Elrose laughed. “I have to admit, that was one of the longest ten minutes of my life!”
Several aetós laughed loudly behind them. “If you thought that was an experience, just wait for the Fierdal bridge! Treyfoêr exclaimed. “Grounders never enjoy that!”
“Joy.” Gastropé quipped sarcastically.
The carts came to a halt near a large, flat area on the side of the mountain. There was a wagon there, which was equipped with poles out the front and rear, as if to be pulled and pushed by people. On the wagon were the multiple chests and trunks belonging to Elrose. Beyond the cart at the end of a path was a large frame with what appeared to be an unbelievably large crystal lens. It had to be fourteen feet in diameter, if not more. The path ended in a small bridge leading up to the middle of it.
“Out we go!” Trevin called. “Fierd’s approaching; we need to move!”
Jenn slid to the left to exit, Gastropé sliding along behind her to exit on the same side. He still hadn’t said anything about her being in his arms. As she stepped down to the ground, a wave of dizziness swept over her and she nearly collapsed. She grabbed the side of the cart for support, and Gastropé also reached to steady her.
Trevin nodded. “The ride does have a tendency to throw off one’s balance, but you will be fine in a bit.”
The others also seemed wobbly as they unloaded their gear. “Everyone load your gear up. Each of you will be accompanied by an Aetóên on the bridge to help you keep your balance. The remaining aetós will bring the wagon with the equipment. Everyone line up side by side!”
Danfaêr came up beside her. “I think you’re going to want to hold my hand until you get used to the bridge,” he stated. Jenn was once again caught up in his incredible scent and magnificent torso in the predawn light. She could only nod. Goddess, these beings were gorgeous, Jenn thought to herself.
The group took their positions: Trevin was at the gate to the bridge, preparing to open it, Hethfar just behind her. Elrose and his Aetóên companion were next, followed by Gastropé and Treyfoêr, and then Jenn and Danfaêr. Maelen and his companion were behind them, and last came the wagon.
Trevin began chanting and arranging crystals on a pedestal beside the giant lens. The wind direction was such that Jenn could not make out the words of the incantation. Probably just as well; she was not much with enchantment. Or was this pyromancy? It was a Fierdal bridge, and Fierd was by definition the source of fire. Or with the crystals, was it some form of runic magic? She had read once of something called crystal magic, but she did not know anything about it. Anyway, it seemed better to speculate on this rather than how she had gotten in Gastropé’s arms.
While she was thinking about this, Fierd rose above the horizon and the lens lit up like a thousand candles, showering a rainbow of colors around them.
“Time to go!” Trevin shouted and walked forward right through the lens! Jenn blinked and realized that there was no longer a lens; there was instead a bridge of fierdshine on the other side of the portal.
Hethfar followed her and Treyfoêr started forward, gently pulling Gastropé with him. As they moved forward, Danfaêr started pulling Jenn forward as well. As Gastropé stepped through the portal, Jenn heard him curse and halt briefly, but Treyfoêr dragged him forward saying, “You really don’t want to stop and look down. Trust me; this is disconcerting even for the aetós.”
“I will agree.” Danfaêr looked down and smiled at Jenn. “Just look forward and concentrate on following those in front of us.” They stepped through and Jenn was hit with the worst case of vertigo she had ever experienced. There was nothing below her feet and a one-league drop other than sparkling, shifting rays of light.
It was very disconcerting. She had no idea what light rays were supposed to look like, but what was below her feet looked like the bright streaks of light you saw when looking at Fierd through squinted eyes. It was insanely dizzying. “Look forward. It gets worse as you walk,” Jenn heard Danfaêr say.
Holy mother goddess! Did it ever! With every step she took, the ground far below her seemed to telescope and stretch. “What the Abyss?” Jenn gasped.
“Every stride on the Fierdal Bridge covers a league. It’s a very fast way of traveling, but it’s also very disturbing.” Jenn decided to stop fighting the advice she had been given and she focused on Gastropé ahead of her, locking her gaze only on him. As she did, she realized that he was walking rather rigidly, his sight apparently locked on Elrose ahead of him.
They had been on the bridge for maybe two dozen strides when she suddenly heard Trevin caterwauling from the front: “We’re walking on fierdshine — whoa oh! Walking on fierdshine — and don’t it feel good!” No, Jenn decided, Trevin’s off-key singing did not feel good! She hoped the woman did not use that voice to try and enchant people! Fortunately, the enchantress stopped singing and laughed as she picked up her stride, swinging her arms briskly as she marched along the bridge.
“This, my friends, must be the manner in which the gods of old used to tread the lands of men!” Trevin shouted over her shoulder at the rest of the party. “Sure, teleportation is quicker if you know where you are going, but this is far more liberating and exciting!”
Jenn closed her eyes for a bit to allow Danfaêr to lead her. She was nearing her limits on keeping her breakfast from leaving. And she had thought the cart ride was stomach wrenching; she’d had no idea what was to come.
They continued to march for several minutes or more — Jenn had lost track of time — and she simply let Danfaêr lead her. After some time she finally opened her eyes to see they had left the mountains and were striding over a huge forest that stretched for leagues in each direction. She had not realized with her eyes closed, but they were actually heading downward towards the ground at this point. It probably was not three or four minutes before she saw a large glade in the middle of the forest that the bridge seemed to be leading to.
Down they marched at a dizzying pace, and suddenly they were stepping through another lens portal and into the glade itself. Jenn was not sure she had ever felt anything as wonderful as the soft dirt and grass beneath her boots as she stepped into the glade. The light from the bridge was still quite dazzling in the glade and it took her eyes a few minutes to realize that they were surrounded by naked, overly endowed women and short, brown, hairy wingless demons!
Chapter 90
Vaselle stepped back from the pentagram he had constructed in the dirt in the clearing outside the city. He was now ready to summon Estrebrius. He had to admit to being nervous. After he had sent his demon on the quest to find the super-demon, he had had second thoughts. It was really rather ridiculous to think that his little demon would be able to find and contact such a powerful force of evil. Moreover, if somehow Estrebrius ever did, the demon would surely slaughter his poor servant. It was just stupid and selfish of him. He had put at risk his good and faithful demon.
Estrebrius had served him faithfully with no tricks or games for the last few years; he had also been a great companion around the lab. He really hoped he had not sent the poor fiend to his death. That was probably the main reason for his anxiety this morning. Being honest, he had a good idea how many demons there were and what a big place the Abyss was, and there was no realistic way Estrebrius could have found the demon, nor would it have agreed to meet him. Yet he could not resist a nagging guilt that he might have seen the last of his faithful demon.
He shook his head and began the summoning. It was his standard summoning spell for Estrebrius. He probably should use something stronger in the unlikely event that Estrebrius had found the demon lord; however, Vaselle didn’t think he knew anything powerful enough to protect him from a demon capable of defeating a Knight Rampant of Tiernon and possessing hundreds of Rod members and priests. In addition, such bindings would be antithetical to his proposal in the first place.