The Awakening (The Stones of Revenge) (17 page)

Landon knew he had a decision to make. He needed to retrieve his ring. His father had left it for him, and now he knew the reason was to help humanity. The regret Landon felt for taking a life had become a part of him, but now he knew that the vow he made could no longer stand. Gavin had tricked him and the only way to restore what was rightfully his, was to finish the fight and kill Gavin. He only hoped that Gavin would not learn how to use the ring before they met.

Rising to his feet, Landon surveyed the rest of the charred cabin. Everything was destroyed leaving a sad silhouette of a frame. The sun was hanging low in the sky indicating the length of time which he had missed. Landon looked towards the old fireplace and saw the stones which had provided its shape lying in a heap. Through the burnt out frame behind the place where the mantle had stood he could see something moving. A soft whinny reminded Landon of Aquila. He rushed out of the house to his horse who was no longer tied but still wore a rope around her neck.

Landon grabbed the piece of rope which had a blackened and frayed ending and removed it from the mare. He then patted her mane. Aquila purred softly at his touch. Remembering that he was still unclothed Landon reached into the saddlebag and retrieved an extra pair of clothes which he hurriedly put on. The chill from the air became less intense. Looking around Landon was unsure of his next move. Then he spotted the trap door to Aldous’ hideout and he remembered how Gavin had appeared at the doorway bloodied. “That large gash must have been from Aldous,” Landon said. Turning to his horse he whispered, “I’ll return shortly. I must see what has become of the old man.” Aquila neighed softly as if to indicate her approval.

Quickly Landon hurried to the hole in the ground. He raced down the steps and flew around the corners leading to Aldous’ main chamber. On the ground lay the old man’s body. He rushed to his side.

“Aldous! Aldous!” Landon cried. The old man looked as though he had been badly beaten. A large gash ran down the right side of his face. His clothes had multiple cuts in them from obvious sword slashes, and each tear had differing amounts of blood stained into them. In the midst of Aldous’ belly was a deep stab wound which seeped a thick ooze of blood. The old man’s hands were clasped around the wound. Landon sat at his side as no response came from his repeated cries. He noticed how Aldous’ face held a deep emotion of pain as though he had suffered greatly from his injuries. Then, slowly, Aldous’ head moved. His eyes gradually opened, and Landon was joyous at the fact that the old man had not been killed.

Painfully Aldous spoke, “Landon . . . You must find Gavin . . .”

“He attacked me and stole the ring.”

Finding more strength Aldous spoke louder, “He cannot have the ring. He will use it to destroy the world.”

“What should I do?” Landon inquired.

“You must confront him.”

“I do not believe I can beat him.”

“You cannot.”

Landon was confused. “Then, it is hopeless.”

“Nay, there is one who can teach you the way of the sword. But it will take many months of hard labor to defeat Gavin without your power.”

“Where is this man?”

“Behind you, on the table, is a folded parchment. It contains four clues to the master’s location. I have been searching for the master myself these many years.”

Aldous’ struggle with Gavin was many hours ago
, Landon thought.  “How is it that you are still alive?”

“Many years ago I created a mixture that thickens my blood and stops me from bleeding so quickly.”

“If I had my ring. . .” Landon offered, “but I fear without my power there is nothing I can do.”

“This is true. I will expire from my wounds,” Aldous said with much difficulty. It was clear to Landon that he would not last more than a few minutes. “For this reason you must find Master Aratus . . . and get the ring back. I know only-” Aldous’ breathing became shallow.  “. . . that it leads . . . S–.” A heavy sighed rolled from his lips.

Aldous did not get the chance to finish his sentence, the fact of which frustrated Landon. He was unsure of where to start his search. He was unsure if he could even follow through with taking another man’s life. Aldous’ body fell limp and, out of respect, Landon closed the old man’s eyes. He did not know the man very well but still Landon felt sad at his passing. He moved to the table to acquire the parchment. Unfolding it, Landon read the following words:

Tucked in the mountain,

Lies the fountain.

By those who find rest,

In the West.

The words meant nothing to Landon who had no knowledge of the geography of the Realm. He looked around the table for more answers but there seemed to be none. There was only a small candle, a rolled up parchment, and a pen with an ink bottle. Curiosity got the best of Landon and he picked up the other document. Unrolling it, he discovered a map of the realm with each county’s boundaries marked and the Lords who ruled over them. By the Lords Malchus, Dawson, and Ulrich asterisks were placed, but there was no indication on the map as to what the asterisks meant.

He also learned that Camsbury lay in the center of the realm surrounded by mountains and that his location was halfway between there and the sea. Landon continued to search the map, but the only other item on the map that looked important was in the bottom left corner. There, a strange symbol in the shape of a circle with points coming from the top, bottom, and sides rested. The letters
N,E,S
, and
W
rotated from the top around the circle. He did not know what they stood for, but it might guide him to the answer he sought. Landon read the lines of the clue again.

“Tucked in the mountain,” he said out loud. Looking at the map there were many mountains. He wondered how he would ever know in which ones to start looking. Frustrated, Landon read the next line, “lies the fountain.” He pulled the map close to his eye straining to see if a fountain was indicated in any of the mountain ranges. Exasperated he tossed the map on to the table. There were no fountains. The third line also did not give him any help. As far as Landon was concerned everyone needed rest. The last line, however, intrigued him greatly. “In the west,” he murmured to himself. “In the west,” he said again. Landon knew that the west was where the sun went down, but how could he connect that with the map? He attempted to talk out the logic.

“The sun sets in the west. At home, it hides behind the trees next to the road. That means the road must lead west. When we ride to Camsbury, we always follow the road as it turns to the right, and I know that Camsbury is in the north.” He looked down at the map again to find the road to Camsbury. He found it and saw that it bent as it travelled from Linsford to Camsbury. He knew that his farm lay in between the two cities.

“I’ll bet that the road bends around the farm, meaning this is where the farm is!” He exclaimed with excitement. Landon leaned over the table and, using the pen and ink, he marked a circle where he believed his farm to be located. Now that he knew which way was north, he knew which way was west. His eyes began to survey everything around his present location. He spotted Ellington, the river, the sea and, finally, he came back to the symbol with the letters in the bottom corner of the map. The one on the top was an
N
, and it occurred to Landon that it was in the same direction that Camsbury was from the farm.

“So the
N
must mean north,” he mused. He also saw that the
W
was on the same side as the west of the map. “And the
W
must mean west,” he continued. “Therefore, the
E
and the
S
must mean east and south!” Slowly he was piecing together the clues.

Thinking of Aldous’ last words, Landon remembered he was about to say something beginning with an
S.
He searched the map for any cities that began with an
s
. He found only one, Seyleon, but it was on the opposite side of the realm, in the east. That could not be correct since the clues said in the west. Besides, by the time he reached Seyleon it could take an entire year. Gavin most assuredly would have unlocked the power of the ring. There had to be another answer, but the only other word on the map beginning with an
S
was south. “Could Aldous have meant that I must go south?”

There were mountains in the west, and south of his present location there were only three possible cities in the mountains. The first was Rindland, about a day’s ride away. Another was Ramen nestled in the mountains for which the city is named. Rowena was the lady there and she was known to be extremely kind to travelers. The last city was in the very southern edge of the realm in Durshire. Landon decided he would first ride to Rindland to begin his search for Master Aratus. Perhaps along the way he might find a fountain. Looking around the cavern, Landon wondered if there was anything he could take to supply him on his journey. There appeared to be nothing in the main chamber, but he wondered if Aldous’ room held anything of value.

He walked into Aldous’ personal chambers and immediately felt as though he were infringing on his privacy. But he reassured himself that if anything was going to be taken from here, Landon was sure Aldous would have preferred he have it. The room was full of tables with glass bottles half full of different colored liquids. The liquids had to be some sort of science experiments. Landon feared to touch any of them lest they cause grave harm. His eyes fell on a plain looking large trunk in front of a large bed fit for a king. It looked so out of place Landon decided he had to open the trunk. Inside he found only a large sack. Pulling it out, Landon unfurled the sack upon the floor. Inside were many pieces of food most likely kept for a long journey. He rolled it back up and slung it over his back. It would go well with the pack Aldous ad already given him. He started to close the chest, when a glint caught Landon’s eye. In a small door at the bottom of the chest rested a silver vial. Landon picked it up and noticed there was liquid inside. Since there were no labels in it, he was afraid to open it, but Aldous obviously considered what it was important because it was hidden at the bottom of the chest. Therefore, he tucked it into his tunic deciding it might be of use later.

Returning to the main chamber Landon was struck by the sight of Aldous lying on the main floor. He could not leave him there. He set the pack down and gently lifted Aldous onto his shoulders. The man was heavier than Landon thought. Tenderly he carried Aldous through the main chamber and into the bedroom.  Slowly and carefully he set the man into his bed trying very hard not to bump into any of the glass bottles. Finally, Landon crossed the old man’s arms over his chest trying to give Aldous a look of peace. Silently Landon prayed no one would disturb his rest. Quickly he strode from the room and gathered his belongings. He also grabbed the map and the folded parchment with the clues. As he left the main chamber room, he once again took one last look knowing this would be the last time he would truly see this place. Feeling satisfied he left.

Once again Landon climbed the stairs into the sunlight. He found his horse and surveyed the remains of his gaffe from earlier in the day. He slung the new packs over the saddle, and leaned in close to the horse to explain the change of events.

“Girl, I know we have had a rough time so far, but I must ask you to accompany me just a little further. I know we were supposed to find Lord Dawson’s daughter but we must retrieve my ring first. The only way to do that is to learn how to fight with my sword. We must head south toward Rindland and seek a master named Aratus. When we return home, I promise all the carrots you can eat.”

Aquila rubbed her snout onto Landon’s cheek acknowledging her approval. She was willing to travel anywhere Landon would go. She owed him her life. Landon pulled himself onto her back and turned her reins guiding the horse towards the south. With a soft, “let’s go,” the two of them were off to Rindland.

Chapter
Seventeen

The Master Swordsman

The sun was rising rapidly as Landon and Aquila rode through the Ellington Pass towards the edge of the Western Mountains. The sun beat down upon Landon’s back. His skin began to feel the weight of the sun’s rays. Slowly, his neck and arms felt burns begin to form. Though he had only held his ring for roughly a week, the sensation seemed foreign to him. While wearing his ring he had become immune to any effects from heat. In fact, heat was a source of rejuvenation; it had brought him more energy and life. Without his ring Landon felt naked. He was realizing that he was completely vulnerable.

Thinking ahead to the battle with Gavin that loomed, Landon feared he would not survive without his ring. He knew nothing of battle or fighting. He was a farmer. The only skill he had resided in Godfrey’s teaching. Therefore, finding Aratus was paramount. In addition, he feared that Gavin might unlock the secret to the ring’s power before he had a chance to learn his craft. If that happened, Landon was going to need more help than he could imagine. Landon couldn’t bear the thought of what terrors Gavin would unleash. Instead, he turned his attention to the journey.

The ride through the pass was uneventful.  Landon had not seen a single person, let alone any animals since they left Aldous. A small river flowed through the pass which was dotted with a few tall trees. He could see that the river had a very fast current and the sound rushing through the rocks created an exhilarating and restful melody.  The rest of the land was full of rolling hills mixed with flat land all the while bordered by sheer cliffs on either side. The grass was bright yellow from the drought that had ravaged the countryside. However, Landon could see glimpses of the fertile verdant peeking through in areas. Life was reforming. The end of the pass was visible across the horizon, but it took a few hours to traverse the distance. The horizon line of amber connected the brown cliffs together. They ran the entire length of the pass casting an ominous glare upon the land below. The sun seemed to move directly along the path of the road which cut through the center of the land.

After two hours of riding, Landon and his horse were nearing the western edge. The sun had risen to its apex in the sky, and Landon’s burn was growing worse. He decided it was necessary to stop for a rest. The river turned north at the break between the mountains into a lush forest. There was plenty of shade, and Landon thought it to be the perfect spot to rest. He turned Aquila north and followed the river into the trees. The light from the sun grew considerably less as did the power of its heat once they became enveloped in the shade of the forest. They stopped under one tree whose roots grew out of the ground toward the water. Landon sat down beneath it and opened the map. Aquila moved toward a calm outcrop of water to get a drink.

Looking at the map, Landon immediately recognized their location. The mountains he needed to follow started on the southern end of the pass and ran south into the Great River. Rindland sat at the base of those mountains near the river. Again he poured over the map to find a fountain. None could be found.  C
ould I have misread the poem?
Deciding to check he retrieved the parchment and unrolled it.

Tucked in the mountain

Lies the fountain

By those who find rest

In the West

The poem seemed clear enough.
I’m in the west, and I’m by the mountains
, he thought again.
I just need to find “those who find rest” and a fountain that is tucked away.
Landon took a bite from an apple in his sack and leaned against the tree to take in the shade. It had only been a few days since he received his ring and started this journey, but he felt as though his life as Mordecai’s nephew, the farmer, was a lifetime away.

In front of him, Aquila played in the shallow water. Landon smiled watching her cool herself. The darkness of this forest reminded Landon of the Arden. The events from a few days ago in that forest were clouded with death and darkness. This forest held a much warmer and lighter aura. Enough light poured through the trees to create a sort of heavenly scene. If Landon was ever to decide a new place to live, it would look a lot like this. He might have to learn a new trade, but this would be about as close to perfection as he could imagine.

It was odd that there had been no one on the road this day. Though Landon had never ventured this far, he assumed there would have been many people roaming the roads at such an important crossroad. It made him wonder if something bigger was going on. The land was eerie with no one about. He would almost prefer bandits to the silence of the world. The farm had been quiet, but that was different. Few people had need to travel there. This was a main road.

After a long rest Landon shrugged off his thoughts and decided it was time to move on. Rindland was a few more hours south and there was a still a fountain to look for. He moved over to the water, scooped up a few handfuls, then whistled over to Aquila who jumped out of the water and trotted over. Remounting, Landon clapped his heels into the horse’s back and she moved forward. Slowly, they left the serenity of the trees. As soon as they left the shade, Landon felt the sting from the sunlight.
This is going to be a long two hours
.  Ahead of them the road was clear. It followed the enormous mountains on the left with a wide open plain sparse with trees to the right which stretched to the horizon.

As they left the forest, Landon thought he heard a strange noise coming from the darkness beyond the trees. It was faint, but he was sure he heard it. He stopped the mare to listen. He heard the sound of the river bubbling over rocks. He heard the sound of birds chirping. But he did not hear the odd noise.
Perhaps, I was imagining it
. He shrugged it off and moved Aquila south.

The two of them continued for a few paces until Landon heard the noise again. It sounded like footsteps mixed with the jingle of metal. It was loud enough to hear over the sound of the horse’s hooves, but too quiet to make out fully. Landon stopped again to listen, but once again there was nothing. Nevertheless, he moved his hand closer to his sword. He assumed someone must be following them and decided to keep on alert. He clapped his heels into the mare and she sped off south across the mountain gap.

After a brief sprint, Aquila slowed into a long trot. She was tired from the long riding and would need good rest in Rindland. Landon continuously stayed on the lookout since leaving the forest, but not a soul was seen. He checked for any sign of someone tailing them on a horse attempting to catch up or someone lurking in the rocks along the mountainside, but both options seemed impossible. The road was flat for miles. Anyone attempting to follow them that way would most certainly be seen. There was no visible path among the sharp rocks and cliffs of the Western Mountains, and no one could be seen along that way either. Every now and then the strange sound could be heard, but Landon decided that if he was being followed, whoever it was was not a threat since the mystery person had not attacked, yet. He remained cautious, however, and ready to draw his sword at any minute.

Beyond the expectancy of an immediate attack, the journey south was uneventful. The only terrain for miles was rolling hills to the right and sheer cliffs to the left. Landon turned his thoughts to solving his riddle. He had two clues that needed answers. First, he needed to understand “people who find rest,” then he needed to figure out what the fountain meant. Focusing on the first clue, Landon thought about every kind of person who needed rest.

‘People who need rest,’
he thought pensively.
Tired people need rest. Sleepy people need rest. Exhausted people need rest. Sick people need rest. Dead people get rest. People who stop are resting. People who stay in one place for a period of time are at rest. There are so many options, where do I begin?
Landon began to ponder.
I suppose a tired person would need a bed, as would sleepy people, sick people, and those that are exhausted.

“
However, an exhausted person might just need rest as a break, to stop,” he began to speak out loud. “A dead person finds rest in a tomb or a grave, so it could refer to something like that. A tired person could look for an inn at which to sleep, so it could mean an inn in Rindland.” Aquila shook her mane as though in agreement with everything he was saying. “Wherever I am to go, though, there will need to be a fountain nearby, what could this fountain be? Fountains contain moving water. Springs, streams, and rivers are all moving waters and Rindland is near the Great River. Perhaps this is why Aldous sent me south. He must have discovered this too. Therefore, the fountain must mean the River and there must be either an important inn or tomb near it.”

Landon stopped Aquila to check his map again. Thinking about the Great River was giving him an idea. He reached into his sack he pulled out the map again. He followed the path of the Great River finding its end at the sea. Sitting at the union between the two was the West Harbor. Slowly Landon was piecing together the riddle. “The harbors contain people who need rest; rest from long journeys at sea. It is situated by the moving waters of the Great River, obviously the fountain. And this is the West Harbor, so ‘in the west’. The mountain it is tucked into my mean the mountain of land we all live on! It makes perfect sense.”

He looked again and saw the road from Rindland which made its way to the harbors. All he had to do was follow his road to Rindland, get rest, then travel to the harbors to find Aratus. Deciding his course of action, Landon spurred Aquila to run faster. Up ahead was a small stream which flowed out of the mountainside. It was not worth noticing except that as Aquila ran through it, the spray felt exceptional upon Landon’s arms. Landon let the short reprieve of water absorb into his consciousness. He opened his eyes to gaze upon the horizon where he could make out the faintest glimpse of towers protruding from the rock face. He knew they must be the Cathedral of Rindland. The city was only another few hours ride away then he could finally rest. Landon started to become anxious. This journey to find Master Aratus was becoming real. Soon, he would be training to become a master swordsman and reclaim his inheritance.

A warmth of relaxation settled over him knowing that soon he would be on the path to recovering what was rightfully his. Suddenly, he was forcefully knocked to the ground by an unknown force. Raising himself, he heard Aquila yelp in fear. As he stood, he realized he was surrounded by seven large men with swords at the ready and eyes gleaming.

“Hand over your valuables and we will let you live,” one man said.

“I have none on me,” Landon said.

“You lie! That sword itself will fetch a pretty penny,” scoffed another. Landon drew his sword.

“You will have to take this from my dead hands.”

“Just what I was hoping you would say,” the first man replied with a sinister smirk.

Landon raised his weapon high preparing to do his best to defend himself against the bandits, but he had never taken on this many people before. The situation reminded him of his dream a week ago of the war on a mountainside. He wondered if it was given to him to help him in this fight. The first man charged and brought his large broadsword down upon Landon’s head. Landon’s red blade met his halting the deathblow. Landon slipped his blade from underneath and twisted to attack the man’s neck when a large sword beat him to it and separated the head from the shoulders. Landon watched as the two body parts fell to the ground. He had not seen who had made the stroke, but all of a sudden chaos ensued. He could hear the bandits yell and scream from terror and madness. Landon spun around to take on someone else, but before he had the chance to defend himself again, everything went dark.

§§§

Landon awoke upon a straw bed with a heavy pounding in his head. He was still dazed and disoriented from whatever had hit him. Not to mention, he had a loud ringing sound in his ears. But he was glad not to be dead. His mind turned to his last memories. He remembered being surrounded by men, the whinnying of horses, the chaos of a battle, then nothing.
The whinnying of horses. Aquila!
Suddenly his mind raced through all possible scenarios. He prayed she was alright.

His first task was to get a fix on his surroundings, but all around him was darkness. He could see a faint flickering of candlelight spread throughout the room, but not enough to see very much. He reached his hand out to touch the wall adjacent to his bed and to his surprise it was solid rock. He was underground. The wall felt similar to Aldous’ hideout. He realized that he was not chained; he was free to roam.
I’m not a prisoner.
He sat up.

He removed himself from his bed and inched towards the nearest candlelight a few paces from where he had lain. The floor’s touch was cold on his bare feet.
Where are my shoes?
He asked perplexed. His needed to find an exit and escape, but his curiosity was getting the best of him. Next to the candlelight Landon could see the floor was solid, flat rock. He reached out to remove the candle from the wall sconce, but it was firmly stuck in its place. Landon once again tried to pull it free, but to no avail. He decided to try the candlelight on the far side of the room.

Approaching it he saw a large chest beneath. He opened it and surprisingly found his shoes along with his sword. He hastily arrayed them to himself. The chest was empty otherwise. Landon closed the lid and reached up to remove this candle. At first it wouldn’t budge but with a strong second effort it slid out of the sconce. He wanted to get some bearings. The ringing in his ears was getting worse. He walked across the room holding the candle in front of him. He counted his steps and discovered that the room was fifty paces wide. He placed his hand on the wall and followed it from his bed to the chest. The wall arched in a circular pattern. Moving past the chest, Landon continued to feel his way around the room. He stopped half way between the chest and his bed on the other wall when he could no longer feel solid rock.