There remained but one barbarian on the Spike side of the pass. Filled with hate and battle lust, he had pinned Kuros with one hand and held his shrike in a stabbing position with the other. The shrike pointed down for the killing thrust. "Now I know what it is to die in a foreign land..." thought Kuros calmly. Neither Tara nor Longsilver could possibly have gotten there in time to save Kuros, but a shaft streaked out of the brush and buried deeply in the archer's back. The Drog gasped, closed his eyes, dropped the shrike, and wavered sluggishly. Just at that instant, Tara dove into the scene and knocked the barbarian off of Kuros. Meanwhile, Longsilver stopped briefly to look where the arrow had emerged. He saw a green clad figure next to one of the pine trees. The figure waved and then disappeared into the twilight...
Tender tears rolled down Tara's pretty cheeks as she got up to look at the barbarian she had just tackled. She suddenly realized that this archer was already dead. Quickly she turned toward Kuros and shouted at him. "Kuros, Kuros! Are you all right?" Kuros rolled over to his side, opened his eyes, smiled at her, and said: "My head hurts a little, dear lady, but otherwise I am quite fine."
Tara slid over to him and hugged his neck timidly. Until then, she thought that he was hurt. Longsilver told them: "That green cloaked fellow hit that Drog from a hundred paces!" Kuros deduced what had happened: "He saved my life..."
Longsilver turned once more to look at the pine bluff, but he saw nothing unusual. Then he said: "Rise up, youngsters! We had better rejoin the others before more apparitions appear from the pines!" The Spike side of the pass had also held...
The little band gathered at the center of the path. They had seven prisoners, only two of which were slightly injured. As far as they could tell, none of the archers had escaped. All looked at Kip- although no one revealed his identity. Elkin spoke first: "We will abide by your decision, but remember; we have no idea if these are all. Some could have been flying or hiding and we'd not have seen them. Kip spoke in the Arvetan tongue so as to hide his accent: "I believe that these prisoners should be taken to some secure place and held there for trial under Kai law... but where? I know not. We should not slay them outright..
Tato spoke next: "My Step-Dad would know what to do with them. We have a small cell at the hotel."
"What!" interrupted the rash Rollvag, "They'll rat on us. They'll murder us in our sleep! Besides, they'll slow us down!!!" Then he repented: "Still, if you say so..."
Elkin said: "It is but a two tzon march to the village..." Kuros, who had been thinking all along, spoke last: "Do you not see? These prisoners are proof to the powers of Toridar and Dondor that the barbarians have crossed into Toridar! We are all witnesses to their intent to destroy trader's nest with arms! I plead with you to consider what these could mean to the mobilization of Toridar! Yes, we must take these to the Patrol of Toridar. Surely there are some in this land who are able to heed our warning!..."
"I, for one, will heed it!" said a deep voice that interrupted Kuros...
Everyone except Elkin froze at the sound of the voice. Byc closed his eyes for a moment and then pointed at the edge of the Spike side, sloped wall. A tall man in camouflage garb and cloak stepped out from behind a boulder. He had a green hunting hat with a blue feather and carried a long bow and long sword. He approached the edge of the slope, stopped abruptly, and said: "Greetings, all of you. I am Grimheld, Captain of the Sparkle Valley Group of the Toridar Patrol. I have seen only the end of your battle and I know you not, but I have hearkened onto your discussion and observed the proof of your labors."
"Greetings!" said everyone except Elkin; more out of shock than of courtesy. After that, the Patrolman took out a small reed whistle and blew it shrilly. "Now, say nothing further," ordered Grimheld, "lest these enemies at your feet open their ears!" After half a minute, twenty four sharply dressed Patrolmen emerged from around the curve and hurried toward them. Each Patrolmen led a fine effereet by its bit harness. They were a spectacular sight. They wore bright emerald tunics with camouflage cloaks and green hunting hats. Everyone noticed their fine long bows and long swords, which they carried proudly and carefully.
As they approached, Grimheld bellowed "Take charge of the Drog prisoners! Hut! Hut!" The Patrolmen bound the prisoners and prepared them for the march to Trader's Nest. The adventurers stood and watched in awe at their efficiency. This task completed, Grimheld put one man in charge and ordered the group to march to the Village. "And Wait for me there!" scolded the Captain. The Adventurers watched the Patrolmen round the curve. Then they were alone with the Captain...
"Hello Tato!" said the big man. "I have heard of your apprenticeship under Gvin, who is right now, I understand, searching for you; along with most of the rest of Trader's Nest. `Tato's Lost!!!' they cry out in the town."
"What!?" asked Tato in surprise. The Patrolman looked around at all of them and asked himself: "Hmm, Elves and Men working together?" He paused a moment to look at Cher. "And what are you?" he asked. "A dwarven fairy, Sir!" "I see. Hmm; yes, it seems that you all have a bit of explaining to do...."
"I, Sir, am Elkin of the Vivar Wilderness and I will speak on these matters." "I have heard of you," said Grimheld, "though very few of your people ever contact us any more. What brings you here?" Elkin attempted to find out how much the Toridarians knew: "Are you aware of what is happening in Baldor?"
"No, why don't you tell me." said Grimheld crisply. "You have no doubt noticed the accents of these, save Tato and this Healer."
"I have, go on." responded the Captain politely.
"The Systai have conquered the Azure and discovered a new continent..."
"What!!?" growled the Patrolman. "The Toridar believe that there is nothing beyond the Azure except the Mist -- and then: anyone entering it is never seen again!" Elkin challenged him: "The world is not flat, Great Captain. It is round- just as sure as a pigskin balloon is round. Let's just say that there is another place, and that these are from that place!"
Grimheld thought carefully and then accepted the truth: "Very well. I will not debate this question with you, and I strongly suggest that you not mention this to any Toridarian until I come up with a safe plan of introduction. Now, how did these get here?" Rollvag spoke aloud the answer: "We were all slaves of the Drog. Now we are free."
"I see," said Grimheld as he pondered this fact, "that implies a few things about the Vivar Elves. I will muse over these implications. Perhaps we may talk later." The Captain looked directly at the newcomer and asked: "Who are you?"
"I am Murki of Benclay."
"What do you seek here?"
"First, let me say this: I am an Eyri. I left my training hall in Benclay on a message delivery run for the Schoolmaster. I bore a message for your Dingle the Trader. Upon delivery of the parchment, I was informed that it really is for Tato IN THE CARE OF Dingle, although why this is the case or what it said, I do not know. Dingle, and a big Forester, Gvin, told me that Tato was lost. I was dispatched to search for him. Defend him, I will, earnestly; for Dingle told me that locating him is a matter of the highest Toridar concern."
Elkin grinned at this knowledge. Grimheld shook his head and then said: "This news leads to several inescapable conclusions that I cannot discuss at this time. Well done, Ladies and Gentlemen. We will provide you with an escort to Trader's Nest, if you deem it within your will..."
What will you do and say? (Q1)
Back to Arveta Table of Contents
Back to Arveta List of Issues
Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List
© Copyright 1999 by Abram Paradies.
This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com