***
After lunch, they rode on until dinner. The grass grew deeper and the soil turned boggy. The dense fog returned, rolling in from the mountains with a vengeance and obscuring everything--an unnatural fog that felt cold and evil against the skin. Ominous purple clouds gathered in the sky to the sound of thunder, and lightning split the air in the distance. They stopped to camp near some stone ruins marked by a towering and crumbling statue of a Grey Dwarf holding a battering ram in two hands. They set up their tents in the shadow of this ancient warrior, yet no one wanted to end up like Faindan Stillsword, and so they stayed away from the ruins. The Dwarf's stone battering ram extended out over the camp, vines hanging from it--as if guarding Dremlock's Knights from the lightning.
Once the horses were fed and the tents set up for the evening, the Knights noticed Prince Vannas was missing. A panic spread throughout the camp, and they began a frantic search for him in the fog. No one saw him depart, and this led to fears that he had been abducted by a servant of the Deep Shadow--perhaps some foul Goblin that had crept down from the mountains. Lothrin was especially distraught, blaming himself for not keeping close enough watch over the prince.
"How could he just vanish?" asked Lothrin. The lean Ranger's face was pale, hinting at some deep fear he refused to reveal to the others.
"We will find him," Lannon reassured him, though he wasn't so certain. Dread gripped his heart, whispering to him that something was very wrong--almost like the voice of the Deep Shadow trying to cast doubt in his mind. The cold, clingy fog seemed to carry a message of doom for the Divine Knights.
They searched for an hour on foot--using every method at their disposal, including the Eye of Divinity. Although they located the prince's trail, it ended abruptly at a small river--as if he had entered the rapidly flowing water and not emerged again. This led to speculation that he may have gone into the water to wash himself and then had somehow drowned.
Lannon again scanned the water and the grassland beyond, but could glimpse no trace of Prince Vannas or his dead body. He shook his head. "It's almost like he has vanished completely from the world. I don't understand."
"His body could have been washed downstream," said Bekka. "I suggest we move along the river."
Another highly ranked Blue Knight--named Wreld Greendagger--knelt by the steam, his expression glum. "I'm not ready to search for a body yet. No, our prince has to be alive! The White Flamestone would protect him."
"I doubt it would save him from drowning," said Bekka. "That is a fate that can happen to anyone--even a prince. When I was a child, my older brother drowned, and he was an excellent swimmer, strong and athletic. I always thought he was invincible. Yet something pulled him under--a strange current perhaps. There is no telling how deep this river gets in the middle."
Wreld rose, his face hardened with determination. He was stocky for a Blue Knight, with a bald head and a youthful face. "I refuse to believe that Prince Vannas died in such a manner."
Yet Lothrin looked deeply troubled. "Bekka is right, Wreld. Anyone can drown if they aren't being careful--and my cousin has been distracted lately. I could easily see him doing something foolish."
"You must try again, Lannon," said Vorden, as he paced back and forth. "He has to be around here somewhere...unless he was taken to that fortress in the mountains that Jace spoke of. I pray that's not the case."
Lothrin shuddered. "He might be better off drowned than to end up in a place like that. At least he would be at peace."
"Regardless," said Lannon, "I cannot find him. The water has washed away all traces of him, apparently." Nevertheless, he tried again--and failed.
"You found me quick enough," Taith pointed out. The boy was standing by the river, skipping stones across it.
"That was different," said Lannon.
"Why?" asked Taith.
"I don't know," said Lannon, gripped by frustration. "Sometimes a person's trail is easier to find. Sometimes the Deep Shadow can cloak the landscape and hide things. There is much about it I don't understand and never will."
"I don't like the sound of that," said Taith. "I guess that means I will end up like you and not know what I'm doing half the time."
Lannon had no reply for that.
"You're doing your best, Lannon," said Jace. "The Eye is always unpredictable, and many forces can interfere with it."
"If only there was a way to be rid of this blasted fog," said Daledus. "The prince could be very close to us, lying dead or injured, and we still wouldn't see him. The Deep Shadow seeks to cloak everything in confusion."
"If he was that close," said Aldreya, "I'm confident Lannon would find him. Therefore, he must have traveled beyond the range of the Eye--perhaps through the river to hide his tracks. He could have walked a great distance in the shallow water by the bank--perhaps for miles."
"Why would my cousin want to hide from us?" asked Lothrin. "Are you suggesting his mind has been claimed by the Deep Shadow?"
"That's always a possibility," said Aldreya. "Or something might have caused him to flee, perhaps to protect the rest of us."
"Aldreya is right," said Jace. "Even the prince is not immune to Tharnin. It can creep into a strong mind and lead one astray. I have seen it many times during the two centuries I have been alive. It doesn't necessarily mean he is lost forever. It could just as easily mean he is simply being led to his captivity or death and could still be saved. If we can find him in time..."
"This is a wretched turn of events," said Galvia. "Tharnin must not be allowed to gain possession of the White Flamestone."
Lothrin's eyes narrowed. "That, and I don't want my cousin to die. This isn't just about a Flamestone. A human life is at stake."
"Of course," said Galvia. "I'm as concerned as you are about him, Lothrin." The young Dwarf's smooth face reddened a bit, and she stepped over to Lothrin and squeezed his shoulder. "We will find him."
"Not standing around talking, we won't," Jerret muttered. He stood with sword in hand, looking both helpless and restless. "I'm with Wreld on this. I don't believe the prince simply drowned. I think an enemy took him."
"We need some wise ideas," said Jace, "so we can refine our search. Otherwise, we could wander until dark in this fog and more of us could get lost. We could end up straying far from camp and much time could be wasted."
The moments drifted by with Jace's pipe smoke.
"The wise ideas, Jace?" Aldreya reminded him.
Jace smiled. "Why don't you ever call me Uncle Jace anymore? Are you too important and grown up, now that you're the Green Knight of Ollanhar? You used to be my favorite Squire, and we got along so well--just like uncle and niece. It was a beautiful thing, really. I miss that, you know. Now you seem so...well, so much like a Birlote, and so distant to me." He gave a huge sigh.
Aldreya looked away, seemingly a bit embarrassed. "I'm not a child anymore, Jace. And we have a potential disaster on our hands, so let's stay focused on the important topic. So again--about those wise ideas?"
"Wise ideas," Jace mused, blowing pipe smoke at her and making her cough. "Unfortunately, I don't have any. I was hoping someone else did."
Looking frustrated, Aldreya glanced about at the others.
"I can lead a small group through the fog," said Lannon. "We can search until dark, and if we don't find him...return to camp I suppose. We'll start by traveling along the river."
"Count me in," said Lothrin.
"Of course," said Lannon.
"You'll need warriors," said Jerret, "in case you find trouble. Daledus, Galvia, Vorden, and I can handle that part of it."
Lannon nodded. "Aldreya, Dallsa, and Bekka should return to camp, though. I don't think it's wise to have the entire Council of Ollanhar wandering around in the fog and neglecting our campsite."
Bekka's face held a look of disappointment. "I understand."
Lannon realized what she was thinking, and he said, "Actually, why don't you come along too, Bekka? You're as good a fighter as an
yone."
"Prince Vannas might be injured," said Dallsa. "A healer could be needed."
"I guess we'll all go," said Lannon.
"No," said Aldreya. "I will return to the camp with the rest of the Knights. If you do not return by nightfall, we will search for you in the morning."
Lannon bowed, and they set off.