Dare saw Spirit first. The great steed seemed to know that its rider was being hailed and paused in its steps until the king reached them. Dare rode next to Tamsyn, knowing they could not linger long.
‘The rocks follow us Tamsyn!’ Dare declared as another great boulder crashed along side of him and he had to struggle to stay his horse from bolting in panic.
‘
I know,’ Tamsyn nodded, his eyes climbing upwards to the top of the canyon. ‘I do believe that there is an ice troll is at work here.’
‘
An ice troll?’ Kyou exclaimed staring up ‘There’s an ice troll on the mountain?’
‘
I fear yes,’ Tamsyn retorted. Ice trolls were the offspring of the Mael’s Primordials who were capable of commanding the weather to bring about ice storms such as the one they were now experiencing. They were ancient and rare, emerging from the ice caverns deep in the mountains only when they were hungry so they could feed on man flesh. Great hulking beasts covered in white fur, they were powerful enough to bring about sudden ice storms and rain down the hail of rocks the Circle was presently trying to avoid.
Boulders continued to crash all around them and their mounts descended further and further into panic as the rocks shattered
about them in perilous near misses. The troll’s frustration at being unable to crush one of them caused it to hurl even more rocks down at them. Their ability to prevail was making the troll more determined to kill them and it would not be long before one of them was crushed by the barrage.
‘
We must keep moving!’ Dare insisted seeing Aeron and Kyou disappear through the snowfall and knew that to remain in place was to invite disaster.
‘
I’ll tend to this,’ Tamsyn shouted. ‘You take the others and go!’
Dare stared at him.
‘You’re going to fight it?’
‘
This is a ice troll, I can deal with it! GO!’ Tamsyn boomed, showing the king that his patience was finite and that he would tolerate no more argument.
The bombardment around them was becoming worse and only the storm prevented the giant from throwing his rocks accurately. But it was only a matter of time before one of those deadly boulders
met their mark. Dare saw the resolve in Tamsyn’s eyes and knew that he had to obey. Even kings knew obedience when faced with the wrath of magii and Dare knew that Tamsyn did not give him orders lightly. With reluctance, the former exile nodded in compliance and quickly averted his gaze to Kyou and Tully. ‘Stay close to me you two, this will not be easy.’
‘
Tamsyn…’ Tully opened his mouth to speak when he saw a large rock looming over them.
‘
HURRY!’ Tamsyn ordered and Tully instinctively broke his pony into a gallop. Following Dare Tully cast a look over his shoulder and saw the magii escaping the reach of the boulder that crushed the space where they had been. Realising that he had to trust Tamsyn to his own devices, Tully returned his attention to Dare before he too rode through the canyon without looking back.
Tamsyn felt fragments of rock biting into his skin as the rock shattered into a multitude of smaller pieces
scattering across the snow covered ground. He squinted as he looked above and saw that there was indeed a troll perched at the top. The creature was as he remembered it, tall and hulking, covered in grey white fur with two large teeth protruding past its lip from its lower jaw. It saw Dare and the others riding away and gave chase by flinging as many rocks at the parting trio as possible. Fortunately, this allowed Tamsyn the time to deal with the him before one of those rocks met their mark.
Taking a deep breath, Tamsyn remained steady on Spirit as he raised his arms, clasping his staff on each end as he gazed at the turbulent heavens above. Whether or not the troll saw him, Tamsyn could not say but as it was often with such creatures, its attention was quick to wander and it was more concerned with killing the riders it could see clearly, then the one alone. Holding his staff up high, Tamsyn did not need to speak the words
to make the spell work. Only two penny conjurers required such things.
And was not the ice troll was not the only one who knew how to summon storms.
A crack of lighting splintered the sky with its thunderous roar. Spidery tendrils of blue and white struck the top of the mountain, creating a tremendous sound that made all the other noises before it pale in comparison. The troll screamed above the howl of the wind and Tamsyn did not need to instruct Spirit to move. The horse, sensing the danger, broke into a gallop as the ledge upon which the troll made its murderous assault crumbled underfoot. Tamsyn looked up and saw an avalanche of earth, rock and snow falling to the ground.
He thought he might have seen the creature itself but the magii could not be certain
as he was too busy riding out of the pass before it was buried.
However, as he rode away from the destruction, he heard a scream through the
blizzard that was neither wind nor shattering rock but rather like a voice that was filled with fury and despair. It sounded like it was falling to the ground from a great height before coming to an abrupt end as the pass was completely buried in rock. The ground shuddered beneath Spirit’s hooves and even Tamsyn could feel the tremors in his bones.
Yet with that cataclysmic end, the storm suddenly abated. The wind died like a dying gasp and
quickly slipped into a whisper. The gale had blown away the clouds and with the departure of thick gray canopy, the blue sky made its reappearance. Tamsyn felt the sunshine upon his face and knew that the danger was passed. He brought Spirit to a halt and looked behind him at what he had wrought. The passageway was now completely sealed by rock, stone and soon to be melting snow. The Splinter was no more.
‘
Tamsyn!’ he heard Dare calling after him.
Facing forward, he saw the king’s
Circle galloping back to him, having turned back when the weather had suddenly shifted for the better. He could see the relief in all their eyes.
‘
Is it dead?’ Kyou asked, looking over Aeron’s shoulder at the magii.
‘
It will cause no more mischief,’ Tamsyn confirmed though he was never pleased to end any creature, even one who deserved death.
‘
Perhaps next time you shall bear little more caution Lord of Gislaine,’ Tamsyn gave Ronen a reproachful stare for having rushed off so recklessly into the pass to begin with.
‘
I have been properly chastised by my king already,’ Ronen confessed somewhat embarrassed that his impulsiveness had almost cost him and his friends their lives. He did not think it was possible to hear the King shout so loudly through a blizzard but somehow Dare had managed it. What was worse, and it was to Ronen’s shame that he could not refute any of his king’s angry words, not when it spoken out of affection. ‘I promise, you will not see me behave so rashly again.’
‘
Not unless he wants to explain to his wife why he is the lord of Gislaine in the guard tower when we return to Sandrine,’ Dare grumbled.
‘
If you were not my king…’ Ronen started to say.
Dare did not let him finish,
‘I’d throttle your ears instead of just
shouting
at you.’
They reached the hills of Angarad three days after leaving the Splinter behind.
Despite being a thousand years old, it was yet another place Arianne was never able to visit. It was not that she had no desire to but due to the reclusive nature of the elves since the Primordial Wars, travel beyond the Veil was greatly discouraged. She wondered what it was like for her people in the days when they had explored about the world extensively, basking in all its richness and variety, freed from the limitations of mortality.
Had the wars with Mael been so terrible that it drove out of them the adventuring spirit for good? What had happened during that war that made them decide seclusion behind the Veil was much safer than living in the world? It was a question not even her mother could answer and Arianne shuddered to think what would happen if she failed in her quest and Mael was returned to the world. What would they do then?
Still, despite never having set foot within its territory, Arianne knew Angarad as the land of the Warrior Caste. Its people had become tempered by years of war and hardened by the harsh weather this country endured. During the spring and summer months, Angarad was a beautiful place with rolling hills and grassy plains that were home to the magnificent Angarad horses. The rest of the year, the harsh winds from the Jagged Teeth and the Frozen Mountains created a perfect storm of wind and ice that brought hard winters to Angarad.
The extremes of weather made the people of Angarad hardy and discipline
d. They were accustomed to living a rigid existence during the winter months and as a result they were known for their endurance. Until they discovered their propensity as warriors, the people of Angarad had been horse masters and animal breeders who dealt in livestock such as cattle and goats driving their herds across the land like migratory birds. They were for most part, a peaceful folk.
Their army was moderate, formed only because its people were occasionally plagued by the remnants of Mael's army from the Primordial
Wars. The evil god had created many fell creatures from the depths of his twisted imagination and not all of them were destroyed when he was cast into the Aether. From time to time, the beasts would emerge from the Frozen Mountains and descend into Angarad, wreaking fear and destruction on the outlying villages. It was this duty that mostly occupied their time.
However
Balfure’s invasion of Avalyne changed all that for good.
When the forces of Abraxes forces swept mightily throughout the whole of Carleon and bringing an end to two thousa
nd years of rule by House Icara, it also ended the peaceful existence of Angarad. Overnight, Angarad found itself bordering a neighbour that was preparing for invasion as it surely as it had done to Carleon. Horrified by the thought of occupation, particularly after witnessing the brutality of Balfure’s Berserkers and his ruthless disciples the Disciples upon Carleon’s population, Angarad knew it had little choice but to fight.
For the thirty-five years that would follow, Angarad would be constantly fighting battles to protect its borders against the relentless efforts of
Balfure to add it to his empire. While they escaped the occupation that befell Carleon, the price of freedom was great and bloody. More sons and daughters of Angarad lay dead from its defence that any other land occupied by Balfure. War became a way of life for the Angarad and the result was the creation of a warrior caste that was second to none in Avalyne.
It was into this world that Celene was born.
By the time of her birth, so many warriors had fallen in battle that there were not enough men left to replace the ones lost and women were left to fend for themselves. It seemed an almost natural progression that led to the conclusion that if women were under the same threat from the enemy as men then they ought to learn how to defend themselves. The decision to allow women into the ranks was born out of desperation but succeeded in setting apart Angarad from every other kingdom in Avalyne.
Women now found themselves applied with the same expectation to fight as any other men. Those who could not fight could bear children to become warriors who could. This distinction gave them greater power over their own destiny
with young girls grew up knowing they did not have to be protected when it was entirely up to them to do it themselves.
Children of Angarad now began their instruction with the War Masters at the tender age of eight. By the time they had reached their fifteenth year, they were proficient in the use of the sword, the bow and the horse. On their eighteenth year, they were conscripted into the ranks and would remain so for ten years until discharged. If they survived, they were released from service and allowed to begin their lives anew. However after a life dedicated to soldiering, most did not know of any other existence and usually remained in the ranks.
Now that there was peace for the foreseeable future, Arianne had to wonder what came next for this country. What became of warriors when there were no more wars to fight?
*******
Melia was true to her word when she claimed to know of an alternate route across the Baffin that did not require retracing their steps back to the Splinter. Instead, the path across only took only a few hours to reach after departing the way station they used to spend the night. It involved using a goat track known to some of the Watch Guard but mostly by shepherds who tended the flocks. While they saw neither goat nor shepherd when they travelled across the narrow and uneven trail, the evidence of their presence was left behind by the spoors in the dirt.
They reached Angarad at dusk and it became difficult for the
company to see much of the land except for the silhouette of the Eirian Hills in the distance. Once across, their route took them west near the trading post of Horwyck. With the sun surrendering the sky to the night and the crescent moon gazing down upon them, Celene suggested they take shelter in the town. Once they had left Angarad behind them, the opportunity to find a place capable of providing them with a warm bed and meal would be far and few between, if there were any at all.
In truth, once they left Angarad and entered what was known as the Torn Lands, they had no idea what awaited them.
As much as Arianne wished to keep going, she knew that she needed the respite from travel. Elven fortitude could only withstand so much and after weeks in the saddle and sleeping on the ground, she wanted a little creature comfort, even if it was to sleep in a comfortable bed with a roof above her head. Furthermore, her pregnancy was taking its toll upon her usually formidable stamina because she was tiring more easily.
As the approached, they saw that Horwyck was protected behind high walls constructed by the logs of thick alpine trees shaved to a point at the top. The entrance was barred by a set of equally formidable wooden gates that could only be opened from the inside by the watchman
on duty. Above the points of the tall fence, Arianne could see the roofs of merchant buildings, with only a few windows flickering with light. Considering the late hour in which they were arriving, she was not surprised.
Celene dismounted and took the lead, approaching the gate and tugging at the chord that rang the bell mounted on a pole at the gate. A short time passed before a dour and grimy looking man peered through the small peephole
and glared suspiciously at the four strangers that had come to Horwyck at this time at night. For a moment, it appeared as if he might not let them in until he realised that he was facing four women whereupon his manner softened considerably and he opened the door, bidding them to enter with hint of welcoming.
Once safely inside its walls, they saw Horwyck appeared much larger than its fortifications would have visitors believe. Although it was difficult to tell because they arrived in town so late and most of its inhabitants were still in bed, there were more than enough homes and merchant houses to show that this was a thriving community. Arianne was quite amused when the inn they happened upon for their lodgings that night was called the
Mysterious Elf
and she wondered if its proprietor had ever actually met one of her kind.
It appeared not because the round faced matron who owned the establishment was quite chuffed to meet Arianne and while the lady knew she was an elf, she had no idea that she was playing host to the Queen of Carleon.
Mistress Dora was more than capable of providing her four new guests with rooms to suit their needs and was also happy to provide them with a warm supper before they turned it. This suited Keira greatly as she was happy to relinquish the cooking duties for the night.
It was almost dawn when they finally slipped into their comfortable beds, sated by a hearty repast that had them all falling quickly into a fitful slumber.
*******
It was mid afternoon when Celene and Melia awoke. They were accustomed to riding for days and so they were faster on their feet than Arianne and Keira who were not accustomed to the life at all. Instead of waking their two sleeping companions, Celene and Melia went into the town, attending to their horses
and also looking to purchasing food supplies and warmer clothes for their journey north.
As they moved through the market square, perusing the wares Celene took the opportunity to speak of something that had been on their mind since she had let Sandrine. She said nothing to Arianne for fear of worrying her and Keira had reservation enough about her part in this quest
that Celene did not wish her to doubt herself further by bringing up something that may have no foundation. Melia however, was a watch guard who had fought in battle as she had. Together, they share enough common ground for Celene to bring Melia into her confidence.
‘
What do you know of the Torn Lands?’ Celene asked as they walked back to the
Mysterious
Elf
, saddle bags filled with supplies slung over their shoulders.
Melia threw her a sidelong glance and shrugged,
‘very little,’ she confessed. ‘I know that because of the Primordial Wars, the land is scarred. I know of folk who have attempted to settle the Torn Lands but whether they survived or not remains unknown. They did not return to tell the tale.’
‘
My knowledge of the place is the same,’ Celene admitted with a frown. ‘While we were in the market I thought I might consult a map maker but there are none to be found of that land.’
‘
There is rumour that one has to pass an ancient wood to reach the mountains of ice but those woods are cursed. Something lives in the trees, something that feasts on the flesh of men.’ Melia said reluctant to pass on that bit of information because there was no real proof of this. Men in taverns often told each other fanciful stories to make themselves look knowledgeable to their friends. ‘But
that
is a rumour.’ She emphasized.
‘
It may have some truth,’ Celene returned, ‘Dare’s mother Queen Syanne, gave us a similar warning about the Frozen Mountains when we were in Eden Halas.’
‘
The elves are long lived,’ Melia replied, ‘her information might come from a source that was actually there.’
‘
Perhaps,’ Celene frowned as they turned up the street and saw the lodging house in the distance. ‘There is more about this quest that bothers me.’
‘
Such as?’ Melia raised a brow and waited for an answer. The lady of Gislaine commanded respect and what concerned her, concerned Melia. Celene’s reputation was strengthened by the fact that she was one of the king’s trusted companions before the war. She had travelled with him across Avalyne as he rallied support to fight against Balfure. She herself had battled at Astaroth.
‘
The Enemy,’ Celene stated flatly. ‘If he has been watching Arianne all this time, waiting for a baby to come. He must know that she is on the move.’
‘
I thought you were hoping that he would think that she is cloistered away in Sandrine and it is the king he thinks is coming for him.’
‘
I assumed that ruse would only last for a few days at best and eventually he would know that some thing is happening. So far, we have no indication that he is even aware that she is not where she should be and if so, we have heard no news of anything hunting us. What peril we have encountered is due to chance encounters with creatures left over from Balfure’s forces not anything that was directed at us specifically.’
‘
Perhaps he waits for her to come to him,’ Melia suggested but she saw Celene’s point.
‘
If all his plans are dependent on Arianne delivering her baby, would he allow her free reign across Avalyne where any number of threats might kill her?’
‘
He might believe that we are capable of protecting her,’ she pointed out but that was assuming much. Still, Celene’s fears though real did not have shape.
‘
Something capable of taking Mael from the Aether and placing it in an unborn child must have same way of keeping track of his prey. That we have not seen any trace of it worries me.’ Celene said as they finally reached the inn and stepped inside.
‘
Perhaps he is not as clever as he thinks,’ Melia pointed out, stepping inside.
‘
Or maybe,’ Celene said glumly, ‘he is exceedingly patient.’