“He is going to invade our homeland,” replied Mistake. “All of those ancient scrolls were true.”
“Are there that many people living on this island?” asked MistyTrail. “I mean Sakova and Omunga have lots of soldiers. Khadora must have more.”
“And the free tribes in Fakara,” added Mistake, “but none of them will fight together.”
“There are thousands upon thousands of soldiers on this island,” interjected Eltor. “I could not even count just the ones that I have seen since I came here. The cities that are not on the coast are where the soldiers train. I have heard men at the shipyards talking about a thousand ships.”
“A thousand ships?” echoed Mistake. “If they put fifty men on each, that would be half the size of the free tribes.”
“The ships hold over a thousand men each,” Eltor reported glumly.
“Merciful Kaltara!” exclaimed MistyTrail.
“You know Kaltara?” Eltor asked with surprise. “How is it that you look like an elf and believe in our god, yet you claim not to be an elf?”
“Kaltara is the elven god?” asked MistyTrail. “I was told that he was the Sakovan god.”
“And the god of the Qubari,” added Mistake. “The Qubari used to trade with the elves. At least they did until the elves attacked Angragar.”
“Attacked Angragar,” scowled Eltor. “What are you talking about? The elves never attacked Angragar. We hid it so that it would be preserved.”
“Only after you attacked it,” retorted Mistake. “Don’t try to tell me otherwise. I have been there and seen the damage.”
“You have been to Angragar?” Eltor questioned with disbelief. “That is not possible. What the elves hide, no one will find. Besides, we left people to guard and protect it. You are making this up.”
“Those people you left to guard the city,” countered Mistake, “were they the Qubari people or the hellsouls?”
“Hellsouls?” echoed the elf. “What are they?”
“They are followers of Vand,” explained Mistake. “They are spiritual beings that have inhabited Angragar for thousands of years waiting for someone to enter. They will not die unless the Staff of the Astor touches them. I know. One of them rose from the dead with my dagger in his throat.”
“I recall something from my youth about the Astor,” Eltor replied with confusion. “I cannot remember it well, but it dealt with an ancient prophecy. How do you know these things? How do you know of this prophesied Astor?”
“I am good friends with him,” beamed Mistake. “I was with Rejji when he learned that he was the Astor. I accompanied him on the historic visit to Angragar when the gates to the city opened at his very touch. We are very close friends.”
“And I personally know the Star of Sakova,” MistyTrail hurriedly interjected, “and we both know the Torak.”
“Those names mean nothing to me,” Eltor shook his head. “Maybe Caldal will remember more. We must push onward, or we will not reach the city until after dark.”
“After dark may be best,” replied Mistake, “but let us push on regardless.”
“Yes,” agreed MistyTrail. “It is bound to be warmer in the city than here.”
Eltor nodded and rose. He led the trio across the face of the barren mountain. Whenever the terrain allowed, Eltor moved further down the side of the mountain. As the sun dropped below the peaks, the three adventurers entered the forest at the base of the mountain. Almost immediately MistyTrail spotted a rabbit. She pulled a knife from her belt and threw it before the others realized what was going on.
“An excellent throw!” smiled Eltor as he looked at the dead rabbit with the knife protruding from it.
“I wonder if we dare a fire?” asked Mistake.
“A small one should be alright,” Eltor replied as MistyTrail retrieved the rabbit. We are close enough to the city and the mills that the smell of smoke will not arouse the kruls.”
“Let’s make it small and fast,” worried MistyTrail. “I do not want to draw attention to ourselves.”
The fire was small and lasted only as long as was needed to cook the meat. Still, it was dark by the time they were done eating. MistyTrail breathed a sigh of relief when the fire was extinguished and the smoke ceased to rise upward.
Eltor continued to lead through the dark forest. Within an hour they began to see glimpses of the city whenever the moon peeked through the clouds. A little while later, the screams started. Eerie, bone-chilling screams drifted lightly on the wind. Some of the screams were clearly human, but others defied description. The sounds tore through the three adventurers until they wanted to cover their ears, but they could not afford to be deaf so close to the city.
They reached the edge of the forest and halted. They gazed at the open area between the forest and the city with dread of having to cross it. Beyond the clear area the buildings and streets of the city were visible when the moon cooperated. The streets appeared deserted.
“Not many people out in the city,” commented Mistake. “At least that is in our favor.”
“Would you want to be out with the sounds of torture all around you?” quipped MistyTrail. “I would be hiding under my bed if I had one.”
“I am sure that the people of the city are used to the screams,” commented Eltor. “Still, they cannot enjoy hearing such things. I suspect the streets will be empty until morning.”
Mistake gazed at the towering pyramid as it rose above the rooftops. She swallowed hard as she realized what she had allowed herself to get into.
“Are we really going to try to get into that temple?” she asked anxiously.
“We must,” asserted Eltor. “Caldal is inside there somewhere. We must free him.”
“What if he is already dead?” countered Mistake. “We will be risking our lives for nothing. How long as he been in there?”
“About a week,” Eltor replied. “He was sent to the temple while I was sent to the mines.”
“In the Sakova,” retorted MistyTrail, “we would risk our lives even for the dead. Never leave a friend in the enemy’s hands.”
“I will go alone if I must,” added Eltor, “but I will not leave without Caldal if he is alive. I will turn back if he is dead, though. There is little chance of returning his body to Elvangar. Let’s get across this clearing while the moon is hidden.”
“You will not have to go alone,” promised MistyTrail as the trio slipped out of the forest and into the open field.
They moved swiftly across the open area and slid into the darkness of the city street. They kept close to the buildings as they moved silently along the street. They heard sounds of people moving about within the buildings, but every door was closed, and every window was shuttered. Not a soul stirred outside the buildings.
When Eltor reached the first intersection, he leaped back and hugged the building. He trembled slightly, and Mistake dropped to the street. She crawled forward and stuck her head around the corner to see what had frightened Eltor. A squad of soldiers was marching towards them just over a short block away. She knew that the trio could not retreat along the long block that they had just traversed by the time the soldiers marched the short block between them.
Mistake turned her head and frantically searched for a place to hide. There were no alleys or alcoves to hide in. She turned her head back towards the soldiers in time to see the column turning at the next intersection. She exhaled her held breath with relief. She stood up and signaled for the others to proceed. She looked quizzically at Eltor when he started leading them towards where the patrol had been.
“It makes sense to me that the patrol would not cover the same area again so quickly,” he said softly. “It is best to go where they have already been. Besides, this route will take us closer to the temple.”
Mistake and MistyTrail nodded and fell in behind Eltor. When they reached the next intersection, Eltor peeked around the corner and saw the squad marching away from them. He held up his hand for the two women to wait while he scooted across the intersection. MistyTrail ran across after Eltor had safely made it, and Mistake soon followed.