The Stones of Magic

  Chapter 5

  By the time the third sun was rising over the buildings in the west, the small company was out of the capital city and heading to the east. Mach was excited beyond what he could ever remember being.

  This was the type of quest that he had been hoping to experience his whole life. Now he was finally out in the world and it was time to put all his skills to the test. However, a feeling of unease spread through him as they marched to the east. It was almost as though he were leaving something behind that he should have done before leaving. Like shutting the front door or putting out the lanterns and torches before one went to bed. He could only turn his mind away from those thoughts.

  The day was hot with little cloud coverage. He rode the back of a gentle brown mare. An easy enough horse for someone who was not used to riding one. The second horse was similar enough to the one that he rode to be from the same lineage, though its attitude was far from gentle. It took a lot of work from both Mendoll and Bastra to get it to stay still long enough to pack it down with their gear.

  Mendoll rode a horse that looked every bit a moving cloud. Chariine was a horse of such beauty it paled to the most glorious sunsets he had ever seen. She looked like a shinning ghost as she strode on the dirt road, her hooves making virtually no sound as they touched the earth below her.

  The horse was female and obviously very protective of Mendoll. So protective that it took a while to calm her down when Mendoll had begun to pack up the second horse. There was a mind behind those pale silver eyes, a mind that was far more than a mere horse. That much he could tell just by observing her. She had a mind that seemed to be almost human or perhaps something more. The only thing that worked to calm her down was Mendoll’s assurances that he would ride her and not the mare he was packing down with gear.

  They rode through the day as the suns made their way across the sky. Mach took delight in the scenery. The rolling fields were a remarkable sight to behold with colors of green that he had never imagined. Trees were scarce, but the ones that were around were blooming with petals with every coloration of red and pink. And with the suns above them, their lights glinted off of each blade of grass and leaf in the trees. It looked to him as if they were traveling through paradise.

  Though the hills looked like the ones behind them, something here delighted him with everything he looked upon. Something that almost felt like home.

  It was nearing mid-day when the group came upon a small stream. The small river led to a far larger one a few miles to the south that led across the country ending in the south sea on the western shores of Eldour.

  Though there were few trees on the plains, the low rolling hills nearer to the rivers held enough steady water to support trees and larger brush and it was here that the red and pinks of the leaves merged gracefully with yellows and greens that Mach was used to seeing back home.

  He and Mendoll dismounted their horses as Bastra landed gently beside them. That by itself surprised him, he would not have thought anything that large could be so silent when moving about.

  They removed the loads from their horses as they rested. As they were tying the two horses up, he noticed Mendoll talking to Chariine again. He could not hear him from where he stood but he assumed that the horse was somehow communicating back. He could only guess at what was being said between the two of them.

  He suddenly had an odd feeling that something more than mere words were being exchanged.

  He enjoyed the rest stop as much as he could, having never ridden a horse before he was already sore and unable to move more than a few feet at a time without gasping from one pain or another. Would he even be able to get himself back up on the horse when the time came?

  It was a peaceful rest. Most thoughts went to what was going on around him and not to anything else. He could see small fish skimming the top of the slow moving water of the stream. Birds above would dive for the fish when one would breach the surface, flying off with the days meal.

  Not all attempts were successful. These birds were not like the gulls near Selane, who were skilled enough that they could dive under the water for their meals. He had to feel a little sorry for these birds as he saw them fail again and again in their attempts to gain a meal.

  He only noticed that few animals were to be seen as he sat looking at the world around him. He would have thought there to be more out here on the plains this close to such a large water source.

  He had heard tales of the plains of Eldour. In most of them, the plains seemed to be teeming with life. Rabbits and Osi were normally abundant out here as well but there was no sign of either. Osi, being birds large enough that a human could actually ride, could be seen from a good distance away. They could only carry a single person without any gear, so they were not used too often in heavy transport. But, they were faster than horses and far smarter than most of the beasts known to these lands so scouts and messengers often used them for quick transportation.

  Well, they aren’t as smart as Chariine. That horse looked smarter than most Humans he knew.

  All too soon the he and Mendoll were back upon their steeds riding eastward, Bastra would be in the air shortly after the other two started out. Chariine looked a little happier to Mach's eyes, whatever Mendoll had said to her had helped a great deal in calming her nerves, she was no longer casting dark looks back at the other horse.

  The low rolling plains had turned to deeper hills before dusk came that afternoon. Large rolling hills as far as the eye could see flowed out before them. Bastra landed as the third sun was dipping into the horizon, landing again with such silence that was astounding to witness.

  As they made camp for the night Bastra related what he could see from high above. The northern fort was already within sight, the torchlight from the walls could already be seen in the growing darkness.

  Of course you can, Mach thought darkly. You are way up there gliding on the winds instead of down here with your ass bruised from riding a bouncing horse all day. He did not dare say it out loud for fear of offending the Gargoyle or of being knocked about. He was sure that anyone of that size, no matter how much restraint they used, could level a human easily without meaning to.

  There was also the fact that he did not want to be thought ungrateful to any of them. They were allowing him to stay with them despite his uselessness.

  The camp was set and with it a meal of dried meats, spring water, and some wild fruit that Mach had found earlier that evening near the stream. He lay there for what felt like hours dwelling on all that had occurred. He had barely noticed that the red moon was falling over the horizon into the southwest and the moon of storms was already high above him brightening the sky quite a bit with its yellow glow.

  Mach fell asleep quickly after rolling over onto his side, his day having been more exhausting than he ever could have expected.

  His mind’s eye saw the most vivid of dreams before he had even truly fallen asleep. Almost like the one he had a few nights ago with the forest man, he dreamed that he was following a pack of wolves. He was alone against a pack of near fifty. Something he knew he would never do while he was in his right mind.

  These were not any of the wolf breeds he remembered living near Selane, however. Those were brown coated, or a variation of that color, sometimes grey. These, however, were black. By the looks of their hackles and the way the slinked across the ground, they were far more vicious than the ones Mach had seen before. Their snarling jaws were dripping with saliva and foam and their eyes were staring blankly into the night.

  It was unnerving to be among them whether or not they knew he was there.

  The full darkness of night had set upon the green fields but with the moon above shining down he could see as well as if it were daytime. These wolves were stalking something just over the hill ahead of them. Probably dangerously large creature if there were this many wolves on the hunt. They crested the hill that looked remarkably like the one that Mach’s group was resting beside
.

  The leader of the pack sunk low to the ground and crawled on its belly to the top of a hill. The others followed slowly, keeping several paces from the leader. Mach crept slowly toward the crest and saw the shadowy outline of travelers.

  One was far larger than a horse, with wings that looked as though they could feed half a dozen wolves by themselves. Two others lay on the ground. He could not see anything that he could use to describe the bodies, though they were familiar to him. Three horses stood off in the distance tied to a lone tree. One of them was as white as a pearl.

  Mach woke suddenly, his eyes snapping open wide in fear. His mind was foggy, his body was sorer than he could ever remember being in his entire life. It was still night, the moon above still glowing brightly and another coming up rising on the horizon, bright blue against the black sky.

  He sat there for a moment looking around. There was something unsettling about the night. It was completely silent other than the deep, low snoring that came from Bastra. The first signs of dawn were beginning to creep up the western skies. First sunrise would be up in an hour or so. He thought it odd that it was so silent out. There should be some animals around, birds or something making noises as they wake for the day. Or else night animals settling in before the suns rise.

  He looked around at Bastra, sitting there fast asleep, about ten yards away from him. His wings folded over his body like a thick blanket. For a moment he thought it resembled the beast he had seen in his dreams. If he were farther away, perhaps up on the hills over in the distance, he knew that Bastra would look identical...

  Mach looked a little harder and realized with fear that the beast he had seen in his dream was Bastra. Odd shapes could barely be seen through the light of the blue moon rising over the hill, their shadows blurring enough to make them almost indistinguishable from the rocks that sat everywhere on the hill.

  He reached for his sword under his sleeping wrap and unsheathed it. Slowly he edged to the other sleep wrap and whispered Mendoll’s name. The Healer was apparently in a deep sleep, deep enough to not respond. He raised his voice slightly and shook Mendoll’s shoulder. He did not want to startle the wolves into an attack if he could avoid it.

  He hoped and prayed that he was wrong and they were not out there, that it was his imagination that he had seen the wolves looking down at their camp. On the other hand, he hoped they were there. If they were not, than perhaps he was going mad.

  Bastra stirred slightly at the small noises he was making but remained asleep. He could hear the horses moving around and pawing the ground restlessly. They knew something was out there hunting them. They knew that at any moment there would be a life and death struggle.

  Mach looked over at the horses. Though the light was poor, he could see right into Chariine's bright silver eyes. She was not tethered to anything but there was such fear in her eyes he did not think that she could move. Her eyes were filled with as much fear as Mach felt, his heart beat against his ribs violently. She was paralyzed with a fear that almost overwhelmed him.

  The two horses whined into the night and as if their cries were the cue, he watched as several dozen wolves crested over the top of the hill and charged down at them, the light of the yellow moon shining brightly above them all. In the blink of an eye, the wolves were rushing down the hill. Chariine and the other horses went mad with fear.

  The cry from Chariine was loud enough that it finally woke Mendoll and Bastra. The two were up on their feet and ready to fight as though they had never been asleep at all.

  Mach was on his feet a moment later shaking and panting for breath. He stood there, his left leg held lightly on the ground, his right leg was steady on the earth floor, his knee bent and ready to leap at a moment’s notice. He readied his blade with the point toward the ground, his body turned toward the wolves and ready for the attack.

  Mendoll’s stood ready, his body seemingly calm. Though he was older than anyone Mach had ever known, he looked as formidable and deadly as Bastra as he stood waiting for the wolves to reach them, a sword glinting softly in the pale moonlight.

  Bastra was... had disappeared! There was no hint of where the Gargoyle had gone. He had not known Bastra for very long, only for a few days. However, he would never have thought the Gargoyle to be a coward.

  His surprise to see the Gargoyle missing left Mach as quickly as it had come. He turned his eyes back at the group of wolves charging down the hill in time to witness something large and winged plow into the group from above.

  Earth and dust rose into the air as the glint of a spearhead flashed in the dull light through the dust from the moons. Bastra slashed and stabbed at anything within reach. The pack scattered to avoid the Gargoyles wrath, though some of them were not so lucky.

  As he watched in fear and awe, Bastra impaled two wolves with a single stroke. Swinging his spear, he used the weight of the dead or dying wolves to smash another into the ground. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before.

  The rest of the wolves fell upon Mach and Mendoll a few moments later. He put his training to the test and using techniques that he learned in the basic combat training, he swung his blade, catching a wolf square in the jaw and slicing the beast’s face open. Blood spurted everywhere instantly soaking into cloth and earth alike.

  The one thing that the guards of Eldour could not ready him for was blood. He froze for a moment, blood dripping down his front and face from the spray that came from the now dead wolf in a trance, his stomach aching and already trying to expel all that was within it. He stood there too long, long enough for another wolf to lunge at his face. He had no time to react and it was only the flash of a spear tip as it slashed out in front of him that saved his life.

  With a thrust that skewered the wolf completely through its chest, Bastra seized the beast mere inches from Mach’s face. “Pay attention boy!” Bastra growled flinging the wolf from his spear and hitting another with the corpse.

  Snapping out of his trance, Mach brought his mind back to what was happening around him. He cut down several wolves with a series of slashes and swings, each strike bringing him closer to loosing the tender control of his will.

  The blood that covered the ground was a recipe for bad footing. A sudden fierce pain shot through his body. A single wolf had found its way around the group and bit him on the back of the leg. Between the wolf’s weight and the blood soaked ground, Mach fell to the ground and twisted his body in an attempt to lose the wolf. As searing pain shot up his leg, he turned and sliced the wolf's head off with a single swing. Blood spurted from its head instantly covering him from head to toe in the crimson liquid.

  The battle was intense but quick. Before he had even realized it, the wolves that had not been slain were running up the hills away from the group, tripping over each other in their effort to get away from the blood bath.

  The horses, having pulled their reigns free in fright, had fled and were now running in the opposite direction of the wolves’ flight. Chariine’s white glow could be seen between the other two, whether she was running for her life or protecting the other two was not certain. But if he had been in her place he knew he would have ran far sooner than she had.

  Bastra took to the air quickly, being the only one who could catch any horse at full gallop,. Mendoll, on the other hand, took on the duty of cleaning Mach up.

  “Looks like a decent wound you got here.” Mendoll said calmly as he inspected Mach’s leg through the cloth. “If you can’t lift the pant leg up over the wound, I am afraid you are going to need to drop your pants. I need a clear view of the wound to be able to do anything and I know that your pants will get in the way. Of course I could do it without you doing that, if you want a manly scar there?”

  Mach chuckled painfully at Mendoll’s words. “That is fine, I can do without the scar.” He hissed as he moved slightly to do as Mendoll had asked. “Too bad I was not wearing the leggings you two got me.”

  “Too bad indeed.” Mend
oll said as he dropped his pants with an effort not to pass out, moved his leg toward the Healer, and further into the moonlight. “You were up before I was. Are you an early riser by nature?” Mendoll asked without looking into Mach's eyes.

  He did not want to say anything about his dream. He did not know if what he had was a vision or not. Visions were supposed to be one of the magics that the Mages of old had. But, if there was any chance that he had used some kind of magic...

  Well, it is better if no one found out about it. He merely nodded when Mendoll looked up at him. The sounds of hoof beats broke the silence. Bastra had rounded up the horses quickly with the help of Chariine.

  “A simple thing this will be, to heal the wound that is. It does not look as deep as it could have been.” Mendoll said before placing his left hand over his leg. Mendoll stared right at the wound and began to chant softly under his breath. As Mendoll’s eyes closed slightly Mach gasped as his leg began to glow around the wound and a feeling of numbness began to spread through his whole body, relieving him of most of his pain.

  An odd feeling of kinship also spread through Mach as he thought he felt something from the magic Mendoll was performing. Deep down it felt as though he knew how this magic worked, how it was performed. He looked at the Healer himself and got that same feeling of kinship. It was as though he had found a long lost uncle.

  He snapped his mind back to the healing in time to witness the glow fading from his leg and the complete disappearance of the wound that had been there a moment earlier. As Mendoll had said, not even a scar remained in the pale moonlight from above.

  “What in the hell were those things doing out here?” Bastra asked as he tied the horses to the lone tree.

  “What do you mean?” Mach asked.

  Mendoll answered, looking in the direction the wolves fled. “Those wolves are not the type to hunt in such a large group. On top of that, they do not normally come this far south and west. The border normally stops them from coming this way as well. The lands of Sirunre cannot hold enough life to feed such a group. Not to mention it would take a long time to get here from where they normally live.”

  “So you are saying,” Mach began “that those wolves crossed that river, the one we are going to be crossing?”

  “Yes, and apparently they have been on this side for a while now,” Mendoll explained, “I have heard rumors of black wolves stalking travelers for at least half a year now. However, why they would even be over on this side is beyond me. They are normally found further east and north, well north of the Sedan Forests in fact.

  “Well” Bastra said stretching his massive wings to their fullest extent as he yawned, the shadow that formed behind him was massive and only made the Gargoyle more imposing to look at. “Since we are up anyways and sunrise is not far off, we might as well get ready to head out.”

  As the suns began to shine from the western horizon, Mach and Mendoll were riding to the northern most guard post. In the daylight it was easy to see the tell tale signs of the wolf packs passing as Mendoll pointed them out.

  He did not know if it was only here that these signs were located or if he had just not seen them until now. But there was definitely areas that looked as though something large had died and had been eaten, all that remained in those spots would be bones and a dark spot on the grass. Could he have missed these signs earlier?

  It seemed that those wolves had been here for a while. Mach thought he had even caught a glimpse of something large off on a distant hill or perhaps a group of some things. Perhaps it was merely a bear or an oxen of some kind. Whatever it was, it did not stay in the open for very long.

  Before mid-day the high hills had turned into hills that were almost flat. The first signs of the fort also came into view. The wooden barrier fence could be seen as they rode over top one of the taller hills.

  The fort stood on the outskirts of a large forested area. The forts walls stood like the walls of a small city. Wood spikes the width of a small tree rose out of the ground and into the air at least thirty feet stood side by side others making the fort look impenetrable. A stone wall rose just beyond the spikes where men were walking the battlements, spears and bows in hand. Every soldier on the wall was on alert for anything that may come from the forest boundaries.

  The day had already turned hot and humid as they drew nearer the fort and it was a relief to see the clouds rolling in, dark and inviting with rain. By the time they reached the fort the winds had picked up considerably and the scent of rain had thickened in the air.

  A group of men stood at the forts west gate to greet them, if greeting anyone was even on their minds. One of the men stood out among the group. He was tall and muscular like most of the soldiers. However, his eyes drew his attention away from the others that stood waiting.

  Mach had odd eyes, silver like the passing clouds on winter day. This man's eyes, however, were odder still. His eyes reminded Mach of a hawk, black as deepest night, piercing and always watchful. He even had a slightly pointed nose that emphasized the hawk-like look. When he spoke his voice was more like a bear’s growl than anything else. “I am Captain Kenry. What business do you have in this area?”

  “We come from the palace, Kings' business.” Mendoll answered. “Guardian Bastra, from Madtu,” Mendoll gestured at Bastra. “This is Mach Derune, of Selane. And I am Mendoll Alstair, Mage of the High Court to the King. All three of us are here on the Kings orders.”

  “Ah!” the Captain said, a look of understanding came to the man’s eyes. “In that case, greetings, come in.,” he said turning to the fort. “OPEN THE GATES!” Then turning back to the group he beckoned them into the fort as the wooden gates creaked open, “what can we do for you this day.”

  Mendoll dismounted as he spoke, Mach followed the Healers example and dismounted with a sigh of relief and pain. “We require rest for us and our horses. We are in need of a meal and perhaps a bath. If one of your arms masters is available, I would like them to give a few combat lessons for the child.”

  Mach actually liked the idea of a little more training, but he did not care for being referred to as a child. However, the incident on the plains was enough for him to hold his tongue. Moreover, he reminded himself that if he ever found the bastard that attacked his home, he wanted to be able to tear him to bits and make him suffer for what he had done. And that would take far more experience than what he currently had.

  “We also need any information you have on the forest, the river and anything beyond.” Bastra added.

  The Captain stopped dead in his tracks “Sirunre?” he said, turning around and looking up at Gargoyle’s face.

  “You heard me right,” Bastra replied. “We have business there that needs more information than we currently have.”

  The Captain only thought a moment before he realized what Bastra was saying. With concern in his voice he gave his answer as more understanding seemed to come to him. “Yes sir, I will brief you later tonight on what we have gathered between the forts. I shall leave you until then. Until we see each other, our facilities are at your disposal.” He bowed to Mendoll and Bastra and walked away.

  Two men took the horses’ reigns and walked away with their packs. He was ushered away by another man right to the training square where he was immediately put to a heavy workout. One that was far harder than what he had experienced with the capital guards.

  It was apparent that the soldiers here were more experienced in combat than the ones in the capital. The exercises they put him through looked similar to the kind that his father had often used to ready himself for a trip out to sea.

  His training session lasted throughout the afternoon. Although it was a short lesson compared to what he had been given at the capital, Mach felt he learned far more and gained a lot more confidence in his own skills. By the time night came, he was sorer and more tired than he could have imagined and quite ready to drop off to sleep. The smell of cooking meats made his mouth water and he found himself walki
ng longingly toward the meal hall thinking he would enjoy a quick meal before sleeping the night away.

  Before he could reach the meal hall, however, a boy younger than himself ran up to him. The boy could not have been any older than fourteen or fifteen years old and was already working harder than most of the boys back home. “Sir, the Captain wants to see you in his chambers. Your comrades are already there waiting for you.” Without another word the boy turned heel and ran off.

  Mach quickly found his way to the Captain’s quarters with the aid of two of the soldiers. It was there he found Captain Kenry, Bastra, Mendoll, and a soldier who looked more like a hunter than a military man. The new man had long brown hair and a wild grizzled look to his face. His clothing set him apart from the soldiers of the encampment as well. They were lighter than the standard issued clothing of the guards and were more of a molted brown. He looked like he had far more maneuverability and control in those clothes and he could surely blend into most wilderness territories. Just the kind of clothing Mach would have thought a scout would wear.

  “Have a seat, Mach,” the Captain said motioning for Mach to sit at a table that a map had been laid out. “Get something to eat on your way over.”

  In between the door and the table, another table sat laden with an assortment of meats, fruits, and cheeses. There was also a large pitcher of what smelled like ale. Mach walked over and gladly helped himself to a bit of everything. His plate was soon overflowing with a bit of everything and his stomach grumbled desperately to be filled with what he had.

  He had not realized just how hungry he was until he saw the look on Mendoll’s face and he noticed just how much food he had gotten. The old man looked up at him with humor in his eyes and he smiled sheepishly. Aside from the quick meal that morning before heading out before sunrise, he had not eaten anything the entire day. It was expected that he would have an appetite of a lion.

  He sat down with his plate and began devouring his meal. They had actually been waiting for him, the moment he sat down the Captain began the discussion.

  “So,” the Captain said. “You are heading to the other side.” He said as a fact rather than a question. “And before you say anything, Lord Bastra, this is your guide.” He said with a gesture at the scout.

  “What for?” Mach asked through a mouth full of food.

  The scout answered with a grin. “Not many people have been in those woods, especially recently. Not to mention that there are dangers in there that even the veterans here at the fort would not want to deal with. Besides, I am the only one out of the three forts to have gone all the way into Sirunre and come back. Granted, I have not been too far into those lands, but I am still the most knowledgeable of what lay beyond. I might add that I may also be able to get you through with the least amount of trouble.”

  There was something about this man that Mach liked. He seemed to be the kind of man that followed his own heart and to hell with everyone else. He reminded Mach of his father. At least, what he remembered of Dan.

  Mendoll smiled ruefully. “And in doing so, I presume you have a way to cross?”.

  The scout nodded. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. But not for your steeds, I’m afraid.”

  “That is fine. I was expecting to have to leave them here anyways.” Mendoll replied.

  “Good. I have one thing that I require from you,” the man said and Bastra looked at him speculatively.

  Bastra glared at the scout. “Which is?”

  The scout did not waver as he stared at Bastra. “I come with you three. I have been unable to get far into Sirunre, not many here are willing to cross the river with me, let alone go deeper into that territory. I want to know more of those lands. In a group such as yours, I will be able to survey what is over there with less chance of falling victim to an attack.”

  Mendoll spoke before Bastra, which Mach thought was a good thing, for Bastra seemed to be getting annoyed with this individual. “You may, but any information you might hear from us is to be kept silent, by order of the king. At this moment, you won't even be able to tell him of what is being done over there.” He said nodding to Captain Kenry.

  The scout looked for a moment at his captain before turning his eyes back to Mendoll. “That is fine with me. Captain Kenry understands the importance of silence in and out of the field.”

  Mach was beginning to like this man all the more as the conversation went on. He just seemed so much like his father, if it were not for the fact that they looked nothing alike, Mach could have thought them to be brothers.

  “Deal, so long as you are good with a blade, of course.” Mendoll said.

  “Don’t worry about that. I dare say I am better than any other here with the sword.” The man said with a mock bow. “I used to be the arms master for all three of the forts.”

  “Good, than one more condition.” Bastra said, with a challenging tone in his voice. “You are to teach the lad combat and survival while you are in our group. He is strong and has the courage needed to face just about anything, but he is lacking in technique and stamina.”

  The man looked curiously at Mach for a moment before agreeing. “That will be fine with me. Better to train one man with heart than to train a bunch of idiots that just don’t care. But there is still the matter of the hydra.”

  “So it is not just mere rumor?” Mendoll asked

  The man sighed. “No, it is not a rumor. I have actually come face to face with that beast.”

  “Then we deal with it when it comes. I think it will work out fine if we move carefully.” Bastra said.

  “Good, since that is settled, will you leave tomorrow?” The Captain asked.

  “Yes, we want to leave at first light.” Mendoll said. “Since you will be with us when we leave, we can speak in more detail later about what we are planning and what is over there. For now, I think we could all use some rest. We still have a lot to do.”