Chapter 16
There was a forested mountain pass leading north of the small town of Villion.
Tall redwood trees crowded the land and only made way for a single cart-wide path. Their roots clung effortlessly to the grey, rocky cliffs. Improbable in their survival, these large trees managed to grow without problem upon the uneven land. Taller and taller they rose, ever ignorant of their odd placement on this land. The occasional early autumn leaf would fall from their branches.
A single manmade road led up the ascent of the mountain. Thousands of pebbles had been laid in order to smooth out the road. Deep grooves dug into the pebbles marked that this pass was often used for travel.
Beaumont and his horse were slowly traveling along the path. They were casually trotting along the pebbled road on their way to the other side. The young man had been riding since daybreak. He turned to look behind him.
"You know that I can see you right?"
His voice echoed but there was no answer from the silence.
"This is not a good way to gather my favor, girl. Just show yourself so that at least we can chat along the way and get rid of this secrecy business."
Out from behind a bend, about one hundred paces away from his position popped out Marissa and her horse Faerun.
The young mage and her companion had been silently following Beaumont all morning. She carefully watched which paths the man took and made sure to trace them exactly. She had tried to stay far enough behind to stay hidden, but it was now all for naught as he had apparently known of her presence.
He stopped long enough for Marissa to join him.
"So, I'd imagine you have been following me all morning, yes?"
She nodded.
"And what part of 'no' didn't you understand in the tavern?"
She answered, "Technically I'm not being a burden to you. I'm simply tracing your steps. If you wouldn't accompany me, the next best thing I could do was to follow you in secret."
"Not much of a secret. That horse of yours is quite loud when it gets a hold of one of those apples. His gnashing teeth could wake the dead."
The young mage had purchased several different fruits for her black haired Appaloosa. She had felt sorry for making him work so hard on the travel through the dark forest. These treats were a way for her to make amends for his troubles. Apparently she should have waited to give her friend the apples, as it was how she came to be discovered.
Beaumont continued, "The main reason I did wish to have you accompany me, is the fact that this journey is very dangerous. I may be able to protect myself, but it is unsafe for a young girl such as you. Many a things hide along this path."
"And that is exactly why I was looking to ask for some help. I had an encounter in the forest that I don't wish to repeat. A traveling partner would be most helpful for my quest."
"Yes, you spoke of some quest. What might it be?"
"As dictated by the Church, I am to find the source of the Pontia."
"And you plan to do this alone?!?"
"Initially… yes. I thought I was strong enough for the journey alone. But now I'm afraid I am in need of assistance."
"Why do you need to find the source of those foul creatures?"
"It is my final test. My final test for entry into the Holy Protectorate."
"Ah, now I see. But shouldn't you be doing a research project or some simple spell casting. Not some crazy quest like this?"
"I suppose. That is the usual manner in which it is completed, but… how do you know of the test? You are not of the Church I see."
"You are correct. I do not owe my allegiance to the Church. While I believe in the Heavens above, I do not wish to work as one of Her servants. There is much to do outside the rules of the clergy. Mind you, I did dawdle on it at one time."
"How so?" Marissa was falling into her usual rut of asking endless questions.
"Once I was chosen as one of the 'gifted', and therefore it was suggested that I add my services to the Protectorate. I did not last long on that path."
"As a warrior? You do not look like a strong fighter to me."
"How kind of you to say," he replied with disdain. "No, I was intending to follow the path of mages."
Marissa made a small gasp of shock. "A mage?!?"
"I may not look it, with my sword and all, but yes I do seem to have an affinity with the magical arts. I do know a spell or two, thanks to plenty of time spent reading, but I prefer the use of my steel. The physical nature of a blade seems to be more comfortable than that which is arcane.
"And because I know that you are going to ask me eventually, I chose to be a mercenary for hire versus a member of the Church. The whole lifestyle of freedom sounded so much more appealing. Is that also surprising to you, hmm?"
"I apologize if I offended you. You just don't look like any wizard that I know."
"Well I am no wizard. I am just a man making a living going from job to job. Now it's my turn, how did you end up at the Church?"
"My parents were killed during a Pontian attack. I was left behind as an orphan of the Church. It was simply dictated that I serve the clergy as penance." Her response was short but not filled with regret.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't think it would be something like that. Please forgive me."
"Well, you could always allow me to follow you to your next destination. Where is it you are heading exactly?"
"Aha, you are trying to trick me. Well I can tell you where I'm headed. I'm going back home to…"
Suddenly a large stone fell from a cliff above them. It came crashing down just a few feet away from Beaumont's horse. The boulder began to spin and rolled down the pebbled path. A large growl accompanied the rock, and his horse took several steps back in fear. The young man struggled to keep his horse steady as a mass of matted hair and stained teeth peered over the cliff's edge.
Marissa quickly shifted the short bow from upon her back into her hands. In a flash she had gathered a single arrow from the quiver tied to her saddle. She pulled the string taut, let go, and the arrow flew rapidly through the air.
The attacker up above was hit squarely by the arrow. Another large stone it held within its furred hands fell from its grasp. It scrambled backwards away from the cliff's edge, but it ended up tripping on a loose rock. It's now blurred form tumbled down the steep edge of the cliff. Its body was thrown off the edge and down towards the floor below. The braches of the nearby trees cracked and split as the monster fell through them. It howled with tremendous anger the entire way down. Neither traveler heard a sound when it should have impacted the ground.
A look of surprise was covering Beaumont's face. He was sitting in his horse's saddle in complete shock. His mouth was agape. The young man struggled to form words, "How… how did you fire so fast?!?"
"You can thank the Church for that," she beamed. "I too am not just a mage. I have other skills as well. This example I have just demonstrated is just one of them."
She paused. "You were saying? Something about home perhaps?"
"Uh, uh. Yes, I was just saying something." A deep confusion wouldn't leave his mind. "What was I talking about?"
"Home…?"
"Home?"
"Yes, your home," Marissa replied.
"My home is in… my home is in Welton to the north. Yes, Welton." The young man regained his composure. "I am heading to Welton. You may come with me if you like."
"Really?" she asked somewhat surprised.
"Yes. It is the least I can do for someone who has saved the life of me and my horse Ghee. That katabear would certainly have crushed us with that second rock of his. Nasty creatures. But then, aren't most of the ones who end up attacking you nasty. Seems to be a familiar trait with the aggressive ones."
"Why did he attack us? Did we mean him harm?"
"No, it wasn't that. The katabear that live on this mount believe we are trespassing on their ground. They don't take kindly to travelers on this road.
"Also, we might want to get moving. We didn't hear that one hit the ground, so it's probably quite upset with us. Upset with you actually, you did shoot it with an arrow."
"It wasn't killed?"
"I'm not certain, but would you like to give it the chance? Or say, for another one of its kind to find us?"
"I suppose you're right. To Welton then?"
"Nay, Welton is much further along. The next town on the other side of the mountain is a mining camp, but it will suffice for now."
The group quickly ascended the rest of the hilly climb. The race to the top was short, and it was all downhill once they reached the path's peak. The large mining area below was even visible from such a high point. Large smokestacks spewed billowing smoke into the air. Loud clanging of metal hitting rock pinged across the stripped valley.
Behind them, several roars echoed from the forested areas below. Similar to the growl of the katabear Marissa had just shot, they knew that they would be wise to hurry down the mountain to the mine below. They did not want to encounter more of those very upset beasts.
A certain bit of satisfaction fell over Marissa. She was pleased that she had been able to procure the assistance that she was looking for. The young mage now had a companion along side here, and here he was: the perfect guide for her trip. She just hoped that she would be able to convince young Beaumont to stay with her a bit longer.
Continue reading onto Chapter 17
Tall redwood trees crowded the land and only made way for a single cart-wide path. Their roots clung effortlessly to the grey, rocky cliffs. Improbable in their survival, these large trees managed to grow without problem upon the uneven land. Taller and taller they rose, ever ignorant of their odd placement on this land. The occasional early autumn leaf would fall from their branches.
A single manmade road led up the ascent of the mountain. Thousands of pebbles had been laid in order to smooth out the road. Deep grooves dug into the pebbles marked that this pass was often used for travel.
Beaumont and his horse were slowly traveling along the path. They were casually trotting along the pebbled road on their way to the other side. The young man had been riding since daybreak. He turned to look behind him.
"You know that I can see you right?"
His voice echoed but there was no answer from the silence.
"This is not a good way to gather my favor, girl. Just show yourself so that at least we can chat along the way and get rid of this secrecy business."
Out from behind a bend, about one hundred paces away from his position popped out Marissa and her horse Faerun.
The young mage and her companion had been silently following Beaumont all morning. She carefully watched which paths the man took and made sure to trace them exactly. She had tried to stay far enough behind to stay hidden, but it was now all for naught as he had apparently known of her presence.
He stopped long enough for Marissa to join him.
"So, I'd imagine you have been following me all morning, yes?"
She nodded.
"And what part of 'no' didn't you understand in the tavern?"
She answered, "Technically I'm not being a burden to you. I'm simply tracing your steps. If you wouldn't accompany me, the next best thing I could do was to follow you in secret."
"Not much of a secret. That horse of yours is quite loud when it gets a hold of one of those apples. His gnashing teeth could wake the dead."
The young mage had purchased several different fruits for her black haired Appaloosa. She had felt sorry for making him work so hard on the travel through the dark forest. These treats were a way for her to make amends for his troubles. Apparently she should have waited to give her friend the apples, as it was how she came to be discovered.
Beaumont continued, "The main reason I did wish to have you accompany me, is the fact that this journey is very dangerous. I may be able to protect myself, but it is unsafe for a young girl such as you. Many a things hide along this path."
"And that is exactly why I was looking to ask for some help. I had an encounter in the forest that I don't wish to repeat. A traveling partner would be most helpful for my quest."
"Yes, you spoke of some quest. What might it be?"
"As dictated by the Church, I am to find the source of the Pontia."
"And you plan to do this alone?!?"
"Initially… yes. I thought I was strong enough for the journey alone. But now I'm afraid I am in need of assistance."
"Why do you need to find the source of those foul creatures?"
"It is my final test. My final test for entry into the Holy Protectorate."
"Ah, now I see. But shouldn't you be doing a research project or some simple spell casting. Not some crazy quest like this?"
"I suppose. That is the usual manner in which it is completed, but… how do you know of the test? You are not of the Church I see."
"You are correct. I do not owe my allegiance to the Church. While I believe in the Heavens above, I do not wish to work as one of Her servants. There is much to do outside the rules of the clergy. Mind you, I did dawdle on it at one time."
"How so?" Marissa was falling into her usual rut of asking endless questions.
"Once I was chosen as one of the 'gifted', and therefore it was suggested that I add my services to the Protectorate. I did not last long on that path."
"As a warrior? You do not look like a strong fighter to me."
"How kind of you to say," he replied with disdain. "No, I was intending to follow the path of mages."
Marissa made a small gasp of shock. "A mage?!?"
"I may not look it, with my sword and all, but yes I do seem to have an affinity with the magical arts. I do know a spell or two, thanks to plenty of time spent reading, but I prefer the use of my steel. The physical nature of a blade seems to be more comfortable than that which is arcane.
"And because I know that you are going to ask me eventually, I chose to be a mercenary for hire versus a member of the Church. The whole lifestyle of freedom sounded so much more appealing. Is that also surprising to you, hmm?"
"I apologize if I offended you. You just don't look like any wizard that I know."
"Well I am no wizard. I am just a man making a living going from job to job. Now it's my turn, how did you end up at the Church?"
"My parents were killed during a Pontian attack. I was left behind as an orphan of the Church. It was simply dictated that I serve the clergy as penance." Her response was short but not filled with regret.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't think it would be something like that. Please forgive me."
"Well, you could always allow me to follow you to your next destination. Where is it you are heading exactly?"
"Aha, you are trying to trick me. Well I can tell you where I'm headed. I'm going back home to…"
Suddenly a large stone fell from a cliff above them. It came crashing down just a few feet away from Beaumont's horse. The boulder began to spin and rolled down the pebbled path. A large growl accompanied the rock, and his horse took several steps back in fear. The young man struggled to keep his horse steady as a mass of matted hair and stained teeth peered over the cliff's edge.
Marissa quickly shifted the short bow from upon her back into her hands. In a flash she had gathered a single arrow from the quiver tied to her saddle. She pulled the string taut, let go, and the arrow flew rapidly through the air.
The attacker up above was hit squarely by the arrow. Another large stone it held within its furred hands fell from its grasp. It scrambled backwards away from the cliff's edge, but it ended up tripping on a loose rock. It's now blurred form tumbled down the steep edge of the cliff. Its body was thrown off the edge and down towards the floor below. The braches of the nearby trees cracked and split as the monster fell through them. It howled with tremendous anger the entire way down. Neither traveler heard a sound when it should have impacted the ground.
A look of surprise was covering Beaumont's face. He was sitting in his horse's saddle in complete shock. His mouth was agape. The young man struggled to form words, "How… how did you fire so fast?!?"
"You can thank the Church for that," she beamed. "I too am not just a mage. I have other skills as well. This example I have just demonstrated is just one of them."
She paused. "You were saying? Something about home perhaps?"
"Uh, uh. Yes, I was just saying something." A deep confusion wouldn't leave his mind. "What was I talking about?"
"Home…?"
"Home?"
"Yes, your home," Marissa replied.
"My home is in… my home is in Welton to the north. Yes, Welton." The young man regained his composure. "I am heading to Welton. You may come with me if you like."
"Really?" she asked somewhat surprised.
"Yes. It is the least I can do for someone who has saved the life of me and my horse Ghee. That katabear would certainly have crushed us with that second rock of his. Nasty creatures. But then, aren't most of the ones who end up attacking you nasty. Seems to be a familiar trait with the aggressive ones."
"Why did he attack us? Did we mean him harm?"
"No, it wasn't that. The katabear that live on this mount believe we are trespassing on their ground. They don't take kindly to travelers on this road.
"Also, we might want to get moving. We didn't hear that one hit the ground, so it's probably quite upset with us. Upset with you actually, you did shoot it with an arrow."
"It wasn't killed?"
"I'm not certain, but would you like to give it the chance? Or say, for another one of its kind to find us?"
"I suppose you're right. To Welton then?"
"Nay, Welton is much further along. The next town on the other side of the mountain is a mining camp, but it will suffice for now."
The group quickly ascended the rest of the hilly climb. The race to the top was short, and it was all downhill once they reached the path's peak. The large mining area below was even visible from such a high point. Large smokestacks spewed billowing smoke into the air. Loud clanging of metal hitting rock pinged across the stripped valley.
Behind them, several roars echoed from the forested areas below. Similar to the growl of the katabear Marissa had just shot, they knew that they would be wise to hurry down the mountain to the mine below. They did not want to encounter more of those very upset beasts.
A certain bit of satisfaction fell over Marissa. She was pleased that she had been able to procure the assistance that she was looking for. The young mage now had a companion along side here, and here he was: the perfect guide for her trip. She just hoped that she would be able to convince young Beaumont to stay with her a bit longer.
Continue reading onto Chapter 17
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