Chapter 12

It was still dark when Jorm stirred in his bed.  His eyes came to full
alert.  Carefully he put one foot on the floor, wincing a little at the
cold, then he stealthily departed to wake Gwidian.

He shook Gwidian lightly on the shoulder, then a little harder. Gwidian
grunted.

'Shush,' whispered Jorm, 'we are leaving.'

Gwidian was half asleep, he began to open his mouth.

Jorm clasped a hand firmly over it. 'Follow me.'

Together they gathered their clothes and distanced themselves from the
sleeping quarters.  The sage and Miowni had separate rooms close by and
Jorm did not wish to wake them.

'Our supplies are packed and we are ready to move,' said Jorm.

Gwidian looked surprised. 'What about the others?'

'Cretin will be stalking outside.  Miowni and the sage should remain
asleep.'

'You cannot leave Miowni.'

'She is safer here.  This is no work for a lady.'

'But she will follow.'

Jorm hesitated. 'Hopefully not.  The sage should have the sense to restrain
her.  He will understand.'

Gwidian reluctantly dressed and followed Jorm out into the night.

                                    *

Jorm slowed his horse to walking pace. 'We should arrive by next nightfall.'

Gwidian also slowed his mount.  He had noted a troubled look on Jorms
brow. 'Is there something on your mind?' he said casually.

Jorm pondered a moment then said, 'Only the world.'

Gwidian smiled. 'Care for a bite to eat?  We did leave in a bit of a hurry.'

Jorm nodded and they dismounted.  They sat facing each other on the grassy
earth.

Gwidian stroked his short beard. 'I think it is about time I was given all
the facts.  I have followed you thus far in the darkness, but the end of
our journey is nigh.  I would like to know what I am walking into.'

'You know as much as I,' replied Jorm.

'That is not true.   If that were the case we would be fools to ride on.
You must know more than I do.'

'It is dangerous to speak aloud.'

'It is dangerous to ride on.'

Jorm bit on a raw carrot. 'What would you have me tell you?'

'Firstly, where is the Queen.  As far as I know she is no more than a
myth... and Cretin... that is no ordinary fire demon.'

Jorm put a finger to his mouth to hush Gwidian, then spoke in a quiet
voice, 'You are of course, quite right,' Jorm looked around as if looking
for uninvited guests, 'but I still think we are making a mistake talking of
it.  Even the trees have ears.'

'If there was anyone close by we would see them.'

'A shade?' said Jorm.

'I would feel it and besides from what I have seen they have to materialise
before they can come in contact with our world.'

Jorm shrugged. 'The answers are before you.  You said yourself Cretin is no
ordinary demon.'

'Well.'

'Who has a great interest in our success.  Who vanished on the moorlands
until my father fell at the hands of Nomarn.' Jorm frowned.

'Who did vanish?  What are you trying to say?'

'Who has an answer for everything?  Who breathed life into Palanzarr?'

Gwidian remained silent for a short time, then with an astonished look on
his face he said, 'This is no time to jest.  An evil bloodsucking creature
like...'

Jorm stared straight into Gwidians eyes. 'Am I jesting?'

'It is impossible.  Even elden cannot change their appearance. You mock
me.  You may as well have told me it was Miowni.'

'Do I.  It was you that told me a stone turned into an elden wizard.'

Gwidian struggled for words. 'The elden were a fair race who were good and
righteous, not like...'

'Is Palanzarr.  Is he good and righteous or does he aid us under threat?
Why are there still six standing stones?  Is it because Cretin feared that
to release the seven would be to put the Harandos in as much jeopardy as
the wraiths have?'

'But he is disgusting,' said Gwidian in a flabbergasted voice, 'and besides
he is a HE.'

Jorm gave a half hearted laugh. 'You take too much at face value. You think
of the elden as a kindly people.'

'Yes I do.  There may have been a few bad ones but did they not depart
these lands for men?  We could never have defeated them in battle and yet
they gave up everything.'

'I grant you that, they did put a high value on life and they did foresee
that man and elden were not compatible, but how do you think they defeated
their greatest enemies.  Do you think they killed the demons with
kindness?  Do you think they banished and imprisoned half their race in the
darkworld as a goodly deed? Believe me, they can think and act with as much
venom as a snake.'

Gwidian shook his head. 'If Cretin is indeed the elden Queen he... she
would have aided us more on our quest.  Giyorn and Morgain would ride with
us now.  If you really believe what you are saying then I feel you have
been misled.'

'She had to restrain her powers to maintain her disguise.  Nomarn would
sense her presence, as she can sense the whereabouts of the shades.'

Gwidian looked up to see Cretin leaping towards them, distaste crossed his
face. 'Not in a thousand years could I believe that creature is the elden
Queen in disguise.'

Jorm smiled. 'I hope Nomarn Deleri feels the same way.'

                                    *

Jorm led on to the moorlands with a melancholy heart.  Most of what had
befallen him, he had expected, but his decision to leave Miowni at the
temple hurt him deep inside.  He hated deceiving her but he could see no
other alternative.

'What are our chances of defeating Nomarn?' queried Gwidian in a matter of
fact voice.

Jorm looked towards Gwidian although he had not appeared to be listening,
'They are good.'

'You say they are good, even though your father failed with a thousand men.'

Images crossed Jorms mind.  He saw mighty Lords riding across the
moorlands; Raimar; Dromar; Trian; Giyorn; a thousand torches in their
wake.  An impressive sight - yet it was to no avail. 'Men are of little use
against the shades.  Demons perhaps, but the shades are beyond mortal
understanding.  They could conjure a thousand darkworld creatures from the
evil recesses of their minds and leave men fighting their own shadows.  Now
we have something more.  Miriel can no longer be mesmerised by these
wraiths.  We have also found the secret of the helvstone, something even my
father knew little of, and you have the Kreth which can recall that power -
the power of Palanzarr.'

'I hope that you are right.'

They rode onward towards the spire, Cretin continuing to trot beside them.
Often Gwidian glanced at Cretin, sometimes with a look of disbelief at whom
he had been told Cretin really was; on occasion a smile would come to his
lips and laughter dance in his eyes but naught did he ever say.

As the light began to fail the spire of Darklore came into view, perhaps a
league distant.  They rode towards it without challenge as if the moorlands
were totally deserted or worse still, as if they had been invited.

They rounded the final mound.  Jorms eyes fell on the cold dark sacrifice
stone, then he raised them to look at the spire.  For a moment he could
again see the prancing light on its barren walls; the way it was when he
last stood upon this hill, when the wraiths performed their evil rights and
the demons danced.  The ring of fire had burnt its place in his memory for
ever more.

Gwidian halted his horse and dismounted.  Jorm followed suit. They both
stood a while studying the building before them.  It was a tall watchtower
with slit windows; it stood thirty paces to what appeared to be a balcony
or battlement where stood the effigies of demons and other foul creatures.
Ten paces above the battlement was the spire itself, stretching another
twenty paces towards the darkened sky.  It was an ominous sight.

'Have you ever set foot inside?' queried Gwidian.

Jorm nodded his head. 'It seems a tall narrow building from where we stand,
in fact one sometimes wonders why it does not topple over, but inside it
seems far more spacious.  It is for all the world derelict, yet I feel it
is alive.'

'You paint a foreboding picture.'

'I climbed every step and searched every room of that building. Never have
I felt so much in the eye of evil.'

'Would it not have been better to cast the building down?'

'We were warriors and were not equipped for such a task and besides I knew
Nomarn would await me here.'

Gwidian had heard Jorm speak these words before and by now had convinced
himself that Nomarn Deleri would be waiting here, though the place did seem
deserted. 'What do we do now?'

'We wait,' said Cretin, who had himself seemed little more than a shadow
throughout the day.

Jorm gazed around at the rolling countryside.  It was just as barren and
empty as he remembered it. 'The moon will rise shortly.  We are fortunate
to have a clear sky.'

Gwidian pulled his cloak about himself. 'I feel it is going to be a cold
night.' He reached into his tunic and pulled out the Kreth. 'If I am to
call Palanzarr, perhaps now is the best time.'

Jorm looked at Cretin, then back to Gwidian.  He nodded his head. 'For
better or for worse.'

Gwidian held the stone in his right hand and in a low voice whispered,
'Palanzarr.'

Nothing seemed to happen.  The air was still and a deathly silence hung
over the moors.

'Palanzarr,' said Gwidian, a little louder.  He did not know if it was his
imagination but the stone felt a little warmer; then softly in the distance
came the sound of tumbling water.  Both he and Jorm looked apprehensive.
They waited another few moments then with a strange and sudden sound, as if
something had been sucked from nowhere to stand in their vicinity,
Palanzarr appeared.

Jorm and Gwidian were taken aback by the suddenness of his appearance and
for a short while their tongues were frozen.

Palanzarr glanced at Cretin, then turned his attention to Gwidian.  He
bowed his head.

Gwidian still could not find any words to speak.  Cretin eyed Palanzarr
with something a little less than love, it was left to Jorm to break the
silence.

'Palanzarr I presume,' he greeted, bowing his own head.

Palanzarr turned to Jorm.  His eyes fell on the sword Jorm carried, then
moved to the hand which carried the ring of the Southlands.  Their eyes met
for a brief instant; the wise mystical eyes of Palanzarr which shone
despite the lack of light and the distant blue of the Lord of the
Southlands from which the boyish sparkle had fled... to be replaced by
something cold and harsh.

'Greetings, Lord of the Southlands,' said Palanzarr in a voice which
reflected the mysticism of his eyes.

Gwidians voice finally returned, 'We again have need of your help,
Palanzarr.  We have reached the final darkness.'

Palanzarr glanced at Gwidian then turned to look at the spire. He lifted
his eyes to its summit. 'You walk into the jaws of the darkworld.' He
turned back to Gwidian, 'Your brother could not complete your quest?'

Gwidian shook his head.

'Do you have a plan?' queried Palanzarr turning his attention to Jorm.

'Only to wait.'

'You may have to wait a long while.  Your enemies may wish to test your
resolve.'

'They will find it unbreakable,' replied Jorm, in a strong unyielding voice.

'Then we should wait in comfort.' He pointed to the ground and a warming
fire materialised. 'Keep your shield by your side,' he continued, directing
his suggestion to Gwidian.

Gwidian walked to his horse which had strayed a few paces eastward and
collected his shield.

'Know you how to use the shield?' queried Palanzarr.

Gwidian had not really thought of what might have been special about the
shield and could only answer, 'As you would use a shield.'

Palanzarr smiled. 'Hold the shield before you and look through the slit.'

Gwidian looked at the slit in the shield which stretched horizontally above
the crest; then he held it before him so that he could see through it.
Everything seemed normal.  He manoeuvred himself until he could see Jorm
and Palanzarr who stood by the fire.  What he could not see was the fire.
He quickly removed the shield and again he could see the flames. He took a
final look through the slit in the shield then lowering it he said in a
somewhat bemused voice, 'It blanks out the fire.'

Jorm lifted his eyes to look at Gwidian.

'You only see what is real,' said Palanzarr. 'It does not blank out
anything.'

'Did you know this, Jorm?' queried Gwidian.

Jorm turned his eyes to Cretin. 'More important, did my father know this?'

'I am sure he did,' said Cretin, in a hesitant voice. 'But remember
knowledge is no protection in itself.' He put his head to one side.

Jorm frowned.  His father had spent many seasons searching and learning the
lore of elden weapons and no doubt did know of their uses.  But Cretin had
said nothing of the shields power of truth; not even to himself.

'I presume you did not know,' said Gwidian.

'I would have told you, had I known,' reiterated Jorm.  He sat near the
fire and Palanzarr sat close by.  Gwidian also seated himself but Cretin
remained standing - prowling around.

'Do you have faith in me?' said Palanzarr, quite out of the blue.

The question was a surprise but Jorm had long since given Palanzarrs
presence much thought.  He had decided Palanzarr was necessary before they
had left the temple.  'Nomarn Deleri would not make a pact with an elden
wizard.  Nor do I believe that you would trust the Baron.  I am not sure
why you have decided to aid us again but I do believe you will stand by us.'

Palanzarr nodded.

The moon rose over the horizon and began to climb high into the sky as they
waited; the heathered ground had become cool and damp.  A harsh voice
whispered in Jorms ear, 'They are coming. Demons climb the hill.'

Jorm listened to Cretin then turned his eyes to the spire.  Even as he
looked two dark forms materialised.  His eyes could have been deceived but
he could feel their presence. 'It has begun,' he whispered.

