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The Lost Stars ChronicleChapter 36: Down Into The Depths
Sir Dractor didn’t say anything about his own condition, not wanting to raise any false hopes, but he was improving. It would have shocked Bjarn to know, or even Voolmark, but Sir Dractor was an extraordinary man. With an extraordinary body. Not superhuman, by any means, but still.
If trouble held off for another couple days, he would be in fine condition, if not quite perfect. Taking off his platemail, he left it to go back to and clean, while in the meantime he went over to Luxus. Unlike himself, the boy did not have incredible stamina, the ability to bounce back from being drained or being hurt.
“How are you doing Luxus?” he asked the boy.
“I’m tired,” said the boy, curled up on his bedding, “Really tired.”
“With good reason,” nodded Sir Dractor, “You’ve done an incredible amount today. More than anyone your age could be expected to do. How old are you?”
“Seven,” said Luxus.
“I would never have believed it,” said the warrior in all honesty, “I would have guessed you were quite a bit older. When’s your birthday?”
Luxus puzzled over that for a moment.
“I don’t know,” he said at last, “My last one was a very long time ago.”
Sir Dractor recalled having talked to Aros quite some time before. It was close to a year since Luxus and his brothers had met for the first time. The boy must be more than eight by now. He said so.
“And I’m going to promise you something, Luxus,” he said, sitting down beside the boy, “As soon as we’re done with this quest, and we’re back somewhere civilized, we’re going to pick you a birthday, and celebrate it with style.”
“Really?” asked Luxus.
“I promise,” said Sir Dractor.
When Shainya went to put Luxus to bed an hour later, she found him already asleep, his head resting on the broad, leather-clad chest of the snoring Sir Dractor. One of the big warrior’s arms were protectively clasping the small boy. The other was resting on the pommel of a dagger. Even in sleep, Sir Dractor was on guard.
Anardan returned to the ruins, dragging a harness he had contrived of scraps of wood and the heavy towing ropes from the sled. He presented it to Bjarn, who was sitting by the small fire.
“Will this do, Bjarn?”
The old Forestman looked over the harness, testing the knots for strength.
“This is well made, Anardan. Thank you very much.”
The Fellowship prepared to leave their refuge. Shainya gently woke Dractor and Luxus, who was still curled up with the knight, exhausted.
“I’ll carry him.” offered Dractor.
He picked up the small boy as if he were no heavier then a feather; and Luxus was soon asleep on the big knight’s iron-clad shoulder. Anardan, in addition to his sling, had pieced together a sort of crane arm out of wood, enabling the sling and rope to descend the well shaft without bumping or rubbing against the rough stone walls to often. This was essential, for it would be disastrous if the rope parted under friction and caused the sling with it’s human cargo to cascade into the dark depths. Bjarn shook his head in approval as he eyed Anardan’s handiwork.
“Captain Anardan, I think you missed your calling. You should have been a carpenter, not a soldier.” he complimented.
Anardan bobbed his head in thanks. “Why, thank you, Lord Bjarn. It was thanks to my Da I learned skills in woodworking; he was a carpenter himself.”
“Very good, let’s carry on.”
The sling could hold one able-bodied person at a time, and so Voolmark went first, armed with his lighted staff and ready to warn of and repel any predators that might have been waiting at the bottom. None were found, and so Aros went next, followed by Reno, Gib, Shainya and the still-sleeping Luxus together, Sir Dractor, Bjarn, then lastly Anardan himself. They left the contraption in place, but scraped away the snow drift at the bottom of the shaft. If Peregal could have survived the fall, more bloodwolves could, and the Fellowship certainly didn’t want those fearsome beasts following them into the roots of the Neverwood.
At last they were all set, with Voolmark and Gib leading the way and Luxus back upon Sir Dractor’s shoulders. They delved inward, in search of the Temple Of Lost Stars that had been swallowed whole by a forest that was trying to kill them.
“How are you doing, my friend?” Bjarn asked Sir Dractor as they followed the others. Luxus still slept, resting his head on Sir Dractor’s shoulder, and Anardan guarded the rear behind them, “You seem to be moving less stiffly.”
“I am improving,” admitted Sir Dractor, “With the right optimistic frame of mind, recovery tends to go faster.”
Bjarn laughingly shook his head. “You are a marvel, my friend.”
“Merely skilled at what I do,” disagreed Sir Dractor, “But I am wondering, Bjarn, what do you expect to find when we reach the Temple of Lost Stars? Reno, Aros, Luxus, and maybe Voolmark will all have some work to be done, but what about the rest of us? We are going on as if in fear of what we will meet, but what are we likely to meet that force of arms can fight? I may recover my strength and fitness, but I’m not sure it will be needed down here.”
“Perhaps it won’t be,” said Bjarn, “There’s nothing wrong with being able to sit back and watch others do an easy task. Chodan knows we haven’t had any such luck yet.”
“I know,” said Sir Dractor, “That’s why I’m worried. As far as we know, there’s nothing to do but find the temple, and do the thing we came to do, and then get out of here. That seems too simple. Anything that seems too simple worries me.”
“It worries me too,” said Bjarn, “but with luck, such worry will prove ridiculous when this is all over.”
“I hope so,” said Sir Dractor, “but we have had no such luck yet.”
“Unfortunately, that is true.” admitted Bjarn, “But I think it is more that simply ‘bad luck’. Yes, those normal timberwolves were just hungry and we were invading their territory, but these other wolves, these bloodwolves, they are the work of something evil. They are purposely here to deflect out quest.”
They fell silent, then Bjarn continued, “As to the Temple, we will simply have to see what to do when we get there. I certainly have no idea, nor, I think, did Daner. If he did know, why would he keep it from us? To what point?”
Sir Dractor shrugged. “I don’t know, I’ve never met the man before. Have you considered the possibility --”
“Yes.” Bjarn cut Sir Dractor off, “Yes, I have wondered if Daner is leading us astray. But why? What would he gain from it? If he wanted us killed, he could have done so without all this trouble. No, Daner does not wish us ill, but neither can he help us much. It is up to us, I suppose, to free Dametreos from the grip of BloodVaine’s spirit?”
“But how?” grunted Sir Dractor, “I have a feeling in my gut we won’t simply be able to ‘cast the Pendants back into the fiery pit from whence they came’.”
Bjarn chuckled. “If only if it was that simple…”
Bjarn paused, then said, “Sir Dractor, I have been thinking, on your comment on about us having nothing to do when the temple is found. Well, I don’t think we will simply be lazing about while Reno and Aros do something with the Pendants. All of us came on this quest for a reason. I feel all of us will play a part somehow. If that has been already played, I don’t know. Look at Anardan. Without his skill at carpentry, perhaps we wouldn’t have made it to Orion, or down here. And what about Luxus? He alone was able to defeat those tyco wolves. Which reminds be of Swift, and his companions, and Otto too. What compelled them to give us those amulets. I think Swift’s amulet has certainly played it’s part...but what about Otto?”
Sir Dractor nodded. “Don't forget it was you Daner approached in the first place. Perhaps your role is yet to be played.”
Bjarn groaned. “I hope not...this body can’t take much more...I’ll leave fighting off cave demons and the like to you…”
“Heh…”
Bjarn moved forward and left Sir Dractor alone with Luxus, who sat atop the big knight’s back.
“Sir Dractor?” Luxus said.
“Yes, Luxus?” Sir Dractor said, moving his head to the side.
“When…if we get out of here, will you teach me to fight?” Luxus asked, keeping his voice quiet.
“Yes Luxus, of course I will once we get out of here.” Dractor smiled.
“Promise?” Luxus said.
“Promise…” Dractor repeated slowly, “I don’t know, Luxus…”
Luxus fell silent, and they continued onward.
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