“Will that be enough?” Tyros asked, startled.
“It’ll be enough.” Bakal rose. “And unless there’s more to talk about, I’ll be going now. It’s been a long day.” He nodded to the cleric, who did likewise. “Make sure you’re both ready to leave when I contact you.”
“You are really willing to do this, Captain?” the mage asked.
“Just be ready.” The officer departed, his mind already racing. The name Cadrio had rung a bell with him and likely would do so with some of his superiors. That would make them more open to his plan, which varied slightly from what Tyros proposed. However, the wizard would just have to understand that not everything could go his way.
Captain Bakal would have the twelve men ready. Those twelve would be handpicked, not mercenaries, and they would answer to the officer, not Tyros or the cleric. It had to be that way, for neither of his companions knew enough about the necessities of war.
Only one thing bothered Bakal. Who, he wondered, was the last member of their party?
* * * * *
Tyros yawned, trying not to think of the sleep he was missing. The sun wouldn’t rise for another hour, and the weary mage greatly envied it. He took a sip from the flask he had brought along, a cold tea that one of his teachers had introduced to him long ago. It stimulated the system, revitalized the sleepy mind.
He wished he had brought a second flask … with something stronger added.
Tyros sat atop his chestnut mare, gazing at nothing. Oh, he could see the nearby vicinity well enough, as much good as that did him. The problem was that none of his companions had so far shown up, which irritated him. Even Serene, who had chosen this location, had not yet arrived.
This morning found him overly nervous. Since the disaster in the tower, his nerves had never been the same, and in fact he had to fight not to show that. Others could not be allowed to see his weakness. He was Tyros, after all.
He had tried to plan well for this journey, assuming that once they reached Serene’s transportation, they would continue on. Tyros had brought minimal supplies and only an extra garment or two. He had also strapped a new wizard’s staff to the side of his mount. It gave him some comfort, even though for the most part it would best serve for hand-to-hand combat. Given the short amount of time, Tyros had only been able to cast a few useful spells on it.
Tyros wished Serene had at least chosen a site in Gwynned, rather than out here in the desolate countryside. Dark hills greeted him for some distance, eventually changing to mountains far to the east. To the northeast lay the dragons’ cave, the only part of the chain that Tyros had ever visited, despite his many months here. He knew that if one went far enough beyond this small chain, one would reach the even more mountainous region of Hylo, but Hylo was the domain of the kender, and few Ergothians ever went there.
From behind came the sound of hooves trampling the dusty landscape. Tyros turned to see a murky form some distance back coalesce into Captain Bakal, followed by several men of so similar a look that the wizard would have almost taken them for brothers. Mercenaries, perhaps, but Tyros suspected that they were regular soldiers, possibly even men who had trained under the captain. He found that interesting, especially in light of Gwynned’s supposed disinterest in his proposition.
“Well, good to see you up and bright, mage.”
“I’ve been here about a quarter hour, already, Captain Bakal,” Tyros replied, trying to sound fully awake. “Waiting for all of you. I see you found the men after all.”
“It took some doing.”
When it became clear that the graying officer would not elaborate, Tyros settled back to studying the landscape.
“And where’s the cleric, boy?”
“She should be along soon.”
“I’m here already,” a musical voice interrupted. From out of the darkness Serene materialized, walking gracefully along with a staff of her own. A faint green glow surrounded the cleric. She seemed to smell of morning dew and flowers, and more than one man among Bakal’s troop brightened at her presence. “I was waiting until you all arrived.”
“You were here already?” Tyros frowned, wondering how she had escaped detection by him. “How long?”
“Long enough. Good morning, Captain.”
“Morning to you, my lady.”
She looked over his band. “You had little trouble finding men, I see.”
“I fulfilled my part.” The captain shifted in the saddle. “Now that we’re all here, we can get on with it.” Bakal squinted. “Where’s your horse?”
“I don’t need one, Captain.”
“I thought we had a journey of some distance.”
“Yes, to those mountains there. The nearest ones.”
The officer snorted. “You propose to walk all the way there, girl?” He extended his hand. “I’ll give you a ride. This old war-horse, he’ll carry both of us just fine.”
Serene shook her head. “Thank you, but I don’t need any help.” Again she pointed at the mountains. “Ride directly toward the one with the twisted top. You two know it?”
“I know it,” Bakal replied. “A short but jagged peak. Some bad ground there, too. That’s where we go?”
“Yes. I’ll meet you there.”
“Meet us there? You going to cast a spell to fly over there?”
The cleric gave Bakal a frown. “I do not cast spells. I ask for the help of my good patron, and if he deems it worthy, my request is fulfilled.”
The captain shrugged. “A spell.”
Before she could correct Bakal again, Tyros leapt in. “All right, Serene. We’ll meet you there.”
“Good. I’ll be waiting for you.…” The glow around her began to fade, and as it did Serene herself started to vanish. Her gaze fixed on the wizard’s and remained there until she had completely disappeared.
“Mages and clerics!” Bakal finally uttered. “Give me swords anytime! At least steel is good, honest, and stays where you put it!” He turned to his men and shouted, “You heard her, lads! Let’s ride!”
Tyros noticed that the men only paid attention to the captain, barely even noticing the mage. They had to be soldiers from Gwynned. He had suspected that Bakal would opt for such a choice, but decided to say nothing. In reality, Tyros cared little who the captain chose; he had his own plans for when they reached the citadel. If he could gain access to the Wind Captain’s Chair, then he could seize control of the fortress himself. Control it, and he not only rescued Leot, but brought fame to himself. If Bakal helped him, fine.
They rode toward the eastern mountains, the sun rising shortly into their journey. The low hills began to give way to even rockier, sloping landscape, one that forced them to slow down. Tyros knew that the chain of mountains ahead hardly compared to the one bordering Hylo, but it still left an impression. He thought it a shame that most maps beyond Northern Ergoth did not even acknowledge its presence.
Bakal led them to the peak in question, a vicious-looking thing that, while not as tall as Sunfire’s home, rose almost vertically on the western face. Tyros hoped that they wouldn’t have to climb it.
The veteran officer looked around at the few shrubs. “Well, we’re here! You see any sign of the cleric … or anyone?”
“I’m right here, Captain.”
The redheaded woman stood off to the side, looking as fresh and relaxed as she had earlier. Jade eyes twinkled at the men’s startled expressions.
Bakal could only frown and say, “So you are.”
“You’ll have to dismount if you want to reach where we need to go. You can lead the animals in on foot.”
The men dismounted, then followed Serene through a narrow opening leading into the mountain chain. They wended their way along the passage for some time, noting that the rocky walls quickly grew high. Bakal muttered something about ambushes, but Tyros paid him little mind, trying to keep his attention on the uneven path. Serene hadn’t been jesting when she had said that they would have to go on foot.