Chapter 5
The morning came quickly with a cool breeze blowing in from the northwest and the scent of frying bacon. Neither of them wanted to move from their blankets but a new day was dawning and the promise of further surprises, their first being the smell of bacon frying. Sitting up they saw Cormyr leaning over the fire frying bacon in a pan with bread warming on a flat pan resting on hot rocks. Freeing themselves for their blankets, they ambled to the fire stretching and groaning something about the ground being too hard when they saw eggs cooking with the bacon, both wondering what else he had in that giant pack of his. Enjoying a quiet and delicious breakfast, they soon cleaned up the camp preparing to depart for the trading post.
“As I said last night your training starts now,” Cormyr said breaking the silence looking directly at Mitch. You both wear those elfin toothpicks for swords and I am certain that Leadyl can use hers adequately enough so, the question is can you use yours. This morning before we leave we will learn the answer to that important question," Cormyr said unclasping his heavy mantle letting it fall to the ground revealing light chain mail over a sleeveless leather jerkin leather pants and black leather boots. The massive sword at his waist hanging from the wide leather baldric added to Leadyl’s uneasiness. Leading the way to the other side of the clearing, he smoothly drew his sword.
Mitch more than little miffed is determined to prove to Cormyr that he can more than adequately use the sword stepped forward drawing his sword. His sword sang when drew it from the scabbard standing in the classic ready position left leg slightly forward of the right sword tip at middle level pointing toward his opponent. Cormyr moving like a cat with the power of a charging bull caught Mitch completely off guard by his tremendous speed and power. Cormyr was on him instantly the huge broadsword cleaving the air from the right to the left meant to decapitate him in a single blow. Sidestepping the attack to Cormyr’s right Mitch swung his sword in a horizontal arc meant to cut Cormyr in two. Cormyr showed his speed by quickly spinning away from the attack so they were facing each other again.
Warily circling each other they suddenly moved with a flurry of attacks and blocks faster than the eye could follow sparks flying each time their blades met with a clash of steel. Mitch charged in with his blade low thinking to attack low then high with an upward slashing cut but Cormyr easily parried the attack with a backhand swing stopping short of taking Mitch’s head. Pausing momentarily to catch their breath and study each other Mitch knew he faced a far better swordsman who had a longer reach and greater speed than he did. That last attack should have ended his life. He had to try another tack to see if he could gain an advantage on his opponent.
Circling his opponent looking for an opening, Mitch imagined he was one with his sword. He could see the molecules of steel and iron in the sword making him stronger. The sharpness of the blade made his mind sharper, allowing his instincts to rule. The blade quivered in his hand with raw power. Quickly realizing that he is on the edge of power similar to his experience with Leadyl, he knew he would need to be careful. Until now, he had been using his normal abilities and the swords enchantment, this time it would be different.
Leadyl is too astonished to move watching their invisible blades move faster than she could follow with occasional sparks flying when they made contact. Time stood still as neither swordsman gave any quarter or inch of ground and for a time it looked as though they were fighting to a draw when suddenly, they froze in place with Mitch’s blade within a hairs breath of Cormyr’s neck in a killing blow. Withdrawing the sword Mitch stepped back sheathing it bowing respectfully to him. A moment later Cormyr did the same with a slight grin on his face the first they had seen until now, sweating profusely and very thirsty from their exertions they clasped wrists both grinning.
“Right past those trees is a small stream where we can cleanup. I would hate for Leadyl to think we were unrefined louts because we smelled worse than orcs by the end of the day,” Cormyr surprised them again with a little humor in his personality that his demeanor until now suggested otherwise.
“I think you are right Cormyr. Lead the way and we shall return smelling like lilacs and honeysuckle that will surely please our lady traveling companion,” Mitch replied humorously making them laugh. Walking back to the camp, they grabbed a change of clothes, soap and dry towels from Cormyr’s backpack. Leadyl was not too happy about being the brunt of their mirth but she realized it would be best if they did cleanup. Laughing quietly, she wondering yet again, what else Cormyr had in that pack of his.
When they returned smelling like lilacs or some such flower, she wrinkled her nose in distaste bringing laughter and a smile to Mitch’s face. “What, you do not like flowery smelling men or would you have us stinking like sweaty sailors that have not bathed in months, not that I ever smelled like that mind you?” Walking up to him Leadyl hugged him breathing deep at the same time.
“You will do,” laughing Leadyl easily evaded him when he tried to hold onto her.
“If you two are done we need to move,” Cormyr admonished back to his previous self. “We have a long walk before us, and we are fast using up daylight.”
“Perhaps Cormyr you could answer some questions as we walk to Pine Hallow and explain to us how we are to survive the trials to come?” Leadyl asked in a placating tone.
“I am reluctant not to so we will speak of things as we walk. As you realized last evening, danger lurks from either the darkness or the spell itself that can easily overwhelm you. Most important you must always know how much power you are trying to control,” he said marching off without a backward look expecting them to follow. Quickly gathering their packs and weapons, they hurried after him.
“The essential thing you must remember is to stem your imagination, do not let it run away with you as you did last night,” he called back walking briskly up the trail.
“How do we do that?” Mitch asked.
“When you enchanted your sword tell me how it felt to do so.”
“I started by imagining what I wanted the sword to do and when I felt the power growing I fed it more detail down to the very core of the sword. I did reach a point that I thought I was going to fall into the sword itself and become one with it, as it is I know the sword is a part of me. When that happed, I released the power into the sword. I can understand why Leadyl and I could have been trapped if not for you.”
Cormyr did not reply for a moment contemplating what he heard. Has this human from another realm the power to imbue himself with an object? It would be a great sacrifice if he can truly imbue himself with the sword, the sword would become a weapon that could kill the dark ones themselves not merely their minions. Could that be his ultimate destiny? Is that why we must keep him alive at all costs including our lives?
Seeing Cormyr in deep thought and fearing he might confirm her fears, Leadyl decided to change the subject. “Mitch, would you tell us in more detail how you got here?”
“We were sent to investigate a realm we had colonized because we lost contact with the explorers that had been sent there to map one of the worlds. Our battle group was attacked by sailing ships that destroyed our whole fleet except us.” She looked at him quizzically waiting for him to continue. "By us I mean my sister and her friend, well mine too I guess since I was beginning to get to know him escaped in one of our flying vessels through a threshold to circle your planet. You know the rest except that my sister and her friend escaped the ship in what we call escape pods to your world.”
“I did not know you had a sister here?”
“I have been thinking about her, worried that she was killed when the escape pods landed on your planet. We have a saying, when you escape in a pod you are running from certain death to uncertain death. What happens with the pods is when you land it is more like a controlled crash than a soft landing.” He knew what he was saying is a little confusing to her so he tried again using a different approach. “Let’s say that a ship at sea will return to port on a beautiful day
, the wind is perfect and you sale into port with no incidents. On the other hand, the seas are stormy and the captain knows he cannot come into port so to save his men he beaches the ship. The possibility that she is injured or worse is real and she is wandering the wilderness with no one to help her. The other thing is she does not know that I am alive.”
“I am sorry Mitch let’s hope we will soon find her,” Leadyl replied sincerely.
I have another question that has been nagging at me. How is it I can speak and understand your language?” Mitch questioned.
“I do not have an answer to that would you know Cormyr?” Leadyl asked.
Seeming to ponder the question Cormyr suddenly turned around facing them forcing them to stop quickly or run into each other. “Unfortunately, neither do I all I can say is it must have been the guardians of the light. When they brought you to this place, they may have imbued you with the ability to know our language, a good question that someone more learned than I might be able to answer.”
They walked all through the afternoon enjoying the beautiful sunny day. The blustery cool wind blowing from the northeast smelled of honeysuckle and pine wafting through the forest with pine needles flying before it like tiny spears. Gently sloping upward the trail meandered lazily through the forest in a steady northeast direction toward Pine Hallow Trading Post. With darkness approaching, they found a place to camp in an open space between some tall pines.
Numerous pine needles blanketed the ground making for a soft and comfortable ground cover for sleeping although the pinesap from the numerous trees was quite evident on the ground making their ground blankets sticky with sap. Deciding to make another cold camp for fear of starting a forest fire due to all of the pine needles and undergrowth Cormyr surprised them with dried fruits and meats he retrieved from that enormous backpack. This time, Leadyl laughed deciding she had to know what else is in that pack.
After they had eaten, Leadyl and Mitch were lounging on their ground blankets staring at the stars through the trees and the beautiful hunter’s moon peeking through like a giant glowing orb. Cormyr had placed his blanket a little further away affording them a measure of privacy. Leadyl moved closer to Mitch laying her head on his shoulder and an arm across his chest squeezing him tightly.
“ Lea are you well?” Mitch asked, feeling her shudder.
“Yes I feel wonderful. I have never felt like this before and it is a little scary and wonderful at the same time. Mitch it is not by mischance we are together and I fear the thought of us being separated.”
“Who says that we are going to be separated Lea?” he asked, pulling her close.
“I do not know I cannot know what is in store for us but I have this foreboding inside me that tells me that it is so.”