Rise of the Blood Masters (Book 5) (2 page)

“I can’t wait to try that stew.” Tallin licked his lips. “It smells heavenly.”

Mugla nodded and motioned toward the table. “Why don’t ye just sit down, dear? I’ll spoon up a bowl and bring it to ye.” Steam rose from the pot as the liquid within bubbled vigorously; it was filled to the brim with thick broth and vegetables.

Mugla served each of them some stew, pouring the thick mixture into bowls which were then handed out to everyone. Chua stayed on the ground near Starclaw to eat his meal.

Tallin inhaled deeply, took one spoonful, and smiled. “This is so good.” The heat scorched his throat, but that didn’t stop him from gulping it down.

Tallin gobbled up his first bowl of stew and quickly rose up for seconds, which he went to ladle himself. “This tastes great, Chua,” he said.

Chua chuckled and lifted his bowl into the air in a type of salute.  “The recipe is simple—just lots of fresh vegetables from my garden. “

“Ye’re quite a talented cook.” Mugla said, taking another swallow. “Always so modest.”

“I’m glad you enjoy it. Have as much as you like. I know you both must be hungry after such a long journey. I don’t get many guests in the fall, so it’s nice to cook for someone else besides myself for a change.”

“How do you do it…in your condition?” asked Tallin, referring to Chua’s disabilities.

Chua smiled. “Oh, it’s really not that hard. Starclaw helps me with everything. One learns to take care of oneself, I suppose.” Despite the blindfold over his damaged eyes, Chua looked like he was staring into the fire.

After a brief pause, he continued, “Life is filled with difficulties, but also with joyful experiences. This life is one that I am best suited to, I think. I’ve enjoyed my life, though it’s come with many sorrows.” He leaned back and patted Starclaw’s side. “At the end of the day, I wouldn’t trade what I’ve learned for anything.”

Mugla gave him a curious look. “Why so serious all of a sudden? Yer life’s not over yet, old friend! Ye’ve got many good years ahead of ye. And who knows? Maybe ye’ll even outlive
me!”

Smiling softly, Chua said, “Yes… perhaps.”

Mugla finished her stew and cleaned her bowl in a bucket of water by the fire. Stretched beside her, Duskeye was already snoring. “So how’ve ye been, Chua?  What’s happened since the last time we were here?”

Chua reached out and picked up a slender pipe from his robe before responding, “Nothing much. I’ve had a few visitors come by for readings, but it’s been quiet for the most part. Usually, I just tend to my garden or meditate by the stream. Our days have been peaceful lately. He stuffed the pipe with smokeleaf and lit it with a whispered spell. He took a puff and let out a ring of smoke.

Mugla watched as it snaked through the air. “So, what do ye have planned for tomorrow?”

Tallin spoke up. “We’re going back to the nest. Duskeye and I have returned in order to guard the dragon eggs. I don’t plan to leave this area again until after they’ve hatched.”

“Ah, yes,” Chua said, taking another long draw from the pipe, “the nest. How is Shesha’s brood doing?”

Tallin shrugged. “Still waiting for them to hatch, but… there’s no worries.”

“I’m glad you’re here to keep the nest safe. I’ve been hearing some threats and rumors thrown about lately.”

“Threats?” asked Tallin. “What kind of threats?”

Chua shrugged. “Threats of war, some slaver prattle, mostly. There’s some talk that the orcs are going to attack Mount Velik. The greenskins have been acting aggressively outside their territory for months now. There’s talk of new hostilities with them. Their numbers have increased, and they’re united under a crafty young leader, King Nar.”

Mugla flipped her shawl over her shoulders. “I’d like to teach those monsters a lesson they’ll never forget. Filthy greenskins.”

Chua nodded.  “We can hope. I hear whispers. Stories from the occasional traveler. I’ve tried to see the future regarding this, but it’s still too hazy. There’s lots of rumors flying about these days, but nothing is clear.”

Mugla raised her finger. “Now, now… let’s not put so much faith in gossip. Sometimes rumors are more harmful than weapons; they’re only good for sowing fear.”

Chua sat up, tapping his pipe on his palm to dislodge some wet smokeleaf from the bowl. Chua’s body looked very frail. “That’s true. Hopefully, it’s just a rumor, and the orcs will decide to stay in Mount Heldeofol where they belong.” He motioned to a stack of blankets nearby.  “I have some warm blankets and pillows for you both. You’re both welcome to stay as long as you like. The remains of the fire will keep you warm.”

Mugla stood and went over to the folded blankets and pillows. She handed a blanket and a pillow to Tallin before taking one of each for herself. Snuggling onto the rugs next to the fire, she watched Chua curl up next to Starclaw.

“That sounds good. I’m tired, and it’s getting late,” said Tallin, stretching and lying on the ground. He was already half asleep.

Mugla yawned. The night was warm, and her eyelids started to droop, too. “Tallin’s right. I’ve had enough chatter for tonight. Let’s try to get some rest.”

After a few moments, she turned around and spoke to Chua in a quiet voice. “I was hoping to have a private reading with ye tomorrow,” she whispered as she pulled the blanket up to her chin.

“All right,” Chua replied gently. “Starclaw carries me into the forest to meditate at dawn. Look for me by the creek, near the black oaks that grow along the water.”

She nodded. “Thank ye… I appreciate your help.” Soft warmth seeped into her tired muscles, and she fell asleep almost instantly.

Chua didn’t say anything. He only nodded and snuffed out his pipe. “So it’s begun,” he murmured quietly, and then drifted off to sleep.

A Painful Past

              “Aren’t ye going to eat breakfast first?” Mugla asked the following morning. “Ye look so thin.” She pinched Tallin’s forearm, eying him critically. “I’m worried ye’re not eating properly.”

Tallin laughed her off. “You saw me eat three bowls of stew yesterday! Anyway, I’m never very hungry in the morning.”

“Be careful out there,” she warned. “Keep yer guard up. And watch the weather. The skies are clear now, but there are dark clouds in the distance. It’s bound to rain soon, and ye’d best not be caught in a storm.”

“A little rain never hurt anyone,” he replied lightheartedly, but his aunt didn’t appreciate the humor in his voice.

Mugla frowned. “Don’t be so glib with me, young man,” she scolded. “I’m not so old and feeble that I can’t tan yer backside. This is serious. You’d do well to heed my advice.”

Tallin started to roll his eyes but caught himself. “I appreciate your concern, but please don’t worry about me. I’m not afraid of a little rain, and I know how to avoid danger. I’ve been doing it all my life.”

She rattled on, not really listening to his reply. “I had a nightmare last night. In it, ye were trapped in a dark place, surrounded by bad people. It’s a bad omen. There’s trouble brewing. I can feel it in my bones. Ye need to be careful. If ye plan to explore, stay in the north. There are reports of outlanders in the south, and I don’t want ye tangled up with those dirty bounty hunters.”

Tallin sighed and gave her a half-smile. “I’m not going that far. Just out to check on the nest, that’s all. I’ll be back in the evening, I promise.” He gave his aunt a quick peck on the cheek and mounted Duskeye’s saddle. “Enjoy your time with Chua.” Minutes later, they were in the sky.

“Be careful!” she cautioned again while waving goodbye. 

Tallin waved back without turning around. When Mugla could no longer see her nephew’s silhouette on the horizon, she grabbed her cane and went looking for Chua. She walked through the meadow and headed out into the forest, following a worn path through the trees. Mugla walked carefully, using her cane to maneuver down the trail. The trees extended outward in a solid green mass for as far as she could see. 

The morning air was still chilly, and she tightened her shawl around her shoulders. A small creek bubbled nearby, teeming with tiny silver fish called
kilscups
. Willow trees grew in huddled clusters along the water, their wispy branches brushing against the ground like an old woman’s broom.

Mugla lifted up her skirts and stepped through the tiny stream, starting up the slope on the other side. She paused to take a deep breath, inhaling the forest air.

The Elburgian Mountains, their peaks still tipped with snow from the previous winter, rose up in the distance like towering black teeth.

Despite the beauty of this place, she already missed her home in the mountains. Dwarves made their home in caves, not in the forest. Even though Mugla had traveled far and wide, she still felt a pang of homesickness deep in her gut.

Squeaky high-pitched chatter sounded around her, and she glanced up to see green-skinned tree sprites playing in the branches. The tiny creatures flew down and swarmed around her for a moment, decided that she was an uninteresting creature, and went back to frolicking in the branches. Mugla pulled one overly curious sprite out of her hair and tossed it squealing back into the trees.

Distant cousins of the elves, the sprites lived in the trees, eating insects and leaves. The tree sprites were half-faerie, half-nymph, capricious and prankish, just like the elves, but on a smaller scale. There was a large concentration of them in these woods. The sprites were drawn to wild magic, so it wasn’t a surprise that so of them lived in this sacred grove.

The sprites acted as the natural guardians of the area and had various strange powers. They could open certain portals and they collected magical objects, stealing from mortals whenever they could. Though dangerous in large numbers, the tree sprites knew that Mugla wasn’t a threat, so they left her alone.

While she walked, Mugla thought about her previous visits to the Elder Willow. She and Chua were old friends, and had known each other more than thirty years. They first met during the Dragon Wars and became good friends.

Despite his declining health, Chua was the only person Mugla trusted for a foretelling. Chua was a mageborn psychic, and nobody had a stronger gift than him.

In fact, Chua was the most powerful living seer on the continent. All it took was a scrying bowl and a bit of magic, and he could look into the future or deep into the past. She asked Chua to foretell her future, and he happily obliged. In return, she made him a few hot meals.

He usually requested a bowl of smashed yams and flat cakes, which she cooked directly over a wood fire while visiting with him. Mugla used to visit Chua every winter and sometimes once again in the spring, but with her growing list of responsibilities, the times when she could come had grown fewer and fewer.

It was past midday when she finally found him, meditating quietly under an oak tree. A small permanent shrine to the earth goddess was set up nearby. On the shrine, there were several candles, fresh-cut flowers, and a stick of incense. The burning incense filled the air with a sweet aroma.

She tottered over to him.

“Who’s there?” Chua’s eyeless face tilted up, and Mugla flinched. He wasn’t wearing his blindfold, which was sitting on the ground near his leg. During the Dragon Wars, Chua and Starclaw had been captured and then tortured mercilessly. Seeing his scarred face uncovered was a glaring reminder of the terrible suffering he had endured.

Mugla touched his shoulder gently, letting her hand rest there a second before saying, “It’s me. I’m here now. Sorry to interrupt yer prayers.”

Chua reached for the blindfold and put it over his eyes, tying it off carefully. “Sorry… I forgot to cover my eyes this morning. I don’t usually bother unless I have guests. I know my appearance is frightful.”

She shook her head. “Nay, nay, it doesn’t bother me,” she lied.

“Would you like to sit down?” He smiled up at her and offered her a pillow.

“Aye, thank ye,” she said, taking the cushion from his outstretched hand. She placed it on the ground and plopped down on top of it.

As the day grew warmer, swarming insects filled the air around them. Starclaw and Chua seemed unbothered by them, but Mugla couldn’t keep herself from swatting at the annoying creatures.

“Get away, ye little buggers!” It wasn’t just insects, either. The air was filled with the constant chirping of birds, the giggling and rustling of the tree sprites, the rush of the nearby stream. With all the noise, Mugla wondered how he could concentrate enough to meditate here. 

Chua scratched at his forearm. “The night was cool. Did the blankets keep you warm enough?”

Mugla smiled. “Aye, mostly. I’m used to the cold—the Highport Caverns are downright freezing in the winter, and there’s never enough heating oil to go around.” She paused and looked up at the tree sprites buzzing nearby.

“
Those
little green buggers are everywhere, too,” she muttered.
“Shoo! Shoo!”
she said, swatting at a sprite that was prodding inside her ear.

Chua chuckled. “Yes, they are. I’ve learned to ignore them... for the most part, anyway.”

“Mind ye, I’m not complainin'. I love it here. I feel rested. Maybe even a wee bit younger. This place does wonders for my spirit.”

“That’s wonderful, my dear. You know... I sometimes forget that you’re a dwarf. You haven’t been a young girl for three hundred years, so I’m pleased that this place helps you feel younger.” He smiled and paused, tilting his face up toward the warm sun once more. “Would you like your yearly divination now?”

Mugla cleared her throat. “Aye. I need your help to solve a... sensitive matter regarding my nephew.”

Chua’s hands dropped to his lap. “Why don’t you tell me about it? Maybe I can help in some way.”

So Mugla began. “I’m so worried about Tallin! He’s in danger. A Balborite assassin has attacked him several times. It’s always the same woman. Each time he fights her, Tallin barely escapes with his life. They fought again a fortnight ago. She just showed up at the Highport caverns, without any warning. I have no idea how she found him. If I hadn’t been there, he’d be dead. I was able to stop her, but our escape was a very near thing. I’m afraid she’ll never stop trying to kill my nephew, so I need to find out everything I can about her.”