All in the room shook themselves from the girl’s vision. Dominic, Kulgan, Gardan, and Meecham appeared disturbed, chilled by the menace in what the girl had showed them, though it could only be a shadow of the firsthand experience.
But Kasumi, Katala, and Pug were rocked. When the child had finished, tears streaked down Katala’s face and Kasumi had lost his usual Tsurani mask, his face ashen and drawn. Pug appeared hardest hit of all as he sat back heavily on the floor. He lowered his head, withdrawing inside himself for a moment.
Kulgan looked about in alarm. Gamina seemed more distressed by the reaction than by recalling the image. Katala sensed the child’s distress and picked her up from Kulgan’s lap, hugging her closely. Dominic said, “What is it?”
Pug looked up and, more than anything, appeared suddenly fatigued, as if the weight of two worlds once again was his to bear. Finally he spoke, slowly. “When Rogen was at last freed of the pain, the last words he spoke were “the Darkness, the Darkness.” That is what he saw behind those two figures. The Darkness Rogen saw spoke these words: Intruder, whoever you are, wherever you are, know my power is coming. My servant prepares the way. Tremble, for I come. As was in the past, so shall be in the future, now and forever. Taste my power.” He, it, must have somehow reached out and touched Rogen then, causing the terror, the pain.”
Kulgan said, “How can this be?”
Softly, hoarsely, Pug spoke. “I do not know, old friend. But now a new dimension is added to the mystery of who seeks Arutha’s death and what lies behind all the black arts being thrown at him and his allies.”
Pug buried his face in his hands a moment, then looked around the room. Gamina clung to Katala, and all eyes were upon Pug.
Dominic said, “But there is something else.” He looked at Kasumi and Katala. “What is that tongue? I heard it as well as you, as I heard Rogen’s foreign words, but know it not at all.”
It was Kasumi who said, “The words were . . . ancient, a language used in the temples. I could only understand a little. But the words were Tsurani.”
FOURTEEN - Elvandar
The forest was silent.
Large branches ancient beyond memory, arched high overhead, blocking out most of the day’s sunlight, the surrounding environment revealed a soft green glow devoid of direct shadows and full of deep recesses of dimly perceived paths, winding away.
They had been in the elven forests for over two hours, since midmorning, and as yet had seen no sign of an elf. Martin had thought they would be intercepted shortly after crossing the river Crydee.
Baru spurred his horse forward and pulled even with Martin and Arutha. “I think we are being watched,” said the Hadati.
Martin said, “For some minutes now. I only caught a glimpse a while ago.”
“If the elves are watching, why don’t they come forward?” asked Jimmy.
Martin said, “It may not be elves who watch us. We will not be completely free from care until we are within the bounds of Elvandar. Keep alert.”
For several minutes they rode, then even the chirping birds ceased their noise. The forest seemed to be holding its breath. Martin and Arutha pushed their mounts through narrow paths, barely wide enough for a man afoot. Suddenly the silence was broken by a raucous hooting, punctuated by shrieks. A stone came hurling past Baru’s head and a storm of rocks, twigs, and sticks followed. Dozens of small hairy figures jumped from behind trees and brush, howling furiously while pelting the riders with missiles.
Arutha charged forward, fighting to keep his mount under control, as did the others. He steered through the trees while ducking under branches. As he moved toward four or five child-sized creatures, they shrieked in terror and leaped away in different directions. Arutha singled out one and rode up behind it. The creature found itself blocked by a deadfall, a jumbled mass of fallen trees, heavy brush, and a large rock. It turned to face the Prince.
Arutha had his sword drawn and reined in, ready to strike. Then all anger flowed out of him at the sight before him. The creature made no effort to attack, but instead backed as far as possible into the tangle, an expression of pure terror on its face.
It was a very manlike face, with large, soft brown eyes. A short but human nose was set above a wide mouth. The creature’s lips were drawn back in a mock snarl, showing an impressive arrangement of teeth, but the eyes were wide with fear and large tears flowed down its hairy cheeks. Otherwise it looked like a small ape or large monkey.
A loud racket erupted around Arutha and the creature as more of the small man-things surrounded them. They howled fiercely, pounding on the ground with savage fury, but Arutha saw it was all show; there was no real threat in their actions. Several feigned attacks, but ran shrieking in terror if Arutha turned to face them.