Chapter 7

CHAPTER VII

When Jerrod awoke, it was to a scene of utter chaos. He and the others were bound and surrounded by trolls who impassively stared at them with blood-covered muzzles. They were in the inn's tap room. The room itself was a shambles. The tables and benches were shattered and scattered about the room like so much kindling. The kegs were broached and had been emptied and upended. The remains of the inn's staff were also scattered about the room in the apparent aftermath of a rather grisly feast. Had Jerrod been a trifle less battered and then mayhap a bit more coherent, he might have noticed that while all the night staff of the Laughing Cavalier had apparently been caught (if the pieces strewn about the room were any indication), one of his companions was missing. But then again perhaps he would have observed nothing of the sort.

One of the party was indeed missing. It seemed that there was some use to disappearing at the gate or at least in having the ability to slip into the shadows without a moment's notice. Neun Ja had once again disappeared and her absence seemed to have been overlooked by the trolls. And while it may be said that trolls are not the brightest of creatures, they seemed to have set an otherwise perfect trap, a trap that had caught even the woodswise Wolf and the warwise twins completely unaware.

While Jerrod and the others were being captured, Neun Ja had slipped out of the window of the room she shared with Enki and Derazha. The trio had fortuitously left the shutters open despite the night's chill. As she climbed down from her perch on the outside of the inn's second story, the young sorceress had an excellent view of a disturbing spectacle: the streets of Nova Ekirigilio were awash with the blood of literally thousands of dead and dying. The trolls had breached the city's gates and had routed its militia. While there were still pockets of resistance, particularly in the area around the inn and the docks which it bordered, for the most part the city had fallen!

Neun Ja was stunned. Was their quest to rebind Iskandar to fail before it had even fairly begun? Such a fate seemed likely right at that moment. The trolls had all of her companions in their clutches and controlled most of the city. Only the section which bordered the sea still eluded their grasp. That was the one bright spot in what had turned in to a truly disastrous set of circumstances. With the dockside areas still holding out against the beasts, their ship was still free from the trolls' dominion. If she could free her companions, they still might be able to set sail for the Islands of Despair.

That task was, however, somewhat daunting. Somehow, she had to overcome an unknown number of trolls without their slaying any of her bound comrades. Then, she had to free them from those bonds and help them get to the docks through a city full of either trolls slaughtering fleeing citizens or trolls fighting the remnant of the city militia and whatever private citizens had found the courage to organize resistance. On top of that, she had no idea what kind of conditions her captive friends were in. It couldn't be good. The trolls had not been gentle when they overwhelmed Enki and Derazha. Derazha, in particular, had suffered at the claws and clubs of the trolls. They seemed to have either a great fear of her or great anger toward her or both. Even so, it was doubtful that the others were much better off.

Whatever the condition of her companions, Neun Ja needed to conceive of some sort of a plan for their rescue. First, she had to think of a way to vanquish the trolls guarding the others. Next, she had to free her comrades. Then she had to envision a means to get them all to the docks despite whatever condition her friends might be in and whatever opposition they faced on the way. Finally, she had to hope that their ship was still there and that its crew would wait for them before fleeing the falling city.

Perhaps the latter was what she should look into first. After all, if the ship had been taken or it had fled, she must needs come up with another plan. Maintaining her energy flow, she stayed in the shadows as she stealthily climbed down from her perch. As soon as she reached the ground and some cover, she released the threads of shadow which she had bound, having decided to rely instead on her training to sneak from shadow to shadow without catching the notice of any who might wish her ill.

Slipping from hiding place to hiding place, from alley mouth to doorjamb, using whatever obstructions that were available to her, Neun Ja made it quickly to the docks. Her luck and skill were such that she not only made it there unchallenged, she did so without even the slightest hint that anyone had noticed her at all. Now to find the ship.\

"What was it called again," Neun Ja wondered to herself. "Oh yes, the Mermaid's Tit. Men and their obsessions!" She shook her head ruefully and summoned the shadows once more to cross the open spaces of the harborside. "Well, a ship with a name like that shouldn't be too hard to find."

As it happened, it was not. Docked in one of far quays, the Mermaid's Tit was still relatively unscathed by the battle which took place all around. Its captain and crew were undoubtedly lucky that trolls had not inherited their amphibious ancestor's ability to swim and generally had a deathly fear of water of any sort. From the hasty preparations for departure which were underway on board, it was apparent that the mariners were aware of their small measure of good fortune and were determined that it should not leave them before they left Nova Ekirigilio.

Neun Ja climbed up the gangplank which as yet bridged the gap between the ship and the pier. Still consumed by her need for haste and her concern for her comrades, she neglected to make the obligatory noises and extraneous motions that most people make that announce their coming. No one noticed her. She, in turn, had slipped past the sentries without even heeding their presence. As a result, she appeared at the captain's side as if she were an apparition.

"Bloody barnacles, girl! Ye nearly gave me apoplexy! What are ye doing there?" The captain bellowed.

"Greetings, respected captain. I am a member of the group that has booked passage to the Islands of Despair with you. I wished to ascertain if you were still in port. My friends have been captured by the trolls and I had to determine where to guide them once I have freed them from captivity."

The captain bit back a sardonic retort when he noticed the unyielding determination apparent in Neun Ja's mien and recalled how easily she had slipped past his watch onto his deck. Instead, he replied gently, "Lass, I'm sure ye have all the good intentions in the world. And I'm certain that ye are uncommonly valiant and formidable. However, ye would do well to stay right here and leave with us. We are almost ready to depart and as soon as we are, we will!"

Neun Ja replied, "No, captain. I will not abandon my companions. I will free them and return here with them. Will you wait for our reappearance?"

"Lass, I will not risk my ship nor my crew any more than I must. Almost as importantly, I must get our cargo to its destination and I must get word of what has happened here out to the rest of Seremoreh and the world. We have to leave as soon as we are able."

"Captain, I appreciate your loyalty to your employer. Indeed, I also admire your loyalty to your crew and your sense of duty to the rest of the world. However, you also have a duty to my companions and myself. We, too, paid for your services. You must wait until we return!"

"Lass, ye make a fair point. I do have a duty to ye and your friends for I did take yer coin. So I will wait for ye. I can and will not wait forever, though. Ye have half of an hour. No more. And perhaps less. For if the trolls start to attack my ship, I must withdraw from here. So be quick and may the gods walk, or rather run, at your side!"

With that, Neun Ja bowed and left disappearing almost as stealthily as she had arrived.

Having found the Mermaid's Tit and having convinced its captain to give her a chance to rescue her companions, Neun Ja's next task was to get back to the Laughing Cavalier and do so. Once again, she made the journey without incident, but the streets were getting more and more crowded with trollkin. Neun Ja was confident she could affect the rescue of the others from the Laughing Cavalier, but it was becoming abundantly clear to the young sorceress that they would have to fight their way back to the Mermaid's Tit once she had freed them.

As she had neared the inn, Neun Ja began to devise her plan. Deciding that a frontal assault probably wasn't the most effective way to overcome a dozen or two trollkin, Neun Ja decided that she might be better off trying to sneak into the inn through the back door. The rear entry opened onto the courtyard from the kitchen which was near the stables located at the rear of the inn proper. Getting around back went without a hitch. Neither the troll sentry in the front, nor the one which had been posted at the kitchen door saw Neun Ja as she crept to the stable where the horses surprisingly were not only still alive, but snorting restively.

Assessing the situation, Neun Ja realized that the guard at the back entry presented the first unavoidable obstacle for the sorceress. She either must kill him or render him incapable of giving the alarm through some other less drastic method in order to get through the door which he guarded. Although she was usually averse to killing, in this case it seemed like the wisest course. After all, while troll was only a single soldier in Iskandar's army, each warrior that she and her friends eliminated from the troll horde now meant one less that would be free to ravage Seremoreh.

So death it was. But it had to be a silent death. No sound could escape the troll's dying lips. The question was: how? Magic seemed the most expedient means of eliminating the troll without a sound. First, Neun Ja slipped into the shadows through the use of cha li just as she had earlier. Next, using a thaumaturgical transformation she surrounded herself with a field of mana that converted sound into heat. There was the off chance that she might make some slight misstep which would make a noise and alert the sentry.

Finally, having secreted herself magically as well as she was able, Neun Ja drew a long-bladed dagger. She slipped through the shadows until she was next to the unwitting troll. Gathering herself, Neun Ja thrust herself upward and plunged the dirk through the underside of the trolls muzzle at a slight angle. The keen edge of the blade slid through the troll's flesh as if it was so much water and buried itself deep within whatever passed for the monster's brain. The troll died silently as Neun Ja withdrew the dagger from the corpse.

Having disposed of the guard, Neun Ja slipped quickly and quietly into the inn. Speed was now even more of the essence for not only was the ship to sail soon, she did not know if or when the guard was to be relieved or report in. The kitchen was empty. Its shadowed doorway was the perfect spot from which Neun Ja could observe the common room.

Once she had reached the sheltering gloom of the doorjamb, Neun Ja saw that her companions were all being held there. She was pleased that they were all together, but the octet of trolls guarding them did present something of problem. They were too many for a quick surprise assault. Even if she could kill all of them without suffering too much damage herself, they would certainly have time for at least one or two of them to think to slay their captives and act upon that notion. And if by some miracle none of her comrades were slain, the noise involved in a nine participant brawl was sure to draw more trolls from the outside and eventually she would die or be forced to withdraw.

No, a frontal assault still wouldn't do. Something a little more subtle was called for. Neun Ja thought for a moment. "Perhaps an illusion could be used as a diversion. But an illusion of what? Something which will draw them out. An assault from outside? No, they might barricade themselves in instead of going out to meet their illusory attackers. Perhaps a fire? That might work... Trolls like fire even less than they like water if that is possible. Surely, they would flee if they believed themselves caught in a burgeoning conflagration. It really might work... But if they don't leave...." The sorceress shook her head. "I could plan all day and still not be completely satisfied that my scheme was foolproof. I don't have time to come up with anything better. The fire is as good a chance as any."

The course she had decided upon was a taxing one. It called not only for an onerous sorcerous transformation and a reshaping of the shadows to make them appear not only to be fire, but to behave like fire. At the same time as she was focusing her spirit and will upon her magic, she needed to be prepared to act physically to free her comrades. If she let her spell down even a little too quickly, they would realize that the fire was merely a ruse and return before she could free her comrades. If she waited too long, they might realize that nothing was being consumed by the flames and that there was no heat. Again, they would return and thwart her plan. No, she had time it just right or all was lost.

As long as Neun Ja took to understand the risks of her course was as long as it took her to act. Focusing her spirit, she began to shape the shadows in the common room. They took on the shape of the flames in the fireplace and began to do a little dance of their own. At the same time, they seemed to thicken and turn a ruddy orange as Neun whispered the words of her transformation. Using her cha, Neun Ja made her creations grow rapidly.

One of the trolls noticed the blaze's seeming almost immediately. He roared a warning to his fellows and pointed at the growing conflagration. The trolls, overcome by their inherent fear of fire as Neun Ja had hoped that they would be, fled headlong for the door. Or least most of them did. Two, braver or smarter than their comrades, made for their captives to drag them out of the inn with them. Apparently it had penetrated their tiny brains that live captives and their information were worth more than dead ones -- even if the fate of those presently live captives was eventual death.

Dismay briefly gripped Neun Ja's heart. Another unavoidable obstacle! The sorceress let out a sigh. More blood on her hands, but again, it was blood well spilled. She blurred into action. The first troll was down with a slit throat before it even realized it was being attacked. The second was more or less fortunate depending on one's point of view. It saw its demise coming. Somehow it had penetrated the magic of the sorceress and, as its comrade fell, the second troll roared a challenge at the dark form hurtling toward it. It lived no longer than the other. Despite its forewarning, the second troll, too, was dead before it hit the floor.

Despite the brevity of its resistance, however, the second troll could claim at least a moral victory. Its battle scream halted the others in midflight. Neun Ja realizing that there was little time and her companions were better off free, rapidly began to cut their bonds. Before the trolls could fully react to their ally's dying warning, the sorceress had freed Ordolf and Derazha. Now the odds were better than even. Derazha was equipped with her natural armament and the trolls' fear of her. Ordolf was even more formidably armed with his magic. The first troll, quicker and closer than its fellows, died with a wave of the necromancer's hand. Death was his purview and awake and alert and with unfettered hands and unstopped mouth, albeit a bit bruised and battered, the archmage was more than a match for a few trolls. He muttered a phrase that anguished the ears and tore at the spirit of those who merely heard it. With another complex wave of his hand, a seemingly solid, living cloud of brilliant black streamed toward the trolls. Whatever living thing the ebon fog touched disappeared without a trace. The remaining trolls didn't even have time to scream before they were consumed by the malevolent murk.

Neun Ja had the others free in as much time as it takes to tell of it. As she freed Jerrod, she called to the others, "We must hurry. The trolls have all but seized the city. Their patrols control the streets. The ship upon which we have booked passage is preparing to depart. We must return before it does so if we are to get to the Islands of Despair without an extensive delay!"

Chapter 6 (Conclusion)

With that Neun Ja turned her attention completely toward the proprietor who had come to take their order and began to select her meal. Jerrod was left without a clear answer to his questions. From the answer that he had received to the one he had just asked, it was clear that Neun Ja would give no better reply to it than the one that she already had.

The mystery that seemed to enshroud the sorceress grew even deeper and more enigmatic than it had been before. If anything, there seemed to be a touch of danger in her aura that had not been evident to Jerrod before. It made her no less attractive, however. Again, if anything, Jerrod was even more intrigued by his graceful, raven-tressed companion than he had been before.

The two of them ordered their meal from the tavernkeeper, a gruff fellow called Pal. The fare proved to be both hearty and extremely tasty. Seafood seemed to dominate their choices, but Jerrod supposed that that was to be expected given the location of Nova Ekirigilio.

Despite that, there was far more variety than Jerrod had anticipated. There was fried seafood of all sorts, steamed shellfish, seafood in chowders and stews, cold seafood mixed with greens smothered in a sweet and sour sauce that was pinkish-orange in color, and cold seafood drenched in a tangy red sauce. In fact, their were more types and preparations of seafood than Jerrod had thought possible. But they all looked and smelled delicious. Jerrod's meal did not disappoint -- it was indeed delicious, but it proved far less captivating than his companion.

After they had ordered, Jerrod asked Neun Ja to tell him about herself. She smiled her secretive little smile once again and gave a slight nod.

"Indeed, you did speak of us getting to know one another better. I suppose I may tell you of myself without too much danger," she smiled. "What would you like to know?"

Jerrod was caught off guard. While he had wanted to know more about his companion, he hadn't really thought what specifically he wanted to know other than why she had disappeared earlier.

"Umm, I guess I want you to tell me about yourself. Where are you from? Are you married? How did you come to study both sorcery and battle arts? It seems a strange combination. What brought you to the lands of Seremoreh?"

Her laughter seemed almost cliche. It was the sort of laughter Jerrod has always fantasized that the women he married would have. It wasn't a cackle. It wasn't a screech. It wasn't an indelicate snort. It was nothing short of melodious. Neun Ja's laughter tinkled like the gentle peals of a crystal bell. "So many questions! Well, as Astall told you back in Pond Eddy, I am from the other side of Zemelia. My land is called by some Hanhon. I grew up the third child of a farmer. We were not wealthy, but we always had food on our table. My parents were loving but stern like most of the parents in my country. They were somewhat disappointed that I was female as parents in our culture always wished for boys. Boys extended the families power by marrying into other families and gaining a portion of the other families wealth in dowry. By the same token, girls diluted the affluence of a family as the dowry was to be given out. It was not unknown in my land for parents to drown their daughters at birth. Despite this, the land was very crowded. Family was of extreme importance and elders revered.

One such elder who lived in our village was a mystic. When I was a young child, too young to know better, I thought he was a silly, funny man -- but very nice. He liked to play with the village children and was very good at tricks. Often, he would do such things as make sweets appear from thin air or create beautiful animals out of scraps of paper with a few simple folds. Sometimes he would cause things to disappear with a flash and sometimes just cause them to disappear. When I was a child, I enjoyed the flashes much more than the silent disappearances, but as I grew older that changed. I became fascinated with the less eye-catching of his tricks. They seemed much more difficult to explain. I wished to know how they were done.

I became even more fascinated by the old man's skills one day when some the young men of the town drank to much wine and began to brawl. There were eight of them -- five fighting three. All of them were young and healthy. Two of the combatants were larger than anyone else in our village. Their brawl started as a common pushing and shoving match, but it quickly escalated in to a serious melee. The young men began to damage not only one another but the village square. Some of the older men tried to stop them, but they, too, became embroiled in the fracas. It seemed as if the entire village was to be torn asunder. The old man was looking on at the spectacle which he beheld and shaking his head as if in disgust and sadness. With a sigh, he rose from his seat with the other grandfathers and walked over toward the fight. What followed was astonishing.

Wherever that old man walked, the brawling stopped. The young men went down like dessicated grain in a thunderstorm. Whoever the old man merely touched flew from the brawl as if he had been propelled by the hand of a god. Not one could stand before him. I tell you Jerrod, then and there I resolved to learn the old man's secrets. I did not want to be just another unrespected female who made the best marriage she could and then was forced to suffer whatever indignation her husband meted out!

I wanted to be strong and powerful and if such a little old man could handle with such ease the eight young men and their elders who had become embroiled in the battle, then he was the one to teach me. As it turned out, the old man was a wandering monk who had settled in our village. Such monks in our lands learn the art of hand-to-hand combat as a means of protecting themselves from bandits as they travel from place to place. While they are always extremely unagressive, they will fight if forced to and when they do they are almost unconquerable.

Cho San, as the old man was called, was even more. In addition to the martial arts -- or rather as an adjunct to them -- he had also become an adept in cha li, or the focus of the spirit and shadow. It was this which gave him the ability to pull sweets out of the air and to make things vanish without a trace.

I determined to become his student, and to make a long story short, I did so. He taught me much of what I know, but my appetite for such knowledge was voracious. When I had mastered all that he could teach me, I went in search of other teachers. I sought out all who had some special in gift in cha li. I followed each rumor, no matter how tenuous, and learned all I could from anyone and everyone in my homeland. Still I was not satisfied. I wished to know more to plumb the depths of the mind and soul more fully.

I heard that there those in your land of Seremoreh who knew such arts, arts that were unknown in Hanhon. I knew I must travel to the lands of Seremoreh to learn from these masters.

How I came here is trivial, but that is why I came here when I was still a young maiden. Once here, I apprenticed with a master of sorcery and became an adept in that art. I still seek to learn more, but there are few left who have sorcerous knowledge the depths of which I have not already plumbed."

"And, finally, as you may have guessed from my rendition of my story I am as yet unwed. I have as yet had little time or inclination for romance in my life."

"And you, Jerrod? Are you yet married?"

Jerrod was taken aback. "NO!," he blurted. "I mean, no I haven't had time for much in the way of a love life. I was apprenticed to Astall when I was twelve and he has kept me far too busy to meet girls."

Jerrod blushed and Neun Ja smiled, "Then you understand why I have not yet created any matrimonial ties."

"Well, it seems that we have both finished our meals. Shall we return together to the inn? We must rest well, I think, for the rest of our journey will undoubtedly prove more perilous than the last segment."

The two returned to the Laughing Cavalier without incident. The streets were crowded with people bustling to and fro on their normal midday business -- whatever it might be. Individuals were a blur to Jerrod. There were far more than he was accustomed to after having spent the last few years isolated in Astall's cottage. For all he knew enemies could be passing him within a few paces. The denizens of Nova Ekirigilio hardly seemed like trolls, although there were some he had to admit who in poor lighting might pass as such.

When they arrived back at the inn, Jerrod and Neun Ja went their separate ways with a few murmured farewells. Neun Ja went up to her room and Jerrod went in to the common room to join Urki and the others who had settled there. On his way to the bar where Urki was as usual flirting outrageously with the serving maid, Jerrod nodded and smiled at Enki and Derazha who hardly seemed to notice. A trifle put out, Jerrod sat down next to Urki and immediately broke in on the banter that was passing between the warrior and the serving maid (who seemed to be giving almost as good as she got).

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend, Urki?" Jerrod interrupted.

"Certainly, lad!" Urki smiled and winked at the tavern wench. "At least I would if I knew her name!"

The serving girl chuckled and turned back to her duties with a shake of her head.

"Well, young Jerrod, what brings you in here like a whirlwind looking for a place to land? Woman troubles?" Urki snickered.

Jerrod blushed. "No, nothing like that. Although you do seem to have a way with women.... Can you give me some advice on how to win a lady's heart?"

"Well magelet, I don't have much truck with ladies, but from my experience a skirt is a skirt. The trick to getting their attention is simple. Start by giving them all of your attention whenever you are with them. Don't worry about being too nice and genteel, but make sure you let them know that they are the most important thing in the world to you except perhaps, just perhaps, your own sweet self. That'll usually do the trick for starters. Now keeping their attention, that is another matter. Take control. Make sure that you are the focus of her attention. Sweet talk her, but don't make any promises. Everything else depends on the individual woman whose heart you are trying to win," Urki replied.

"Take that pretty Neun Ja for example," Urki didn't bother to hide his smirk as Jerrod blushed apple red. "If I wanted to woo that fair flower, I think I might.... Well, no use giving away too many trade secrets. I think I'll just let you figure that one out for yourself if you have a mind to do so."

Jerrod sputtered for a moment, speechless. Deciding that in this case withdrawal was perhaps the better part of valor, Jerrod called the serving wench back over and ordered a flagon of ale. Once it came, he sat studying the brew, resolutely determined to avoid eye contact with Urki for the time being.

By the time he had sipped the last of his ale, Jerrod was feeling a trifle less embarrassed, but only a trifle. Urki's occasional jests to the barmaid about young romance kept him from feeling truly comfortable. Fortunately for him, Ordolf picked that moment to return.

The elder mage sat down next to Urki and greeted both him and Jerrod. Ordolf placed his own order with the serving woman and engaged Urki in conversation giving both Jerrod and the serving wench a temporary respite. Jerrod took advantage of the diversion to order another flagon. As he was doing so, Ordolf winked at him surreptitiously.

"He distracted Urki on purpose! Why would he intervene on my behalf? Whatever the reason, I can thank my lucky stars!" Jerrod breathed a sigh of relief.

When he finished his ale, Jerrod went up to his room and did his wizardly exercises. Still learning his skills, he had had little chance to practice while on the road and was badly in need of drill to make his knowledge more fully ingrained. Even a moment's hesitation could be his downfall, as he had learned to his chagrin in his initial meeting with the twins.

Jerrod was determined that that would not happen again, so he set to his workout with tenacity. Time passed very quickly while he was absorbed in his workout. Soon the sun was sinking toward the sea outside his window. It was nearly dinner time. Jerrod finished his last set of exercises and went down to the common room to join the others for supper.

The others were already down in the common room. They had gathered at the table by the fire where Enki and Derazha had been conversing earlier. Jerrod joined the group as the serving maid came over to take their dinner orders. The rest of the company was discussing their departure the next day. They were making sure that they were prepared for what could be a lengthy journey far from lands with which they were familiar. There might be little or no chance for resupply, so each member of the little band made sure that he or she had forgotten nothing that was irreplaceable by discussing future possibilities with the others.

When Jerrod arrived, it seemed that the consensus that they all had everything that they could possibly need was being reached. All of the others were experienced travelers and adventurers. They had a good idea about what they might need and each felt that they had done a good job in Pond Eddy of meeting their possible needs. Wolf grumbled a bit about them having enough in the way of supplies to equip an army, but the rest paid him little attention. Even Brianna just smiled and shook her head at her spouse.

*       *       *       *        *

By the time their meals came, the eight of them had settled into quiet (in most cases) or boisterous conversations. The latter seemed to involve Urki more often than not. The young soldier appeared in particularly good spirits.

It was the eve of their departure. And Urki, unlike the others, was excited by their momentous and perilous journey. As his sister could and did inform anyone who was interested, he always reacted like this before heading into danger be it a battle or a simple barroom brawl. Urki paid his sister little heed, to him it didn't matter what anyone else thought. If his life was on the line, it made him feel strangely more vital as if he was living his life to the hilt. And that was something he enjoyed. It wasn't that he was unaware of the danger or unaffected by fear. Rather, those two things made him more aware of everything around him and more determined to experience them to the fullest.

He did have one regret. He was sharing a room with Jerrod and Ordolf. That meant he couldn't charm one of the serving wenches into his bed. While he didn't really care if his roommates thought him promiscuous, he did feel that it would be discourteous unless they, too, had a bed partner. And while Ordolf might be capable of attracting feminine companionship, it was clear to Urki that Jerrod hadn't yet matured enough to have any idea as to how to go about a seduction. Besides he was acting like he was moonstruck and making calf eyes at Neun Ja and there was not a chance in the world that he was going to attain her favor this night.

So it looked to be a night of drink and song instead of debauch. If so, he would make the best of it an enjoy to the hilt. And so he did. He laughed and sang with anyone who cared to join in. None could or would keep up with him for long. So no one even tried, with the possible exception of Jerrod whose head kept falling to the table for some inexplicable reason. Mayhap Wolf or Derazha could have matched Urki drink for drink if they had tried, but neither was willing to expend the sheer volume of energy into garrulousness that Urki seemed able to spend.

As they evening wore down, the others went to bed either singly or in pairs. Finally, only Jerrod and Urki were left. The serving maid was yawning off in a corner. Like the barmaid who had been there earlier, she, too, was a pretty blonde. A little shorter than her co-worker, she also differed in that she kept her hair up in some sort of strange pile on her head that seemed to be maintained by several multi-colored rods which the woman had thrust willy nilly in to her hair. At the moment though, her tresses seemed to be coming bit undone and strands of hair were beginning to stray as she yawned and rubbed eyes that were starting to redden under eyelids that were beginning to droop with sleep.

"Well, lad," Urki said to his companion, "It appears as though it is time to go to bed. What do you say we go up and lay ourselves down since I'm sharing a room with you and Ordolf instead of a more winsome companion." He blew the serving wench a kiss, grabbed Jerrod (who once again had his face in a puddle of ale) by the arm and marched the two of them off to their room.

As Jerrod blearily settled himself on his bed, he shook his head in amazement, an action that caused the strangest things to happen to the ceiling, the walls, and even the floor. He had never witnessed a performance quite like the one Urki had put on that night.

Just as Jerrod started to drift off into sleep first Urki and then Ordolf leapt out of bed. Their actions were followed almost instantaneously by the door to their room bursting inward as if it had been propelled by a catapult. Simultaneously there were sounds of alarm throughout the rest of the inn. And if Jerrod's ears weren't playing tricks on him, there was also the distant sound of fighting in the streets.

As Jerrod looked dazedly at the door, his saw outlined by its frame what appeared to be a troll. At least thought it was a troll, although in his state it looked more like five or six. Sudden terror burned the remnants of the nights debauch out of Jerrod. As the young mage struggled to rise, he realized it wasn't five or six trolls it was more like ten, and more were streaming through the doorway every minute.

Before Jerrod could get out of his blankets and even before Urki or Ordolf could mount any sort of an effective defense the three of them had been seized and taken prisoner by the trolls. That in itself was strange, for trolls did not often take prisoners unless they had eaten their fill already. In that case, they might take prisoners so they would have something fresh to snack on later. Even more alarming than the trolls taking prisoners was the fact that so many trolls were working together. Still more disturbing was the fact that they seemed to be doing so in perfect harmony with nary a squabble amongst them.

Jerrod had little time to ponder these mysteries before he was cuffed into unconsciousness by one of his captors. If he had stayed awake long enough he would have seen that the trolls had not only taken he and his two chamber mates prisoner, but they had also captured Wolf and Brianna and Enki and Derazha.

Chapter 6

Chapter VI

After breaking fast, the newly formed company made their final preparations for their journey. They found that Astall, through the apparently limitless resources of Fran, had provided them with almost everything that they could need. In some cases, more than they wanted. But even in the rare instances where one of the companions felt they had some unmet need, whatever their desire it was quickly procured.

Soon the small band was ready to travel. Each had been provided with a horse and two spares. The extra mounts were used as pack animals for whatever extra baggage each of the adventurers had elected to bring along. As it turned out, they were all very lightly burdened. For one reason or another, all of the members of the group preferred to travel without much in the way of possession.

As they prepared to leave, Astall entered the stables. He motioned Jerrod over to him. "Lad," the old archmage said to his former pupil, "I fear that you aren't viewing with with gravity that is its due. I know that you feel a bit out of place among this illustrious group of experienced warriors and magicians. I suppose that shouldn't come as much of a surprise. You certainly do not have on tenth of the kind of experience in magical or armed conflict that even the least of the others do."

Jerrod started to interrupt. "I...,"

Stilling Jerrod's incipient protest with a raised eyebrow, Astall continued. "Don't deny it lad. I've known you too long. Don't fret about it either. You are young and raw. But you truly are essential to the success of the battle versus Iskandar and his minions. Without you, as is also the case with each of the others, the future of Seremoreh would be bleak indeed. Rest assured that in the fullness of time, you will come to see just how important you really are. First, I am afraid, you are going to have to eat a bit of humble pie. For, you see, in order to find your true strength you must face your flaws. And that, Jerrod, may be your most challenging battle of all."

Astall looked at Jerrod and shook his head, "I hope you remember these words, lad. But I fear you won't. Whichever the case, remember that my thoughts are with you. Perhaps that may provide you some reassurance in a moment when you least expect it. Or perhaps not."

With that Jerrod's mentor sighed and patted his erstwhile pupil on the shoulder. Without out another word, Astall turned and left.

"What was that all about," Jerrod wondered. "Perhaps the old man is going bonkers....," he mused. "But if so how did he know.... Yeah, he's crazy alright -- crazy like a fox. That's why he's staying here and I am being sent on some asinine wild goose chase to face who knows what dangers." Jerrod shook his head and sighed, something he seemed to be doing or seeing quite a bit of ever since he foolishly opened the door to the twins.

The twins seemed to have taken charge of the expedition. At least, they were the ones overseeing details that were for everyone's benefit, not just their own personal preparations. They had organized the pack train and collected nearly everyone together. "Jerrod," called Urki. "Get you lazy carcass over here. It's time to depart!"

Frowning at the warrior's impertinence, but obeying nonetheless, Jerrod did as he was told. Soon the company was ready to move out. And so with little pomp or fanfare, the quest to save Seremoreh began.

The trip from Pond Eddy to Nova Ekirigilio went smoothly. Even the weather seemed to improve as they neared the coast. The sea seemed to have a salutary effect on the temperature and for the first time in what seemed like weeks (but which had really been only a few days), Jerrod felt as if he actually had all of his fingers and toes. Even more amazingly, he could feel both his ears and his nose and they didn't particularly hurt.

"Perhaps there are some benefits to this questing business after all," Jerrod thought as he rubbed his suddenly resensitized hands together and gaped for what seemed like the millionth time at the beauteous Neun Ja. A sudden jounce from his steed caught him unaware and as he bounced in his saddle he felt a shooting pain in his posterior. "Well, if there are any benefits, they are few and far between," he grumbled to himself. "I'll be glad when this is all over and I can finally claim my place as a journeyman in the Society of Mages."

Just then the party came around a bend in the road and drew within sight of the gates of Nova Ekirigilio. Jerrod was impressed. He had never been to Nova Ekirigilio before and its size surprised him a bit. The city was walled for protection, as were many of the cities of Seremoreh, but the size and extent of the walls impressed the young mage. At least seven strides high, the walls also looked to be at least two thick with strongpoints studding them frequently.

The physical defenses were not the only protections which Jerrod noted as he rode up to the gates of Nova Ekirigilio. In addition to the walls and the soldiers dotting them, Jerrod noted the presence of formidable magical wards. There were alarm systems and guardian spells lying dormant and blanketing the city's walls. Jerrod knew that it was only his imagination, but he got the sense that the spells were waiting restively for signs of a hostile magical intrusion.

The city looked like it could withstand the siege of all but the most determined attacking army. It appeared that even an army that was determined would almost certainly have a difficult time taking Nova Ekirigilio and, although he was no expert, it seemed to Jerrod that such an attacker would most likely be unable to take the city by direct assault and would have to stand siege.

"I wonder if the twins would agree with my assessment," mused Jerrod. "They are supposed to be the experts on such matters. I shall have to ask them once we arrive in the city."

As they approached the gates, it became apparent that the walls were not merely for show. The gates themselves were well-guarded and the battlements above them were also peppered liberally with soldiers. Each wagon or caravan that entered was inspected by the constabulary and its contents noted by a scribe. Those that left were also inspected, their contents also noted and in some cases apparently compared with earlier notes. In such cases, the departing merchants seemed to be charged a levy on the goods which they had sold. As for the rest of the departing merchants, they too had to pay some sort of surcharge on the goods which they were taking off to trade elsewhere.

When their turn came at the gate, the adventurers were also inspected and the contents of their packs noted. Derazha's fearsome appearance seemed to cause a bit of consternation among the constabulary and Jerrod noticed that, although Wolf who was just ahead of him submitted to inspection readily enough, the woodsman seemed a bit amused by the process. Wolf's slight smile turned to a wink when he noticed Jerrod's gaze upon him and he whispered so only Jerrod could hear, "Aren't cities grand, Jerrod? They keep such good track of everyone." The ranger then began to chuckle for no reason that Jerrod could see.

Wolf noticed Jerrod's bewilderment, and said, "Anyone can see we are but a party of seven travelers with naught more than our packs and horses, eh, lad." With that the woodsman began chuckling and again turned his attention back to the guard who was going through his bags.

"Seven?" Jerrod thought. "But there are eight of us! Ordolf, Derazha, Brianna, Wolf, myself, the twins and Neun Ja." Suddenly Jerrod realized that Neun Ja was no longer with them. Her pack horses were there, but the beautiful young sorceress had disappeared!

Not only was Neun Ja gone, but the horse on which she had been riding had disappeared as well. Jerrod couldn't believe his eyes. It just didn't make sense. Where could she have gone since he had beheld her but moments before? Why would she disappear? Why hadn't he seen her leave? Was she wanted in Nova Ekirigilio? Was she smuggling something into the port city? Had she decided to abandon their mission already? What possible reason could she have for leaving?

As Jerrod started to voice his as yet unspoken questions, Wolf once again caught his eye. The woods runner shook his head almost imperceptibly. "We've all the time in the world to see the city and plumb its mysteries, Jerrod. No need to rush things," Wolf smiled.

Reluctantly, Jerrod let his questions die unanswered before they had even truly been given voice. It was, he supposed, a mystery to which he would find the answer soon enough. The more time he spent with his companions, however, the more he wondered about them. Was this really a group that was going to save the world?

Whatever the answer to Jerrod's doubts was, it had yet to become clear. But part of the answer was soon to be given. Even if the newly-formed company failed in its quest and Zemelia fell under the sway of Iskandar and his foul minions, it was at least a group which was going to see the world. Soon after the group's arrival in town, the twins left for Nova Ekirigilio's harborside to arrange for a ship. The remainder of the party accompanied them most of the way to the docks, but turned aside at an inn near the piers. Entering the hostelry, the group booked rooms for the night with little trouble. The innkeeper did repeatedly glance apprehensively, albeit furtively, at Derazha. However, it was evident that whatever trepidation he might have felt, it was far outweighed in his heart by the tinkle of coins.

"Her appearance doesn't just unnerve me," thought Jerrod. "It frightened the guards at the gate. It frightens the innkeeper. It frightens almost everyone! And Neun Ja is so pretty that she seems to catch everyone's attention just a tad more than any of the rest of us – besides Derazha," Jerrod frowned as noticed the hostelry's balding owner leering surreptitiously at the sorceress. "Neun Ja?"

Neun Ja was back! Not only hadn't Jerrod seen her leave, he hadn't seen her return! "I've got to pay more attention to things," Jerrod muttered to himself. "Next thing you know, a troll is going to sneak up on me in the middle of the night!"

The inn had had only three rooms available so Jerrod, Ordolf, and Urki were assigned to one, Neun Ja, Derazha, and Enki to another, the married couple, Brianna and Wolf to the last. The inn, called the Laughing Cavalier, was much like the Horse Brass -- nothing too fancy but a good, solid upper middle class establishment which not only provided lodging but which also served food and drink.

It wasn't long after the rest of the party had arrived at the inn that the twins reappeared. They had booked passage on a ship to the Islands of Despair. Oddly, the ship that Astall had chartered for them was absent. At first that had seemed an ill omen. Fortunately, as it turned out, the twins reported, there was an alternative. Apparently, there was a ship which was headed in that unlikely direction at dawn the next morning. Not only was the Mermaid's Tit, as the ship was called, headed in their direction, but it was half empty. Its captain had accepted a commission to deliver a diplomatic pouch to one of the petty kingdoms of the region and needed to leave with haste. It seemed that the party's luck was very good so far. Not only could they get immediate passage to the area which they needed to go, but since the ship was half-empty, they could bring all of their horses and equipment along as well.

It was near midday when the company arrived in Nova Ekirigilio, so there was plenty of time for each them to take care of whatever they needed to before they must bed down for the night. Wolf and Brianna seemed to need to spend some time alone together and, with only perfunctory farewells to their colleagues, quickly clambered up the stairs to their room and closed the door behind them. Ordolf followed them with smiling eyes and said, "I believe I will go for a walk. There is an old acquaintance whom I would like to look in on."

Urki went in to the common room and began flirting with the serving maid, a tall, leggy blond. Enki tapped Derazha on the shoulder and suggested that they follow her brother's lead and get a pint. The two of them went into the common room and sat at a table, where they quickly became ensconced in quiet conversation.

That left Jerrod and Neun Ja alone. "Neun Ja," Jerrod began then stopped, as the saffron-skinned beauty turned her gaze on him. "Uhh, would you join me for a bit of lunch or a pint or something. It has been long trip and I thought maybe...." The young mage trailed off under the force of her steady gaze and the slight smile that was beginning to quirk her lips.

"What I mean is, umm, we seem be the only ones who are alone....Well, we aren't alone because we are together.... Well, not exactly together, but....Anyway I thought you might be hungry and I know I am so I thought we could share a meal and get to know one another better...that is learn more about each other...if you don't have other plans or anything," Jerrod stuttered in a rush.

Neun Ja studied him for moment, a moment in which Jerrod's stomach felt as if vultures were flying around in it, his ears felt as if they were being baked in an oven, and his palms and armpits seemed to have suddenly been doused in enough liquid to put out a forest fire. It was a moment which seemed to Jerrod as if it would never end. Then, Neun Ja smiled and nodded as she said in a soft voice, "I would like that...and you do look as if you would like to sit down somewhere. Here? Or did you have somewhere else in mind?"

Jerrod blushed and replied, "Well, umm, I have never been here before but perhaps if we walked about for a bit we could find somewhere else that might be nice to eat and get to see a bit of the town...If that's alright with you...?"

"That is a fine idea. I have never been to Nova Ekirigilio either and I admit I am a bit curious about the town," she said as she began to stride toward the door.

Jerrod hurried to catch up. "If you have never been here before, then why did you disappear at the gates. And how? And why did Wolf know when I did not?"

"So many questions! Well, I suppose I can answer them without compromising the safety of our quest. But it might be better if we waited until we found somewhere where we can have our meal. One does not know who might be listening on the street," Neun Ja smiled.

Jerrod nodded and the two walked down the streets in silence for a few moments. Although the thoroughfare on which they strolled was filled with colorful sights and sounds, Jerrod had a hard time paying attention to anything but his companion. She, on the other hand, seemed interested in everyone and everything they passed.

Suddenly, Neun Ja pointed to a nearby almost shanty-like tavern. "This looks to be just the place. We shall have a quiet lunch and I may answer your questions. Is this establishment acceptable?"

"Uhh, sure. Anyplace you wish is more than acceptable to me," Jerrod responded gallantly.

"Very well." Neun Ja took Jerrod by the arm and led him in. His arm felt like it was being gently kissed by the fires of an early summer's midday sun. He followed in a daze.

The tavern turned out to be dimly lit and not too crowded. It seemed to be some sort of a lovers' or spies' rendezvous. Not only was it was the lighting subdued, but it also had high-backed wooden booths which were well separated from each other so each table had a sense of privacy about it that was rare.

Neun Ja led Jerrod to one of the booths where she sat down opposite him. She made a small gesture with one of her hands and said, "There, now we may speak. You wished to know why I disappeared earlier, is that correct?"

"Yes, and how did Wolf know you had gone? I never saw you leave," Jerrod replied.

Neun Ja smiled and responded, "Let me answer the second question first. Wolf knew I was gone because he has developed a strong sense of himself and of reality. It is very difficult to deceive his senses or to create a situation which can misdirect his attention. You, on the other hand, have not yet developed a strong sense of yourself and you have an active imagination. It is still relatively easy to beguile you or distract you from that which one wishes to remain hidden. In the case under discussion, that which I wished to remain hidden was me. Over time, you, as a mage, will most certainly develop a most powerful center and it will be well nigh impossible to use duplicity or distraction effectively when you are around. At present, however, you are still susceptible to such trickery as I used to hide my presence from the gatekeepers.

Jerrod felt a bit irritated at his companion's assessment of his abilities, but since Wolf had known she was gone and he had not, there was little he could say to dispute her estimation. "You still haven't answered my first question: why did you disappear in the first place? You said you have never been here so you can't be wanted. You can't be smuggling anything, there would be no need. We are leaving tomorrow and we have access to all the money we want."

Neun Ja smiled a secretive little smile. "Do not be so certain about there not being a need, Jerrod. One can never know the future or be completely secure about the past. Sometimes, it is well to be able keep even one's allies from knowing all there is to know about oneself. We have a saying in my land: what remains unknown to one's friends cannot be accidentally divulged to one's enemies. Let this be enough explanation for you: we have brought things into Nova Ekirigilio which will remain known to us alone and my presence here is now something more of a mystery than it might otherwise be."

"Ahh, here is the serving person. Let us order!"

Chapter 5 (conclusion)

From upstairs the sounds of the others starting to stir as they woke had begun to drift down to the common room. One by one the collection of "truly fascinating people" began to make their way to breakfast. As each arrived, Sadie came out from the kitchen and took their order.

When Jerrod arrived, he was astonished at the variety of the repast which Fran and his family had to offer. Not only was there fresh, piping hot porridge and the remnants of the offerings from the night before, but there was fresh fruit as well as fresh bread. There were sausages and griddle cakes and even hen's eggs. The bread was the one item on the bill of fare that Jerrod found particularly astonishing. It was still warm as if it had just come out of the oven. But for that to be so, since the loaves seemed fresh, the innkeeper or his wife had to have been up early enough to prepare and bake the bread by the crack of dawn. Such service was went beyond the efforts of most inns and struck Jerrod as beyond the call of duty.

Still, it was welcome excess. Jerrod found the distraction of a good hearty meal welcome after the troubled night which he had spent. He couldn't remember all of the details of his dreams, but what he did remember disturbed him just as much now in the light of day as the dreams themselves had troubled his sleep the night before. There was something about a cave...on an island...in a cloud. It just didn't make sense to Jerrod.

"Maybe," he thought to himself, "Astall can shed some light on their import. Perhaps it has something to do with the islands he mentioned last night. There could certainly be an island with a cave on it. And perhaps the mention of the islands last night triggered the dream, but why would the dream place the island on a cloud.

“Where could Astall be, though? He usually is up before me, shaking me out of bed and demanding that I provide him with a meal to break his fast. Perhaps he has eaten already. But then why wouldn't he wait here in the common room? We must all have much more to discuss about this quest of his or rather ours. It isn't like him to disappear."

Just as Jerrod began to worry about the whereabouts of his former master, that worthy appeared at the entry to the common room.

"Good morn, my friends. It is good to see you all up and about. We have much to consider and little time in which to do so ere you must leave on your perilous journey. I see you are all stoking the body's furnace already. I hope you don't mind if I outline a bit more of the information which you will need to undertake your endeavor while you enjoy your repasts."

"As I said last night, we believe that the Sword of Might may have been lost in the Islands of Despair. I have booked passage for the seven of you on a merchant ship which will leave from the port of Nova Ekirigilio in a week's time." Seeing the looks of surprise and mild consternation on the faces of one or two of the seven members of his audience, Astall paused in his discourse. "I know that that does not give you much time and, yes, you must leave here today, but the sooner you get started the more quickly we, or rather you, can break the grip of the frost which is strangling the life out of Seremoreh. The longer the frigid weather lasts, the more permanent the damage that will be done to the land and its denizens, both animal and human. It must be halted as soon as possible."

"As I was saying, you are booked to leave Nova Ekirigilio in a week. From there you will sail to Salato Insulo. After that you will need to find a way to the Islands of Despair on your own. In order to make your ship, you must, of course, leave today. That leaves you little time to collect your things and to prepare for a journey which will be increasingly dangerous as the trollkin become more active. Before you go, there is one more bit of information which I need to share with you. A mystic sage in the society has sent word that she has had dreams about a tunnel filled with smoke or vapor of some sort that somehow seems connected with the Sword of Might. She can say no more than that. While it seems of little obvious value to me now, perhaps its import will become clearer to you in time."

"In the mean time, you must gather your belongings and arrange for your trip from Pond Eddy to Nova Ekirigilio. How you get there is your own affair. The purse strings of the Society of Mages are yours to command, whatever you need shall be paid for no matter how apparently extravagant. We trust your judgment, though with a lesser group that might perhaps be unwise. Even so, the same provision would hold, for should your group fail, then all should be lost. So buy whatever you feel you need. But buy it quickly for there is little time."

With that the old archmage sat down and began to set to his breakfast with a vengeance. The eight heroes looked at each other. Little seemed necessary to say. Astall's words had made their situation abundantly clear.

As they sat in silence and finished breaking their fast, the companions each contemplated what lay before them. Most of them, experienced adventurers as they were, considered the practical aspects of their journey. Each made a list of all of the things that he or she might need to complete their quest. Knowing someone else was paying for whatever they desired made it easier to contemplate even their wildest wishes. As more than one thought to him or herself, one never knew when one might need something and there might be no chance to get it later. On the other hand, speed was of the essence and the more one carried the slower one moved.

So...each made his or her list and then pared it down to those items that seemed most necessary. Of those, they would buy only the best. Something failing at a critical time might cost all of them their lives, and it appeared that with them lay the fate of Seremoreh. Only the best would serve with so much riding on their success.

Some of the companionship, the more contemplative among them (of which Jerrod was certainly not yet one), also pondered the implications of the journey about which they were preparing to embark. While each had had the lives of others in her or his hands at some point in the past, none had ever had the fate of the world resting on her or his shoulders. The enormity of the task was nearly overwhelming.

Two of the companions seemed unfazed by what lay ahead. For different reasons, Urki and Jerrod both found themselves doing little of the contemplation that seemed to engulf the others. Urki was by nature someone who saw his task and accepted it without fretting. He saw little point in worrying over whether or not he could survive what lay ahead. Time would provide the answer to that. As far as he was concerned, the only thing really worth doing before one set out on a adventure or any other journey for that matter was preparing oneself as well as one could for the practical challenges that one would face and making sure one enjoyed life to the fullest when one could. The rest was just gilding on the lily. There was little point and little value. It was best to direct one's energies where they would do the most good, and that didn't mean driving oneself crazy about the unknowable and/or the unchangeable.

Jerrod, on the other hand, simply had no real conception of the enormity of the task with which he was faced. In his heart of hearts, Jerrod didn't really believe that he was truly one of the keys to the fate of Seremoreh and all of its inhabitants. While to the others he might seem a bit self-important and pompous -- and, in fact, he was both of those things -- that was really his way of hiding from himself a fundamental, deep-seated sense of self-doubt.

Deep down, perhaps even below conscious thought, Jerrod found it hard to believe that he was really an important part of a group like this. The others could indeed be that important. Ordolf was, according to Astall, as accomplished in the arcane arts as was Astall himself and a powerful member of the Society of Mages. Wolf and Brianna were clearly singular people who had been through more than Jerrod himself had ever even dreamed of facing. Derazha was so fearsome that he could hardly envision himself riding side by side with her, let alone defeating an opponent that could best her. Neun Ja was the kind of woman he had dreamed about. Her beauty was overwhelming. Whenever he was near her, or even thought about her, his stomach fluttered and his mouth got dry. He lost his ability to speak or even think. On top of that, she was apparently a powerful sorceress and assassin. Of all of his companions only Enki and Urki seemed as if they were less than heroic. And even they had handled him as if he were little more than an unweaned lamb.

So, in his innermost depths Jerrod fundamentally believed that, while this was perhaps a dangerous journey which would have important connotations for the rest of Seremoreh, he would have little to do with its success or failure. Perhaps he was being included as a final test before he graduated to journeyman status. He had heard of such tests. The sooner the journey was over, the sooner his majority would come to pass. As a result, perhaps surprisingly given all of that percolating below and through his consciousness or perhaps not, Jerrod simply appeared impatient for the journey to begin. There was no apparent fear. There was no reflection, no thoughtful preparation.

That would soon change.