The White Shadow Saga: The Stolen Moon of Londor (36 page)

Cailen glared with great anger deep into the
wizard's bespectacled eyes. The elf breathed hard and long,
attempting to remain sane. "Then you have just committed the
murders of six hundred and eighty-nine elves--and of your
companions. Tell me your name so that I may relay the killer's
identity to my brethren." Randor introduced himself as well as the
rest of his company. "By the hand of Ethindar! How could you
possibly do this to your own kind, Miithra? This cannot be the wish
of our god!"

"Neither is it my wish, Captain."

"You could not make me see otherwise."

"Listen to my reasoning," Randor suggested as
he brought forth a hand in peace. "Let my company and me aid you
away from this place. I will find the way to the surface--I promise
you."

"When you open this gate, I will cease
thinking ill of you. Until then, you are my enemy." Cailen bowed
one time in respect, making her last gesture of courtesy. "May your
day be as miserable as our last eight decades. I will return for
your heads soon." Cailen marched off, looking over her shoulder to
the company as she sent her army back in the direction they had
come. The torchlight faded away, the flickering glow crawling along
the walls until the last rank of elves was gone.

There by the gate the company stood in
silence.

Gildan was curious of Randor's determined
stance. "Were you telling her the truth about the gate? I do not
see how you couldn't simply cast a spell and have it done with.
Then, at least when it was reopened we would have a great host to
aid us against the soldiers of the symbol." He sighed, feeling some
compassion for the Darnoth captain. "Dooming them certainly is a
great price to pay for keeping us safe from our own problems."

"I never speak untruth, Gildan. Why would I
subject them to such a fate? Seals upon a door--or anything else,
for that matter--remain in place for months, maybe years in some
cases. This gate may not be opened for a very long time. It is a
consequence I must accept when magic is used. If I had know there
was an army of elves ready to charge outward, I would have not
sealed the way."

"What is your plan?" Gildan asked.

"Let me meditate on this for a while."

"Then I will establish camp here," replied
Gildan.

"Yes," said Randor. "Rest, and I shall have
the answer for you when you rise."

"Everyone, settle in," Gildan told the
company. "Take rest shortly before we venture farther." Yet finding
a suitable place to rest would be a tedious task for the travelers.
The ground was littered with great rocks and jagged shards. Each
cleared away what rubble he could, and took an uncomfortable rest
within the dim and silent cave. The wizard's magic light faded
away, and darkness enveloped them again.

"Randor?" Lorn asked softly.

"At your service, Lorn."

"Could we have a bit more of that light to
sleep by? A nice, warm fire, perhaps, would be greatly
appreciated." Lorn hated the dark confinement he found himself in.
Though he had good companionship around him, the blackness made him
feel utterly alone. "It wouldn't have to be much."

"No more magic tonight, Lorn. You shall be
safe without it." Randor staggered over and lay down on a large
flat rock, very much in pain. His chest burned constantly from the
lack of rest between usages of magic. Sweat poured down his face,
and his head felt as if the world were spinning out of control. He
focused on breathing slowly to calm himself; his decision to have
no fire came not out of a need for secrecy but rather so his
companions could not see his current state. No one could stand to
see him like this, and the morale of the company was the most
important thing to the wizard. The deep pains he felt were his own
to mend.

"But it's not a need for warmth," Lorn
whispered. "I fear the dark."

"Try not to think of it," Seth told him. "You
will have light around you before you know it. Meanwhile, stay
close to me if you wish, and hold the hem of my cloak. If you
cannot shake your fears, then wake me up."

"I don't want to disturb you."

"Just remember that I am here. Now, try and
sleep."

With that, Lorn found some comfort, and
eventually he fell asleep with Seth's gentle words replaying in his
mind as he drifted into a hazy dream. The dwarf was the first to
sleep but was soon joined by the others, with only Randor and
Malander remaining to stare into the darkness, each for his own
reasons.

* * *

When the company awoke from their much-needed
break in events, a floating orb of light high above their heads lit
the cavern. Randor paced quietly a few feet from the company, in
Cailen's direction, and looked up at his magic, pondering as he
puffed on his pipe. The princes and Geil sat close together in
silent anticipation.

"I trust you all slept well?" Randor asked.
"Lorn, you did well in the darkness. I know it is difficult for
Beowulken folk to dwell in such conditions."

"Thank you," Lorn replied, smiling. "I
couldn't have done it without Seth here beside me."

Helfare rose to his feet and asked, "What
have you decided, Randor?" He approached the pacing wizard. "I
honestly cannot wait to hear this."

"I will inform you later, Helfare. I do not
want to spoil the surprise in store."

"Surprise?" Helfare replied, not amused.
"This is not a time for such games. Do we aid the Darnoth soldiers,
or do we avoid them and find our own way out?"

"In a moment you shall see." This was all
Randor would say of his plans. "We have much work to do." He moved
forward, as did his orb of light, which began to leave Malander and
the Northern elves, at the back of the company, in the shadows.
Quickly everyone started after Randor, who led the way in
silence.

After a little more than an hour had passed,
they came to a high ridge, where they found a great sloping path
plummeting down into the vast caverns below, where Randor's light
was unable to pierce the blackness. As the company descended, so
did the temperature. Far-off echoes of unrecognizable, eerie sounds
greeted them, as did the horrid sound of rockslides. For five miles
more they trekked without event before the magic light began to
flicker, concerning Randor, who did not want anyone to fall over
the edge of the narrow path.

"Our light is dying," Seth spoke. He held one
hand on the wall to his left, and the other on Lorn's coat.

"I will try to keep it aloft, Seth," Randor
replied. "What more can you tell us about Valadure, Helfare?"

"Valadure will not be as easy a goal as you
would like, Randor," Helfare offered. He had to keep the company's
perception about this realm as realistic as possible; he did not
want his only allies against Adian to underestimate the warlock's
powers. "His guard is never lowered, and he always he has a legion
of twenty thousand patrolling the palace and its environs. Not even
a half-dozen mighty magicians could penetrate into his
stronghold….What shame it brings me to know that our road ends at
Adian's feet." Helfare kept his fast march as he bit his lip. "Why
did I ever disagree with his terms?"

"Because you obviously have a mind of your
own," Randor answered easily. "It is well to have a leader, but not
if the person you trust and follow wishes to harm innocents."

"Curse that enchantress!" Helfare screamed,
his voice echoing off the cavern walls. "Indeed, she will pay!"

"Do you know where she is?" Randor asked.

"I could lead you there blindfolded."

"If you ask me," Gildan remarked, holding up
a finger, "we need to journey to her before we approach
Valadure--get back the moon firsthand, and then we finish off Adian
afterwards."

"I have already thought of this," replied
Randor. "But we must take this one step at a time. No need to
hasten with things that are too far ahead of us--that is, if we
will even get near the enchantress or Valadure."

"Doubting our success, Randor?" Arnanor asked
with a huff.

"Never," the wizard replied sharply. "I am
only being analytical about this entire situation. You, Prince,
should heed this notion above all others."

"Explain yourself," snapped Arnanor.

"You are the heir to the throne of the
Northern Kingdom, are you not?"

"You well know that I am."

"Do you worry even now about the governance
of the kingdom, though it is ruled by your father?"

"With every waking moment I do."

"Why?" Randor asked casually.

"Why?"
Arnanor
was insulted by the question. "If you do not know, I shall explain
it to you more thoroughly." The prince took in a deep breath of the
dank air and continued, "It is my duty to worry about the Northern
lands and my people. I need to delve into the affairs of the
kingdom each day to ensure its longevity."

"This should be your father's concern."

"Indeed it is, yet I must attend to the
affairs as well."

"Do you have any sway in your father's
politics? Does he ask for your counsel?"

Arnanor frowned. "Not yet…no."

"Then you should only make it your
concern
if
you wear the crown
in the future. You should not worry over something that is out of
your hands and perhaps may never come to you. Then, unfortunately,
you will have wasted all that time--on nothing." Randor did not
look at the prince as he spoke, but concentrated on the passage
ahead. "Focus on the here and now, Arnanor. Take your life in
strides. If you look too far down the road at the horizon, you will
not see the snake that crawls at your feet. And before you know
what has happened, the nearer threat has struck you--and now you
will never see what you spied in the distance, for you are unable
to make it."

"So you'd rather me face uncertainty upon the
throne?"

"Your knowledge and wisdom will prosper your
kingdom once you are anointed. Learn what you can from your father
and his nobles to become a great ruler, but do not stress yourself
about the fortunes of the Northern Kingdom that you cannot
control." He laughed and said, "If you need counsel, you can always
call upon my aid."

"That will be the day."

"You will gain wisdom as the days move
onward,: Randor said.

Arnanor tried to ignore the sincere advice
Randor spoke, not wanting it to make sense. Muron looked to his
brother, agreeing with the wizard's wisdom. "What has this to do
with the enchantress and Adian?" Arnanor asked peevishly.

"It deals only with living your life one step
at a time. When we pass through these caves, then shall I worry
about the next phase of the journey."

"I wonder where the Darnoth have gone,"
Helfare whispered.

By this time the company found themselves on
a wide, level plain, which narrowed to a long tunnel before them.
To their left lay a large pool of murky gray liquid that collected
there as it streamed down the jagged rocks. Plagued by thirst, the
travelers made way to the pool, but were stopped short by Randor
before they could touch the mysterious matter. Randor knelt down,
ran his hand through the unreflecting gray, and brought his damp
fingers to his parched lips. Savoring it, he smiled. "This is
indeed a great find--and the answer to a question I was
pondering."

"What is it?" Seth asked.

"This is the substance known as lebe," Randor
answered.

"Truly?" Gildan gasped in wonder as he knelt
beside the wizard.

"It is safe to drink," Randor said as
he scooped the cold liquid in his hand. Drinking it slowly, he
thought,
Perhaps this will ease my pain
somewhat.

"So what is lebe?" Seth asked as the rest of
the company came to join the wizard.

"It is a magical substance that gives the
drinker renewal and replenishment--the reason that the Darnoth were
able to remain alive these many decades. If you have an abundant
source of lebe, then you have no need for food."

"Then it is a valuable find," Gildan said,
taking a drink. "It could fetch a few gold coins from those on the
outside, that is for sure."

"Drink your fill quickly," Randor said
sharply. "We must continue onward."

A faint song of mystery filled the air, and
Helfare was first to his feet, moving briskly toward the sound.
Randor wiped his mouth free of the drips of nourishment and turned
to the general, who tried to distinguish the echoing verse.

"What do you hear?" Randor asked.

"I am yet too distant to catch its meaning,"
Helfare replied. "Yet I trust we shall see what causes this rift in
the silence."

Randor led on after the brief rest at the
pool of lebe, pressing the company on through the monstrous
caverns. After several more miles were behind them, they saw
flickering lights in the distance.

After their arduous journey back into the
depths of Eln-Radah, the Darnoth had made camp near a long cliff's
edge, where they sat in small huddles around their many fires
created by a device of older times. Randor looked at the fires and
noticed the Darnoth were fortunate to have small metal rods known
as sanctens in their possession. Sanctens were not common these
days and were capable of creating a strong and warm fire under any
circumstance--yet without emitting smoke, which was ideal for these
caverns. As Randor and his companions made their way past, the
Darnoth watched them with mixed obvious mixed feelings. Two Darnoth
soldiers quickly rose and sprinted toward Cailen, weaving through
their brethren, no doubt to warn their commander of Randor, who
maintained a steady pace, keeping his focus ahead.

The two soldiers entered Captain Cailen's
circle and stood to attention. Rising, Cailen nodded and dismissed
them. With the captain were her five advisors, wearing blue robes
trimmed in gold over their armor. Randor could see an intense
conversation taking place, with Cailen looking up as she spoke and
making eye contact every so often with the approaching wizard.