Champions of Serenity :Gathering the Circle

Chapter 36

The rain stung as it hit the five companions. It was darker than a moonless night and near the top of the highest peak of the Shadow-dream Mountains. The trees had long since given up trying to find a home in the thin soil that clung to the rock surface of the point of this mountain. Lightening began to flash, hitting the unprotected ground, spitting up chunks of stone and sending them flying into the darkness like a child might toss a handful of pebbles into a puddle.

“There, to the right. I think I saw a cave in that last flash of lightening. It could be the only safe place here until this storm passes.”

Airidon nodded tiredly and directed Fini to lead them to the cave he found. He offered a silent plea for help from Tukwilles and Perlish to get them through this storm and safely to the other side of the mountains. He had never really thought about the gods until his path had been crossed by Tris and a goddess touched his life. Now, he couldn’t help but think of them all the time, wondering if they were real and if they were truly watching out for those they called children.

“At least your child calls to you for help, mine doesn’t even think of me.” Ne stated as she carefully parted the clouds a few mountain tops away and broke the power of the storm. In a short time, the weather would break and the heroes would be able to continue on their way.

“It has only been a recent event, Ne. And Serenity has a greater claim to him now that I ever did.” Tukwilles mourned softly and breathed a little more strength into Airidon’s failing spirits.

“Quit complaining, we are here to help the heroes, not bemoan the fact that many on the world have forgotten us. Perhaps with the Champions finally established, more will turn back to us.” Haras said simply and stirred her caldron of seasons, turning the chill of fall into the warmth of spring, at least for a few hours to help the hope of Sandeenai. “And I for one would far rather it be these seven we know and the one we don’t than for Chaos’s child to come to power. He frightens me, more than I can give word to.”

All the gathered gods and goddesses agreed, Dreybrenic Greshinea was someone they didn’t ever want to have total power over Father’s world. Quaird looked around for Chaos and not seeing him wondered what he was doing now.

Chaos was waiting for Greshinea to return to his home in the Trevos Mountains. When his servant returned, he would have words with the fool. He just wasn’t sure yet what those words were going to be.

“This isn’t natural.” Fini said as he watched from the cave opening. The rain had stopped and the biting winds had changed.

“Perhaps it’s the gods. After all, we are supposedly on a quest for them, looking for a prophecy that must affect them in some way. Have a little faith, Fini, and maybe we will have more help from them.” Airidon said, clapping his hand over Fini’s shoulder and then went back to the fire.

Fini looked up into the clear sky, noting the color of blue was the inviting blue of spring rather than the watery blue of near winter. He glanced back at Airidon and then shrugged. It was a better explanation than most and it might even be true. With that in mind, Fini offered a silent prayer of thanks to TeTua for his mercy on him.

Shrina kicked back at Jehro as she stared at the back of the cave. Something about the crack didn’t look right to her and she didn’t like it. “Ouch, what was that for, Shrina?”

“Come look at this, Jehro. I could swear it is three fingers wider than it was when we first came in here.” Shrina hissed, pointing to the back wall.

“What are you talking about, Shrin….. DUCK!” Jehro grabbed Shrina by the back of her tunic and threw her to the ground. The smell of singed hair filled his nose and he reached up and cursed as part of his hair smoldered because he was too close.

Another fire bolt followed the first into the cave, but by then, the companions had been warned and stayed clear of it. Tyra picked up the bow and several arrows she had been learning to use and fired them into the crack. They all heard the satisfying cries of someone being hit behind the stone wall.

“Smells like Trolls to me.” Jehro offered, gathering his things together. “There must be a tunnel through this part of the mountains and if we can find and use it, it could cut several days off of our journey.” He offered, drawing his short sword and having it ready for a possible fight.

Airidon looked at the others and they all shrugged. “Okay, I think that fighting some trolls would be safer than dealing with the elements again. Now all we need to do is figure out how to open it up further.”

Fini sighed softly and moved to the front of the group. He rested his hands against the cold stone, feeling the roughness under his palm and fingertips. Closing his eyes, he rested his face against the stone between his hands and took several deep breaths.

The growl of stone moving and settling filled the cave. One part of each of those in the cave felt a panic and thought about something called an earthquake. The other part only tried to hold on as the ground moved under their feet, all but Fini that is. He was more stone than human at that point, his whole being given over to melding with the mountain.

Suddenly the ground stopped moving and the back of the cave opened with a loud pop. A litter strewn tunnel led down into the heart of the mountain, and two bodies, pierced with arrows, lay on the floor.

Airidon moved and caught Fini as he sagged and almost fell. He then offered the Druid some water and they all waited until Fini was steady enough on his feet to enter the tunnel.

“I hate having to do that. It’s much easier working with water than with stone. Do you have any idea of how much stone argues?” Fini said finally, taking one last pull on the water skin and running his hands over his face. “Okay, let’s see where this leads.”

The darkness of the tunnel embraced them completely. Only the small flicker of flame from the torches carried by Shrina and Jehro gave any hint of light at all. Something about the darkness seemed to suppress the light, trying to swallow it whole.

“Someone is watching us.” Tyra said simply. The small hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end and she could almost feel fetid breath against her skin. She moved to be closer to Fini, a little surprised at how quickly she had bonded with him and enjoying every minute of it.

Airidon stopped walking and listened to the silence around him. It had a different sound to it and reaching out, he couldn’t feel the sides of the tunnel like he had before. The others had also stopped and were waiting for their leader of the moment.

Darkness like a miasma surged forth and the two torches could no longer sustain the fight. The soft hiss of breath from Shrina echoed around them as if they were standing in a vaulted cathedral and somewhere nearby water dripped into a pool. The sour smell of hundreds of unwashed bodies and rotting food was almost palpable and coated the backs of their noses and throats like a scum.

On impulse, Airidon sheathed his swords and held his hands out to his sides. “We don’t mean you any harm. We are on a quest to find a lost companion.” His voice echoed in a vastness that even daunted the darkness. “Put up your weapons.” He hissed to his companions and heard the fumbling of steal being sheathed near him.

Time seemed to stop and speed up at the same time. It felt like only moments and yet an eternity before something else happened. The steady drip of water and the ebb and flow of darkness the only distractions for the companions.

The sudden flare of light hurt their eyes and blinded them for a time and they heard harsh laughter surrounding them. Jehro blinked the tears from his eyes and shifted his gaze around the room until he was able to focus.

When all five could see again, they found themselves in a cavern that appeared to be the entire mountain hollowed out. Wicked looking stalactites hung like dragon’s teeth from the darkness that was the ceiling of this place. Water dripped down one of them and landed in a pool, both the drips and the pool blood red with the minerals washing away with the moisture.

In front of them on a raised platform was a throne of beaten silver sat the king of the Trolls. His crown a weaving of raw gems and rare woods, in one hand a sword the size of Airidon and in the other a haunch of venison. He gestured with the meat, the point of his sword digging into the stone by his feet as his other arm rested along the hilt.

“Who are you to invade my lands, kill my scouts, and then trespass in my home?” The words were thick with guttural growls as he spoke in the common tongue rather than his native language. He tore a huge strip off of the haunch with teeth sharpened to match the deadly points of the roof of his home.

Airidon stepped forward and bowed to him. The other Trolls laughed at this but the King shut them up with a rough word in their native tongue. Airidon looked up and met the eyes of the King before speaking.

“I am Airidon and these are my companions. We have been gathered from the corners of the world by forces unknown to us. The only thing we know is that the self-made Emperor wants us all dead and has spared nothing to achieve this end. We had with us another girl, but she was lost to us on the plains near Uguam. We have heard of her in Tealshire and this was the most direct path. Forgive us for not knowing your ways and for protecting ourselves against your scouts. It was not our intentions to harm anyone on our journey.”

King Jossher looked over the group and considered their words. He had been watching them since they set foot in the mountains and they didn’t have the look or feel of one of Greshinea’s patrols. In fact, just the opposite as a patrol was headed toward their front door even as they spoke. Then he remembered their weapons and a large smile broke his face, he would let them deal with each other and if this Airidon person was what he said he was; Jossher would allow them safe passage through his lands.

“Those are brave words coming from such a small people. I will trust you are what you say and have two of my warriors guide you to a way out. It will cut your journey by more than half and get you out of my lands.” He waved his hand and one warrior jumped up and Jossher whispered something in his ear. Both men laughed and the warrior snapped his fingers and another joined him. They walked to a side tunnel and waited for Airidon and the others to catch up to them.

“We thank you, Mighty King. May you have peace in these dark days.” Airidon bowed again and all five followed the two warriors into the tunnel.

Jehro didn’t trust Jossher or his guards. He didn’t hear what was said, but he knew that it was some kind of trap they were being led to. He could see a fight in all three of the Troll’s minds and knew that they were either going to ambush the companions or set them up for some other ambush just outside of their lands. So with the plan to not be caught without some back up, Jehro hung back from the others and stayed in the shadows to spring a surprise on whoever was planning on surprising them. But he kept feeling that he wasn’t alone in the shadows and that bothered him.

At the end of the tunnel, one of the warriors tapped out the sequence that would open the magical doors. When the doors started to open, both warriors nodded to Airidon and then vanished down yet another side tunnel, leaving the five alone to face whatever was out there.

Jehro drew his two poisoned daggers from the pouch at his waist. He whirled and looked behind him at the whispered chuckle and not seeing or sensing anything, he looked back in time to see Tyra being pulled from the tunnel by a man’s arm in the tunic of Greshinea’s service. This was the trap, Handsome had sent men against Jossher and he thought to be rid of them all so set them up against each other. Harmless when other things had been considered.

With a cry of rage, Jehro rushed into the weak autumn sunlight and struck out at the man holding Tyra, drawing just enough blood for the poison to go to work. His distraction was all that was needed for the others to reach their weapons and the fight was joined.

A biting wind smelling of snow carried the cries of the last dying man away with it. Shrina pulled her dagger out of the man’s chest and wiped it clean on his tunic. All five were there and unhurt and the patrol was dead. It almost felt like old times until she saw the face of one of the dead elite guards.

“Who did this?” She demanded, walking over and pointing at the man. He was dead but there was no mark on him, anywhere. His eyes were open and the horror on his face was obvious.

Jehro looked around again as he heard yet another chuckle sound on the wind. He frowned as the only thoughts he read were those of his companions and the only emotions he felt were fatigue and wish for the killing to end. But he knew, somehow, they weren’t alone.

“I think we had some help. I just don’t know who it was or where that person is.” He offered, cleaning his own weapons and returning them to their pouch and sheath.

“Well, whoever it was rolled him as well. He’s the only one who isn’t carrying a pouch with coin in it.” Shrina added as she tucked the last of the spoils into her tunic for safe keeping.

“We are only a day from Tealshire.” Fini said wonderingly as he stood. He pulled some pine needles from his hair and brushed some dried moss off of his beard. “At least that Troll was right about that part of his aid.”

“I say we go back and teach him a lesson in manners.” Shrina started.

“No, we have to find that prophecy so we can get Tris back with us, Shrina. Keep focused on the goal at hand. Would you rather get into a fight with the entire Troll nation or find Tris and get her back?” Airidon asked. “Fini, can you take us out of these mountains before night fall? I would rather not trespass any further on Troll lands if I can help it.”

Without another word, Fini picked up his staff and started walking down to the valley floor. Once again, Jehro took the rear and kept listening for anything that would give away whoever it was who had been following them.

They camped by the river that night, half a day’s walk from Tealshire and the next stage of their journey. Jehro didn’t speak of his feelings of not being alone anymore to anyone, but it did bother him.

He went through their packs as they slept and found nothing unusual and decided not to push his luck and took nothing from them. He did think about lifting a couple of the pouches of coin from the one called Shrina, but decided she could keep them. There were always others he could relieve of the burden of coin. Something about these people drew him. He wasn’t about to follow them to Catira, but he would wait for them to return and then follow them again. But he had to be more careful, one of them suspected him.

Sheagnek chuckled as she watched the Shadow meet with the group. Chaos was going to have a fit when he saw how disrespectful this champion was. Then again, Sheagnek thought, Chaos was already too invested in these champions; perhaps the Shadow was the one that would finally be the one to make Chaos think twice about meddling further.

Then another though struck the goddess. The Shadow would also keep the First on her toes. His irreverence by simply being would threaten what she considered necessary calm. She couldn’t wait until the two of them met.