Chapter 4 Part 10

Armegon and Avery secured a water barrel to the side of the wagon. Calista and Ultrecht sat on the wagon, all packed and ready to go.

"Please take care of him," Calista begged of Nikki. "Please tell him that I love him every day."

"I will," Nikki assured her. "I will keep you name in his ear night and day,"

Calista smiled, and with tears in her eyes, she jumped down from the wagon and hugged Nikki closely. "Thank you."

"Do not worry," Nikki told her. "I am more than capable of defending this cabin on my own, and our enemies do not even know where we are. You mind the guys and listen to what they tell you. I know Avery well enough to know that if you don't keep their mind on the task they are supposed to be doing, they will get sidetracked the first time their curiosity gets piqued."

"I'll keep them straight," Calista assured her. "And Avery promised to teach me to be a huntress. Armegon calls it a barbarian, but I like huntress better."

"Armegon calls it 'barbarian,' because you will not be using magic," Nikki explained. "Most magic users will call you that, so do not be offended."

"All aboard," Ultrecht interrupted.

Nikki and Calista hugged once more, then Calista climbed back atop the wagon and sat next to Ultrecht. Armegon sat astride a horse, and Avery with Mirfak at his side led the wagon into the forest with Armegon trailing behind.

Nikki watched them go and wiped the tear that fell across her cheek as the forest swallowed them. She had assured that they would reach the main road to Tycho free of encounters, such was her powers in her domain, but after that, she would have to rely on her faith in Avery, Ultrecht and Armegon to keep them alive.

Nikki returned to the cabin. She paused at the door to the room in which Sam lay long enough to make sure his condition was unchanged, then she went on to her daily routine.
Calista and Ultrecht were singing a song he had taught her about taking bottles of ale off a wall and passing it around until it was empty. The theme of the song was to keep track of how many bottles were remaining in stock. Ultrecht had assured her that it would help pass the time.

She had inquired about the noise they were making, but Armegon assured her that Nikki had arranged for safe travel until they reached the road. He also pointed out that since Avery and Mirfak were both missing from their little band, that the road ahead was being scouted out and they would be notified if danger lurked in the vicinity. "Besides," Armegon added, "with the scent of a coyodiak in the area, there won't be any wild animals even thinking about attacking."

It was well after midday when they came to the main road. The melted snow and frost had made the road very slushy and Ultrecht cursed that the conditions would slow them down. But they trudged on in spite of the miserable thoroughfare. When night approached, Avery and Mirfak returned. Avery informed them that they were less than a day's ride from Tycho, and that they should set up camp. So they pulled off the road and built a fire pit.

Armegon pulled Calista aside. "I don't want you to think that just because you are a woman that we expect you to cook," he explained, "but if you don't cook, we’ll have to eat Avery's cooking. That usually consists of smoked meat, gruel, and stewed roots."

Calista eagerly volunteered to cook to Ultrecht's delight, and Avery's chagrin. As per her request, though, he procured two hares and some wild onions. He also gave her some berries and a turnip that he had in his pocket. Calista went through her pack and produced her pouch of spices and concocted a meal that soothed Avery's hurt pride.

After dinner, Armegon and Ultrecht were elected to clean up as Avery and Calista embarked on her first lesson. The two vanished into the woods and simply moved about. At first Armegon could locate their position by the sounds of their movement, but within an hour, Avery had Calista moving through the brush silently enough that neither mage could be sure as to where they were.

Avery told Calista that the best way for her to learn to move through the woods without leaving a trail would be for her to follow him and mimic his movements. As he traveled, he would explain why he would or would not step in certain places. "Sand," he said at one point, "will hold your footprint more readily than packed dirt and is very quiet, but it will also erase your passage just as easily. Never step into wet clay. It molds itself to your footprint and is the worst mistake you can possibly make if you are trying to avoid being tracked."

The lessons continued well into the evening by the light of the moons. When teacher and student returned to the camp, Ultrecht had already gone to sleep. Armegon was awake and reading from a book at the fire side. "How did it go?" he asked looking up from his text.

"We actually had a lot of fun," Calista proclaimed excitedly. "We stalked a deer and got close enough to it to watch it eating."

"She definitely has potential," Avery added. "I think that we can have her catching our meals by the end of the week."

Avery and Calista made themselves comfortable next to Armegon. "Where's Mirfak?" Avery asked as he dipped a bowl of stew.

"He disappeared into the forest about an hour ago," Armegon informed him. "I haven't seen him since."

Avery stood and peered into the darkness. His ranger senses reaching out to read the environment. After a moment he smiled and sat back down.

"What is it," Armegon asked alarmed at the ranger's reaction.

"There is the scent of another coyodiak in the breeze," Avery replied. "It would appear that Nikki has noticed Mirfak's loneliness and taken steps to remedy the situation."

"That's sweet," Calista squeaked.

"I suppose," Armegon agreed. "What time do you think we’ll arrive in Tycho, Avery?"
The ranger thought for a moment. "If the road conditions don't deteriorate any more than they are now, we should reach the city about noon tomorrow." This seemed to satisfy the mage and the girl for both announced that they were retiring for the night.

When morning came, Mirfak had returned. He was snuggled up next to Calista and she had been glad of his thick coat for warmth. The morning was very chilly, for she had forgotten how far north they had traveled. She had been spoiled by the weeks in the cabin.

Fortunately the fire was still going when she woke, and she huddled up close by warming her hands. Armegon was there as well stirring the stew from last night warming it up for breakfast. He offered her a bowl and she gladly accepted. Then she gathered up her sleeping roll and stowed it in the wagon. While the others did likewise, she attended to her toilet chores.

When she returned, Mirfak was gone. She asked Avery where he had gone, and was told that the coyodiak would meet them north of the city, for to take a coyodiak into a major city was asking for trouble. Calista understood.

Soon afterward they were back on the road. This time, Armegon rode in the wagon with Ultrecht and instructed Calista in the art of riding horseback. She rode his mount all morning and was getting sore on her bottom when the first signs of Tycho began to show.

The first thing they saw was a small collection of cottages and a central well. As they rode through, the inhabitants, mostly humans waved friendly greetings to them. They responded likewise, and continued on. After another kilometer or so, a circle of large trees hovering above a rock outcropping came into view. Armegon mentioned that this was the housing style they had seen in Tycho the last time they were there, and Calista was thrilled to see walkways connecting tree houses in the crowns of the large oaks. The rock outcropping below had an opening in a cleft with a red glow from a lantern shining from the depths. A dwarf was carrying a bucket of ore from the depths to a low roofed house further back.

Another half kilometer and the outskirts of the city itself could be seen. The now familiar tree houses and air passages were everywhere above the ground and the sunken stone houses littered the ground equally. By the time they were among stores and the dwellings of the city the middle of the afternoon had arrived. They rode quietly through the town taking in the sights until they arrived at the Red Horizon inn.

They rode on to a stable and boarded the horse, mule and wagon. Then the four of them returned to the Red Horizon. When they entered, the place was relatively quiet. Ultrecht mentioned that the last time they had come through, the business had been slack at that time of the day as well.

A hostess, a heavy set dwarf woman, ushered them to a table and brought them four cold cups of water. "What would you like this evening, folks?"

"What's best tonight?" Ultrecht asked.

"Roasted mutton with sautéed mushrooms and garlic bread and shaved ice flavored with blueberry juice for desert," she told him.

"Make that an order for four," Armegon said politely. "And can you tell us if Regalus is in?"

"Actually, he is up north visiting his nephew in the Twin Cities," she answered. "He will be back sometime next month."

"That is fine," Ultrecht said. "We are headed that way ourselves and we’ll look him up when we get there." The dwarf didn't seem to care one way or the other, she just took their order and disappeared.

"Well at least she isn't nosy," Armegon observed.

"I've never seen a dwarf woman before," Calista announced. She watched the hostess in sheer amazement. The hostess oblivious to the attention went about her duties mechanically. After about a half of an hour, she returned with their order.

"I must apologize for the delay," she said. "We rarely have customers order food at this time of the day."

"That's quite all right," Ultrecht said as he passed her a gold coin. "Please keep the change." The dwarf took the coin and smiled broadly then retreated back into the kitchen leaving the customers to dine in privacy.

The meal was delicious and Calista complimented every phase of it. She especially praised the flavored ice, and Ultrecht made an obscure remark she did not understand about kids and ice-cream. They took their time in the dining, and by the time they were done, other customers had begun to arrive.

The dwarven hostess ceased waiting on tables, and began directing the activities of her small army of employees. An elven man waited on a table directly behind Calista's chair while an adolescent female dwarf who was obviously related to the hostess assumed responsibility for their table.

Armegon and Ultrecht had decided that a sampling of the wine was in order, and Avery and Calista discovered that the shaved ice desert had other flavors as well. They were determined to evaluate them all. Calista was pleased as she attacked a strawberry flavored desert to hear a musician strike a tune over next to the fireplace. The crowd encouraged the minstrel on and soon the whole tavern was singing a popular song.
Calista listened enraptured and smiled as the waitress set another dish of the shaved ice before her. "This is lotus," the young dwarf informed her, "are you sure you wish to try it?"

Calista indicated she did and waved the dwarf away. She had never tasted lotus before, and the dark syrup covering the ice looked rather appealing, so she dug into it heartily. The music buzzed inside her head as she ate and she hummed along with it.

She finished the desert and was waiting on the next dish when she began to feel very strange. She was feeling warm and mellow. The people in the tavern seemed friendly enough to her and the thought occurred to her that she should make friends with them.

Without realizing that she had done so, she climbed out of her chair and had begun swaying to the beat of the music. With the entertainment on the opposite side of the room from where she sat, Avery, Armegon, and Ultrecht had their backs turned to her and so did not see her when she had opened her blouse enough to cool off. Unfortunately the amount of skin she had bared to cool herself off was revealing more than she had intended, and a few of the spectators were finding other entertainment in the room besides the musician.

Armegon was the first to notice the stares of the nearby patrons. When he looked over his shoulder, he was shocked to see Calista dancing seductively with enough flesh showing to encourage the male customers to want to see more. He nudged Avery with his foot as he stood and stepped in front of the girl. Armegon gently forced her to sit and was rewarded with some good humored boos from the fans. Avery passed him a cloak and Armegon draped it across the girl's front. "What happened?" Armegon asked her. "Why did you open your blouse like that?"

"It sure is warm in here," she replied with her head wobbling about. "I feel so tingly, Sam. Let's to bed."

"Woah! kid." Armegon told her. "You're drunk."

"Black lotus," Avery announced as he offered the empty desert dish for evidence. "I didn't know they had it as a flavor."

"Black lotus?" Ultrecht asked licking his lips. "Oh waitress!" he called holding up a hand.

"We need to get her to bed," Avery advised.

"No!" Armegon urgently disagreed. "That is exactly what she is trying to do."

"What?"

"She is trying to get me, you, at this stage anyone to take her to bed. Only she has more in mind than sleep."

Avery understood immediately. "I see. Then might I suggest taking her out into the night air for a while?"

Armegon passed the affectionate lass to Avery. "You do it," he said. "After Ultrecht gets through mixing alcohol with lotus, I am going to need to be here to keep him under control."

Avery nodded and steered the badly staggering girl to the door. When he got her outside, they turned up the street and began walking. Avery supported most of the girl's weight as she struggled to keep her feet in the wildly spinning world. They walked several blocks when he felt the tremor in her body and the clammy touch of her hand that signaled her body's readiness to eject the intoxicating lotus juice.

Avery turned her into a side street and leaned her against the wall. Oh, he could extract the lotus from her blood magically, but she was about to learn a valuable lesson in the next few moments, and he did not want to cheat her out of the experience. She would remember it for years to come and she would be very respectful of intoxicating substances from now on.

A retching sound told the healer that nature's own healing powers had begun to do their work. She would feel rotten soon, but he was there to make sure she did not get into any real danger.

"Well look what we have here," a crude voice hissed from the darkness.

Avery cursed himself. He had not seen the approach of the five individuals to their right. The strangers were between Calista and himself and the comforting openness of the main street. A quick glance over his shoulder proved an even worse realization. The alley was a dead end.

"It looks like the lady had a little too much to drink," a second voice, a raspy one added.

"Methinks her fella looked to take advantage of the her," a third laughed. The strangers slowly paced forward.

"I am just caring for the lady in her moment of distress," Avery informed them, though he suspected they did not care.

"Oh sure," the hisser shot back. "We can care for her just as well."

Avery tried to explain. "I am a healer and I have what she needs to..."

"Yeah, yellow eyes," the third voice interrupted. "Ever man in this city has wot she needs."

Avery certainly did not like that comment. If their intentions were unclear before, they were not now. "I won’t allow you to do her harm," he warned.

"We ain't agoin ta do her no harm," the third voice replied.

"In fact in nine months she may be blessed by our encounter, " Hisser added.

"That I won't allow either," Avery told them defiantly. "Beware, I am a user of magics," he warned. It was his hope to frighten them off. Unfortunately they were not impressed.

"Well with funky eyes like that we kinda figgered that you were." Avery had been thrown off by the speech, but now he was sure that at least two possibly three were of elven stock, but of a variety he was unfamiliar with. The one with the rough language was a halforc, and the last was human.

"But we ourselves are skilled in the arts," hisser added.

Avery was certain that Hisser was one of the elvenkind. Avery felt something alarming about Hisser and the second voice, Raspy. He was unsure of them. With Calista behind him and leaning heavily on him, he cautiously backed down the alley. Slowly the quintet of rogues followed.

Carefully, Avery drew them away from the wall until they stepped away from the shadows into the moonlight, so sure of their majority were they. What Avery saw completely threw him for a loop. There were indeed three elves, but they were of black skin and white hair. Not the deep brown skin that some humans from equatorial climates have, but pitch black skin the color of midnight.

"What are you?" Avery asked. Not that he expected an answer, but the question kind of just popped out.

"Well, well," the third elf finally spoke. "I do believe this yellow eyed halfelf has never seen a Doyr before, much less three."

"Maybe we should take him with us to our mother for a plaything," Raspy suggested.

"You boys can do that later," the rough halforc laughed. "I wants this wench for my pleasures now." He stepped forward and slapped Avery to one side. Avery flew through the night and bounced off the wall. The halforc grabbed Calista by her short cut hair and pulled her head back. "C'mere sweetcakes, we got a party to atten' to."

Avery hit the ground on his feet and reached for his shoulder pouch. He had hoped to settle this without resorting to violence, but circumstances now dictated otherwise. From his pouch he drew forth a coil of string. Mouthing an incantation, he formed a Cats-cradle in his hands and thrust the string towards the ruffians.

The magic burned through his body and he felt the fatigue come on him as his life force fed the spell. His magic was not fueled by emotion as Armegon's was, nor was it the manipulation of natural forces as Ultrecht's was. It was not even the knowledge of the occult as in Tyson's case, his magic was the focus of his will and the projection of his life's aura. That was what made him a healer, and that was why he left most of the magic to his companions.

Whatever the source, it did not matter. The string blurred from his hands expanding and weaving to form a spider like web which covered the four spectators leaving only Calista and her attacker for Avery to deal with.

The halforc had ripped Calista's blouse completely from her body exposing her breasts and smooth belly. He was on the verge of disrobing her further when Avery's action caught his attention. When he saw his compatriots ensnared in the tough webbing, he released Calista who fell to the ground sobbing.

"So you wants to play?" the would be rapist asked. He drew an ugly mace from his belt. "Hokay let’s dance."

Avery reached over his shoulder and put his hand about the grip of Liberator. The sword leaped from its scabbard eagerly molding itself to his hand.

"So you call upon me once again to slay?" it observed.

"I would ask that you disarm only," Avery pleaded.

"Eh?" the halforc mistakenly thought the comment was directed at him. "You command me?"

"Disarm? I think not in this case. Yonder villain is totally intent on your death and the defilement and enslavement of the girl."

"I won't allow that," Avery affirmed.

"I ain't gonna give you no choice, freak."

"I think we have been through this before," the sword's voice seemed to laugh in his mind.

Avery and the halforc circled slowly. The halforc swung a low uppercut with the mace but Avery spun and sidestepped the swing. The sword flicked out and sideways as the tip drew a line of blood along the halforc's forearm.

"Grummish be damned," he swore. "You’ll pay for that." He spun on his front foot and swung the mace in a fast brain bashing arc.

Avery's sword flipped vertical and to the left neatly severing the handle of the mace from the ball. The halforc again cursed and stepped back. He reached to his side and drew a long thin sword which erupted into flame as it cleared the scabbard.

"The weapon you now face is a Pyreblade sword. It is of an older age when magic weapons were manufactured openly. I tell you again he intends to fight to the death."

"Then do what you must," Avery submitted.

The halforc did not even have time to wonder at that last statement. Avery's hand jerked forward and leveled in a wide arc. In the blink of an eye the action was over. The head of the halforc lay on the ground.

"Dorctinam," Hisser gasped from his webbing.

Avery paid no attention. He quickly sheathed the sword and draped his cloak about Calista. She offered no resistance as he lifted her in his arms and carried her from the alleyway leaving the balance of his would be attackers entangled in his wake.

"I’m sorry," the girl's weak voice murmured from his cloak. "I feel so sick."

"Think nothing of it," Avery reassured her. "This too shall pass, and there is a strong possibility that come morning, you will not even remember it.