Possessing the Grimstone

chapter Nine


They gathered in the courtyard in the morning, the sun barely a splinter through the dark clouds drifting across Cardoon’s skies.

Pim stood with Tolan and two Cardoon soldiers, drinking from the fountain beside them. The water was cool and refreshing.

Drith walked around the corner of one of the city buildings with a warrior. They were both painted azure and emerald green, and carried the sharpest swords. Every movement of theirs was hostile. Pim was glad they were on their side, at least for now. He had a feeling that if things were different, Drith wouldn’t tolerate his presence for more than a minute. The people of the desert were known to be very angry, and inhospitable. Their customs were strange. Their blood boiled; they were known to pick fights over the slightest things.

“Where is the mage?” Drith asked. “Where is our protection?”

Before Tolan could answer, a dust devil spun into the courtyard. Wind howled, and the devil spun into the middle of the group. The dust and sand subsided, and Sooth-Malesh stood in their wake.

“Impatience can get one killed,” the mage said. “In any event, you shall wait no longer.”

King Enrille stepped into the courtyard, stretching, and yawned. “Splendid, splendid. Such an exciting day! The saviors of Cardoon!”

“Of Athora,” Tolan corrected.

“Of course,” the King agreed.

“The protection?” Drith reminded.

Sooth-Malesh grumbled something under his breath, and then reached into his robes. He pulled out yet another crystal, but this one was black. He stepped to each of the volunteers, and placed it against their foreheads.

Drith flinched as the crystal touched his head. Pim wanted to laugh, but he held it in.

The crystal glowed with gold light each time it touched someone. After the mage recited some arcane words, a glittering light flickered over each of them, and then evaporated.

“It is done, but know this: it is not all powerful. No magic is forever. The further you are away from Cardoon, the weaker the spell, and some enemies will be immune to it.”

“Wonderful,” Drith said. “So we’re still on our own.”

“Belief, Southerner, belief. It will serve you well from time to time.”

Drith shook his head.

King Enrille opened his arms. “It is time. Go, and serve us well. Bring us back the other pieces of the stone.”

With the decree, stable boys led the group’s horses down the cobblestone roads, directly into the courtyard. Pim saw that he had his own horse this time. Excitement surged through him.

As they mounted their steeds, Pim looked over at Tolan. “Have you ever been to the Graywing Mountains?”

“No, no one in Cardoon has. It’s a sacred place. The remnants of our ancestors are there. Our people believed it best not to disturb them out of honor. The great Thet would want it that way.”

“So no one knows what may wait there?”

“We’ll be the first to find out.”

“You won’t be the first,” Drith said. “Many creatures have walked the mountains, even some of my people. Of course, some of them went mad after going there.”

Tolan rolled his eyes. Pim swallowed air. “Don’t let him scare you,” Tolan said.

“He didn’t.”

“Let us make our leave,” Tolan called, and the six riders headed for the gates.

“I will place a barrier around Cardoon to hold the Neshing at bay,” Sooth-Malesh called as they galloped. “If it still stands when you return, touch your foreheads where the black crystal imbued you, and a passage will open!”

Tolan waved as he approached the city gates. They opened with a great bellow.

“Thet be with you!” The King called as they rounded the corner.

They headed toward the rear of the city, through the farmlands, and to the Blackberry bogs. Pim turned to look behind him, and watched a red veil fall over the city. Sooth-Malesh’s magic was at work. He wondered how it would stand. He wondered how long they would last, as well. Thet only knows what lies ahead.

###

The stark peaks of the Graywing Mountains came into view as Pim and the group crossed the covered bridges of the Low lands—a region of valleys connected and formed by dry stream beds. Many indigenous people lived in the valleys, having built the bridges to cross from one valley to the other, and circumvent the gaping stream beds, some of which collapsed into dark chasms.

The air smelled of cooking fires and roasting meat. Painted stones marked the territory between the different villages and tribes. The people were among the poorest in Athora. There were no cities or castles, no government, or money. There were wise men and women, superstitions, hunting and gathering, dancing, bonfires, and sacrifice.

The scent in the air made Pim hungry, but the bread, cheese, and water in his pack would have to suffice, especially in the wild.

“Do not stop for anyone,” Tolan told the group. “Beggars and the lame are not what they seem. They are thieves and swindlers.”

“The most uncivilized people in all of Athora,” Drith said.

Pim couldn’t believe the King of the South’s remarks. He’d seen him in action, had heard his harsh words to others. He was not the most regal of people.

Miles passed like a blur, and before Pim realized it, they were roaming about the slopes of the mountains. The air was cooler and the skies were brighter, but they remained layered with gray tones.

“Hark, a path,” Tolan pointed his sword at a rocky, dirt road that twisted up into the mountains to a notch circled with trees.

“That’s the only one?” Drith asked.

“I see no other.”

“It seems that a single path out in plain sight would be a dangerous one to take.”

“It’s either this, or we climb the mountains on foot,” Tolan said to him.

Drith thought about it for a moment. “Path, it is.”

Pim grinned at Tolan, who winked back at him.

The six riders drove their horses onto the path, and started up. The Cardoon warriors took the lead; then Tolan followed with Pim. Drith and his guardian brought up the rear.

It was not long before stone and brush swallowed them. The path twisted and climbed, getting steeper and steeper. In the dirt beneath them, Pim thought he recognized the mark of wagon wheels. It seemed that the mountains weren’t as desolate or unvisited as Tolan’s people believed. Someone had made the same trip into the mountains that they were making now.

The trees grew smaller and thinner the higher they went. Winged creatures fluttered from the trees at their approach. Something scuttled across the ground. Pim listened to everything intently.

At one point, the group had to dismount, and they led their horses by their reins as the path grew narrower. They crossed great ledges with steep drops.

From here, Pim could see a panorama of the lands. The black spires of Cardoon stood out in the distance. Further from them, dark clouds swirled in the sky, their insides crackling with dark green light. They were moving closer to Cardoon.

Pim saw the outer edges of the Salt Lands; they looked like they were in flames. Beyond that, a hint of the Fifling Sea winked at him.

The situation seemed so dire. The scourge now known as the Neshing was knocking at everyone’s doors. No one was safe. What if he and the others couldn’t find the other pieces of the stone? What if the Neshing destroyed every city in Athora? What if no one could stop them? What of Gonnish and his mother, his father, and Tal?

It was too much to think of. The questions never stopped entering his mind. Doubt, fear, guilt: they were there constantly, nagging at him, confusing him. Now was not the time to second guess. Now was not the time to give up.

He pulled himself from the view and continued to follow Tolan, who remained strong and silent. He listened to the rhythm of his horse’s hooves, and felt his breath on his arm. Pim realized then he was on this treacherous journey for this animal, too; for all animals. Every living thing in these lands was at risk of extinction. They had to succeed. They just had to.

They came to a notch in the mountains and decided to stop for a rest. Grass surrounded them on all sides; a deadfall stretched across their path. A cluster of boulders provided a hiding place.

Pim tore into his bread and ripped at his cheese. He gulped at his water.

“Pim,” Tolan said. “Slow down. Ration your food. Our journey has just begun, and we do not know how long it will last.”

Pim froze, pulling his water skin away from his lips. “Will we not come by more food and water through the lands?”

“We may or we may not. We cannot depend on the kindness of strangers.”

“We know that first hand,” Drith said after taking a small sip of water. “My people have learned to evolve through the centuries, and we store the water in our bodies for long trips. We have become one with our hot, dry desolation. A kingdom of sand passed down to me through my father, and his father, and his…”

“So you can go a long time with no water?” Pim dared to ask.

“Indeed, but were it not for the people in the port towns, and the ships that sail on the Baltha Sea, we would have starved. Not even all of the water in Athora could have prevented that.”

Pim didn’t know how to respond. Coming from a people that had always been farmers and knew nothing else, he didn’t know what it was like to be hungry. To have no food was unimaginable. Food grew in his backyard ever since he’d been alive. He didn’t know what life would have been like not knowing where or when they’d receive food. He was beginning to understand how important it was what his father did, what all of his people did. His father tried to instill this in him, but it was only now that Pim was finally beginning to realize this.

“Let us continue,” Tolan said, stowing his food and giving his horse an apple.

The soldiers climbed back onto their mounts. Drith and his man followed suit, and Pim climbed up last. A strange sound caught him, and he froze. He looked about the notch.

Barking sounded through the notch, echoing in the distance.

“Dogs?” Pim said. “There are dogs in the mountains?’

“That’s no dog,” Tolan yelled, unsheathing his sword.

Pim’s heart fluttered, but he followed Tolan’s lead. Suddenly a howl called through the notch, and a horde of creatures appeared on the rocks above them.

Seconds later, the creatures leaped down on the group. One barreled into Tolan, ripping him from his horse before he could even swing his blade.

Drith’s eys widened. “Ambush!” He, too, was pulled from his horse.

Pim saw dog-faced creatures all around them, with wild hair sprouting from their bodies, small tusks poking from beneath gray lips, and upturned noses sniffing at the air. They were clad in armor made of leather and horns.

A spear soared toward Pim, and he ducked. A scream exploded as one of Cardoon’s soldiers fell from his steed, the spear protruding from his chest. Horror gripped Pim, and one of the beasts tackled him from his horse, as well.

The wind was knocked out of the Wivering as his back hit the ground. The creature sniveled and snorted around Pim’s throat, bearing its tusks. It drew back and opened its saliva-filled jaws.

Pim screamed. A blade swung.

The creature’s throat ripped open. Drith kicked the beast, and pulled Pim up. “We’re under attack by a pack of Gnolls,” Drith said. “They must have followed us from the hollows.”

Pim turned to see Tolan struggling with one of the beasts, unable to get his sword from under his own body. Pim dashed form Drith’s side and used his fleet to race to the downed Tolan. In a flash, he pulled the Gnoll from the warrior’s chest.

Tolan jumped to his feet and swung his blade, gutting the Gnoll. Pim reappeared by his side. “Thank you, my friend.”

Pim nodded as two more Gnolls confronted them, swinging flails with multiple chains. Pim ducked, then dodged, as the flail whipped inches from his face. He lifted his sword and one of the flails caught the blade, pulling it from his grip.

Tolan stepped in front of Pim and parried the Gnolls and their flails. “Back Gnolls, back! There is nothing for you, here!”

Pim saw Drith and his guard rush to their aid out of the corner of his eye, but a net fell over them. More Gnolls drove the Southerners to the ground, and focused their attention on Tolan and Pim. They were now surrounded, spears and flails drawing closer and closer.

A fluttering sound filled the air. Pim’s gaze shot to the skies, which held a group of women descending on make-shift wings. They launched a volley of arrows at the Gnolls, taking half of them down.

The women landed on the ground, discarding their wings. The silver-armored women attacked the remaining Gnolls with blades in each of their hands: short, curved, double-edged, and serrated weapons that no one had ever seen before.

Pim couldn’t believe his eyes. He watched the women warriors slash and rip their way through the Gnolls until the creatures yelped and retreated into the trees.

The women ceased their chase and turned back to the group. They lifted the net from Drith and his guard, and then moved to Pim and Tolan.

Tolan bowed. “You are the D’Elkyrie from the M’Illium Fells, the mountains in the Northwest. We owe you our lives.”

The leader of the group, a strong, lean woman with long raven hair and violet eyes that glinted in the light, bowed in return. “No one owes anyone. We have a duty to protect all life. We are honored to join the fight. I am Shannara, leader of my people.”

“I am Tolan of Cardoon. You know of the threat?”

“Of course. Our seers foresaw the invasion and the threat to our world.” She gestured to the trail among the trees, where two men, fair-skinned and shorter than the women, appeared. They wore flowing white robes with hoods covering their faces. “We had no choice but to defend Athora. We are all sisters and brothers.”

“Those are quite the weapons you wield. You sent the Gnolls yelping like dogs.”

“They are called dagblades, our twin dagblades; an invention by our men. They are very formidable.”

“Your men do not fight?” Pim asked in disbelief.

Shannara smiled. “Of course not. They raise the children and grow the food. They are not as strong as we are. We are warriors of Thet. Some of our men have the gift of sight to make up for their lack of strength.”

“Amazing,” Pim said.

“Ridiculous,” Drith shook his head as he and his guard corralled their horses.

Shannara laughed. “There are many different people in Athora, Wivering. Not all are like yours. Among our people, we are the warriors and protectors.”

“What brings you to the Graywing Mountains?” Tolan asked.

“The same reason as you,” Shannara answered. “Our seers have pointed us to the grounds of the First People. The only way to stop the Neshing is to find the other two pieces of the stone.”

“Yes,” Tolan said. “It is the most important thing in the world, right now. Nothing else matters.”

“Agreed. We foresaw your journey, and we’ve come to assist you. Together we can use each other’s strengths and put an end to the horrors that have invaded our lands.”

“We welcome you,” Tolan said. “Thet smiles on us, today.”

Shannara smiled, her eyes catching the light as she sheathed her dagblades.

“If both of you are done having afternoon tea, may we continue?” Drith said before flipping onto his horse.

“Some respect, Drith. Shannara of the D’Elkyrie has saved our lives.”

“Please, we were just about to cut out of the dogs’ net and serve them to their Under God.”

Tolan laughed. “If you say so.” He turned back to Shannara. “Shall we be on our way, my lady?”

“Of course, there is no time to waste.”

After burying their dead, Tolan fetched his horse and that of his fallen comrade. He offered it to Shannara. She graciously accepted and climbed upon it. Pim trailed behind. He couldn’t take his eyes off Shannara. Her ivory skin nearly glowed; her long hair was the color of the night sky, and shimmered across her shoulders. Her eyes were mesmerizing, and the strength she possessed made her all the more mysterious and alluring.

She is an amazing woman. Pim tried to keep focused, but already he found himself thinking of Shannara and her violet eyes. He climbed onto his horse and started down the path.

Drith and his guard led the way as Tolan, Pim, and the remaining single soldier of Cardoon followed. Six D’Elkrie warriors walked alongside their leader and the other horses, the sun reflecting off of their silver mail armor, dancing along the trees. The two seers traveled with them, protected by their warriors.

###

The air grew thin; clouds shrouded the top of the mountains, and trees became scarce.

They passed by a bubbling river, and the trail widened as stone columns began appearing along it. Most of the columns were broken, and the tops were missing. All of them were carved with runes that no one could read. It was believed to be the language of the First People.

Pim thought that the columns might have been crowned with perches for the winged people to sit upon to survey their land. Or they could have just been markings of what section of the road you were on. It was a mystery.

They traveled on, discovering more runes carved into boulders and rock formations. There were some old pottery pieces scattered on the path. Pim tried to peer inside some of them, but there was nothing to see.

The grass on the ground appeared scorched. There were animal bodies, horned skulls, gaping sockets, fossilized teeth. They passed what looked like a massive basin, either for catching rain water, or for bathing in. There was a carving of a pair of wings on it

Soon, the road ended at the face of the tallest mountain. There was a downward slope, and then an alcove. Everyone stopped. Drith jumped from his horse, followed by Tolan and Pim. Shannara drew up next to Tolan and the Wivering.

Pim shivered at her arrival.

They moved down the slope to the alcove and found the yawning mouth of a cave. Embedded in the opening was a stone gate. Above it was a stone carving of a being with wings.

Drith went up and pushed on the gates. They didn’t budge.

Tolan slid his hand along the surface of the gate, smelling a musty odor seeping from beneath it. “Well, now all we have to do is figure out how to open it.”

“A feat easier said than done,” Shannara said. “I see no handles or keyholes. What if only the First People could open such a gate?”

“Then we are all doomed.” Tolan said.