The Mists of Sorrow: The Morcyth Saga Book Seven (8 page)

He glances around and says, “I myself have
had dreams of late. Nothing compared to the power of the ones you
two have experienced, but potent nonetheless.”

“What were yours?” asks James.

“A garden,” he replies. “None too surprising
given whom I serve. I often have dreams about gardens and such.
However, since I’ve accompanied you, they have become more intense.
Lately they have begun differently, but all end at a withered
garden. A blackened tree, wreathed in mist, rises high. The tree
cracks open, a monstrous creature steps forth and consumes the
garden.”

“That’s it?” Potbelly asks.

Nodding, Brother Willim replies, “Yes.” He
pauses a moment as the others assimilate what he told them. Then he
turns to Miko and James. “I would guess that you, Miko, were sent
that dream to tell you something. Possibly by Morcyth or one of his
agents. The fact that you were prevented from going into the room
seems to indicate that another force was working to stop you from
discovering why.”

To James he says, “Take your dreams. They
start out nice, but when you are about to make contact with Cassie,
shadows and other things work to stop you. Finally thrusting you
from the dream altogether.”

“That would explain a lot of things,” agrees
James.

“So what should we do about it?” Stig asks.
“Wait for more dreams?”

James shakes his head. “No. In the morning
we are going to head to the City of Light, find the room with the
pedestal, and discover why Miko must go there.” He glances at Jiron
and says, “I know this will take more time before we can begin the
search for Tinok. But with everything going on, I feel we
must.”

“Then tomorrow we make for the City,” agrees
Jiron. “You haven’t steered us wrong yet. If you feel this is what
we must do, then so be it.” Behind his eyes the others can tell he
wants nothing more than to head straight into the Empire to find
his friend. Circumstances seem intent on keeping him from that
goal.

James stands up and says, “We all need to
get our sleep. It’s a long way to the City from here.”

Miko nods and lies back down on his blanket,
the Star already having been returned to his pouch.

James makes sure everyone is returning to
their blankets, everyone but Stig that is, it’s his turn at watch.
Once they are, he lies down and churns over the events in his mind.
He’s amazed by the fact that he was able to enter another’s dream
and wonders if he could do it again. He can’t help but wonder if
someone had a hand in supplying Scar with that information,
wouldn’t be the first time such a handy piece of information
crossed his path at just the right time. Trying to still his
troubled thoughts, it’s a long time before he’s finally able to
fall back to sleep.

Up with the sun, they head cross country
toward the northeast and the City of Light. They ride in silent
contemplation. Miko is worried about what may await him in that
room below what use to be the High Temple to Morcyth. Will there be
a fearsome creature as in the dream? Or will it be something
else.

James worries about what all their dreams
can mean. In each, a terrible presence has manifested. Within his
dreams it was the shadows and monstrosities, Miko had a powerful
presence, and Brother Willim a dead, black tree from which a
monstrous creature steps. Are they all interconnected, or does each
deal with a different event? He doubts if he’ll understand before
it’s too late.

Riding hard, they swap between their spare
horses periodically to better able maintain the pace. Cutting cross
country as they are, they don’t encounter any other travelers, the
few farmsteads they pass look deserted. A couple have been utterly
destroyed, quite possibly when the Empire came through here last
year.

Throughout the day and into the night, they
ride. Only the fact their horses are on the brink of exhaustion do
they even stop for the night. But it isn’t for very long. No sooner
does the sun rise than they are again in the saddle and racing
across the countryside. A half hour after the sun rises they come
to a road traveling east and west. Several wagons are on the road
heading toward a town visible to the east.

“That’s Reardon,” Scar announces when the
town comes into view. “Follow the north road leaving the city and
it will take you directly to the City of Light.”

“Excellent,” says James.

They ride for the road and upon reaching it
turn eastward toward Reardon. The men on the wagons glance their
way but otherwise offer no greeting. The loads they are hauling are
mainly comprised of lumber and stone, materials needed in
rebuilding the city. As they draw closer to the walls surrounding
Reardon, many people are seen moving in and out from the gate where
the road passes through.

The walls look fairly intact, though there
are places where it’s evident the Empire’s siege equipment came
into play. Not wanting to get caught up with what’s going on inside
the city, they turn and pass along the outside of the walls as they
circumvent the town.

When they reach the road moving northward,
they turn onto it and again increase their speed to a fast gallop.
Along the road between Reardon and the City of Light, they
encounter many civilians. Families as well as merchants and the
occasional group of soldiers are upon the road heading south to
Reardon. Many have their belongings with them and their mood is one
of hope for the future.

James remembers last year and the refugees
who were fleeing the approach of the Empire. His heart is gladdened
that the fear and hopelessness he had seen on the faces of many has
been replaced with joy and hope. He fervently wishes that they will
be able to continue having hope and joy for a very long time to
come.

Before the walls of the City of Light come
into view, camps are seen where they’ve sprung up along the sides
of the road. Tents turned into makeshift taverns operated by smart
tavern keepers supply ale and other essentials to those who are
working to put their lives back together.

Few women and children are seen, though
there are pockets of them here and there. The majority of those
they encounter are men, workmen who are here to begin the
rebuilding of their country.

When at last the walls of the City come into
view, the pit fighters come to a stop. This is home for them. Where
they were born and raised. James is actually surprised to see a
tear come to the eyes of some of these hardened fighting men.

“There she is,” breathes Potbelly.

“Never thought I’d ever be coming back
here,” Stig says.

“Let’s go,” urges Miko. When he first laid
eyes on the walls his sense of urgency increased. Nudging their
horses, they take a more moderate pace as they approach the gates
to the City.

“James,” Jiron says, “look over there.” He
directs their view over to an open area west of the road near the
walls.

“What about it?” asks James.

“That’s where you took out the majority of
the enemy when we left,” he replies.

James looks hard, but after the effect of
several seasons, there’s hardly any evidence left of what happened.
A few blackened trees here and there are all that stands in
testimony to the explosion that rocked the night so long ago.

The closer to the gates they go, the denser
the tents and number of people become. The pit fighters scan the
people they pass for any sign of those they knew, but so far
haven’t recognized anyone.

Soldiers stand guard at the city’s gates,
more for maintaining order than anything else. Jiron leads them
through and into the city. Surprisingly enough, the streets are
fairly clear of debris.

“They sure cleaned up this place,” remarks
Jiron. During their escape, James had played merry hell with
several of the buildings, exploding them in the night in order to
cover their escape.

Moving across the courtyard, they pass
through the next gate into the city. Signs of reconstruction are
going on everywhere. People, mainly shopkeepers working to get
their business back in shape, are seen setting stones and hammering
planks.

“If Delia hurries, she could make a killing
selling these people building supplies,” comments Shorty.

“I think she already has that idea,” replies
Stig.

“Didn’t Lord Pytherian say the first
building that would be rebuilt here would be that temple you
wanted?” Jiron asks.

“Yes he did,” answers James. “But I don’t
expect them to be able to arrange that until the hostilities
subside.” Glancing over to his friend, he adds, “Besides, it’s not
like we’ll be around to tell them where to build it.”

Nodding, he says, “That’s true.”

“Can you find your old hideout?” James
asks.

“Shouldn’t be a problem,” he replies. “Even
with the state the City is in now, I know my way around.”

“Oh, man,” Scar says sadly.

“What?” asks Jiron.

“Beggerman’s is gone,” he says, indicating a
destroyed building that once sat on the corner ahead of them.

When James looks questioningly at Jiron he
says, “It was a place where pit fighters hung out. A tavern and
brothel all rolled into one.”

“Yeah,” agrees Shorty. “Beggerman had been a
pit fighter in his younger days. Set it up when he had accumulated
sufficient money to last him the rest of his life. He claimed he
won the building in a card game, though no one’s ever been able to
verify that.”

“Wonder if he’s still alive?” Potbelly
asks.

Just then three young teenage boys come
running around the corner and Scar signals them to stop, that he
wants to talk.

Slowing down, the three lads approach him.
“What do you want?” one asks.

Scar reaches into his pouch and says, “I’ll
give you each a copper if you can answer me a question.”

“Sure,” says one. The other two nod as
well.

“Beggerman,” he says. “Do you know who I’m
talking about?”

“Sure do,” the first boy replies. Gesturing
back to the destroyed establishment he says, “The guy with only one
eye and missing half an ear, right?”

“That’s him,” nods Scar. “Do you know if
he’s still alive?”

The lead boy glances to the other two who
only shrug. Turning back to Scar he says, “We haven’t seen or heard
about him since the City fell.”

Removing three coppers, he flips on to each
of the lads. “Thanks,” he says.

“Sorry we couldn’t be of more help,” the
lead boy says. Then they’re off down the street on whatever errand
they were about before being stopped.

“Remember that massive mace he use to keep
behind the bar?” Stig says. “He always said anyone who caused
problems would get real familiar with old ‘Ironhead’.”

The others laugh at that. “Never once saw
him take it down,” Potbelly states.

“I would think it came down when the City
fell,” Scar says more somberly. “He wasn’t one to run off when
trouble came calling.” Several of the others nod at that.

They slowly continue to make their way
through town. Jiron leads them unerringly from street to street
toward the entrance of his hideout. Along the way, other places
that once held meaning to them are passed and James learns more
about the men who have chosen to travel with him.

Finally Jiron says, “It’s not too much
further.”

A green glow springs to life around Brother
Willim. James notices and asks, “Trouble?”

Shaking his head, he says, “I don’t think
so. I can feel something here.”

“What?” asks James.

“I’m not sure,” he replies. “I think what
I’m feeling is the holiness of this place.” Glancing to Miko he
sees the odd look on his face. “You feel it too don’t you?”

Nodding, Miko says, “I didn’t know what it
was.”

The greenish glow disappears as Brother
Willim’s attention is turned back to James. “When a holy place
stands for a long time, the rocks, stones and at times the ground
itself resonate with the god’s power. The more holy the place, the
stronger it becomes.” Glancing around he adds, “And the longer it
remains.”

“Why can’t I sense anything?” James asks.
Usually when magic is near his skin tingles.

“It’s not active magic in the sense you are
referring to,” he explains. “More like a resonate signature that
marks the place as holy. Having once been the location for the High
Temple, I can understand why I can sense it even after the Temple
has been gone for so long.”

James nods his head. He remembers one of the
early visits by Igor in which he took him to Disneyland. Igor
referred to Disneyland as a focal point. That to those who are
good, the place is like a beacon in the night. Perhaps it’s the
same principle.

Jiron turns after a severely fire damaged
building and then enters a street with a large crater in the middle
of it. He remembers when they had originally been sneaking out and
Cassie had sneezed just when a column of enemy soldiers were
passing by. The hole is where James blasted a group of them to give
them time to return to the hideout.

Rounding the corner of the building, they
enter what once use to be a park. When James first saw the place,
it was an area with trees and grass. Not very large, simply a place
where people could come to escape the bustle of the city for a
time. Now, mounds of dirt and piles of rocks litter the area. Its
former beauty almost completely lost.

“Looks like they dug out the collapsed
tunnel,” comments Jiron.

On the far side of the park where the
entrance to Jiron’s lair had been now gapes a large hole leading
down into the ground. After escaping back down into the hideout
they had to fight off enemy soldiers that followed after them.
James had to collapse the passage leading to the surface to keep
them from being inundated by soldiers.