The two riders moved slowly as their mounts walked towards the wide river that flowed in front of them. When they reached it Jon Gray dismounted, tied back the reins, and let the horse trot over to the water which it began to gulp down eagerly. Sorus sat on the back of his mount for a while longer and looked to his left and right before he also dismounted and allowed his own steed to drink.
“We’ve reached the point of decision,” said Jon as Sorus moved over to him. The two young men stood on a grassy knoll that looked out across the Frosty Run and towards the interior of the lands of Elekargul. “Tell me again what lies in which direction,” he went on, his gaze still towards the horizon.
“If we follow the Frosty downstream we’ll eventually get to Black Roost, the capital of Elekargul. It’s along the Southern Sea at the head of the Bay of Lights. I don’t think the First Rider will be there though. He’s almost always on patrol. If what they said in town is true, we’re more likely to find the men of Black Dale in that direction. The attacking reptile men are supposedly coming from the south.”
“I know the Mountains of the Orc are to our northeast,” said Jon and looked in that direction, “but I don’t think that’s our destination. What about that way,” he said and pointed straight across the river to a series of low hills.
“That’s mostly just farmland,” said Sorus with a shrug of his shoulders and a glance at Jon. “If you go far enough you get to a hilly region where the Dorian knights have a temple.”
“There are Dorian knights in Elekargul?” asked Jon with a look at the boy, his eyebrows raised, and his head tilted slightly to the side.
“That’s what they say,” said Sorus. “Don’t forget that I’ve never been much out of Black Dale. Anything I tell you is just what I’ve heard other people say.”
“Why is there a Dorian temple in the middle of Elekargul?” said Jon as he looked in that direction.
“I don’t know,” said Sorus with a shrug. “I think it’s called the Temple of Fear. I’ve seen traveling Dorian knights come through Black Dale a few times over the years but I’ve never really talked with them. You went through Doria to get here so you probably know more than me about it.”
“I didn’t spend much time in one place,” said Jon and now looked back over his shoulder and towards the town of Black Dale from whence they came. “The biggest order of knights is Mixcowatel or something like that. I can’t pronounce most of the names. They like to use a spear; that is their holiest weapon I think.”
“That sounds right,” said Sorus as he closed one eye and pursed his lips. “There was something about a spear; I remember that… I can’t remember. I don’t think it’s important anyway. Now, if we get past those hills then we arrive at the heartlands of Elekargul. Most of our major cities are there on the Old Water Lake: Black Home, Black Helm, Black Sword.”
“You people like naming things by color I can see,” said Jon.
“Don’t look at me,” said Sorus. “I’m just telling you what you asked. Now, if we head north then we get to Hollow Wood and west of there is the Wood of Waves. The First Rider is usually up that way patrolling because the insect men are so aggressive. He could be close to us or even all the way to the east on the border with Relm.”
“You don’t have a guess?”
Sorus shook his head, “There’s no telling, Jon. “The First Rider is on patrol for almost his entire twelve month. The only time he’s not is the first week when he makes all the civilian assignments for the knights coming off their year of military service.”
“So, there’s a new First Rider every year?” said Jon, his gaze still looking deep into the heart of Elekargul.
“That’s right,” said Sorus with a nod of his head. “Every year on the Day of the Black Horse the knights on civilian duty gather in the plains and anyone who wants sets out that morning to where the wild stallions roam. The knight who returns with the finest mount is the First Rider for the next season.”
“Who makes the decision on the finest mount?” said Jon. “Anything subjective like that might end up in a fist fight is how I find those things finish often enough.”
“The First Rider from the previous season makes that decision,” said Sorus. “Then the new First Rider makes all the civilian assignments for the coming year and also sets up the groups for the military patrols. Maybe someday I’ll get to try for First Rider.”
“Didn’t you say that anyone can make the attempt,” said Jon turning to the boy. “Why couldn’t you just try every year?”
“Oh no,” said Sorus, his eyes wide and with a firm shake of his head. “Only the best knights try. If you tried when you weren’t one of the top knights… that’s bad. Everyone will laugh at you. Sometimes only two or three knights make the attempt but usually about a dozen go for it. I would never try for that until I get much more experienced.”
Jon nodded, “I can see why my father wants to be allied with Elekargul,” he said with a smile. “All right, so one direction is as good as any another? I’d like to see this Hollow Wood and the insect men.”
“North then,” said Sorus and looked to his right and upstream. “We’ll head up the Frosty Run and look for somewhere to ford. We can do some fishing and hunting and there will be plenty of farmers along the way. I won’t be surprised if we run into a patrol within a day or two. There is usually some activity along the eastern edge of the Mountains of the Orc.”
Jon walked over to the river, gave a whistle, and his horse lifted its head and came over at a trot. Sorus watched with a wry smile and tried the same whistle but his steed, borrowed from the stables just a few days before, did not react in the same way. “How long did it take you to train him?” said Sorus as he grabbed the reigns of his own horse.
“He’s Tarlton bred,” said Jon. “The finest horses in the world, the man who sold him taught me the whistle. Naturally, I didn’t get any of the palace stock but he’s a beautiful animal for long journeys and not as slow as he looks.”
“I’ve heard of Tarlton,” said Sorus, “it’s the desert city, right?”
“It’s an amazing place. Can you imagine a huge city on the edge of the desert and not a river in site? They get all their water from the oceans; their priests worship a sun god named Ras and they wade out into water every day with these huge containers and pray for the water to be drinkable. Then, everyone in the entire city comes and fills their personal and family containers from those. It’s a sight to see, let me tell you.”
“What if someday the water stayed salty?” asked Sorus a look of almost horror on his face.
“Everyone would die I guess,” said Jon with a shrug of his shoulders. “The city is from the Old Empire though and was re-founded almost 500 years ago according to what I was told. I guess if something like that were going to happen it probably already would have. It seems kind of crazy to me too, but it works for them. I saw a few nomads in town while I was there as well. Dark-skinned men with hard eyes and hard bodies. They say that is where they breed the best horses, out in The Sands where the nomads live. I don’t know, I only spent a couple of days there picking up a horse and then my ship headed south for Doria.”
The two mounted their horses and began the journey north up the river in the same direction they went just a few days before with Sir Germanius and Mikus. “It was only, what, five days ago we took this same route,” said Sorus, looking at Jon with a frown on his face and puttting his right hand on his chest above his heart. “It seems like a long time ago but sometimes it feels like it didn’t happen at all,” he continued with a look at the ground as the horses moved slowly forward. “I know what your father says, but those things are in my heart now.”
Jon didn’t say anything as they continued the journey north. About two hours later they came to a small sandy area where they crossed the river and headed northeast towards the center of Elekargul. “How many days until we get to Hollow Wood?” asked Jon, the first words spoken in some time.
Sorus shrugged, “I don’t know Jon; I’ve only been outside of Black Dale a few times in my life. I guess maybe a week? We should run across patrols sometime soon though, or at least a small farm where we can ask someone about the last time riders went through.” Even as the young knight said these words they came up over a small rise and spotted a group of houses in a small valley. “There you go,” said Sorus with a smile on his face. “It’s probably someone I know; the farmers come into town fairly frequently to sell their produce.”
The two spurred their horses towards the group of homes and as they approached made out more of the details of the place. A small grove of some sort of crop trees sat on the left side of the main house and beyond that a field with green plants gathered up the midday sunshine. The largest building turned out to be a sturdy wooden barn painted light yellow where an old horse nipped at the grass, and the last building was a large shed or possibly a small guest house. As they approached the buildings a young boy of nine or ten dashed out from the barn and waved a small wooden sword at them. He was immediately followed by an older boy who started to yell something but then spotted Jon and Sorus and stopped with his mouth open for a long moment. The smaller boy looked back and saw the older’s expression and quickly turned to face them. A broad smile came across his face and he waved at them and gave out a high pitched yell, “Hello!”
“Hey there,” shouted Jon back as he rode over to the boy, reached down with one massive paw, hauled him up the horse, and sat him down in the front. “What’s your name?”
“You talk funny,” said the boy as he craned his head around to see Jon.
Jon nodded his, “I’m not from around here, my name is Jon Gray, what’s yours?”
“That’s a funny name,” said the boy his face screwed up in a puzzled expression. “Aren’t you a knight?”
“I’m not from around here,” replied Jon and put his hand on top of the boy’s head and turned it around to face the front as they approached the house. “What’s your name?”
The boy squirmed around again to face Jon and looked up him with squinting eyes, “You’re taller than my dad?” he said with wide eyes.
“I believe you,” said Jon and smiled down at the boy once again. “What’s your name?”
“I’m Danus,” said the boy as he still tried to squirm around to look at Jon, although the gray knight’s huge hand kept the boy turned around to face the front. “Let me go!”
Jon put his arm around the boy, with a swing of his leg dismounted, and then set him down on the ground. “Go get your father, Danus,” he said and released his hold around the young fellow’s waist.
Meanwhile Sorus rode over to the older boy who looked to be in his early teens and dismounted from his steed. “Hi there, do I know you?”
The boy shook his head and gazed back with wide eyes.
“I’m Sorus Nightwalker but I used to be Sorus Brewer from Black Dale down the river. I bet you’ve been to town a few times, right?”
The boy nodded his head his eyes still wide.
“Have you seen any patrols come by lately? Any dragon children?” said Sorus as he led his horse over to a nearby post and tied off the reins. “Is your mom or dad home?”
The boy shook his head at the first question but then nodded it at the follow-up.
Sorus looked at him for a second, “Was that no to seeing any patrols and yes to the dragon child or yes to your mom and dad?” The young knight then laughed out loud as the boy stared at him for a moment. “Never mind, we’ll figure it out. Come on, let’s go to the house with Jon and your brother. That is your brother isn’t it?”
The boy nodded his head and smiled.
“What’s his name?” said Sorus as he motioned with his head to the younger boy who walked with Jon Gray towards the house.
“He’s Danus,” said the older boy, “and I’m Olneus.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Olneus,” said Sorus and he suddenly realized he mimicked the behavior many of the powerful knights of Elekargul used when the spoke to him back in Black Dale. “Have you seen any children of the dragons around here at all?”
The boy shook his head no again as they got to Jon and Danus. “What have you managed to get out of this one,” said Sorus to the knight of gray, just as a tall man came out of the house, a sword buckled to his side and a square jaw that looked a bit orcish, although his blonde hair and features were mostly human. “Proteus,” said Sorus with a smile. “I thought I might know who lived here. It’s me, Sorus Brewer, except I’m a knight now, Sorus Nightwalk.”
The man’s frown suddenly broke and he smiled at Sorus, “Sorus Nightwalk, it suits you, and who’s your big friend?”
“I’m Jon Gray,” said Jon and moved forward to grasp the man by the hand. “Sorus and I are looking for the First Rider. Has he been by on patrol anytime recently?”
Proteus looked to Soras for a moment and then at Jon with a glance of narrowed eyes.
“He’s ok, Proteus,” said Sorus. “He’s an ambassador from a place called Tanelorn. We were up in the Mountains of the Orc with Sir Germanius a few days back. Jon, show him that sketch you made of Sir Germanius.”
“That old man,” said Proteus with a smile. “He served with my grandfather if you can believe that and I’m old enough to be your father, Sorus. How is he?”
Jon handed over the sketch and the square-jawed man looked at it for a moment and said, “Oh, well, that puts a new light on the subject then doesn’t it? Why don’t you boys come on in and the lads and me will make up some dinner. You’re welcome to stay in the barn tonight. We can talk about the First Rider in a bit. So how did you end up with a sketch like this of Sir Germanius, Jon?”
The two boys tried to peek at the paper their father held, he looked at it one more time as a smile appeared on his face and then handed it to his oldest son. “Don’t rip that Olneus and make sure your bother doesn’t either.”
The young boy nodded his head solemnly and took the piece of paper over to a butcher block table in the kitchen. His brother climbed up on a chair next to him and they stared at the paper wide-eyed while the others walked through the kitchen and into a small dining room.
As they passed, Jon noted the kitchen looked well equipped with a fine wood stove and a number of cabinets but none of the floral curtains or vases filled with flowers that one expected to find in the domain of women. They made their way to the dining room that was also clean and orderly although lacking in the feminine touch.
Proteus motioned to the chairs and took a seat at the head of the table. “So, Jon, tell me how you ended up with this sketch.”
Jon looked at the square-jawed man and then to Sorus, who nodded his head, “I came to Elekargul on a mission from my father and we ran into some trouble in town with the mayor. He didn’t… think my story was believable and refused to send out scouts to alert the First Rider.”
“I can understand that,” said Proteus. “Who knows who you really represent and, if you wait long enough, the First Rider will find you eventually.”
“That seems reasonable,” said Jon. “It was Sorus here who I first met up with when I came out of the Mountains of the Orc and he suggested heading out to prove myself as a warrior. Sir Germanius and the mayor’s son came with us.”
“The old fellow looking to get himself killed in one last heroic stand no doubt,” said Proteus, “but why did Mikus come along?”
“I’d guess the mayor wanted to make sure I didn’t do anything to harm Elekargul,” said Jon with a shrug of his shoulders although he did raise his eyebrows.
“That’s a charitable assessment,” said Proteus as he nodded his head. “So you found a dragon up in the mountains. That’s quite an achievement.”
“I don’t think it was a coincidence,” said Jon. “The dragon recognized me as soon as it saw me and called out my name. Fortunately for me, Sir Germanius had one last good fight in him and killed the beast before it did the same to me. I’m no artist but I think the sketch is fairly accurate.”
“Why would the dragon recognize you?” said Proteus his hands flat on the table.
“We don’t know,” interrupted Sorus, “but I heard it say his name as clear as day. The dragon children are involved in this as well. Jon
… Jon confided his mission to me and I can vouch for it. He needs to see the First Rider as soon as possible. There are forces in the darkling lands moving against him and maybe all of Elekargul.”
“We’ve seen several reptile men about of late but none with dragonish features, just the usual sort from Darag’dal but they did act a bit strange,” said Proteus.
“The mayor martialled all the civilian knights in Black Dale and sent them south to fight off an invasion from the reptile people,” said Sorus. “The town is completely vulnerable and Jon and I found a stairwell in the darkling lands wide enough to march up an entire army. We have to find the First Rider and tell him what is going on.”
“He was here not long ago,” said Proteus. “But, there’s nothing we can do until tomorrow morning,” he went on. “You wait here and the boys and I’ll set up something to eat.” With that the square-jawed man stood up and left the room.
“He looks like a knight but he’s a farmer?” said Jon.
“Proteus’s wife died in childbirth with their second son. He has no sisters and he took the Brokenshield so that he could raise the boys. He’s one of the finest knights in all of Elekargul and once served as the First Rider but that was before I was born,” said Sorus. “Once the boys are old enough to be on their own he can try to regain his name.”
“Can’t he just take it back; it’s not like those other fellows who had theirs stripped from them,” said Jon a puzzled expression across his face.
“That’s not the way it works,” said Sorus with a shrug. “It doesn’t matter how you become a Brokenshield, the only way back is through some act of heroism and then another knight can give you a second name.”
“We’ll be safe here?” said Jon, “He can be trusted?”
Sorus nodded, “Absolutely Jon. I know the mayor comes across badly but there aren’t many knights like that in all of Elekargul. Even the mayor did what he thinks is best for the nation even if it doesn’t seem that way.”
“Unless he’s being influenced somehow,” said Jon his hand placed on the table as he drummed with his fingers. “There are forces here at work beyond what I understand. The Staff of Sakatha is a relic of the Old Empire there are a lot of people who want to get a hold of it. The reptile men, or dragon children, or whatever you want to call them, yes, but other forces as well. An item like that brings out the worst in men, that’s why my father wants to put it away where it can’t influence the world.” Jon suddenly looked up from the table and saw that young Danus gazed at him with wide eyes from the doorway. “Did you hear all that?” said Jon looking at the boy.
Danus nodded his head. “What’s the Staff of Sakatha?”
Jon looked at Sorus and shook his head, “I’m not doing a good job of keeping this whole thing secret, am I?”
The young knight smiled and laughed, “I don’t think there is much of a secret at all to be honest Jon. That dragon knew you; Proteus mentioned that reptile men in the region are acting strangely. It took you how many months to get here after you left Tanelorn?”
“Maybe four and a bit. I used a portal to Sea’cra but then it took me a while to find a ship heading as far south as Tarlton. Once I got to Doria it took me almost two months to make my way here,” said Jon as he closed his eyes and looked to the sky. “If anyone back in Tanelorn knew my mission they couldn’t have beaten me here.”
“No, but they could use magic to pass messages along. I’ve seen the priests in the temple of the Black Horse communicate all the way across Elekargul with other clerics almost instantaneously,” said Sorus. “Who knows what’s possible with magic, and your father doesn’t control the only working portal in the world.”
“That’s true,” said Jon just as Danus came back into the room with his brother, both carrying plates and silverware and beginning to set the table. The boys worked diligently for a few moments and soon flatware, silverware, and stemware covered the previously empty surface. The boys finished their work and disappeared back in the kitchen only to emerge with pitchers of water that they poured it into all the glasses. Jon and Sorus watched the proceedings and looked at one another with raised eyebrows. After pouring the water the boys returned to the kitchen and Danus came back out a moment later with a small plate of dried bread and cheeses while Olneus returned the art work to Jon. “Here’s your drawing back,” he said and held it up with a shy smile on his face.
“Thank you, Olneus,” said Jon and took the parchment with a smile. “Did you know Sir Germanius?”
The young boy nodded his head solemnly, “He fell asleep once over there,” he said and pointed to the large fireplace where kindling and logs stood at the ready and a rocking chair did look invitingly comfortable.
“Hello Dolly,” said Jon and walked over to the fireplace, spotted a knife and a metal block, which he quickly used to spark up the blaze. Within a few moments the kindling caught fire and smoke began to rise up the flue.
A couple of hours later the boys were in bed while Jon, Sorus, and Proteus sat around the blaze and sipped whiskey from tall tumblers, “You get this from the orcs you say,” asked Sorus as he screwed up his face and took another sip.
“Just over the mountains,” said Proteus who also took a small sip and closed his eyes as an expression of contentment came over his face. “They make the finest I’ve ever had and I trade some of my chicken eggs with a fellow over there about once a month or so. Add a little more water if it’s too hearty for you, Sorus. You’re just a boy still, even if you’re a knight, and there’s no shame in adding water for taste. Sometimes a fellow thinks he has to do something the hard way to appear manlier, but often times the best strategy is to do things as easily and effectively as possible.”
Sorus nodded his head and eyed the tumbler for a moment before he got up, took the water filled pitcher from the small cherry wood side table near the fire, and poured a small amount into his glass. He then stood and looked at the fire for a moment before he took another sip and nodded his head, “That’s a bit more like it. I thought I was drinking straight from an ant’s stinger!”
Proteus laughed and Jon stood up and went over to the pitcher himself. “I had the same sort of thoughts,” he said and put a splash of water in his own drink. “That stuff is toxic,” he said as he took a sip of the drink and smiled. “Much better. Proteus, I want to thank you for having us as guests in your home. You’ve raised a couple of fine boys there and I’m sure they’ll become knights when they get older. Do you plan to try and gain back your name once they become men?”
Proteus nodded his head and rubbed his chin with his forefinger and thumb. “I’ve thought about that a lot over the least ten years,” he said. “I’m not as young as I was then and I’ve grown fond of this lifestyle. I take care of the cows, the chickens, manage the crops; it’s hard work in its own right and Elekargul needs good farmers as much as it needs good warriors in many ways.”
“That’s true,” said Sorus, “just like it needs good brewers, but isn’t that why we serve a twelve month every other year, to be good citizens, not just good warriors?”
“The twelve month system works fine,” said Proteus with a shake of his head in contradiction to his words, “and I think it’s generally a good idea, but there is no way a knight can really learn a trade by serving twelve months. It’s up to the journeymen and the apprentice boys who never want to be knights to do things right. We knights tend to get rotated in our twelve months anyway, so just as you’re getting a feel for one job it’s back to the patrolling and then off to some new job. When I did my twelve month I always tried to take on too much responsibility rather than let the journeyman do the job. I’ve thought about that a lot since I took the Brokenshield,” he concluded as he still rubbed his chin and looked at the roaring fire.
Sorus nodded his head and said, “We’ve had a few knights try to do too much at the brewery, but a lot of the times it’s a man like Thaddeus Redhand who lets the journeyman and the apprentice do the work and just tries to learn from them.”
“Thaddeus Redhand,” mused Proteus and a smile appeared on his face. “I was in the battle when Thaddeus got his name. We were fighting insect men up north making a raid, but they hooked up with a bunch of renegade orcs from Relm. Bandits, criminals, the sort who live up in the wilderness areas until they wear out their welcome and have to move on again. I suppose the mayor suspected you fell into that category, Jon, just some roving drifter moving from one place to the next but,” he continued and looked at the size of the boy and remembered his own impression upon first meeting him, “no, you’re not that sort and anyone can see it. I think there might be an untoward influence on the mayor and some others. I told you, the First Rider was here not long ago and now I’ll tell you the entire story. Then tomorrow morning, we’ll ride out and find him.”
“What about the boys?” said Sorus and looked towards the wooden door where they disappeared just a short time before.
“They’re getting old enough to take care of themselves and the farm,” said Proteus, the smile gone from his face and his eyes steady towards the front door.
“There are darklings up in those hills, not a day’s travel from here,” said Jon. “Maybe the boys could come with us. They both look old enough to sit a mount and I’d hate to be responsible for taking you away from here if something were to happen.”
Proteus thought about that for a long moment and nodded his head, “That’s a good idea, Jon, I hate to leave the farm unattended, but we shouldn’t be gone more than a couple of days and the boys need some experience riding. I’ve got a couple of ponies, but they won’t be able to keep up with your horses, so if speed is of the essence we should leave them behind.”
Jon thought about both proposed plans and nodded his head, “It could go either way really,” he finally concluded. “But from what Sorus and I saw down there in the darkling lands I’d say I don’t feel comfortable leaving the boys behind. We’ll head out in the morning?”
Proteus nodded his head, “That’s right. Now, the First Rider came to me about three months ago with news that something big happened up in the Mountains of the Orc and asked me to keep an eye on the region.”
Jon started to interrupt with a question, but Proteus raised a hand, “Let me finish the whole story or we’ll be here all night.”
Jon nodded his head and smiled, “Of course Proteus, I’m sorry, please continue.”
Proteus nodded, stood up to get a large glass carafe filled with a light brown fluid, poured some into his cup, and offered it to the other two. Both of the boys looked at their own still half-full containers and shook their head. The square jawed knight then went over to the fireplace and the pitcher of water, poured in a small amount, and then returned to his seat. “About three months ago the First Rider asked me to keep an eye on the Mountains of the Orc. He didn’t want to increase patrols in the region because he wasn’t sure exactly what was going on. Vipsanius is in contact with the orcs of Adas Jdar over the mountains and they informed him that the darklings below the mountain were working with dragon children from Darag’dal and the Lady of the Abyss, although towards what end he was uncertain.” Proteus paused for a moment and took a sip from his tumbler. “About a month later the First Rider visited again, this time with more concrete information. Apparently a powerful undead creature named Lord Whitebone sent allies, yes, Jon, likely that dragon Sir Germanius killed, to the region to look for a relic of the Old Empire.”
At this Jon and Sorus looked at one another but said nothing.
“Does that sound right to you, Jon?” asked Proteus and stopped his story for the moment.
“I thought I wasn’t supposed to interrupt,” said Jon with a smile on his face as he polished off the last of the liquid in his tumbler, made a face, and then got up to pour himself some more.
“Could you top me off as well,” said Sorus, his cheeks a little red and a rather silly smile on his face.
“Be careful with that,” said Proteus with a grin. “It’s more potent than that beer you brew in town and we don’t need you with a hangover tomorrow morning.”
“Just one more,” said Sorus with a smile. “I think I’m acquiring a taste for this stuff. Next time I’m over the mountains I’ll have to buy some for myself.”
“Next time you’re over the mountains,” said Jon, pouring the whiskey in both of their glasses, and then adding a generous dollop of water. “You’ve barely been out of Black Dale in your life and now you’re talking about the next time you go over the mountains?”
“It was a sigure of feech,” said Sorus and then hiccupped.
“That’s your last,” said Proteus shaking his head and smiling. “But they say the lesson learned best, is the lesson learned hard.”
“Hear, hear,” said Sorus and took the proffered glass from Jon, tilted it back, and splashed some of the burning liquid down his throat. “Whoopee!”
“Vipsanius didn’t know what this relic of the Old Empire was or how it tied in with Elekargul, only that those interested in it were in the region. About a month after that, or one month ago, I got a visit from a roaming band of knights, and they planned to head up into the mountains to investigate a sighting of undead creatures. They stopped here to provision and gave me a map of where they were going in case they didn’t come back. They didn’t say anything about this relic, but I think we all knew what was going on. They never came back and just two days ago I got a message from the First Rider.”
“What did it say?” said Jon and looked over to Sorus, whose head was back and his body slumped in the chair fast asleep. “Kids,” he said with a smile to Proteus.
“How much older than Sorus are you?” asked the square-jawed father of two with a smile.
“Only about two years,” said Jon, “but I’m the son of a lord and I’ve trained for things like this all my life. My father taught me to drink but not get drunk, to listen to everything people say even if it seems immaterial. My brother Val is better at it than I am, and my sister Jane is also, but I’ve learned a few things at least. Sorus there was born to be a brewer not a knight, not a man of responsibility, a man who orders other men to their death. He didn’t have anyone to teach him, so maybe I’m only two years older than him, but I’m ready to help the knights of Elekargul take on a darkling army, an armada of reptile men and their dragon children allies, or endless waves of creatures from the abyss. I know about relics of the Old Empire,” he went on with a look to the great stone sword that leaned against the wall by the door, “and if something like that is around here then you’ll want my help.”
Proteus nodded his head and frowned, “All well-spoken Jon,” he said, “but you remain seventeen years old and, despite your size, many of the knights of Elekargul will likely not let you lead them. You’re going to need our help, and to get it you need to convince the First Rider that you are on our side. After all Jon, you must look at it from his perspective. A relic of the Old Empire suddenly surfaces and all sorts of factions want to claim it. Why is your claim more legitimate than anyone else’s?”
“I can show you that,” said Jon, as he stood up and went over to his pack, “but you don’t have to believe it any more than the mayor of Black Dale did. I am an ambassador of the Gray Lord come to Elekargul all the way from Tanelorn. We are nations of free people, two of three that my father knows to exist in the entire world. We must band together despite the great distance between our nations.”
“Stop right there, Jon,” said Proteus and leaned forward in his seat and put his hand up to stop Jon. “I’m not the First Rider and I have no authority with my people. I’m merely a Brokenshield, my past accomplishments withstanding. It’s not me you must convince but the First Rider. I don’t want to see what you have there. Save it for the right time. Now, let me tell you what the note from the First Rider said and then you can tell me what we should do next.”
Jon stopped in his tracks, the papers in his hand held out towards Proteus; then he turned and put them away.
“The message told me the location the patrol went to in the hills and that more knights were coming to further explore the region. He hoped to be with those knights but thought it might not be possible. He wanted me to pass the map onto them but they aren’t due here for at least another week. If this relic of the Old Empire…,” said Proteus.
“The Staff of Sakatha,” interrupted Jon, his gray eyes steady on Proteus.
“If this… Staff of Sakatha… has emerged up in the Mountains of the Orc and there are already minions of the abyss and dragon children there, then every day, every hour is of importance. We can ride out in the morning to the plains and hopefully meet up with the First Rider within two or three days, but we might just as easily miss them entirely. Another choice is to wait here until the First Rider or the patrol he sent arrives but, as I said, that might be a week or even more. The First Rider is trying to assemble an experienced group and that can take some time in Elekargul as everyone is off on their own patrols. Generally the most experienced knights lead a patrol for a twelve month. Or,” he said as he summed up, “you, Sorus there,” with a finger pointed to the sleeping boy, “and I can follow the map ourselves up into those hills.”
“What about your sons?” said Jon.
“I can leave them here to tell the First Rider where we went or to pass along a copy of the map in case Vipsanius isn’t with them,” said Proteus, standing up, and going over to a large desk in the corner of the room. He reached under the desk, flicked something with his hand, and then pulled open the drawer. Inside was a map on a plain piece of parchment although from the distance Jon sat he couldn’t make out much of anything else. “I have the map here and I’ll make a copy for us if you think that is what we should do.”
Jon looked first at Proteus, then at Sorus, and finally he gazed into the fire for a moment to watch the flames lick over the thick logs as they turned from brown to black. The wood slowly consumed released its energy into the room in the form of heat. He spent several moments at this and then turned to Proteus, back in his seat and with his tumbler at his lips. “I think we three should head up into the mountains first thing in the morning,” he said. “But, I can understand that you might not trust me and prefer to find the First Rider and gain his counsel.”
Proteus smiled broadly, “You are a boy of action,” he said, “it’s plainly written on your face and I expected nothing less. As I’ve gotten older, and wiser,” he went on, “I find that action is almost always the best strategy but not before you analyze all the pertinent information with a critical eye. The bad First Riders are always the ones who surround themselves with men who agree with everything they say. I’ve heard your council and I’ve weighed the facts; we ride in the morning… to the mountains!”
Jon nodded his head and looked the logs as they burned, their energy slowly sapped away to leave nothing but burned out husks, and then he looked at fifteen year old Sorus Nightwalk. “I don’t like taking Sorus with us,” he said. “He’s so young and there will be danger.”
“When Sir Germanius granted him a name he became a knight of Elekargul. Cincanattus Clay was younger than Sorus when he took a name and perhaps just about your age when he intitally became First Rider,” said Proteus as he nodded his head and looked at the sleeping lad. “It will be dangerous but, if he survives, he might become a great knight.”
“Who was Cincanattus Clay?” said Jon, turning his head to the side to gaze at Proteus.
“You’ve not heard that story?” said Proteus. “It’s one of the most famous in all of Elekargul.”
“I’ve only been in the nation for a week,” said Jon, “although I’ve heard a number of astonishing stories. Your people were born of fire and war, like my own. Tell me about this Clay.”
Proteus stood up and tossed another pair of logs onto the fire, then returned to his chair, and leaned back with a long sigh, “Cincannatus Clay was an apprentice potter not taken on as a squire when he was a boy. He longed to join the knights, much like Sorus. He lived in the little village of Dale Camp which is in the far north of Elekargul beyond the Hollow Wood. In those days the insect men did not yet rule the lands to the north of our nation but instead a tribe of mixed bred orcs and ogres lived up there and attacked us on a regular basis. The mayor of the town was a Brokenhand and a former First Rider. He only had one son and spent his life training the boy in the ways of the sword and lance. His son showed considerable promise with both weapons; many thought his future quite bright and those included most of the eligible young girls in town. His son thought a bit too much of himself, as spoiled boys often will. One day a band of orcs led by a powerful ogre killed some farmers in the north and the patrolling riders mustered in town to ride them down. The town mayor offered his son to squire for one of the knights headed out to battle, as the laws of Elekargul prevented him from abandoning his civilian duties. That night the boy dallied into the late hours with pretty girls and drank too much. He did not fall asleep until only a few hours before the group planned to head out after the marauders.”
Proteus stopped her for a moment. “Yes, there are spoiled children in Elekargul as there are everywhere in the world but we try to teach them better.” The square-jawed knight took a sip from his glass and continued his story. “The rules back in those days were such that no boy without master could take the field of battle with men, so Cincannatus broke into the other boy’s equipment, stole his arms and armor, and left a single copper coin behind as payment. The thinking being that the coin was as valuable to Cincannatus as the armor to the squire. I suppose you can imagine the rest from there. Cincannatus performed great deeds of valor on the battlefield, saved several knights, and personally slew the leader of the maruaders. When they returned to town the mayor himself heard of his son’s performance in the field and insisted on rewarding the boy. When Cincannatus took off his helm everyone knew the truth and the mayor, being a knight of Elekargul, did not become enraged but instead honored Cincannatus by not only making him a knight but also giving him the opportunity to create his own name. It is the only time in the history of Elekargul that a newly made-knight also create a new name line at the same time. Cincannatus chose the name Coppercoin and only boys without knightly masters who perform valorously on the field of battle take it. It is the rarest of names in all of Elekargul and any Coppercoin you might meet is a force with whom you must reckon. Cincannatus went on to become First Rider eleven times and is probably the most famous knight in all of our history after Brutus Brokenhand.”
“That’s quite a story,” said Jon. “In Tanelorn anyone can become a knight but, like here, only if another knight deems them worthy. We don’t use names in the same way you do though. A parent names a child at birth and they keep that name all their lives.”
“The First Rider is a Coppercoin, Vipsanius Coppercoin. He’s quite a fellow and it will be most interesting to see you two fight side by side if that ever comes to pass,” said Proteus and he nodded his head and smiled at Jon.
“Why is that?” asked the tall young man suddenly feeling a little light headed, but did not let that stop him as he finished off the dregs of the last tumbler of whiskey.
“That is a tale for another night, my young friend,” said Proteus. “Now, do you think you can carry your friend to the barn? We should get an early start tomorrow if we want to get to the mountains by midday. I don’t like to climb those things under anything less than ideal lighting conditions.”
Jon stood up, walked over to Sorus, looped his arm under the boy, and threw him over his shoulder with an almost casual move. “I think I can manage,” he said and then turned towards the front door.
Proteus lit a lantern with a stick from the fire and led the two outside to the barn and watched as Jon put Sorus on a bed of straw and then arranged his own. “Good night, Proteus, and I’m sorry I’ve gotten you involved in all of this,” said Jon.
“Don’t be sorry, Jon, the Black Horse works in mysterious ways, perhaps it is time I started to think about being a knight again. These years with the boys, most knights consider it the worst thing that can happen, taking the Brokenshield, but these years raising the boys, farming, working in short sleeves with a hoe and a plow horse, well, I’ve taken to them, I must admit. After… after my wife died… I didn’t really want to go on living at all and I thought… I could raise the boys just long enough… well… I hate to give it up but I think now it’s time. We’ll see. In any case, Jon, what happens happens, what doesn’t, doesn’t. Sleep well knight of Tanelorn and may the morrow bring us good fortune.” With that the square-jawed man walked away and Jon watched the lantern swing back and forth until it reached the house and disappeared completely.
Sorus already snored lightly and Jon listened to him for a few minutes and then put his own head down on the straw and soon was asleep.