Redelfis said, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a wood this dark and foreboding before.”
Jon looked up into the dark tangle above him. “The soil is obviously very rich for all this rampant growth. It’s a hell of a sight better than hacking through chaparral. But be on full alert. No one has explored this region at anytime before. God only knows what trolls live in here.”
Going Snake looked around in wide-eyed fear, “This place spooks me, Redelfis. Arundel told me such places are the haunt of evil spirits and Pale Elves. Creatures of the sun are not wont to travel here.” Just then he stopped dead in his tracks.
“It’s troll shit,” Going Snake declared with certainty in his voice.
“No, I’d say bear from its looks,” ventured Ruhm.
Redelfis bent down for a closer look. “It could be most any strange creature, but it looks like a big man’s poop if you ask me.”
Jon had to agree. “I can’t imagine any men would be in here. Better to stay close and draw your elf blades till we pass through this dark wood. It can’t go much farther than a mile with that sunlight breaking through up ahead.”
They hadn’t gone very far when Going Snake stepped over a fern and snapped a stick, alarming some small animal that crashed through the forest floor. “What the hell,” Going Snake let slip. “I’ve got to get a grip on myself; I’m acting like I’m five years old again.”
Alfheah looked around cautiously. “Like that time Ary, Redelfis, and I took you down in those caves and you made us think a bear was coming for us. You almost had us convinced, Going Snake, but remember it chust proved to be a gurgling stream.”
“Well, I’ve just got nerves that warn me sooner than yours do. What can I say? There’s been times when it really was something dangerous.”
Redelfis waved his elf blade. “Alright, just keep your fears to yourself so you don’t spook the others. That was probably just a little boomer that scurried off there. Pretty foolish to let little mountain beavers scare the wits out of us. Save all warnings for the real thing; panther, bear, and bigger only. Everything else we can handle.”
“I hope it was just a boomer,” Going Snake exclaimed, “but you have to admit, there are demons enough on this isle. Brekka told me there are wood spirits, kelpies, and nixies. And who’s to say the little ones aren’t just as deadly? Boomers can be nasty. I heard tell of one chewing a drunken man’s face off.”
As the troop made their way up the dark wooded slope the gloom gave way to patches and rays of sunlight. Finally, they came to a clear sun-splashed glade just beyond the edge of the jungle where they saw large boulders strewn all about in profusion like giant gravestones.
Upon merging into the sunlight, Jon was about to call a halt when he heard splashing sounds and joyous screams, like children playing in a stream. Signaling for silence, Jon beckoned for Redelfis. The two of them carefully and cautiously edged around one of the boulders. Jon sucked in air. A number of large hairy trolls that resembled men wallowed in the golden grasses, while young trolls frolicked in the water of a large nearby pool surrounded by sedges and cattails. Near the edge of the pool, three female trolls nursed their babies.
While Jon was studying the young ones, Redelfis silently drew his attention to an enormous troll perched on a vantage point atop a tall tussock of grass. As they watched, several half grown trolls brought the giant one paw paws for food, bowing as they approached him. Two female trolls picked at the fur on his shoulders searching for ticks. Several other females sat nearby with well-sprung ribs indicating they were likely pregnant.
Suddenly, the king of the trolls reached down and picked up a culm of bamboo. As the beast gnawed on the bamboo cane in one hand and munched a paw paw in the other, Jon let his eyes wander over to the pool where the young trolls splashed and screamed for what appeared to be raw enjoyment.
As Jon surveyed the spectacular scenery with the rise of the great white throne of Mount Elflohana reflecting over the deep mountain pool, the entire glade was completely framed by the dark vine covered trees. He realized now that what he thought was a small pool was in fact the inlet of a large lake and on the opposite shore, the land angled down toward the northwest. That would be the logical passageway to the Moon Door. He sighed relief and knew this was the way to build the road.
Jon signaled to Redelfis, that they should withdraw. As soon as they returned to the rest of their crew gathered behind the boulder, they were bombarded with whispered questions. Jon held up his hand for silence.
He whispered, “It appears to be a family of the giant hairy men Sur Sceaf reported seeing in the sea cavern. At least that’s my supposition.”
“Will they be eating us?” Going Snake asked.
Redelfis answered, “I don’t think so. They appear to be fruit and vegetable eaters. But they might bite and pound us to death especially with nursing babies to protect.”
Fidra said, “I’m not feeling comfortable. I knew I should have brought my dogs. Shouldn’t we get out of here?”
Just then a primordial scream from the hill above the king of the trolls filled the air with some sort of troll warning. One of the trolls’ sentinels had spotted them behind the boulders. Despite the risk, Jon ordered the blades ready before returning to his vantage point overlooking the pool. To his dismay, he realized the boys had crowded around him to see what was happening.
Another scream pierced the air. The trolls hit the forest in explosive unison, grabbing babies and troll children as they fled off into the jungle. Crashing through the brush there was a surge of coarse hooting through the trees, and alarming screams. Jon stood paralyzed and unable to move. It took some minutes before he was released from the grip of terror. Finally, the sounds stopped and a dread silence reigned.
Redelfis spoke first, “The screams of these trolls render you frozen in fear. Man, what I’d give to use that scream in a battle cry.”
“My feet grew roots,” Aelfheah conceded, “and that’s for sure. I’m only glad they are shy and retiring, instead of combatant. I’ve never experienced that level of fear before and hope I never do again.”
“That’s where I be too,” Woody the Blue confirmed. “Ain’t ever seen or heard a creature like that’n. Not even a pack of drillenas scare’t me so much. Wif a sound that turns you to mush, they don’t need to fight or bite.”
Looking around, Jon said, “For now, they are gone. And we need to keep in mind, that no one has ever reported them doing any harm to man or livestock.”
One of the Quailor boys said, “I don’t know, Ernst, farmer Scheible said he saw one rape one of his draft horses one night and Druscera said she saw one of them schnallygasters kill and eat one of her goats.”
“I hit the ground the moment it screamed,” Fidra owned, “and I didn’t think I had another moment to live. At home when we’ve been attacked by drillenas and there are injuries, we do what we be callin ‘the shakin,’ like this.” Fidra held out his arms, closed his eyes and started shaking and trembling.
While he shook like a leaf the others looked at one another in disbelief. Fidra opened his eyes and stopped shaking. “Pita be sayin this shakin drives all the fear out of your body. Else wise you be wakin in the night in cold sweats. Might even make you go crazy if don’t do the shakin.”
Jon nodded. “If it works for the Blues, it’ll work for us, so gentlemen start shakin.” Jon began shaking his limbs and the others self-consciously followed suit.
When he determined he had followed the ritual long enough, he called a halt. “Fidra, you’re right, I do feel better. How about the rest of you?” He was greeted by nods of heads and murmurs of agreement.
“Now, let’s move on and we can discuss what just happened as we explore,” Jon verbally prodded, “I’m thinking that scream is why the wyrm-kats and the grass beast avoid these trolls. What is for certain, is that no man could ever fortify his heart against that scream.”
After explaining his belief that at the end of the lake the land angled down
toward the northwest indicating that they were on the backside of Mount Elflohana. He said, “Redelfis, I want you to climb that escarpment for a better view and see if it is easier and more direct to follow this side of the lake or if we need to seek another passage.
Redelfis shaded his eyes and studied the escarpment and looked in the direction Jon had indicated. He climbed up a well worn path to the top of the cliff. After a moment he shouted back down. “It looks like the way is clear all the way to the other side. And behind me there is something a little farther up that looks like some old shipwreck.”
“Did you say, a ship?”
“Sure did, but how in the name of Tah-Man-Ea did it ever get up here? I see a keel and what appears to be a cabin very similar to Turtle Duck’s.”
Jon rushed up the path to him, took a moment to catch his breath, but had no answer. “My God, Redelfis, you’re right. That’s a big ol boat, for sure.”
It was perched over a rock precipice, at least two hundred feet above the lake. After studying his surroundings for a moment he decided there was no way the water could have risen that high, for there was ample drainage leading to the lower chaparral from which they had traveled below as well as the incline to the northwest.
Jon looked down at the others and flagged them up. He and Redelfis led the way up through some brush to the site. It was hard going, especially where the trail got so narrow that one had to traverse it single file to keep from falling off the cliff.
The ship sat cock-eyed, leaning over to one side with the deck slanted down at a steep angle towards them. Though dilapidated, it still held its distinctive form. Upon closer examination Jon could see that the planks were somewhat mineralized, like the wood found preserved under the seas. The shiplapped boards felt like stone to the touch.
Aelfheah declared, “There are no ships built like this. This had to be built by a people we don’t know, just as we didn’t know about the Blues and the Greens.”
Fidra scratched his head. “It ain’t one of ours. We ain’t got boats this big and neither do them Greens.”
Going Snake postulated, “Maybe there’s another people who live in the jungles.”
Redelfis said, “Not likely, with those vicious trolls running around here.”
Going Snake said, “Maybe they’re all dead like the Lowerys.”
Jon had a sudden thought. “I’m thinkin maybe this ship belonged to the Amerikans before the earth changes.”
They were startled when an owl of unusual size took flight from atop the cabin of the ship. Climbing the wreckage like a ladder, Ruhm managed to climb high enough to see the top of the cabin. He pulled himself up and hollered, “Get a look at this. There’s a nest up here and it has two owlings in it.”
Ruhm took off his shirt and carefully brought them down for the others to see. From the railing of the ship he handed his shirt to Fidra who declared, “These be eagle-owls. We’s gots plenty of ‘em in the south. They be livin’ up ‘er on the cliffs where they are plentiful. They’re big enough to carry off a large fox or drillena pup. I even got me a youngin once to keep them foxes away from my rabbits and cavies.”
Aelfeah took a peek, before taking one in his hand. “May I have this one, Ruhm. By the gods these were meant to be ours.”
After scrambling down Ruhm pleaded, “Please father, I want one to raise and I’ll give the other one to Alfheah. Then we can compete with Arundel’s gyrfalcons. Please father!” For the first time, in a long time, Jon felt his little boy return to him. He knew this would probably be the last time he could take such pleasure in his son’s youthful delights, for he was swiftly becoming a man, when such things get pushed aside for drudgery of day to day life.
“I’ve never seen you want something so much before. Go ahead, since Fidra says they are plentiful, take them!”
While everyone was focused on the owlings, Jon spotted Russell and Ev’Rhett running to the top of the rocky escarpment against which the ship angled and wondered what mischief those two were about to concoct. Suddenly, Ev-Rhett, or was it Russell shouted back down. “Up here, up here! We’ve found gold. We’ve found gold.”
The other twin shouted down. “And here are all of our stolen items.”
No one, but Going Snake, believed the tricksters. The boy darted off toward the twins, climbing as quickly as he could.
Just as Jon had been warned several times, the boys were, indeed, rowdy spirits, full of mischief, joking, and trickery. He decided to play along with the prank and began climbing toward them, so as to get a better view of the ship and perhaps solve the riddle of how it got up there.
As he reached the top, suddenly Going Snake popped up and announced, “We have found our thieves. There are gnawed upon bamboo culms all over here. Those hairy troll beggars might be shy, but they are equally cunning. They stole this loot right out from under our noses in our very own camps. See, there are the pick axes and there the clothes are, and look over there, that has to be the small cauldron Karl was missing.”
Jon said, “What the hell? You boys! You aren’t going to believe me, cause I did not believe the twins. There is gold over here. Gold! I tell you, maybe even wagon loads.”
The pack stopped studying the ship’s construction and speculating on how it got up there and instead climbed the rocky rise as fast as possible.
There were at least ten piles scattered amongst the scree. Fidra said, “I ain’t ever seen such shiny yellow stones in all my life.”
Going Snake laughed. “It’s called gold.”
Redelfis declared, “One of those coins is worth ten horses.”
Jon knelt down and ran his hands through one of the hoards of shining gold. “Sure enough it is gold, even gold coins, along with enameled jewelry, and all sorts and types of jewels and treasures.” His heart pounded when he realized it was enough to purchase whole armies of mercenaries and ships of war.
Jon ventured a guess. “It must have taken the hairy trolls years to collect these coins.”
Redelfis exclaimed, “But how did it ever get here?”
Aelfheah declared, “They found it on that ship down there.”
Herewose picked up one of the coins and studied both sides. “This coin must be from the Mexus. It has words that are Espanyol marked on it, but the date reads 1585 which means it was in the time of the ancients, probably before the Amerikans.”
Aelfheah declared. “This is some sort of treasure ship that shipwrecked and must have drowned in the deep a long time ago.”
Bnimin said skeptically, “You’re saying this mountain was once under the sea?”
Aelfheah nodded, “That’s right. It must have been thrust up here when this island hove up out of the deep, during the earth changes.”
Herewose shook his head and said, “Not possible.”
“Then, when we get back, we will just have to ask Redith for a reading on the matter. I believe she will confirm my guess and you will eat crow, my friend.”
While they had been talking, the twins, apparently bored, wandered off. Jon glanced around and spotted their shaggy brown haired heads bobbing behind a slab of basalt. Jon was about to call them back when Ev’Rhett shouted. “More treasure. It’s silver this time.”
Jon instructed his crew. “Boys gather up our possessions and I’m going over to see what Ev’Rhett has found.”
Jon climbed over the basalt column. Before him were piles of a bright silver iridescent metal. His heart leapt within him. “How in the name of God,” he reached down and handled the ore, “It’s iridium thicker than I’ve ever seen it before. The giant trolls must have collected it, but how did Govannon know we would find some?”
Aelfheah declared. “The man is a wizard. Wizards are inclined to know what they search for. In case you didn’t know, this is the metal Govannon uses to make the elf blades with.”
“Gentlemen this is the find of finds. Let’s take as much as we can handle. That, at least, will give additional credence to our story. Then we will cut a road into t
his place so we can haul the treasure back to Godeselle. We shall return in triumph.”
Since Russell and Ev’Rhett discovered the treasure first, it was determined on the way back to camp, that they should be the ones to reveal it to the others.
Upon passing back through the dark wood to their horses in the paw paw grove, Jon had them give the horses water and full hands of oats, before they rode back to the encampment. As soon as they were greeted, Russell excitedly declared, “We found gold!”
Ev-Rhett pulled the pickaxe out of his saddle bag.
“Hey, that’s mine,” Keith shouted. “Who’d you find it on?”
“No one! All of our stolen items were found in a pile next to the gold.” Ev-Rhett said. “We think everything was stolen by the giant hairy trolls. We found a whole colony of them up in the jungle glade.” He handed Keith his axe. “We’ll bring the rest tomorrow.”
“Shades of Govannon! Iridium!” Karl excitedly exclaimed. “This will please the old wizard more than the gold. It would have been easier for me to believe you if you had said you found the lost colony of Rdoke or some Elven sky ship than iridium. The hairy trolls probably found it in the pock craters we explored. That’s why we didn’t find any.”
“There are literally heaping piles of nuggets like this one.”
“Tomorrow,” Jon declared, “we shall cut a road wide enough to get the mule team and wagons through and load some of the treasure to take to Godeselle. I am beginning to believe the Herewardi prophesies that the gods would open the windows of heaven and the treasures of the earth to them.”
* * *
That morning no bugle needed to be sounded. The youth and company were eager to cut trail. Elf blades and axes were applied to the blazed trail. With great vigor, as the mule train inched along behind them, they arrived at the glade by three hours after high noon, utterly exhausted. Jon caused the trumpets to be blasted as a warning to the trolls that they had taken possession of the glade.
The Bok of Syr Folk Page 43
