Chapter 2 part 1

Over the Hills and Through the Woods

Mager had been true to his word, the mounts and supplies were very generous. They were packed up and ready to ride at daybreak. When they rode out into the new world for the first time, Avery reigned in his horse and stared in amazement at the morning sky. Two suns rose in the east, one a deep blue, and the other a bright emerald green. It was a sight that none of them had ever expected or seen. If nothing else, it set to rest any hope that they were still on their home world. Feeling very out of place, they left the temple grounds and took the road that went around the gray walls of the city and to the road going north.

Once past the city, they were at a crossroads. There the north road wound into trees no more than a few miles away. They gathered for a moment and looked at the map Mager had given them. “Are we sure we do not want to go into the city for anything,” Keeneye asked the group.

“We have all the supplies we need,” Samson replied. “Such places are a hive of gossip and strangers are spotted instantly. I’m sure word would quickly spread about our arrival.”

Avery nodded in agreement. “He’s right, and even if we don’t run into any of these gods we've been hearing about, we still need to be careful. We don’t need to advertise our presence.”

Samson looked sourly at the ranger. “That means we should probably avoid the main roads as well. I'm not crazy about bushwhacking through the middle of thorn bushes and thickets.”

Marlena mocked a sympathetic face and said sweetly, “Oh is the big mighty warrior afraid of wild animals? Not to worry, I’ll keep you safe from all those marauding rabbits and songbirds.”

The man's look was a mixture of amusement and affection. It was clear he held special feelings for the woman. “My lady, I’m now deeply reassured. By all means let us proceed straight away to those very forests where we can rest safely in your care, rabbits or not.”

After Marlena and Samson had finished with their playful banter they spurred their mounts in the direction where the others were riding. With light moods, they rode at an easy pace due north, while the road curved slowly away towards the northwest.

Around noon, they stopped for lunch. Seymore and Marlena ate quickly and went into the woods alone to speak with the plants and animals. Marlena felt that to go into the forest of a new and strange world without knowing more about what they faced was a bad idea. By communing with nature, she would gain insight and a better understanding about what laws of nature governed the land. As her former apprentice, Seymore went with her to assist and also to asses his own druidic skills in the new world.

They returned after an hour or so. Marlena looked troubled, and Seymore was obviously frustrated. “The best I could manage was a conversation with a squirrel!” He picked up a stone and threw it angrily. They all watched quietly as the rock disappeared into the sky.

Avery looked inquiringly at Keeneye. “I’d guess two or three miles” the archer said softly.

Seymore flushed bright red and flopped to the ground. Marlena put her hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry," she reassured hum. "If you think it through, you’ll know what the problem is. Besides, you’ve always been good with squirrels.”

The dwarf punched him lightly in the shoulder. “Yeah, it’s because you’re a nut case.”
Everyone but Seymore flinched. The big man sighed, got back to his feet and started back to the woods.

“Where are you going?” Avery asked.

“To find that squirrel and warn him never to talk to dwarves," the big man answered curtly. "I need to make use of a bush. Do you mind?"

After a brief rest, they quickly finished lunch and got moving again. “All I could really get is a sense that these woods are really not that different from the forests of our own world,” Marlena told them as they continued. “The spirit of this world doesn’t recognize us, and she isn’t willing to accept us completely. Although I did learn of a local creature that we should be wary of, I didn’t learn much else, but I know that it hunts by night with great stealth.”

“Sounds like we’ll need to keep watches at night.” Norwind said.

Avery nodded in agreement, then looked to Marlena. “While you two were gathering information, I scouted around.” He pointed off to the north. “There is a large game trail about two hundred yards that way.”

The brush was not so thick when viewed from the inside as it was from the outside. In fact, it was quite spacious. Keeneye, riding in the back of the troop, could easily see his ranger friend moving from clearing to clearing, choosing the paths of least resistance for their animals. Following steadfastly behind Avery was Marlena. This was their environment and she was quietly conversing with him about which trails showed signs of travel and food procurement.

Pursuing Marlena was the elven monk, Norwind. He, like Tyson, preferred to walk rather than ride. Tyson succeeded Norwind, who was in turn followed by Samson. The big warrior rode with one hand on the reigns and the other on the hilt of the great enchanted sword, Libra. Next came Armegon and Ultrecht, both conversing in a light whisper. They were ensued by Scarlet. The comical sight of the dwarf, red braids and beard flopping everywhere, perched atop the huge mount was enough to cheer up the sour-mooded Seymore behind him. Avery had asked Keeneye to bring up the rear with Seymore because as moody as Seymore was, he might miss some sign that could alert the troop to some enemy.

Seymore's mood was understandable. Having spent years practicing and trying to perfect the art of druidism only to have it torn from him involuntarily was good reason to be upset. But they were in a strange and probably hostile environment. It would not do to let their guard down.

At that thought, Keeneye turned and peered over his shoulder at the edge of the wilderness which receded into the distance. Within mere moments it was lost, blocked by the brush.

After a couple hours of riding, the first of the two suns, the blue one, dipped below the horizon. The early evening took on a deep greenish yellow hue. Avery called the company to a halt and recommended that they make camp before dark. The company readily agreed and began dismounting to search for comfortable spots to place bedrolls.

Seymore was gathering wood for a fire when he noticed that Keeneye and Avery had disappeared into the brush. He assumed that as usual they were out to hunt down some fresh meat. He also noted that Marlena had coerced Samson into a hunt to gather roots for a stew. Mager had outfitted them well, and he saw Scarlet with the aid of Norwind setting up a community tent of sorts while Armegon and Ultrecht were reading books and talking quietly, probably preparing to weave spells for protection. Tyson was digging a fire pit. Everyone had a task to perform. That was the way it had always been.

As he gathered deadwood near the edge of the clearing, Seymore started at a rustling coming from a nearby brush. Gazing out into the thickness, he thought for a moment that he had caught a glimpse of a bipedal figure moving quickly and silently through the brush. He stepped out of the clearing so as to see better, but found no sign of the vision nor any evidence that there had been anyone or anything there at all. Finally he shrugged to himself and dismissed the motion as either Keeneye or Avery and continued gathering wood.

With an armload, he started towards the clearing when again he was startled by the rustling of bushes. He decided he would have to speak to the woodlanders about all the noise they were making in the forest. But when he approached camp, he saw that Avery and Keeneye were already in camp. Quickly, he whirled around and peered into the brush where the noise had emerged. There was nothing.

Rather than have his comrades give him a hard time about seeing things, Seymore decided to keep the mirage to himself. It was probably a rabbit or bird, he reasoned.

The evening's meal consisted of roots and meat from some small game made into a stew. It wasn't what most of them were used to, but Avery promised that they would adjust to it, and jokingly commented that a little bit of roughing it would not kill them.

After all, most of them had done that sort of thing long ago. The hard work and trials which had once led to their success may have faded into memory, and the years of living off that success may have gotten them a bit soft, but the memories were still there. They had survived the hard life once before, they could do it again.

The night's watch schedule was the first topic of discussion. It was important to have someone awake at all times, but the question was who could and who would be willing to give up a couple of hours of sleep.

"Well, I think the warriors should pull the first night watch," Marlena said as she absently stroked a skunk, which after having approached her during supper, she had adopted for the night.

"And just why do you think that?" Scarlet asked. He might have been a bit snappy any other time, but in such close quarters with the druidess, and with the business end of the skunk pointed in his direction, the dwarf had elected to be polite with his inquiry.

"Because," she replied with hands on hips, "the spell slingers need to sleep," indicating Armegon, Ultrecht and Tyson.

"And what about you?" Scarlet retorted reflexively. He swallowed hard as she frowned at his tone.

"Well, surely you don't expect me to stand watch!"

"Why not?"

She stared at the dwarf indignantly for a long moment, debating whether or not to actually answer his question. "Because," she finally said with a hint of a smile beneath a feigned look of shock and retort, "it's that time of the month!"

With that, Scarlet let out a burst of laughter as the little dwarf accepted the ultimate excuse with grace. She had been playing that card for a many years. He was quite sure that this particular woman had several 'that time of the months' every month. At least whenever it suited her needs. The funny part was that no one ever challenged her.

"Don't worry, good dwarf," said Samson. "I shall endeavor to remain awake with you. We shall talk of our past adventures in our homeland and the prospect of fame and fortune in this one."

Scarlet cocked an eye toward the man standing in full armor with hand on hilt of sword. It was not like Samson to joke around. He was obnoxiously all business. Still, the dwarf shrugged, recent events were so weird, that even Samson may need to vent with a little humor.

The final decision was that the watches would be carried out in two hour intervals, starting with Avery followed by Keeneye, Samson, and finally Scarlet.

As Avery took watch, the others went to sleep. The first of the two moons rose illuminating the night with its coppery light. Avery sat with his back leaned against a tree, reading a book on spells and charms and chewing on a root that he had dug up earlier. His elven ears and woodsman's experience kept sharp notice of any change in the night's sounds. After an hour of reading, he spent the remaining part of the shift observing a faint silvery line that stretched across the night sky. He considered waking Ultrecht, but the elementalist was snoring in the blissful arms of a dream. Avery certainly didn't want to disturb someone sleeping so soundly, so he let the mage be. Besides, he thought, it would be better to see if the object was there the next night. Then, if it were consistent, it might merit speculation and study.

Scarlet had been dreaming about kegs of ale when Samson awoke him with a not-too-gentle nudge. It was chilly in the early morning air with the first of the two moons setting. The smaller moon was in a crescent and still climbing into the sky when he poured himself a hot cup of broth while stretching his stout legs. Samson threw a few more pieces of wood on the fire then wrapped himself in a blanket and wandered back to his bedroll.

So much for staying awake with him, Scarlet scoffed quietly. That was Samson when it came to small tasks. He had good intentions but not much follow through. Even so, there was no one better to watch your back in a fight.

Left alone in the last hours before dawn, the sleepy-eyed dwarf began rummaging through the pack in search of some foodstuffs to cook for breakfast--it was generally agreed that the last person on watch had to cook the morning meal. As the small kettle steamed, Scarlet sat down next to the fire and watched the sky grow lighter. With breakfast almost ready, the dwarf woke those who did not have watches first and let the others who had pulled watch sleep a little longer.

By sunrise they were all awake, and the entire company was in good spirits. After a quick meal, they were back on the trail.

As they travelled, Scarlet listened as Avery discussed the line in the sky that he had seen the night before with Ultrecht. The two were in front of the group now. It was not a good defensive posture, but on such a fine warm day, the they were somewhat in a bit of a carefree mood.

The morning passed quickly and they had been riding their mounts at a good clip when, around noon, they rode into a clearing where Avery called the caravan to a halt. Jumping down, he knelt to the ground to inspect a strange set of tracks.

As the others gathered around, Avery stood and pointed off toward the east. "Something very large moved through here last night, I would guess," he said. "It was a quadruped and had claws." He scanned the trail ahead. "It's travelling ahead of us at a fast pace."

"A bear?" Norwind stood along side of the ranger.

"No," Avery said after a moment. "Very similar, though." He followed the tracks a short distance. "The stride indicates that the size is about the size of a very large bear, but the depressions indicate that it is lighter. The foot structure seems to imply great speed and strength. Oddly, it looks more like a wolf than anything else, but it is absolutely huge."

"Probably exclusive to this world," Marlena surmised. Avery agreed.

"Can we overtake it?" Samson asked, as he pulled his mount up alongside Avery.

"Do we really want to overtake it?" asked Norwind turning his head from side to side as if expecting something to jump out of the brush at any minute.

Avery climbed back onto his horse. "I don't think we are moving as fast as it is," he said, "but just in case we are, let's stop travelling well before night so that we can set up a perimeter."

No one argued. With that, Avery set off into the gloomy woods again. Seymore repositioned his hammer so that it would be easier to get free of its wrappings in an emergency. He glanced over his shoulder to where his friend Scarlet was relieving himself on a tree stump, he urged his horse onto the trail.

Twice more they stopped to check the trail, which seemed to be headed in the same destination as they were. Each time, Avery stated that they were falling farther and farther behind the trail maker.

Everyone took this news well. And, when the first of the two suns began to set, Avery decided to stop for the night. As each member of the group went about his traditional camp chores, the mood of the company began to shift back into its old familiar style. Gone were the irritations and paranoia that had manifested as a result of the universal displacement. The normal routine of exploring unfamiliar places that they had grown to love was rapidly being taken on by each person.

Ultrecht was thinking about this, when it occurred to him that he had not felt such things since he was a young journeyman on adventures many years ago. Ever since he had achieved the rank of archmage, he had found it more suitable to let the hired persons do the adventuring. He wondered if this also was a result of the transuniversal shift, or were they simply rediscovering something they had lost.

The latter thought brought memories flooding from the past of good times and bad times. Some faces from the past, most of them long dead seemed to come out of the darkness of his memory. He remembered their names, and their voices. He recalled the pain each time one had died. Ultrecht could not help but grimace as he contemplated the possibility of doing it all over again. He tried to direct his thoughts to other things to avoid the painful memories as he rode on.

Later, everyone was huddled around the campfire and happily eating a stew, which Marlena had concocted from some local roots and a little of the small game Avery and Keeneye had snared earlier.

The conversation was light and consisted mostly of jokes and stories while Seymore’s wine flask passed between Scarlet and himself. The highlight of the evening came when Scarlet leaned too close to refill his bowl and caught his beard on fire. It was quickly extinguished, and as usual, Scarlet himself laughed the loudest.

It was about half an hour later when the hot stew began to take its effect on the eyelids of the whole company. One by one, all save Avery slipped off to their bedrolls until he was the only one left. So, with no regrets or procrastination, the halfelven ranger pulled out his book of magic and settled down to keep watch. It was a common practice for those who used magic. The books contained spell formulas and incantations that were too difficult to commit to long term memory. They had to be reviewed regularly.

Several hours later, it was Samson Okmar who was on watch. The large man stood, feet apart in full chain armor. He held his sword drawn, but resting in his cradled, crossed arms. He was ready for anything that might immediately happen. He glanced round the camp checking on his sleeping comrades. They were all sleeping well including the young Keeneye, who had just been relieved from watch minutes before.

Samson himself was still very tired and was tempted to go back to sleep. He had not been able to sleep very well earlier. He did not know why, but he simply had not been very tired. He had dozed for only an hour or two until Avery had exchanged places with Norwind. That commotion had awakened him and he had been awake since.

But after laying awake and fitfully tossing and turning for the last four hours, fatigue was finally catching up to him. That was why he had opted to stand for a bit. He was afraid that if he sat down he would fall asleep too easily.

Cautiously evaluating the camp perimeter, he was almost certain that no animals would come anywhere near the fire. But, just to be sure, he decided to pile some more wood onto the pyre and gleamed with satisfaction as the fire’s snapping increased. Finally, with a small bonfire blazing inside the small campsite, Samson felt confident enough to leaned back against a tree trunk to relax. The crackle played tunes in his mind and the dancing flames hypnotically held his gaze. Like miniature stars whirling into the dark sky, the sparks floated upward in swirling gusts. Being very, very tired, it was not long before Samson too was snoozing.

He had no idea how long he had dozed when Samson was awakened by the muffled sound of a struggle. Jumping up he immediately saw a large reptilian form dragging an unconscious Scarlet into the brush.

With a loud cry, he fluidly pulled the great Sword of Balance, Libra, from its sheath and charged into the brush where the dwarf had been hauled.

Thorns and brambles clawed at his mail shirt in vain as he plowed through bush after bush, desperately searching for the lizard-like creature that had uninvitedly entered their camp and attacked. Running blindly through the dark he ran into a tree, and fell to the ground. Not far off, he could hear the distinct sounds of his fellows moving through the brush after being awakened by his cry of warning.

Sitting up, Samson's head was still spinning when he noticed a flash of light to the left illuminating the area and sending eerie shadows dancing on the ground. One of the shadows suddenly jumped up at him and he fell backwards in an effort to ward off the attack. He tried to raise his sword to a defensive position, but his limbs would not respond quickly enough. Before he could move into position, the creature was upon him. Ignoring his sword, which was wedged into the ground, he balled up his fist and slammed it into the lizard's left eye as he felt its teeth close around his armored thigh.

Seymore was the first one up. He had awakened just in time to see Samson charging into the forest with sword in hand. He immediately grabbed his hammer and sprang into action. He was not sure what was going on, but, he reasoned, if Samson was going to fight, he would probably want some assistance, if just backup help. As Seymore ran into the brush, he saw that Armegon was also on his feet and close by.

As Seymore and Armegon made their way through the woods, Armegon stooped and scooped up a small stone. Still running, he summoned up a simple spell from his memory and began speaking in a whispery chant. Immediately, the stone flared brilliantly white, casting light in all directions.

With a visible path, they slowed long enough to check their surroundings as well as listen for a clue as to where the others were located. Far off to the left, another light erupted to signify that others had entered the wood in an attempt to encircle whatever manner of beast they were combating.

A noise off to their right alerted them. The sounds of metal striking earth and hand-to-hand combat indicated the direction to go. After moving about fifty feet, they stumbled into a small clearing, which revealed Samson and a large lizard in a death struggle. And, off to the right, lay the crumpled form of Scarlet.

Again Seymore heard Armegon mumbling, and in a flash, several short bursts of light shot from the sorcerer’s extended finger to the reptile's back. The sudden magical onslaught caught the beast by surprise as it reared its head in a throaty hiss. With almost perfect timing, Seymore swung his hammer in a wide low arc, planting it on the spine of the creature's neck. The resulting crunch of bone and the unnatural angle of the beast's head clearly told him that his neck was broken.

The following seconds were filled with silence as Seymore heaved the monster off Samson's exhausted, but otherwise unharmed form.

It was about that time that Avery and Keeneye bolted into the clearing. Avery quickly knelt and examined Samson. Samson waved him off. "Help Scarlet," he said.

Avery stood and stepped over to the fallen dwarf. Blood poured from deep wounds on his neck. Kneeling, he placed his hands on the still form. Seymore, Armegon and Samson, now on his feet, all gathered around the healer and his patient. They stood transfixed with the others who had come from the camp as they watched Avery bend his head in deep concentration.

Deep within the healing trance, Avery tried frantically to lock his mind and soul with that of the dwarf. He dove deeper and deeper into the abyss of the dwarf's alarmingly vacant mind desperately seeking Scarlet’s life force.

Avery was a master healer, and used his own life force to strengthen and repair his patient’s body until it could take over on its own. He had used this power to save every one of his companions at one time of another, but suddenly it seemed so difficult. There was so much resistance.

Through the darkness and the ebbing waves of pain and agony, Avery felt as if he were swimming against a strong current until at last he saw the tiny receding spark of life in the distance. He instantly knew it was too late. He had expended so much energy that he, himself was in danger of not being able to pull out of the trance. He felt himself slipping from his own body towards the barrier from which none return. Still he pushed further. He had to make contact with the dwarf's mind to start the healing.

"Scarlet," he called out. "Come back to us! Fight! I will help you!"

There was no answer. The dwarf’s injuries were too serious. The soul was too far away. Only an emotional sense of futility drifted back from that distand flicker of life.

"No," Avery pleaded. "I can lend you the strength to hang on! Come back!"

No words, but a feeling washed over Avery. The feeling was that of regret.

Avery perceived the dwarf's meaning. "I understand," Avery replied with sadness. The dwarf’s spirit was beyond his capability to help. Had he been at his strongest, Avery might yet have been able to recall Scarlet, but in the new world and in the weakened state, it was beyond him.

"Is this the end?" Avery asked rhetorically. “Am I doomed to see all my friends pass the same way?”

A whispery sound, like that of dry leaves falling to the forest floor drifted through the trance "I can see those who will return home and you will not be among them, old friend. Yet, do not despair. You will not perish. Your fate lies in this world,."

Startled somewhat, Avery could not help but ask: "Then, this is good-bye?" But there was no answer.

Avery watched as the dwarf's consciousness drifted off into the void. He continued to watch as the small flicker of light winked out with Scarlet's single entity being no more. The way was closed when Avery began the long trek back to his own consciousness. Then, abruptly, he felt the familiar tingle of a soul crossing space and time never to return.

Avery glanced up. He was dripping with sweat and his knees were too weak to stand, so he just sat there on the ground.

"Avery?" asked a voice.

Avery did not know who had spoken nor did he care. He just lowered his eyes and said, "Scarlet passed beyond the threshold of death before I could get to him, and I'm no longer strong enough to pull him back from the depths to which he had descended. He's gone."

That solemn statement changed the world for the other eight companions. They had lost one of their own. It was perhaps the first time that it had happened in decades. In their own world, they had been powers commanding great respect and possessed great abilities. Suddenly all that had been stripped from them along with the sense of invincibility that they had adopted over the last few years.

One by one, they turned aside, each one facing the shock of reality and measuring the magnitude of their loss.

Later, Seymore sat next to the fire in a fit of misery. He had lost travelling companions before, but this was the first time any of his close friends had died. He badly wanted to curse Avery for not saving his best friend, but he knew the healer himself had been very fond of the foul-mouthed dwarf.

He also felt contempt toward Samson for letting the lizard into the camp. He suspected that the big man had fallen asleep, which would not have been the first time. But, in spite of his feelings, he could see how the dwarf's death was already eating away at Samson's conscience. The big man had become harsh and refused anyone’s attempts to tend to the minor cuts and buises he had suffered in the struggle.

Then, there was Ultrecht. Seymore considered the tall, thin man. No grief--no compassion, just cold analyzing acceptance. Seconds after he heard Avery's announcement of Scarlet's death, he had turned and started examining the monster, the killer of their comrade, with detached curiosity. For that reason alone, Seymore was angry.

Many were the times in which he and Scarlet had carried out some mission for Ultrecht. Did the old mage think no more of Scarlet than as that of some hireling whose loss was not worthy of grief? If so, what did the elementalist think of Seymore, himself?

Seymore’s roving gaze next settled on Marlena. She too was sitting near the fire as if to keep warm, even though it was not cold. The firelight glistened upon her cheeks, a telltale indication of her sadness. Norwind was trying desperately to comfort her. Being both philosopher and psychologist, Norwind was the best person to console the grieving, but just like himself, Marlena did not seem to want to be consoled as she nodded politely, but was obviously not listening to the monk’s words.

Off to the side of the trail they had been following earlier, Keeneye, Tyson and Armegon were burying the remains of their companion. There had been some argument about whether or not they should return him to his homeworld for burial. He had no family or ties, and they had a very long way to go. The only way for them to keep the body from rotting would be for Ultrecht to manipulate the element of time, but such an act would almost certainly draw unwanted attention. Not only that, but his body would be a terrible nuisance.

But after a heated debate, it was decided that he would be, as Scarlet himself would have said, "just dead weight." The final pun dedicated to one who was overly fond of puns and pranks.

By unanimous decision, they decided not to travel the next day. Avery still had not recovered from his attempt to save Scarlet. He had pushed himself so far that he himself had been on the verge of crossing over into death's domain in an attempt to recover the dwarf. Had his powers been at full strength, he might have succeeded. But in this weakened state caused by the crossing, he just didn't have the power to bring the dwarf back. As a result of overtaxing his abilities, he had passed out shortly after the attempt and was sleeping peacefully.

The talk around the camp was very low-keyed and scarce. No one really felt like idle conversation, and the mood was dark. Norwind and Keeneye tried to sound cheerful and lively. Being elves, their cultural outlook on life and death was a bit different. They bade farewell to their passed comrade, then turned their backs to the event and got on with their lives. To them life was the thing that was important. They tried to appear optimistic but their efforts went unnoticed for the most part.

Armegon spoke briefly on the plans to continue their journey the next day and suggested that Scarlet's belongings be packed away on the spare mount. Seymore was uncomfortable with the idea, but he knew as did the others that holding onto the departed was not going to bring him back.

In the end, it was Tyson who finally broke the ice and snapped everyone back into the present. Explaining that if they were going to lose Scarlet, then it was going to be for a good cause and anyone who opposed that cause was going to be treated as if he himself had killed Scarlet. He added that the best way to honor Scarlet would be to return home and immortalize his name in legend. Agreeing with a sense of purpose and nostalgia, Seymore had lumbered off to sleep leaving Norwind to take first watch.

It was close to dawn when Avery finally woke. Seymore was on watch when he heard the healer moan and saw him sit up. Avery shakily got to his feet.

"Good morning," Seymore said as the halfelf tried to keep his balance. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I think so," Avery replied. "How long was I out?"

Seymore leaned over and stirred up the coals in the fire pit. Throwing some wood on them, they quickly caught fire. "About a whole day," he said, finally.

Avery put one hand to his head and walked unsteadily toward the fire. He staggered a bit, but Seymore was there to catch him and Avery could see bags under Seymore's eyes with lines of worry and grief in his face. Avery put a hand on the human's thick forearm. "I am very sorry, Seymore. I know how close you were to him."

Seymore shrugged with false bravado as he helped Avery sit down next to the fire. "You did your best, half-breed."

Avery cringed at that title. It had been the title Scarlet had used when they first met, which was before they had started working together. Avery understood why Seymore was bitter and worried that he was starting to withdraw into himself. He wanted to comfort the warrior in some way, but didn’t really know what to say. They had not really gotten to know each other very well until Seymore had started studying the druidic arts.

Marlena had taken Seymore under her tutalage, and Avery worked with Marlena on occasion. Avery also worked for Ultrecht every now and then too, and there had been several times when that had involved working with Scarlet and Seymore, but they had never really gotten to know each other.

He resolved to talk to Norwind later. The elf was a master in philosophy, but better yet, Norwind had been a drinking buddy of Scarlet and Seymore. He might be able to help Seymore come to terms with the loss before any real psychological damage occurred.

Seymore took a pot out from beneath the pile of coals in the pit. He carefully removed the lid and Avery caught the smell of one of Keeneye's stews. Wordlessly, Seymore poured two bowls giving one to Avery. The ranger ate quietly, then got up and walked over to where the horses were tethered.

Seymore watched the halfelf go. While no one was looking and with someone else to keep watch, Seymore quietly turned his back to the fire and stared out into the darkness. He should have gone to bed and gotten some sleep, but he just couldn’t. Instead, he simply sat there and quietly wept.

Avery stood at the edge of the firelight staring out into the darkness. His elven ears easily heard the sounds of the big warrior weeping over his lost friend. Out of deep respect, he also wept--not for the death of Scarlet, because he too shared an elven heritage that celebrated life and considered the mourning of the dead as disrespectful of the one who had passed. No, he wept for the pain Seymore was feeling. The fact that Seymore would never understand as he did, the final peace that Scarlet attained.

By morning, Avery and Seymore had loaded most of the supplies on the horses and cooked a fresh pot of stew on the fire when the others began to awaken. After a quick breakfast, they rapidly packed the remaining supplies. They dallied only long enough to pay their final respects as they surrounded the mound of dirt which signified the final resting place of one of their own.

“It looks so lonely,” Marlena observed with a choke in her voice.

“It’s deep enough that scavengers won’t dig him up,” Tyson assured her.

“I meant that it looked so unremarkable without a marker or something.”

“A tombstone?” Keeneye asked.

"It would take a bit of time,” Ultrecht argued.

“Surely there is something more that we can do,” Seymore countered. “He served you faitfully for many years, and saved your butt a few more times than I can remember.”

Ultrecht sighed. He took a small stick from the ground and whispered a charm over the grave. Then he passed the stick over it several times. Finally he used the end of the stick to draw a rune in the dirt.

There was a low rumble and in a matter of seconds, the earth parted as a slab of stone pushed its way up from the depths below. The stone was a deep grey and was carved with the likeness of a beer mug on the front as well as that of a hammer. There were a couple of symbols on the rim, and some writing across the stone face. It was in their native tongue from their homeland.

“No one will understand that,” Avery pointed out.

“We will,” Marlena argued. “And so will Scarlet. It’s perfect.”

Seymore agreed. He smiled for the first time since the attack, though the smile did not last. “Thanks,” he said as he passed by Ultrecht and went for his mount.

“You realize that if anyone was looking for us by monitoring magic, that we just told them where we are,” Ultrecht told Armegon and Avery.

“Let it go,” Avery urged. “Sometimes you have to do things that aren’t the safest things to do. I think it was more important to give some of the others a bit of closure.”

Armegon and Avery then both left to fetch their own mounts. Ultrecht stood over the grave for a few moments longer. He would miss the dwarf. In spite of Seymore’s perception that he did not care, Ultrecht did care. He cared a great deal, but he also knew that there was nothing that could be done. They had a long way to go, and time was wasting.

With his own quiet farewell attended to, Ultrecht joined the others and in a matter of moments they were back on the trail. The mood had changed drastically, and Ultrecht feared for anything which tried to block their path.

After a quick study of the lizard’s corpse, Avery informed everyone that the reptile which had attacked them was not the same creature that had been travelling ahead of them. That creature he deduced was still several days ahead of them.

Continuing on for a good part of the day, they had ridden several leagues when Marlena asked for a brief halt. As she dismounted and disappeared into a thicket, Avery took the opportunity to move over to where Norwind sat on a nearby stump. While they waited on Marlena to finish her personal business, Avery spoke quietly to Norwind about Seymore's withdrawal symptoms. Norwind assured him that it would have been much worse if the man had not wept and dealt with his grief. He was quite certain that after a few battles Seymore would vent his rage and return to normal.

Several minutes later, Marlena returned and mounted her horse. Without comment, the band resumed their voyage.

The next several days were relatively uneventful except for Avery's announcement that the tracks of the beast preceding them had turned off the trail. His words still did not make the party feel any safer. In fact, the entire group had become suspicious of their surroundings and began to question anything unusual. The dangerous part of that was that they also started second guessing each other. That brought out a bit of bickering and snapping.

Norwind, always the philosopher and psychiatrist, made repeated efforts to curb the rampant paranoia that had formed as a result. This took quite some effort to calm everyone down. He did finally succeed after he pointed out that they had all gone through this stage of inexperience long ago when each had begun adventuring, and they had survived before.

As they moved steadily northward over the following weeks, everyone could feel a distinct change in climate. Avery, Marlena and Seymore all agreed the change in flora towards a high population of evergreens indicated that it was not just a weather front, but that they had left the tropical and subtropical zones and now needed heavier clothing. For that purpose, it was decided that they should stop for a few days until some animal hides and smoked meat could be procured and magically tanned.

Avery and Keeneye, having promised Marlena and Seymore not to disturb the ecological food chain by killing the strong or pregnant, hunted with great skill and mercy. Norwind and Samson also contributed fish they had caught from a nearby pond.

The next two days were spent smoking the meat and resting the mounts. Ultrecht, Armegon and Avery took time to examine some of the astronomical and geological aspects of the new world. They were commenting on the rapidly cooling climate when Ultrecht asked Avery what was the time of the year.

"I can’t be sure," he answered, "with the two suns and the fact that we are constantly moving north, I can only guess at the angle of tilt of this planet's axis." He looked up at the twin suns while shading his eyes. "The suns' declination in the sky still seems to be in the northern hemisphere, so I guess that we’re experiencing this hemisphere's spring or summer." He surveyed the surrounding woods. "Strangely enough," he continued, "the wildlife doesn't appear to be experiencing the usual springtime transformations."

"Do you think the orbit may be eccentric?" Ultrecht asked.

"All orbits are eccentric to a degree," Avery reminded.

"I mean more than usual."

"Possibly," said Avery. "Most of the wildlife and plant life in this kind of area is generally active in the winter anyway, so there really aren’t any signs to see how spring goes."

"Seasons are very long here." The three mages turned to see Tyson walking up. Seeing their questioning glances, he explained, "I asked Seymore to speak with some of the animals." He paused and took on a thoughtful expression, "strangely enough neither I nor Norwind can do that anymore." He sat down on a log next to the others. "Seymore says that the summers here are only about one tenth as long as the rest of the time and a true wintry season does not exist, but the summer is hot and humid."

"It would seem," Ultrecht finally deduced, "we do have an eccentric orbit here."

"A very eccentric orbit," Avery added.

The conversation about the climate continued on for several hours, until Marlena announced that supper was ready. Later that night, everyone slept well. Avery and Ultrecht stayed up a little late and discussed the faint silvery line across the sky, speculating as to its origin. Likewise, Armegon was totally engrossed in a rock from a stream, which contained a peculiar mineral.

The night was cool, but not too cold. There was good wood for a fire and the surrounding forest had yielded plenty of game and wild roots. A small spring fed a nearby stream and Avery commented that it would be a great place to dwell if he had plans to stick around. The evening was uninterrupted, peaceful and passed uneventfully.

The next morning, however, everyone awoke to find storm clouds coming out of the east. Some concern rose as to whether or not to march on or wait the oncoming storm out. Avery pointed out that they had no knowledge of the new world's weather. Storms could last a few minutes or a few days. He suggest that they stay mobile. A little rain wouldn’t do them any serious harm.

With the decision made to move on, they quickly packed up the camp and hit the trail as the overhead sky began to turn very dark and threatening.

They didn't know the time of day when the rains began to fall. The suns never made it out from behind the clouds, and the rain came down in sheets dropping the already cool temperature to a bone chilling, wet cold. Their pace quickly dwindled to a mere crawl as the rain turned the earth to slush and the horses footing became more and more unsteady. Tempers and patience began to run thin as the day wore on. Yet Avery still refused, despite repeated requests, to halt and wait out the storm.

The weather continued for two more days and Keeneye was riding in the rear, as usual. He pulled his hood up even snugger over his head as water began to seep through the tough leather. He could hear complaints and the curses of those who wanted to stop, but he also knew why Avery wouldn't stop.

Avery, he knew, was scared because he was in an unfamiliar territory. His ranger skills were being taxed to keep them all alive. At the same time, he had to lead them to an unknown destination. Keeneye knew, as did Avery, that too many things could go wrong in this kind of weather. Not only could they get lost, but if they stayed in one place, they could easily be at each others' throats in a matter of hours.

Keeneye was certain that later, when everyone was warm and fed, they would all remember the times Avery had been right in the past. It was just that at the moment, the cold, wet rain made nerves raw and memory clouded.

There was no absolute leader of the band, Keeneye reminded himself. When it came to survival, no one questioned Avery, just as no one questioned Armegon about magical combat or Ultrecht about elemental or arcane mechanics.

Keeneye was trying to concentrate on these things to help ignore the wet cold when it occurred to him that the rain had stopped. He peeped up to see that the clouds were becoming thin as they moved overhead, and what little sky could be seen was the peculiar yellowish color of twilight.

Noticing that the column in front of him had stopped and dismounted, Keeneye followed by stopping his horse and dropping to the ground. He instinctively glanced down to where his feet had planted themselves in wet sand. Not mud, he thought, sand!

Quickly he trotted up to the head of the column where everyone was standing. Peering beyond the last few yards of trees, he could see a sandy beach.

Avery barked a few commands and, though wet and cold, Tyson, Samson and Seymore began to construct a sturdy shelter on a nearby bluff. The others gathered driftwood and scrub brush from the beaches and forest edge. In no time at all, everyone was huddled around a good, hot fire, trying to dry out.