Aaron shouted to her but his words were immediately caught in the frenzied wind and carried away, unheard. In a flash of memory he recalled his vision at Kaylan’s home. Now he wanted to draw near to her, to rescue her, but a massive crack in the mountain blocked his way. Only a narrow granite bridge provided passage over the deadly gorge. But the ancient causeway was cracked and many of the stones had fallen into the deep. The bridge spanned a gap too wide to jump and it looked so fragile that it gave Aaron no confidence that it would hold up to any weight, sending all who tried to cross hurtling to the chasm floor, thousands of feet below.
The young woman still didn’t notice the three travelers where they stood on the other side of the fractured crossing. Braden drew alongside the captain and Aaron spoke to him. “Do you have any idea how we might cross this?”
“No!” shouted the dwarf. “We might try the bridge, let me cross first!”
“We have no way to secure you if you fall! I can’t let you risk it!” Aaron, perplexed, desperately tried to solve the problem when the girl on the other side of the chasm looked up for the first time. Startled at seeing the companions, she turned to run, but stopped short when Aaron shouted to her, “Wait!” He didn’t know if she could even hear him.
The woman stopped and turned again to look at Aaron. Cautiously she approached, holding her hand up to ward off the wind and dust in her eyes. She stood on the opposite side of the bridge, and then signaled for Aaron to cross. Something in him compelled him to move, a quiet trust that the stones would hold. He stepped onto the narrow remains of the ancient bridge and walked lightly across, desperate for the wind not to knock him over. Behind him, one at a time, Lorik and Braden navigated the bridge.
Together they took shelter under the overhang of a cliff, each of the men wondering at the newest addition to their party. She, in turn, looked at them with a depth of wisdom buried in her dark green eyes. Her raven black hair, unadorned with braids or jewels, flowed in the wind. She had the face of a young girl, but showed the seriousness of one who knew hardship. Five feet tall, with a gentle form, the young maiden impressed Aaron as one who owned hidden strength. As she brushed her hair from her face, Aaron could see in the light of the illumine stone that her ears were small and slightly pointed at the top. Around her neck she wore a green amulet secured by a golden chain. Her clothes were weatherworn, stained from many days of travel. When she spoke, her soft, subtle voice carried with it the sounds of spring.
“Who are you?” she asked. “How did you come to this place?”
Aaron was not ready to recount the entirety of the journey, “I would ask the same of you,” he said. “How could such a delicate creature as yourself be found in such a wild place as this?” He fixed his gaze upon her, with many questions swirling in his thoughts. “What is your name?”
“I am called Mari,” she said. “I am of the High-Born and daughter of Mellenden.” Braden gasped in shock. “By your expression,” she said, “I see that you at least have heard of my father.”
“Indeed I have, milady!” Braden said.
Aaron shot Braden a glance that told the dwarf not to mention how they came to meet him.
“But what is one of the High-Born doing here in this desolate place? Especially you!” Braden asked.
“I was taken captive, along with my brother, and we were sent here a hundred years ago. Only recently did we escape the clutches of the evil one and find our way to this ledge.” Suddenly, she broke down in tears as she looked to the chasm that stood opposite their resting place.
“What happened?” asked Lorik.
“He fell!” she sobbed. “My brother fell! We were set upon by some hideous creatures and were able to outpace them to this place, but when we came to the bridge they overtook us. More than twenty of the devilish creatures attacked, and we fought them. He was wrestled to the ground by more than ten of the beasts, and in the struggle they all fell to their deaths!” She sobbed uncontrollably, hiding her face in her hands.
Aaron instinctively wanted to reach out to her, but refrained as she overflowed with emotion. He, Lorik, and Braden simply waited as the pain of Mari’s loss fell in her tears and voiced its grief in unrestrained weeping.
When she gathered her emotions, she looked up at the three who sat before her. “But who are you? Why have you come to this place?”
“Something was stolen from us,” Aaron answered, “something very precious and of great value. We have journeyed through many hardships to recover the item.” Wary of revealing anything about the Book of Aleth, Aaron tried to avoid the topic, not sure how the daughter of the elf-lord would receive the news.
“You are the ones coming for the Book!” she exclaimed.
Lorik gasped, and Braden sat staring in silent disbelief.
Aaron looked at Mari with cool dispassion, uncertain if he should trust her.
Mari continued. “You are the ones the deladrin fear! You are the ones that have been sent by the Great One to deliver the realm of Celedon and bring the time of restoration!” Seeing the surprise on the faces of Lorik and Braden, Mari spoke again. “While I and my brother waited in the dungeons of the deladrin, we heard them talk of the book being found. It was brought to the caverns amid great revelry. The daemons spoke of the warriors who pursued the book and who conquered the Desolation. They feared that you would track them down to their hiding place in these mountains!” She almost sounded giddy in her excitement.
Aaron was unsure how to handle her expression, or what to make of the fact that the most fearsome creatures he had ever encountered actually feared him and his companions. Aaron’s hope grew with the thought, thinking that they might actually recover the book. He looked at Lorik and Braden who mirrored his incredulity. “Young lady,” Aaron said, “all I want is to find the truth.”
She stared at Aaron. “Let me join you! I have long dreamt of this day, a day of hope for all Celedon when the Book of Aleth is recovered. At least let me come with you to avenge my brother’s death and our captivity! I can show you the way and how to gain entrance into the mountain.”
Aaron thought about their lack of food and water, about the dangers they would face and the fear that none of them would come through the experience alive. He couldn’t risk the life of one who seemed so young. Her insistence, however, proved most persuasive. “Very well,” he said. “Braden, can you part with your daggers? It would be a shame to enter into danger and leave Mari unarmed.” Braden eagerly agreed and gave their newest member the two daggers he had recovered. “How far is it to the entrance of the caverns?” Aaron asked.
“It is two days away,” she said. “If we follow this path, we will come to an outcropping of rock that is the marker for the entrance. It looks just like the side of the mountain, but I will recognize it when we get there.”
“We’ll remain here for the night, then,” said Aaron. With that, he took the first watch as the other three fell fast asleep, waiting for the morning when they would continue.
****
The wind howled through the canyon, echoing across the sheer cliffs in a chorus of subtle and shrieking voices, waking Aaron from a fitful sleep. The party sheltered under a small outcropping of stone, protected from the gusting winds, waiting for the morning and a long march along the high mountain pass. Aaron could see the sliver of dawn breaking over the peaks east of their position while snow and dust swirled just beyond their shelter. Braden, already awake, rummaged through their pack to try and scavenge some morsel for breakfast. All that he could find was the last bottle of draught. He drank some and passed it to Aaron who also took a large swallow. Lorik and Mari were still fast asleep.
“Captain,” Braden spoke, just loud enough to be heard over the din of the rushing wind. “We need to find some food. There is not enough of the draught to last us until we reach the ancient stronghold. And when we’re there, we will need all our strength to have the slightest chance of overcoming any of the occupants.”
“What do you suggest?” Aaron asked hesitantly.
“I can scout around the area. I know these mountains well enough from my youth and should be able to scrounge up some tidbits. Perhaps I could catch a couple of the high mountain conies or find some edible vegetation. I am skilled enough to navigate these mountains and will be back before an hour has passed,” Braden replied.
Aaron was reluctant to agree. “I don’t feel good about this. There are still gremellaks about, we didn’t destroy all of them, and from what you’ve said they seem to be able to increase their numbers rather quickly.”
“We must do something,” Braden insisted. “One bottle of draught will not go far among the four of us.”
“Very well, but you must return within an hour. Afterward, it will force us to come looking for you,” Aaron smiled as he spoke.
“Captain,” Braden returned, “in these mountains you wouldn’t be able to find me.” The dwarf chuckled and started up the trail, disappearing around a large bend in the path.
The sun crested the eastern mountain peaks, showering the path they sat upon with its warm, yellow glow. To the north, the mountains shimmered in the dawn’s first light, their snow-capped peaks glistening with brilliance. All around the cold rocks steamed as the sunlight splashed upon the frozen stone. For all his exhaustion and hunger, Aaron looked upon the morning with renewed hope, pleased that the deladrin were consumed with fear of his approach. Though he tried, he failed to understand why the creatures feared his coming. He hoped to use it to his advantage; if he could instigate panic, he might be able to simply walk in and take the book.
“It will not be as easy as that.” Aaron turned to find Mari sitting up and stretching her cold, cramped muscles.
“What… how… how do you know what I was thinking?” he asked.
“I can occasionally sense the thoughts of those around me,” she said, her voice like a gentle stream.
“You can read my mind?” Aaron wasn’t sure what to make of that.
“No, nothing as vulgar or insidious as that.” Mari chuckled. “I can
sense
thoughts, usually from observation as well as intuition. Most people do not realize how much they actually reveal about themselves and their thoughts simply with the gestures and expressions they convey.”
“And how, then, did you know that I was thinking about our quest?” Aaron questioned.
“What else would you be thinking about? Your eyes betray your thoughtfulness and your hand on your sword tells me you are a warrior. You lead the others who would follow you through the Fiery Gates and they believe that you would lead them out again. You are gathering your courage to make an assault on the old caverns, and you now know that the occupants are wary of you. Your slight smile told me that you were thinking about that and wondered if it would be an advantage to you,” Mari said with some confidence.
“Hmm,” said Aaron. “I guess that I should watch my expressions from now on if I want to keep any secrets.”
Mari offered a slight smile, though a deep sadness was evident in her expression, even to Aaron. “It is a skill that is passed down to all my people. My father was quite gifted and possessed a keen awareness. He was often accused of being able to read people’s minds. My brother… my brother…” Mari’s voice broke, tears cascading down her cheeks as she looked out toward the cliff.
Aaron reached out for her, and she quickly took his proffered support, laying out her grief on his shoulder. He held her, trying to offer some comfort for the sorrow and anguish that filled her. Having never known his family, he had never felt the pain of losing someone so close, but he desperately wanted to take her sorrow.
Mari dried the tears from her eyes and looked at Aaron. “Thank you,” she said, her voice still quivering with sadness. “My brother was to become the next lord of the High-Born. He was as gifted as my father and possessed a great wisdom. He would have made a wonderful leader for my people and would have brought unity among the other gatherings. All the gatherings welcomed and respected him.” Mari paused in thought. “There has been such division among the High-Born since the Great War and a single voice of leadership would have brought much needed stability.”
Aaron was fascinated as he listened to her. “Tell me,” he said, “how many
gatherings
are there among the elves?”
“There are several,” she said, “among the High-Born. We are in various places and in hiding until the day when the restoration commences.”
“Why is there such discord among your people?” Aaron asked. “What is the cause of it?”
Mari sighed and looked at Aaron intently. Her deep, green eyes reflected the vast forests of the world. “During the Great War, as I have been told, my father was lost as he helped many escape. It is said that he was taken captive, or that he was killed when the land was laid desolate after the fall of Charis. Once we dwelt in the forests that filled the area you call the Waste, and we possessed great skills so that we could dwell in harmony with all life. We served the King and enjoyed peace.
“When the end came and the usurper claimed dominion over all Celedon, my people scattered across the land, leaving the beautiful sanctuary of our forest home to find refuge. The King provided us the power to use the forests to protect ourselves, to hide in the midst of the trees, and so we remained safe. However, with the scattering we became divided for we no longer had the leadership my father provided to all the High-Born. Finally, my brother was coming of age and he was to take our father’s place when we were captured by the daemons of these cursed caverns.”
“Didn’t you have a leader after your father was…well…lost?” Aaron asked.
“We are a long-lived and patient people. Each gathering has a head counselor, but all were willing to wait. As I said, there was great hope that my brother would bring unity to our scattered people but now I can only imagine that there will be strife and bickering as each gathering tries to promote the next leader. When my brother and I heard that the Book of Aleth was found and that you were coming to recover it, we used the daemon’s confusion as our opportunity to escape and try to find you.”