Outside the northern gates of the high-walled city of Highpoint, the adventurers found a small glen of trees on the eastern side of the King's Highway where they hid. They had gathered their horses from the inn's stables, and luckily Allison and Amanda's weren't far away either. They made the north gate and passed through without notice from the sleepy guards that barely tended to their early morning post. They were fugitives from the justice of Highpoint, and the King's Guard. It was nothing new for the members of Wefpub.
Hidden safely in the woods, Gerrod felt much better. He never did care for cities much, and now that he was back out under the trees, he could relax. Gerrod was at home once more. Led by Ace, he followed everyone else through the low brush that skirted the edge of trees. He used the branches to cover their passing, so no one who might be following them out of the city would even know where to look.
"So where in the four lands have you girls been?" Ace was asking when Gerrod joined the rest who had sat down under the shade of the trees. "I began to worry when you missed Reunion."
"Well," Amanda volunteered, "we had to attend to some church business. Besides," she glared at Gerrod, "we didn't think it would hurt to miss one year. It's not like no one has ever missed a Reunion before."
"Well deserved," Gerrod admitted. "It's been far too long. And, if I had known what I was missing out on, I would have certainly been back sooner." He gave a sly smile to Allison, so there would be no mistaking his compliment. "My apologies. I've had business of my own that needed attending to." It was a lie, he realized, but he couldn't get into any explanations -- not now. They were his friends, the only true friends he had ever known, but they wouldn't understand.
"Apology accepted," Allison quickly replied, returning his appreciative smile. She certainly had matured. "At least we're all together now." She stopped short when she suddenly remembered that Corinna was still missing. "I mean, at least we will be."
For the first time since Ace and Gerrod had met them on the street, Gerrod had a chance to really look at Amanda and Allison. Even though he had spent several years with them, adventuring to all corners of the lands, that was a lifetime ago now. Just young adults last he saw them, they had changed so much that he hardly recognized them.
The older of the two was Amanda. She wore the bright blue vestments of her station in the church of Corellon Larethian, though it was not until later that he would learn just how high that station had become. She had quickly gained the favor of the High Cleric of the Church, as well as their god, and her clerical powers grew steadily with her enormous faith.
Amanda wore long blonde hair down to her shoulders, giving her a softer appearance. With her tender, brown eyes, it was hard to believe this was the same, strong woman who swung that mighty weapon and had crushed that guard's skull. Under a light cape, used more for rain than for warmth, she wore a fine suit of armor. She boldly bore the symbol of her god on the bulky chest plate. Her holy symbol, a large heart, hung about her thin, delicate neck. She always kept the shiny silver amulet brightly polished.
She wore loose fitting leather britches, and high, rugged boots; hardly the fashions of the ladies in the fine courts. But for her work, constantly on the road with missions of evangelism for her Church, these were far more suitable. It just wouldn't seem right to have her bash someone's skull in while she was dressed in a long, formal gown.
Allison, bursting with large muscles and taller than her "big" sister, made a striking figure. Little more than a child when Gerrod had last seen her, she had passed the elven age of innocence, and was now a woman. She had clearly developed in many more ways than just her fighting ability.
Allison wore her long hair, the same honey-blonde color as her sister's, pinned to the top of her head under a fine net. This helped keep her locks out of the way while fighting, and enhanced the illusion of her masculine form. She was stronger than many men Gerrod had fought beside, and was more than capable of taking care of herself in a fight.
Her armor was of polished steel bands. This type gave her excellent protection while allowing her the flexibility she needed to swing the two long swords she kept sheathed on either hip. The hilts of the identical blades boasted the same clerical symbol as Amanda's breastplate. This symbol, Gerrod noticed, was also painted into the leather of Allison's chest protector. Somehow the symbol didn't look the same, bending to the contours around her ample bosoms.
Instead of the bulky leather britches her sister wore, Allison instead chose to have her armor end in a skirt-type flair, just below her hips. She wore tight leggings for warmth. About her muscular, thick thighs, she wore additional plates of armor, strapped on with wide leather bands. Matching steel plates that ran the height of them also protected her high leather boots, which rose to her knees.
Around her bare forearms were bracers. Thick, matching armbands wrapped around her upper arms, but these were more for decoration than for protection. Her arms and legs showed the hard labor that had gone into finely tuning each muscle. These muscles seemed to ripple in smooth harmony as she moved about effortlessly.
Allison smiled at Gerrod with a smile that did not seem as innocent as he had remembered. Allison had matured into a fine looking woman, and the years of experience on the road had given her the inner strength of maturity.
Still, in many ways, she was the same old Allison. She maintained, beneath the tough exterior, to be playful and good-natured; and still, he knew, she was as protective of her sister as she had always been. Even though Amanda had always been more than capable of taking care of herself, Allison had always taken it upon herself to try to protect her sister from whatever they came across. As much as Amanda served their god as a cleric, Allison proudly served Corellon by being the best possible bodyguard she could be for her sister, whom she considered "the Chosen One."
Allison was just as unwavering in her hatred for evil and corruption, the very things the Guard represented as she was protective. Gerrod had no doubt that it was Allison that had gotten them into trouble with the King's Guard that morning. For some reason, it seemed, Amanda would have far fewer things to be protected from, if it wasn't for her sister.
The party reacted at once, by the simultaneous drawing of weapons, as they each became aware of something moving in the branches of the trees above them. They only relaxed after making out the form of a single, spotted owl, making its lazy glide through the trees. It was early morning, and the owl seemed to be returning to the treetops to perch after a long night's hunting. But then, they noticed, the owl seemed to be falling to the ground.
As it fell, with powerful wings guiding its decent, it magically transformed into a more recognizable figure. Its delicate wings redefined into a heavy black robe, fluttering in the breeze. Suddenly, Corinna stood in the center of their party, whose weapons were still drawn and focused on the unexpected invasion.
"I was hoping you might be a bit more pleased than this to see me," Corinna responded to the array of weapons pointed at her.
"Good blazes, girl!" Ace finally sputtered, dumb-founded by her Change Self spell. "I really wish you wouldn't be doing things like that. Me heart's not that good."
"How nice of you to drop in on us," Gerrod returned, sheathing his sword and ignoring Ace's sputtering.
Similarly ignoring Gerrod, Corinna shared heart-felt greetings to Amanda and Allison. "I knew we'd find you somewhere. Can't have an adventure without you two. I heard you got into a bit of a scuffle this morning."
"We was wondering where you might have been this morning," Ace continued, gruffly. He had the rough edge to his voice of a concerned father whose daughter had been out past her curfew.
"I've been doing a bit of snooping on our gold-headed friends," she explained. "It seems the Guard doesn't know any more of where they're going than we do. If LaBairne does know their true destination, he wouldn't reveal it to his next in rank, even in the strictest of confidence."
"So how does he know where
to lead the Guard?" Ace asked.
"He carries with him a staff of powerful dweomers. The magic in the staff points the way he is to take. He says the staff was given to him by Rai'dley herself."
"I knew she was involved in this thing somehow," Ace snorted. "I could smell her twisted dealings in this from the get go."
"It still bothers me to no end, not ever hearing of someone with such mastery of the arts as she is reputed to have," Corinna confessed.
"Well, I for one don't trust nothing to do with her. Not too keen on mages at all; nothing against you, though, Corinna, you understand, but especially the likes of her evil ways," Ace spat.
"We'll find out where they're headed soon enough," Corinna continued. "They've given up looking for the ones who slew the guards on the street, and are preparing to press on."
Weapons were drawn again at another sound in the woods. Allison stepped out in front of Amanda at the sight of a lone timber wolf padding its way towards them. She seemed quite surprised to see them sheath their weapons once more in recognition. "Don't tell me this is a friend too."
"The boy calls it that. Nothing but a wild mutt to my likings, though," Ace complained.
Star came right up to Gerrod, casting an arrogant look Ace's way. He refused to acknowledge his comment with anything more. Star greeted his master's hug affectionately. Gerrod could tell he missed him as much as he had missed the wolf.
Shaking her head in disbelief, Allison joined them in standing down her defenses. "This can't still be Star," she said. She approached the beast in order to get reacquainted with him. "It's been so long, but I remember this wolf. Everybody has a dog when they're growing up; Star was mine. I remember running and playing all over Carrona with this puppy." Her eyes filled with wonder and awe of remembering such fond times.
Star could remember them too. He allowed the comrades to scratch his fur and pet him. He simply soaked up the affection and the attention offered him.
They used the rest of the time to fill Amanda and Allison in on all that had happened and what they knew. After little consideration at all, Amanda and Allison heartily agreed to join their quest. Now, the members of Wefpub were united once more.
They stayed hidden in the glen, watching the parade of guards as they filed out of the north gate and passed by. LaBairne was easy to identify by the staff he held. A small flag with the Guard's gold and red colors blew at the top. He held the staff in a flagstand mounted to his saddle. It took keen attention to notice that the flag was not pointing south, in the direction of the wind, but rather against it. Unnaturally pointing north, the flag indicated the long road ahead.
Once the procession passed by, the reunited members of Wefpub took up their familiar place in the rear, tailing the army of guards. Ace and Gerrod rode point, leading their own group, with Corinna and Amanda riding center, and the young warrior, Allison, covering their rear flanks. Star bounded along, checking out the brush on either side of the road again, but never strayed too far out of sight.
After a half day's ride, north along the King's Highway, they got the change of pace they had all waited for. Suddenly, without any signs or indications why, the tracks of the two hundred men they were following veered off through an obviously well trampled hole punched into the side brush.
It once again suddenly felt odd, being out on the road. They knew that the Guard could be in the cover of the woods, watching them, perhaps even waiting for a signal to ambush them. A chill ran down their spines at the prospects, but after a quick reconnaissance by Ace -- with Star bounding along wildly, despite Ace's attempts at stealth -- they were assured the army had indeed moved off into the wilderness. They gladly took the detour, and the change of pace from the constant, mindless drone of the open road.
The forest closed in around them, enveloping them like a pool of water, as they waded into the world of the wilds. Unlike the road, which had become so familiar to them, the woods were not as open, as inviting. The trees, Gerrod's long-time friends, encroached upon an unusually large sense of personal space he had developed. But too, in their proximity, he felt a comfort there, hidden between the constantly passing trunks. It was like snuggling under a nice thick, downy blanket in the coldness of winter. This obscurity, though it hindered their senses so, provided them with the same shelter.
Despite the recent confusions in the weather, it was undeniably late autumn that first day they stepped into the woods. The leaves, having all long since fallen from their hardwood limbs, covered the ground in a thick, ample blanket of patchwork colors, all tamed by the brown of death. That blanket had been ruffled where they followed. The leaves had been kicked up from their quiet rest by the passing of hundreds of booted feet and heavy, hoofed horses. The swish-swish of their own party, horses poking their way through the fallen foliage, made a deafening sound that droned out just about all the other sounds of the forest. The woods had already been unusually silenced by the passing of the army of men before them.
And so they continued their parade, and the swift pace of the march, for a couple more days. The weather seemed, at least at that moment, to have settled on a more seasonable climate. They climbed continually, while traveling along the side of the great peaks that surrounded Crystal Lake. The rugged, treeless crests loomed above and ahead of them always. They weathered a couple of thunderstorms, with the bare limbs above them offering little protection. None-the-less, Star and Gerrod were very pleased to be back among the trees. He could feel the life all around him, and it poured back into places that had gone dark.
It was about this time when Amanda, interested in religious artifacts and anything possibly related to religions of any sorts, asked Corinna how she had come across the jeweled pendant she had shown them. They were all familiar with Corinna's hobby of researching, and discovering long lost magical items, but she had never pursued religious items. Over her many years of adventuring, she had managed to collect a great number of rare and unusual items. All but the most treasured and rare of these, she sold for a healthy profit. Many of the old adventures of Wefpub had been centered on acquiring another odd piece Corinna had read about in some long-forgotten book.
In the serenity that was the forest on that afternoon, with the dim autumn sun diffused by the naked branches of slumbering trees, Corinna told of her horrible ordeal.
Chapter 13
The Abbey Dark