Chapter 9:
The Ancient Horrors of the Soddurn Mountains
Evening was settling over the land as Faindan Stillsword guided his horse through the hills, and a few stars were already visible in the crimson sky. He had been riding all day and was hungry and weary--as if trying to leave his shame as far behind as possible. He cursed himself repeatedly for being a weak-willed fool, and his despair was so deep he almost wished he was dead.
"A Blue Knight without two hands," he muttered to himself. "Can't climb walls or ropes, can't shoot a bow. Finished!"
But was he? He could possibly change color class and become a Brown or Red Knight, but only with the approval of the High Council--and such approval was unlikely. Color classes were chosen carefully after trials were conducted and were only altered if there was a great need. For all his talent, Faindan was just another Knight and could be replaced. It was unlikely the Red or Brown Knights would take a chance on him, as he couldn't wield both shield and sword like a Brown or any of the heavy two-handed weapons the Red Knights favored.
"I'll be retired to Orange," he groaned, feeling sick. He couldn't accept life as an Orange Squire, regardless of the pay or ease of living. How could he serve food and drink to Knights he had once ridden with into battle? After having tasted Knighthood, the shame would be too great. He imagined himself cooking meals, mopping floors, or tending horses and he cringed. He vowed that if it came to that, he would simply walk away from Dremlock and never return.
Wolf howls interrupted his thoughts--evil sounds that undoubtedly came from the throats of Goblins. But Faindan wasn't concerned, his mind too heavily burdened with thoughts of his situation. His frustration compelled him onward without rest, and his mighty Greywind horse was up to the task. Seldom did these war horses of Dremlock tire before their riders did.
"You're my best friend," Faindan whispered to his horse. "Though I have been a fool, you haven't given up on me. To you, it makes no difference that I have lost my hand. You still bear me along like a worthy Knight."
At last, too weary to go on, Faindan slid down from his horse and made camp for the evening. Setting up his tent was difficult, but he soon learned to work around his limitations. After the tent was pitched and he had tended to his horse, he built a fire and sat before it eating jerky, cheese, and bread.
He gazed up at the stars, marveling at how many there were in the black sky. In the ancient writings of Dremlock, the Divine Essence said that the stars were blazing lamps that warmed the garden of the universe--a garden designed to grow life so that intelligent beings could emerge and eventually tend that garden. The writings said that all creatures were the children of the god that ruled over the heavens--that god being the mysterious father of the Divine Essence known only as the Great Light--and that humans were the result of careful planning. Faindan gazed at the stump of his wrist, wondering why such careful planning had led him to this fate. Didn't his god care about him? The Divine Essence itself was troubled--deeply concerned with its future and apparently receiving no help from the mighty god that had spawned it. So why should a lowly Knight like Faindan be of any concern?
Then he remembered other writings which stated that all Knights of Dremlock were prized by the Divine Essence--that they were its loyal servants and it would always watch over them. But that seemed silly. Clearly his god hadn't been watching over him when the Deep Shadow infected his hand and drove him to commit his insane act. The truth was that Faindan was serving a god that was a shattered creature which had once roamed the world--a creature that was in a struggle to keep itself alive and make itself whole again. It had neither the time nor the resources to help Faindan, and even if it was willing to bless him and restore his hand (it was said to have administered such blessings to the worthy at times), he would never be allowed to stand before it. That honor was reserved for the Lord Knight of Dremlock, the unfathomable Birlote wizard known as Taris Warhawk.
Faindan's hand simply would not grow back, no matter how many times he begged his god to restore it. He just wasn't worthy to receive such a magnificent blessing. Maybe Lannon or Aldreya were worthy, but Faindan had barely accomplished anything in his brief career. As much as it pained his soul, he was forced to admit that he was left on his own to struggle along with his missing hand. Nevertheless, he vowed to continue serving his god and living as a Divine Knight--even if he was forced to leave Dremlock.
As Faindan made that vow, he suddenly felt stronger. He realized he was not going to Dremlock to face Taris and the High Council. Instead, he would ride to Ollanhar and place himself at the mercy of Furlus Goblincrusher. It was as if a voice was speaking to him and guiding him, but he dismissed it as nonsense created by his own mind. The voice was still trying to speak to him, but he forced it out of his thoughts, reminding himself that he was alone in his decisions.
Some of Faindan's confidence had returned, and he felt restless. He rose and paced about by the fire, pleased with his own wisdom. Surely Furlus would know if Faindan retained any value as a Knight, and Furlus would never shame him by demoting him to Orange. Most likely, the Tower Master would simply order Faindan to retire from Dremlock, which was something Faindan could live with. He would never have to walk through the gates of Dremlock and then be forced to leave his beloved kingdom. He could simply ride away from Ollanhar Tower and make a new life for himself--perhaps as a Temple Master, which was a common role for retired Knights. He could spend his time teaching wisdom.
But then the emptiness gripped Faindan again. Was this really the end of his precious Knighthood--taken from him before he ever had a chance to do great deeds and make a name for himself? He couldn't imagine not living as a Knight. That seemed like a fate worse than death. He groaned, hating the way his thoughts kept twisting about. Until the matter was settled, he would find no peace.
Again, evil wolf howls interrupted his thoughts--this time coming from nearby amongst the hills. His horse grew agitated. His hand dropped to his sword hilt and he glanced about, trying to peer into the darkness. When he failed to see or hear anything, he lit a lantern and waved it around as he walked, hoping to scare the wolves away. He noticed some stone ruins on the side of the hill where he was camped--what looked like a small, sunken keep of some sort.
Faindan had failed to notice these ruins earlier. In spite of what had happened the last time he had investigated such ruins, they grabbed his interest. He had a love of ancient places. But as he approached the heap of mossy stone blocks, his curiosity gave way to anger. He gazed down at the ruins with contempt, thinking of the agony he had suffered, and hatred filled his heart.
Faindan sat the lantern down and drew his sword, sending fire into the blade. He shoved it against the stone blocks. "By the Divine Essence, I will burn you out!" he vowed, hoping some foul thing of the Deep Shadow would taste his flames and wither into oblivion. In the back of his mind, he knew he was wasting his time and behaving foolishly, but his emotions were raging.
His lack of focus almost cost him everything, as a huge Goblin Wolf leapt through the air from behind--intent on slamming into Faindan like a battering ram with its heavy body and breaking his bones. But Faindan's Blue Knight training caused him to duck at the sound of the beast's leap, and the Wolf flew over him and crashed into the mossy rocks, tumbling over.
The Wolf scrambled up and wheeled about, drooling with hunger, its yellow eyes smoldering with evil. It rose up atop the rock pile, mighty muscles rippling over a body that was like a mix of wolf and man and covered in long, shaggy fur. Its physical stench--and the stench of the Deep Shadow--was smothering. It threw back its head and howled.
Faindan raised his burning blade, even as he struggled to calm himself in preparation for battle. With only one hand, he couldn't draw his Flayer. He was used to fighting with two blades, and he felt exposed and defenseless with only one against this mighty foe. He was facing a Wolf that had grown huge and powerful from plentiful feeding, its thick hide able to deflect all but the most accurate att
acks. The muscles that bulged out from the beast's thick neck and chest were very intimidating, leaving Faindan doubtful he would prevail. The sight of the huge monster rising up from the rocks filled him with dread.
And then the beast leapt, claws and fangs seeking to shred his flesh. Faindan twisted to one side and tore into the beast with his burning sword, cutting a deep wound in its side. The Wolf landed and turned with shocking speed, its claws swiping back in retaliation and catching Faindan's shoulder--ripping through his leather armor and tearing deep into the flesh beneath.
With a cry of agony, Faindan backed away--an instant before the beast charged him again with another leap. A stroke of good luck saved him, as he tripped over a stone and fell onto his back. Once again the Wolf continued on through the air over him, its claws missing him by inches.
Faindan rose, blood soaking his tunic, as the Wolf faced him again. The Wolf was aware of Faindan's missing hand, its cunning eyes searching out every weakness. The beast whispered to Faindan in the language of the Deep Shadow, seeking to reinforce his doubts and persuade him to fail. But Faindan's Knightly training allowed him to resist the Wolf's sorcery and remain focused.
And then Faindan's war horse reached the scene and tried to stomp the Wolf with its hooves. The two beasts fought for a moment and then the Greywind was yanked down, its legs buckling--bleeding from a deep wound in its neck.
Faindan groaned in frustration, wishing the horse had simply kept its distance. He distracted the Wolf by waving his arms and lured it away from the injured horse. The Wolf glanced hungrily at the meaty horse, then back at Faindan. At last it took the bait and followed the Blue Knight.
When the Wolf charged again, Faindan was ready. He sidestepped the beast and plunged his burning sword into its neck. The Wolf's momentum ripped the sword from Faindan's grasp, and he drew his Flayer.
Howling in pain and rage, the Wolf turned and bounded toward the young Knight, the sword still protruding from its neck. Faindan drove the burning Flayer into the beast's skull--a killing blow, but one that cost Faindan as he failed to leap aside. The Wolf smashed into him with crushing force and sent him tumbling head over heels.
The Wolf lay dead, but Faindan was badly wounded--bleeding from the vicious tear in his shoulder and having suffered broken ribs from that final impact. He lay on his back, gazing up at the stars and wondering if this was the end for him. If other Wolves were lurking about, they would surely smell his blood--and that of his horse-- and come for an easy kill. He could smell the moss of the nearby rocks, and he thought it was odd that he should notice such a thing. He found he was more worried about his horse than himself.
The pain drove him to begin his Knightly meditation that would fuse together flesh and bone. He visualized tissue knitting together rapidly, and he called upon his body to heal his wounds by repeating commands in his mind. If he could survive the night, perhaps he would be able to ride on for Ollanhar during daylight--if his horse was able to carry him. For now, he could do nothing but heal and hope that the Wolves didn't find him.