Adventurers Wanted 2) The Horn of Moran (20 page)

“Halfdan?”

“I see you’ve left me for last. I’ve had some experience with this kind of thing,” said Halfdan with a sigh. “I was on an adventure once where we faced a similar problem, and I’m not proud of how we solved it. I did not vote to kill our prisoners, but I did not speak up to set them free either. I still see their faces in my nightmares. I would save the rest of you from living with the regrets and doubts that I live with. I say let them go. Let them go; we will face whatever trouble may come of it. If we kill them, we will have to live with it for the rest of our lives.”

“You would risk our adventure and possibly our lives to set these men free?” Val questioned.

“I would,” Halfdan answered firmly. “I know the price that must be paid for killing without cause.”

“Enough,” said Bregnest. “I have heard what you have to say, now I will hear what our captives can say for themselves. Halfdan, Andy, cut them free and bring them here.”

Halfdan and Andy hurried to do as Bregnest said. Alex hoped that Bregnest would choose to set the men free. Bregnest had said something about another way, a way that the other members of the company might not accept. After hearing what his friends had to say, Alex hoped that Bregnest’s other way would work.

“Well,” Bregnest said when the three soldiers were standing next to the fire, “you’ve heard us talking. You know the decision we are trying to make and what your fate might be. Do you have anything to say that might influence our decision?”

“Lord Bregnest,” one of the soldiers said, taking a step forward. “We have also talked. We all know you by name and by reputation. We have heard the stories of your adventures, the tales of what you have done for Athanor, and the rumors of good deeds you have done in secret. We can offer little to convince your friends that we mean you no harm, but we are soldiers of the house of Domina, sworn to protect the people of Athanor. As men of honor we offer to you, Lord Bregnest, the
rowshak el cal.
”

“A great offer,” Bregnest replied. “And the only one that could save your lives. As a lord of Athanor, I will accept your oath and call on the members of my company to witness it.”

“What is a
rowshak el cal
?” Sindar questioned as the three soldiers dropped to one knee in front of Bregnest.

“The words are as old as Alusia,” Bregnest answered. “I’m not sure of the exact translation, but it means a soul oath. They will take an oath on their souls not to betray us and to do as I ask. If any of them break their oath, the other two will hunt him down and kill him in the most painful way possible. If the others fail, then their family will take up the task, hunting the betrayer and his family to extinction.”

“A powerful oath,” said Halfdan. “I will be honored to act as witness.”

“Words,” Val said in a sour tone. “They may mean the words now, but will they remember them when they are free and safe?”

“Words are what make a man,” Bregnest replied. “What is honor, Val? It is saying you will do something and then doing it. Honor is keeping your word, and adventurers are not the only people with honor.”

“I . . . I’m sorry. I’ve trusted before and been betrayed,” said Val. “I do not trust so easily anymore.”

“Form a circle around us,” Bregnest commanded the group.

Alex and the others obeyed, and Bregnest held out his left hand, palm up. Each of the soldiers placed his right hand on top of Bregnest’s left, and then Bregnest put his right hand on top of them all.

“Make your oaths,” said Bregnest.

The soldiers spoke softly in unison. Alex understood most of what they said, except for the words from the ancient language of Alusia. As the soldiers finished speaking, Bregnest said a few of the ancient words as well, accepting their oaths.

But before Bregnest could release the soldiers’ hands, Alex stepped forward. He put his own right hand on top of Bregnest’s, and the words came to him as if he had always known them.

“I bind your oaths to you with a wizard’s seal of magic and with hope. For as long as you keep the oaths you have sworn this day, good fortune will follow you and yours. In the instant you betray this oath, all that you hold dear will wither and rot before your eyes.”

Alex felt a surge of power rush through him as he finished speaking, and he knew that Bregnest and the soldiers felt it as well. Alex lifted his hand and returned to the circle.

“So be it,” Bregnest said after a moment of silence. He released the soldiers’ hands.

Alex thought he should feel tired or dizzy because the magic he had just done was powerful, but he didn’t. If anything, he felt more alert and awake than ever, full of energy and magic, ready for whatever lay ahead of them.

After a few minutes, Halfdan started cooking breakfast. The three soldiers sat to one side of the fire while Alex’s friends put away their blankets and tended to the horses.

“Alex, are you all right?” Sindar questioned in a soft voice as he walked up beside him.

“I feel wonderful,” Alex answered. “Maybe too good.”

“That was some powerful magic,” Sindar said. “Vankin told you that magic was like a bowl catching water and that there are limits to how much magic you can use. I would think you are getting close to your limits after sealing the oath like that.”

“So would I,” said Alex. “I’ve done less magic before and felt dizzy or tired afterwards. The morning I lost the rabbit—the one I’d created out of a rock—I felt a little tired then. It didn’t last long, but after using my magic, I felt like sitting for a bit, like I needed to catch my breath. But this time I don’t feel tired at all. I feel like the bowl has instantly been refilled and I’m ready for anything.”

“Strange,” Sindar said in a thoughtful tone. “I think, before you use any more magic, you should send a message to Vankin. He might be able to explain what has happened, and I’m sure he will want to know about your bowl being filled again so rapidly.”

“You are right,” said Alex. “I’ll write to him tonight when we make camp.”

The rest of the morning was spent putting packs together for the three soldiers to take with them. Having no horses, they would have to walk, and it would take them some time before they would reach a town or city. Bregnest gave each of them a small bag of money so they could buy more food when they reached a town.

“What would you have us tell Kappa when we return?” one of the soldiers questioned.

“Only that you were attacked by goblins and managed to escape,” Bregnest answered.

“He will ask about you and your company, Lord Bregnest,” the man went on. “How would you have us answer?”

“Tell him that you did not see us,” Bregnest replied. “Tell him that you don’t know how we could have escaped the goblins when most of your company was destroyed.”

“As you wish,” said the soldier with a bow.

After the midday meal, the soldiers said good-bye and wished the company good luck before heading south. Alex and his friends followed the goblin path for most of the afternoon, turning more to the north a few hours before the sun set. If they were lucky, Alex thought they might be able to make their way through the woods and reach the road in two or three days. But how long it would take them to reach the Tower of the Moon was still a mystery.

Chapter Ten

Centaurs’ Woods

I
t was late afternoon on the third day when Alex and his friends found the main road, and after riding north for a few miles, Bregnest had them set up camp for the night.

Alex had started to worry as they traveled. He was worried about the time it would take them to find the Horn of Moran and return it to Alusia. He was worried about his magic, too. Was it right that he felt full of magic and not tired or drained in any way? He had written a long letter to Whalen, explaining everything that had happened and exactly how he had felt, but so far Whalen had not written back.

They followed the road northward for three more days, and Alex was relieved that there were no signs of goblins or anything else that might be trouble. Alex’s early morning watch remained his favorite time of the day as well, now that the company was together again. Alex continued his studies, but thought it best not to use any magic until he heard from Whalen, and Sindar agreed. Alex enjoyed talking with Sindar as much as anything. Sindar would answer questions he had and tell him stories of times long past. Sindar seemed to know a great deal about a great many things, and Alex thought he must be extremely old, even for an elf.

On the morning of their fourth day on the road, a geeb from Whalen finally arrived just as Alex was preparing to study his magic books. He was glad that the others were still asleep so he could read the letter in private.

Dear Alex,

I was pleased with the way you handled the return of Jonathan Cain’s bag. It sounds like you returned it at a time when it was most needed. Your generosity and kindness to the Cain family will both increase your honor and your fame. I’m sure your friends have mentioned this to you.

I am disturbed and troubled by the goblins you met. Goblins have always been rare in Norsland, and the fact that they had a shaman with them is alarming. I am also puzzled by the fact that the goblin shaman did not see you for what you are, at least not until it was too late. Magic knows magic, and the fact that the shaman didn’t know you had magic is odd and interesting. More important is the fact that you were able to destroy the shaman. An impressive feat for any wizard, and I am pleased that you were able to do it with the limited training you have had. We will talk more about this when we meet. For now, well done.

I would hope you have learned a valuable lesson: namely, emotions can be powerful tools, so long as you control them and they do not control you. You were able to control your anger and use it as a tool. Remember that lesson.

Now, about you feeling strong and refreshed after doing a great deal of difficult magic. I can’t be completely sure, but I think I know what has happened. Simply put, the magic you used to seal the soldiers’ oaths did much more than just that. When magic is used for great good, it tends to energize the person using the magic. You don’t need to worry, and you don’t need to stop practicing your magic. I’ve told you how you will feel when your magic is near its limit, so please continue to practice.

I am enclosing more instructions for your reading. You are doing well, and I am impressed and pleased to hear about your increased abilities with transfiguration. I should warn you, however, not to try to transfigure any of the guardians of the tower that you may meet. Transfiguring magical creatures can be more dangerous than you know.

Yours in fellowship, Whalen

Alex refolded the letter once he was done reading it and stored it in his bag. He told Sindar what Whalen had said, and Sindar was relieved to know that they didn’t need to worry about Alex’s magic anymore. Alex asked Sindar if goblins might be traveling in Norsland from some other land.

“They don’t use the arch, do they?” Alex questioned.

“They have some magic of their own,” Sindar answered. “Traveling to new lands is difficult for them, but not impossible. Goblins seldom move to new lands, however, unless they are forced to.”

“What about the shaman? Whalen was troubled by the fact there was a shaman with the goblins.”

“True shamans are rare,” Sindar replied in a thoughtful tone. “Even more rare than wizards.”

“A true shaman?” Alex questioned.

“As I understand it, true goblin shamans are born with their powers,” Sindar explained. “They need little training, and their power grows slowly for as long as they live. A true shaman can choose a lesser shaman and teach him to use magic. Lesser shamans have limited powers, but can still be deadly. I can see why Whalen is worried. If the goblin you destroyed was a lesser shaman, that means that a true shaman is still hidden somewhere in Norsland.”

“And if I destroyed a true shaman?”

“That would be my hope,” Sindar answered. “But I don’t know any way we can be sure of that.”

Alex didn’t ask any more questions. Before the rest of the company woke up, Alex sent another message to Whalen, asking if there was any way to know what kind of shaman he had destroyed. He was worried that a true goblin shaman in Norsland would mean trouble for his friends, but he didn’t know if he could do anything about it.

The company was soon on the road once more, and Alex’s thoughts turned back to how little time they had. They had been in Norsland for nearly three months, and he knew that there were never more than six months of good weather here. He hoped that they would reach the Mountains of the Moon soon and find the Horn of Moran. If they were lucky, they could make it back to Ollvi or maybe even Oslansk before winter set in. If they were unlucky . . . well, spending the winter in the pine forests didn’t sound like much fun to him.