-- In Progress --



The Towers

Copyright (C) 1997 by Charles Tryon


15: Into the Rain

They headed out quickly, knowing that Sucaba was impatient. Raal continued to draw stares and hushed comments as they walked towards the southwest gates of the city, but the silent mage drew only looks of confusion. In his local garb, he almost looked out of place among them - the "local boy" heading out with the strangers. GreyEagle suppressed a chuckle as she listened to the whispered comments as they walked by.
After an hour or so, they reached the gate, they found Sucaba and Horton waiting for them. There was some delay at the gate itself as all carts and wagons were checked over carefully. From within the confines of a closely shuttered gate-house, someone was watching them. GreyEagle felt her skin creep as she was quickly waved through, wondering who it was that might be lurking behind that shuttered window, and what they saw. Trouble was detained for a few moments, as were Recuahc and Marianne, and GreyEagle wondered at the choice. Once they were passed, both Coyle and the silent one were forced to stand before the gate-house. Minutes ticked by while hushed conversations passed back and forth between those in the gate-house and those on the outside. Finally, they were all waved through. GreyEagle breathed a heavy sigh of relief as once again they faced the open road.
Recuahc looked back. "I wonder what that was all about. They must have been looking for something."
"Or someone." Laurel replied. "They seem none to trusting."
"Well," Recuahc chuckled, looking back at Trouble, "I just guess it's a good thing we kept our noses clean."
The mage gave him a, "Who, me?" look, but said nothing.
"I felt like they had undressed me," GreyEagle muttered, and then immediately wished that she hadn't. Trouble let out a loud laugh, and even Coyle suppressed a chuckle. She held her head up and glared straight ahead in silence.
The bridge was only a short distance from the city. Sucaba and Horton walked with them until they had reached the river, but once there, they quickly took to the air. They stood there for a short time, watching the dragon and rider shrink to a small dot in the sky and then finally vanish.
"Ah, the joy of the road," Conrad muttered. "Once again it is a joy to be lurched around on the back of this beast."
"It gets better," Trouble laughed. "We are going cross country now. You will soon wish for the taste of dust in your mouth."
Conrad scowled. "Well, at least this isn't a ship..." he muttered.
GreyEagle and Ormec led the way. They descended down from the road and followed the bank of the river. The undergrowth along the immediate bank was too thick for them to pass, but they were able to pick their way along a short distance from the bank, being careful to always keep it within sight. Across the river loomed the dark expanse of the Talar Woods, deep and foreboding. They had seen the woods from a distance as they had entered the city, but now close up, they could feel the chill of its evil reaching out to them across the water. GreyEagle was glad that they were on this bank and not the other.
The low bushes and brambles mad progress painfully slow, and GreyEagle felt as if they had gone almost nowhere by the time the sun touched the horizon. She tried to push on for a little while, but in the semi-darkness, the thorns and brambles became even worse, and they were quickly forced to halt. Sucaba found them without any trouble, and directed them a short distance from the banks of the river to a tiny clearing. They were not far from the forks, he told them, and would probably reach the fords he had found by late afternoon on the next day.
Over head, the clouds had been gathering all day. At first, they had been a welcome relief from the relentless beating of the sum, but GreyEagle had smelled rain. Now, as they set up camp, heavy drops of rain began to fall, and in a matter of minutes, dark thunderheads had rolled in, pelting them with a drenching rain.
Marianne tried to check on Recuahc, propping up a tarp with a stick while Coyle and the others hurried to set up something a little more sturdy for the night. He had been talking a little more during the day, returning to his usual stream of jokes and snatches of song. Now, even as Marianne changed his bandaged, he hummed softly, interrupted now and then by a quick grunt of pain as Marianne touched some particularly sensitive spot. GreyEagle checked on the horses, and was happy to see that they too were doing better. They had stopped frequently, and the soft grasses this near to the river were much better than the harsh fare they had managed to find along the road into Rethmar.
Laurel and the silent one managed to get a fire going and somehow kept it going long enough to cook some food. It was not exactly hot, but it was better than cold, and helped to ease the discomfort of the pounding rain. The tarps made a loud booming sound as the rain beat down on them.
They were just finishing eating when Sucaba returned from a short walk that he and Horton had taken into the surrounding brush. He stepped up to the fire and waved for them to gather around them. There was a curious glint in his eye as GreyEagle splashed through the muddy puddles which were spreading around the impromptu shelters they had built.
"I am going to create a shelter here."
"What's wrong with the ones we already have?" Conrad asked, looking back at the tarps. They were not perfectly waterproof, but as the water ran down his beard, he looked none too happy to be called out from under their shelter.
"You will see..." Sucaba grinned. "Recuahc, Marianne, Laurel, Trouble, Conrad, GreyEagle, Red and his... pet are to gather around me. The others will have to make due with what we have." Sucaba smiled at Ormec and Coyle. "I'm sure you won't mind, but the shelter will only hold so many people. Come! I cannot start until you are near me," he added impatiently.
Those named obeyed, with looks of confusion and uncertainty shared between them as they crowded around the mage. Marianne and Laurel helped Recuahc to his feet and he stumbled his way over, grinning broadly at the two women holding him up. GreyEagle continued to feel silly, standing out in the rain in her now soaked clothes, wondering what Sucaba might have in mind, and not at all sure she would like it.
The mage gave one last look at Horton before he began. "Sorry friend," he muttered half-heartedly. Horton gave him a disgusted look and then curled up a short distance from the sputtering remains of the fire to watch.
Coyle looked uncertain at first, but then he nodded. He picked out GreyEagle and gave her a wink. Somehow, that reassured GreyEagle, knowing that Coyle trusted him, at least in this case, and she tried to relax.
The silent one was the last one. For a moment, he stood watching Sucaba and the others, rain slowly and silently dripping from the broad rim of his hat. Slowly, a grin formed on his face. He gave Sucaba one last look, and then shook his head. Raal had been watching all this closely, and when the mage turned away, he let out a long hissing sigh. Muttering something about people's pride muddling their senses, the rat stomped off after the silent mage.
Sucaba grunted, but said nothing. Instead, he pulled out a small crystal bead from a pouch hidden deep within the folds of his cloak and began a low chant. He began to walk around the huddled group, tracing the outline of a wide circle in the air around them. He extended the circle up and slightly over their heads.
Then suddenly, he stopped. It was not until he turned and smiled at them that GreyEagle suddenly realized that it had stopped raining, and that she could no longer the sound of the wind. The air was a comfortable temperature, no hot like it had been during the day, nor cold like it had been in the rain only moments earlier.
The mage rased his hand and snapped his fingers and suddenly, a soft white light illuminated the area directly around them, forming the smooth outline of a dome.
Those within the newly formed dome looked at each other in amazement.
"You may come and go as you please," Sucaba announced. "The dome will provide safety from the elements, though it will not ward off enemies should they attack, though it will disguise our numbers. All that those outside of the dome can see is a solid block of black, which is my favorite color, of course," he added with a sly grin. With that, the mage sat down in the center of the dome and began to study the spell book that the mages had been sharing.
"Very impressive," Recuahc breathed. Still a little unsure of his legs, he carefully walked around the perimeter of the illuminated area, smiling and shaking his head.
GreyEagle was not sure what to make of the dome. "You said we can exit this dome, and then come back in?" she asked carefully. "It is not like the invisibility spell, which once broken can not be restored?"
"No," Sucaba snapped, not bothering to look up from his reading, "it is as I said. You can come and go as you please."
"Is there any reason why the others cannot come under the shelter once you have created it?"
Sucaba sighed and rolled his eyes. "Yes. The magic may fail if we try to bring in more people, and I do not wish to risk losing the shelter entirely."
GreyEagle stepped tentatively to the edge of the illumination. She paused for a moment, and then stepped forward into the darkness. Immediately, she could feel the sting of the rain beating on her face and shoulders.
She turned around and let out a squeak of surprise. Where the softly illuminated dome had been only a moment earlier, now stood a solid black form, somewhat soft around the edges, and shimmering faintly as glistening rivulets of rain ran down its sides. She slowly reached her hand out to the blackness in front of her, not knowing quite what to expect. She felt nothing as she penetrated the perimeter of the dome, but her hand suddenly vanished, and she quickly snatched it back. She looked at her hand, and nothing had changed.
Sucaba had said that she could re-enter the dome, but GreyEagle was still not quite sure. She could not bring herself to step straight into what appeared to be a solid object, so she closed her eyes, and slowly stepped forward.
Just as it had been the rain that she had noticed when she had stepped out, it was the rain that she noticed when she stepped back into the dome, or rather, the lack of it. She could see the soft light, even through her closed eyelids, and feel the warmth of the air. She slowly opened her eyes again, and blushed to think how foolish she must look.
She quickly sat down next to Marianne.
"So, it works?" Marianne whispered, smiling.
"Yes, though I wish there was more room for the others," GreyEagle whispered back.
"You mean Coyle?" Marianne grinned.
"Well, yes, but the silent one too."
Marianne looked over where Recuahc was resting. "I'm glad he could be in here."
"No doubt."
"Because he's hurt!" Marianne shot back.
"Yes, of course..." It was GreyEagle's turn to smile.
Marianne chuckled. "Get some sleep you. You will need it tomorrow." GreyEagle leaned back on the blanket that she had rolled out. There was no rain inside the dome, but the ground was still damp from before, and gave off a heavy odor. It wasn't unpleasant, but the lack of the normal night sounds was disconcerting. The others in the dome spoke softly against the quiet background crackle and hiss of the fire.
She looked over at Coyle under the canvass that they had set up. He sat with his back against a tree, staring at them. At first, she thought this strange, until she remembered that those outside of the dome could not see inside, and he wasn't really even looking at them. He looked lonely - not exactly sad or upset, but alone. They had started another fire outside of the dome, but it gave off more smoke than heat or light, in spite of the silent one's best efforts.
It was cozy inside of the dome, but seeing Coyle sitting by himself left an empty pit in GreyEagle's stomach. She looked over at where Marianne and Recuahc lay close together, and with a soft sigh, she got up and slipped from the dome.
She splashed quickly to the tree where Coyle was and sat down next to him. He looked up and smiled as she approached.
"I thought you looked like you'd like some company."
Coyle chuckled. "I looked like a wet puppy-dog, eh?"
"Well..."
"And needed a little attention."
"Well..."
Coyle laughed. "That, or you felt guilty about being in there all dry and warm, and seeing me out here soaking wet."
GreyEagle folded her arms across her chest and pouted. "I thought you would like some company. Now I'm not sure."
Coyle looked her in the eye. "I'm glad you are here, honestly." GreyEagle relaxed a little and looked back at him. "Actually," Coyle added, "the rain is a welcome relief from the heat of the day, though it may get cold later, but I appreciate you coming." He gently unfolded her arms and took her hand. "I appreciate it very much."
GreyEagle relaxed and leaned back against the rough bark of the tree. The rain had let up some, but the leaves above them were still wet, and dripped against the canvass with an irregular patter.
They sat for a while listening to the sounds around them. The rain had forced most of the tiny insects and animals into hiding, and there was little noise other than the soft whisper of the breeze in the treetops and the sound of the rain.
GreyEagle shifted her position slightly against the rough bark. "I wonder when we will reach the tower."
Coyle shook his head. "I don't know. Sucaba isn't telling much. I suspect he will let us know as soon as he finds it."
"Time is slipping by," GreyEagle sighed. Coyle nodded silently. "I wonder sometimes what is happening to the woman and her child."
Coyle was silent for some time. "I don't think there is any way we can hurry," he said finally. "Schimray has not told us much, and probably knows little himself."
"What will we do once we get there?"
"To defeat the demon? I don't know. We will have to see when we get there. A solution may present itself." Coyle sighed. "I am not particularly fond of the mages that we travel with, but I do know we will need their spells when we reach the tower."
The rough sound of Ormec's snoring reached them, and Coyle chuckled. "The dwarf is as strong and faithful as they come, but we cannot simply batter down doors to make our way into these towers."
GreyEagle sighed. Instinctively, her hand went up to touch the amulet which she still wore around her neck. It pressed warm against her chest.
Suddenly she was reminded of the feel of Schimray's hands as he had gently caressed her. She shuddered and dropped her hand from the amulet as the feeling tingled through her body.
"Is something wrong?" Coyle asked, turning to look at her.
"No. Nothing."
Coyle cocked his head sideways and looked at her.
"I was just thinking of the next tower." She looked away and bit her lip. It was wrong to lie to him, but she couldn't tell him about her night with Schimray, even if she suspected that Coyle had already guessed what had happened. She could not put it to words. Not yet at least.
Coyle sighed and leaned back again. "You should return to the dome and get some sleep."
"I could stay here with you..." she added hopefully.
Coyle smiled. "No. No reason for both of us to be cold and wet. Sucaba made the shelter, and one of us might as well make use of it."
"And you are too stubborn to go yourself," GreyEagle whispered in his ear. Coyle nodded. "You do not know how stubborn I can be."
"Yes I do," Coyle laughed back. "Every time you look at Sucaba I am reminded how strong willed you are." He reached up and placed his index finger on her nose. "If ever there was a combination of oil and water, it is you two. However," he added firmly, "I will not allow you to stay out here in the wet."
In the end, GreyEagle finally relented. There was no use arguing over the matter, and Coyle was right. There was no reason for them to both be wet. Before she go up to leave though, he picked up her hand and gently kissed it.
"Sleep well my little one. I will keep warm dreaming of you."
By the time they awoke the next morning, the dome was gone. GreyEagle had no idea when Sucaba had dispelled it, since the rain had stopped. The clouds had broken up a little over night, but from the look of them, she guessed that they had not seen the last of the rain. There was no time to waste drying things out now, so they hoped that they would have enough of a break in the weather to let some things dry as they traveled. By the time they broken camp, the air had already grown hot and humid, though with a slight breeze out of the West, there was at least some promise of relief. Recuahc had improved a little since the previous day, and Marianne decided that he could ride on his own. GreyEagle agreed that it would help some, spreading the load over the other horses, and they might even be able to move a little faster.
With Recuahc situated on his horse, Marianne went to swing up on her own mount, but as she did, her foot slipped out of the stirrup and she fell heavily to the ground with a sharp cry of pain. Coyle was at her side in a heartbeat, checking to see if she was alright.
GreyEagle was running over to see if she could help when she was stopped by the sound of someone laughing. She turned to see Conrad with a crooked grin on his face. The low chuckle quickly escalated to an outright laugh, and within moments, the gnome was rolling on the ground, holding his sides and howling in uncontrolled laughter.
The others watched him in stunned silence as the laughter gradually subsided and eventually Conrad was able to sit up. Coyle growled something under his breath and turned to help Marianne to her feet.
"You have a strange sense of humor gnome," Laurel muttered, and strode angrily back to her own horse.
Conrad was finally able to control himself, and he stood shakily to his feet. The smile had vanished, and instead, his face was twisted somewhere between embarrassment and anger.
"My lady," the gnome forced out, still wiping the tears from his eyes, "I swear I was not responsible for your accident. Nor was I able to stop my own uncontrollable laughter. I hope you are unharmed." He looked around fiercely. "It appears some magician in our party is the one with a sick sense of humor. It wasn't enough to taunt me, but to have fun at the expense of some other party member."
Out of the corner of her eye, GreyEagle could see the silent one glaring intently at the other mages. She too glared back and forth between Sucaba and Trouble.
"How interesting that the unenlightened blame magic for everything they do not understand," Trouble said after a moment, meeting GreyEagle's glare straight on. "They are pleased to persecute any mage they can find without evidence."
"And," GreyEagle replied softly, never taking her eyes off Trouble, "it is sad how some seem to make such sport over the pain of others."
Trouble laughed. "Perhaps the gnome wished that the misfortunes which have befallen him in the past might be passed to another, and his wish was granted! Or perhaps the equipment was merely slippery. Occasional bad luck is the lot of all mortals."
"Hear, Hear!" Sucaba laughed. "You chase after gnats like they were dragons! Come! Let us see to checking Marianne's gear and moving on."
"Will you still be laughing the next time" GreyEagle shot back, the color beginning to rise in her cheeks, "when Marianne sprains her ankle, or worse, and you have to waste one of your precious potions?"
Marianne quickly stepped in. She walked with a limp, but it appeared that there was no more serious injury. "I'm sure you meant no harm Conrad, nor do I believe that my slipping was the result of some kind of magic. I just wasn't watching what I was doing. It could happen to anyone. Perhaps your laughter was the result of magic, but I have never heard of such a thing. No harm was done. I shall just have to be more careful in the future."
Sucaba opened his mouth to add something, but then stopped. Shaking his head and chuckling still, he turned to finish packing his things on Horton's back.
The land around them was flat and dreary; mostly grasses and small twisted bushes, with a few stunted trees growing close to the river. Sucaba had flown on ahead, leaving them to plod along across the sodden grasslands. The clouds hung low overhead, but the rain held off for most of the day, and they made good time in the morning. By midday though, the wind began to pick up and temperature dropped quickly. A few hours after their noon stop, the rain began again, slowly at first, but then building in intensity as the wind whipped it up in a howling frenzy, as if it was trying to pick them up and throw them into the river. Their clothes were quickly soaked through, and they said little as they forced their way through the driving sheets of rain.
GreyEagle continued to try looking ahead, though with the rain, her magical "eyes" helped little. Still, an hour or so after the rain had begun, she spotted what she thought was the branching of the river ahead. A short time after that, she spotted Sucaba and Horton, hunched down against the rain, waiting for them.
When they reached Sucaba, he muttered something about Horton not wanting to fly in the storm. Horton muttered back crossly that he could fly, but that keeping Sucaba on his back would have been impossible. GreyEagle kept her distance as the two of them glared at each other. It was decided though that they would have to wait out the storm before going on. GreyEagle and the others quickly agreed to this, even though there was little around them by way of shelter from the rain.
They found a small clump of trees near the river. They were hardly big enough to provide any protection from the wind and rain, but Horton quickly curled up under one, wrapping his long body around the trunk and sticking his head under one wing. Sucaba gave the dragon a disgusted look before flopping his pack down against one of the other trees.
While the others tried to settle in as best they could, Sucaba paced back and forth between the trees. Abruptly, he came to a stop between two of the largest trees and pulled something out of a small pouch. He pointed to one of the trees, and with a hiss, massive quantities of sticky threads burst from his outstretched fingertips.
Working quickly, Sucaba flung the threads back and forth between the two trees and a number of smaller trees which stood near by. A mass began to form over his head, flapping in the howling wind, but somehow holding firm. He flung some of the threads down towards the ground, forming a wedge shaped area under the mass, with its closed end facing into the wind.
In a short time, Sucaba had formed a passable shelter under the web, and he stepped under it to judge its effect. Apparently satisfied, he retrieved his pack and flopped down in the middle. Horton looked up from where he had settled down, and with a snort, got up to join the mage. He went to the back of the sheltered area and curled up again. Sucaba moved over until he was sitting in the curve of Horton's back, and the two of them settled in for what looked like a comfortable nap.
The others joined Sucaba under his impromptu shelter, except for Conrad, who seemed perfectly happy to sit out on a rock in the driving rain, intently tinkering with some small piece of equipment which he pulled out of one of the countless pockets which covered his leather tunic, while the rain water streamed down around his ears and face.
After an hour, the worst of the storm had passed, though it continued to rain. Sucaba kept looking up nervously at the web above them.
"The shelter I have created here will not continue to hold much longer," he finally said. "We will continue to the ford that I have chosen before nightfall, but unfortunately, we do not have enough light to safely cross the river tonight. I will create the shelter as I did last night, and then we will continue at first light."
They moved quickly to the river and set up camp there. In the dim light, the silent one managed to start a fire while Sucaba went down to the river to try to catch some fish for dinner. Sucaba insisted that they wait until later before he created the magical dome, so they put up a couple of tarps to shelter them from the worst of the rain.
They had just finished cleaning up after eating when the silent one walked up to the fire and picked up one of the sticks which had fallen off to the side. Producing a small piece of string from a pocket in his cloak, he began the slow and careful incantation of a spell. GreyEagle heard it, and sat up to listen and watch.
When he finished, GreyEagle was confused. Nothing appeared to have happened. Nothing around the fire had changed. The mage turned and silently went to his pack and pulled out two torches. Returning to the fire, he lit the torches and then walked over to where the leaves of a tree provided some minimal shelter from the dripping rain. He held the two torches up on either side of him, about an arm's length out, and then let go.
The torches remained suspended in the air where the mage had left them. GreyEagle smiled, suspecting that this was the result of the spell the silent one had just finished casting. It was a neat trick, she had to admit as she looked at the twin flames, hissing and sizzling in the drops of rain which made their way down through the leaves to them. She wondered though what else the mage might be up to.
Raal had been sitting by the fire all this time, and now he suddenly jumped up. "Oh! Gotta go!" he squeaked, and raced off to where the silent mage was standing under the tree.
The torches cast two harsh circles of light where they hung suspended in the air, and the shadows danced as the flames hissed and flickered. For some time, the two stood there, facing each other, a few paces apart. The mage had his hand inside his robe, but then he abruptly moved and flung something out in front of him.
When GreyEagle saw the ogre suddenly standing between the two, dressed in plate mail and wielding an axe, she was stunned. She told herself to move, but somehow every muscle in her body was frozen motionless. She heard Recuahc cry out next to her, but no one else moved.
The ogre moved swiftly, bringing its heavy axe around at the rat. Raal dodged the blow, almost as if he had expected it, and the axe made a soft crunching sound as it dug into the soft leaves and dirt.
"Ha!" Raal exclaimed as he shot between the legs of the ogre. "You'll never catch me, you old oaf!" The ogre moved swiftly, trying to stomp the rat with its heavily armored boot. Raal spun around and easily dodged the blow once again.
By this time, GreyEagle had found her sword, and was standing on her feet. Next to her, Recuahc was on his feet, with his newly acquired dagger in his hand. He began to stumble towards the ogre, but it was moving too quickly, and he was not sure what to do. He looked confused as the ogre was clearly unaware of the rest of them, sitting and staring at the battle taking place in front of them.
Raal danced back and forth on its hind legs, just out of reach of the ogre, sticking out its tiny tongue and taunting it in a sing-song voice. GreyEagle was confused. The silent mage made no move to stop the ogre or to interfere. Instead, he stood there, as still as stone, following the motion of the two combatants with his eyes.
Suddenly, the ogre lunged, taking two steps towards the rat and swinging. Raal moved like a flash, but he wasn't fast enough to dodge the blow, and the axe sliced cleanly through its head. The rat cried out sharply and rolled away through the soaked leaves, but in an instant, he was back on its feet, with head still firmly attached where it should be. At this point, it dawned on GreyEagle that what she saw is not a real ogre, but some sort of creation of the mage, a trick of light and shadows. She sat back down to watch, still not quite able to relax.
"You cheated!" Raal cried out as the ogre continued to slash at it. "Okay, try this!" he laughed. The form of the rat suddenly blinked out, and the ogre paused, confused.
Rex shook his head. "The next time you do this," he muttered wearily, "please let us know what you are up to before hand." He turned back to the fire and flopped down next to Marianne to watch the rest of the show.
The "battle" continued on, and after a while, GreyEagle found herself laughing at Raal's antics. After what had seemed like an endless day, trudging through the rain which beat upon them from an endless grey sky, it was good to laugh again. The phantasm struck here and there, trying to find the invisible rat, occasionally "hitting" the Sumatran, until the torches finally burned themselves out. As they sputtered their last, the form of the ogre shuddered, twisted, and then disappeared into a wisp of smoke. When it had gone, the two torch stumps silently floated over to what remained of the fire and softly dropped themselves into the flames.
Rex chuckled as the mage returned to stand by the fire. "Perhaps we can do this again sometime? If no one objects, I would enjoy the practice."
"Not for a while," Marianne corrected, "until you have had a few more days to heal." Rex rolled his eyes, an expression which Marianne did not fail to catch, but when she started to make a reply, he gave her one of his endearing smiles, and the remark melted on her lips. The healer shook her head and chuckled.
"You play me like one of your instruments, bard."
"Ah, but you make such a lovely tune."
The mage silently watched the interchange, and when they had finished, he smiled in return and nodded. He stuck a number of small sticks from the pile they had gathered into the softly glowing embers in an attempt to bring some life back to the fire, and in a short time, he had the flames gaily licking at the fuel, hissing and spitting at the water-soaked wood.
They awoke the next morning to the continued drip of the rain. In spite of Sucaba's shelter and the tents they had set up, the moisture had soaked through almost everything, and it was a dreary breakfast eaten hastily. They broke camp and headed for the river.
They walked to the banks of the river. It was wide here, and the current was slow and lazy. Now that it was light and the skies had cleared some, they could see the loose gravel bottom. They led the horses through the knee-deep water with little difficulty. Once across, they turned to followed the river to the West.
The land to the south of them was barren and desolate. The grasses, scrub brush and stunted trees continued as far as they could see, without break, until it joined the dim horizon. To their right, across the river to the North, the Talos Woods continued to stretch, black and foreboding as far as the eye could see.
The rain continued on and off through the day as they traveled, and the clouds hung low over their heads, a cold slate roof, threatening to come down on them at any moment. The horses slipped and stumbled in the constant mud which formed in the countless rivulets which flowed towards the Channath. Darkness fell quickly again, and they were glad for the warmth of Sucaba's shelter. It was a struggle, but the silent mage was able to once again start a fire and keep it going, though it hissed and sputtered as the tongues of flame licked at the damp wood, and the smoke hung heavily over their camp. From within the comfort of the dome, GreyEagle watched Conrad(?), Ormec and Coyle set up their canvasses, and she felt a slight pang of guilt as she curled up in her blanket. She was surprised to see Coyle squinting in her direction as he was trying to find a little bit of dry ground under his tarp, until she remembered that he could not see those within the shelter. She shrugged. She had watched the clouds carefully as the gloom which had passed for daylight had gathered it self and fled before the advance of darkness, and she thought she had caught a hint of a break in the clouds. Perhaps tomorrow the rain would break.
Dawn did in fact bring relief from the storm. The sky was still heavy with clouds, but her experience told GreyEagle that they would soon pass, and that it would likely be clear by the end of the day. The others were happy to hear this news when she told them, and Ormec even managed to stop grumbling about the wretched weather long enough to force a smile.
By midday, they passed the point where the river Channath flowed into the river Talar as it came down from the North through the Talar woods. They could not see the woods from here, but they could still smell the rank filth that it left in the water of the river as it mixed sluggishly with the waters of the Channath. The clear waters of the Channath seemed to have some cleansing powers to them fortunately, and the smell quickly dissipated as they moved on.
The sun was dipping towards the horizon when they first spotted the dark smudge of the mountains ahead of them. Greyeagle stopped to scan slowly across the horizon. The mountains were still dull and featureless from this distance though, even with her magical "eyes", and her efforts were soon frustrated by the ending of the daylight.
The camp that evening was much more pleasant than it had been the previous nights, but GreyEagle was still troubled by the appearance of the mountains. Up to this point, the second tower had been little more than a dream, far away and mysterious. Now, even though they had not seen the tower itself, she knew that it was close, and very soon they would have to deal with the reality of it. Soon it would be time to draw swords.
All through the next day the grey line of the Cliffs grew and gained definition. They took frequent breaks through the morning in spite of their growing anticipation, as the temperatures once again climbed. Pausing to take a sip from her water-skin, greyEagle almost wished for a return of the rain and its cooler temperatures. She continued to watch the lands around them for any sign of other travelers, or for indications of anyone living on the plains, but could see nothing. As far as she could see there was nothing but coarse grasses and emaciated brush. It was a land she would be glad to put behind her.
Trouble and Laurel often wandered a short distance from the others during their breaks, studying the tiny plants and herbs which eked out a meager existence between the rocks which littered the plain. It was Ormec who first brought up the point that had been nagging at the back of GreyEagle's mind.
"GreyEagle," the dwarf asked, wearily wiping the sweat from his brow, "are you aware that we haven't seen an animal of any kind for a while?" He turned over a few rocks with the toe of his boot and poked around in the dirt with the tip of his dagger. He found some small insects, but much less than one would expect.
"Yes, that is true, now that you mention it." She stooped to examine the thick spiny leaves of a bush. "I would expect to see at least some life around here."
GreyEagle wanted to ask Sucaba. Would it be possible that this was the aftermath of some magical effect of the tower they sought; the ruins of some gigantic battle of magics which had blasted the land like a fire on the prairie, and even now the very earth beneath their feet was still recovering? However, the mage was still ahead of them, so her questions would have to wait.
The sun was dipping low in the Western sky when they heard the dragon's shrill cry as Sucaba dropped from the sky above to join them again. They circled once, and then glided in to a dusty landing next to them. In spite of the number of times they had seen Horton, the horses still jumped and fretted nervously, and GreyEagle strained at the reigns of her mount to keep it under control.
"I have been to the cliffs," Sucaba announced as soon as he had come to a stop. "We must turn South from the river here and begin our final climb."
The cliffs appeared much closer now, though GreyEagle knew they were still quite a distance off. With her "eyes", she could see them rising abruptly from the plains, like a cry of pain from the barren earth around them.
"What about the horses?" GreyEagle asked. She was pretty sure she already knew the answer to her question though.
Sucaba frowned. "They will not be able to make the climb. Unless you can make them sprout wings like Horton, we will be forced to leave them behind at some point."
"Now that would be a neat trick," Conrad chuckled, "though I don't know if I'd like flying any more than I enjoyed sailing."
Sucaba grinned. "It would be faster." He shook his head though. "Unfortunately, I don't think we have that option."
"I thought your powers were unlimited," Ormec grumbled.
Sucaba chuckled. "All in good time, friend dwarf. All in good time."
"I don't like the idea of going all that way on foot. How far could we push the horses before we would be forced to abandon them?" Conrad asked.
"It might be better to look for a sheltered valley to leave them in," GreyEagle replied. "Leaving them high in the mountains would be a sure way to loose them, forcing us to return on foot."
They continued to discuss this for some time. For the most part, Sucaba listened quietly, leaning back against Horton's back with his arms folded across his chest. Occasionally, he would nod or add a comment, but mostly he simply looked back and forth at the members of the group.
When the discussion was begging to be heated, he held up his arm.
"It is apparent that we should have hired someone from the previous town to be a guard, but I was not willing to take the risk of introducing another person to the nature of our quest, and now it is too late anyway."
Sucaba cleared his throat and looked straight at Coyle. "This is what I have decided we will do. We cannot risk some creature attacking and scattering the horses, so we will find a sheltered valley and Coyle will stay behind to guard them."
GreyEagle drew in a sharp breath, but Sucaba went on before she could say anything.
"It is a risk, but one we are forced to take. We cannot afford to leave more behind. It was Schimray that chose this group, and I trust that all are essential in one way or another. There is little choice then as to who must stay. We will have one less fighter, but the rest of us will just have to be sure we are prepared to give our utmost for the mission before us."
There was a nervous silence as the members of the group looked at each other. GreyEagle was stunned. She didn't know what to say. In the back of her mind she had known that someone would have to stay with the horses to keep them from wandering, but she had never expected that it would be Coyle.
Finally Coyle nodded slowly. "Yes, this probably makes the most sense," he answered quietly. "I will do as you say." Coyle glanced quickly over at Marianne and Greyeagle, and by the look in his eyes, she could see that he was upset. Marianne looked worried too, and gave Recuahc's hand a quick squeeze, but the made no comment.
From there, the conversation turned to the prospect of climbing into the mountains and the equipment and skills needed to scale cliffs. Recuahc faced the prospect with glowing eyes, but Conrad and Ormec were obviously none too keen on the idea of dragging supplies up the face of a rock wall.
GreyEagle heard little of the conversation however. When they eventually resumed their travel towards the cliffs, she dropped back until she was next to Coyle. She stared blankly ahead, absorbed in her thoughts, almost afraid to look Coyle in the eyes. Of course, it make sense. It was unlikely that anything would actually attack the horses, but if something did, Coyle would be the strongest one to defend them. They would probably need the combined magics of the mages to defeat whatever creatures had taken over the tower, so none of them could stay behind. Recuahc might stay, but even now that he was stronger, GreyEagle was not sure how he would do if he were attacked by himself. She wondered if wolves or other creatures wandered the barren slopes of the cliffs.
They moved on in silence. With every step, the reality of the approaching tower pounded deeper and deeper into her consciousness. All along, she had been counting on the certainty that Coyle would be there at her side, fighting with her, but now even that small comfort was gone. Her world was crumbling around her.
There was little talk at the camp while dinner was prepared and eaten. Each sat, lost in his own thoughts. What conversation there was mostly avoided the subject of the tower which stood somewhere above them, as if by avoiding talking about it, they could soften its influence on them. Time was racing swiftly on, and there was plenty of shared uncertainty that they would be able to reach the babe before it was sacrificed to Orcus on its second birthday.
When they had finished eating Sucaba spoke up. "We have no way of knowing where the tower is hidden within the cliffs," he began slowly. "It would be foolish to try to try to search every crevice and valley on foot, so Horton and I will make use of our superior speed and range and go on ahead at first light in the morning. The rest of you are to follow as best you can, watching for a suitable valley to leave Coyle and the mounts."
The mage turned to GreyEagle and gave her a harsh look. "I am leaving you in charge while I am gone. I trust that I will not find you in mortal danger when I return."
GreyEagle raised her eyebrows at first, but then she nodded to Sucaba. Sucaba went on without waiting for a reply.
"When we find the tower, we will learn what we can of its nature and inhabitants, and then report back."
Sucaba frowned. "I grow weary with our slow progress, and I believe that Horton and I will be able to find a way to get us to the tower more quickly. I have no intention of wasting days crawling through these mountains. However, it may still take some time for us to find the tower, and we may not return until sundown."
GreyEagle nodded. "I will continue to watch as best I can with my extended vision, though you still have a much better vantage point from the air."
"You will likely see little of the tower, as I expect it to be well hidden, but you should still remain vigilant. We do not know what we will come across here."
Recuahc cleared his throat. "We have much equipment to carry," he said carefully. "We will be able to leave much behind with Coyle, but it will be difficult to know what we will need without knowledge of how long it will take to reach the tower."
Sucaba thought for a moment. "You will know more by the time I return. However, I believe that Horton will be able to carry some things." He looked around and smiled. "Choose carefully what you bring with you. We will triumph by whit and cunning, rather than brute force."
"True enough," Recuahc replied brightly, "but we will still need ropes and climbing supplies and food and armor and weapons... and heavy magic books."
"These we will be able to carry," Sucaba replied.
"Also," Recuahc went on, "we will need some practice climbing. I know I can climb, but some of the others ay not be as familiar with the use of ropes and climbing equipment, and I would hate to have an accident at 1000 feet..."
Sucaba frowned. "OK. You may take some time tomorrow morning, but do not delay long, for I am impatient to move on with all speed."
Recuahc smiled and nodded. GreyEagle looked at him nervously though. All she could remember was her fear of climbing and of heights. The fall she had taken so many years ago was still fresh in her mind, and she could still hear the sound of sliding pebbles and the feel of the sharp stones as they raked across her flesh. Her head spun just thinking about it, and she could feel her stomach tighten. She looked up to try to force the fears from her mind, but all she could see before her was the steeply rising face of the cliffs, stained blood red by the light of the setting sun.
GreyEagle sat next to the fire for a while, leaning against Coyle's side, with her head on his shoulder. For a long time, Coyle said nothing, and sat staring blankly into the dieing embers of the fire.
"You are quiet tonight," he whispered softly after a while. "Something troubles you?"
"I guess it will be OK," GreyEagle replied softly.
Coyle reached out and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Stick close to Rex and Marianne. I have asked Recuahc to do what he can to keep an eye on both of you for me, although I must say he didn't need much prompting! He should be strong enough by the time you reach the tower, and should be able to back you up."
"Ormec will be there too."
Coyle snorted. "Ormec is a strong fighter, but he is impatient and careless. I'm afraid that I wouldn't trust Ormec with that job!"
Coyle was silent again for a while. GreyEagle knew he was struggling with the responsibility he felt for her and Marianne, and his tenuous loyalty to Sucaba and Schimray. Never before was his distrust of the two so clearly etched in the lines of his face, standing out in the dim glow of the fire.
"If you need help from one of the mages," he whispered once more, "try to get the silent one. I trust that he is more concerned with keeping the whole group healthy than either of the other two." He sighed once more and gave her shoulders a squeeze. "I do wish I were going with you."
As she looked into the glowing embers, her mind went back to another time, sitting at another fire...
Coyle leaned over and gave her hand a squeeze. "Do not look so somber," he said lightly. "The future always looks darker at night. There is much to be discovered between now and the time we are to face the dark powers of the tower, and be assured that we will face it together."
The memory bit sharply into her, sending a shiver down the back of her spine, and the words seemed to laugh at her now. She had counted on Coyle being by her side when they faced the tower, but now it appeared that he would be left behind. She was concerned for her own safety of course, but she was worried for him too. What evils lurked these blasted hills? She had left one friend before, only to return to find him dead, his blood mixed with that of the orcs which he had brought down with him in his death. Would she be able to face that sight again?
By the time GreyEagle awoke the next morning, Sucaba was already gone. They ate quickly, knowing that the mage would be expecting them to be moving by the time he returned, though when that would be, they had no way of knowing.
As soon as they had finished eating, Recuahc began to dig through the supplies Schimray had given them. In a short time, he let out a low whistle and held up a pair of ugly clawed boots and gloves. The beaming smile on his face was infectious.
"Schimray spared no expense I see," he whistled. "It would be wise to keep these well hidden when we are in town though," he added, "since they are illegal in most places I've been."
"Illegal?" Ormec asked. "They are ugly looking enough, but hardly dangerous."
Recuahc smiled. "No, not dangerous, though I would not want to be in a fist-fight with someone wearing these... No, it is their intended use which is frowned upon. Officials do not take kindly to those who use these to climb walls and enter the windows of rich people's houses to relieve them of their treasures."
Conrad chuckled. "I suppose you are well acquainted with their use."
"Let us say simply that I have seen them before, though never of this... ah... high quality."
There were a number of sets of the boots and gloves, and Recuahc passed them around. When he approached Ormec, the dwarf gave him a sour look and turned his attention back to the mug of ale he had between his hands. Recuahc looked at him for a moment before he shrugged and went on.
Recuahc and Laurel appeared to be the only ones familiar with the climbing equipment. Recuahc also had pitons and ropes which he assured the others would help keep them safe. He was anxious to begin with climbing lessons. They had stopped in a shallow gully and there was a small rock outcropping nearby. Recuahc quickly led them over to the low cliff and announced that the climbing school was now in session.
It was all Greyeagle could do to force herself to put the equipment on. Looking at the cliff in front of her, all she could think of was slipping and falling. Her palms felt clammy even inside of the gloves. Nonetheless, she swallowed hard and forced down the fears. She was glad that they were starting small here, though the loose boulders at the foot of the cliff still made it look like it would be a rough fall.
Laurel watched GreyEagle as she stretched out her fingers, trying to get the feel of the heavy gloves. "What are you going to do about your armor," she asked.
GreyEagle looked up at her. "Wear it, I suppose. I don't fancy attacking an armed tower in my undershirt."
Laurel bit her lip. "How heavy is it?"
GreyEagle was beginning to understand what Laurel was hinting at. "It is very light for plate armor," she said slowly, "but it will be heavy."
"More like a lot of dead weight," Laurel answered. "The gloves and boots will help, but they won't do magic." She glanced over at where Ormec was still sitting by himself at the fire. "He will be even worse. Horton may be able to carry your heavy armor for us though, and you will be able to put it on before we actually begin an assault."
"I had best try it here, to get used to it." GreyEagle's thoughts went back to the fight on the road outside of Rethmar. She would no longer have the benefit of Schimray's spell protecting her, and she felt uncomfortable entering the mountains without the protection of the heavier armor.
Recuahc and Laurel proved to be excellent teachers, though GreyEagle couldn't help feeling a little envious as she watched him scamper effortlessly up the rock face. Even Raal offered some pointers, though it was clear that, with his built in claws and light weight, climbing came very easy to him. Recuahc set pitons into the rock at even intervals and gave careful instructions on the use of the ropes. The equipment was clearly of the best quality, with fine, light silk ropes and hardened steel claws on the crampons.
When asked to join in with them, Conrad shook his head. "No," he muttered, "I have seen all this before." With that, he ambled over to the fire to join Ormec who was still sitting there.
Once her mind was made up, GreyEagle attacked the climbs with an intensity that she had not known for some time. After the long weeks of riding, it felt good to do something physical, and she was soon drenched with sweat. The armor was heavy and hot, but GreyEagle still managed the easier climbs with a minimum of scrapes and bruises. After a while, she began to gain confidence in Recuahc and his ropes, and found herself slowly inching her way up rocks that earlier she would have thought impossible to scale.
Marianne learned quickly too under Recuahc's careful tutelage. Coyle leaned against a nearby tree and watched while they struggled, smiling and praising their advances. After some prodding from Recuahc, he too donned a pair of gloves and boots, and though he struggled with the tiny footholds, even he got the basic skills down.
At first, Ormec could not be persuaded to join them, but finally Recuahc managed to get him over to the training area. The dwarf frowned up at the smooth face which rose in front of him.
"You expect me to climb that?" he grumbled.
"Yes," the simple reply came back. Recuahc was laying on his stomach at the top of the climb, grinning down at them.
"I suppose you want me to do it in my underwear."
Recuahc shrugged. "You should probably try it both ways. Horton may be able to help, but you still should try with all your armor on, just in case."
Ormec grunted and began to tie the rope around his waist. After a moment's thought, Laurel scrambled up the cliff to join Recuahc. It was clear that, by himself, Recuahc would have a difficult time holding up the full weight of an armored dwarf in a fall.
He needed the help. Ormec grunted and sweated his way up the cliff, slipping often, and swearing even more frequently. He had not even made it half of the distance to the top before he simply gave out. Muttering loudly, he let Laurel and Recuahc lower him back to the ground where he quickly disentangled himself from the rope and limped back to the fire where he plopped down next to Conrad and broke open yet another wineskin.
Laurel shook her head as she watched him go. "We may have problems if we have to climb much," she muttered. "I don't know how many cliffs I can haul that much weight up."
Recuahc laughed. "We'll manage somehow."
After a while, Recuahc declared them all fit climbers. GreyEagle was not sure she was so confident as he, but there was little else to do. They had to be moving on. She was sure they would have more than enough opportunity to practice in the near future.
They climbed slowly into the foothills. As they rose, the air began to cool some, and the vegetation turned greener. The trees were still scarce, but they no longer appeared blighted and forlorn. They crossed a number of rocky streams which fell tumbling out of the highlands in front of them, and the smells of living things returned once again to the air. GreyEagle breathed these in deeply, and they filled her once again with hope and strength. The air was still hot and muggy, but it had lost its oppressive deadness and silence.
The sun was still high overhead when they heard the sound of Horton's wings. She had not seen Sucaba's approach, but she guessed that Sucaba had used his spell of invisibility once again, to protect himself and to hide his approach from any creatures which might lie in wait for them at the tower. There was a shower of dust and pebbles as the dragon came to a landing in front of them.
"We have found the second tower," Sucaba's voice rang out.
GreyEagle's heart turned to ice at the sound of Sucaba's words. Gone was the feeling of hope and confidence, turned to smoke like a blade of dry grass before the advance of a prairie fire. She closed her eyes. They had pretended for so long, but now it was time for swords to be drawn in truth.
She would have to do it without Coyle. Without him standing at her back. Without his words of encouragement. Alone.
Yet, she was not alone. Recuahc was with her, and in spite of his lack of experience, that fact brought her some encouragement. Even his smile brought her encouragement. Marianne and Laurel were there too, and even the mages in their magic and mystery brought her strength. She looked back at Conrad and Ormec. The scowls and frowns had been replaced with stony looks of determination. They too were with her.
She raised her head to where Sucaba's voice had come from. "Yes," she called out, "We are ready."
Next...

7 April, 1998