Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2001 21:22:23 EST
From: Bwstories8@aol.com
Subject: The Sword of Kings - chapter 11

Legal Notice:
The following story contains descriptions of graphic sexual acts.
The story is a work of fiction and has no basis in reality.

Don't read this story if:
**You're not 18 or over,
**If it is illegal to read this type of material where you live,
**Or if you don't want to read about gay/bi people in love or having sex.

The author retains copyright to this story.  Placing this story on a
website or reproducing this story for distribution without the author's
permission is a violation of that copyright.  Legal action will be taken
against violators.

I wish to extend my thank you to Ed for his editorial assistance with this
chapter, to Ian for his suggestions to improve the flow and readability of
this chapter, and to Matt for his ideas and support.

If you have enjoyed reading this story, you will find other stories by me
at http://members.tripod.de/wolfslair, in the 'Other Stories' section.

E-mail responses to the stories, story suggestions, or other 'constructive'
comments or advice may be sent to: bwstories8@aol.com.

                *    *     *     *     *     *     *     *

AUTHOR'S NOTE:  Once again I apologize for the long delay between chapters.
My life has been very hectic and I overlooked sending this chapter in
earlier.  I hope to improve and get at least one chapter to you each month
in the future.

           Humbly, Bill

                *    *     *     *     *     *     *     *

The Sword of Kings - by BW  (Fantasy/Sci. Fi.).   Copyright 2000 by billwstories
Chapter 11 - The Desolation of Evil.              October 2000

Quickly they crossed the portal leading out of the dwarfs' realm and then
regrouped on the other side of the massive entrance.  King Brolin, who
stayed well within the confines of the tunnel, began the resealing process
which caused the giant door to swing securely back into place.  Now the
companions were alone, with no means of retreat, looking at the vast
emptiness that stretched out before them.

Off in the distance and to his left, Kieren noticed what appeared to be a
large body of water and he was struck by the irony of the tranquility it
belied.  He imagined it to be Reflection Lake, the main source of water in
the valley.  This mountain-filled lake once supplied a never-ceasing
torrent of water to the irrigation ditches used by the dwarf farming
community, as well as the continually flowing fountain in the main square,
where the households filled their water jugs for cooking and drinking.
That lake, replenished every spring by the melting snows from the mountain
slopes, helped to produce the abundant crop yields that the dwarfs would
harvest to feed their people, using the excess as barter to gain what they
desired from the other races.  It was hard to imagine this valley, now
overgrown and abandoned for centuries, was once one of the most fertile
areas in the country.  The irony of this situation did not go unnoticed by
the prince, who hoped that someday this valley might be restored to its
former role of importance.

Beraut signaled the company to form a straight line to begin this phase of
the journey and he placed Turquinine at the rear of the formation, to help
keep an eye on the others.  As they began to move forward across the
desolate, sunlit plains, they realized that their most immediate goal was
to escape the valley and its restless inhabitants as quickly as possible.
They remained wary, looking about in all directions for any signs of
danger.  While performing this surveillance, many of them became aware of
what appeared to be thin wisps of smoke or fog meandering across their
path.  One by one, they remembered the wizard's description of how the
spirits would appear to them.  Kieren was slightly unnerved by his current
situation, especially now that he could begin to see the evidence of the
specters' existence.  He was uneasy at the prospect of moving among these
shapeless forms and he trembled slightly as he thought about it further.
No amount of forewarning could allay the trepidations he was now feeling
about disturbing these tortured souls and he prayed that his protectors
were now recalling the wizard's words that, other than their maddening
screams, these wraiths could not harm them.

"As long as I keep my earplugs and bindings securely in place," the lad
reminded himself, "these things pose no threat to me.  I have nothing to
fear because these apparitions have no substance or any physical powers."
Over and over, he kept repeating this to himself and this singular focus
gave him the courage to continue moving forward.  He glanced at the others,
to see if they were facing the same concerns as he was struggling with, and
he sensed the same uneasiness and discomfort radiating from them.  This
gave him a connection and sense of unity and oneness with the others,
reminding him of the old saying that misery loved company.  Once he thought
that, he could truly appreciate what that expression actually meant.

The going was difficult and slow, as the tangle of weeds, briars, and dead
shrubs grabbed at their clothing and snagged their boots.  The group
continued to make their way forward, lifting their legs high to avoid
becoming entangled in the dense, barely living undergrowth.  They would
occasionally have to catch their balance or rely on the assistance of the
person next to them, as they stumbled over some obstacle or tried to break
free from the grasp of a thorny branch or a tangle of weeds.  This tedious
exercise went on for a few more hours, as they laboriously picked their way
across the valley floor, and the muscles in their legs began to burn from
having to lift them so high to advance in this terrain.  As their bodies
grew more weary and they felt that they couldn't lift either leg one more
time, the companions began to question how long it was going to take for
them to reach the end of this valley.

Kieren peered back at the side of the mountain, toward the doorway through
which they had passed to enter this place, seeing how far they had traveled
and wondering if he could discern where that opening had been.  Upon first
glance, he realized that they were too far for him to identify the archway
and that they had gone farther than he had suspected.  He turned forward
again, trying to speed up and close up the gap he had created during his
brief investigation, and he had soon established the proper spacing between
him and the person in front of him.  Catching his breath from this
exhausting effort, Kieren began to focus once more on the happenings around
him.  Looking past the bodies in front of him, the lad could see the
magician scanning the mountains to their right and, instinctively, the
prince did the same.  His vision was not as keen as Beraut's and he could
only see the outline of the mountains against the pale blue sky.  Kieren,
although not being able to distinguish anything on the distant slopes, let
his imagination take control of his previously rational thought processes.
He now began to envision a legion of the Dark Lord's troops and a horde of
his spies roaming the rocky cliffs on the far side of the valley.  He
imagined that they were laying a trap for him and his companions, waiting
to kill or capture the intruders who dared invade their territory.

As the young man slowly began to return his attention to his own labors, he
continued to wonder if, perchance, Madumda did have guards or spies
watching the valley floor for movement.  After some careful consideration,
he reasoned that their nemesis would have no cause to suspect that anyone
would try to use this route, knowing the danger that this area posed to
mortals.  If there were troops and spies present in that mountain range,
chances were that they were on the opposite slope, looking out over the
Plains of Asimae.

They had now been traveling this route for several hours when the
contingent began to slow.  The sun was now directly overhead and the wizard
signaled that they would stop to rest and eat.  They grouped together,
there on the barren plains, as they pulled the dwarf-prepared rations from
their packs.  This simple meal consisted of some dwarfish breads, dried
meats, sharp cheeses, and some stout ale.  The entire party found this to
be a completely satisfying meal and they quickly ate their fill.  Now,
having satisfied their physical needs, they were anxious to again be on
their way but they waited patiently for the mage to give them the signal to
move on.  Beraut was still searching the distant mountain range and Kieren
was watching his action.  Eventually the wizard turned toward the boy and
indicated that it was either raining or snowing in the mountain range.
Kieren couldn't tell that for himself, but he knew the magician's vision
was far superior to his own.  The prince nodded his understanding and
Beraut seemed pleased by his acknowledgement.

In his own time, the enchanter finally made a signal to his traveling
companions, letting them know it was time to move on.  Using his hand
signals, he motioned to them that they would alter their course slightly,
moving in a more north-easterly direction, and staying away from the arm of
the mountain range that Beraut had been watching.  Kieren was puzzled by
this deviation, as he knew that was where they would need to go to enter
the backdoor to Treblanc, and it made him wonder what the wizard had seen.
Could it be possible that he had detected some enemy activity or some other
threat in that direction?  That would explain why Beraut would find it more
prudent to move farther away from the slopes, to avoid detection or avoid a
confrontation.  The young man decided it best not to ponder this further,
as he was already causing a gap in the line, and he was determined to
follow the seer's directions to the letter.  Beraut always seemed to
intuitively know what to do next and Kieren had learned to trust his
mentor's judgment.

They had only traveled a couple of hundred more paces when Kieren began to
notice the presence of a large, gray mass looming in the distance before
them.  His first thought was that this was an extremely large outcropping
of rock, jutting up onto the valley floor, but he soon discovered that this
seemed to have sort of a geometrical shape to it, which made him feel that
it was other than a natural occurrence.  Although it didn't have perfectly
square corners or one definite shape, Kieren felt that it was far too
regular to be naturally occurring.  Knowing Beraut would never endanger
them and they were heading directly toward this place, he assumed it must
not be anything threatening.  As he wrestled with this puzzle further and
they gradually drew nearer to this area, it suddenly dawned on the young
man what this was.  He finally recognized that those were the decaying
remains of buildings and this must be what remained of Thorley.

As they drew closer to what was left of the town, the prince's eyes darted
from place to place, trying to absorb as much as he could about the area
before him.  Fascinated, he tried to determine what this place had been
like in its prime, when people of all races wandered along its streets and
alleys, and he was beginning to see some patterns among the building
shells.  He began to visualize how the buildings would have looked and what
a bustling place this would have been.  Even though the roofs of many of
these structures had collapsed and the mortar had crumbled with the passage
of time, Kieren knew that this must have been a vibrant community.  The
collection of walls that still remained intact showed that this place had
been meticulously designed, so the main street ran basically in an
east-west direction and the town was wider in that direction than the
other.  The mage guided them forward, onto what was once the main
thoroughfare, and they would use this to make their journey easier.  Though
the cobblestone roadway was cluttered with some debris and a few brambles,
it was much easier to travel over than the open fields with their
collection of weeds and thorns.

Even though they were able to move more freely, they still crept along,
busily checking out all of the sights around them.  As they moved along the
remains of the cobblestone road, they also investigated the exteriors of
the various buildings that lined the street.  Suddenly Kieren remembered
what Beraut had told them about Thorley, that it had been in the midst of
their Festival of Thanksgiving when the Specter of Death struck them down.
The prince looked about to see if he could locate any of the booths or
bazaars that had been set up for that evening's festivities, but he soon
realized that the materials that would have been used to construct such
temporary structures would have decayed long ago.  Only the structures made
of stone and mortar still survived the many centuries that had passed since
that dreadful night when the Dark Lord had sent his spectral assassin, and
the effects of time had taken their toll.  The young man also looked down
some of the side streets that crossed their path, and he could see that
some of these side streets were now blocked by the accumulation of rubble
from collapsing walls and roofs that had toppled in that direction.  The
lad deemed it fortunate that the main street had not been so afflicted, for
it would have made traveling on it much more difficult for them.  Now he
turned his attention back to this once wide boulevard and he began to
inspect it and its adjoining structures carefully.  Scrutinizing the
building fronts, he noticed that many of them were still largely intact.
For some unknown reason, they had been able to survive the ravages of time
and the elements, and he noted that he would have to ask his mentor about
this later.

Luckily, Kieren was still paying enough attention to his fellow travelers
that he realized that Beraut had brought them to a halt.  Wordlessly, the
mage signaled them to remain still as he lifted his head to scan the
heavens.  It appeared to Kieren that the wizard was watching the sky about
them as if he expected to find something there, though he couldn't imagine
what.  After searching the horizon for several long minutes, the enchanter
suddenly spun around and motioned the little band to follow him through one
of the gaping archways that opened off of the main street.  Once beyond the
doorway, the spell-caster positioned each one so that they fell within the
shadows cast by what remained of the walls and he indicated that they were
to remain frozen where he placed them.  They each became rigid, not moving
a solitary muscle, save for their breathing.  Kieren couldn't imagine what
they were hiding from, but he knew that it must be something terrible if it
could seek them out in such a place.  He wondered if Beraut had heard some
notice that alerted him to this danger or if he had seen it first.  Seeing
Beraut was the only one not requiring earplugs, he could have discovered it
either way.  Was it possible that Madumda could have conjured up another
phantom to patrol this ancient graveyard, to warn him if anyone tried to
approach from this direction?  This creature would have to remain
unaffected by the wails of the deceased, stand guard, and attack creatures
who might have found a way to protect themselves from the maddening cries
that filled the valley.

It wasn't long before Kieren had the answers to the myriad of questions
that filled his hyperactive mind.  As he sat crouching motionless along one
of the interior walls, it became instantly dark, as if the sun was blotted
from the sky.  After a few agonizing seconds of this blackness, it suddenly
became light again.  Painstakingly, Kieren lifted his head, making sure
that he made no sudden movements that might be detected, until his face was
lifted skyward, peering out of the roofless shell.  After searching the
heavens for what seemed to be an eternity, the room suddenly began to grow
dark again but, this time, Kieren could see what it was that was blotting
out the sun.  The phenomenon was caused by a gigantic bird that soared
through the air above them, circling slowly over the arms of the Amber and
Citadel Mountain ranges.  This winged creature was larger than anything
Kieren could have ever imagined and he judged that it could have snatched
up a soldier, even as large as Turquinine, in just one of its claws.  He
made another mental note to remember to ask Beraut about this when they had
reached a place where they could safely remove their earplugs and speak
freely.  Kieren wanted to know to which species that bird belonged and what
possible defenses there could be to ward off an attack from such a
monstrous opponent.

As he crouched against the wall, lost in his thoughts, something grabbed
hold of Kieren's shoulder and he whirled to ward off his unseen foe.  It
only took him a second to recognize that it was only Qaim, quivering from
fear, seeking what protection the young man could offer him.  Kieren was
deeply moved by his new friend's complete terror and he stroked the Aignx's
furry torso, trying to soothe its apprehensions, while at the same time
trying to deal with his own.  Qaim clung tightly to the prince, slightly
hindering the young man's ability to breathe, and the boy stroked the
Aignx's arms tenderly, as he tried to reassure him and get him to relax his
tenacious grip.  When at last Beraut signaled to them that all was clear
and they could move from their hiding places, Qaim kept his grasp of
Kieren's arm, not wishing to become separated from his protector.  It was
almost like a child clinging to a parent when scared by the unknown, unable
to defend itself and seeking the physical and emotional protection that the
larger, more powerful parent could provide.  The prince did wonder why Qaim
clung to him instead of one of the more powerful warriors, but he did not
have much of an opportunity to pursue this thought further, as he noticed
that the group was ready to move once more.

Upon Beraut's signal, the entire party wandered back into the open street
and they instantly scanned the air above them in unison.  Although they
found no trace of the monstrous creature that had just frightened them so
badly, they needed no encouragement to get them moving briskly away from
this place, as fast as their legs could safely carry them.  They wanted to
distance themselves from that enormous creature and get out of this valley
as quickly as they could.  Quickly they reached the city limits, where the
main thoroughfare came quickly to an end and the tangle of weeds and briars
seemed to sprout on forever.  Once again they had to lift their legs high,
to make their way through the intertwining sea of worthless vegetation, and
they once again found that their progress would be slow and tedious.  This
time, however, they had a more vivid reason for trying to hurry forward, an
expediency caused by fear.

They had traveled for only another hour before the wizard brought them to a
halt and pointed toward the Citadel Mountains on their right.  Kieren
looked in that direction, expecting to see that enormous monster gliding
toward them for the kill, but the beast was nowhere to be found.  Kieren
decided to look again, searching the sky for signs of that hideous bird,
but he found the air totally void of life.  He now directed his attention
to the mountains themselves and it was then that he noticed the gap in the
mountainside.  This was the large natural pass that bissected the
never-ending expanse of mountain peaks, leading from this valley and out
onto the plains that lay beyond.  The young man realized that this was the
pass now known as Death's Door, originally called Heaven's Gate, the main
artery connecting the dwarf farming community with central Tarolia.  Kieren
reflected that it had been many years since any commerce had been conducted
over that route, back to the days when it had been bustling with caravans
of merchants, and he wondered what he might find there now, if he should
happen to travel that way.  He was not allowed any more time to consider
this further, as Beraut waved to get their attention before leading them
forward again.

The wizard had decided that they had tarried there long enough and he urged
them forward, pointing toward the quickly descending sun, as it dropped
closer toward the horizon.  Everyone understood this simple gesture and
they eagerly followed the aged seer as he moved even farther from Thorley.
The entourage traveled many more minutes before they were finally forced to
stop.  As the last rays of the sun faded from the sky, the company halted
to make camp for the night.  Beraut moved from individual to individual,
signaling each one where he wanted him to bed down, so they made a
protective ring around the three teens and him.  This deployment was merely
another precaution taken by the wizard to help protect Kieren from any
unknown dangers that might arise.  Once each member had his bedding in
place, the mage would encourage him to dig into his pack and locate
something to eat.  This hasty meal would be identical to one they had at
noon, as they had decided to keep the rations simple, filling, and not too
weighty.  As they finished their meal, they sat in nearly total darkness,
reflecting on their day.  Just as the wizard began to hand out masks they
could slip over their eyes, the moon came out from behind the cloud and
sent a soft, silvery light down on their location.

The evening was getting a little chilly and Kieren secretly wished that
they could build a fire to help warm them, but he knew that would not be
possible, as it would reveal their location to anyone or anything else
within several leagues of their present location.  Instead, he signaled to
Garreth and Romaric that they should pull their bedrolls closer together,
to share their body heat.  As they were getting situated, the prince began
to notice the silvery swirls moving around him and some were beginning to
form the vague outlines of different creatures.  As he glanced at some of
the others, he noticed that nearly all of them were hurriedly donning their
masks, not wishing to investigate this phenomenon further.  Kieren wasn't
sure how he wanted to deal with this situation, but that was put off
temporarily as he snuggled in between his two soul mates.  He decided that,
for right now, he would spend this opportunity to enjoy the closeness with
his two friends.  Before long, however, Kieren realized his soul-brothers
had fallen asleep and he was now the only one still awake.  As he lay
quietly, listening to the sounds of the breathing and gentle snoring of his
companions, he tried to decide what he wanted to do next.

Even though he was still wearing his mask, Kieren was still curious about
what would be happening in the air around him.  After debating this for
several minutes more, he decided that he would forgo the mask and
investigate the spirit world that lay just beyond the curtain of darkness.
Just as Kieren slowly lifted his mask, he was surprised by a form which
bore down in front of him, eventually passing right through his upper
torso.  Remembering Beraut's description of these specters, he watched as
other cloud-like shapes floated in the air around him.  As the moonlight
reflected off the surface of the forms, Kieren could make out features and
sometimes thought he could recognize the member of a particular race or
group.  As Kieren was focusing on another of these apparitions that
appeared before him, it suddenly rushed toward him and took on a monstrous
appearance, causing Kieren to close his eyes in an involuntary reflex.  It
did not frighten Kieren, however, and he quickly opened his eyes again.

The first form that he saw, when he reopened his eyes, was a soft, delicate
looking outline, which Kieren suddenly felt a deep empathy for.  He was
seeking to identify with it and to reach out to it mentally, when it too
suddenly changed into a deformed, repulsive, menacing beast before his
eyes.  This caused the flow of blood through Kieren's veins to suddenly
cease, his heart skipped a beat or two, and he stopped breathing
momentarily, as he had audibly taken in a sharp intake of breath as it
first changed form before his eyes.  Almost as quickly as it had done
before, the wraith changed into something much less frightening and moved
away from the prince.  His heart was still pounding in his chest, as he
looked around at the other forms still floating in the air around him.  He
was finding the sight of most of these forms repugnant, though he still
couldn't help but identify with the agonizing misery that they were
enduring.  He could also empathize with their maddening struggle to break
free of this place and to break the chains that bound them to this land.

As he turned to check out a new shape that hovered near him, the prince
caught sight of the wizard, who had been patiently watching him from the
other side of the campsite.  Beraut had been observing the young man as he
carried out his investigation of the spectral world and he sat grinning at
the youth's courage, as he tried to learn and understand more about these
tortured souls.  The mage merely nodded to Kieren, allowing him to continue
his observations undisturbed.  Kieren turned back to the shapes that had
caught his attention and he watched how they continually changed form.  He
continued this for another half an hour before, he too, decided to lie back
and seek some rest.  He would need his strength for when they resumed their
journey in the morning.

The prince slowly drifted off into a dream-filled slumber, during which
numerous images and scenes flashed through his mind in rapid succession.
First, he dreamed that he had been at Thorley on the evening of the
massacre and he watched the fear on the faces of the terrorized revelers as
they began to comprehend what was happening around them.  Then, as Kieren
attempted to cope with the intense emotions involved with this event, he
found himself floating above the land as one of the faceless, shapeless
forms that haunted this land.  In his dream, he emitted wails of sorrow and
despair, which he now realized were the sounds that now drove mortals mad,
if they dared venture across this plain, as his tormented soul crisscrossed
this desolate land, his soul fired by hatred and retribution.  Just as he
was being overcome by these feelings, the scene shifted again, placing him
in Thorley during the prosperous years.  The place was a bustle of activity
and the air was abuzz with the sounds of voices.  There were merchants and
buyers bartering and haggling over prices, joyful people exchanging
greetings with strangers or conversing with friends, and the sounds of
children being children as they accompanied their parents to market.  There
were also the sights and sounds of goods being moved to and fro, the smells
of the foods and livestock, and scent of bodies that had been hard at work.

Kieren found himself a dinner guest of a hard working dwarf farm family
next, as they shared the bounty of this fertile land with him.  This gave
Kieren a sense of belonging and he was able to identify with these
hardworking folk.  Suddenly he found himself in a whole new situation and
he was now attending a grand and stately function, presided over by the
Lord Mayor of Thorley himself.  Just as he was beginning to settle into the
new scene, he was gently shaken awake by the magician.  Kieren opened his
eyes to discover that the soft light of dawn was falling across the valley
floor and he slowly drifted back into consciousness as Beraut continued his
rounds, waking each of the other travelers.

The companions rose and grabbed a quick meal from their packs, anxiously
looking forward to resuming their journey and getting free of this
unpleasant place.  None of them slept well, as they all suffered from a
restless night's sleep, and there seemed to be an urgency to their actions,
as they wished not to spend another evening in this eerie vale.  Within a
matter of minutes they were packed and on the move, trudging forward toward
the opening at the other end of the valley.  Not only did they wish to be
free of this place, they also desired to have all of their senses restored,
removing the protective gear and being able to function in a normal manner.
They almost raced forward, seeking their freeddom, when the wizard signaled
for them to slow, demonstrating the dangers that a hasty retreat, over
uncertain footing, could bring.  They realized the wisdom in what the mage
was trying to tell them and order was soon restored to their ranks.  Now
they plodded forward, steadily aiming for the gap that would free them from
this place.

The only stop they made that day was a brief rest at noon, when they took a
short pause to grab another quick meal.  Realizing that none wished to
linger there any longer than necessary, the companions hastily urged Beraut
to resume the march out of the dell of death and misery.  As they hiked
forward, Kieren thought about how they were leaving one place of danger for
another, the next threat being more physical than supernatural.  If Madumda
had planned to guard this valley, he would be more than likely to have
placed some sort of troops at the gap between the two mountain ranges.
That would be the most likely place to prevent strangers from entering the
valley or to ambush those who had been foolish enough to enter it from the
other end.  Now he looked apprehensively toward the peaks before him and he
wondered if this was, indeed, the fate that awaited them.  He had no way to
alert the others about what he was thinking, so he decided that it was up
to him to remain alert for any signs of danger.  As they moved closer to
that area, a new sensation added to his concern.  The mountains seemed to
grow higher with each passing step and this perception added to a menacing
factor and seemed to give credence to Kieren's worst fears.  Just then,
Beraut had them pause for a late afternoon rest before they made their
final thrust through the opening that lay ahead.

As Kieren sat down to rest, he briefly felt the medallion brush against his
chest and he thought about it for the first time since they had left
Thorold.  He thought about the powers that it held, especially the clear
crystal side that would allow him to see things that were located far away.
He remembered, also, about Beraut's warning that if it were used in the
vicinity of or used upon a magical being, the user would be detected
immediately.  Slowly, Kieren fingered the chain beneath his garments and he
weighed these warnings in his mind.  They were leagues away from Treblanc
and the Dark Lord and, unless some other magical creatures were with his
troops, Kieren's use of the medallion would go undetected.  He reasoned
that it would be highly unlikely for Madumda to be with his troops at this
location, unless he suspected or knew of their journey through the valley,
and, if that were the case, it wouldn't make any difference what Kieren did
now.  He decided that he didn't have anything to lose by using this device,
but he would have much to gain.  Carefully he withdrew it from its place of
hiding and he held it in his hands.  Slowly he turned it so the crystal
side was facing up and he began to concentrate on seeing the rocky slopes
on both sides of the gap.

As the picture started to form on that face of the medallion and slowly
come into focus, Kieren could now see the slopes of the Citadel Mountains.
He searched the area carefully, looking for signs of hidden troops or
traps, but he discovered nothing.  Now he concentrated on the opposite
ridge, the arm coming from the Amber Mountains.  Once again he discovered
nothing that alarmed him, so he summoned up the courage to bring the gap
into view.  As he scanned the opening between the two rocky slopes, he
found that it too was devoid of any life forms or any activity.  The youth
breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that his fears had been
unfounded and the opening was unwatched.  He lifted his head up, to look at
the peaks that loomed before him, this time without the anxiety that had
plagued him earlier.  It was then that he became aware of Beraut's presence
by his side.  The wizard had been standing, looking over the lad's
shoulder, hoping to discover what the youth was up to.  He had seen all
that Kieren had done and he was pleased with the young man's foresight and
concern for their safety.  Kieren was unsure of what his mentor's response
would be, and he gazed sheepishly upon the seer's wrinkled brow, hoping
that this would not be another instance where he would be chastised for his
actions.  The youth was honestly surprised when the magician signaled his
approval and let the prince know that he concurred with his judgment and
actions.  Patting the boy on the back, he walked forward and indicated to
the others that it was time to resume their journey.

The party traveled on, even as darkness began to overtake them, when they
finally reached the end of the valley.  The weeds and briars began to thin
here and it became less cumbersome as they approached the gap between the
mountains.  This allowed them to move more briskly and they raced forward,
their spirits greatly uplifted by the thought of being free of this damned
patch of land, and they raced toward the opening which would lead them from
this valley.  After they had passed through the arms of the mountains and
felt that they were safely away from the threat that the valley posed, they
prepared to set up their next camp.  The wizard signaled to them that they
could remove their bindings and earplugs and, with immense relief at
finally being shed of these devices, they readily stripped them from their
heads.  At first, they were extremely sensitive to every little sound of
nature and even a cricket's chirps seemed to them a deafening roar.  When
they eventually began to adjust to such stimulation again, they began to
converse, but only in the softest of whispers, finding those sufficient to
communicate their ideas.  Huddling closely together, they began to discuss
all of those things that had been bothering them as they passed through the
Valley of the Dead.

"I thought the silence and monotony would drive me insane quicker than the
banshees' howls," confessed Hadwin.  "I was begining to question which fate
would be worse."

"Truly, the loss of that faculty wast more difficult to endure than the
fiercest of foes that hath been my lot to combat," chimed in the giant
knight Turquinine.

"Beraut," blurted Kieren, "I have some questions I'd like to ask you, if I
may.  First of all, what was that giant bird that flew over us at Thorley?"

"That, my young friend, was one of the Dark Lord's pets.  Ever since he
first gained power, he has bred and raised these enormous birds to do his
bidding.  If you remember my tale of the end of King Orthilue, you will
remember that I mentioned that the King was killed by such a creature."

"You mean that was the giant condor that killed King Orthilue?" asked
Romaric.  "And do you think it saw us at Thorley?"

"The answer is no to both questions.  The condor that killed King Orthilue
was a predecessor of the creature you saw earlier and I do not believe that
it saw us, or it would have swooped down to investigate more closely.  I
don't believe that it was searching the valley floor but, instead, it was
focusing its attention upon the mountain ranges.  I believe that it might
have been looking for intruders there.  Finding none, it most likely
returned to its master."

"Qaim no like big bird," blurted out their hairy little companion.  "Bird
hurt Qaim."

"That it would," the mage agreed.  "We must avoid that bird, and any other
like it, or we and our plan will surely be doomed."

"What do you mean," Kieren asked, "when you say 'any other like it'?  Does
that mean there are definitely more than just that one?"

"Yes, there are others under the Dark Lord's control.  It would be
difficult to breed a species if there weren't at least a male and female of
the species to procreate."

"More than one!" remarked a startled Garreth.

"Yes, I believe that there are quite a few of them, though only a handful
pose any threat to us.  The others are too immature or too old to do their
master's bidding."

"But one is more than enough to defend against," Rhys asserted.  "And now
you're telling us that there are others?"

"True, there may be up to two adult pairs that we have to guard against, as
my wicked brother is taking no chances of being unprepared, in that
regard."

"This news is truly depressing and I think that we should change the
subject immediately," Kieren added.  "What is the next thing for us to do,
Beraut?"

"It is now time for us to part and go our separate ways.  I must go back to
join our armies and prepare for the battle ahead, as I told you earlier,
and it is time for Qaim to lead your on this final leg of your travels.  I
filled him in on what he is expected to do while we were still at Thorold.
I also gave him the directions that you are to follow."

"Yes, Qaim lead you.  Qaim good guide.  Qaim get you out of forest and now
Qaim lead you to bad wizard."

"Master Beraut," Turquinine interjected, "art thou certain that this is
wise?  Is this simple creature capable of performing such a task?  Though
it did lead us out of Briarwood, this is different.  Briarwood was its
home, but this creature hath never journeyed in these mountains, much less
dwelled there."

"I can assure you that Qaim will do the job, in fact possibly better than I
could have done myself.  I told you about his special talents and these
will be more than sufficient to get you to Treblanc safely."

"Thy counsel hath always been excellent, so I shall heed it now.  I will
accept thy faith in our newfound companion and support his efforts as I
would should they come from thyself."

"Master Beraut," came a timid little voice from the center of the group,
which Kieren recognized as Garreth's.  "Do you have any ideas as to what
types of things that we might yet encounter?"

"I afraid that this time I have no idea of what new obstacles or threats
might lie ahead.  I do know one thing, however, and that is that the Aignx
can get you there, but the rest of you will have to take care of any
persons or creatures that may try to stop you along the way."

"When will you be leaving us?" Kieren wanted to know.

"I will be leaving you at dawn, after I have sent you on your way.  If all
goes well, we will meet again in a few days and we will be able to exchange
tales of our exploits.  There is still a lengthy journey ahead and we must
reserve adequate strength to meet these new challenges."

After this, the companions became engrossed in their own thoughts and the
discussion with Beraut slowly ended.  The wizard urged them to eat a hasty
meal, which they did hesitantly, and they all ate in silence until the
dwarfs began discussing their reactions to the journey across the valley
and soon all but Beraut were engaged in the conversation.  They had been
going at this for several minutes when Romaric addressed Alaric.

"Since our journey began, we have learned a little about each of the
members of this party," he began.  "That is, everyone except for you.
Tonight I was hoping that you would tell us something about yourself."

"Certainly.  I have been preparing for this night since that first night
when each of you began to share your individual stories.  I am now ready to
tell you about myself.  I am the nephew of Rombaire, Balaster of Eurielle,
for he is my father's brother.  My father is a merchant seaman, owning his
own business, and I had been expected to follow in my father's trade when I
matured.  The family didn't count on one small fact, however, and that was
that I suffer from severe attacks of seasickness, a fine fate for one
destined to lead a life on the water.  It is only possible for me to take
short trips on boats, but this can happen only upon calm waters.  Even the
short trip to Leander, at the start of this adventure, almost proved too
much for me to handle and it nearly ruined my disguise as a merchant
seaman.

"My family tried desperately to help me control my disorder.  They utilized
every method ever known to cure that type of affliction and they made me
swallow every potion ever invented to rid me of this malady.  They did
everything they could to help me strengthen my body, so that I could
practice the trade that I was to take up.  Try as they might, their efforts
proved unsuccessful but this regimen gave me one of the finest physiques of
anyone from our race.  This unexpected side effect led me to choose a life
in the Elfin Guard and it gave me an opportunity to enjoy a career where I
could remain on solid ground.

"This life has proved both satisfying and rewarding to me and, due to my
great size, I was able to advance rapidly through the ranks.  I did this by
proving myself in battle during the limited number of engagements in which
I was involved.  Once considered a disgrace to my family, I now held a
place of some esteem in the community of the River Elves and I hope to
prove myself a worthy selection on this noble endeavor.  To you, Prince
Kieren, I pledge my unswerving loyalty and my total devotion."

Kieren blushed slightly at that last statement, but he knew that he should
say something in return.  "Thank you, Alaric, for your unsolicited pledge.
I would like to know about your capital of Eurielle.  Having lived in the
kingdom of the Wood Elves, I have always wondered about the difference
between these two branches of the elfin world."

"There are many, your highness, beginning with the fact that we have no
forest to protect our homes.  Our capital is built along the Great Western
Sea, at the mouth of the same river on which our cousins live.  You see, it
was many hundreds of years ago that some of our forefathers decided to
leave the protection of Wildoness and strike out to seek their own
fortunes.  They traveled along the Sparkling River until they came to the
spot where our capital now stands.  They immediately saw the immense
possibilities it held for them, as a center of commerce, and they set about
to create their own city.

"After they had selected their site, they journeyed back up the river to
strike a bargain with the king of the Wood Elves.  This agreement allowed
them to carefully remove some of the trees from the forest, so they could
construct this new homeland and build the ships with which they would
conduct their business.  In exchange, the River Elves, as our race soon
became known, would supply the Wood Elves with goods from the rest of the
outside world.  After they had completed assembling their first vessel,
they used it to sail from Aurelia with their families and their belongings.
With all of their worldly goods loaded onboard, they set sail for the place
where they would begin their new life.

"Almost immediately they began to prosper, as they established contracts
with the many coastal and river bound cities that existed in the world.
Soon they found themselves a focal point of much activity.  Some of this
activity was favorable, as they formalized trading agreements with several
outlying areas, but some of this new attention was totally unwanted, as
they were attacked and plundered on more than one occasion.  On the last
such attack, the invaders burnt their new city to the ground.  The River
Elves would have disappeared at that point, had it not been for their
stubborn determination.  When they began to rebuild the city, they decided
to excavate a wide canal, which would define the outer boundary of their
city and divide it from the mainland.  This canal would also allow nearly
every merchant to have direct access to the sea and it would serve as the
first line of defense against invading marauders.  Next, they built three
bridges over this canal - one to the north, one to the east, and one to the
south.  Each bridge was constructed so that the removal of a special
linchpin would cause it to immediately collapse and prevent its use by
attackers.

"It was also during this time that we also established the formation of our
mighty army to guard and protect our homeland from further aggression.
Since the days of King Ethelbert, however, we have had little need for such
troops or the devices that protected our main city, as Ethelbert brought
peace and prosperity to the kingdom.  My people have had great success
since that time and we have tried to maintain Tarolia as the greatest
nation in all the known world.  Beyond this, I don't believe there is more
that I can add."

There was a lengthy pause, as the others absorbed the information that
Alaric had just given them, until a timid little voice spoke up.  "I did
not know all that about you or the River Elves," Romaric stated meekly.  "I
spent my whole life in Wildoness and I've never heard anybody tell that
tale of how the River Elves came to be."

"Yes," Kieren added.  "I've really enjoyed hearing your tale and I have
several questions I would like to ask you."

"The questions will have to wait until another time," Beraut interrupted.
"It is getting late and you will all need your rest.  I don't think any of
you slept all that soundly during our recent trek and I want you to get at
least one decent night's rest before you move on.  I will take the first
watch and give you all plenty of time to rest.  I will wake one of the
others when I begin to grow weary, but I was able to get plenty of rest the
past few nights and I don't require that much sleep."

With this, the warriors thanked Beraut for his offer and everyone set about
selecting a suitable spot on which they might bed down for the night.  Of
course the trio was placed in the center of the group and they spread out
their bedrolls accordingly.  As Kieren lay down to sleep, his mind was
racing with the events of the past few days and the visions of the world of
the River Elves, as supplied by Alaric.  Eventually exhaustion overtook the
teenager and he slipped into a deep, dream filled slumber.  The problem
was, many of the dreams were very troubling, as he incorporated the
problems of his world into even the more pleasant visions.

                 *    *     *     *     *     *     *     *

If you have enjoyed reading this story, you will find other stories by me at
http://members.tripod.de/wolfslair, in the 'Other Stories' section.
E-mails may be sent to: bwstories8@aol.com.