new name, and was glad his friends had not thought him odd when he said he wanted to use it.
Vaun came around the broad pine tree with his sword in hand, muttering about the sword belt being too short, and that he really needed another one for his waist. He hefted the belt over his right shoulder and under his left arm, cinching it tightly and discovering it was just long enough to fit properly. Adjusting its position on his shoulder, he looked up at his companions and started in surprise at their open-mouthed stares.
Vaun glanced hurriedly down at himself. “What? Did I do something wrong?”
Merdel looked dumbfounded. “N…no.” He could say no more.
“Will you all stop looking at me like that, then?”
They obeyed, taking their eyes off the sword hilt rising above Vaun’s right shoulder and looking to the wizard for further instructions. Merdel turned to the two trees behind him and began chanting.
Vaun watched intently but saw nothing happen. The bearded wizard stopped after several minutes. “I have the Word.”
Vaun raised his eyebrows. “Word?”
“I will tell you a Word, and you must say it as you walk between the trees. It will open the portal for you, and only you, and then you can walk through it.” Merdel raised one finger warningly. “Whatever you do, don’t stop until you come out.” He then told them the Word, and Vaun doubted he could pronounce it.
The six adventurers lined up single file, the two elves first, Drath second, Vaun next, then Merdel, with Thorne last. Drath assured the youth that everything would be fine, but Vaun was still frightened. After all, experiencing magic was a bit different than reading about it.
* * *
As they walked slowly toward the portal, Merdel stared at the sword draped across Vaun’s back. He wondered at it, for no man but a Swordsman wore his sword on his back. Those idiot words from that fool’s text sprang immediately to mind, and the wizard thought that maybe he was the idiot fool for disregarding them so casually. The Great God’s voice from his dreams came to him, too, making him beg a hasty forgiveness for being stubbornly doubtful.
* * *
Vaun watched, astonished, as first Rush, then Dart, and finally Drath disappeared between the two trees, a faint flash of light accompanying their departure. They did not come out the other side.
The youth stopped briefly in uncertainty, then spoke the Word. He stepped forward into a light so bright he was nearly blinded, and a loud rushing filled his ears. He wondered if he were going to make it, or if he should.
5
A cool breeze whispered through the tall grass, promising the advent of a cold, though not harsh winter. The rolling, grass-covered hills stretched for miles in all directions, with trees dotting their sides in splashes of red, yellow, orange, and a little green. High overhead, birds fled the coming cold, urging each other with shrill calls to hurry before the snows came. All around, small animals darted and ran, chittering to each other about how far away winter seemed.
The sun looked down upon the earth, providing scant warmth for the six adventurers who walked through the tall grass, though it wasn’t overly cold yet. By the position of the fiery star, the leading pair of the party argued over the time, one approximating it to be two hours until sundown, the other three.
Rush turned back to the tall, bearded wizard walking behind them and asked his opinion of the time. Merdel thought for a moment as he glanced up at the sun and agreed with the blond elf that it was two hours until sunset. Rush thanked Merdel politely and turned to his brown-haired cousin, smiling and opening his left palm before him. Dart frowned, disappointed, but dug into his pouch and handed him three coins, their silver surfaces flashing in the dying sunlight. The bearded mage was never wrong about the time.
Both elf travelers wore dark green cloaks over light brown trousers and shirts the
Vaun came around the broad pine tree with his sword in hand, muttering about the sword belt being too short, and that he really needed another one for his waist. He hefted the belt over his right shoulder and under his left arm, cinching it tightly and discovering it was just long enough to fit properly. Adjusting its position on his shoulder, he looked up at his companions and started in surprise at their open-mouthed stares.
Vaun glanced hurriedly down at himself. “What? Did I do something wrong?”
Merdel looked dumbfounded. “N…no.” He could say no more.
“Will you all stop looking at me like that, then?”
They obeyed, taking their eyes off the sword hilt rising above Vaun’s right shoulder and looking to the wizard for further instructions. Merdel turned to the two trees behind him and began chanting.
Vaun watched intently but saw nothing happen. The bearded wizard stopped after several minutes. “I have the Word.”
Vaun raised his eyebrows. “Word?”
“I will tell you a Word, and you must say it as you walk between the trees. It will open the portal for you, and only you, and then you can walk through it.” Merdel raised one finger warningly. “Whatever you do, don’t stop until you come out.” He then told them the Word, and Vaun doubted he could pronounce it.
The six adventurers lined up single file, the two elves first, Drath second, Vaun next, then Merdel, with Thorne last. Drath assured the youth that everything would be fine, but Vaun was still frightened. After all, experiencing magic was a bit different than reading about it.
* * *
As they walked slowly toward the portal, Merdel stared at the sword draped across Vaun’s back. He wondered at it, for no man but a Swordsman wore his sword on his back. Those idiot words from that fool’s text sprang immediately to mind, and the wizard thought that maybe he was the idiot fool for disregarding them so casually. The Great God’s voice from his dreams came to him, too, making him beg a hasty forgiveness for being stubbornly doubtful.
* * *
Vaun watched, astonished, as first Rush, then Dart, and finally Drath disappeared between the two trees, a faint flash of light accompanying their departure. They did not come out the other side.
The youth stopped briefly in uncertainty, then spoke the Word. He stepped forward into a light so bright he was nearly blinded, and a loud rushing filled his ears. He wondered if he were going to make it, or if he should.
5
A cool breeze whispered through the tall grass, promising the advent of a cold, though not harsh winter. The rolling, grass-covered hills stretched for miles in all directions, with trees dotting their sides in splashes of red, yellow, orange, and a little green. High overhead, birds fled the coming cold, urging each other with shrill calls to hurry before the snows came. All around, small animals darted and ran, chittering to each other about how far away winter seemed.
The sun looked down upon the earth, providing scant warmth for the six adventurers who walked through the tall grass, though it wasn’t overly cold yet. By the position of the fiery star, the leading pair of the party argued over the time, one approximating it to be two hours until sundown, the other three.
Rush turned back to the tall, bearded wizard walking behind them and asked his opinion of the time. Merdel thought for a moment as he glanced up at the sun and agreed with the blond elf that it was two hours until sunset. Rush thanked Merdel politely and turned to his brown-haired cousin, smiling and opening his left palm before him. Dart frowned, disappointed, but dug into his pouch and handed him three coins, their silver surfaces flashing in the dying sunlight. The bearded mage was never wrong about the time.
Both elf travelers wore dark green cloaks over light brown trousers and shirts the
Similar Books
