***
Dameon led the three blindfolded companions along several winding turns. Occasionally he brought them to a halt, and noises like grinding gears arose. Oily smells burned in their nostrils, and squishy cables sank with a hiss beneath their feet only to pop up again for the next set of feet to flatten. The noise of running water grew stronger, and they shivered as the air turned cold and damp. They trudged up a steep slope that soon flattened out. After that, they were in open air.
After a mile or so, Dameon still wouldn't let them remove the blindfolds. Finally Theodus tore his off in disgust and flung it to the ground. "I'm done with your games, Dameon. That is the last time you'll ever subject me to this nonsense."
"Fair enough," said Dameon. "You others can remove yours as well."
They did--and found themselves back on Tower Road, which wound its way through the cliffs, with the cave entrance nowhere in sight. Kelden knew there were many caves in this area, and he wasn't sure he'd be able to remember which one was Dameon's lair. The former seer had achieved his objective.
It was a warm, cloudy day. A thick mist had settled over the land. The screeching of tower ravens echoed in the distance, and moments later one of the fat, menacing birds soared over them, its face contorted in an evil look as it studied them briefly before disappearing into the rocks high above.
"The seers watch us," said Dameon. "The tower ravens are their eyes. They will return to Valganleer and report our condition and whereabouts."
In spite of the threat posed by the Halstarion worms, many animals had found ways to adapt and survive. They soon encountered a brown bear on a slope pawing at a pine stump for grubs. When it saw them, it rose up on its hind legs and growled, not wishing to leave its food source. Dameon approached it cautiously, and his crystal mace flared with white light. The animal stood its ground, a huge and powerful beast looming in the fog. With a cry, Dameon flung his weapon. It struck the bear in the face and a blinding flash erupted. The bear's headless carcass toppled down the slope, coming to rest with a thud against an ancient, twisted pine.
Shocked, the others exchanged glances.
"Good throw," Thayan said uncomfortably.
Dameon expertly carved up the bear, and fried the meat in an iron skillet over a fire. The sizzling meat looked and smelled delicious.
"Eat up, my friends," said Dameon, tearing into the greasy meat.
"I'll pass on that," said Theodus, with a disgusted look. "I find the eating of flesh quite disgusting. The crude ways you humans tend your needs is something I'll never understand."
"I'll have some," said Kelden. "How 'bout you, Thayan?"
Thayan shrugged. "That meat looks pretty good. And we shouldn't let the Halstarion worms have all the food."
Dameon slapped his thigh. "Exactly! There's still plenty of food in this land if one knows where to look. The worms haven't gotten everything. We won't need that cookie maker of yours anytime soon, Kelden, if I have anything to say about it."
"I don't doubt it," said Thayan. "The way you took out that bear was amazing."
Dameon smiled. "I can teach you sorcery of that magnitude."
Thayan gazed at Dameon, an eager glint in his eye. "So start teaching. I'm ready right now."
"Later," said Kelden. "We need to keep traveling."
"When we camp," said Dameon, winking at Thayan. "I'm certain you'll be a great student, and I look forward to teaching you all I know."
Thayan kept glancing at Dameon, as if searching the former seer's face for truth. Dameon hummed confidently as he used a wooden fork to stir another pan of sizzling bear meat. Kelden suspected Dameon was determined to sway Thayan to his murderous cause, but he didn't know how to stop it. Thayan wanted to believe that someone actually cared about him. Dameon would fill the role as father and teacher to the lad and slowly plant the seeds of hatred and twisted logic in his mind.
"We've made good time so far," Kelden said, trying to befriend Thayan with conversation. He reasoned that if he gained Thayan's trust, he could match Dameon's influence and steer Thayan in a better direction.
But Thayan scowled. "We've made good time, huh? Time for what? To wander into nowhere? I'm not even sure what I'm doing here." With that, Thayan tossed a half-eaten piece of meat back in the pan and trudged off behind some rocks.
Kelden sighed in frustration. Glancing up, he saw that Dameon had a hint of smile on his lips.