Chapter 3

They departed the forest that evening. Although they had only seen a small
fraction of the forest it was quite enough, they were not out sightseeing.
They slept the night not a league from its borders and when dawn broke they
headed northeast. Around noon they reached the ringstones; a circle of
large monolithic stones, whose origins related back to elden times.

'They say these stones protect against evil,' said Jorm standing at their
centre. 'No evil may enter the circle.'

Morgain looked at Cretin who was stood next to Jorm. 'Shoo,' he said
ushering him away. 'You heard what your master said.'

'You will have to get your own.  I do not wear them,' replied Cretin.

Giyorn ignored them all. 'It is a magnificent place,' he said, 'but we have
little time to waste.  Let us journey on.'

'Seven stones for the seven elden wizards,' continued Jorm, 'turned to
stone for their evil deeds, by the greatest of all wizards, Myrov. Now in
penance they guard this worthless piece of land from evil for evermore.'

'I have never heard anyone speak of Helv... Elden wizards,' said Miowni.

'That is because he has just made it up,' said Morgain, chuckling to himself.

Jorm gave him a harsh look which told him to shut up.

Despite himself, Morgain straightened his face.

'Shortly we will reach the caves of Goronak, there we will find the 'sword
of retribution'.' Jorm took what looked like an old parchment from his
tunic. He laid it on the ground and unrolled it. There before them was a
map of the lands of Harandos.

'When we reach our next destination we must part company,' said Jorm. 'I
had hoped we could travel our full journey together but time is not on our
side. We will divide into two groups, I shall travel with Lord Giyorn and
Miowni, while Morgain and Gwidian travel together. Cretin will go with
them.'

Gwidian stared at Jorm. 'I thought Cretin was your guardian!'

'True,' said Jorm. 'Was.'

Giyorn grinned. 'What a team.'

'Why wait until now to pass this information?' queried Morgain.

'The stones,' said Miowni. 'Did he not say they protect against evil?'

'She is correct,' said Jorm. 'The evil we face is not mortal man. I must
protect our plans from the eyes of Nomarn.'

Morgain simply shrugged.

Jorm pointed out the route of Gwidians party and set a time and place for
them all to meet again.  He did not disclose his own plans.  Morgain did
query his secrecy but Jorm only retorted that the less they knew the better.

Jorm rose and began to walk to the perimeter of the circle of stones where
their horses waited.  Giyorn and the others followed.  Soon they were
mounted and travelling towards the dark underground kingdom of Goronak.
The last road that they would all travel together.

                                    *

It was nightfall when they reached the small circular opening which
descended deep into the bowels of the earth.  Cretin had lead the way and
he found the place without problem.  Some wondered why this should be so,
but they remained silent.

'Do we enter now?' queried Morgain, 'or do we rest first.'

Gwidian looked around. 'I feel we are being followed.  I have felt it since
we left Bouder.'

'Then why speak up now?' queried Giyorn.

Gwidian did not answer.

'You are probably right,' commented Jorm. 'But if we are being followed,
they are keeping their distance.  Cretin would pick up their scent.'

'Cretin smellies,' said Cretin.

'We have noticed,' said Morgain, 'but what has all this got to do with us
entering this hole?'

Gwidian shook his head.

'I should enter alone,' stated Jorm.

They all turned to stare at him.

'Our animals must be protected,' he continued, 'and besides it is stealth
that is called for, not numbers.'

'And what if you do not return?' said Miowni.

'Miowni is right,' said Giyorn, 'our quest would be at an end.'

'I did not mean that,' said Miowni.

'I will go with you,' stated Giyorn.

'No,' said Jorm. 'You are the best to lead if anything goes amiss.'

'Lead where?'

'Cretin will aid you.'

'You trust Cretin with information that even I do not know?'

'It is not like that Giyorn, trust me.'

'If Giyorn may not accompany you, then I shall,' said Gwidian. 'I will not
take no for an answer.'

'Let him accompany you,' insisted Miowni.

Jorm looked at Miowni a moment, then nodded.

                                    *

They bent low to pass through the small entrance.

'This is just fine,' said Gwidian, 'darker than the darkest night.  How are
we supposed to find our way?'

'Stand a while,' came a voice from the dark. 'Our eyes will become
accustomed.'

'Accustomed to what, total blackness?' Even as Gwidian spoke the outline of
Jorm came into view.  They appeared  to be in a large passageway.

'It is not total blackness,' replied Jorm. 'Tales have it that the caverns
of Goronak provide their own light.  The walls contain some kind of element
which glows by itself.'

They waited a while. 'Is that it then,' said Gwidian, still straining his
eyes to see.'

'It would appear so.'

'BEHIND YOU,' cried Gwidian.

Jorms sword whistled from its sheath as he swung around.

Gwidian leapt, sword in hand, at the menacing shape he saw behind Jorm.  It
struck with a deafening ring.  A sudden tremor shot up his arms and his
teeth began to chatter.

'Is anything wrong?' came a shout from outside the cavern.

'Er... it is Gwidian, he is trying to hack some sort of statue to bits with
his sword,' replied Jorm.

'Strange fellow,' called the voice.

'Well, it could have been...' started Gwidian in a shaky voice.

'Then again it was not,' interrupted Jorm.

They sheathed their swords and looked at one another then continued down
the passageway.

'I will wear my gauntlets next time.'

How far they had walked or how many interconnecting passageways they had
passed, they did not know.  It seemed like they had been walking for an age.

'Well, at least it is a little bit lighter down here,' commented Gwidian.

'We cannot have far to go,' replied Jorm.

'You do know where we are going.'

'Not another.  My father said he followed the straight road.'

'This is straight?'

'As straight as we are likely to find, besides he no doubt meant he
followed the main corridor.'

'If the sword is down here and Goronak is down here.  Then would it be
wrong to presume Goronak has the sword?'

'No.'

'Then will he give it to you if we ever find him?'

'I have not come here for the walk.'

'Was that an answer?'

                                    *

The air was cold and no one could find rest.  They sat with cloaks over
their shoulders looking out into the night.

'Do you think they will be alright?' queried Miowni.

'I am starting to wonder about us,' replied Morgain. 'Gwidian could be
right.  The darkness holds secrets.'

'Right about what?' said Miowni.

'About being followed.  I too get the feeling there is something lurking
about out there.'

'Some thing?' said Miowni.

'Well... somebody.  I see shadows.'

'Shadows truly,' stated Giyorn. 'You are indeed hallucinating.'

'Perhaps not,' chortled Cretin.

'Do you see something?' questioned Miowni.

'Cretin sniffs,' replied Cretin.

'I am sure if there is anyone out there, they will make their presence
known eventually.  In the meantime there is nothing for us to do but wait.
It would be foolhardy to run around after shadows.' Giyorn made sense,
although it did not make anyone feelany easier.

They all watched and waited.

                                    *

Shields and other artefacts including ornaments hung to either side of the
gallery where Jorm and Gwidian stood.

'It is difficult to believe we are under the earth,' remarked Jorm as he
looked around.

'Not really,' replied Gwidian. 'We entered a foxhole and we have been going
down hill ever since.  What happens now?'

'Along comes Goronak with the sword.'

'Of course.  He carries it on a silver platter, bows courteously and says
'Thank you for letting me borrow your sword kind sirs. I have looked after
it well and now return it in a condition better than new''.

'Listen!' said Jorm.

Gwidian listened. 'Footsteps.'

'Yes, one heavy and one light.'

'Perhaps he has a club foot.'

Jorm looked at Gwidian. 'Try to be serious.'

The footsteps grew louder.  Neither Jorm nor Gwidian were sure from which
direction they came, the gallery distributed the sound evenly.  Both looked
apprehensive.  Gwidians left hand reached down for his sword.

Jorm shook his head. 'Leave it sheathed,' he whispered.

From ten paces ahead of Jorm a stocky figure appeared, trollish in
appearance.  Beside him walked a wiry framed creature, a little taller, but
by appearance a little less than human.  They seemed to appear out of the
walls.

'Goronak?' whispered Gwidian.

'The stocky trollish looking one... possibly.'

The two figures walked towards Jorm and Gwidian, they stopped only two
paces from them. 'Greetings, strangers.  Welcome to the Kingdom of Goronak.'

'Greetings, I am Jorm, Lord of the Southlands.' Jorm bowed his head.

The two figures turned towards Gwidian.

'Greetings,' mumbled Gwidian.

'I beg your pardon,' said the shorter.

'Hello,' said Gwidian in a louder voice.

'Hello,' said the shorter in a curious tone.

'It means greetings,' said Jorm.

The shorter tilted his head to one side as though in contemplation, then
they both turned, the shorter beckoned Jorm and Gwidian to follow with a
wave of the hand; they both began to walk.

Jorm and Gwidian followed.

'He is very well spoken,' commented Jorm in a low voice.

'Foller us darn ere,' said the shorter.

'Do you really think so?' said Gwidian to Jorm.

They walked a short distance past an adjoining corridor from where the
occupants had appeared; they stopped near three barrels, which stood to one
side of the passageway.

'You're Jorm and you're...?' the shorter motioned to Gwidian.

'Gwidian, and whom may I ask are you?'

'Goronak o' course.'

'And him?' queried Gwidian pointing to the taller.

'Sliknok.'

'He does not say much.'

'Don't talk your tung.'

'He is not alone,' mumbled Gwidian.

Jorm shot him a sharp glance, but Gwidian had been overheard.

'Thinks we're stupid cos we don't talk hob nob,' said Goronak. 'Hob nobs
talk a lot; don't do much though, just thinks they do.'

'I do not,' said Gwidian.

'Of course he does not think you are stupid,' added Jorm.

'I meant I do not do much,' said Gwidian.

Jorm screwed up his face.

'I knows why you are here,' stated Goronak. 'You wants the sword... my
sword.'

'If you know what we want, then you know why we want it.'

'I knows of Baron Nomarn Deleri.'

'Then you also know that if we fail to destroy the thing that calls itself
Nomarn, then you too will perish.  Nothing is safe from those evil hands.'

'No, Goronaks too stupid to realise that,' said Goronak sarcastically.

'We could simply take the sword,' said Gwidian.

Goronak burst into fits of laughter. 'You thinks you could find it. You
thinks there is only one Sliknok.' His laughter subsided and in a deep
growl he said, 'There is a thousand Sliknoks, there is a thousand tunnels.'
He bent down and picked up a rock. 'I could crush you to pulp.' His hand
tightened around the stone, and dust began to fall to the floor as the
stone disintegrated in his powerful grip.

'Things are not looking good,' commented Jorm.

'It could be worse,' said Gwidian. 'We could have shaken hands.'

'Truly yours is a wit borne of arrogance,' said Goronak.

'Truly it is,' reaffirmed Gwidian.  Glee flashed across his face and his
sword appeared in his hand. 'Why should we search a thousand tunnels when
you can tell me exactly where to look.  Why should we fear a thousand
Sliknoks when they could not get here in time to save your puny life.  You
are not such a fool as to think your own life is safe.'

Goronak lifted a hand and Sliknok pounced at Gwidian.  Gwidian sidestepped,
tripped Sliknok, then placed his foot on the back of Sliknoks neck forcing
his face to the floor.  He held his sword tip to the centre of his back.
'Now to put it out of its misery,' said Gwidian.

'No,' snapped Jorm. 'I came here as a friend and as a friend I wish to
leave.  Remove your foot and sheath your sword.'

Gwidians eyes met Jorms, locking into a silent power struggle.Goronak
looked on in silence.It seemed an eternity before anyone spoke.

'You are making a big mistake,' said Gwidian as he slowly eased his weight
from Sliknoks neck.  Then in a single movement his sword was sheathed.

'Wisely spoken,' said Goronak, as Sliknok pulled himself off the floor and
tottered back to his master. 'I knows who you is Jorm. I knows you is the
son of Raimar.  He comes here for the sword.'

'And you gave him the sword,' added Jorm.

'He was a brave man; an honourable man, but it wasn't good enough.  He was
no match for the Baron.  Why should I gives you the sword, only to see it
lost again.  S'pose Nomarns cronies comes here.  How does I defends myself?'

'True my fathers bravery was not enough to defeat Nomarn, but I intend to
succeed by stealth.'

'Is that so?' Goronak paused a moment. 'In that case I have a test for
you.  Here is three barrels.  One o' the barrels has the keys to the chest
where I puts the sword.  In another barrel is the snakes I keeps as pets.
In my third barrel is my other pets, scorpions... all hungry.  Now all the
barrels have wots in them scratched on the side.  Trouble is I've changed
them all around since I did the scratching.  Anyway all you has to do is
put your hand in through the hole in the top of the right barrel and pull
out the keys.'

'What a set up,' remarked Gwidian, 'though we can avoid the snakes.'

Jorm smiled. 'If I can retrieve the keys. You will give me the sword.'
'Certainly will. You got the brains to work out how to get those keys and
stay alive, then you got a good chance of getting the Baron.'

Jorm walked over to the barrels. 'Throw me a gauntlet, Gwidian.'

'YOU CHEATS. Only snakes can penetrate a gauntlet.'

'I win,' said Jorm in a cold determined voice. 'I win the sword and I will
beat the Baron.'

Goronak thought a moment. 'Brave and crafty.  You may well be right.'

                                    *

Jorm and Gwidian walked towards the exit of Goronaks kingdom. Jorm carried
an extra sword with him, a special sword which could cut down the wraiths
of Nomarn.

'We certainly fooled Goronak,' said Gwidian. 'Do you think my acting was
good, or was it great?'

'Great,' replied Jorm. 'I almost believed you were going to kill Sliknok
myself.'

'And then when you asked for the gauntlet, ha ha, poor thing did he get
upset.  We knew the snakes were not in the snake barrel; he said he had
moved them.'

They walked together towards their friends and the light of dawn.

                                    *

Somewhere deep in the bowels of the earth, spindly figures were at work,
removing dust and stonework which hid trapdoors under the ground on which
Jorm and Gwidian had stood.  They also secured spikes in the cavern roof,
so they would no longer rely on the simple trip mechanism which had held
them in place above Jorm and Gwidians head.  Goronak himself sat and talked
with Sliknok, in a language Jorm may well have understood.

'Well, Sliknok, do you think our acting was a good deal better than theirs,
old friend?'

Sliknok smiled. 'It certainly was, old friend, it certainly was. I do wish
them good hunting.'

'Of course.  They are probably the best people for the task.  I think they
proved that, but they will still need all the luck they can get.'

                                    *

Jorm exited the caverns into a cool dawn sun.  Gwidian followed close
behind.  Their friends spotted them as soon as they appeared, though their
eyes were heavy from a watchful night.

'JORM,' called Miowni. 'YOU ARE SAFE.' She ran over to him and gave him a
hug that turned his face crimson.

A broad smile swept across Giyorns tired face, 'I see you have the sword,
my friend.  Fortune smiles upon us all.'

'It surely does,' replied Jorm. 'But sadly it is here that we have to part
company.'

'Not yet a while,' said Morgain. 'Let us first have a morning bite.  Then
we can bid our farewells.'

No one argued..

                                    *

Breakfast did not amount to much, but then again no one was really thinking
about their stomachs.  They talked little while they ate; there was
probably a lot to say but no one was saying it.  A heavy mood was settling
over them.  All were apprehensive of the future and none seemed
enthusiastic about parting company. There was a certain amount of comfort
and safety in the small band and they had become accustomed to each others
company.

A faint beat of hooves drifted across the hillside.  Jorms eyes widened.
'It sounds like we have company.'

They all stood and looked in the general direction of the beats. Two riders
appeared, cantering slowly, but deliberately towards them. As they
approached it could be seen that one wore a tunic of brown while the other
was cloaked darkly.

'I get a strange feeling,' said Jorm.

'I too,' said Giyorn. 'It is a feeling of evil.'

'Shades?' queried Morgain.

'The dark one,' replied Jorm.

'Since when did a shade require a horse,' queried Gwidian.

'The wraiths of the ring need no beasts of burden,' chortled Cretin, 'but
this one travels with a mortal.  No doubt to do his handywork.'

'Why does he require a man?' questioned Miowni, in a disturbed voice.

'We shall soon find out,' stated Giyorn.

The horses came to halt thirty paces from the party, who stared at them
with undivided attention.

'Careful, careful,' said Cretin. 'Watch out for tricksies.'

'I am Ribolorn,' came a cold mystical voice which seemed to speak directly
to their minds. 'I have come to speak with you.'

'A shade of Ribolorn,' mumbled Cretin. 'A grey aura. The grey shade.'

'I would speak of the future,' continued the dark one.

Cretin looked at the faces of his companions.  Their attention was taken
completely.  They had become instantly mesmerized.

'Ribolorns spellcasting, take your eyes off him,' warned Cretin.

The other rider slipped a bow from his shoulder and an arrow from its
quiver.

Cretin began shaking the nearest arm to him which was Morgains. 'Watch
out.  Watch out.' he called.

'I have come to speak of a happy future,' continued the shade.

'Who for?' muttered Cretin, shaking Morgains arm wildly.

Morgain shook his head as if trying to clear his mind.  His face registered
the rider holding his bow string taut, arrow ready to fly.

'It is our lives they want,' said Cretin hurriedly. 'Some of us are
expendable.'

Morgain began to draw his sword as the rider targeted his arrow.

The arrow swished into flight; only then did the others begin to realise
their peril.

Morgain swung his sword at the oncoming arrow, its broad blade flashing by
Giyorns eyes on its earthward journey.  There was a thud and a dull ring as
the arrow glanced Morgains sword to wing by Giyorns shoulder.  Whatever
spell held their attention was broken instantly.  All weapons were drawn in
the blink of an eye. Jorm turned to get his own bow but it was too late.
The riders turned their mounts and galloped into the distance.

'Cretin tries to warn you,' said Cretin. 'You may not be so incredibly
lucky next time.'

Morgain looked at him with dubious eyes, then he half smiled. 'We are in
you debt,' he said quietly. 'It will not be forgotten.'

'And I am in your debt,' said Giyorn earnestly. 'Perhaps you are not the
complete fool I thought you to be Morgain.'

Gwidian who was listening rubbed his nose and turned to Miowni. 'Was that a
compliment?'
