the cliff face.
Marcos followed with Suni after him. Casius took a deep breath and followed. He did not like heights but he knew should he slip Suni would keep him from falling. He trusted the Anghor Shok, the stead fast guardian of Marcos was as dependable as the rising sun. He looked skyward and shook his head for no sun shone here.
Behind him came Connell, taking up the rear, an uncharacteristic position for him. Ever since failing the test of the blade Connell had become quiet. He had learned something about himself he did not like, and was fighting an internal battle to come to grips with it.
What ever it was, Casius hoped he would work through it soon. He would need Connell’s strength more than ever in the days ahead.
The ledge was narrow, at times it descended so steeply that they were climbing rather than walking. Loose stone added to the danger and they had a few close calls when the rock beneath their feet began to slip.
The air grew hotter and fouler the further they descended. Becoming thick and humid, the stench of sulfur burned their throats and made their eyes water. The Unnatural winter had no hold here, in this damned place it was always summer. There was no breeze within the pit, heat sapped their strength and yet they pressed on.
The climb took them six hours. Upon reaching the shelter of the broken rock at the craters base, they tore off their heavy winter cloaks and collapsed onto the ground to rest.
Suni fared better than the others, he removed the dark cloak and stood watch within the shadows of a large boulder while his companions regained their strength, his dark eyes missing nothing.
He surveyed the fiery plain less than a half-mile away. He watched the noxious vapors drifting over the smoking stones and steaming dunes of ash and cinders. Nothing moved within its borders, an alien landscape hostile to all life.
Suni left his post and joined the others. “The forest is the wisest choice.” He said affirming their decision. “The Muel’Don offers only death to any who dare entering.” He shouldered his pack stirring the others into motion. “If we keep low and move among the rocks we can reach the forest unseen.”
Suni took the lead now, moving along deep clefts between boulders as large as houses they slowly followed the crater wall moving northeast.
They stayed within the stones until the first knotted branches from the trees extended out over them. The air changed growing only slightly cooler, and reeking of mildew.
It smelled so strongly of decay Casius thought he would gag from it. He tore a section of cloth from the hem of his cloak and tied it over his mouth and nose. This eased the smell somewhat but did not remove it completely.
“The hour grows late.” Marcos said looking into the vast expanse of sickly trees before them. “Let us back away to cleaner air and rest the night before entering the wood proper.”
Casius was grateful for Marcos’s suggestion. He was bone weary and did not think he could travel much further. He looked to the turbulent sky. With no sun or moon visible, he was curious as to how Marcos knew the hour.
Suni led them back up the slope, away from the wood. They found a sheltered space beneath a massive slab of rock that had fallen from the cliffs above long ago. One edge of the stone lay atop a massive boulder forty feet across.
The air was better with only a faint hint of the smell from the wood. Eating in silence each man fought off the exhaustion they felt until the meal was finished. Then they slept soundly, even though they were within the very heart of Sur’kar’s kingdom.
That night each man took his turn at watch; Casius did so late in the evening. He avoided looking up into the tumultuous sky; he found the roiling mass of cloud and flashing lights disturbing.
Marcos awakened them with the announcement that dawn had arrived. The lighting outside had not changed since their arrival, Tarok nor was still enshrouded in perpetual
Marcos followed with Suni after him. Casius took a deep breath and followed. He did not like heights but he knew should he slip Suni would keep him from falling. He trusted the Anghor Shok, the stead fast guardian of Marcos was as dependable as the rising sun. He looked skyward and shook his head for no sun shone here.
Behind him came Connell, taking up the rear, an uncharacteristic position for him. Ever since failing the test of the blade Connell had become quiet. He had learned something about himself he did not like, and was fighting an internal battle to come to grips with it.
What ever it was, Casius hoped he would work through it soon. He would need Connell’s strength more than ever in the days ahead.
The ledge was narrow, at times it descended so steeply that they were climbing rather than walking. Loose stone added to the danger and they had a few close calls when the rock beneath their feet began to slip.
The air grew hotter and fouler the further they descended. Becoming thick and humid, the stench of sulfur burned their throats and made their eyes water. The Unnatural winter had no hold here, in this damned place it was always summer. There was no breeze within the pit, heat sapped their strength and yet they pressed on.
The climb took them six hours. Upon reaching the shelter of the broken rock at the craters base, they tore off their heavy winter cloaks and collapsed onto the ground to rest.
Suni fared better than the others, he removed the dark cloak and stood watch within the shadows of a large boulder while his companions regained their strength, his dark eyes missing nothing.
He surveyed the fiery plain less than a half-mile away. He watched the noxious vapors drifting over the smoking stones and steaming dunes of ash and cinders. Nothing moved within its borders, an alien landscape hostile to all life.
Suni left his post and joined the others. “The forest is the wisest choice.” He said affirming their decision. “The Muel’Don offers only death to any who dare entering.” He shouldered his pack stirring the others into motion. “If we keep low and move among the rocks we can reach the forest unseen.”
Suni took the lead now, moving along deep clefts between boulders as large as houses they slowly followed the crater wall moving northeast.
They stayed within the stones until the first knotted branches from the trees extended out over them. The air changed growing only slightly cooler, and reeking of mildew.
It smelled so strongly of decay Casius thought he would gag from it. He tore a section of cloth from the hem of his cloak and tied it over his mouth and nose. This eased the smell somewhat but did not remove it completely.
“The hour grows late.” Marcos said looking into the vast expanse of sickly trees before them. “Let us back away to cleaner air and rest the night before entering the wood proper.”
Casius was grateful for Marcos’s suggestion. He was bone weary and did not think he could travel much further. He looked to the turbulent sky. With no sun or moon visible, he was curious as to how Marcos knew the hour.
Suni led them back up the slope, away from the wood. They found a sheltered space beneath a massive slab of rock that had fallen from the cliffs above long ago. One edge of the stone lay atop a massive boulder forty feet across.
The air was better with only a faint hint of the smell from the wood. Eating in silence each man fought off the exhaustion they felt until the meal was finished. Then they slept soundly, even though they were within the very heart of Sur’kar’s kingdom.
That night each man took his turn at watch; Casius did so late in the evening. He avoided looking up into the tumultuous sky; he found the roiling mass of cloud and flashing lights disturbing.
Marcos awakened them with the announcement that dawn had arrived. The lighting outside had not changed since their arrival, Tarok nor was still enshrouded in perpetual
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