With a strong hand, but gentle movements, Hmm-mm eventually struggled through the mess to soon put Darci’s hair up in an intricate warrior’s braid, discarding the old and overstretched hair tie and replacing it with a new one.
Once done, he picked up a pair of slipper-like shoes that he helped her to put on before taking the young girl by the hand, leading her to their next destination.
In the large cave with the mountains of treasure now in the background, everybody was waiting for Darci. When she arrived, all stopped their conversations to look at their friend. Darci even caught the corners of Defyance’s face move into something resembling a smile; the warrior woman seeming pleased that she too had been able to bath away the rigours of travel. Darci was not what you called beautiful, and she never had the patience for make-up, yet the way she was dressed, along with the way she smiled shyly, brought out more beauty than anything artificial ever could.
“You even smell good,” Lief said as she stepped up to her friends. Even though she tried not to, Darci could not help but blush. She looked to the clear icy floor as she waited for the hot red feeling to fade from her face. Taslessian murmured his agreement. He was also slightly blushing because he had never realised that his accidental friend could look like she did now.
Everybody was well dressed. All of the males in the group were clothed in well-fitting outfits with jackets that looked fit for royalty, leaving Maledorian looking decidedly uncomfortable. Defyance was the only one not wearing something for the occasion. Instead, she had on her formal warrior’s attire made from leather. Darci smiled at the thought of trying to get her warrior friend to give up her usual gear for a dress that did not allow for hidden weaponry.
Sahat entered the room from yet another cave behind them. “We eat first and then I will choose weapons for each of you.” He nodded his head towards a large round table that lay ahead of them. It was full of all sorts of delicious smelling foods. Before they got to fill their grumbling stomachs, however, the voice of Defyance halted them in their tracks.
“I thought that we got to choose which weapon we wanted.” She craned her neck to look Sahat straight in the eye. “The prophecy does say ‘weapons of choice.’” Unlike earlier, the warrior woman’s voice no longer carried her annoyance while her eyes held a hint of mischief.
Sahat laughed at her again. “You are right O righteous one who knows all. It does say weapons of choice in the prophecy. But where in the prophecy does it say that the choice is to be yours?” The dragon faced Defyance’s brazen stare head on, knowing that he had beaten her in this short battle of words. When the woman had no answer to his challenge, the great dragon turned his massive form away to lumber towards the table.
Foods of all colours and description covered the grand stone table, steam floating upwards indicating that it was freshly cooked. At its centre lay the biggest chicken-like bird that Darci had ever seen. When it was living, it must have been the size of an Emu, but without the long neck or legs. Vegetables of some kind decoratively surrounded the meat, looking like the pumpkins and potatoes at a roast dinner. For all the other platters of delicious-smelling foods, there was no comparison that she could bring to mind. Almost everything looked completely different from any food that she knew of, yet it smelled so inviting that she wanted to try it all.
Everyone was carefully seated upon stone chairs that were made from the same slate-like stone as the table. Silk-covered pillows adorned each of them to add comfort for the human visitors.
“Now, shall we begin?” Sahat gripped a large pitcher of wine delicately between the tips of two claws as he began to serve his guests. For some absurd reason, Darci was reminded of Alice in Wonderland at the mad hatter’s tea party.
“This is a great honour,” whispered Lief, who was seated next to her. Like a breath of fresh country air, Darci inhaled whatever aftershave her elf companion was wearing. The aroma was hard to catch, yet, when it managed to reach her senses, it filled her nostrils with a pleasant, masculine smell.
“For one such as Sahat to serve us mere mortals, is the greatest sign of respect that a dragon can give.” For some reason, Darci could not quite catch what Lief was saying because he just smelt so good.
Once all the cups were full, all raised their drinks in a silent toast, Darci slightly behind the rest, before commencing the meal. Thinking back on how Sahat had commented on the formality of other questers, Darci would hate to think about how she would cope with all the unknown ceremonies that she would have had to undertake had their mission been known to those of power on this world, though when she considered it further, she was sure it would be relatively easy compared to meeting politicians back home.
Finishing a mouthful of meat that he had torn out of the drumstick of the bird, Maledorian asked a question that seemed to relate to one of his favourite topics. “Are you not dining with us tonight, Sahat?” Since pouring drinks for his guests, the great dragon had been content to sit near the table with his head resting on a spare chair, listening to the talk and banter of his guests.
“What I eat, and the way I eat, may be slightly disconcerting for any mortal to witness,” he replied as he smiled, again showing off his impressive set of teeth. “The beasts that you call Dahnaga I generally call dinner.” Defyance looked momentarily at Sahat before shrugging her shoulders. She again tore into her meal with vigour, not caring about the images of gore and viciousness that the dragon hinted at. This reaction again brought a rumbling chuckle from their host.
The rest of the meal passed by as a blur of cheer and merriment. It was hard to believe that these five people were the same group that had witnessed unspeakable horrors only days before. All too soon however, the meal had ended with everyone full enough to burst. Eyes drooped and conversations lessened, but there was no rest for them yet as they were all ushered away to Sahat’s awesome mountain of treasure.
“Now is the time for part of your quest to be completed,” Sahat announced, as he unfurled his wings in an impressive display of his size. His formal tone seemed a departure from his previous attitude towards formality. Looking around, however, Darci saw Hmm-mm with the rest of his people standing off to the side. When she caught his eye, he winked; Sahat was putting on a show.
“It has come to pass that the never-ending battle between good and evil should be fought on our once peaceful planet. One from another world hath come here to destroy and rule, as it has done to countless other worlds. To combat this evil, one other has been brought forth from yet another world alike. So shall a great battle be fought. The winner, as yet undetermined, the final outcome shrouded in mystery.” Sahat’s voice lowered dramatically.
“The dark one shall always have obstacles to place in your way. Be it an army or a single man, evil cares for nothing. The Light, opposing everything that evil stands for, shall always have assistance. Here be only one of the places where assistance can be found. Here is where the five of the Light receive their weapons of choice.”
Carefully, five of the little snowmen walked ceremoniously out from behind the mountain of treasure. Each held in front of them, a royal red pillow with an object placed reverently on top. The first one walked up to Maledorian. Kneeling in front of the knight he held up his cushion in offering.
“Maledorian, the Knight Protector, shall be given the Mace of Naga. With it so shall he strike fear into the hearts of the enemy.” He picked up the weapon by its smooth wooden handle, being careful that the deadly spiked ball did not come crashing down into the wrong place. He bowed slightly to Sahat before stepping back. The young knight’s face was for once plastered with awe. He was truly on his first quest and this is one formality he respected.
The next snowman walked to Defyance. “To Defyance, the Dagger Bearer, is given the dagger of Boutief, with it shall she carve her name in legend.” The warrior woman inclined her head in acknowledgement of such an honour, the most gracious act that she had yet shown the dragon. She managed to take the sheathed dagger witho
ut sardonic comment, now too interested in inspecting her valuable gift.
Lief stood next in line. “For Lief, the Elf Wanderer, is given the mystic bow of Shanian. With it shall he strike down countless foes.” The Elf received his weapon with pride standing clear on his soft Elven features. It had been a long time since any elf had ventured far from home to receive a quest of such importance. The fact that so far, their adventures were somewhat secret did not bother him as long as he carried out whatever duties lay ahead.
“Taslessian, the Apprentice Wizard, is an apprentice no longer. He is given his master’s staff. Having been recovered from the Jungle Dragon and infused with Grisham’s magical essence, shall he use his power wisely.” Taslessian’s face was filled with a mixture of pride and pain as he received the staff of his fallen master. He held it before him to hide the single tear of remorse. Unseen by all except Sahat, Taslessian stood transfixed. His eyes could no longer see the icy floor underneath. For an instant that lasted an eternity, sights, sounds, smells and feelings flew through his mind. Inside he screamed for it to stop, but the knowledge continued to pour in, filling his mind with uncounted spells and lore. Then, as abruptly as it had begun, the process ceased. In a blink of an eye the boy had transformed into a man.
Sahat nodded his head in approval, knowing with relief that Taslessian had survived his unusual and dangerous ascension. The great dragon then turned his head to face the last of the group of Light. “To Darci, the Offworlder, is given the Gauntlet of Elron. With it shall she decide the fate of the lives of many.”
With half of their quest fulfilled, their thoughts now turned to what lay ahead.
Part 3
Chapter 1
Darci sat on her bed in a daze. With a sigh of contentment she lay back, melting into the cushions. From the cave of treasures, everybody had gone straight to bed, as much for needed rest as to get a chance to study their weapons. Taslessian had mentioned to all that he felt magical energies in each of the gifts they had been given. Everyone had wanted to discover what fate had in store for them. She lifted her hand over her head so that she could see the golden Gauntlet of Elron.
From the moment that the snowman had placed it on her hand, Darci had felt an unusual power pulsing through her. It was strange. When she thought about it she did not feel stronger, smarter, more skilful, or anything in particular, simply different. With a crackle from the flames in her fireplace, the golden gauntlet on her hand shimmered; unnoticed, the flames roared as if only now they had decided to acknowledge the weapon’s power and presence. The glint was hypnotic, mesmerising the young girl momentarily as the flames danced around on the smooth and well-polished golden surface.
Darci’s thoughts began to wonder. Why was it called the Gauntlet of Elron, or even a gauntlet at all? She screwed up her nose as she wiggled her exoskeleton-covered fingers. It looked nothing like any gauntlet she had ever seen. It did not even look like a glove, more like a skeleton of another hand to the elbow, forged in gold. A padded golden band gently but securely fitted around her wrist, surprising Darci because she had unusually skinny wrists compared to the rest of her body. The five golden bony fingers attached to the wrist slid onto her fingers with soft material rings holding them to each digit. Smooth thimble-like caps at the very end gave her complete control of the gauntlet as it secured itself to the tips of her fingers.
She looked at her hand, somehow feeling stronger as she imagined actually hitting someone. At this simple movement she was given to wonder at the magical joints between the different bones. There were no apparent hinges that she could see. She brought it closer to her eyes, yet try as she might, she could not see anything. Each bone barely touched at the joint, with nothing else connecting them, yet when she tested their strength, they would not budge. Nothing that she had ever known or had even imagined could rival the craftsmanship of such an artefact of legend.
Hmm-mm entered the room with a friendly smile. This time, he announced himself with a slight hum that caused Darci to turn her head in his direction. His deep green eyes held a certain quality that showed that he somehow seemed to understand her euphoria. With soft but persistent fingers he managed to remove the gauntlet and placed it on a separate pillow next to her bed. Darci put up no resistance. Her eyes were surprisingly heavy and her body finally relaxed. No sooner than it was done, she took off the dress that she had worn and carelessly flung it on the floor. She would pick it up later; now all she wanted to do was sleep. In nothing but her underwear, Darci allowed Hmm-mm to help her snuggle into her overly large bed. Curling up into a little ball, her even breathing could be heard before Hmm-mm had left the room.
* * *
Running, fear, not away from, but towards. Darkness and danger, everywhere. Blood stench, burnt flesh, death. Someone dead. Who? Movement to one side, the other, look but cannot see; what is it? Near the end, some great beast, taunting, threatening, more fear. It is coming to the end. Where is everyone? Alone. Ending. How?
* * *
Darci woke up from her confusing nightmare in a cold sweat. Her wild eyes flicked around the dimly lit room coming to rest on a single pillow that had landed on the other side of the room, a sign that she had been struggling. She rolled over in an attempt to untangle herself from her blankets and looked straight into the face of Hmm-mm, his eyes wide and full of concern. His large hand reached out to touch her gently on the face, closing her eyes before brushing her tousled hair off of her sticky forehead. The fur that covered the outside of his hand tickled Darci’s nose, making her almost sneeze.
Hmm-mm stepped away from the bed as he motioned towards some other clothes that were neatly folded on the floor. The neglected dress of the night before had been taken away and forgotten about. Groggily, the young girl managed to roll out of bed, the cold and icy floor waking her up almost instantaneously as it touched her bare toes and hands. Half jumping half stumbling she jumped onto one of the cushions to save her poor neglected feet from the chill.
“I know that I wasn’t having the best of dreams, Hmm-mm, but why do I have to get out of bed?” She turned her half open eyes towards the little snowman as she hugged herself, trying to keep warm in just her underwear, but his only response was to shrug. Insistently, he stepped towards her, holding up the first item of clothing from the pile he had brought into the room. The young girl slowly dressed with the assistance of the friendly snowman. Stifling a yawn, she wondered how much sleep she had gotten during the night – or morning; she did not even know what time of day or night it was. That was the problem of living in a cave.
“I mustn’t have gotten much sleep,” she mused to herself as she finally wrapped herself in a large warm jacket. Her eyes wanted nothing more than to close again and her body yearned for the warmth of her bed.
In no time at all, she was hustled out to the great cave that appeared to be the centre of everything. Darci thought that she was always pretty quick at getting ready in the morning, yet everyone was again waiting for her. The sleds had already been packed with the Dahnaga harnessed and waiting; scratching the icy floor with their claws, nervous at the scent of such a large predator: Sahat. Maledorian was pulling on the ropes that tied down their belongings while Lief and Defyance stood next to the other sleigh talking quietly to one of the other snowmen. Aside from the drab grey blankets, there were now other parcels tied down, wrapped in richer blue materials. To end their conversation, the single snowman handed over another blue parcel; all gifts from the friendly snow people, yet as to what they were, Darci could not tell. Taslessian was the only person not immediately present. After a look around, she finally located him. He stood apart from the rest, seen only in the flickering of firelight. His head was nodding on occasion to Sahat’s icy whispers. Curious, Darci turned to Lief for an explanation.
“Somehow, Grisham the great has informed Sahat that we need to be on our way. Apparently, the evil one has brought all the southern races together and they are preparing for war quicker than we anticipated.” T
he young elf’s youthful features were still smooth and childlike, yet his eyes carried the heavy glint of concern. Lief still had traces of whatever he was wearing the night before, however, the fragrance was not quite potent enough to distract the sleepy Offworlder.
“We have to get a move on because the people of Nahaba have heard of the gathering of the South, and if we do not stop the evil one soon, war will break out and many lives, both North and South, will be needlessly lost.” Lief shook his head at the situation. At his adolescent age he had not yet been part of a war. His knowledge of such matters revolved around the fireside tales from village elders and then later, yarns from drunken soldiers at the pubs that he had visited while on his travels. He sighed, missing his earlier days of the now untouchable Elven village of his past.
Darci’s face mirrored her friend’s. Her eyes were full of concern as she looked down to the floor for a moment, trying to contemplate the shadow of war. Men dying, families becoming destitute with no one to support them, children starving, then forced to fight at such a young age…
Rubbing her head, already the Gauntlet of Elron had become a part of her; feeling comfortable to the point of being unnoticed. She looked up at the rest of her group, noticing that everyone else was carrying their weapons of choice. Lief, who was now standing silently beside her, had his bow attached to his back by a belt across his chest. It was golden, like Darci’s gauntlet, yet somehow it was as flexible as a sapling. The pouch he normally carried his bowstrings in was no longer present however, and that confused her.
Maledorian was now standing patiently next to one of the sleighs, petting one of the Dahnagas absent-mindedly. His dangerous-looking mace appeared rather out of place hanging from his belt instead of his broadsword. Along with the weapon came a strange cover that attached it to his belt – easy to access yet not dangling in the way. Not far from hand however, was his favoured broadsword sheathed on the side of his sleigh. When it came to being prepared for battle, there were none better ready out of their group than the young knight.