Chapter 6 Part 10

"It’s a tale of fantastic adventure young Yoan has told me," the Great Chief of the Janusians cackled. His breath was short and he was very weak. Avery did not know how old centaurs lived, but his cursed vision told him that this centaur was of the same relative age as a man of about one hundred and ten years old.

They spoke at great length and as the night wore on their host's pain became more pronounced. In spite of Ultrecht's warning and reminder of his healing power's traceability, Avery offered to ease the withered old creature's pain.

"No," the ancient Janusian replied. "My time’s almost over, and I welcome the peace death’ll bring. I think I’ve led my people well and would not see them discovered by that warlock of Blackheart's as the price of a painless night."

"As you wish," Avery said respectfully. "Perhaps there may be a non-magical herb that might give you some relief."

"Oh there is," the chief winked. "It also affects one's decision making ability. I usually smoke it right before I go to bed. Sometimes I wake up hungry, but it does dull the pain."

"Now back to you," the chief continued. "The green unicorn is very selective with whom she meets."

"She?" Calista asked.

"Yes," the chief confirmed. "She’s a very beautiful creature, but also one of the last of her kind. The gods hunted almost all the great unicorns to extinction. The common ones’re plentiful enough, but even they hide from most intelligent life."

"We thought the Prismatic Unicorns were rare, but not extinct," Ultrecht stated.

"No, they ain’t extinct," the chief told him. "But they soon might be. The gods played a very cruel game with them. They hunted them down and killed only the males. It would’ve been kinder to wipe them out completely. Instead the females are sadly wasting away in loneliness. It seems that every year there are fewer left."

"How sad," Calista sobbed.

"There is hope," the chief said. "And, I think y’folks might be the answer the unicorns’ve needed for so long."

"We’re listening," Armegon said. He leaned over to Ultrecht. "There’s always a catch."

"Let’s not call it a 'catch'," the chief said. "Let’s just call it rather a trade."

"So what do we trade," Ultrecht asked thinking of his lost diamond coin.

"The reason the prismatic unicorns’re so near extinction is that the only ones left in this world are females. There’s only one more male unicorn," the chief said, "and he’s held captive. It was the insult to injury. The gods spirited him away and imprisoned him. The females know that he lives. They can’t free him, but y’might."

"Sounds like it’s right up our alley," Avery muttered. Ultrecht jabbed him in the ribs.

"If y’agree to do this, there’s no way y’request’d be refused." The chief smiled. "But, before y’agree y’might want to know about the prison y’ll have to spring him from."

"So where is it?" Ultrecht asked.

The chief's voice lowered and the light seemed to grow dim. "Deep under the mountain lies a chamber of quartz crystals. In the very center is a large gemstone. If y’look deeply into the gem y’ll see the prison. It’s a miniature world locked inside the gem."

"Not good," Armegon growled. He shook his head slowly. "The last thing we want to do is go to another world."

"Well what about Sam?" Calista asked.

"Don't worry, Cal," Avery reassured her. "We won't forget Sam."

"He's right," Ultrecht said. "What we want doesn’t matter. What we need does."

"And to get what we need from the unicorns, what they need is important." Armegon finished the thought and the decision was made.

"When do we leave?" Calista asked.

"I would suggest sunrise," Ruk, who had been quietly listening the whole time, suggested.

"Dawn then," the chief agreed. "The lodges are vacant at this time of the year. Y’re welcome to stay there until morning."

"How far is it to the prison?" Avery asked.

"About two hours walk," Yoan answered. "I’ll take y’myself."

Avery nodded. "May we leave the balance of our belongings with you?" he asked the chief.

The chief bowed. "We’ll keep them safely until y’return."

"Then let’s get some rest," Armegon announced. "We’ll have a long trip tomorrow."

"Dress appropriately," Avery advised.

"Almost like old times," Ultrecht muttered as he stood to depart.

The next morning the suns were lighting the skies, but the towering Savanah Mountains were hiding the twin disks from view. Armegon dressed in his traveling clothes. He filled two shoulder bags with magical components and his spell book. He strapped his saber to his nap sack. Chances were that he would not use it. If something got through his magic and Ruk's ax, there was very little his saber was going to do, but just in case...

Armegon opened the door and was greeted to a sight he found both amusing and inspiring. Avery was dressed in his usual ranger's garb. He wore a camouflaged tunic and trousers. On his back was a hiking pack. His left hand held a thick staff that he was leaning on as he talked to Ultrecht. Sticking up from his left shoulder was the hilt of the magic sword which was also strapped across his back. All this was highlighted by the reversible green hooded cloak and soft leather boots.

Ultrecht too leaned upon a staff. The difference though was that where Avery's staff was for the trail, Ultrecht's staff was a rune carved piece of oak with a great deal of stored energy for emergency spells. Ultrecht wore a black robe with blue trim and a wide blue belt which held several pouches of spell components. He too carried a shoulder bag which Armegon knew would carry books a scroll or two and an assortments of wands.

Armegon was pleasantly surprised with Calista's attire. She was conservatively dressed. Her hair--which had gotten rather lengthy over the last few weeks--was pulled back into a pony tail and tied with a peculiar piece of string. She carried her bow and a hip quiver of about two score arrows. They looked well made. It was then that Armegon realized that the string in her hair was a spare bow string. She must have gotten them from the centaurs. Her clothing was the clothes Avery had given her and her pack was fairly small. Armegon assumed it carried foodstuffs and a bedroll.

The real surprise was Ruk. The minotaan was dressed in full plate armor. His giant frame was covered in a layer of gray metal. From his neck down not a hint of the jet black flesh could be seen. His head was cloaked in a shroud of mail ringlets and in his left hand was a helm that would cover his head entirely except for the huge horns that were tipped by metal points. In his right hand was the huge double bladed battle ax. Strapped to his left forearm was a broad buckler shield. He was a formidable sight.

Armegon joined the group. His red half robe was wrapped snugly about his torso and bound at his waist by a blue belt. His black denim hose was tucked into his calf high boots. He looked good...especially in his opinion.

"Well we all seem to be accounted for," Ultrecht said as Armegon approached. "I say we should get this little adventure under way."

Yoan and the old chief joined them for the departure. "I must say," the wise old centaur admitted with genuine awe, "y’look as capable a group of voyagers as ever I did see."
Yoan hugged the ancient creature. "I’ll see them safely to the chamber," he promised.
The young centaur picked up his spear and began to walk towards the mountain. The others waved a departure and then followed.

Yoan told them as they made their way that they would leave the valley before they got to the mountain. "The area around Mount Gale is frequented by some nasty critters," he said. "It’s the gods' idea of prison guards."