After laying out his bedroll for the night, Darius went to speak with the leader of a band of men. Since none of them truly knew the area that they were now in, except by way of their map, the wizard thought to check on the obstacles and hazards along the trail. He questioned the man about bandits or the possibility of dangerous wildlife for half an hour as they ate their meals.
The man often laughed and at one point the tradesman confessed, "This is only the second time that I've used this route actually. I have heard that there are rumored to be a few men desperate enough to turn to banditry out in this wilderness, but I doubt that there are many. Most would be too afraid of the ghosts roaming the woodlands around the trails to Tolmona."
"Ghosts, Jaran? Surely you don't mean that you believe in such things?" the wizard asked in surprise.
Chuckling, the man nodded and stated, "Oh, yes, I do. I've heard enough stories about the shades rumored to have been set as guardians of the Great Forest especially here in the north where there were so many battles among the three nations."
"Who supposedly set these ghosts in place?"
"Why the god Kalimus, of course. It's said that his wife, Naya, was deeply angered at the wars raging here for so many centuries. Not only did the battles kill many men, but also the animals as well and that is why their guardian told her husband to take the ghosts of the dead and create an army to frighten the living away. Being that Kalimus is lord of the forest and this is the greatest forest on Taltan and perhaps in the world, he easily acceded to her wishes to protect it. He too had gotten sick of the destruction that man had caused. So, like I said, even now the spirits guard his trees and her animals. The occasional bandits that try their hand at it are said to either disappear like a stukboar in quicksand, or to eventually return and surrender themselves from fear or insanity caused by the ghosts."
Darius nodded, still unconvinced, but willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. As a wizard and apprentice, he had heard and even seen a lot of unusual things and was beginning to believe that anything was possible in this world. "Then why do all of you travel in such large groups if the forest is protected so well?" he wondered.
Again Jaran laughed. "As I said, we are still in nearly lawless lands. There is still the possibility of bandits or even animals. After all, the animals are under protection not mankind. Even those from Tolmona worry over such things. That is why the dwarf, Dorvin, over there asked if we would travel with him back at the town of Shalia," he added with a gesture to where a band of dwarves sat around their cook fire.
"Speaking of Tolmona," Darius said shifting the subject slightly, "let me ask you something. The only men that I've met from that land have been dwarves. How is it that that country has such an unusually large grouping of a typically rare people?"
Jaran shrugged and pointed with a flick of his hand to the dwarf. "I live in Alia, wizard, perhaps you should ask them. They're the ones who live there, after all. Why are you asking anyway? Is there something strange about their community truly?"
Seeing the beginnings of fear that Darius had worried over concerning the elves, the wizard tried to sweep over the sudden flickering of prejudice with new words, "I would hardly call it that strange, my friend, a little unusual perhaps, but nothing to worry about.
"Anyway," he said quickly shifting the subject, "tell me have you been to the capitol city of Darvus yet?"
This question led to a whole new discussion that lasted nearly another half an hour as Jaran told of all the wonders of Tolmona's capitol city. It was said to be a technological marvel, a true wonder of design unlike any city in the world. The buildings were almost all built only a floor or two above ground, but that in itself was not remarkable, of course.
The trader's eyes had glossed over as he thought upon what he had seen in his last visit. "The houses and buildings are just the beginning of Darvus actually," began the merchant’s next tale. "The first inn that I entered appeared to be only a two story building, but the inn keeper, a dwarf as I recall, gave me a room whose number was on neither one nor two. He had a boy who took me to a door to one side and simply closed the door and rang a bell. Two rings and suddenly the little room that we stood in began to lower.
"It startled me I tell you!" Jaran laughed at his own memory. "In my fright, I immediately asked the boy what kind of contraption it was that we were in. He called it a lift. The boy said that the bell signaled to several men below to either haul on ropes or let them down. That raised the lift up and down. Well, I thought that strange and figured that nothing more could surprise me. Little did I know that the boy would quickly prove me wrong."
"How so?" asked the wizard who was willing to go along with the man's story since it was highly entertaining and even informative. Others from the campground began to come nearer to listen as Jaran grew more animated. Darius wondered how many of them believed the man's story so far.
The trader had started to get lost in his memories again, though he responded to Darius' question. "It was amazing! The boy told me that I was on the lowest floor and that it opened onto Lower Darvus. Well, I had never heard of such a place and quickly asked for an explanation. The boy did better than that.
"The lift had opened on some form of lobby, much like the one above. There was a framed glass door that opened surprisingly onto a whole new road beneath the one that I had ridden on earlier. I walked out the door while the boy watched my belongings. There was an entirely different city below the upper one and I'll tell you it was more beautiful than just about any other city that I have ever seen."
"A whole city below ground?" a listener scoffed to a friend loud enough to be heard.
Frowning, Jaran came out of his nearly trancelike state appearing testy. "That is what I said!" he said angrily. "A complete city was hidden beneath the other one. I asked the boy about it and he said that it was a work of the ancients. Many of the dwarves lived below ground there. I found that out when I wandered there after finding my room.
"It was amazing, as I’ve said! Though there was little ornamentation on the buildings above ground, underground they had created a city of bronze, gold, silver, and even some of the richer ones had the sparkle of jewels. It was almost like the creators of Darvus had mined for ore only to be too lazy to carry it above ground so they had placed it on buildings everywhere. The residents had also painted with bright colors and even a sky blue had been laboriously painted on the stone of the ceiling many stories above. Lanterns were hung in great numbers many attached to the columns interrupting the city blocks every few buildings or so or simply hanging from street lamps. I was surprised at how bright and lively the lower city remained despite all the stone hovering above."
"Not everyone can enjoy her beauty, Jaran," Dorvin the dwarf said standing just behind a normal sized fellow. "It is surprising how many of you taller folk are unable to take the pressure of living underground."
Darius looked at the dwarf appraisingly. "Yet you live above ground, Dorvin. Did you find the lower city too oppressive as well?"
Harrumphing in disdain, the dwarf retorted, "Of course not, but I was not raised to live just there, bub, since someone needs to trade with these other countries. I wasn't saying that we dwarves are moles. Not everyone lives below ground at Darvus or lower Corknee or lower Temolo. Most live along with you tall people in the sunshine. It is just that many dwarves have been used in the mines of Tolmona and apparently we have grown used to that which many men shun."
"An interesting belief," Darius replied nodding. "Do all your people believe that is the way so many dwarves have come to be in Tolmona or is there another reason?"
The listeners began to break away from the fire seeing that the story seemed to be over and a new discussion of less important matters was about to be discussed.
"What do you mean, bub?" the dwarf asked warily.
"I have heard a theory recently that makes me wonder about Tolmona's dwarves. Have you ever heard of a gargoyle or perhaps the dragons of North continent?"
The dwarf shrugged negligibly and didn't bother to answer.
Realizing that the man was waiting on him, Darius chose to go on saying, "The legend has it that both of those races came through a doorway from a different world. Lately, my council has noticed more doorways opening into our world. Could you be part of a completely different race from another world entirely?"
"What do I look like, bub, a Mage? I am just a lowly merchant serving his family and his lord. If you have some debate over dwarves being a whole different race, then take it up with the historians at Darvus. Personally, I know that my family has been in Tolmona for generations. My grandfather has a book chronicling more than a dozen generations of the MacNorn family. I think that such a book would have said something about being from a different world. Now, if you don't mind, I have had enough of such silly talk and there is still a long ride ahead tomorrow for me and my people. Sleep well, bub."
The dwarf stepped away shaking his head dumbfounded and annoyed by the wizard. Darius and those few remaining just watched him go. There were only three left to watch now: Jaran, Tate and Darius.
"And here I thought my story pushed the realm of belief," Jaran laughed. Darius looked back to the merchant and saw that the man was indeed laughing at him. “Dwarves from another world indeed. They aren't that odd, wizard. I know of many people that have married dwarves and had fair sized children, even in Alia. You couldn't have children if we weren't all just variations in size now could you? We'd all have to be one race."
Darius rose and caught the sight of Electra preparing for sleep in his circle and wondered. They were compatible enough for sex and it was passionate and satisfying. He wondered if the merchant wasn't right. After all, he had heard that both types of people had been capable of children as well. No wizard of their sect had ever worried over the potential differences before, so why should he?
"What are you thinking about?" Tate asked quietly from beside him as they walked back to their part of camp.
"One guess," he challenged.
"I don't think that I need to bother guessing, do you? So what is your opinion? Do you think that these dwarves are the same as the ones from Janus' world?"
"I wonder. Jaran had a point. How could our races have children, if we are from different worlds? I've never heard of gargoyles and mankind having offspring. Why should dwarves and man be capable of such a thing?" The words produced a silence as both men considered. They had stopped their approach just shy of their camp.
After a moment Tate, asked rhetorically, "And do you wonder if we are also capable of having children with the elves?"
Darius didn't trust himself to answer Tate and simply walked into the circle of bedrolls and tents, the latter having been bought in small quantities to prevent sickness from the rains that seemed to have become more frequent of late. Soft laughter came from one of them and Darius smiled slightly.
"Steis and Celaria seem to be getting along well enough," whispered Tate gleefully from just behind him.
Nodding the wizard remarked, "That's good enough news for me then."
"How so?"
"Steis plans to return to Enswere when we reach the edge of the Great Forest in Tolmona. Maybe he'll take Celaria off my hands at the same time."
Tate grunted disapprovingly. "You want to get rid of her in particular?"
Shaking his head Darius chuckled quietly to his friend, though his eyes held a degree of worry despite his easy going manner, he replied, "I would like to have all of them find their way out of harm's way, Tate. I have a bad feeling about this trip and, though I like them all and they are fine companions, I know that they are not ready to follow us."
The other man sighed. "And if you get rid of them, will I be next or Electra?"
"What do you mean?" he questioned in surprise.
"You know what I mean. If you are afraid for their lives, which they freely joined to you, then what about those that you worry about almost as much? I know that you tried to prevent Electra's joining and I have a feeling that you would have preferred that I remain behind as well."
"I asked for you to join me when you asked!" Darius reminded him trying to dodge the issue.
"Perhaps, but reluctantly," Tate countered. "I sense your worries are building more and more, especially since we lost Palonius and the elves in the river. You can't put all the responsibility for these people's lives on your shoulders, man! You are just one individual, even if you are the youngest wizard to ever make council. You have great power, but we are here to help you. You can't achieve the goal of stopping the Emperor all by yourself."
"Are you done? You read an awful lot into what I said," Darius decided trying to push the ideas away.
"But I'm right, aren't I?"
Darius didn't bother to answer and simply went to roll into his bedroll with a sigh.
A shout interrupted his sleep in the night. Darkness was still full upon them, though the third moon, Gelinas was beginning its rise in the east. Clouds had gathered overhead preventing its light from doing little more than lighting the heavens dully. The campfires had all dropped to embers, but at the alarm a few of the elves stood ready to rekindle it.
The rustlings of movement from the forest could be heard by everyone now. Janus and five of the elves including the sentry, Bagan, stood in a defensive hedge with silver blades in hand. Darius remained sitting as he reached out with his magic to find that which had alarmed them. It took only seconds to catch hold of a force so dark that the wizard's breath caught in his throat. The creature was not natural to this world he thought instantly. No being should have been filled with such evil and such power. Worrying if he could stand against the incredible power, Darius felt a creature radiating evil from the darkness.
The rustling of leaves and brush intensified and soon Darius spotted two glowing embers in the darkness. Then another pair somewhat higher, but in the same line. The four glowing coals were fully into the camp before he could make out that they were attached to a horse and its rider. From off to one side, he could hear the mounts of his party and those of the merchants whickering as they sensed the evil of these two creatures that seemed joined as one.
"You can put those weapons away," an oily voice spoke from the depths of the folded cowl. Still, even with the faint glow of fire to try and illuminate the creature, Darius could make out nothing else of the face and little of its form. It seemed unnatural and, he thought, it probably was since the Emperor was concerned.
Janus had gone stiff in the face of the rider. "Who are you?" he questioned demandingly.
The rider laughed. To Darius and the others, it sounded eerily sinister, especially as it seemed to echo from all around the campsite at once. From the direction of the merchant camps, Darius could hear the call to alarm. The rider finally spoke, "Surely you of all people have not forgotten who I am, Janus?" Again the laughter sounded, even as the men began stalking carefully in from around the camp.
Darius heard the holy knight gasp. "Camare!"
"Ah, you do remember me, my brother. The master sent me to find you, little one, and let you know that he awaits you knowing full well the artifact you seek. The Emperor has seen your future, Janus Orleaf, and awaits your return with glee."
"I will destroy him, Camare, and you along with him if you do not come to your senses. I can not believe that you sold yourself to the enemy."
The rider threw back his hood revealing a face that looked hauntingly familiar. Though drawn into a sneering grin and given the red eyes, Darius realized that he was looking at a distorted version of Janus. The rider spoke again, "Ah, Janus, such courage and rage, of course the two words go so closely together, but there it is in you. You say that I sold myself to him, but then you need to go back and scold so many more, my brother. Alfar slowly crumbles to be reborn in the Emperor's image. If you tarry too long, I am afraid that you'll miss your chance to fall alongside the last feeble defenders."
Janus snarled and started forward stalking the phantom o
f evil, "Perhaps if I start here with you...?"
The evil twin's grin disappeared, "Don't bother trying to harm me with your feeble magic, Janus. The Emperor has gifted me with so much more since last I saw you. To think that you were once foremost among our ranks, and look at you now. Hiding with these creatures. What did I hear them called... humans?" The rider turned his horse away and laughed again coldly. "I hope to see you soon brother. Maybe you'll see the true path lies with the Emperor by then?"
"Never, you weak willed toad!" Janus challenged as darkness engulfed the rider. "I will come for him and you, if that is what you wish. I will defeat you, Camare! Tell the Emperor that I come for him!"
The dark rider and his steed had already disappeared and this time there was no sound to announce his leaving. Darius let out the breath that he had not realized that he had been holding. The Dark Emperor knew what they were about and did not fear them. True fear began to seep into him as he looked to where Janus seemed to have deflated with the rider's leaving.
What were they up against and how could they win against such power?"
Chapter 31- Dante
Standing upon a lower crest cut into the mountain side, the view of the large cavern upon the far mountain looked much like a dark wound to Dante. Misery came in for a landing upon his shoulder and with the return of the carrion bird he decided not to share such an opinion with the others. The worries of an unseen, pursuing enemy would hardly need that kind of an appraisal aired to the group.
Deciding that if Gannon was right, and he probably was, they had better find the ring quickly before their pursuers caught up with them unprepared, so Dante led his steed slowly forward. The best path down the escarpment was far from defined he found as his feet started slipping down the steep slope. The loose rock was a dangerous mess crumbling beneath his boots. Without his grip on the horse's reins coming behind him, the man would have tumbled long and hard with his first steps. Hooves dug in and he heard several cries of worry from those immediately following him.
The Emperor's Shadow War (Tales of Alus Book 2) Page 24
