The Knight and the Knave

Chapter 4   A thick mist spilled over the cauldron's rim as the Company prepared for the assault. The torch bearers gathered sticks at the vantage point on the hill, building a small fire to light the cloth covered arrows. The archers, led by Lotheneser and Durlan, took up position and prepared for the signal. The troll hag and her red-robed mentor continued their incantation. "We must hurry 'ere the charm is completed," Kelliam insisted. "Else we might lose sight of them." "He's right," Keras added. "The magic may blind us as well as the Palish villagers." "Agreed, Kelliam," Sunder added. "Let us show them terror for a change." Emanniel , Eliazar and Jisander moved silently through the eastern slope of the hill. They hoped to approach the spellcasters unnoticed and disrupt their sorcery. Their main target was the albino sorcerer. Put a knife in him if you must, Sunder had instructed them. But if you can take him alive, all the better. "They are almost in position," Sunder whispered. "Steady now, lads. Here's where we earn our gold." Kelliam whispered a short prayer: "May the Lightbringer guide our weapons so that they strike true and vanquish the unworthy." Sunder drew Taragarth, muttering a quick prayer to Heironeous. "Now, Durlan." At the signal, Arngrim lit a torch at the base of the hill and raced upwards to light the small pyre they had built. The archers lit their quarrels and took aim at their respective targets. Lotheneser aimed at the lone troll at the far eastern edge of the clearing, while Asharak, Durlan and Jerem sighted the pair at the western border. The arrows left the bowstrings with a loud twang. At the same time, Sunder, Kelliam, Ghallar and Keras rushed down the slope screaming battlecries at the top of their lungs. This served both to draw attention to themselves and away from the archers and to distract the albino while the three rogues, moving like silent shadows, rushed to attack him. The flaming missiles flew to their targets.   -----o-----   On the western side, the pair of trolls were struck by the first volley of arrows, shortly followed by a second. The creatures howled with rage and pain, turning to face the attackers. Arms dangling almost to the ground, the trolls moved with incredible speed. Their rolling gate devoured the distance in moments. Several more arrows thudded into their rubbery flesh, but the beasts proved more resilient than the men thought. Arngrim and Thaddeas awaited their onslaught with axe and glaive at the ready.   -----o-----   On the eastern side, the lone troll smelled the scent of man. A troll's eyesight was very poor. Sunlight hurt their eyes and blinded them, but they relied mainly on a keen sense of smell, keener than that of the finest bloodhounds. With amazing speed, the troll turned and ran, barely noticing the burning arrows which struck the spot he had vacated. The creature saw no sign of his quarry, but the man's scent led him straight to his prey. Eliazar was thrown off his feet by the troll's ferocious attack. He scrambled back frantically trying to avoid the troll's sharp claws. The thing reared to its full height and roared in delight.   -----o-----   Jisander fared no better. As he rounded a tree, the ground gave way under him. With a yell, he fell down a dark hole. He cursed himself for a fool. Trolls sometimes dug additional entrances to their underground lairs at the bases of trees, and concealed them with branches and shrubs. Jisander screamed again as he hit the floor, twisting his ankle. Cursing softly, he tried to move it. In spite of the pain, he could do so. Probably a sprain, with no broken bones. He froze as he heard a growling sound. He could not make out the source in this darkness. The growls came again, closer this time. He frantically tried to climb out of this trap. Jisander screamed for help.   -----o-----   Sunder saw dark shapes lurking at the cave's mouth behind Moggra. Without breaking stride, he shouted instructions. "Ghallar, Keras, block the cave! Don't let those trolls get through!" He knew that the dwarf's prowess at battling these beasts, combined with Keras' skill and fiery staff was the best opportunity they had to keep the troll band confined to its lair. If they got out in the open, things would be much more difficult. "Kelliam and I will deal with Moggra!" He hoped. The sword Taragarth, free of its scabbard, began to glow at the edges, and sizzled like a bar of white-hot metal plunged into a barrel of water. Sunder and Kelliam halted close to the large troll female, who roared in defiance, her large claws ready to strike. Sunder eased into The Creeper Embraces the Oak, a slow circling stance, searching for an opening to attack. Kelliam circled the troll on the other side. The foul vapors emanating from the cauldron seemed to cloud their minds and dull their sight, making the troll harder to see. The spell, Sunder thought. We must disrupt the conjuring before the magic hides the trolls from our sight.   -----o-----   Emanniel moved with a graceful combination of speed and stealth, shortsword in his right hand and the dagger Caladar in a reverse grip in his left. His mission was to neutralize the wizard. A powerful sorcerer could be a more fearsome opponent than a band of trolls. Emanniel smiled. The albino would never know what hit him. The smile froze on his face as the sorcerer turned and looked him straight in the eye. Emanniel tried to run faster, to close the gap before the wizard could strike. Yet he knew he would not be able to do so in time. Ad-Kor raised his left arm and gestured, moving his fingers into a claw. Arcane words fell from his lips in a whispered incantation. Eldritch lightning played across his fingers and shot from his outstretched hand straight at the man running towards him.   -----o-----   Several trolls shambled forward from the cave mouth, sniffing the air for signs of their prey. With a thundering clap, a warhammer struck down the lead troll. The beast's corpse withered as if all the moisture had been drained from its body. The troll's bright green flesh turned a dull gray hue. Brom-Kadar, the Trollhammer, flew back into Ghallar's hand. Keras leapt into the middle of the group of trolls. Blackthorn the Firebrand flared with blood-red flames. Keras spun and whirled the staff furiously, keeping the creatures at bay. The trolls' fear of fire kept them back. When one got too close, a sharp thrust to the chest sent it howling back in pain. Bones snapped as Keras struck, and the smell of burning troll flesh filled the air. Keras wondered how long he could keep this up before the trolls overwhelmed him.   -----o-----   Lotheneser cursed as his first arrows missed their target. He had not anticipated the troll's speed. He saw Eliazar knocked to the ground. The troll reared before delivering the deathblow. Lotheneser fired in rapid succession. Before the first shaft had reached its target, two more were in the air, with a third already knocked. The burning arrows struck the troll in the chest. The thing howled in pain and staggered back from the impact. Eliazar squirmed on the ground and threw an oilskin at the troll. The beast became a pillar of fire. Its death screams filled the air as the troll collapsed. Lotheneser smiled with satisfaction. He turned towards the eastern slope, in time to watch Arngrim and Thaddeas meet the onslaught of a pair of trolls. Asharak, Jerem and Durlan dropped their bows and readied spears and swords to join in the fray. Lotheneser froze as he heard Jisander scream. His sharp golden eyes scanned the area where the Nyrondel rogue should have been. There was no sign of him. Cursing, Lotheneser gripped Tarngrim's hilt. The field below him took on a greenish hue. His vision became even sharper. With a gut-wrenching twist, his point of view seemed to move. Suddenly, it was as if he stood at the clearing at the foot of the hill. He saw Sunder and Kelliam circling the troll female ahead, as if they stood at the same level. Turning around, Lotheneser gazed up the hill and saw himself standing with his bow in one hand and the Unveiler in the other. He continued to turn and saw a dark hole at the base of a large tree. He willed himself forward and his point of view shifted again. Now he seemed to stand within the cave itself. The dark cavern was revealed to his eyes by the emerald luminescence of the magical dagger. Jisander struggled to climb out of the trap, while a troll approached him fast. Lotheneser released the dagger's hilt and ran down the slope, shouting for Durlan to follow him.   -----o-----   Kelliam spun back out of the troll hag's reach. He gripped his sword in both hands and stepped back into combat. The knight fought with passion. A horizontal slash followed by a backhanded cut, leading to a stabbing thrust to the abdomen. Moggra howled in fury. Her black claws banged and screeched against the Templar's armor. Kelliam gnashed his teeth in frustration. The troll's wounds healed almost instantly. This one would be very hard to kill. Sunder struck the beast from the other side. Kelliam readied himself for a new attack. Out of the corner of his eye, the knight saw the albino sorcerer raise his hand. With a blinding flash and a roaring thunder, a bolt of lightning shot from the man's hand to strike Emanniel. "No!" Kelliam shouted and ran to intercept the pale man. The Templar launched a powerful overhand blow, aimed at the albino's clavicle. With a bone-jarring crunch, the sword rebounded as if it had hit solid rock. The man's crimson cloak had been sliced open, but the milky skin beneath was unharmed. The sorcerer smiled and continued to murmur Words of Power. Kelliam raised the sword again, brought it around in a circle and slashed sideways at the man's  torso. Again, the man's robes were torn to ribbons, but the albino's flesh seemed like stone. Kelliam's mind raced, searching for a way to neutralize this opponent. Ice-cold daggers of eldritch light stabbed at him with excruciating pain. The sorcerer had completed his spell, and the magical missiles slammed into their target. Kelliam staggered back and collapsed upon the ground.   -----o-----   Emanniel rose from a kneeling position. His eyes burned with the afterimage of the lightning. His head spun. The thunderclap had deafened him momentarily. Amber lightning faded from Caladar's blade. The Spellbreaker had shielded him from this magical attack. Emanniel looked around and quickly regained his bearings. He saw the Templar Knight fall before the sorcerer. Emanniel ran forward once more. The albino's back was to him. He thrust his shortsword forward. The blade was turned aside by the man's skin. The albino turned to face his attacker. Emanniel stabbed with Caladar. The dagger rang with a pure tone, as if a silver bell had been struck. Amber lightning played over the blade and spread all over the sorcerer's body. Emanniel felt the dagger bite into flesh. The albino's spell had been broken. The Spellbreaker proved true to its name for the second time this day. The rogue's smile faded as the wind was knocked out of him. The albino had punched him in the stomach. Emanniel gasped for breath. A cold chill spread from his midriff. His knees weakened and gave way. The chill in his stomach turned to fire as Emanniel fell to his knees. Short sword and dagger fell from nerveless fingers. Only then did he notice the blood-soaked dagger in Ad-Kor's fist. The crimson wavy-cross tattoo glared at him from the man's forearm. A belly wound, Emanniel thought. He's killed me. Emanniel had seen men suffer long agonizing deaths from similar wounds. I only wanted to find the man, to look in his eyes. I've failed. Forgive me, Mother. The world turned black.   -----o-----   Lightning of Three Prongs turned thrust into slash as Sunder sought to turn the troll's attention away from Kelliam, who raced to confront the albino sorcerer. Moggra snarled and turned to face him. Blood ran down Sunder's arms and his left flank burned with every intake of breath. The troll's claws had only grazed his ribs. Sunder's head spun and his vision blurred under the effect of the troll's sorcery. Sunder turned and struck the cauldron with his blade, desperate to break the spell somehow. When Taragarth struck the iron pot, the flames underneath flowed into the black blade, as if drawn by a powerful wind. The fire died and the foul liquid ceased to boil as the Quencher drew the heat away. Sunder paused in amazement as Taragarth's edges glowed even more intensely. The rune at the blade's base burst into golden-orange flames. A cold fire sprang from the sorcerous blade and spread to Sunder's arms and chest, until it covered his entire body. The flames gave off no heat, but rather seemed to absorb it. Sunder recovered quickly, remembering the monster behind him. Moggra was staring at him warily, afraid of the flames. Sunder advanced and began to flow through the forms.   -----o-----   Keras struck one of the trolls in the chin. The creature burst into flames as its spine snapped. The troll fell dead on the floor. Ghallar had killed two more of the monsters with his enchanted warhammer. Yet a score of trolls still waited in the darkness. There were simply too many to hold back. Keras and Ghallar retreated as the trolls came closer. Keras knew that if the trolls left the cave, they would quickly outnumber and outflank the Company. Keras gripped his staff in both hands and held it horizontally before him, as a warning gesture. I will not fail in this, he thought. Too many lives depend on it. Keep back! A wall of blood-red flames sprang from the ground before him. The trolls howled and fell back. Keras smiled. Perhaps all was not lost, after all.   -----o-----   The troll was nearly upon Jisander when Lotheneser reached the edge of the opening. Jisander screamed in fright. Without hesitation, Lotheneser dropped his bow and drew both his enchanted daggers in a reverse grip. He heard Durlan behind him shouting encouragement to Jisander. Lotheneser dropped down the dark hole and landed on the troll's back. The troll screamed as the daggers stabbed it again and again. Where Lachluin struck, blue flames sprang from the wounds. Even the troll's regenerative powers could not combat the magical elven fires. The Unveiler cut deep into the troll's flesh as well. The monster desperately tried to grasp the half-elf clinging to its back. With a final groan, the beast collapsed. Lotheneser was thrown aside and lay panting as the troll corpse slowly burnt with blue fires. Durlan was hoisting Jisander up by a rope. Lotheneser froze as he heard more growls behind him. He stood, daggers before him, as three trolls came towards him.   -----o-----   Kelliam rose groggily. He had lost consciousness momentarily. As his vision cleared, he saw the albino sorcerer before him. He reached for his sword. The man's eyes widened in fear as he saw the knight rising to his feet, ready for battle. Before Kelliam could strike, the pale man turned and leapt into the air. His form shimmered and melted into the shape of a snowy white owl. The bird circled the battleground once and departed in a southwesterly direction. Back on the hill, the raven cawed and took off in pursuit. Kelliam watched the birds disappear into the twilight. He would find the pale man again, he vowed. Pholtus would see to it that he did. His eyes roamed the battlefield and fell upon Emanniel's fallen form. Merciful Light, no! he thought. Kelliam raced to the fallen rogue. Eliazar arrived at their side at the same time. They turned Emanniel over. His face was deathly pale and his breath came in shallow gasps. Dark blood stained the front of his tunic. "Gods help him," Eliazar muttered. "He is dead for sure." Kelliam looked at him with a fervent light in his eyes. "My God SHALL help him," he answered fiercely. The Templar knelt down and laid his hands upon Emanniel's abdomen. He whispered a prayer. "Merciful Lightbringer, Light of the world! Hear thy faithful servant. Heal this man who has fought valiantly in thy service. Though he knows not the righteousness of thy Laws, I beg thee to Blind his eyes to iniquity, that his heart may see more clearly the Light of thy Truth. Blessed Pholtus! Heal this body, that his soul may come to burn in the brilliance of thy salvation." Kelliam's hands began to glow with a pure white light. Color returned to Emanniel's face as the wound closed. Within moments, it was done. Kelliam panted in exhaustion, a smile of fervent joy on his face. "May the Purifying Light of Pholtus liberate you from your sins," he added as a final blessing. Emanniel and Eliazar looked at the knight in undisguised wonder.   -----o-----   Cutting the Clouds sent one of Moggra's clawed hands flying through the air. The cold fire of Taragarth's golden flames seared the wound shut. The monster would not regrow this lost limb. Moggra shrieked in anguish. Her remaining claw slashed at Sunder's back, grazing the man's chainmail shirt. The troll screamed in agony once more, as the flames around the blademaster's body burnt her with the chill touch of ice. She stumbled back. Sunder advanced with a horizontal slash followed by a vertical arc. Moon Rises Over the Water separated the troll's head from its neck. Moggra's head shrieked as it fell to the ground. Incredibly, her body still moved and slashed the air blindly seeking its prey with its remaining claw. The headless body rushed forward, trying to find its enemy. Sunder thrust forward quickly. Hummingbird Kisses the Honeyrose impaled the large troll through the chest. The magical fire flowed from Sunder's body, through the blade and into Moggra's body, which became a gruesome pyre of heat-draining flames. It collapsed upon its lost head, thus killing the fearsome beast.   -----o-----   Lotheneser turned, realizing he would not have sufficient time to escape his pursuers. The hole was high in the cavern wall, accessible to the trolls but not to the half-elf. Jisander had been drawn out of danger, but it would take time for Durlan to drop the rope again and for him to climb up. He knew he would not be able to face three trolls by himself. Desperate to escape this deathtrap, Lotheneser slashed the air in frustration. Lachluin's flame seemed to cut a large slash of blue fire in the air before him. The slash widened into an unearthly doorway. The half-elf stared in open wonder. The blue light seemed to beckon him to step through. Lotheneser felt the trolls' claws on his cloak as he jumped into the eldritch doorway.   -----o-----   Keras marveled at the power of the enchanted staff. Here was the chance to destroy these vile creatures. Keras willed the fire to burn stronger and gestured with the staff as if pushing something forward. The flames flared brighter and suddenly surged forward like a monstrous tidal wave. The trolls screamed as the fire seared their flesh. The wave of fire continued to move deep into the trolls' underground warrens.   -----o-----   A vertical line of blue fire appeared in the air next to Durlan, who jumped back in amazement. The line widened into an oval of blue light and Lotheneser stumbled forward, seemingly appearing from thin air. "Three trolls behind me!" the half-elf gasped, collapsing beside Jisander. The gateway vanished behind him. Durlan turned to watch the first troll emerging from the hole in the ground. He prepared himself for the battle to come. A pillar of fire emerged from the troll hole, immolating the monster. Similar fires sprouted from other holes concealed at the bases of several trees around the clearing. The howls of dying trolls faded as Keras's wave of fire finished its gruesome work.   -----o-----   As night fell, the exhausted Companions gathered around a campfire at the clearing. Smaller fires still smoldered here and there, the charred remains of trolls still smoked and stank. Sunder stood gazing off into the distance, to the southwest, where their foe had fled. Durlan and Keras bandaged wounds and applied salves. Emanniel rested propped up against a rock, exhausted after his ordeal. Lotheneser sat next to him, sorting through the spent arrows, gathering those which could be used again and discarding those that were ruined. Kelliam sat on the ground next to Sunder, inspecting and polishing his armor. "I want to thank you for what you did, Sir Kelliam," Sunder spoke softly. "For saving Emanniel's life, I mean." "Just Kelliam, friend Sunder," the Templar smiled. "and you need not thank me. Pholtus' mercy is for all men who seek justice and peace, even if some do worship heathen gods." "I do not mean to give offense," Sunder added. "But you seem different from your fellow countrymen. More open to different points of view." "I only seek to serve the Lightbringer as best I can. It is not my duty to judge other people, except those who transgress the Laws of Pholtus," the knight replied modestly. "Friend Kelliam, you said this albino brought disgrace upon your family. Would you tell us what happened?" "Alas, I fear this man brings grave danger to the Theocracy itself if he has the Supreme Prelate's ear, as you say," Kelliam said. "But I will tell you my story if you care to listen."   -----o-----   The Tharius family was once of noble blood. Their lands south of Ogburg, contained rich copper mines, which kept them wealthy. Over two centuries past, when the worshippers of Pholtus united under the High Priest of Wintershiven to establish the Theocracy of the Pale, the use of noble titles was forbidden, to reflect the power of the Church as the head of state. The families were allowed to keep their estates, provided they accepted the rule of the Church, and paid a high tithe. The noble families, to preserve their lands, sent their sons to the Church, where some became priests and some became knights. Thus, they kept their lands and became part of the new ruling class: the priesthood. In time, many such men came to truly worship the Lightbringer, and thus served willingly. Keldor Tharius was such a man. Keldor was a powerful warrior, a Dedicated Templar Knight of the Church Militant of Pholtus. Tharius fought bravely in many wars and traveled far and wide in the service of the Theocracy. His beautiful wife soon conceived a child: Kelliam, heir to the family's wealth. But then tragedy struck. Kelliam's mother died during childbirth, and Keldor's life was shattered. Keldor became melancholic, grieving over his dead wife. The death of Kelliam's mother created a rift between father and son. Keldor kept his son at a distance, as he was constantly reminded of his lost wife whenever he looked upon his son's face. The child closely resembled his mother. And so Kelliam was raised by a nursemaid, Elaina. She was a good woman, and a devoted follower of the Lightbringer. Keldor was often away on Church business and sometimes on wars. Elaina spoke great praises of Keldor's faith and valuable service to the Church, and raised Kelliam with a firm religious and moral sense. Keldor's armsmaster and devoted follower, Andras, taught young Kelliam the ways of war, of courage and of honor and set his feet upon the path leading to service as a Templar Knight of the Church Militant. In time, young Kelliam was sent to one of the Church Militant's monasteries, where he was educated by the priests of Pholtus. Eventually, he became a Templar Knight of the Church Militant, and one of the Dedicated. He served the Church faithfully in many assignments, in everything from actions against raiders from neighboring Tehn to fighting Troll raids from the Fens up north. Years later, during this winter, Kelliam received word that his father had been accused of treachery against the Theocracy. He stood accused of withholding Church tithes from the ore obtained in the family's copper mines. Begging leave from his Abbot-Captain, Kelliam rushed home. He arrived at the town of Ogburg, north of the Tharius estate, where he found Elaina. In tears, the nursemaid told him what had happened. When his father received the news that he was accused of treason, Keldor became enraged. Andras argued long with him on the best way to handle the situation. She heard them discussing how to plead innocence to the Questioners. They argued long into the night. Elaina awoke to find them both gone, along with Keldor's armor and sword. Kelliam's father had not worn his battle gear for years. He had not fought in combat for a long time, and Elaina feared for his life. Days later, Prelatal troops arrived from Ogburg. Ygor Torevan, Prelate of Ogburg, took possession of the Tharius estate, and threw Elaina out. Torevan was an old rival of the Tharius family who had envied their copper mines for years now. Kelliam wanted to storm the estate right away, and throw out the usurper, but Elaina counseled against such foolish actions. She told him of the many soldiers Torevan brought with him, and recounted the strange things she witnessed on her last night at the manor. She overheard Prelate Torevan speaking with a pale man in a red cloak. They spoke of treason and conspiracy against the Theocrat. They spoke of leading troll raids in the North Country. Torevan seemed to be taking instructions from this man, a foreigner, by his strange looks. The pale man rode off north the following morning. Elaina advised Kelliam that, if he wished to help his father, he should ride north and find this pale man in the crimson cloak, and obtain proof of their treachery, to bring the matter before the Theocrat. Only then, standing in the righteous light of Pholtus, would they be able to handle Torevan and redeem Keldor. So Kelliam took leave of the woman who was as his mother, and rode north in pursuit of this man.     -----o-----   "And that, friend Sunder, is how I came to meet with your Company," Keras finished. The men were silent for a moment, contemplating the knight's tale. "I assure you, my friend, we shall find this man and make him pay," Sunder vowed. "You'll have to stand in line behind me," Emanniel added with a weak grin on his face. "I'll let you have whatever's left when I'm done with him." The rogue's strength was returning swiftly. In an hour or so, he would be able to walk. By the next morning, Kelliam assured him, he would feel like nothing had happened. "What now, Sunder?" Lotheneser asked. "We have lost Ad-Kor's trail." "Perhaps our spirit guide shall return," Asharak added. The Tiger Nomads placed great store in the comings and goings of animal guardians. "Perhaps, but we cannot sit here waiting for that possibility," Sunder added. "As soon as everyone can walk, we will return to reclaim our mounts. We can discuss our alternatives on the way."   -----o-----