Greyrawk (Book 2) (12 page)

"All right," said Kerreth. "We press onward; Jaele comes with us, and before we reach Gornst, Loric will tell us everything."

"In my own time," said Loric. "I am not a court ambassador. It will take time for me to form the right words. Otherwise, I may not explain things clearly. It's a long involved tale."

"That's a given," said Moria. "I'm already confused."

The road was clear for miles and they made excellent time northward. Jaele and Moria became fast friends but Jaele did not seem comfortable around Loric. Every time he spoke to her, Jaele's response was short and she turned her attention back to Moria.

"How long were you a mercenary?" asked Moria.

"Over ten years, but that isn't much to a Daerlan."

"No. Nor to the half-Daerlan as myself."

"Are you all half breeds? Sorry, not a nice term."

"Hobart is full Tuor and Elberra is full Anethean, but the rest of us are mixed. I guess we just wanted to have a place of our own. We are not warmly welcomed in our homelands. My mother was a Daerlan and part of this company. Her father founded the Talos Company along with her uncle and Kerreth. I don't know what their reasons were although Kerreth is bereft of magic, a mainstay of the Zidar culture, although he is immune to it. He would have been a servant had he remained on the Isle of Cothos."

"Jaele, I recognized your ring," said Kerreth. "Are you still working with the Red Boars Company?"

"No, I am retired from that life. I run an inn with Ian now. In the years when I was a mercenary I worked with them most of the time. No city companies would take me on and besides the Red Boars pay better. I can come and go as I please and I am judged by my skills. I was never doubted because I am a woman."

"Who's in charge?"

"That's confidential," said Jaele.

"It used to be Farland Dukes. Do his sons run it now? Does Farland still live?"

"He does, but he's an old, old man. His grandson, Farklen is in charge. How did you know of Farland? He's always been secretive about his involvement with the Red Boars."

"I founded the Red Boars Company, before I joined with Altair Talos."

"But that was thousands of years ago!"

"Seems more recent to me," said Kerreth. "I visit once in a while, but it seems it has been too long. Perhaps after this task I shall see Farland if he still lives."

"As of last month, he still tended his garden and bounced his great-grandchildren on his knees. His vision is poor, but he still laughs as often as breathing."

"That is good. He was a very fair man and generous with his wealth. How were you recruited?"

"Ian joined them and brought me along. Old Farland had a twinkle in his eye when he met me. At first I thought he was an old lecher, but he was very kind and made sure all the men treated me the same."

"His first wife had red hair. She was killed very young in a raid. He loved her very much and she remained youthful in his memory. Perhaps you reminded him of her."

"It would be nice to think so," said Jaele.

"Loric, I believe it is time for you to enlighten us," said Kerreth. "We shall break here for lunch. It should take two more days to reach Gornst, if my reckoning is true."

"Gornst?" asked Jaele. "You are going to Belderag?"

"Yes, that seems the place to start. He is the power in the area and we might need his assistance and it is proper to ask his permission to stir up trouble."

"From what I've heard, Belderag isn't to be trusted."

"Most powerful men should not be trusted," said Kerreth.

"What about powerful women?" asked Moria.

"I knew it would bite me as soon as I said it. Get the food out, I'm hungry. When we have eaten, Loric you start speaking."

"When I was a teen, things began to change. Not for me, as I was always an outcast by both races, but for the Celaeri. Some of the adults began to disappear and by that I do not mean they left; they began to fade. They could stand in front of you and you could see right through them. The Celaeri had already abandoned Adan's Hill to the Men and we lived deep in the northern hills. I was not clear of the reasons, but something left behind on Adan's Hill was needed to keep the Celaeri from vanishing. It was a stone. Riders returned with a shard of the stone and Jerue Adan thought much over it. As the weeks past the population continued to dwindle. Jerue Adan, the king of the Celaeri sent riders on errands to find a cure for this magic.

"One day some riders returned with a Man, bound and gagged. They dragged him over to the sacred stone. The king's daughter spoke some words and raised her knife. The knife began to glow and she opened a vein of the Men. Blood splattered on the stone shard and it was magic. The colors around us deepened and all the Celaeri's flesh was ripe with life. The man's arm was bandaged and he was led away.

"I asked what had happened. The king's daughter told me they needed blood from a half-breed, Men and Celaeri. She said I was lucky I had so much Celaeri blood otherwise I would be the sacrifice instead of Eddan Greyrawk, my father's grandson. His blood carried a small amount of Celaeri blood and thus was suitable for the magic. They needed him to anoint the other seven stones of the Celaeri. It was unlikely he would survive, and he didn't."

"You think this is what Ian's danger is?" asked Jaele.

"I do. The king's daughter also said that one day they would return to Adan's Hill and the stones would run with Men blood."

"You say the king's daughter like it was a title," said Kerreth. "Had she a name?"

"Ioane Adan. She is my mother."

"Oh, Loric, how awful," said Moria.

"That is why I left and never returned. I have remained watchful for this day, hoping the blood of the Greyrawk's would fail. I began a brotherhood of Men to watch the Greyrawk's and pull them down if necessary. It became necessary. This Belderag may be a member of the Brotherhood."

"You asked Belderag to kill the Greyrawk's?" asked Jaele.

"I never spoke with him. It has been many generations of Men since I contacted the brotherhood. They might not have any record of me and try to kill me too. But that will not be easy."

"Loric, I am sorry about your past. You should have told us earlier," said Moria.

"I want no pity, Moria. I just want to be accepted for who I am."

"That's the difficult part. You are so arrogant."

"Must be the Celaeri in me."

"Time to ride," said Kerreth.

They continued well into darkness before they camped. The company was silent for the most part, digesting what Loric had told them.

The next was uneventful and passed slowly.

They made camp a day's ride from Gornst. Loric and Hobart took the first watch. Dvorak Annis was walking around the camp trying to regain movement in his arm. The others had settled in to sleep. Jaele stayed near to Moria and Kerreth. Loric watched her from the edge of the camp until he noticed Elberra watching him. He turned his attention to his duty and Elberra eventually eased her vigilance and went to sleep.

Loric stood in the shadows of low branches unmoving except for his eyes. He watched for Hobart, but the Tuor could never been seen when he was on watch. Loric felt edgy, his hands clenched and unclenched. Something was wrong out in the darkness but he couldn't pinpoint it. He heard the others murmuring in their sleep which was unusual. Hobart's low whistle sounded from the other side of the camp. Hobart was alert too. Loric glanced at the sleeping figures and saw Kerreth's hooded eyes reflect in the dying campfire.

The air did not cool yet it felt damp and mists began to close in about them. He sensed rather than heard movement to his left. Slowly, he unsheathed his sword and waited. He no longer heard the deep bass breaths of Elberra and guessed she, too, was awake. The mist thickened and he felt something standing a few paces from him. He struck with his sword, hitting something solid and heard the guttural snarl of surprise. The woods came alive with roars and shouting as dark shapes rushed the camp. Kerreth's swords were greeting the invaders and killed them quickly. Loric found himself surrounded and felt the rough claws dig into his flesh as he pushed them back to clear his sword stroke.

Dvorak Annis shouted something and the campfire flamed up twenty feet of white and blue flame, illuminating the area. The gnarled black shapes were animal like but moved their arms like people. Kerreth had not allowed the shock of their appearance slow his swords. He was on his feet in a heartbeat and rushed forward with both swords singing. The rest of the company followed even as the creatures attacked the camp. Moria stood back to back with Hobart while Elberra raised her own hell among the shapes. Her appearance daunted the creatures and her spear used their hesitation to deliver death. The sharpness of the steel and the brightness of the flames drove the creatures back into the night.

"Were those the Vlakan?" asked Moria.

"Yes," gasped Loric, his arm weary and bloody. "They wanted to test our strength."

"I hope they learned enough," said Kerreth.

"At least I did not get wounded this time," said Dvorak. "Come here Loric; let me look at that."

The bodies of the Vlakan lay around the camp. Some changed back into the fine features of the Celaeri; other remained feral. Loric and Elberra dragged them away from the sleeping area.

The next morning the bodies of the Vlakan had vanished; those that changed to Celaeri as well as the ones that remained Vlakan. There were no signs of the bodies being dragged away; they simply vanished. The company searched the near area quickly, and then broke camp.

Kerreth explained what they must do when they reach Gornst to meet with Dacu Belderag.

"I hope to explain to Belderag of the reality of the Celaeri threat to him and Gornst. If this brotherhood of yours is still active, Loric, we must prod them to rise up again and defend Adan's Hill from the Celaeri. If the Celaeri come with any numbers we shall not be enough and Belderag's soldiers must be prepared for battle."

"What is there on Adan's Hill that is so important to them?" asked Elberra.

"I do not know," said Loric. "Ioane Adan never spoke of it to me directly. If I were to guess, the sacred stone is still up there. I only saw shards of it and don't know its size. Perhaps they need the entire stone to really cast aside the shadow world."

"I will find it," said Dvorak Annis. "I will seek out power on Adan's Hill."

"Be careful, Dvorak," said Kerreth. "We do not know the shape or strength of what you seek. Blackthorne is not with us and you are our only source of magic. We may need your protection against the Celaeri. I no longer recall much about the Celaeri; I am ignorant of their ways and strengths. Caution must be our guide."

"I will go with Dvorak to Adan's Hill," said Loric.

"We need you to talk to Belderag. After all, you founded the brotherhood."

"No Kerreth. As I said, they may have no record of me as their founder and as a Greyrawk; I may become a target as well. They may not want me involved with them because of my name and heritage. Dvorak and I must leave now. I sense the Celaeri are on the move. We need to scout out Adan's Hill while we can."

"Very well, but be careful. We shall join you when we can."

Dvorak and Loric veered to the northwest and Kerreth led the others the rest of the day without stopping until nightfall. They would reach Gornst the next day.

The Black Heath is an area of northern Cresida of harsh weather and uninhabitable by Men. The Celaeri took refuge there after Men armies from Anavar sailed to Amloth to defend their brethren in Cresida. The outnumbered Celaeri withdrew to the north and dwelt there until tales of their presence ceased. However other tales grew of strange creatures lurking in the heath and Men shunned the area.

From Gerrand's Histories of Landermass.

The clearing was dark; the light of the bonfire did not penetrate the gloom around it. Greyrawk dismounted and walked to the fire, but felt no warmth. Ioane Adan drew alongside and grasped his hand. Shapes began to shuffle forward to the light. He saw Celaeri, pale and faint, and other creatures that he knew not. On the fringes of the shadows were the Vlakan; cowering from the fire and the presence of Jerue Adan.

Jerue Adan's expression was stoic yet he glowed with a pale pink light. He raised his hands and the shadowy creatures stepped back. He gestured to them, a welcoming, joining motion and he turned to all attending. He seemed to grow in stature and his voice thundered in the night.

"Friends! This is the time to cast aside our shadows and mists. We shall walk in the sun once more and feel its warmth. We shall be caressed by the cool breezes and refreshed by the streams and rivers. Remember the breath-taking chill of a river in the morning? We will look at our hands and see warm blood pulsing beneath the skin, not the transparent grasping fingers we see now. Life shall be pulsing through us and we shall be part of the natural order again. And our bare feet shall feel the wild grass on Adan's Hill once more. We shall go home!"

"Friends, please welcome, Ian Greyrawk, a scion of our beloved servants who shall empower us to come forth and reclaim our rightful place in the world. He has come forth of his free will." There was murmuring among the gathered.

"We shall rule Amloth again and the Men of Cresida will call us masters as their ancestors did. The Celaeri were once the ruling race on Amloth, when the Daerlan came to Anavar and the Zidar to the Isle of Cothos. Only the Celaeri and the gods walked upon Amloth. The Altenguds have passed and the Jungeguds few and forgotten. It is time for the Celaeri to walk boldly upon the earth again. The Celaeri return! Friends, come forth and join the ceremony!"

Jerue Adan raised his hands and began to chant in the ancient Celaeri tongue. The words tugged at Greyrawk but he could not decipher them. Ioane took him by the elbow and they approached the sacred stone, stopping next to it. Ioane's gaze was fixed on Jerue Adan and Greyrawk watched too. Jerue Adan's hand began to glow red and an object appeared in his hands. The handle was black iron but the curved blade was blood red. Jerue Adan continued to chant and brought the dagger to Ioane Adan, who without hesitation, pulled Greyrawk's arm straight and drew the dagger the length of his forearm. Before he had a chance to protest, Ioane kissed his bloody arm and kissed Greyrawk on the lips. She twisted his arm and blood flowed freely. Her eyes did not leave his eyes.