The Gateway (Harbinger of Doom Volume 1) (6 page)

“
We should question them, if
nothing else,” said Tanch.

“
Hell, we should track the
bastards down and bust their heads, cause for sure, they know
something.”

“
If need be, we can head after
them on the morrow,” said Gabriel.

“
Even then we may catch them,”
said Ob. “They won’t be making much time pulling a big wagon
through this wild. They must be dumb as rocks to take a wagon in
here. Nobody like that could’ve outsmarted Aradon.”

“
Maybe them folks with the wagon
needed some stones, so they hauled the ruins away,” said Dolan.
Theta grinned despite himself.

The other knights returned shortly, confirming
that no tracks of Lord Eotrus’s party led away from the circle of
desolation. The patrol had not left there, at least not by any
normal means. There was nothing else for the expedition to do, save
to await the coming of the unnatural fog and to see what it brought
with it. The men moved to set a camp in the wood, not far from
where they had dug up the golden coins.

“
Mr. Claradon,” said Dolan, “you
should try and eat a bit more than just bread. It’s still a few
hours until we expect the fog; you need to keep up your
strength.”

“
I can barely manage the bread. I
chew it and chew it, but without the water it won’t go
down.”

“
Nerves is normal, boy,” said Ob
as he chewed on a piece of jerky. “I’m worried about your father
too, but we need to be at our best when we face whatever’s to
come.”

“
I know. You’re right. I’m afraid
if I eat more, I’ll just end up spewing it back up.”

“
Spew at them chaos fellas,” said
Dolan. “That’ll teach them.”

Claradon and Ob both let out a
chuckle.

“
Claradon, me boy, I’ve known your
father all his life, and his father afore him. He’s as tough as
nails, and a right fine swordsman. He’ll be all right, I’m sure. We
just have to believe that. That’s all we can do for
now.”

Claradon nodded slightly in response as he
stared over toward the edge of the circle.

“
What’re you looking at?” Ob
turned around to see. Gabriel and Theta were standing watch
together at the rim.

“
I was just wondering what they’re
talking about,” said Claradon. “Lord Theta doesn’t seem to say
much, but has much to say. Dolan, is he always like
that?”

“
Mostly,” said Dolan, as he pulled
some carefully packaged salted pork from his pack. “They say he’s
an enigma. I don’t rightly know what that means, but they don’t say
it to his face, so it must be something bad.”

“
There’s worse things to be, I
expect,” said Ob, as he too fixed his gaze on Theta. “That’s quite
a suit of armor your boss has, sonny,” said Ob. “Why, it’s as fancy
and shiny as the ceremonial armor of ole King Tenzivel
hisself.”

“
It should be. I keep it well
polished and bang out all the dents. There always seems to be more
dents.”

“
Hmm. It sure is mighty pretty,
but I’m a wondering if it can stand up to cold hard steel, or
beasties’ claws. Myself, I wouldn’t wear no fairy armor like that
in any case. No offense.”

“
None taken. But I wouldn’t say
that to Lord Angle, if I were you,” he said, finishing off a piece
of pork. “If you think his armor’s fancy, you should see his castle
– what with the weapon and trophy collections, the paintings, and
all those fancy wines.”

“
Has his own castle does he?” said
Ob. “He must be some important fella over there cross the sea where
youse hail from.”

“
That he is. He’s a brave hero,”
said Dolan matter-of-factly.

“
You don’t say?” said
Claradon.

“
Now sonny, just what has that
fella done that makes him a hero?” said Ob.

“
He’s the kind that slays dragons,
giants, monsters and such. Saved the world several times since I’ve
been with him. They say he even fought the old gods way back in
olden days, but I wasn’t around then.”

“
Ho, ho. I see you’re a teller of
tales Dolan me boy,” said Ob, chuckling. “Killing dragons, fighting
gods, ho ho. I’d bet them’s some goodly yarns to pass a cold night
on the trail.”

Dolan furrowed his brow and shook his head as
he stared at another piece of jerky.

“
He seems a man of courage and
strength,” said Claradon.

“
He’s stronger than any man I’ve
ever seen,” said Dolan. “Why there was that time--”

“
Bah,” said Ob. “Me boy Gabriel
there,” gesturing toward him, “smashes beasties afore breakfast. He
be a true hero, not some fancy dressed dandy wearing a tin can and
having a pole up his behind. He got his reputation on the
battlefield, not in some children’s tales.”

“
That’s true enough,” said
Claradon, as he looked toward Dolan. “More than twenty years ago,
Sir Gabriel single-handedly slew a fire wyrm that was plaguing the
villages of the Kronar Mountains. Later, he served as the Preceptor
of the Order of the Knights of Tyr for several years before taking
up service with my father. Many consider him the finest swordsman
and Weapons Master in all Lomion. He –“

“
And the only ones what don’t
think Gabe’s the best is dumb or dead or both,” said Ob. “And as
for strong, just look at him,” he said, pointing toward Gabriel,
“He could squash that mister foreign fancy pants like a
bug.”

“
I doubt that,” said Dolan,
narrowing his eyes at the crusty gnome.

“
Bah,” spouted Ob before taking a
long swill from his wineskin. “I’d fancy a sample of them wines you
mentioned though. I suppose if he likes a good bottle, he can’t be
all bad.”

“
I thank the gods Sir Gabriel is
with us in this,” said Claradon. “If he hadn’t returned from
hunting, if we had to do this without him…” Claradon shook his
head, and closed his eyes tightly for a moment. Then he tried to
down a bite of the jerky.

Though Gabriel had only served House Eotrus
for the past ten years, he had made his mark on Claradon’s
upbringing and his life. Of all the great men that Claradon knew,
Gabriel was the one he yearned most to be like, the one whom he
endeavored to model himself after. Where Aradon was his beloved
father, Ob his closest friend, confidant, and lore master, Sir
Gabriel was his hero. Where his father’s book learning and Ob’s
vast experience about the realms had brought them great knowledge
and wisdom, Gabriel far surpassed them. There seemed to be nothing
he didn’t know, nowhere he hadn’t been. Where his father was a
great swordsman with few peers in all the land, even his skills
paled in comparison with Gabriel’s. Verily, Gabriel could best any
five knights of the Dor at once in mock combat; such was his skill.
When Sir Gabriel spoke to a group of men, even those that didn’t
know him, he had no need to shout above them to gather their
attention. The moment he uttered a word, all would become silent;
everyone wanted to hear his words. Perhaps, it was due to the
stories about him - his slaying of the fire wyrm, his defeat of the
barrow-wight, his routing of the Lugron horde, or any of the myriad
tales that abounded of him, or perhaps, it was merely his regal
bearing and commanding presence. Why a man such as he, who had the
strength, talent, and knowledge, to carve out an empire for himself
would be content to serve as Weapons Master of a border fortress,
Claradon could never fathom. When he asked him one day, Gabriel
said that he had his reasons, but would speak no more about
it.

After a time, Ob grew curious, as gnomes are
often wont to do. “Come on boy. Let’s go and see what them two is
up to.” Ob, Dolan, and Claradon rose and joined the two knights at
the rim. Theta and Gabriel looked over at the three as they
approached, hesitating only a moment before continuing their
conversation.

“
Dost thou sense it, my Lord?”
said Gabriel.

“
I do,” said Theta, “I thought ye
might also.”

“
This be a truly unnatural place;
and it’s more than just this strange magical circle. There was
great evil here recently; it comes with the fog I suspect,” said
Gabriel.

“
Ye are correct. When the baleful
fog returns, creatures not of this world will return with
it.”

“
Gabe and me have fought such
creatures afore a time or two over the years,” said Ob. “Once over
in the Dead Fens, another time in Southeast. I expect you have
also, you being such a big hero and all,” said Ob.

“
I have, many times,” said Theta,
peering down at the bellicose gnome.

“
But these others have not,” said
Gabriel, gesturing toward the encampment. “They’re fine soldiers,
but they’ve no idea what terrors await them here this
eve.”

“
They will learn, or they will
die. Such is the way of things,” said Theta.

“
A regular ray of sunshine, aren’t
you Theta?” said Ob.

“
Put your teeth together, gnome,
and open your ears,” said Theta. “This place – it is even more
sinister than I think ye realize. It is becoming a gateway, a
portal, to a place more horrific than any mortal can imagine - a
place of incomprehensible evil, of mind shattering idiotic chaos,
of pure insanity. Those who dwell there, beyond the pale, would
make this place like that. This is what we must prevent. This is
why we are here. We must seal this gateway, forever. This is our
true quest.”

Ob’s mouth dropped open at these words and he
stared at Theta in disbelief. Gabriel merely stoically nodded his
agreement. These ominous words so shocked Claradon he could say
nothing.

“
What are you about, Theta?” said
Ob. “Portal to another world? What madness is this? Listen young
fella, I know you wouldn’t guess it from looking at me pretty face,
but I’m three hundred and sixteen year old and have been from one
side of this continent to the other more times than you’ve had
birthday’s, and I’ve never seen nor heard tell of such a thing.
Sure, there be some powerful wizards that can conjure up a strange
beastie or two, but nothing more. Gateway to another world,
bah.”

Theta responded in a smooth and level tone,
“Nevertheless, what I have said is true.” Just a hint of anger
could be detected in the set of his jaw and slight furl in his
brow. “I shall prevent the gateway from opening or close it once it
does. Ye men can assist or not – it matters little to me. I will do
what needs to be done.”

“
Bah! Mister know it all,” said
Ob. “You’re nothing but a boaster and a braggart with no true
mettle. Theta, if some creature from another world be coming at
you, I’d bet you’d soil that fancy armor of yours in a heartbeat.
Hell, you’d be down on your knees begging for mercy, pleading for
your life, or running away with your tail between your
legs!”

“
Enough! Ob.” said Gabriel. “Lord
Theta is here to help us, not to be insulted by a loudmouthed
gnome. I’ll hear no more of it.”

“
I think what I think, and I’ll
say what I say, and if anybody don’t like it, they can stuff it,”
spat the gnome.

“
Lord Theta,” said Claradon,
“perhaps you could explain your reasoning regarding this – gateway,
you mentioned? What is it that you think is really going on out
here?”

He paused and took a slow deep breath before
responding. “It is what we were discussing afore. I believe
followers of the chaos lords are using the arcane properties of
this eldritch place, the ancient temple and the other ruins that
were here, and their own fell sorceries, to open a gateway to the
very Courts of Chaos. Verily, when that happens, all hell will come
through - literally. It would mean the end of civilization. The end
of everything we all hold dear.”

“
But why do you think this? All
we’ve seen here is an empty circle, a few golden coins, and some
tracks, nothing more.”

“
Because I hath seen such things
afore, in times past, and because of the demon spoor polluting this
place.” He pointed toward the smooth stony soil. “The tracks in the
circle.”

“
You’re daft, man,” said Ob. “I
told you, there be no tracks there. The only tracks we’ve seen are
outside the circle, and they’re just tracks of men and horses.
You’re just spouting some more of your fairy stories.” He took a
swig from his wineskin.

“
Look again, gnome,” said Theta
with an even tone, as he pointed toward the ground within the
circle. “Perhaps you were blinded by the forest and failed to see
the trees.”

“
What?” said Ob, turning toward
Claradon with a bewildered expression. “I don’t understand this
fella. He talks all funny.”

“
Maybe you should have another
look,” said Claradon.

“
Last I checked I was Master Scout
of the Dor, bucko,” said Ob sternly. “Nobody can read tracks better
than me – not rangers, not stinking elves, and certainly not no tin
cans. But I’ll have another gander, just to settle this business
once and for all.” Ob got down on his hands and knees at the rim of
the circle and peered down, carefully studying the
ground.

Theta squatted down next to him. “There, and
there,” he said, gesturing toward some small features on the
surface of the hardened soil. “And there and there,” he pointed. Ob
studied the ground, moving about over a small area, and poking some
at the soil. This went on for some time. When he finally stood up
and turned towards the others, his face was ashen and contorted in
a look of shock and bewilderment.