Chapter 3
Treasure’s Location
That evening, after returning from Fawn Hallow, Thorik and his parents sat down to a meal with their new friend, Su’I Sorat. The dishes hadn’t even been cleaned up before Thorik began pulling his maps from his new coffer and placing them across the table as he told Su’I of the adventure the outsider had missed earlier that day.
Map after map was unfolded and straightened out to fit up with other maps, showing large portions of the King’s River Valley. “We’ve found bright red barked trees in this area and purple grass in the east side of this valley.” Thorik went on and on about his ventures and the plants and animals he had seen.
His mother finally stopped him by placing a soft hand on his shoulder to get his attention. “Son, why don’t you give Su’I a chance to tell us what he’s looking for.”
All focus was now on the outsider, as Thorik and his mother stood at the table and his father filled his pipe with a bit of tobacco. The moment had come for everyone to learn what Su’I knew about the location.
Su’I leaned over the table and gazed at the maps. “I was informed that it is near Farbank.” Pulling out a map of his own, it charted out a small section of a single valley with a cave system leading into the hillside. “Once we get in the correct valley, I believe this will lead us directly to it.
“That’s not much to go on. There are many valleys with caverns in these mountains.” Lighting his pipe, Thorik’s father stayed back from the table.
“Agreed. But I have more,” Su’I acknowledged. “The Oracle informed me that I must travel the way the ghost guides and then follow the path of Grazers to the old man’s mouth. This will lead us to the valley in question.”
A moment of silence was followed by Thorik laughing. “We have to find a ghost to point at a herd of Grazers and an old man?” His sentence trailed off as he noticed his parents staring at each other with concern. “What’s the matter?”
Walking up to the table, Thorik’s father pulled the pipe from his mouth. “Do you think he’s talking about Spirit Peak?”
She nodded. “It could be, but it will be difficult to determine which trail to follow. There are Grazer trails all over these mountain foothills. What do you think the old man’s mouth would be? A grouping of wide-mouth orchids, a hillside cavity, or a perhaps a ring of Deadman Daisy flowers?”
Su’I grinned. “I think if we travel to this Spirit Peak, it will lead us to the correct path, which will in turn lead us to the mouth and the valley beyond.”
Thorik was filled with excitement over the entire discussion as he studied Su’I Sorat’s map. “When do we leave?”
Taking a puff of his pipe, his father glanced down at him. “We do not.”
“What? Why?”
“Spirit Peak is far too dangerous for someone your age. It is a trek for Nums who have fully come into their soul-markings. Therefore, if we go, you will need to stay behind and wait for us. I will not risk your life on such a hazardous hike.”
Agreeing with him, Thorik’s mother gave a slight nod. “You can stay with your Uncle Brimmelle at your grandmother’s home.” Seeing his protest in his eyes, she nipped the topic off before it became an argument. “Not this time, Thorik. When you get older you will have plenty of adventures outside of Farbank.”
“But it’s my birthday.”
“Yes it is, and your father already told you that the Runestones are yours, if found.” Walking from the table, she smiled at her own little secret. “I also have a present for you.”
“I thought our trip to Fawn Hollow was my gift from both of you.”
“It was. But this one is just from me.” Opening a wide wooden chest, she pulled back several blankets until she found a large item made of leather. Pulling it out of the chest, she displayed for all to see. “Surprise!”
Thorik was speechless and his grief of not going on the trip immediately vanished. “It’s a pack! My very own backpack for our hikes.”
“Yes, dear. I know you’ve been wanting one of these for a while now to store all of your papers and ink for notes and maps. Hopefully I’ve made it big enough for you to get some exploring and hunting gear in there as well.”
Putting it on, it hung low, covering the boy’s backside and pressing against the back of his legs. “It’s perfect!”
“Well, maybe not today, but you’ll grow into it.”
“I have enough room in it to store everything from all of my adventures in distant lands. I can start by keeping my coffer of maps. And a map of the valley beyond Spirit Peak would be a nice addition to it.”
Su’I reached out and rustled up Thorik’s hair again. “When your parents return, they will have Runestones you can store in that find pack. But I must warn you, young Num, not all adventures are full of fun… such as the time I was attacked by a Blothrud.” His voice changed slightly giving an air of mystery to the story he was about to tell.
His words caught the boy’s attention enough to once again distract him from the journey he wanted to attend. “What’s a Blothrud?”
“A Blothrud is a mountain of a beast nearly twice your father’s height, with a massive chest easily four fold my very own. His legs are that of a wolf and spikes poke out of his back and arms. But the worst part is his head. It has a snout of a dragon mixed with a hairless wolf. Hideous in nature and with a temper to boot. These creatures are the most dangerous of all the species, and I had the unfortunate luck to run across one who wanted to see me dead.”
Su’I continued with his stories of high adventure late into the evening while Thorik stared in amazement when he wasn’t studying the outsider’s map. Thorik’s father finished the tobacco in his pipe and stored it on a shelf near several books before helping his wife with gathering some blankets for the visitor to sleep on the floor. Being there was only one room in the home, it would be a full house for sleeping that night.