She bursts out a door into sunlight. Aden crashes into her. She explains, “It will not follow us out here.”
The two take stock of their surroundings. Thousands of rats and other vermin surround them and two zombie-like warriors lumber their way, brandishing spears and axes. Without thinking, the Red Wizard encircles them with flame, keeping the nightmares at bay.
The young girl grabs Aden’s cloak, but the Red Mage ignores her. He lowers his fire staff and sends out a flow of flame that hugs the ground, creating waves of heat that travel forty feet ahead of them.
Aden smiles. “Watch.”
He focuses on the stream of fire and, within moments, it parts, creating a narrow pathway.
“Now you follow me, child. I will lead you from this irritating place.”
They transverse the path, and before Aden reaches its end, he creates another circle of flame. The rats’ and other vermin’s numbers grow. Again, he throws out another stream. He splits this one as well, and they progress into another fiery circle. Catherine tugs on the Red Mage’s arm and points. A unearthly warrior lumbers toward them. Aden casts another spell and launches a hardened flame arrow which strikes the soldier in the forehead, impeding its progress.
“Keep moving.” For a third time, he launches a carpet of flame ahead of them. He focuses on it and it grows wider. Even so, a burning rodent breaks through the heated barrier. The flaming creature scurries toward the two but Aden stomps and cuffs it aside with his boot. The strange warrior with the flaming arrow in its head again starts to approach them, holding its axe high. Aden concentrates and sends a stream of fire that engulfs the bellowing creature. It starts to flail its arms and staggers haphazardly away from them, igniting everything in its wake.
Catherine realizes that the fire is starting to rage out of control. The Red Wizard strains to keeps his focus as they move farther away from the inferno.
Catherine screams, “Look! The giant has awakened.”
Aden turns toward this new threat. Again, a huge rat bursts through the flame, races toward the girl, and buries its pointed, disease-carrying teeth into her ankle. She panics and trips and knocks her head as she falls to the ground. Aden squashes the foul creature beneath his staff.
“My flame magic is being pushed to its limits, but my legs are still fresh,” Aden thinks aloud. He picks up the young girl and, remembering what Sister Arum had said, he runs with her in his arms, dropping small fire pools behind them. He hopes the giant steps in them, burning his boots and feet. Their lead shrinks with every step. The girl starts to stir, and this clauses Aden to trip and fall. Catherine rolls free, as the Red Wizard springs back to his feet, holding his flame staff at the ready. The hairy giant has slowed, trying to stomp out his burning boots. The Red Mage takes aim and discharges a stream of fire at the huge creature, setting its thick beard and long hair ablaze. Aden picks up the girl and resumes their escape. They make good time for a short while, but his magic intensity and his legs weaken with every step. He hears a disturbing, loud bellow close behind and gently places the injured girl down.
“Run if you can!” he yells. “I shall stop him.”
He propels a solid fire spear at the charging, flaming-haired giant. Astonishingly, the hairy brute knocks the hot spear out of the air. Again Aden tells the girl to run. The Red Wizard feels something closely brush by him. It flies past and impacts on the giant‘s knee, producing a loud, sickening, bone-crunching sound. The enraged, fiery beast tumbles heavily to the rocky ground. Kairn the dwarf runs by and quickly retrieves his enchanted weapon. The wounded, burning giant starts to rise. The axe-wielding one-armed dwarf leaps and buries his weapon deep into the massive head. The huge creature falls dead to the ground, still ablaze.
Aden looks to the dwarf. “I do not know what it is between your kind and giants but you surely do not like each other much. Not that I want to know. Oh, and by the way, my flame would have killed him soon enough.”
Kairn pulls his weapon free. “My axis kwicker than yore fie er.” He adds sarcastically, “O, wee doan’t lie cow thay smell.”
The two help Catherine continue. They approach the Endorr’s cliff and a witch guard runs to assist them. Sister Aurum is waiting for them at the bear-shaped rock.
“Oh, dear. Are you injured, Catherine?”
“I think not. I was bitten by a large rat, however.” She shows the red marks on her ankle. “We did retrieve a number of our books.”
She hands Sister Arum a satchel that contains the sought-after texts from the hidden vault. “Aden Ferrum was unbelievably awesome!” She looks admiringly at her savior.
Aden smirks.
“I don't think there's much of our encampment left, though.”
“Let us not worry about that right now. Go and have that wound treated immediately.”
They enter the main cave. Aden, the dwarf, and Sister Aurum cross a threshold into a small chamber where Margaret Carol and her bodyguard wait for them. Food and water is brought forth. Aden explains how difficult the recovery was. He does not mention Kairn dealing with the giant. They are interrupted by one of the witches who explains that, with the recovered texts, they can begin the cleansing ritual on Mikal Novastar within the hour. “Everything is being prepared. Sister Catherine has been treated. There was a poison in her system. Sister Kali-um strongly recommends that she does not take part in the wizard’s healing ritual. As you know, this will leave us two healers shy of the optimal number.”
Headmistress Aurum nods. “Thank you for that information. Now go help with the preparation.” She turns toward the Baroness’ daughter. “What I am about to ask you is dangerous and difficult.”
Margaret Carol holds up her hands. “Before you say anything more, I gladly volunteer to help anyway I can.”
“You must understand that your participation will not be without risk. There will be ten of us where there should be eleven. We will recite the ritual words many times. Each time all of us shall attempt to draw the poisonous curse from the wizard into ourselves in the hope of absorbing a fraction of the curse. We will then expel it into a container.”
Kairn stands. “Eye vol in tier two hell pew.”
The head witch smiles. “Only females would have a chance of success. It is our way of life to take in things and deal with their effects. But I thank you. You may watch in silence if you care to. As long as you swear not to interfere in any way. We must take our leave and prepare. You will be notified when the time is near.”
***
Later, Aden and Kairn are alerted that the ritual is about to commence and are escorted to the attempted purification of Mikal. Before they enter the largest cavern, a guard explains that they can take no weapons inside, by the order of Sister Aurum. Begrudgingly, both accept this stipulation and Aden’s fire staff and Kairn’s enchanted axe are left behind. They pass through the ceremonial portal, and find Mikal Novastar lying on an impressive stone table which now looks like an altar of some type. He is washed and naked, save for his clean, grey loin cloth. His eyes are closed. His red hair and beard are brushed and neatly trimmed. His white streak does not look as bright as it once did. There is no movement except for the slight rise and fall of his chest. To his right lies his staff.
If I did not know better, this looks like they're preparing him for burial, thinks the Red Mage.
Inexplicably, there is an ornate cup hanging directly above Mikal, suspended from the high, stone ceiling. Its base is made from expensive polished silver. The cup itself consists of fine crystal. The vessel’s rim is covered with a thin coating of the same silver as its base. The light from surrounding fires glistens off its highly polished surface.
A string of bells softly chimes. Ten beautiful, healing witches appear, dressed in simple, white gowns. They take their assigned positions around the granite altar. As Sister Kali-um is about to give final instructions, Majam leaps on the table, approaches her master, and lies down, placing her front paws
and her chin on Mikal's left arm.
“We are now eleven, Sisters. I remind you that this man's life is essential to the very survival of our land. With each round, we are to draw a small amount of this poisonous curse from him. We are to hold it in ourselves and then expel it into the glass chalice above. As we proceed, if one of us shall falter, the rest must continue at all costs. Do you understand?” A solemn nodding of heads. “Let us begin.”
Next to Sister Kali-um is a short, wooded dais. On top of it lies an ancient text. With utmost reverence, she opens it. The soft sound of bells fills the room. She recites esoteric words as everyone listens intently. She holds out her arms over the prone figure and again intones the olden phrase, raising and lowering her head as she does so. The sisters mimic her movements and words. The healers hesitate, and then deeply inhale. Thus ends the first round.
Again, arms extend, heads raise and lower, and ancient words are spoken. Once again the participants inhale. This is repeated so often that Aden loses track of the number.
Without warning, one of the younger sisters suddenly bends over clutching her stomach and expels foul, brackish liquid onto the floor. She falls to her knees. The ritual continues without her.
Aden knows it is late in the day but he does not think it dusk yet. Majam, Mikal's cat, has become curiously black. The ancient healing ritual has slowed. The words are still recited, but now drone on with little enthusiasm. Arms are heavy, all are ill. Aden wonders how long the sisters can endure, but they persevere.
Sensing their weakness, Sister Kali-um raises her voice and her arms. “We must not falter, Sisters, with our task so near completion.”
The ritual is repeated a number of more times. Without warning, the women fall to their knees. “We have taken all we can,” declares Sister Aurum. “Now we must expel the foul curse into the vessel above.”
Sister Kali-um is the first. She opens her mouth wide and produces a wretched note. Astonishingly, minute, black as onyx spheres start to escape from her gaping maw. She is joined by the group. Aden has never seen or heard anything so uncomfortable in his life. The dwarf is frustrated for he can only cover one ear with his hand. Even Majam has her mouth wide and a thick stream of black globules are being expelled from it. They travel upward in a disgusting stream. It is as if the silver crystal chalice is drawing them to it. As it fills, the nauseating sound of the healers continues. The cup becomes full but the foul spheres keep rising and overfill the vessel.
To everyone's amazement, some of the cascading, black spheres start to form the shape of a shadowy crow. Small at first, but growing. Some of the sisters have collapsed while others continue to expel the indecent curse. Mikal starts to stir. His eyes flutter open and he sees the silver chalice overflowing, creating the dark bird. His right hand finds his staff of light next to him. It flares and sends a clean, white sphere that encircles the silver chalice and the dark form.
All but two of the sisters fall unconscious. Sister Kali-um grabs a silver, ornate lid from the dais. She stands on the table and grasps the chalice in her left hand. She takes the lid in her right and captures the dark, raven image. She frantically slams the cover shut and produces a silver cord and ties the lid tightly secured. “
“This must never be opened. I believe we have been successful, Sisters.”
“A men two that,” says the one-armed dwarf.
Chapter 26
“Follow me,” growls the huge, black bear with the face of a human. The creature lumbers on all fours and the three follow with Tamarix at their sides. They near a clump of bushes and they smell death and decay. As they move closer they hear a multitude of insects buzzing about. Lying in overgrown weeds, they see the eyeless, highly decomposed body of the Mad Plunket’s attacker.
The bear creature rests on his haunches. “Nature can be soft and beautiful or ravenous and ugly, as it is here. I clawed and ripped his throat with my teeth, but the forest was not satisfied. Carrion birds plucked out his eyes and small rodents took their share. But these tiny ones are the most devastating.”
They see thousands of insects and maggots working fiercely on the body. Mairin mumbles, “It’s as if nature is taking its revenge on this murderer.”
Jocomund points to the ring on the corpse’s decomposed finger. Surprising all, Mairin steps forward, bends down, and removes the ring. A glitter catches Talon’s eye as he approaches the grotesque form. He leans over and takes something shiny off the sunken chest of the foul corpse.
“What is it?” asks Mairin.
Talon shakes his head. “He was definitely a highly trained dark assassin. I saw this cat-eyed pendant before in the city of Umbra.”
“I can bear this stink no longer,” says the Squirrel Master, holding his nose. “Let’s go back to the cave.”
All agree.
They pass by the hermit’s new, colorful grave. The bear-creature unexpectedly stops. “I shall wait for you here.” His face morphs fully back to bear form.
Talon asks Mairin for the ring that she took from the dead body. They walk by a cool, clean, flowing stream. The half-elf bends down and rinses the pendent and ring that sparkle in the bright sunlight.
The three continue until they enter the hermit's cave. Talon quickly searches it and pockets a few items. They meet in the room where they earlier had treated the Squirrel Master.
“How are you feeling, Jocomund?” asks Mairin.
“I'm mostly okay.”
She nods in understanding and asks, “What should we do now?”
Talon hesitates. “I think I should try to return you to your father. But where he is, I am not sure. It might be best to travel to the City of Stonegrove.” He takes the items from his pocket and places them on the table next to the black-bladed knife. “Jocomund, do you want any of these?”
The diminutive human shakes his head. “They would only bring me bad memories. You take them.”
Talon picks up the ring. “This may be enchanted. Why don't you wear it, Mairin? I would like the pendant, if there are no objections.” There are none and he puts it in his pocket. “Now, what to do with the dark blade.”
Mairin steps forward. “You said my father accepted one similar to this. I will take it. If nothing else, it's a better weapon than I currently have.” She places the black blade in her belt inside her cloak. “I think we should talk to that bear creature now. I’m curious.”
Jocomund is the last to leave. They approach the enormous, black bear.
It surprises them by saying, “Please, wait here. It would be embarrassing to change fully back to human form in front of you. There are clothes in the cave. I'll be back shortly.”
The three stand in amazement as the bear-man disappears into the cave.
“Do you think we can trust him? He looks so…feral. We could run,” Mairin suggests.
Talon shakes his head. “He would easily outrun us. He could have harmed us if he wanted to. I think we should trust him, but be leery. What do you think, Jocomund?”
Before Jocomund can reply, a prolonged, heart-wrenching wail emanates from the cave. They three stand in stunned bewilderment.
The creature returns in human form. The man is very tall with thick, wide shoulders. He sports long, dark hair and his face is covered in a bushy, black beard. He wears a simple cloth shirt and cotton pants. He has no shoes and his feet are also covered with thick, sable hair. His toenails come to a point. He smiles, showing white teeth.
“Now, are you more comfortable with this form?” His voice is gravelly. The man/bear looks to the newly formed grave. “He was a wonderful man. I think he understood nature better than any other human. Squirrel boy, I wonder if he knew this was going to happen. I’ve been spending time with him recently. Out of the blue one night, he said to me that if anything ever happens to me tell Squirrel boy everything I have is his.”
Jocomund blushes and bows his head.
“Let me introduce myself. My human name is Osme. It is a simple name given to me long ago. Jocomund,
will you deliver a message to the head of your village? William the Blue, is it? Tell him that if he stops hunting bears, we will help him keep watch on the village. We will do whatever we can to keep out the unwanted creatures that have been passing by. If he agrees, tell him to leave some corn and any other feed in the north field on the large, flat rock. I sometimes like to sun there. Go now.”
The Squirrel Master nods goodbye to Talon and Mairin and runs into the woods in the direction of the town of Ulna.
The man continues, “If the two of you don't mind, I would like to walk with you for a while. There are things for me to tell you. Besides, I’ve been too long without human company.”
He looks directly at Mairin. “Mairin is it? You smell nice.”
***
It is mid-afternoon and the three, along with Tamarix the cat, travel through a thick, wooden area.
Mairin asks the man, “You said your name was given to you long ago? Excuse me if I'm being too bold, but how old are you?”
Osme looks up to the overhead branches. “That is a difficult question. Time seems to travel differently when I'm in bear form. And recently I've been spending far more time as an animal than a human. I remember the hermit when he was very young. He would get lost in the woods, though he didn't even know he was lost nor did he care. He was lucky I never acquired a taste for humans. Maybe a hundred years, more or less.”
“That’s amazing. You don’t look half that old.”
“Thank you, I guess. Nature has an order of things. But I learned long ago, that there are many untrustworthy and conniving humans. They do not follow anything but their own selfish desires. In my experience, most humans do not act honorably.”
The Warrior and the Wandering Wizard (The Way of the Wandering Wizard Series Book 2) Page 15
