“Why would Artemas build a fire for so short a time?” Molly asked.
“If he was cold, logic says he would have used it awhile to keep warm,” Ulric concluded. “Yet there is no supply of wood nearby to keep the fire going.”
“Maybe it’s a signal,” Christopher suggested. “Or perhaps he simply needed light. It would have been pitch black when he arrived here.”
“Excellent guesses. Perhaps one of them is correct,” Ulric said as he surveyed the area. “Let’s keep looking to be sure.”
“I see some impressions in the grass,” Molly said. “I guess they’re footprints–man and horse. Then again, we already know someone was here because a fire was built, so what good are footprints?”
Ulric examined the prints, walking about in a small circle as he did so, eventually moving in a southerly direction. He paused for a moment and nodded before heading back toward the campfire. Then something caught his eye to the left and he wandered a few yards to where the grass was particularly low and dry. Ulric raised a hand, signaling for Christopher and Molly to join him.
“Find something?” Christopher asked.
“Learned something and found something,” he said, turning to his companions. “First the footprints. Even though we’re assuming Artemas stopped here and built the fire, all the boot impressions in the grass look the same size.”
“Only one man,” Christopher reasoned. “So he didn’t meet anyone here.”
“Possibly correct. The horse tracks that intersect with the footprints appear to move to the south, so our magician probably did so as well.”
“What else did you find?” Molly asked.
“I noticed another set of fresh hoof tracks close to the edge of the lake continuing west. Someone else recently passed by, but whether there was a meeting of some sort, I cannot say. It may just be a coincidental passing. But something else caught my eye,” he eagerly explained. “I believe I know where Artemas is heading. Look.”
Ulric pointed to a dry patch of ground surrounded by taller grass. Christopher and Molly took a step closer and craned their necks to examine the find. In the center stood a pile of three small rocks, each of them somewhat flat. The bottom rock was the size of a grown man’s hand, on top of which rested another slightly smaller rock. The third and tiniest of the trio was set on top of the stack, the entire mini monument rising not much higher than Molly’s ankle.
Christopher felt warmer as the morning progressed and undid a few of his coat buttons as he examined the pile of stones. “Okay, Ulric. What exactly are we looking at?”
“Same question,” Molly said, examining Ulric’s expression for a hint of an answer. “What is it?”
“Three Frogs.”
“Excuse me?”
“Well, not the actual Three Frogs,” he replied, squatting down and tapping a finger on the top rock as he pondered the stony message. “This is our next note from Artemas, so to speak.”
Molly squinted in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
Christopher walked around the tiny formation and gazed at it with bubbling curiosity. “You’re saying Artemas built this as a message for us to find?”
“Precisely. Perhaps the nearby fire was left to smoke as a signal to draw us to this area, just as you had guessed, Christopher.”
“So what are the Three Frogs you referred to?” Molly asked.
Ulric stood and pointed south. “Several miles in the direction that Collus just rode stands a huge rock formation called Three Frogs. It actually looks like this small model on the ground, more or less. And it is much closer to the mountains than we are now, directly under the watchful eye of Mount Maricel.”
Christopher gazed south across the plains. “How big is Three Frogs?”
Ulric pondered a moment for an apt comparison. “I’d say it is slightly larger than the Inn of the Twelve Horses and nearly twice as high. It’s an impressive sight.”
“And our new destination, no doubt,” Molly said with a hint of boredom in her voice. “What should we expect to find there? Another pile of stones to decipher? Or perhaps some stick figure drawings in the dirt with arrows showing us where to go next.”
Though Ulric empathized with Molly’s sense of frustration, he was unable to conceal a grin. “Do not fret. I guarantee we will not find any pictures drawn in the dirt, Molly. The area in the immediate vicinity of Three Frogs is a rocky wasteland where not even a blade of grass can find a home. It is both desolate and dreary, but we are summoned to it, for good or ill.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” Christopher asked. “Let’s get this party rolling!”
Garrin and Collus returned within the hour and made their reports. As expected, Collus spotted one sign of recent movement south of Willow Lake where a set of horse tracks gradually veered southwest in the direction of Three Frogs. Garrin reported that a solitary set of horse tracks made a line parallel to Willow Lake, continuing along the upper branch of the Gray River where it reformed at the lake’s western tip. Neither he nor Ulric could speculate why someone would ride alone so close to the mountains.
“Other than the King’s scouting parties or a band of trolls, the area beyond this tract of land is uninhabited,” Ulric noted.
“Maybe the fishing is particularly good upstream,” Molly suggested. “Or perhaps someone simply likes to hike and explore near the base of the mountains.”
“Possibly. But that’s one mystery we have no time to solve,” he said as he placed a foot in one stirrup and climbed on his horse. “Now we head south to Three Frogs to see what awaits us. Our horses have drunk and our water skins are full, so let us proceed. We should arrive in an hour or so, well before the sun is in the noon position.”
“If only we could see the sun,” Molly whispered, staring glumly at the bank of clouds drifting above. She draped the hood of her cloak over her head as a slight breeze stirred across the plains. With a gentle snap of the reins, her horse obediently followed the others through the vast and monotonous stretch of grassland ahead.
Happily for Molly, the hour swiftly passed. A few brief sprinkles of rain coupled with several corny jokes from Christopher made the next leg of their journey fly by as swiftly as the occasional crow that zipped across the lonely horizon. It was when the grassy landscape suddenly thinned out and turned rocky that Molly first noticed the dark formation in the distance. Three Frogs loomed stark, solitary and silent like a miniature mountain that had been dropped unceremoniously on a lunar landscape.
The Katánin Mountains had also crept uncomfortably closer, one of its stony spurs curling out like a crooked finger less than a half mile behind Three Frogs. Slightly to the north, more than a mile away and directly at the foot of the mountains, was a swath of green pine, a burst of rich emerald color thriving on the border of the dreary landscape. And overshadowing everything like a sleeping giant was the towering hulk of Mount Maricel, its broad rocky shoulders cloaked with the last remnants of winter’s bitter snow.
“It’s so quiet,” Molly whispered. “I can’t even hear a bird.” The mournful clip clop of the horses echoed thinly across the stony surface.
“I’m afraid we are the only living things on this desolate patch,” Ulric said, eyeing the dull green plains in the near distance that almost completely surrounded them. “As soon as we find what we’re looking for, we’ll retreat to a more hospitable location.”
“It’s an interesting spot, but I think I’d rather be exploring the inside of a castle,” Christopher decided as he watched the Three Frogs monument gradually increase in size as they neared. “By the way, why is it called Three Frogs, Ulric? Where’d that name come from? The three rocks don’t exactly look like frogs.”
“I’ve heard many versions of the tale,” he said. “After all, it is an ancient formation, so it’s not surprising that many stories have been told. The most popular account tells of how a huge river once flowed through this land, a river many times larger than the Alorian. One day a terrible rain storm s
wept through, raising the water and destroying all in its path. In order to save her child from being carried away, a mother frog instructed the child to hop on her back. But the river was still too high and treacherous, and before the wild waves washed them away, the father frog swam underneath at the last moment and lifted his family to safety. They swam to shore and waited for the water to recede. By daybreak, the river returned to normal. The frog family, still on top of one another and facing east, dried off in the warmth of the rising sun which they still watch each morning to this very day.”
“Good story,” Molly said with a smile, her heart a bit less troubled for the moment. “Unfortunately, the frogs only got an eyeful of clouds today.”
“Oh well, every day can’t be perfect.”
“I can’t imagine any perfect days here,” Christopher chimed in. “Isn’t there another inn nearby that Artemas or Belthasar could send us to next?” he said with a chuckle, glancing at Three Frogs which grew considerably larger with every step the horses took. For an instant, Christopher thought something moved on top of the rock monument, now less than two football fields away. “Why would anyone in his right mind want to hang around this place?”
“Right mind? If we’re talking about Belthasar, throw that phrase out the window,” Molly said. “However, loopy, half-baked and crackpot are definitely appropriate.”
“You’ll get no argument from me,” Christopher replied as their horses sauntered the last few yards toward Three Frogs.
Moments later, they stopped in front of the hulking stone structure. Its three huge layers, each smaller in size as they ascended, cast a faint shadow in the dim light. A series of cracks had formed on either side of the formation, allowing climbers access to the highest level. Christopher, Molly and Ulric, in the center of the group, craned their heads back and gazed up at the top of Three Frogs. Garrin and Collus, stationed on either end, scanned the area for any sign of movement.
“Well, I am impressed,” Molly said, taking a deep breath.
“But I don’t see any sign directing us where to go next,” Christopher said, steadying his horse who seemed slightly on edge.
“Where to go next?” a sharp voice called out in the gray stillness. “Why would you want to go anywhere else?”
Everyone again glanced up as a lone figure strolled to the edge of Three Frogs. He looked down upon the five horsemen, a crazed smile bursting from his narrow whiskered face. The man had a bottom tooth missing, and a mop of tangled hair framed a pair of narrow ash gray eyes.
Christopher clenched his teeth and glared at the individual wrapped in a tattered and grimy cloak. “Fennic!” he muttered.
Molly and Ulric looked at him simultaneously. “That’s Fennic?” his sister asked. “The man you had escaped from before you stopped that horseman by the river?”
“The very same!” Fennic shouted. “And yet, not quite the same.”
“What are you doing here?” Christopher said, a trace of scorn in his voice. “I guess being defeated once wasn’t enough. Ready for some more?”
“I can pose that very same question,” Fennic said, his voice flying down on a cold breeze. “Why are you here?” He smiled like a fox. “After all, who could have imagined that Christopher and Molly Jordan would willingly venture into the heart of my new enterprise on the very day of its creation?” Fennic raised his arms triumphantly into the air and shouted for the world to hear. “Behold the birth of the greatest empire in all of history! Witness the kingdom of all kingdoms and the realm of all realms! Welcome, my dear friends, to BELTHASARIA!”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Belthasaria
“My dear friends, my foot!” Molly scoffed, scowling at Fennic who stood atop Three Frogs like a hideous statue that existed in one’s deepest and darkest nightmare. “We know that’s you, Belthasar. Come down and tell us what you’ve done to Artemas before I go up and get it out of you!”
Ulric gently extended a hand in front of Molly, the other holding onto the reins of his horse. “I appreciate your enthusiasm, Molly, but allow me to handle the negotiations,” he whispered.
Christopher shook his head. “Yeah, Molly, don’t fly into dramatics like usual, at least not until we get information about Artemas.”
“Oh, and I suppose you have some nifty scientific plan up your sleeve to do just that, Chris. We don’t have time for this!”
“No, we don’t,” Ulric firmly replied, eyeing Christopher and Molly like a stern parent. “I am well aware of your skillful handling of Belthasar in the past, but for the moment, I will manage things.”
“Sorry, Ulric,” Christopher muttered.
Molly nodded. “You’re right. We’ll put a sock in it for now.”
“Thank you.”
Fennic gazed down upon the small gathering and laughed. “Dissension among the troops, Ulric? Perhaps King Rupert’s finest are a bit ragged around the edges. It’s no shame to admit defeat.”
Ulric raised his hand again, noting that Molly’s face had darkened two shades of crimson. “I have complete confidence in my fellow soldiers,” he stated in a proud voice. “It is you, Belthasar, who make questionable choices in your associates. The stories I’ve heard about Fennic only reinforce the low opinion I already have about your competence, your judgment and, well, about you in general.” Out of the corners of his eyes, Ulric saw a grin spread across Molly’s face. “So if it’s a one to one comparison you seek between your side and ours, let’s just say that I would not pursue that path. You would surely lose.”
Fennic snickered, appearing unfazed by Ulric’s comment, though his heart pounded furiously as a bitter anger rose inside him. “You have no idea of the loyalty my followers bestow upon me or the strength it provides. Fennic returned to me to assist in my cause the moment he learned that I was roaming the countryside.”
“Some people will do anything for money,” Christopher said, “even if it means crawling to the likes of you.”
“For which I must thank you and your sister,” Fennic said, his mind and soul whirling with the spirit of Belthasar. “You two, after all, led Mr. Fennic back to me.”
“Tell us another story!” Molly said with a grunt.
“I speak the truth. You two just couldn’t keep your conversation to a whisper at the Inn of the Twelve Horses this morning,” he said, stroking his whiskers beneath a snakelike smile. “As I can see from Fennic’s thoughts, he sat by himself at breakfast when the five of you entered the inn. He recognized your brother from their encounter last spring. Fennic is still upset from his humiliating defeat in a mud puddle and the resulting injuries.” He briefly examined the rope scars on both his wrists. “Ouch! That must have hurt. Later, Fennic eavesdropped on you two chatterboxes while he sat by the fire enjoying a pipe. When he overheard the names Belthasar and Willow Lake in your conversation, he took off like an eagle to find me.”
“More like a vulture,” remarked Ulric.
“Good one,” Molly said.
“Make your little jokes,” Fennic continued. “They don’t impress me, though I will grudgingly admit that your network of spies was quite efficient, tracking me to the Inn of the Twelve Horses, Willow Lake and finally here, all the while keeping you informed of my progress so you could follow. Very impressive indeed.”
“Spies? What spies are you talking about?” Molly asked. “You practically drew us a map when you sent–”
Ulric quickly interrupted her, now realizing that Belthasar was not aware of the two notes they had received or the pile of three rocks left as a message near Willow Lake. He concluded that Artemas must have left those clues. But as to how or why, Ulric found himself completely in the dark. He glanced Molly’s way and she suddenly understood.
“Let’s not interrupt Belthasar when he gives us a compliment,” Ulric lightly said, changing the subject. “It’s not often that he does so.”
“Another joke,” Fennic said. “You spend too much time with that girl. Her irritating sense of humor is rubbing off. But the
last joke, my friends, will be on you.”
Molly smirked. “Oh really?”
“I guarantee it. You see, my original intent was to return to Solárin and get my revenge on King Jeremiah, now sitting on the throne that should have been mine.”
“Is there anybody in this world or ours that you don’t want revenge on?” Christopher said with a raised eyebrow.
Fennic sneered, ignoring the comment. “But as I neared the Inn of the Twelve Horses in the darkness, I was struck by a grand idea and an extraordinary vision at the same time. Why bother with Solárin or Endora, I asked myself? Why not create a kingdom of my own? So that’s the grand idea I decided to pursue! After all, there’ll always be time to conquer my neighbors.”
“Quite an imagination you have,” Molly said. “But with the likes of Ulric and his soldiers, you don’t stand a chance.”
“I’m shuddering in my boots,” he replied, gazing out across the stony vista that surrounded Three Frogs. “As for my extraordinary vision, a searing image of Three Frogs suddenly appeared in my mind. The beauty, majesty and splendor of this area instantly made me realize that Three Frogs should be the center of Belthasaria. So I raced along the Gray River to Willow Lake, waiting for the first light of day.”
Christopher glanced around at the utter loneliness oozing out of every rock and stone. “Beauty, majesty and splendor?” he whispered aside to Ulric. “Is he delirious?”
“Shortly after I headed south toward Three Frogs, I was spotted by a band of trolls who had followed the river down from the mountains,” Fennic continued. “After convincing them that I was Belthasar inhabiting the body of the magician Artemas, I quickly recruited them to my side. Memories of past defeats and the possibility of new victories made them eager to follow me once again.”
Molly yawned. “Some trolls never learn.”
“Is my tale boring you, young lady?” Fennic asked. “To make a long story short, I and a few of the trolls hurried here to Three Frogs. The others I sent back to raise a small army in the nearby woods for an immediate assault on the castle prisons in Solárin. We must rescue Morgus Vandar and those others still loyal to our cause.”
The Endora Trilogy (The Complete Series) Page 58
