The Vlakan King (Book 3) (25 page)

"Do you think me frail? I have looked like this for years uncounted and my strength is still green."

"Well, then. Let's give it a go," said the man. He raised his club and rushed forward. The old man raised a hand and the man froze in his tracks. Only the widening of his eyes and their frantic darting showed he was more than a statue.

"Davan, are you well?"

"Ran! Thank you! Another man is chasing Jarius."

"Jarius will be fine. In fact he has already lost his pursuer and is heading back here."

"How do you know such things? I mean, I know you're a wizard and all, but how can you see things far away?"

"Ah, my young friend. There is much you cannot understand and I will not burden you with knowledge that you cannot use. You will never be a magician, wizard or sorcerer. It is not in your blood and the price you would have to pay to gain such power would leave you an empty shell."

"Like Blackthorne?"

"Ha! Sharp wit, my friend. Blackthorne is not an empty shell although much of his humanity is lost. But you are correct in the assumption that the cost for his power was very great. Blackthorne was not a normal child in any case. You would not survive to reach Blackthorne's skill level, nor would any Man. Even your faint Celaeri blood would not aid your quest for power."

At that moment Jarius returned. He saw the man on the ground and turned to Davan. Jarius tensed when he saw Ran. The old man smiled and held his hand out.

"Welcome Jarius. Davan and I are getting reacquainted. However, the two of you do not have much time to rest. There are more men heading this way."

"How do you know?" asked Jarius. "Are you one of them?"

"No. I can sense their approach. I believe you can do the same Jarius, but your mother has not taught you. There should be a buzzing just below your left ear. Can you detect it? With some experimenting you will be able to tell the direction but now is not the time. Let us head north on this trail. There is no one ahead of us and we can hurry."

The old man led them quickly into the trees. Davan marveled at their lack of noise stomping through the brush, snapping twigs, guessing that Ran used magic to muffle the sound of their passing. A mist rose from the earth blending among the trees and the trio was invisible. Jarius walked close to Ran watching every move. He was impatient to ask questions but it was not the time. Davan was relieved to see something taking hold of Jarius' curiosity and that the young sorcerer had more than anger within him.

They walked the remainder of the day and found a dry place out of sight from the road. Davan setup camp while Ran warded the area with Jarius watching intently. Then they all sat down to talk.

"Who are you?" asked Jarius.

"Just a wandering old man," said Ran.

"You have magic, I saw it."

"Well, yes, but I learned it so long ago there isn't much I remember."

"How did you know where to find us?"

"I met Davan earlier. One of the magics I remember is how to find people that I have previously met. Davan mentioned you two were going to the coast and then I detected Davan south of here. You should have reached the coast long before now so I suspected there was trouble."

"You were right," said Davan. "We were slaves for a landowner. Jarius set a barn on fire and we all escaped in the confusion. I imagine some were recaptured. I hope they aren't punished too much. We are free, they are not."

"We were close to going back," said Jarius. "I couldn't bring myself to use my magic to harm the Men who jumped us. That nearly finished us."

"Ah, don't be too hard on yourself," said Ran. "You will learn to use your magic to defend yourself. You must ask Brevin Tarbin to teach you."

"Brevin? You know Brevin?" asked Davan. "But he's back with the others. We aren't going back."

"You don't have to," said Ran. "He will be here in the morning."

"Will you be coming with us?" asked Jarius.

"No. I have done what is needed. You must seek your own destiny. I am merely a guide. Most likely you won't see me again. My path seldom repeats itself."

The morning came and so did Brevin as Ran predicted. Davan ran to Brevin and hugged him. Brevin looked him over and nodded to Jarius. Then he saw Ran.

"How?"

"I found them wandering. They are in your charge now, Brevin Tarbin. It is time for me to go. Good luck Davan. Master your magic, Jarius. May your path be smooth Brevin." The old man walked into the trees.

"You know him?" asked Davan.

"I know of him," replied Brevin.

"He said his name was Ran," said Jarius. "But I think he was more than just a wandering mage who had forgotten his spells."

"Is that what he told you?" asked Brevin.

"Yes."

"Then I guess that is what he is."

"Is his real name 'Ran'?" asked Davan.

"If he said so."

"Brevin!"

"I believe it is part of his real name. He is very very old. I do not know the truth of his history so I shall say no more. Let's break this camp and head to the coast. I have enough coin for us to gain passage on a ship. You two probably could have worked your way across but it is not pleasant. Plus there is the risk of the captain not releasing you at your destination."

"Why would he not release us?" asked Davan.

"Davan, I thought I lived a secluded life, but you are naïve," said Jarius. "Many ships use slaves for crew. Had you forgotten Freibane? Only difference is land versus sea."

"We must go," said Brevin. "It will take the better part of the day to reach the coast."

The Turucks and the Daerlan were once a single race. When the Daerlan left Arda and sailed to Amloth and founded Liannest, the taint of the Menaloch stayed with them. Over time discord took root among the Daerlan and King Navir could not stamp it out. Violence rose between the people and a faction developed that distrusted Navir and wanted to set their own path. Tol Makk and his son Tag Makk led this group. Tol Makk wanted to attack the new Men settlement on Amloth blaming the Men for their troubles. Navir counseled that the Menaloch who drove them from Arda hounded them still. It became a bloody age in Liannest as their great new city Aleiander crumbled under the weight of their guilt. Finally Tol Makk led his followers back to Anavar and they settled east of Arda in the Koberi Desert and dwelt there for two millennia.

From Gerrand's Histories of Landermass.

Salie led them through the northern forests in an easterly direction. The undergrowth was soft and moist making progress slow and the air carried a stale dampness. The plight of the princesses was dire; he felt that in his old bones. Dangerous magic was abroad again and despite his solitary life his senses recognized the peril to the land and its people; all of its people. He no longer considered himself a Turuck; he was a member of all the peoples of Landermass. He served Tag Makk for seventy years and knew too well the taint of madness in power. Salie remembered the gradual changes in Tag Makk; gradual but irrevocable. There was darkness around the eyes; the short temper and the growing callousness toward his own people. In time Tag Makk's most trusted colleagues feared him. Salie did not wish for anyone else to live through the evil that followed. The Celaeri had claimed that same madness long before it took hold of the Turucks and their leader. Although the Celaeri were an ancient threat they were tangible and relentless. Domination drove their armies centuries ago and would have again if they had not been pushed back fifteen years earlier. Pushed back, defeated but unbowed. Ioane Adan would push her people until none remained and it was becoming apparent that would be the only solution. Salie had been a decisive general for the Turucks and if called upon he had no qualms of leading Men for the annihilation of the Celaeri. The Celaeri's time had long since passed.

Salie would lead Raeind and the princesses to Cresida against all wisdom. Into the lion's den but the Cresida people had fought the Celaeri and knew their ways. He couldn't think of a better place to hide them. Of course the trick was getting them into Gornst without being discovered. But the Celaeri themselves weren't searching for Krysta; it was Lockwell who sought her so they just needed to keep ahead of the old wizard.

Salie understood Merie's distrust of Raeind, the man kept too many secrets. Still, he proved himself a true friend many times over the years so Salie trusted him. Krysta was smitten by Raeind and would follow him anywhere. Would there be any jealousy in Merie? He shook his head. There was much he didn't understand about Men even after three hundred years. No wonder the Turucks lost the war.

They traveled east for a few hours before the hills began to flatten out to the great plains of Amloth. There were no settlements in the desolate area between Masina and Cresida but they did not assume the land lacked watchful eyes. Their path kept them among the trees for as long as the trees remained. Once out in the open there was nowhere to hide. The only break in the plains was far to the north where the Armac Mountains jutted out of the sea. Those mountains were far too wild to risk their lives. They would trust to luck and their small numbers. Before they had left his house Salie exchanged Krysta's colorful clothing for rugged outerwear. Merie did not wear any bright colors so he gave her a cloak and boots.

"How long to reach Cresida?" asked Merie.

"It's about four times as far as Riverdowns to Dael, but you rode a horse. It will be a long week I think," said Raeind.

"It's already been a long week. I should have spoken to grandfather before we left."

"We sent Prince James to tell King Hal you were safe," said Raeind. "I explained everything; we couldn't afford to let Lockwell find Krysta."

"All your explanations are a little too neat for my taste," said Merie. "Using a ghost as a messenger. If I hadn't seen Prince James I would not believe your words. I know you are keeping something from us and until you tell us I will withhold my trust."

"Merie, must you be so harsh?" asked Krysta. "I feel safe with Raeind."

"I'm sure you do," murmured Merie.

Salie led them at a quick pace over the plains. In the distance a band of rocky formations rose from the grass and gave their eyes a focus for the unchanging trek across the uninhabited expanse of Amloth between Masina and Cresida. The endless winds and rocky soil would not support farming and what little land that could be suitable for livestock did not offer much grazing. Except for the cool temperatures it was as welcoming as the Koberi Desert where the Turucks made their home. When they drew nearer to the rocks they saw that a river had cut a channel in the land leaving a thirty-foot chasm crossed by a weathered rope bridge with missing boards on the walkway.

"That doesn't look promising," said Krysta. "How long has it been here?"

"I do not know," said Salie. "I have not journeyed this way before. Raeind?"

"I saw it first twenty years ago and it was no more inviting than it is now. I shall cross first. Take slow steady steps and do not rush."

Without hesitation Raeind stepped out on the swaying bridge. The bridge moved several feet in both directions from Raeind's weight moving across the span. Krysta held her breath as she started across when Raeind reached the far side. Merie went next and part way out she looked down to the rocks below and couldn't pull her eyes away. The bridge seemed to sway more and her feet could only slide forward.

"Merie! Look across to Raeind!" called Salie. "Look across, not down!"

"Come on Merie," said Krysta. "Keep looking at us. You'll be fine. Look at us!"

Merie moved forward again but did not step carefully and her foot went through a slat of the bridge. She screamed and tumbled down, the bridge twisting around her but holding her tight. There was sudden swinging of the bridge and she screamed again.

"Be calm," said Raeind. "I'm right here." He put an arm around her and Salie came from the other side and tried to untwist the rope around Merie's leg.

"Make it quick Salie," said Raeind. "We have too much weight at this spot. It may not hold."

Salie pulled Merie's legs free as Raeind held her tight. She leaned against him as he led her across, the bridge swaying and creaking. The bridge dropped several inches suddenly and Raeind jumped with Merie to the ground where Krysta grabbed both of them. They looked back to Salie who now moved quickly across with little sway to the bridge.

"One of the gifts of my race," said Salie. "I can walk on top of snow drifts too, although I cannot remember the last time I saw much snow."

Merie looked back at the swaying bridge and shuddered. She was still leaning against Raeind and realized it. She started but did not pull away. Raeind decided they should take a break for a little food and water before they continued.

Two more uneventful days passed as they neared northern Cresida and then they would have to head south through the Black Heath area. Salie hoped they could hug the coastline and stay away from Celaeri eyes. He was pleased that the princesses were able to travel without complaint. He had feared their pampered life may have left them unsuitable for hard travel but they both had rode horses and received small weapons training. Their time on the practice field had helped their stamina and Salie was grateful for small gifts.

When they broke camp that morning Salie asked for their full attention.

"Today will pass to the south of the area called the Black Heath where the Celaeri are rumored to dwell. It would be too much to ask that their scouts do not spot us. The question is will they send soldiers after us or will they send Vlakan after us."

"Well, is there a bright side?" asked Merie.

"They might decide we are of no worth and let us be. Our packs are small and weapons minimal; there is little to attract their attention."

"We have two women," said Raeind.

"They have little to fear from Celaeri; they do not think Men are desirable. However, if there are bandits, the princesses would be worth chasing us."

"I see," said Krysta. "But they would have to be close by to see us clearly. These cloaks and hoods will conceal our identities."