Chapter 6 Part 11

The first signs of the attack came as noises in the distance. Norwind heard them first and warned the others. Marlena dropped a few seeds and the group urged their mounts to a quicker pace. As Norwind passed the fallen seeds, he glanced down to see them sprouting and taking root.

"Those are strangleweed vines," she explained. "They will entangle anything passing through them. Actually, they are carnivorous, but we won't be anywhere near them when they mature, which should be in a few minutes thanks to a fast-grow spell."

They rode as quietly and as quickly as possible. Everyone was alert. Each rider listened for sounds of pursuit. Each rider looked for signs of ambush.

"We are almost there," Samson whispered to Marlena, who rode next to him. "I will not allow them to stop us now. Now that you are back, I will not lose you again."

Marlena reached out and touched his arm. "Don't do anything foolish, Sam," she said. "Let's just get home so that we can get back to our lives."

"How much further do we have to go?" Ultrecht asked.

"I don't know," Keeneye said. "Armegon didn't copy this region onto his map. Can't blame him, he didn't expect us to have to..." Keeneye paused, his attention in front of him. "Hey there is an opening ahead of us."

"Damn," Armegon exclaimed as he exited the forest at the border of Gly-ou-vogue. "Just how big is this thing?"

"Well, however big it is," Norwind pointed to the east, "It has to end there where the mountains are."

"It looks like a gentle grade there too," Keeneye said. "Perhaps that is where we can start our ascension."

"Okay," Ultrecht said, "then let's go that way."

"Wait," Samson asked for a moment. "I suggest we reenter the forest." He waved his arm dramatically out over the desert. "I don't want to get caught out there without any cover."

"Good point," Norwind agreed. "The forest will be safer."

"I'm not so sure about that." All eyes turned to Marlena. She had dismounted and was kneeling beside a tree. "There is another druid in the forest working against me."

"Can you take the other druid?" Samson put his hand on his wife's shoulder.

"That is difficult to tell. So far the other has not opposed me directly. I was checking on my strangle weed and found it hibernating. Only a druid could do that."

"Or a very good ranger," Keeneye suggested.

"Any ranger that good would have avoided the trap altogether." Marlena frowned. "That is what puzzles me most," she said. "How this druid fell for the trap at all. It is almost as if the druid has power without experience."

"We can philosophize it later," Armegon put in, "when we get home. Now let's go." They all remounted and turned slightly south of their previous plan, heading into the forest again.

In less than an hour, they heard the horses approaching them. Samson drew his sword and Keeneye gave his bow a testing pull. Armegon glanced back to see Norwind with his staff balanced across his knees rolling up his sleeves to get them out of the way for quick action. Even Marlena was preparing quietly for battle as she spoke gently to the horses in their own language, undoubtedly trying to keep them calm.

The first action announced itself as Keeneye suddenly whirled in his saddle and fired an arrow among the trees. A gurgle and a thump followed. Then, the party urged their mounts into a soft gallop. Three arrows whizzed out of the gloom straight towards Samson's mailed back. Like a flash, a quarterstaff intercepted all three. Norwind plucked the arrows from his staff and passed them forward where they eventually found their way to Keeneye's quiver.

A flash of metal behind him urged Norwind to pass the warning. "Run for it. They're here."

The company sent their horses into a full gallop. Dodging in and out of the trees, Keeneye tried to vary their direction as best he could to keep them from getting outflanked. Eventually, however, the sight he had worked so hard to avoid made itself visible: troops in front of them.

Keeneye shouted a warning and fired his bow. With his knees, he directed his horse south in an attempt to prevent from being trapped on the desert. Within a few minutes, the situation got worse as the signs of enemy troops to the south became evident. "We are surrounded!" He didn't really need to say it. It was plain to all.

Keeneye turned northwest. That was the direction they had come and the only way left open to them. The horses were beginning to lather and Keeneye knew that they would not be able to run much further. "Marlena," he called, "cut them off!"

Marlena flung seeds into the air. "This won't last long," she warned.

"Just buy us some time." Keeneye was looking for something else now. He had a plan. If he could find a large enough growth of brush, they might pull it off. Finally he found what he was looking for in a clump of overgrown vines and trees. Everyone pulled in and remained quiet as hand signals were used whenever possible.

Keeneye pulled up next to Ultrecht. "What do you have in mind?" the mage whispered.

"Can you do that illusion thing again, except for all of us?"

"Not the same way," Ultrecht said. Those illusions were stationary and on objects. If you want an illusion of seven riders, that will require concentration. I can't ride and concentrate on an illusion at the same time."

"Then do the illusion well and you won't have to ride."

Ultrecht began his trade.

"Keeneye," Armegon said quietly. "He can only run an illusion for so long then they will be on to us again."

Keeneye watched the illusion form off into the distance. At first, it was a little blurry, like bad vision, but then it cleared and rode off to the south. "It may draw them off enough for us to make a break in their ranks and escape," Keeneye replied. "I hope the animals can stand one more sprint."

"Mine can't. She took a quarrel in the rump and Marlena has used up almost all her power hiding us and keeping the enemy off us to heal her," Armegon replied.

"Damn," Keeneye exclaimed. "This is getting worse by the minute."

"I have an alternate plan, but you are going to have to trust me," Armegon whispered hesitantly.

"Let's hear it."

"Give me all the horses and put new illusions on them to make it look like they have riders. I will take them on a wild goose chase and you can all flee to the mountains."

"How are you going to catch up?"

Armegon reached into a pouch. He withdrew a small piece of jewelry. "If you take this ring, I can teleport to it like a beacon."

"After we have pulled the illusion gag on them twice, won't they be wary of it a third time?"

Armegon smiled. "I'll convince them that I'm real."

"They're on to the illusion," Marlena said from nearby. Ultrecht's eyes snapped open. "Damn that Tyson, he is helping them."

"Okay," Keeneye said, "everyone dismount, we are going to try something else." He turned to Armegon. "Good luck boss."

"Ultrecht, we need low powered illusions on these mounts. I need six riders to accompany Armegon." Ultrecht complied and Keeneye outlined the plan to the others. Marlena hugged Armegon and Samson simply shook the halfelf's hand. Norwind took Seymore's suspended body, then clapped Armegon's shoulder. "Good luck," the monk said.

Ultrecht finished the spell and turned to his fellow mage. "Is there anything more I can do?"

Armegon smiled. "Yes, as a matter of fact you can. Let me have that lead cylinder you are carrying." Ultrecht's right eyebrow lifted in surprise, but he said nothing and produced the requested item.

When all was ready, Armegon mounted his horse. Marlena deadened the horse's pain, it was the most she could do without revealing their presence to the other druid. "I'll ride southwest until I make contact then I'll turn north." He kicked his horse into motion. "Get away as fast as you can," he called over his shoulder as he and the six phantoms galloped off into the woods.

It took about ten minutes before the first sounds of combat told them that Armegon had been spotted. The crackle of lightning and the whoosh of flame indicated that he definitely had their attention. Soon, the way east was clear and Ultrecht urged them hysterically to move out as fast as they possibly could.