Текст книги "The Horn of Moran"

Автор книги: Mark Forman

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Текущая страница: 16 (всего у книги 20 страниц)

Chapter Sixteen

Alusia

The journey back to the great arch was a short one, and the company remained in good spirits as they traveled. Bregnest told them that they would be staying in Telous for three days, once they’d left Norsland, so he could arrange for them to travel to Alusia. Plus, that would give them time to divide the treasure from the Tower of the Moon.

Alex was pleased with the short stay. He wanted to find out if Val had an heir or any family as soon as he could.

They arrived in Telous in time for their midday meal, and after they had eaten, Bregnest hurried off to arrange for their journey to Alusia. Alex and his friends had the afternoon unexpectedly free, and Alex visited the bag maker in order to modify his library to expand as needed. He also added a second treasure room to his bag. Sadly, he also learned that the bag maker didn’t know about any heir to Val’s bag.

That night the company ate together at the Golden Swan, and Bregnest looked grim as they took their seats. Bregnest told them that he had received word that the situation in Athanor had grown worse.

“There have been some fights in the streets, and several disputes about land rights, but no open fighting,” Bregnest explained. “Not yet.”

“We can’t move any faster,” Halfdan observed. “But we have recovered the Horn and that will prove your kinsman’s right to be king.”

“It may be beyond the Horn’s power to do so now,” Bregnest answered grimly. “It seems that open war is not far off in Athanor.”

“Then we will aid your kinsman in retaining his crown,” said Sindar. “We are still in his service and will defend him and his throne if we must.”

They all agreed with Sindar’s words and pledged to defend the rightful king of Athanor, whatever the cost. Bregnest did not comment, but he nodded his understanding of their pledge, a grateful expression on his face.

After they had finished their meal, Alex followed Bregnest to a large room at the back of the tavern. He retrieved the treasure he had taken from the Tower of the Moon, which he had already sorted, and then bowed to Bregnest.

“A sizable treasure,” Bregnest commented, looking around the room. “I see how most of your winter in the enchanted woods was spent.”

“There was little else to do,” said Alex. “I thought it might save time, and I was looking for the Horn anyway. I’m sure you will want to check my sorting, however, as I may have miscounted.”

“Nonsense. I am sure you have sorted fairly. In the morning, I will divide the shares.”

Alex wanted to say something hopeful, but the possibility of war in Athanor had him worried. This adventure had seemed so simple when he’d first heard about it, but it wasn’t just about returning the Horn—not anymore. Now it looked as if he and his friends would have to help fight in a real war.

And if war started in Athanor, there was no telling where it might spread to. It had to be stopped before it got out of hand.

In the morning, before the others woke, Alex took some time to write to Whalen about the possible war and his fears that it might spread. He mentioned his own pledge to defend the rightful king of Athanor and explained that he knew that it was not required for adventurers to defend the people who were paying for their adventure, but that this felt like the right thing to do.

After breakfast, Bregnest led the company to the back room where the treasure waited.

“There are seven piles of treasure, as our agreement called for,” said Bregnest. “One for each of the company who signed the agreement, and one for the finder of the Horn. Since Alex was the one who found the Horn, these two piles are for him.” Bregnest pointed to the two stacks closest to Alex.

They all cheered until Bregnest held up his hands for quiet.

“The pile for Val must be decided on,” said Bregnest, his tone changing. “As Alex and Sindar have twice saved us on this adventure, I say the pile should be divided between them. Do any disagree with this decision?”

The company remained silent and Bregnest nodded after a moment.

“Then the treasure is divided,” said Bregnest, smiling for the first time in several days. “We should store our treasures and then prepare to ride to Alusia.”

They cheered once more and started storing their treasure as fast as they could.

They were on the road to the great arch less than an hour later, leaving Telous a day earlier than planned. They rode at a gallop, hoping to make the journey to Athanor in as short a time as possible. Things may have changed in Alusia, but they were ready to do whatever they had to do in order to make their adventure a success.

Alex hoped that Whalen would reply to his last message soon, and maybe offer some advice about how to deal with the situation in Alusia. Whalen’s home was in Alusia after all, and Alex thought he might know a great deal about both Bregnest’s cousin and the family that was causing problems in Athanor.

When they reached the great arch, the company paused for a hurried meal. They said little, though Andy and Halfdan did try to cheer up Bregnest from time to time. He accepted their attempts in a good-natured way, but Alex could tell that his friend’s thoughts were already miles ahead of them, worrying about what they might find at the end of the journey.

As they rode through the great arch, Alex found that he instantly liked Alusia. The land was made up of gently rolling hills and the air smelled fresh and clean. Tall grass waved in the gentle breeze, looking like a vast green sea. Clusters of tall oak trees dotted the grasslands and the hilltops, adding a darker shade of green to the view. The temperature was warm, but not too warm; it felt like a pleasant spring day.

“Is the weather always like this?” Alex asked.

“For the most part,” answered Bregnest. “In high summer it is not so green and in the winter it rains most days.”

“And the temperature remains so agreeable?” Andy questioned.

“It is a little colder in winter,” answered Bregnest. “Though it is never as cold as Norsland in spring. It seldom snows here, except in the far north and south.”

They continued until it was too dark to see more than a few yards in any direction. They set up their camp quietly, and Bregnest asked Alex to conjure a cooking fire for them. There were no stories or jokes that night. A harsh but determined mood settled over them.

The next day, as they moved forward once again, Alex’s worries began to grow. Whalen had not written back to him since his last letter, which was odd. Surely Whalen would be as worried as Alex was and want to do anything to prevent a war in Athanor.

“We still have almost three weeks before we reach Athanor,” Alex whispered to himself. “Whalen will write back soon, I’m sure of it.”

The days seemed to pass slowly despite their attempts to move as fast as possible. They were all becoming as tense and nervous as Bregnest was. Alex tried to calm his worries by imagining Whalen turning up in Athanor and setting things right in the nick of time. These thoughts were of some comfort, but the need to hurry still pressed in on him.

Early on the morning of their tenth day in Alusia, Alex and his friends crested the top of a large hill and saw trouble.

“Bandits,” Bregnest said angrily. “They have surrounded a company on that small hill.”

“The company are adventurers,” said Sindar, shading his eyes from the sun. “I count seven standing. One down.”

“The bandits have taken their horses,” said Bregnest without replying to Sindar’s comment. “See there—away from the group—some of the bandits are waiting with the horses.”

“We must assist the adventurers,” said Halfdan, pulling his ax from his belt. “We are honor bound to give them aid, as you well know.”

“But how best to do that?” Bregnest questioned. “If we attempt to save them, we may lose their horses. Or do we try to recapture the horses and then save the party?”

“I have an idea,” said Sindar.

“Explain,” said Bregnest.

“Bregnest, you go with Halfdan and Andy to recover the horses,” said Sindar, still looking toward the encircled company. “Alex and I will attack the bandits around the hill. The magic of our swords will scare them, and I think they will try to flee. If they do, they will most likely flee in your direction.”

“Where we will be waiting for them,” said Halfdan in a grim tone.

“And Alex and I will be behind them, pressing them forward to their doom,” Sindar added.

“Very well,” said Bregnest. “We have no time to make other plans. Come, Halfdan, Andy, we will ride behind this hill and take the bandits holding the horses from behind.”

“Alex and I will ride the opposite way in order to reach the hill unobserved,” said Sindar.

The group split up without another word, and Alex and Sindar made their way along the back side of the hill, moving closer to the bandits. They had more than a mile to go before they could launch their attack, so they moved as fast as they could. It wasn’t long before they entered a cluster of large oak trees only a few hundred feet from the attacking bandits.

“They are not goblins, but they are just as evil,” said Sindar, looking at Alex and drawing his scimitars.

“Then they will fear us as goblins do, or they will never fear anything again,” said Alex, pulling Moon Slayer from his side.

Alex and Sindar charged out of the trees, yelling like wild men.

The bandits spotted them before they had covered half the distance between the trees and the hill, and they let out several loud yells of their own.

The power of Moon Slayer filled Alex as he charged forward, riding Shahree into battle. Shahree moved so fast that the bandits nearest the trees had no time to run or fight before Alex had cut them down.

The bandits, as Sindar predicted, wheeled their horses away, breaking into a run as they tried to escape. Alex and Sindar pursued the bandits without slowing, hacking them down from behind as they went.

When Alex had fought the goblins, he had been filled with rage and the desire to destroy, but now there was only the heat from the magic sword, and his desire to do what had to be done.

The fleeing bandits came to a sudden stop, turning and screaming madly at each other. Bregnest, Halfdan, and Andy blocked their path; there was no easy escape. Several of the bandits charged forward toward Bregnest and the others, preferring to take their chances there rather than face Sindar and Alex. The fight was short and bloody, and few of the bandits made it out alive.

The last three bandits, having been knocked off their horses, dropped their weapons and fell to the ground. Alex jumped from his saddle, his sword at the ready. There was no sorrow or pity in his mind as he advanced on the three evil creatures before him, only a need to finish this work.

“Alex, no!” yelled Sindar sharply, rushing forward to block Alex’s path.

Alex paused and looked at Sindar in confusion. Sindar had put away his swords, and Alex could see that their magic was already fading.

“They have surrendered, Alex,” said Sindar. “They have given up and are begging for mercy.”

“And would they have shown mercy if we had not arrived?” Alex asked, the power of his magic sword flowing through his veins like fire.

“No,” Sindar answered honestly. “But they have no honor, and we do.”

Alex paused, thinking about Sindar’s words but still wanting to finish what he’d begun. He knew that Sindar would not try to stop him from killing these three bandits, but he also knew that Sindar was right.

Alex stepped away from the bandits, returning Moon Slayer to his side. The heat began to fade as soon as he let go of the sword, and he was glad that it did. He had nearly killed three unarmed men who were begging for mercy, and, while they were bandits, it still would have been a dishonorable thing to do.

“Bind them,” Bregnest said to Halfdan. “We will deliver them to those they attacked.”

Halfdan hurriedly tied the bandits’ hands together and then tied them to each other with a long piece of rope. While he was doing this, Alex helped Andy gather the horses that had not run off. Once they had collected all the horses that were close by, Bregnest led the company back to the adventurers they had rescued. Halfdan rode at the back of the company, pulling the captured bandits along behind him on foot.

“Well met,” a voice called from the hill as Alex and his friends approached.

“Well met,” answered Bregnest.

“We are in your company’s debt,” said a tall, thin man, stepping forward. “Had you not arrived when you did, I fear we would all have been lost.”

“We saw from the hill that one of your company was down,” Bregnest commented. “Is the wound serious?”

“The wound is small, though we fear that it may be poisoned,” answered the thin man. “Have you a healer among you?”

“We do,” said Bregnest. “He has some considerable skill and will do what he can for your comrade.”

“Please, hurry then. Our fallen member is of some importance to us.”

“Formal introductions can wait,” said Bregnest, nodding for Alex to proceed.

Alex climbed out of his saddle and hurried forward. The thin man looked slightly troubled when he saw that Alex was the healer, but Alex took no notice. The other adventurers had gathered around their fallen comrade, and Alex was surprised to see that it was a young woman.

Trying to hide his surprise, Alex bent down to look at her wound. There was a long, jagged cut across her upper left arm, but it wasn’t very deep. Alex asked the young woman if she could hear him, and she said she could, but her voice sounded weak and slightly dreamy.

“Boil some water,” Alex ordered. “Now.”

While Alex waited for the water, he removed a black steel helmet from the young woman’s head. He looked at her closely and thought she didn’t quite look like a human, but not really like an elf either. Putting these thoughts aside for the time being, he retrieved the dragon’s bane plant and some other ingredients from his bag.

Alex was amazed to see that the plant had grown quite large since he had found it during his last adventure. He knew that the dragon’s bane plant could cure most poisons as well as have a healing effects on wounds. He hoped that the poison had not traveled too far in the young woman’s bloodstream.

As soon as the boiling water was brought to him, Alex poured a small amount into a cup, setting it aside. Then he pulled two leaves from the plant and crushed them in his hands. He added the powder to the water still in the pot. A clean, fresh smell filled the air instantly, lifting Alex’s spirits and giving him hope.

“Wash her wound with this.” Alex handed the potion to one of the adventurers who was watching him.

Alex took the remainder of the water and started brewing a second potion. He added two more leaves to the cup, along with several other things. When the potion was ready, he asked the young woman to drink it. She tried, but was unable to hold the cup by herself, so Alex held it for her as she drank.

“What is it?” questioned one of the adventurers.

“A simple potion with healing powers,” said Alex. “The dragon’s bane plant can cure most poisons.”

“What do we do now?” asked another adventurer.

“Now we wait,” Alex answered. He set down the empty cup and then returned the dragon’s bane plant to his magic bag.

“I believe introductions are in order,” said the thin adventurer. “My name is Nellus. And the young woman is Tara.”

Alex’s didn’t catch the names of the other adventurers or even pay much attention when Bregnest introduced himself and his company. He knew there were certain ceremonies between adventurers that had to be observed, but his thoughts were on Tara. He hoped that his potion would work quickly, but she didn’t seem to be responding to it at all. Alex had to remind himself that potions often took some time to do their work.

“Well, Master Bregnest,” said Nellus, “we are in your company’s debt, though I fear we will see no profits from our adventure.”

“And why is that?” Bregnest asked, interested.

“Young Prince Varson asked our company to seek the Horn of Moran and return it to him.”

“You have abandoned this quest already?”

“Not abandoned. We have learned from Mr. Clutter that another company has undertaken the same quest,” said Nellus, his eyebrows rising slightly. “However, this other company has undertaken the quest for the king of Athanor, and we thought we should end our quest and tell the prince that the king had already sent for the Horn.”

“If the prince wishes the Horn, it is not to prove himself king,” Bregnest commented in a grim tone.

“Then my guess is correct: you are the king’s company. Do not take me wrong, Bregnest. We mean no disrespect to you, your company, or the king.”

“I understand you, Nellus,” said Bregnest. “I see that you are an honorable man and would not undertake the quest in competition with the king’s requested company.”

“Let us speak plainly,” said Nellus, looking troubled. “I believe that Prince Varson wishes to use the Horn to prove his own kingship.”

“But he is not the true king.”

“I believe you are correct, but I fear Varson now believes himself to be the rightful king. His adviser, Kappa, has convinced him that he should be king, and all of his thoughts are bent on taking control of the kingdom.”

“Surely the Horn will prove him to be a false king.”

“I doubt Varson has considered that,” said Nellus. “And I also doubt that Kappa will allow him to try to sound the Horn. Kappa only wishes to keep the Horn from King Trion so that he cannot prove that heis the true king.”

“Kappa will be disappointed, I think,” Bregnest replied softly.

“I believe he will. However, Kappa may try to prevent you from returning to the king. I have heard rumors of war, though we are still too far from the city of Athanor to know if the rumors are true.”

“We also have heard these rumors,” said Bregnest. “As for myself and my company, we will defend the king, whatever Varson and Kappa do.”

“A good choice. Sadly for myself and my companions, we must return to Prince Varson and renounce our quest. I fear that Kappa will not be pleased with us.”

“Could you perhaps delay your return?” Bregnest questioned. “If you did not return too quickly, Varson may be shown the error of his ways, and Kappa may decide to flee.”

“A good idea, and I wish we could. Unfortunately, we have all sworn an oath that we will return as swiftly as we can. Even if we renounce the quest, we must fulfill our oath.”

“Then perhaps we can travel together,” said Bregnest. “Varson’s palace is close to Athanor, so our paths go the same way.”

“We would be most honored to travel with your company, though it appears it may be a few days before we can move on.”

“Yes,” said Bregnest, looking at Alex. “I doubt very much that my friend Alex will leave Tara until he is sure she is out of danger.”

“Then we should set up camp in the oak trees,” suggested Nellus. “That is, if the healer thinks Tara may be moved.”

“She can be moved,” Alex replied. “Though I feel that more troubles her than her wound, or the poison in it.”

“You see many things,” said Nellus, a surprised look on his face. “We will not speak of this now. Let’s move Tara and set up camp. Then we will discuss payment for your services.”

“We must also discuss captives,” said Bregnest. “Three of the bandits chose surrender, and we must decide what is to be done with them.”

Nellus nodded but didn’t reply. The two companies moved to the nearby grove of oak trees and set up their camps slightly apart from each other. Once this was done Andy, Halfdan, and Sindar went to search the dead bandits for any treasure. Bregnest remained talking with Nellus, and Alex remained beside Tara.

Alex felt a great need to hurry to Athanor, but he felt an even greater need to help Tara. There was something strangely sad about her, something that he couldn’t put his finger on.

Alex’s friends returned with a small amount of treasure the bandits had been carrying, and Bregnest offered the treasure and the captured horses to Nellus.

“We are in debt to you and your company,” Nellus said in a businesslike tone. “You shall keep what the bandits had, and we will make some payment to you for your assistance.”

“And what payment do you offer?”

“I offer five thousand gold coins from each of my company,” said Nellus. “Also, I will ask that each of my company deliver to you one in ten of the primary treasure from their next adventure.”

“You are most generous, Nellus. Perhaps too generous,” said Bregnest. “My company and I have had the honor of assisting you, so I will ask for something less.”

“That is your right, Bregnest, though I think the offer is not over generous,” said Nellus, looking slightly worried.

“I will ask but two thousand gold coins from each of your company, and one in twenty of their next primary treasure,” said Bregnest. “Your current adventure has cost you much already, and may cost you more when you reach Prince Varson.”

“You are both kind and generous, and your honor is great,” said Nellus. “I agree to your request.”

“And the prisoners?” Bregnest questioned.

“We will not kill them, though it is our right,” replied Nellus. “We will take them to King Trion, and there they will receive their punishment.”

“As you wish.”

Nellus called his company together. The adventurers all agreed to Bregnest’s terms, and they each came forward to make payment to Bregnest and swear the requested oath.

Bregnest accepted their payments and their oaths, bowing to each member in turn. Then he called Alex and the rest of their company together, dividing the payment among them.

Once the ceremony of payment was over, Alex returned to Tara’s side. He hoped she would show signs of improvement, but she remained unchanged. Sindar came to see how Alex was, and he paused to look at Tara. Alex thought Sindar looked slightly alarmed, and he was quick to ask his friend why.

“She has elf blood in her,” Sindar answered in a whisper.