The Companions of Tartiël (52 page)

Now!
the blademaster sent through the amulet as he passed the dead tree belonging to Atradeus. He jumped to the lowest branches of a nearby pine and scrambled up the rest of the way, then unshouldered his borrowed bow again, nocked an arrow to its string, and waited for the enemy to arrive.

They never did. Kaiyr could just barely hear Caineye, who was hidden nearby, utter several consecutive prayers, and moments later, surprised, horrified, and pained cries went up from the more than three hundred foes. Their wails cut through the forest, shaking leaves and frightening the native animals.

Then the druid sent more magical energy into spells that he released into the forest, and the screams came again and with renewed vigor as a massive cloud of steam rolled through the area, burning those inside as it leisurely spread through the trees. Kaiyr sneaked forward for a better view, and while his stomach churned at the sight, the feeling was overwhelmed by the thought of this crushing victory and the knowledge that these creatures were wholly evil.

Most of the pursuers, now caught within the area of Caineye’s
poison vines
spells, were supported only by the stiff vines that had suddenly sprung out of the ground. The vines were sharp and injected those within with a potent toxin that numbed the nerves and muscles. Some of the vines’ victims were still slowing down, vainly trying to crawl their way through the deadly zone as the poison sapped them of their strength.

More, many of those within who were not utterly paralyzed, stumbled about blindly, their eyes burned away by the druid’s
murderous mist
that still roiled and hissed, scalding all in its path. All told, only a few were still well enough to push their way through the magical overgrowth, and even then, their progress was slow.

“What do we do now?” Caineye asked Kaiyr, approaching the blademaster by climbing along a thick branch. Wild, Carthas, and Solaria came in tow.

Kaiyr, still glaring down at their enemies, narrowed his eyes. “Now,” he intoned in a dangerous voice, “we show them the same mercy they would show us.”

*

Dingo raised his eyebrows at us. “Are you actually going to kill them all? Even though most of them are helpless?”

I glanced at Xavier and Matt, who both nodded and grinned back at me. “Yeah,” I replied. “We didn’t lure them here and incapacitate them so we could invite them to tea. Besides, with so few people on our side, it’d be impossible to keep these guys under lock and key. So, yeah, we’re killing them, and while it may not be the most honorable way to save the day, it’s the only way to save the day.”

“Oookay,” Dingo said with a sigh. “Well, you annihilate well over three hundred of the wolf army’s soldiers without so much as breaking a sweat.” He sat back and scratched his face. “Holy cow, that was such an effective plan, you guys.”

Xavier and I traded a high-five, since it was mostly our plan, but then we included Matt in the hand-slapping. “Thanks,” I said with a grin. “We spent like, a week planning the thing. This was actually only part two of our four-stage plan.” We had not previously told Dingo exactly what we had planned, only that we had a plan. It had taken much verbal evasion to keep his curiosity at bay, I might add.

Our DM cocked his head in curiosity. “What was part one? And three and four, for that matter?”

I shrugged. “Well, plan A was simply to go to the wall and see if we could get through. We were kind of counting on that being impossible, so plan B was our real focus. You saw how well that went. If that didn’t work, we were going to flood the streets with water and water elementals, and if that didn’t work, plan D involved sacrificing as much of the gold and platinum bars in the church as possible and having the clerics call down a heavenly host, complete with really pissed-off angels to kill everyone we didn’t like. But hey, I’m cool with keeping that treasure, too.” I threw him a wink.

“Damn,” he responded succinctly. “Well… I’m going to give all of you two levels tonight. It’s been a long session, and you killed a frickin’ army, practically. Who’s up for a Sheetz run?”

I looked over at the clock. It was only two in the morning, and tomorrow (or today, I suppose) was Saturday. “Sure, I’ll come along,” I said. “We can gush about how awesome that was on the way there… and back.”

Xavier nodded as he pulled out his hair tie, shaking out his hair. “Yeah, I’ll come, too.”

Matt frowned and sighed. “Sorry, guys, but I’m not gonna make it with you tonight. I’ve got some Kappa Sigma stuff to go to tomorrow.”

We all gave him some (mostly) good-natured boos and hisses as he packed up and left for his own dorm room, and Dingo, Xavier, and I headed out our door and began the 20-minute walk to our favorite late-night snack fix, complete with the aforementioned gushing about the D&D session.

XL.

Having gotten the ball rolling, the four of us met the next night, only a week before final exams began.

“So,” Dingo said to us when we had settled into our usual places around the room. I was noisily chowing down on a Quiznos sub as I listened. “We’re getting close to the end of the year, so it’s going to be time to draw this campaign to a close. Luckily, you guys are right about where I wanted you to be, so that we can bring the story to an end without me having to narrate too much of it.”

“Is this going to be the last session?” I asked.

“Probably not. We can play for as long as you guys want tonight, but I don’t think we’ll get to everything,” Dingo said. “When can we meet again?” We all checked our schedules and agreed to meet up Friday and maybe spill into Saturday if we still weren’t finished.

“So,” Dingo said once all had been determined, “what’s the plan? We left off last time with you guys killing that whole army.”

I looked at Xavier, my eyebrows raised. “Well, after that kind of day, I know Kaiyr’s exhausted, and I’m willing to bet Caineye’s out of spells. I vote we all rest for the night and then move out on the morrow. I’m thinking we should investigate the giant castle in the distance and see what we have to do to get rid of it.”

“I like that plan,” Matt agreed. “Maybe if we defeat whatever’s inside, the golden sphere will go away, and we can leave.”

“I’ve had enough of this city,” Xavier grumbled, and we all knew he was sympathizing with his character, who had been in emotional turmoil at having to slaughter so many lupine creatures.

“All right,” our Dungeon Master said, “well, the night goes by smoothly, and while you all have troubled dreams of the day’s events, everyone awakens rested and ready to go. Kaiyr, you are the first to rise, as usual. What are you doing with the four hours before everyone else gets up?”

*

Kaiyr let his consciousness rise slowly from the land of his dreams, letting in his senses one at a time; he had not cut off his hearing or his sight, preferring to be aware of his surroundings even while he rested. The first thing he noticed was the gentle weight of Solaria’s head on his lap. She had taken to using his leg for a pillow, since such luxuries were in short supply. It was a testament to his discipline that, although her weight caused his leg to tingle from a restricted blood vessel, he did not complain; nor did he move until she, too, stirred.

The hours passed him by sluggishly, as though each second had to be stretched into a minute for the blademaster to contemplate the dangerous predicament in which he and his companions found themselves. True, they had defeated an impressive number of enemies yesterday. In whatever legends would be told about the battle, he did not doubt that bards would make the task sound impossible despite the ease with which five people—only three of whom were skilled in battle—vanquished a foe a hundred times stronger than they.

It was not these legends that worried Kaiyr, but what would come on the morrow. What if the rest of the wolf army descended upon this place during the night, or even under the midday sun? Kaiyr, his companions, and the refugees in the temple of Alduros Hol were not at all prepared to face such an assault.

Solaria moved in her sleep, sighing and shifting slightly, and the tingle in the elf’s leg slowly began to subside. Casting his quiet gaze upon her features full of nature’s beauty, Kaiyr’s worries suddenly shifted toward the young nymph. Part of him regretted having asked if she wished to be raised from the dead; she should not have to ponder her own mortality.

Her answer had unsettled the blue-haired elf. On the surface, he could tell that she had not yet decided, but the perceptive blademaster also sensed that she was leaning toward staying away from this world, this life, should she be freed of it. Worse, he had a sinking feeling in his stomach that she might even seek a way to be released from life.

“Mm…”
Kaiyr?
Solaria asked abruptly, and Kaiyr blinked, realizing he had been staring at her for more than an hour.
Is everything all right?

Straightening, the blademaster glanced about. When he had last paid attention to his surroundings, it had still been night. Now, predawn light filtered in through the shuttered windows. Brushing a few stray hairs from his face, he replied softly, “Yes. My apologies, Lady Solaria. I did not mean to stare.”

Rolling onto her back, she looked up at him until he returned her gaze, and when he did, she fixed him with a brilliant smile.
You think I’m pretty. Go ahead, Kaiyr. Stare at me as long as you want,
she said, her mental voice filled with a teasing chuckle. Then she sobered, her smile fading to a concerned frown.
Also, you’re a terrible liar.

“I know,” Kaiyr responded, his voice deep as ever, but tinged with a profound sadness. “But… I beg of you to accept this lie, for now.”
As I have accepted yours
, he added mentally, though he did not send it through the amulet, keeping his feelings to himself.

Solaria did not reply, but when Vinto appeared in the doorway, wagging the stump of his tail, the nymph let out an exuberant squeal and darted over to greet the wolf with a hug, letting him lick her face and hands in return. When Caineye followed on the heels of his animal companion, she nodded amicably to the druid.

“Good morning, Master Caineye.” Rising, Kaiyr bowed at the waist in his companion’s direction.

“And a good morning to you, Master Kaiyr. I… suppose everything is ready for our mission today, isn’t it?” The golden-armor-clad druid’s voice was light with anxiety.

“It is,” Kaiyr replied as they followed Solaria and Vinto down the hall, to where several of the clergy were busy preparing breakfast for the twoscore other refugees who had filtered into the temple over the weeks. Such preparation entailed little more than a brief
purify food and drink
blessing, so that the food was palatable, if cold and sometimes bland.

The companions seated themselves at the long table set up in the sanctuary where Wild had narrowly avoided becoming a werewolf. There was not enough room at the tables for all forty refugees, so many of them leaned against pillars or merely ate sitting on the ground.

I’m going with you
, Solaria said suddenly in Kaiyr’s mind as the four of them ate in silence.

Kaiyr frowned thoughtfully in her direction, and Caineye, having picked up on the blademaster’s mannerisms during their time together, asked, “What did she say?”

After a momentary pause, Kaiyr turned back toward the group at large. “She wishes to accompany us today.”

Caineye’s features scrunched up into a look of blatant incredulity. “What? That’s impossible! It’s dangerous.”

“I know,” Kaiyr said calmly. “But it is also something we cannot prevent. Lady Solaria… I will tell you now that I do not wish for you to come with us. We shall explore a dangerous place today, and I have no desire to put you in such jeopardy. However, you are an individual capable of making your own decisions, Lady Solaria. While I advise against this course of action, we have not the power to stop you.”

Slapping one hand lightly on the table and then lacing her fingers in front of her plate, Solaria communicated her resolve to the others as she told Kaiyr,
Then it’s settled. I’m coming.

Taking a deep breath, the blademaster responded through the amulet,
My lady… I do not wish to see you come to more harm.
When she did not reply, Kaiyr understood the discussion to be closed. Rising from the table, he looked at everyone present. “Let us go and see what this castle has to offer.”

The streets of Ik’durel echoed only with the footsteps of the companions. Solaria had received a spare longsword from one of the refugees, a wounded soldier, and the weapon clanked slightly at her side. Kaiyr had said nothing, but he made a mental note when the nymph had hesitantly pulled the sword from its scabbard. The blade had wobbled in her frail hand, and it took her three tries to sheathe the blade. Yet again, he wondered exactly why she had demanded to join them in this venture.

“Would you look at that?” Wild said as they neared the black castle. Pointing, he led the others’ gazes to a group of enemy soldiers: patterned Terth’Kaftineya and humans. Upon sighting the four adventurers, the Terth’Kaftineyas’ ears flattened, and they tucked their tails low. The humans regarded the group with visible respect and fear; some even went as far as to drop weapons and shields at their feet. None, however, intercepted the group or tried to start a parley, and whenever the companions advanced on the patrols, the fearful enemies would back away and retreat into alleys. Caineye bid Vinto stay close to his side, not wanting his companion to dash away in chase of the surrendering foes.

“We cannot pursue them,” Kaiyr said, keeping his path set on the castle but his eyes and ears open and roving. “The alleys are too narrow and will restrict our mobility. It is also likely that the enemies still lie in ambush.”

All too soon, the group arrived at the castle. Made seemingly of a single spire of black rock, the structure loomed over the companions like a shadowy claw.

“There’s no door,” Caineye muttered in wonder, staring into the gaping maw that seemingly served as an entrance to the castle. From within, wispy strands of darkness undulated and swirled, recoiling each time they neared the sunlight streaming in from overhead.