their fallen ally. The warrior lifted it reverently and laid it over a mare's back. The other hunters finished gathering the gear and loaded it onto the other horses. There were not enough for all members of the party to ride, even after taking their prisoners' mounts, so the Dorokti hunters set out on foot alongside their captives as dawn broke over the southern hills.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
A shimmering yellow portal opened in the middle of a shady grove far from the plains of Nas Sonath. Matthew the Blue stepped through carrying a small pack, an ornate bow, and dragging a stack of books. He looked tired and unkempt.
The dell was dark, and a cool breeze tussled Matthew’s long beard. Somewhere in the distance, an owl hooted a lonely song against the moonlight. Matthew stooped and plucked a small snow-blossom and held it to his nose. The tiny, white flower looked lost in the shadowy forest, as though it grew there by mistake or was left and forgotten.
"Welcome back to Siness, Matthew the Blue," a voice called out from behind a tree. "It has been far too long."
The voice belonged to a large creature with the four-legged body of an elk and the upper trunk and head of a man. His face was kind and joyful, with a youthful grace that hid his years. Great, fuzzy antlers grew backwards from above his pointed ears, and his blonde hair was long and wavy. He wore a scholar’s vest and had matching saddlebags tied across the ornate barding on his back. The being was a Yarsac, a race of quadruped wanderers and free spirits.
"Good to see you, Baden," Matthew said. "It has been far too long indeed. I am glad that you received my letter."
"Yes, and I was glad to hear from you," Baden replied. "Though it seems you are as enigmatic as ever with your messages."
"You never can be too careful."
"True enough," Baden said with a sweeping glance to the trees. "Why not meet me in my home, then? It is much better protected than this quiet glade. And much more comfortable besides."
"I have my own reasons for meeting you here, my friend, not the least of which is that you are now halfway to where I will ask you to go." A playful grin crept across Matthew’s lips.
Baden shook his head and returned the smile. "I should have guessed you’d be asking an errand of me."
"I regret that we are not meeting in, as you said, a more comfortable place and time, and what I will ask of you will also be uncomfortable, I think."
"I understand," Baden said. "Regardless of the circumstances, it is always a blessing to see you, old friend. However, before we go any further..."
Baden flexed his fingers together and formed a series of intricate runes in the air. An iridescent pink light glowed on his forehead. After scanning the area, he nodded.
"Alright," he said, "we are clear to talk freely. You are not currently being scryed, but I can only keep watch like this for so long."
Matthew untied his pack and opened it. He pulled out a small scroll with an ancient seal upon it and handed it to Baden. The seal bore the archaic letter " aiv " from the High Peltin alphabet, the symbol of the rising sun.
"Kas Dorian is moving," Matthew said. "We must act quickly to gather what forces we can. I will head to Druntolast to see about freeing Lacien. I need you to contact the Archons."
"Truly? You would send me to the Archons? Then this is it, isn’t it? All the stories you told me when I was but a calf, they are coming to pass." Baden felt his pulse quicken. It was too much to dream of. He clamped down on his soaring spirits and planted his hooves back in reality. "Why is the man not with us? Where has he gone off to? Surely gathering an army would be an easier task for a general than for a tiny historian and a four-legged mage."
"Oh, are you calling yourself a mage now?"
"Well in truth, I still only control minor cantrips, but it is a start, and better a mage than a simple tanner."
Matthew laughed. "I’ve known many tanners in my day, and none of them
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
A shimmering yellow portal opened in the middle of a shady grove far from the plains of Nas Sonath. Matthew the Blue stepped through carrying a small pack, an ornate bow, and dragging a stack of books. He looked tired and unkempt.
The dell was dark, and a cool breeze tussled Matthew’s long beard. Somewhere in the distance, an owl hooted a lonely song against the moonlight. Matthew stooped and plucked a small snow-blossom and held it to his nose. The tiny, white flower looked lost in the shadowy forest, as though it grew there by mistake or was left and forgotten.
"Welcome back to Siness, Matthew the Blue," a voice called out from behind a tree. "It has been far too long."
The voice belonged to a large creature with the four-legged body of an elk and the upper trunk and head of a man. His face was kind and joyful, with a youthful grace that hid his years. Great, fuzzy antlers grew backwards from above his pointed ears, and his blonde hair was long and wavy. He wore a scholar’s vest and had matching saddlebags tied across the ornate barding on his back. The being was a Yarsac, a race of quadruped wanderers and free spirits.
"Good to see you, Baden," Matthew said. "It has been far too long indeed. I am glad that you received my letter."
"Yes, and I was glad to hear from you," Baden replied. "Though it seems you are as enigmatic as ever with your messages."
"You never can be too careful."
"True enough," Baden said with a sweeping glance to the trees. "Why not meet me in my home, then? It is much better protected than this quiet glade. And much more comfortable besides."
"I have my own reasons for meeting you here, my friend, not the least of which is that you are now halfway to where I will ask you to go." A playful grin crept across Matthew’s lips.
Baden shook his head and returned the smile. "I should have guessed you’d be asking an errand of me."
"I regret that we are not meeting in, as you said, a more comfortable place and time, and what I will ask of you will also be uncomfortable, I think."
"I understand," Baden said. "Regardless of the circumstances, it is always a blessing to see you, old friend. However, before we go any further..."
Baden flexed his fingers together and formed a series of intricate runes in the air. An iridescent pink light glowed on his forehead. After scanning the area, he nodded.
"Alright," he said, "we are clear to talk freely. You are not currently being scryed, but I can only keep watch like this for so long."
Matthew untied his pack and opened it. He pulled out a small scroll with an ancient seal upon it and handed it to Baden. The seal bore the archaic letter " aiv " from the High Peltin alphabet, the symbol of the rising sun.
"Kas Dorian is moving," Matthew said. "We must act quickly to gather what forces we can. I will head to Druntolast to see about freeing Lacien. I need you to contact the Archons."
"Truly? You would send me to the Archons? Then this is it, isn’t it? All the stories you told me when I was but a calf, they are coming to pass." Baden felt his pulse quicken. It was too much to dream of. He clamped down on his soaring spirits and planted his hooves back in reality. "Why is the man not with us? Where has he gone off to? Surely gathering an army would be an easier task for a general than for a tiny historian and a four-legged mage."
"Oh, are you calling yourself a mage now?"
"Well in truth, I still only control minor cantrips, but it is a start, and better a mage than a simple tanner."
Matthew laughed. "I’ve known many tanners in my day, and none of them
Similar Books
