Stardust (33 page)

“
Bartok?
”

The voice but a faint whisper, called to him from beyond the shadows.

“
Bartok?
”

The voice was louder, now, more insistent.

Bartok sat up, his sleep-heavy eyes searching through the gloom but seeing nothing. Just when he had convinced himself he had heard nothing more than the moan of the wind, it came to him again. His name, whispered softly upon the stillness of the night breeze,
carried a note of urgency
Bartok could not ignore.
“
Who is it? Who is there?
”
A thin trickle of sweat beaded upon his forehead.

“
Bartok, you must hurry. The time of the coming is fast approaching.
”

The voice came to him from all directions.
“
I do not know of what you speak. What is it that you want of me?
”
He could feel his fear, like hundreds of tiny insects, crawling along his spine.

“
Do not be afraid.
”
The voice gentled, at once soothing like a parent with a fretful child.
“
You must come to the light, Bartok.
”

And suddenly shining through the darkness, Bartok could see the faint glow. His fear dissipated and a warm, welcoming feeling engulfed him.

The voice came again, more urgently this time.
“
You must hurry. If you do not, the light will be extinguished forever.
”

The light faded and Bartok cried out in the sudden darkness.

“
Beware your enemies.
”

The whispered warning feathered across his bare skin, chilling him into wakefulness. With shaking hands, he pulled the covers closer around his quaking body.
“
At first light of dawn, I will return to the castle and check the progress of the Sybortron. Then I will eliminate Jalon and the others. I will take care of my enemies, once and for all.
”
The sound of his voice emboldened him.
“
Aurora will sit at my side as I rule Palermos. The male who has dared to help her will rue the day h
e crossed my life path
. Then I will find the light and the power of it will be mine.
”

Ta
king comfort from the boldness of his thoughts, Bartok closed his eyes and entered the world of dreams once again.

In the morning Bartok rode swiftly across the barren plain, thrilling at the power of the large stallion between his legs. This was the most desolate of all places on the planet. The atmosphere was not controlled within the protective dome of Atmos, nor was the land close enough to benefit from the water and wind of the Mountain of Life. Bartok slowed his pace as he saw riders approach. He felt no fear. No one but his own guards would venture outside the dome. He stopped to wait their approach.

“
Who has sent you on such a journey?
”
Bartok demanded of the senior guard as they pulled their weary mounts to a halt before him.

The guard bowed his head.
“
Your uncle, Saatan, has sent a message of gra
ve importance. He requests
you travel forth and seek the great wizard of the sea.
”

Bartok cursed loudly in the desert wind.
“
What has the foolish old man done now!
”
he raved.

“
Your uncle grows weak, master. Ever since he terminated the female servant Selina, his life force has grown dim.
”

“
Selina?
”
he questioned.
“
Was not the female turned over to the guards for pleasure?
”

“
No,
”
the guard spoke meekly.
“
Apparently she escaped from the men upon return from the great Mountain and lost herself within the walls of the palace. She was terminated as she tried to release the prisoners of the dungeon.
”

“
And how did she get past the guards?
”
Bartok demanded in a low, soft voice that spelled danger.

The guard straightened on his mount.
“
I have seen to their punishment personally.
”

Bartok looked across the flat land, noting the few flowering plants that had managed to gain a foothold in the waterless soil. Again he felt the same shifting within his soul.
“
Tell my uncle I will seek the wizard and return to the palace within two passing moons.
”
He missed the look of surprise that flashed across his follower
’
s face. He had his own reasons for journeying to the sea. And they had nothing to do with Saatan
’
s command.

“
I will accompany you.
”
The man motioned for the other riders to return to the palace.

“
No,
”
Bartok commanded.
“
I will have no need of protection on this journey.
”

“
But, my master,
”
the guard protested.
“
The way to the sea is long and hard. At least allow me to fetch a serving maiden to see to your needs.
”
A lusty grin split his face.
“
The nights are most cold upon the barren land.
”

Bartok did not hear the man
’
s words, his mind already drifting forth, seeing the image of a foaming sea and a great white being.
“
I will return within two full passages of the moon,
”
he shouted as he rode toward the rising sun.

No one noticed the small Argonian stallion standing on the rock cliff behind the guards.

* * *

Bartok rode toward the sea, toward the home of the great wizard, Hadem. He had set a slow but study pace for his mount for the trip would be hard indeed and they would both need their strength. It had been more than an hour since he had left his guards, but he had not yet traveled out of the barren wasteland. The sun had crept high in the sky by the time he stopped to rest and partake of a quick meal. He spared precious drops of water from his pouch for his mount. Tethering him loosely to a small scrub, Bartok found a shelter beneath an outcropping of rock. He lay down upon the parched ground, dropping quickly into a light sleep.

“
Bartok?
”
The voice called to him with an urgency he could not ignore. In his dream he opened his eyes, searching the rocky terrain but seeing nothing.

“
Bartok!
”
A cool wind whispered across his hot skin.

“
Where are you? Why do you not show yourself?
”
The voice, with no being behind it, frightened Bartok.

“
Oh, my child, you know where I am. Why do you continue to ignore me?
”
There was great sadness in the question.

“
I do not know who you are. I do not know what you want from me.
”
Confusion furrowed deep creases in his brow.

“
You must not be frightened. You must come to the light, Bartok.
”
The voice gentled, its tone beseeching.

“
Yes,
”
he murmured, soothed by the gentleness.
“
I will come to the light.
”

“
You must succeed, Bartok.
”
The command in the voice was unmistakable.
“
But beware of your enemies.
”

The safe feeling that had enshrouded Bartok during the conversation vanished as soon as the last words were uttered.
“
No, wait. Please. How do I find the light?
”

A Kayros, the bird of death, flapped its enormous wings as it settled on a nearby scrub tree, startling Bartok into wakefulness. Sitting up quickly, he glanced around furtively but again saw nothing but desolation. Hastily repacking the meager supplies into his carrying bags, he wasted no time in putting distance between himself and the shadowy cliffs.

A few hours later Bartok slid from his lathered mount and moved on shaky legs to a large rock overhung with vines and moss. He had ridden hard in the blazing sun and still he could not rid himself of his earlier fears.

He pulled his cloak about him, hiding his face in the voluminous folds as a hard wind blew dust into the air making it difficult to draw a deep breath. The wind died suddenly and the quietness of the lonesome sands was disrupted as a shrill whistle filled the air. The ground beneath his feet trembled and Bartok drew himself closer to the rocky wall, pulling his feet up beneath him.

His stallion, Kaika, whinnied fearfully at the frightening sounds, his front hooves clawing in the air as he reared up.

Before Bartok
’
s very eyes the ground opened up and the strong, white beast disappeared. He could do no more than stare in stunned disbelief as first the head and then the long, tunne
l-shaped body of a giant sand wo
rm disappeared into the hot desert san
ds, his stallion swallowed whole.

Within seconds, the golden sands were again calm and a hushed quiet filled the humid air.

Drawing several short, jerky breaths, Bartok heaved his numb body higher up on the rock cliff.
“
By all that is holy, what am I to do now?
”
He was hundreds of maya
les away from his home –
or any other known habitation. And the only person who knew something of his whereabouts
were his disloyal guards, and
his uncle, a sick old man who could very well have passed into the unknown world by now.

Bartok raised his head toward the blazing sun.
“
By the gods, why did I not bring an escort? It was a fooli
sh, prideful thing to think
I could rely on my own strength.
”

Dropping to the hard rock, he stretched out his wind-battered body and pulled the heavy cloak over him to keep the hot rays of the sun from blistering his skin.

Even with his mount, it would have taken another moon
’
s passing to reach the outland dwelling of the wizard,
Hadem. Now it would appear
he was doomed to die in this desolate wasteland. Afraid and alone.

Just as he had always feared.

Suddenly Bartok felt himself being lifted high into the air. His body seemed to float weightless, suspended between the sky and earth. Within minutes the hot, blistering sun was gone, replaced by the cool darkness of night.
“
Where am I?
”
he croaked between cracked, dry lips.

A soft hand reached out to touch his reddened face.
“
Do not worry,
”
a voice soothed.
“
You are with friends.
”

Bartok felt himself growing restless. He knew there was a reason for being in the desert but he could not remember what it was. Once again the hand touched him and he allowed himself to rest. The touch was familiar to him, as if he had felt it all of his life. Comforted by such thoughts, he drifted into a light sleep.

A sharp rumbling of the land brought him awake with a start a short time later. He lay flat against some sort of silky covering draped across the hard rock shelf. He brushed the hair from his eyes, trying to focus on the scene before him. At first he thought he had surely died and entered the world of the unknown.

Large beings walked purposefully below him, seemingly bent on some mission or another. It was as if a giant hand had set
down a small city
in the middle of a scooped out bowl of rock and cinder. Bartok crawled to the edge of the ledge, easing forward cautiously. He gasped in astonishment and his foot slipped on the loosened soil. He felt himself falling through the air. At the last mome
nt his flight was stopped as a huge hand
reached out and plucke
d him from the air and
he was gently lowered to the ground.

The same large beings he had seen below now walked toward him, their auras fuzzy and indistinct. He could not tell if they were male or female. The voices mingled together as each spoke the same words.
“
Please be more careful, Master Bartok. We wish no harm to come to you while you are in our care.
”

Bartok straightened to his full height but came up far short compared to these huge creatures.
“
Where am I?
”
he demanded.
“
Why have you brought me here?
”