The noble scars, p.21
The Noble Scars, page 21
“That’s a lot to accept.”
“Miriam created scrolls that are the basis of our faith. She wrote several, but only two of them have surfaced. One of them comes with a dire warning of the emergence of an entity referred to as the Usurper. It is a being who will work in opposition to the Spirit’s ideals.”
“So I’ve heard.”
“But there was another scroll that described the ideals of our faith that made its way to us.”
“What does it say?”
“The Great Realm exists through love, acceptance, and selflessness.
“Faith is the way of the Grand Spirit.
“To give of one’s self is the ultimate act.
“Transgressions against one another will lead to a domain counter to the Great Realm, a realm of Belth that will host an unnatural one, who is not of soul or Spirit.”
“Do you believe that this Usurper is coming?”
“The wizard certainly does; he has devoted himself to this.”
“How, Thia? How will this Usurper enter our world? How will he present himself?”
“No one knows for sure, Zerin. The catalyst is the transgressions that we inflict upon one another. But there is speculation about what to expect.”
“Such as?”
“He could come as spirit, formless, with the ability to possess men’s minds; a malevolent influence. He could appear as foul weather that scourges the countryside and forces us into starvation and war. But the greater belief is that he will find his way into this world through birth and appear as one of us.”
“So, as far as we know, he could be here right now?”
“Perhaps, but the wizard often speaks of his pending arrival, so we don’t believe so.”
“Thia, for all you know, the Usurper could appear as a woman.”
“We don’t know what to believe in, Zerin, but we trust the word of the Grand Spirit as it has been handed down to us from Miriam.”
“I’m not sure that I believe in any of it. And I don’t need faith in a spirit unseen to recognize courage when I see it. The risks you take to help others in need is admirable all on their own, and I credit you for them, not some ghost living through you.”
Thia smiled. “Thank you, Zerin.”
They walked until the woods opened to an escarpment that overlooked a tiny village on the other side of the valley. The silhouette of castle StrongStone hung in the distance. From there, Thia would travel alone.
Without the shadow of the thick woods, Zerin and Thia appeared as bare to each other as the full moon in the open sky. Zerin had lost his shirt and was wearing the remains of the black silks he’d taken from the castle. Thia’s silk outfit had dried against her skin, revealing every contour of her body. A gentle breeze whipped across the escarpment, cool enough that they should have been chilled, yet they weren’t. Distinct fragrances of the valley’s wildflowers merged with the smoke of burning applewood from the village to create a variety of scents that made the moment unique.
Until now, they hadn’t been alone. There were no guards to bother them. There was no giant, and there was no pirate.
They stared at each other for moment, and then Zerin turned away. Thia smiled, amused by his shyness, yet she understood. The moon’s rays did nothing to hide his brawny stature.
“I should be going now,” she said.
“Please be careful.”
He prayed she’d choose to return. But if she wanted to go, he wouldn’t stop her.
“I shall, I promise. I’ll be back before you miss me.”
“I doubt that,” he replied, his eyes widening, surprised he had the nerve to say that.
Thia smiled as they parted, unsure of how to feel about this man who was prone to violence, and yet was so unsure of himself around her.
She passed through the valley and into the tiny, dark village, unaware that Zerin’s eyes hadn’t left her until she was out of sight.
Chapter 27
Zerin jumped to his feet with the lightness of a cat when the sound of a snapping twig woke him from his sleep. He snatched up his sword and stood in stillness behind a large tree where the waning moon wouldn’t betray his shadow.
The footsteps drew closer until they were almost upon him, then they stopped. The attacker was a foot away, with only the tree between them. Zerin held his breath, maintaining his position until the figure emerged into the open. Zerin pounced. He tackled the culprit with little effort, pinning him to the ground, his sword at his throat. The intruder’s face was concealed by a head garment. He tore off the hood to confront them.
“Truly, Zerin, if you wish to get better acquainted, perhaps we can dance again. Fighting is not my preference.”
Realizing his blunder, Zerin leapt to his feet and helped Thia onto hers. He searched for the appropriate words to serve as an apology, but she intervened to spare his embarrassment.
“It’s comforting to know you’re such a diligent sentry.”
“How did you manage to get in behind me? I’ve been watching for your return through the valley.”
“It was safer to climb out the other side of the village at the far end of the escarpment with all this gear.”
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. Thank you for asking.”
Zerin stared at her, unable to express his joy over her return. He awkwardly turned his attention toward the large sack she’d brought with her.
“I… I see you were successful.”
“Indeed I was. I have clothes for you and the others.”
“Thank you. This is most helpful. Daylight is almost upon us. We had best get back to the others.”
Once they returned to their campsite, Thia began to empty the contents of her sack while Galvin and Escura began to wake. Zerin examined each item as she pulled them out, sorting them accordingly. She’d brought clothing, bandages, thread and needle, and a large leather pouch whose contents betrayed themselves with their wafting aroma. When the fumes reached the nostrils of the sleeping giant, he shot up from his slumber and tore the bag from Zerin’s grasp. Within moments, he had removed the freshly cooked fowl from the sac and devoured half. Galvin might have been the size of three men, but he had the appetite of ten. Fortunately, Thia had brought more food, vegetables, smoked meats, and an oat mixture with dried fruit and nuts. She also brought shirts, tunics, and wool pants.
Escura had been content with his black leather pants and matching vest until he saw a brown leather shirt with lace holes and leather strings that fit snugly over his torso. She brought a bearskin vest for the giant; fortunately, it was from a large bear. Zerin was happy to trade the remnants of the eunuch’s silk outfit for wool trousers and a blue suede jacket with cuffs, snaps, and lapels. It fit perfectly, making him wonder if Thia had gone to some lengths to find him the ideal attire. In fact, all the outfits were well suited, especially Thia’s. Leather pants were snugly tucked into travel boots. A brown suede tunic with leather laces was tied part way down her chest. She dragged a cloak that was tied at her neck and fell past her knees. Her hair was knotted behind her neck with loose strands that flowed freely over her ears. There were subtle hints of lavender and just enough red coloring upon her face to attract Zerin’s notice.
“You’ve been very resourceful, milady,” the giant said, licking his fingers.
She smiled ever so slightly but said nothing in return, still unsure if her generosity, along with her judgment, was well-placed.
Zerin gave his thanks as well, then the group paused, waiting for the pirate to oblige, but he had nothing to add. The way he saw it, gratitude went hand-in-hand with indebtedness; a position to be avoided. He did, however, have a question for her.
“Did you see anything interesting in the village?”
“Strangely, I did not. I expected soldiers to have been through there, but there was no sign of them.”
“Sounds good to me,” Galvin said.
“I’m not so sure,” Thia said. “The soldiers should have been looking for us. It’s unusual they weren’t.”
“Is this not a good sign?” Zerin asked.
“Unusual occurrences often imply the wizard’s involvement.”
Escura’s interest piqued when she mentioned Maeldroth. “What do you know of him?”
“What I know of him, I would just as soon forget.” Thia looked as if she’d rather not continue but felt compelled to as Galvin and Zerin drew near, wanting to hear more about the sorcerer. “It’s difficult to sleep in the castle, knowing what goes on in the lower depths. Prisoners who are taken down there never return.” She hesitated for a moment, looking up at Escura. “Well almost no one. I only know of what I’ve been told from the castle servants. His rituals are appalling. His knowledge of pain is extensive, and his means of torture are profound.”
“Aye, I remember the screams from the lower depths of the dungeons,” Galvin said. “He seems to enjoy them.”
“He does it for more than just enjoyment,” Escura said, gazing blankly toward the woods.
“What do you mean?” Zerin asked.
But the pirate didn’t answer.
“And what’s this Usurper I heard you speak of?” the giant asked.
“The Usurper is a being that the wizard seeks to bring into this world,” Escura said, focusing back in on the conversation. “He’s the manifestation of the evil that men inflict upon one another. Every act of human sacrifice is to bring the Usurper in to the living realm. There is a book in Maeldroth’s lair that I tried to steal, but I couldn’t break its hex. It’s a handspan thick and made of pure brass. He calls it The Book of Being. Apparently, it was written by the Grand Spirit. It describes the Usurper’s rise into our realm, his ability to manipulate time, and his headship over the domain of Belth. Maeldroth seeks to cultivate the Usurper’s power through torture and sacrifice.”
“But why, to what gain?” Zerin asked.
“I do not know.”
“Followers of the Usurper are seeking a different afterlife to that of the Great Realm. They seek personal gain for themselves instead of a utopia that is shared by all. The Grand Spirit will not permit the Usurper to succeed,” Thia said.
The pirate stared at her sadly. “Princess, I have seen too much of man’s evil to believe that.”
They sat silently contemplating the pirate’s words until Zerin spoke. “What exactly are the wizard’s powers?”
“No one knows the full extent of them,” Thia answered, “but I know he spends some time out of his body. He can travel great distances in spirit form. He has been seen lurking in the darkened hallways of the castle in incorporeal form. I’ve heard servants scream in the middle of the night, waking to see him floating above their beds, watching them in their sleep. It seems he prefers being out of his body. Anytime he has a confrontation, he becomes ghost.”
“Maybe that’s the best time to kill him,” Galvin offered.
“I tried that!” the pirate exclaimed. “His body can heal itself. There’s no way to kill him!”
“I once overheard Maeldroth speak to Bardek about his transcendent experiences,” Thia said, “claiming he never permitted anyone to see him return to his body.”
“We have more pressing issues right now,” Zerin said. “We must get to Fergasmythe. I need to know if those scrolls hold any value. Why would some old man direct them to us if they didn’t?”
“How do you propose we get there? The roads will be overrun with soldiers,” Galvin said.
“We’ll travel across the Hills of Bardee. It’s a more direct route, even though the terrain is challenging. Are you up for it, Princess?” Zerin asked.
She didn’t answer, exchanging a glance with both Galvin and Escura, who shared the same concerns as she.
“I’m agreeable to any proposal that gets us safely to my home,” she said. “But are you not familiar with the terrain of those hills?”
“I’ll not allow our quest to be disrupted by a challenging trek. I don’t see a reasonable alternative to this path.”
Galvin turned to Escura. “What about you, are you with us?”
Escura sat motionless, pondering the giant’s invitation, even though Zerin had made it clear his presence was temporary. He packed up his gear and strapped on his sword. “I fear nothing of this world, and I’ll not walk an extra foot to avoid that which frightens others.”
“Well, if we do encounter danger,” Zerin said, “your sword better be as gallant as your words.”
Chapter 28
In the dark and damp conditions of the lower levels, the wizard Maeldroth stood over five lifeless and bloody bodies that lay limp upon the cold floor. An unseemly sight to those unaccustomed to the dead, but not for Maeldroth. The little man knelt over the bodies, imagining the pain and terror they had endured as their lives ebbed away. A demented gaze lay fixed in their eyes, as if they were frozen in the moment of their deaths.
He examined the fatal wounds of each, attempting to deduce how they had received death. Knuckle marks on the side of a crumpled skull suggested death by Galvin’s fist, results he had seen before from the giant.
Escura had also left his signature—wounds that were wide and jagged, as if the blade had been torn from their flesh to rip them from the inside. He leaned over Escura’s victims, breathing deeply to absorb the essence of the pirate’s ire.
The last two soldiers had been killed by Zerin. Their wounds were precise and efficient. Maeldroth hovered over them, trying to sense the malevolence of their killer, but he found none. Many of the guards who were wounded, yet survived, had faced Zerin. He seemed to kill only when necessary and without malice.
Maeldroth stood slowly, troubled by his thoughts of the sailor. Zerin’s courage, his control of rage, his fortuitous good fortune, all confirmed Maeldroth’s suspicions that Zerin was endowed with forces that lay in opposition to his own. Whether he knew it or not, Zerin was the most dangerous of the three.
Maeldroth approached his black marble altar and lit the candles at the four corners. The flames danced in the mirror-like sheen of the altar’s surface. The edges of the altar were decorated with a variety of ornaments, some animal parts, and a necklace made of human teeth. The wizard lowered his head and kissed the marble. He observed several moments of silence before slipping into a pensive state. He chanted incomprehensible words and strange dialects. The wizard’s breath turned into a frigid vapor, encompassing his lair in a putrid haze, the same stench that the castle dwellers had come to know all too well. It was thick and rancid and made the heartiest of warriors vomit. But Maeldroth knew the stench well; he reveled in it. It was worse than death itself. It was the foul emanation of the malevolent world that Maeldroth drew his power from—Belth, the counter of the Great Realm.
With the gate to the underworld now open, Maeldroth changed his incantations, his voice rising in volume until it suddenly stopped. Near out of breath and dripping with sweat, the diminutive man turned with unbridled anticipation to face the slain guardsmen. He barely had the patience to endure the mist’s dissipation, but once it had gone, he smiled, then cackled, then broke into hysterics, laughing with abandon.
Chapter 29
The trail through the Hills of Bardee proved to be an adverse, yet spectacular, journey. The grand peaks of the Pergatot Mountains that surrounded the northern boundary of Noble emerged into the vista through the lush vegetation that draped the area.
Humid winds frequented the mountains’ brow, giving rise to frequent downpours that enveloped the valleys below with swamplands. Zerin kept his party on the upper ridges to avoid them.
The spectacular landscape, however, did little to supplant the apprehension among the four travelers.
There were reasons why people took extended routes to avoid these paths. The stories warned of freezing winds, violent storms, and treacherous paths that led to the demise of travelers wishing to shorten their trip by crossing the hills. But to Zerin, they were just that—stories that he wouldn’t be deterred by. With an early start and an uneventful nightfall, they would cross by midday tomorrow, saving themselves a day’s travel and the likelihood of encountering Bardek’s men. Surely, they could survive until then.
The wood was thick at times, requiring the lead traveler to hack through the foliage to create a path. Their senses on high alert, they stopped for every stir in the surrounding bush, only to be relieved time and again by the sight of a small animal or bird.
But the sound they heard next was anything but subtle. The thunderous crashing of branches made it clear that whoever, or whatever, it was had no fear of being detected.
“Hurry,” Zerin urged them. “Whatever comes at us does so with great fury.”
“I’ll fall back,” the pirate said, while Thia and Zerin continued to follow the giant’s path.
“Escura,” Zerin called out, “can you see them?”
“No, but they’ll soon overtake us.”
“How can they be moving faster than we are?” Thia asked.
“Galvin, we have to find a position from which to defend ourselves,” Zerin said.
“Ahead,” the giant replied, “I see a clearing.”
“Escura, any sign of them yet?”
“Yes, I see them. They bear the king’s emblem. Soldiers. I can kill them myself.”
“No,” Zerin ordered. “We stick together. Galvin, how long to the clearing?”
“We’ll be there before they’re upon us.”
“We’ll take them there. Thia, stay close behind.”
The princess nodded.
When they hit the clearing, Thia ran for cover while the three warriors drew their weapons. Standing shoulder to shoulder, they waited for their attackers to emerge.
