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The Lost Stars ChronicleChapter 32: Surprises
The Fellowship Of The Pendants was now up to nine.
Gib seemed to need no snowshoes, he plodded through the three-foot snowdrifts like he was walking on land, Jackal trotting lightly behind him. The trees were gray in the light, the pleasant feeling that the trees seemed to give them welcome after the pitch-black night. With the pace they were keeping up, they covered miles before the shadows began to lengthen.
Suddenly, Jackal began to snarl, his hackles raised. Gib, who had been striding in the front holding a lantern, held up his hand and halted the group. There was silence before a long, wailing howl was heard in the distance.
“Timberwolves!” cried Shainya.
“That’s no timberwolf.” stated Gib, “In fact...I don’t think that’s a wolf at all...but…”
A look of pain and fear crossed Gib’s face, and he sank back down. Jackal retreated to his friend and began licking the old man’s face just as Bjarn and Anardan rushed back to camp.
“Did you hear that?” gasped Bjarn, his face pale.
Voolmark nodded, his staff raised protectively. “We heard...but Gib says…”
The howl sliced through the air, then there was another.
“Oh tyco…”
Reno, Aros, Sir Dractor and Anardan raised their various swords and surrounded Shainya, Luxus and Gib. Bjarn notched an arrow, and he and Voolmark stood back to back, the only ones able to attack with range. They waited silently for minutes, the flames of the fire casting a weird glow onto the swaying trees and trampled snow.
Nothing happened. Muscles began to ache, backs stiffen. Bjarn’s bow loosened and swords wavered. At last Gib said from within the circle, “Normal wolves would have attacked by now, but normal wolves do not populate the Neverwood.”
“Then what are they?” snapped Sir Dractor.
Gib shuddered, drawing his tattered cloak further about him.
“Even I have not explored all of the Neverwood. This forest has secrets it does not give up easily.”
“But what lives here?” Sir Dractor continued nervously, “Come on man, you’ve lived here most your life!”
“There are the normal beasts and birds. Sparrowhawks, grizzlies. Badgers and ferrets. Woodmice, robins and more.” Gib whispered, “but there are also unnatural beings. Iondels. Spiderlings. And others…”
A twig snapped. Everyone froze. Nothing else happened. Muscles grew tired, eyes drooped. Then another sound. Creak, snuffle. Tense, tire, tense. All threw the night and until dawn, noises in the Neverwood robbed the sleep from the nine companions.
“They’re weakening us, aren’t they Gib?” Reno asked, who was sitting behind Gib, back to back.
“I think so,” Gib responded, “We aren’t getting anywhere by sitting here, either.”
“Yeah, but where are we trying to get to? Do you know where the temple is?”
“No, I must say that in all my years in this wood I’ve never seen any temple.”
“But you said that there are places even you haven’t explored. It could be in one of those, couldn’t it?”
“Not likely, Reno. The only places I haven’t been are the dark swamps where the spiderlings live. Ugh, the spiderlings. At least we won’t have to worry about them, now. They’ll be hibernating in this weather. But anyway, I don’t think the temple would be able to stand in the swamps.”
“So we don’t know where we’re going or how to get there?”
“Well, if we knew where we were going I think I could get us there. That is…if we could get out of this scrape. Hand me that map again.”
Reno passed the map to Gib, who promptly unfolded it and began to scan the paper by the dawn’s early light.
“Well the roads are all in the right places. So are the bogs, though I can see that they’ve grown since this map was made. You know I had heard before, that there once was a city in this wood, but I never heard anything about a temple.”
“Hey guys.” said a disheveled looking Aros as he crawled over.
“How are you holding up?” Reno asked.
“I can barely hold my eyes open, how about you?”
“We’re okay, I guess.”
“You know it’s funny you mentioned Iondels before. I’ve had experiences with those animals myself. My farm was destroyed by a group of them, long ago. Why, that’s what started me on my adventures. I remember the were small, apelike creatures.”
“Humph!” said Gib, “Small, yes. But last time we met, they had a big one with them. Say, that gives me an idea. We’re about in the middle of the Neverwood now. My castle isn’t too far from here. It’s only a ruin, but it’s more defensible then our current position. If you two spread the word, maybe we can make a break for it.”
Anardan had been quietly listening to the conversation, then finally he spoke.
“The Iondels and whatever foul things lurk in this forest will still be here until the very oceans of Dametreos freeze over. We cannot retreat. We have come through many dangers to make it this far, and there is no way that we can fall back now.”
“But we cannot survive the Iondels if they attack in force!” said Gib.
“But sooner or later, we must. The Temple Of Lost Stars is in this forest, and so are they.”
Bjarn spoke up, his bow lying on his lap.
“We must get some sleep before we make any move on the morning. That is what they mean to do, keep us awake and running all night so that they can slaughter us in the morning. They are cowardly things, Iondels, unless they are in great force and their enemy outnumbered. But they are cruel to the core, they take no prisoners.”
Anardan, Dractor, Voolmark, and Gib stayed awake for the next two hours while the other five slept, the howls and low growling of many evil creatures coming from all about them. But not a tail nor a whisker showed in the camp until morning.
In the morning after a decent sleep, the nine members of the Fellowship Of The Pendants packed up and began to travel deeper into the Neverwood, searching for the ruins Gib had mentioned. Gib lead the way into the surrounding trees, picking his was carefully and slowly. Aros followed, then Reno, Luxus, Shainya, Voolmark, Sir Dractor, Bjarn and Anardan.
The going was slow. Jackal was ahead of Gib, scouting the way, sniffing for tree-traps and pike pits. Then suddenly all megabloks broke loose. Aros stumbled and stepped off the path to regain his balance. Gib and Jackal had checked for traps directly ahead, but not to either side. As such, a noose promptly snagged Aros’ ankle and dragged him off his feet and upside down into the air.
At the same moment the heavy sled that was being dragged by Sir Dractor and Bjarn suddenly broke through the top cover of a pit, pulling the two men into the pit with it. Luckily for both of them the sled smashed through the rotten and rusted spears at the bottom, leaving a clear space for Bjarn and Dractor to fall upon.
Then mysterious beasts from hidden in the trees decided to attack. They were not Iondels. They were three giant, drooling wolves with red eyes and long snouts. Snarling hideously, they charged out of the wilderness and fell upon Reno. Jackal immediately jumped into the fray, and Anardan -- with a magnificent leap -- managed to fly over the pitfall and charge the wolves with his sword drawn. Gib fell over backwards and damaged his leg further. Griffon flew from the hermit’s shoulder and attacked the noose that was clamped around Aros’s leg.
Anardan and Jackal had taken on a wolf each, but that left the remaining -- and biggest one -- to rake the motionless Reno with it’s razor-sharp claws and teeth. Crimson blood soaked into the snow as Reno’s throat was ripped open.
Shainya screamed. Not a scream full of fear, but full of rage, and love, a scream for her Reno. Mindlessly, she charged, her small broadsword gripped firmly in hand. Snow flew out from behind her feet and the blade sunk deep within the foul beast as her weight and momentum brought her into and over the wolf. With a bone-breaking crunch she landed, the beast twisted on top of her, it’s black blood and coarse hair stifling her.
Voolmark appeared and collapsed down to the dead-still form of Reno with a cry. The old wizard shoved his staff near to the scarred flesh and shouted a spell, desperately attempting to seal the skin. With a blinding flash Reno’s throat heeled, but blood pumped from every inch of exposed skin. And that skin was beginning to whiten with the cold.
Suddenly, Griffin’s efforts paid off, and Aros fell back to earth, where he was promptly knocked out. Bjarn catapulted out of the hole, using the shattered sled as a ladder, and was closely followed by Sir Dractor. The knight rushed to the aid of Anardan, who was badly wounded but still hacking away at the bloodied wolf. Bjarn skidded to a halt and fired off a shot at the wolf dueling with Jackal before dashing to Shainya.
All of this was observed by Luxus, who had hidden himself in a corner, frightened and whimpering. He shifted uncomfortably. If felt as if something was on fire within his pocket. He shoved his fingers in and withdrew the amulet he had gotten from Swift. It was glowing red. It burnt Luxus’ fingers badly, but for some reason he could not let go. The amulet stayed affixed to his palm, searing the fleshed as if he was being branded like cattle. Then suddenly word leapt unbidden to the young lad’s mouth.
“AZ GOTH, VASDKERAI T’DAC!”
A black mass exploded from the amulet -- or what it Luxus’ hand? -- and amassed upon the three black monster wolves. The clouds settled upon the beasts, and all three fell shrieking and howling, as if they were being devoured. In fact, they were. The black massed skittered over the three bodies and tore them to shreds like black maggots. One moment the beasts were there...and the next they were not. When the wolves were gone, the cloud sucked itself back to the amulet. And then Luxus fainted. Bjarn stood...panting, shocked and stunned. Word could not come. Gib was the first to break the silence. His voice was shaky.
“Those....things...have never been here before…”
There was a whimper and Jackal limped back to the hermit. The wolf’s hide was ragged and raw, blood dripped from a dozen wounds. Voolmark was still working feverously over Reno’s body, closing wounds with both magic, balm, and wraps. Sir Dractor moved of to Bjarn and shook him slightly.
“Bjarn -- c’mon, others need your help.”
Bjarn blinked, then looked around. It was hard to decide where to start. Three were unconscious; Shainya, Aros and Luxus, and three were wounded, one seriously; Gib, Anardan and Reno. Bjarn rushed to Luxus while Sir Dractor began wrapping Anardan’s wounds. As Bjarn bent down to pick up Luxus, the lad came awake with a jerk.
“Bjarn!” he cried, “It's Shainya ok? What about Reno, Aros?”
“They’re fine, Luxus…” murmured Bjarn, trying to shield him.
But it was no use. Luxus caught sight of Reno’s mangled body and leapt forward with a cry. His shout rose Shainya, and she stirred. The giant wolf had disappeared, but it’s stench and blood still enveloped Shainya. Slowing her mind cleared, and the first thing she saw was her short sword, sticky with black blood. The next she saw was Reno.
“Reno, no--!”
She lunged forward but Bjarn grabbed her.
“No, don’t bother Voolmark. He’s Reno’s only hope…”
Shainya dropped to the ground, her legs shaking. She then began to cry uncontrollably, learning on Bjarn, tears streaking down her face, soaking into Bjarn’s tunic, and then freezing. Bjarn held her tightly, grimly, grieving and praying along with her.
“Dractor!” Gib snapped, still on the ground and clutching his beaten-up leg painfully, “We won’t be going anywhere for a while yet, better make a fire before we all freeze to death!”
“I’ll be fine,” nodded Anardan bravely, “Gib’s right...we need warmth right now, more than anything else…”
Sir Dractor nodded and left the Forestmen captain to hack down some wood with his greatsword.
“Don’t go to far!” warned Anardan.
“Oh, I don’t think any thing will come here now…” murmured Gib, “Those things were evil, and no normal beast will come near such evil...and with the Spiderlings hibernating and the Iondels further south, there’s not much else to worry about…”
Unless there are more of those giant wolves… he added silently.
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