Dragons' Onyx (9 page)

“That suits me,” nodded Prince Darok. “At least in a forest you have a choice of which way to go. This shack has only one door.”

Eltar and Pioti were silent on the matter, so King Arik decided to use the fog to cover their entry into the forest. He led the group out of the door and across the road. A large abandoned field separated them from the forest. King Arik let Chaco lead the way as he kept an eye skyward. He could hear a dragon passing overhead, but it never penetrated the fog to search for them. He gave a sigh of relief when they were safely under the cover of the trees.

“How far do you think it is to the Dragons’ Onyx?” asked Prince Garong as he rode up next to King Arik.

“It is hard to say exactly,” the king answered distractedly. “The Sword of Heavens vibrates, and the strength of that vibration is an indication of how far away you are, but when you get this close, the vibrations are so strong that it is hard to tell the distance. I would suspect that we are about a day’s ride away. It could be more or less. One thing that becomes easier to tell is the direction. We are heading that way,” he pointed.

Prince Garong raised his hand over his head and signaled to his fellow elves. Eltar and Pioti immediately responded and rode past King Arik. Eltar veered off to the right and Pioti to the left.

“Where are they going?” questioned Prince Darok.

“They are going to do what elves do best,” grinned the elven prince. “Valon has brought us to a strange place and an unknown forest. We have no idea what dangers may await us. Eltar and Pioti will discover anyone who might be lurking ahead of us. There is no better escort for Valon to have in a forest.”

Prince Darok grumbled something incoherently.

King Arik shook his head in amusement and asked, “How will they know where we are going? I am not even sure of that yet.”

“One of their duties will be to check on us often,” informed the elven prince. “Have no fear. If you were to turn completely around, Eltar and Pioti would still be out in front of us searching the woods for any enemies.”

King Arik smiled thinly and continued on in silence. Several hours later Eltar appeared waiting on the trail ahead.

“They have found something,” warned Prince Garong. “We should proceed cautiously.”

King Arik nodded and scanned the forest around him. Pioti was nowhere in sight. Eltar sat silently and unmoving as the group approached.

“Report,” ordered Prince Garong when the group reached the elf scout.

“There is a building just ahead,” explained Eltar. “It appears to be a human home. We searched the nearby forest, but have not found anyone yet. Pioti is keeping watch on the hut in case someone is inside.”

“Strange to find someone living out here in the middle of the forest,” commented the dwarf prince.

“Not that strange,” responded the king. “There are people who like to live isolated existences. We had a trapper around Lorgo that didn’t care much for anyone, although he was friendly enough whenever we met him. He just liked the silence that could only be found in isolation. Let’s check the hut. Maybe whoever lives there can tell us a bit about this forest and what lies ahead.”

“Are you sure that is wise?” cautioned the elf prince. “Perhaps we should swing far around the hut and not announce our presence in the forest?”

“To be cautious is a fine trait,” countered Arik, “but I cannot go through life being overly suspicious of everyone that crosses my path. The knowledge that we might gain from a local is worth the risk involved. Eltar and Pioti can keep watch outside to make sure that we are not surprised while we are inside.”

“If the elves are afraid to go into a human hut,” grinned Prince Darok as the building came into view, “I will go in with you. It is far too small a home to contain anything that would scare a dwarf. The king will be safe with me.”

Prince Garong glared at the dwarf and was about to clarify himself when Arik stopped.

“Notify Pioti of our intentions to enter the hut,” King Arik said to Eltar as he dismounted.

“He already knows,” grinned Eltar as he pointed upward.

King Arik looked up and saw the elf scout in the tree above his head. The king shook his head mirthfully as he strode towards the hut with the two princes right behind him.

“Hello in the cabin,” King Arik called out. “Is anyone home?”

The only sound of reply was King Arik’s words echoing in the distance. Prince Garong suddenly reached out and grabbed the king’s arm. King Arik turned and looked questioningly at the elf prince.

“I saw movement through the cracks in the cabin,” warned the elf prince. “We should leave.”

“We have already announced our presence,” Arik shook his head as he marched to the door of the cabin.

Prince Garong and Prince Darok followed closely. While he was walking, King Arik eased his breast pocket open. Prince Midge stuck his head out.

“I have been listening,” whispered the fairy prince. “Shall I check it out?”

King Arik smiled and nodded. Prince Midge darted into the air and Arik slowed his approach to the cabin as he watched it closely. The fairy prince moved so swiftly that Arik could not keep track of his movements. Before the king reached the door to the small hut, the fairy prince had returned and settled on Arik’s shoulder.

“There is one man inside,” Prince Midge reported. “He does not appear well. He is hobbling around, a grimace of pain on his face. He is armed with a knife and is staring at the door.”

A frown fell over King Arik’s face as he digested the fairy’s report. He stopped and the small group stopped with him.

“I will go in alone,” decided the king. “An elf and a dwarf might unduly frighten the occupant.”

Prince Garong started to protest, but King Arik promptly turned and walked towards the cabin. He walked up to the door and knocked as Prince Midge slid back into his pocket.

“Hello in the cabin,” repeated the king as he surveyed the stoop and saw blood on the wood. “I am a traveler from afar. I do not mean to invade your solitude, but I am unfamiliar with this forest and would like some guidance. Perhaps I could share some rations with you for your trouble?”

There was no answer to his plea, and King Arik began to wonder if he should have paid heed to Prince Garong’s request to avoid the cabin. Slowly, the door cracked open and one eye peered out.

“What kind of rations?” asked a panting voice.

“Your choice,” King Arik replied eagerly. “I have rations of smoked game, and smoked fish. The fish is saltwater.”

“Saltwater?” asked the inhabitant of the cabin as the door eased open slightly more.

“Yes,” nodded Arik. “It is recent as well. I got off a ship from Tagaret today.”

The door opened all the way and a head popped out. The old man’s eyes darted left and right to see if anyone else was visible. Finally, his eyes rested on King Arik.

“Come in,” the old man said with a sigh as he turned and hobbled over to a small bed and sat down.

King Arik entered the hut and looked around. It was a small one-room cabin. Besides the bed the only furniture was a small homemade table and one chair. The table was merely a crude wooden square set atop an old barrel. The old man nodded to the chair.

“You mentioned rations,” reminded the old man. “What is a young lad from far away doing in this forest?”

King Arik nodded as he handed his pack to the stranger. “I am on a quest,” he declared. “Take whatever food meets your fancy. I see that your leg has been wounded. Can I do something for you? I imagine it is rather hard for you to reach it easily.”

“Why are you being so nice?” the old man asked skeptically. “Experience tells me that you want something that I have, except I don’t have anything that the likes of you would be interested in.”

“It is a sad testament to the times we live in,” frowned King Arik, “when one has to be concerned with the motives of strangers. I want nothing from you for the food. I only stopped here because I thought you would have information on the forest that I am traveling through. I have never been here before.”

“You’re a young lad yet,” scoffed the old man. “In time you will learn not to trust anyone. People are the worst kind of animals.”

“Some are,” nodded King Arik, “but not all. In fact, I have met many a wonderful person since my travels began. Many of them have helped me without my asking. Perhaps I have learned to do the same for others. May I look at your leg?”

“How many days do you plan to spend on this quest?” questioned the old man as he cataloged Arik’s food supply.

“I really don’t know,” admitted King Arik. “I am not even really sure where I am going. I am in search of an ancient artifact. I know only that it lies east of here somewhere. When I find it, I will return to Tagaret.”

“It must be valuable,” sighed the old man as he extracted one package of smoked fish from Arik’s pack and handed it back to him. “Be gentle with the leg. It might be infected, and I can’t really see the wound.”

Arik nodded as he took his pack from the old man and placed it on the floor. He knelt while the old man reclined on the bed and turned over to expose the back of his leg. King Arik cringed as he looked at the dirty, bloody rag that was wrapped around the man’s leg.

“I am going to unwrap this,” King Arik said with concern evident in his voice. “What are you called?”

“Go ahead,” braced the old man. “Not many people come out this way, but I am called Jorgel to anyone who does come here. Who are you?”

“My name is Arik,” the king responded as he unwound the rag from the old man’s leg.

Arik inhaled sharply when he saw the wound. The man’s calf was ripped open, and the wound did appear to be infected. He felt Jorgel tense as the bandage came off.

“I will try to cause you as little discomfort as I can,” announced Arik. “It is a pretty nasty wound. What happened?”

“I got careless,” Jorgel replied through his clenched teeth. “And slow. I guess my days are coming to a close. Just a couple of years ago, they never would have caught me.”

“Who?” King Arik asked absently as he looked around the small room for some water. “Where can I find the water and a place for a fire?”

“There is a stream several hundred paces east,” answered Jorgel. “I usually keep a bucket in here, but I have not been to the stream in days. I am afraid I used it all up. I would advise against any fires, or they will come for you like they came for me.”

“Who will come for me?” questioned King Arik as he examined Jorgel’s wound. “Who was it that did this to you?”

“Dragons, lad,” Jorgel replied with a quaking voice. “They are nasty, vile creatures. They’re what chased all of the people north. I don’t mean here in the woods, neither. The dragons attacked people in the towns and villages. They swooped down on them when they went to sea. People weren’t safe anymore, so they left.”

“But you didn’t leave,” stated King Arik. “Why did you stay?”

“Stubbornness,” Jorgel shook his head. “I have always been set in my ways. I wasn’t about to let any flying lizards make me leave my home. Besides, I was too smart for them. Oh, they tried to get me many times, but I always outsmarted them. Until a few days ago, that is. I guess I got cocky.”

“So the dragons eat people?” asked Arik. “I knew they attacked ships, but I thought that was more for sport than food.”

“You are probably right,” shrugged Jorgel. “I think they like deer more than people. In fact, one of the ways I escaped from them before was by calling attention to nearby deer. They always immediately snagged the deer and let me be. Problem is, there are less deer every year. Maybe they are getting desperate.”

“Well,” sighed King Arik, “I need to boil some water to clean your leg. I will build a fire outside. Surely, the dragons will not bother you in here?”

“No,” pleaded the old man. “Don’t do it. My leg will be fine. You’re best to take your pack and leave this land. There is nothing here that is worth your life.”

“I am after something more important than my life,” declared Arik. “Many people depend upon me to retrieve it.”

“You have not been listening,” scowled Jorgel. “You are just like I was until a week ago. I thought I was invincible, too. For close to twenty years I laughed at the dragons, and at the people who fled this area. I thought them cowards. Now, look at me,” the old man continued as his eyes moistened. “I shake at the thought that a noise might be the dragons coming to get me. If you won’t listen to me, at least listen to yourself. Hear the way you sound when you talk bravely and ignore the dangers above you. I would wager that you would end up an old fool like myself, except you won’t live that long.”

“I don’t mean to make light of the dangers here,” King Arik said calmingly. “I am sworn to an important task, and I intend to keep my vow. In the meantime, your leg needs to be cleaned and bandaged, or you will lose it. I imagine that you will die if you lose the leg. I have not seen anybody else around that could take care of you.”

“There is nobody else,” affirmed the old man. “At least you are being honest with me, and not telling me that everything will be all right. What artifact could possibly be worth your life?”

“The Dragons’ Onyx,” answered the king. “It is needed to restore the Sword of Heavens and banish the Darkness from the land.”

The old man rolled to one side and turned his head to stare at Arik with a look that questioned the visitor’s sanity. “Are you daft, lad?” he inquired. “Mighty wizards have tried to counter the Darkness and failed miserably. You are but a mere lad. Take my advice and flee these woods while you can.”

King Arik looked up at the old man and smiled. “I will not be leaving you to die,” declared Arik. “I will go to the stream and get some water and then light a fire outside to boil it. I do not have training in the healing arts, though. I have friends with me. I would like one of them to look at your leg. I will send him in while I fetch the water.”

“Friends?” scowled Jorgel as he reached for his knife that he had laid on the bed when he sat down. “And here I was beginning to trust you. No sense in being a fool if you can’t prove it several times in the same week.”