Aiko touched her chest-there where a red tiger lay- but the golden warrior said nought.
Finally they faded into the fringes of the jungle and began slowly working their way 'round the fortress, pausing now and then to slip forward and see if there was aught to give advantage in going over the parapets rather than climbing up the outside of the tower.
The walls themselves stood some thirty feet high, and a wide strip of land had been cleared of growth about the bastion, the land laid bare to give archers above clear arrowcasts at any attacking foe, laid bare as well so that enemies could not easily come upon the fortress unseen. Even so, the companions had come prepared, for at Ferret's suggestion in Sabra, they had purchased reversible cloaks in the event they might prove useful, cloaks which would blend into the terrain-greyish brown on one side, grey-green on the other-cloaks that were now rolled and lashed to their packs. And as they examined the open strip and the bulwarks beyond, she whispered that they could cover themselves and crawl forward undetected across the bare land, or so she believed.
And the stars wheeled silently above as the comrades watched swart guards pace atop stone walls.
Finding nought to change their plans, back the companions faded into the jungle to creep 'round to the south, and then once again move forward to examine the back wall. Long they looked as the night deepened, and just as they had found on the eastern bulwark, there seemed no advantage here either, nothing to change their plan to climb the tower.
Once again they faded back. Slowly they worked around to the west as stars wheeled above. When they moved forward to the edge of the bush and examined the western ramparts, still climbing the tower seemed best.
Now they passed through the undergrowth and vines and trees to come opposite the northwest corner, to come opposite the high stone tower, wavering torchlight illuminating its inner side.
Delon murmured, "It seems your drawing was right, Egiclass="underline" there appears to be no banquette around the outer wall of the tower."
"There are arrow slits, though," said Arin. "And if warded on the inside-"
"Fear not," said Delon. "From what I have seen, the walls and tower are large blocks piled atop one another, some mortared, others not. I believe there's enough crevices and handholds so that we can all free-climb the stone. We'll not need to drive a single rock-nail; our ascent will be silent."
Arin glanced at the sky. "It is nearing mid of night."
"Then let's go," said Egil, untying his cloak from his pack. He looked at Ferret in the starlight. "Dun side out?"
"Indeed," she replied.
Slowly, carefully, a yard at a time, on their stomachs they inched across the open terrain, listening for sounds of alarm while watching the movement upon the walls to see if there were any change. Now they came into the shadow of the tower, and all seemed at ease, yet of a sudden there was a flurry atop the ramparts and a great shouting erupted.
Ferret called out quietly, "Steady. Don't move. It may not be us."
With a grinding clatter, the portcullis was raised.
"Be ready to flee," sissed Egil. "They are too many to fight. We must at all odds avoid capture by that monster inside."
Aiko growled, but said nought.
Now several Drokha marched out to peer over the precipice and down into the cove.
Horrified screams came wailing from below, shrieking up and over the rim, followed by keening and blubbering and then more terrified shrieks. And a troop of Foul Folk came trampling up the final switchback and onto the verge above. And stumbling among them and jerked along, shackled and screaming and pleading, floundered a weeping one-eyed old man.
Alos.
CHAPTER 63
As the Drokken band dragged screaming Alos into the fortress and the portcullis clattered down, Egil declared, "We must rescue him."
Aiko, nearby, in a toneless voice said, "If we attempt to do so it will jeopardize the mission."
Egil turned his head toward her and replied, "If we do not, he will die horribly."
Ferret hissed, "But this is the man who said if we were captured he would not lift a finger to help us."
Egil now faced her. "He was not put to the test."
Aiko said, "If he had been, he would have failed."
"Would you have us fail, Aiko?" asked Egil. "For it is we who are now being put to the test."
Aiko looked at Egil impassively and said, "Do you ask that we balance the life of a single man against all those to be lost should this mission fail?"
Delon hissed, "Regardless as to whether we weigh the needs of one against many, we must go forward now while the guards are occupied with the spectacle of a shrieking old man in chains." Delon began crawling forward, toward the base of the tower, depending on the concealment of his cloak as well as the distraction of Alos's capture to see him safely to his goal.
The others followed after…
… and in a trice they had reached the spire.
Still the old man's screams drifted on the air, but suddenly they were chopped off, as if a door had closed.
Delon stood in the darkness below the tower and examined the stone. Beside him Ferret ran her hands across the blocks and said, "Rather effortless, I would think."
Delon nodded, then turned to the rest. "The blocks are large and rough and the mortar sparse. We should all be able to free-climb, though I will snap a short line from me to Dara Arin, while Burel does the same with Egil."
"But Burel and I must both be unfettered in case there is a need to fight," protested Egil, examining the stone. "In spite of my inexperience, I think I can manage this."
Delon looked at the Fjordlander, then said, "Burel, stay near him in the event he needs aid."
Aiko said, "I will lead."
They shed all unnecessary equipment, and even though they planned on using no climbing gear, still they donned the harnesses and attached ropes and lanterns and hammers along with rock-nails and snap-rings, for as Delon said, "We simply don't know what might lie above."
Aiko and Burel rearranged the straps and buckles of their sword belts to sling the weapons across their backs. Arin slipped her bow and quiver across her shoulders, and then Delon snapped a rope between himself and the Dara.
Finally all was ready, and with Aiko in the lead and Egil immediately after, up the fortress wall they clambered, the Ryodoan whispering instructions to guide his hands and feet. To Egil's left and slightly below climbed Burel. Delon followed with Arin trailing after, Ferret at her side.
Up they scaled, up the rough stone, some blocks with knobs and sharp projections on cragged faces, others smooth as if worked. But in the main it was cracks and crevices between the blocks they used to ascend, toeholds and footholds, fingerholds and handholds. And neither Arin nor Egil, with their lack of experience, found the going difficult, though at times the diminutive Dylvana had to stretch to grasp the next purchase.
Up the outer wall they climbed, in the darkest shadow, for torches atop the fortress walls yet illuminated the night. Now they mounted past the level of the parapets, depending on the girth of the spire to shield them from the warders on patrol. Up past dark arrow slits they scaled. If there had been alert guards inside the spire, perhaps then the climbers would have been detected. Yet there sounded no alarm and in darkness they ascended.
Climbing in virtual silence, soon they were more than halfway to the top. Then nearly three-quarters. Of a sudden Aiko stopped, and in the starlight and dim cast of torch Egil could see her pointing down and away. As the others paused as well, Egil set his fingers hard into the crevice, and then he turned his head, his gaze to follow Aiko's outstretched arm. Down in the cove below, and by the torchlight at the pier, he could see the Brise moored next to the dhow at Ordrune's dock. Egil silently groaned, for not only had the Foul Folk dragged Alos here, they had brought the sloop to Ordrune's doorstep as well, and he knew they needed a ship to escape from the Wizard's lair. Yet how could they get to the Brise undetected and slip away unseen?