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[Sir Kalthorine]

Just for curiosity's sake, I thought that I might as well post here the first few Chapters of a novel I began writing just over a year ago, entitled "Stonefire Rising". It never got past the first few Chapters, nor has it ever received a much-needed rewrite to sort out what I am fully aware is a lot of very stilted and unrealistic dialogue.

The novel does, however, contain the first appearance in writing of my imagined incarnation of a magically created creature called "Chrysta" (and a paladin called Kalthorine :^^. I began writing it after I had to abandon the first attempt at a Chrysta BG2 mod, since while I did have access to a PC (at work) I did not have access to the Internet, hence modding was a non-starter.

However, the novel is not meant to be "BG2 fan fiction", and in fact other than it being set in a land of High Fantasy and magic it has no similarities with the game at all. Instead, it takes place in the imaginary Land of Khalkaereon, a place that exists entirely in my own imagination.

I do intend to continue with the novel as soon as there is enough space in my life to continue to do so, and hopefully writing dialogues for the Chrysta mod and sharing ideas with people much better at it than I am will eventually help me to brush up my conversation-writing skills, which is an area that I know I need to improve on.

As I said at the start, my main reason for posting this is just to satisfy the curiosity of the few people who have PM'd me to ask where I got the idea of Chrysta from. However, if anyone chooses to comment on the novel to this point then I will open a "Stonefire Rising" comment thread, and ask that any comments be placed in there. I am not fishing for false praise here, and would rather my efforts be savaged in a constructive way than praised without cause. I would like to finish the novel, and if no one tells me where I am going wrong at the moment I can't improve, can I?

Oh, and as to whether the Chrysta in this story has anything in common with the Chrysta in the mod I am writing... well, you will just have to wait for the mod to find out

Edited by Sir Kalthorine, 02 June 2007 - 12:49 AM.

[Sir Kalthorine]

Chapter 1: Misgivings

For as long as he could remember, dawn had been Trelayne?s favourite time of day. Never a heavy sleeper at the best of times, he enjoyed rousing himself in the stillness of the day?s early hours to spend time watching the Sun rise ? and even more so on a clear, crisp autumn morning like this one. As he stood watching the first light of day seep across the sparsely wooded valley before him, he allowed himself the brief luxury of imagining he was back home on the farm with nothing more demanding than decide to whether to feed his pigs or chickens first. But there would be other decisions to be made this day, he feared, and with much deadlier consequences. Trelayne gave a deep sigh of resignation, his breath leaving a heavy mist hanging in the chill autumn air, and ice crystals on his neatly trimmed but greying beard.

?Whoa there! Today?s going to be foggy enough without you making things worse, ya know?? grinned the blonde youth standing next to him.

Trelayne turned to look at the young man and forced a smile. ?Jonas, why don?t you give your old man a break and allow him to survey the field without having to put up with your insufferable cheerfulness? Make yourself useful for once ? go and wake your brother.?

?Aye aye, cap?n!? Jonas smiled back, as with a half-mocking salute he set off down the hill towards the nearest cluster of gold and black tents. Trelayne chuckled quietly in spite of himself. Jonas was a good lad, he knew, and a damn fine soldier. He reminded himself that he had never put any pressure on either of his sons to follow in his footsteps and join the Paladins of Gaia, but since signing on with the Order on his eighteenth birthday ? some four years ago now ? Jonas had proven himself time and time again.

Trelayne shook his head and tried to clear his thoughts. This was no time to be wallowing in fatherly pride. Today was going to be tough on all of them, and doubtless there would be plenty of opportunities for Jonas and his brother Kalthorine to make Trelayne proud a dozen times over. ?And may the Goddess Helmati keep us alive long enough for me to praise your efforts in person? he muttered to himself as he cast his experienced eye over the valley spread out below him.

Arrayed on the grassy hillside were a hundred or so tents and pavilions belonging to Trelayne?s companions in the Paladins of Gaia. The Order?s flag ? a golden tree and sword crossed on a black background ? fluttered in the early morning breeze above most tents, with the largest set on a pole outside the pavilion belonging to Lord Guthrod, the commander of the peacekeeping force. Other tents housed the three hundred or so knights, heralds and footmen of the Order, as well as providing stores of food, fuel and straw for the horses should the expedition turn into a siege offensive. In the rapidly improving light of day, Trelayne could see the first stirrings of activity within the camp, as smoke began to rise from breakfast campfires and young squires hurried about their masters? early morning business.

Over to his right he let his gaze linger on the dozen tents belonging to his own company of men-at-arms, and he smiled again as he saw the ever-playful Jonas disappear into his brother?s tent with an upturned helmet full of water, the purpose of which was left in no doubt as the air was shortly afterwards punctuated with a loud bellow of anger followed by laughter and sounds of a boisterous scuffle.
Let them have their fun, thought Trelayne, as he lifted his eyes beyond the camp to survey the reason for their presence in the region ? the castle of the wizard Arantor. Squinting as the sun?s first rays of light reflected off his breastplate, Trelayne lifted a gauntleted hand to shield his eyes as he allowed his gaze to traverse the length of the castle?s formidable defences. His contemplation was interrupted by the clarion call of Lord Guthrod?s herald. Finally, thought Trelayne, we will obtain some answers as to why we are here. As he made his way carefully down the slippery green slope towards his commander?s pavilion, Trelayne?s thoughts drifted back to his own men?s concerns as they had sat around the campfire last night?

+++++++++++++++++

? ?It makes no sense, I tell ya!? grumbled the old soldier, shaking his head as he poked the sizzling pan a little too savagely. Hundreds of sparks spiralled upwards from the large campfire, melting into the background of stars in the clear autumn night sky, while yet more scattered outwards causing some of the less bold of Trelayne?s company to scamper quickly backwards.

?Neither does setting light to your companions, Sertus you old worrywart!? replied Jonas, nonchalantly brushing a few clinging embers off his cloak. A strained laugh rippled around the twenty-or-so men gathered around the fire. Jonas rarely missed an opportunity to poke fun at the old sergeant?s doom saying, although everyone knew that in the heat of battle there were none more dependable than the athletic, blonde youth and the grizzled, broken-nosed veteran.

?And anyway, what doesn?t make sense? We are ordered to march here from Verdithian, we arrive, we set camp, we wait for our next set of orders. You think too much, old timer?? continued Jonas, grinning playfully.

?And you just don?t think at all, except with your sword or your groin.? retorted the tall, stern-looking youth sat at Jonas?s right hand.

Even the normally dour Sertus had to chuckle at this one, as he looked up at the two brothers sat opposite him, now glaring menacingly at each other. He had known Trelayne?s sons for a long time even before they signed up with their father?s company four years ago, and what a contrasting pair they were.
Jonas, the younger looking of the two, was a fine swordsman and one of the best handlers of a horse Sertus had ever seen ? and didn?t he know it! With his shoulder length blonde hair, clear grey eyes and almost permanent smile, the ever-popular Jonas cut quite striking figure with the ladies of Verdithian City, where he spent as much time seducing the daughters of the local merchant lords as he did practising his swordplay. Not that the young lothario was lax in his duties, though ? when the call to arms came, Sertus could think of no-one he would rather have fighting by his side.

Kalthorine was more difficult to judge. The young man was not unsociable, and he had a sword arm easily on a par with his brother, but he kept his own counsel and spent much less time carousing in the Inns of Verdithian than his extrovert sibling. Of course, thought Sertus, there was no reason why the two should be alike at all ? after all, Jonas was Trelayne?s only son by birth. Kalthorine, who had been adopted by Trelayne nearly ten years ago, was a tall, imposing figure with short cropped black hair and deep brown, careworn eyes. More powerfully built and less athletic than his younger ?brother?, he also bore a deep scar down his left cheek. At least, Sertus assumed Jonas was the younger of the two, since Kalthorine and Trelayne had both kept stubbornly tight-lipped about the young man?s childhood. Sertus had come to realise that, of the two brothers, Kalthorine smiled a lot less and thought a great deal more.

?Don?t force me to break up a brawl between you two again, because if I do then the sausages will burn? and you know what I?m like if I?m kept from me dinner!? growled Sertus, waving an already-blackened sausage menacingly in the direction of the two youths.

?A brawl? Don?t tell me, Sertus, my two young lieutenants are causing trouble again? didn?t you receive my orders telling you to give them each a bloody nose the next time they made a nuisance of themselves?? bellowed a loud, gruff voice from behind him.

Sertus and the rest of the company of troops gathered around the fire quickly rose to their feet as the tall, imposing figure approached. Sertus turned to deliver a salute. ?Good evening Captain Trelayne! Sausages are nearly cooked, and as usual your sons have reached boiling point. Nothing I couldn?t handle, though.?

?I am sure of it, old friend? laughed Trelayne, clapping one heavy gauntleted hand on the shoulder of his veteran sergeant and motioning with the other for his men to relax. ?Please everyone, sit ? I have no intention of pulling rank and jumping the queue for a helping of Sertus?s famous boar sausages.? The grinning soldiers took their places around the campfire once again ? Sertus?s sausages were undeniably famous in the ranks of the Order, although there were many who would suggest that ?infamous? would be a more apt description.

?Any news yet about why we are here, sir?? inquired Gendt, one of the youngest members of the company.

Sertus glared at the young man-at-arms ?The captain will tell us all in good time, young ?un, don?t??

?It?s alright, sergeant? interrupted Trelayne with a wave of his hand, ?he has every right to ask. I only wish I knew enough to be able to give an adequate response.?
Mutters of surprise and concern rippled around the campfire. Kalthorine was the first to speak up. ?Are we to understand that Lord Guthrod has not yet passed on details of the mission to the company commanders? Doesn?t that strike you as a trifle odd, father??

Trelayne met his son?s concerned gaze ?Do not worry yourself unduly Kal; I am sure Lord Guthrod has his reasons. In my fifteen years under his command I have never had cause to doubt him yet.? He forced a smile, but something in the young man?s eyes told him that Kalthorine knew he was holding something back. Dammit Kal, thought Trelayne, why do have to be so perceptive! It was almost unheard of for a force commander to keep his officers in the dark for so long at the start of a mission, and Trelayne could not deny that he found the situation troubling.

After a short uncomfortable silence, Sertus spoke up. ?Aye, Lord Guthrod is a fine commander and as honourable a man as ye?d like to meet. But as I was saying to the lads before you arrived, captain, this just doesn?t feel right.?

Trelayne turned to face him. Sertus was the only member of the company that had fought longer than Trelayne in the ranks of the Paladins of Gaia. Between them, the two old soldiers had seen the better part of fifty years of service, and while the younger members of the company (and Jonas in particular) paid scant heed to Sertus?s oft times pessimistic outlook, Trelayne had learned the hard way that the old sergeant?s instincts were rarely far from the mark. ?Go on?? he enquired.

?Well, captain, the way I see it is this. Our force is three hundred or so strong,
which is a fairly standard deployment for peacekeeping duties, right??

?Right.?

?But? what threat is there around here that needs a peacekeeping garrison? The nearest civilised settlement of any note is the village we passed through the better part of two days back, and they could barely muster half a dozen pitchforks between them! To my knowledge we have seen no sign of any other dangers en route ? and we are so far from Dregg lands that yon stupid wizard can?t possibly be worried about Dregg incursions.? Sertus gestured dismissively with his now charcoaled sausage towards the battlements of the wizard?s castle.

?Which means??? Sertus?s voice tailed off as he cast a quizzical look towards his captain, unsure whether or not to continue his train of thought.

?Which means what? What are you suggesting, sarge?? Gendt was starting to get visibly nervous.

Trelayne knew exactly what Sertus was alluding to. ?Our good sergeant here was wondering,? he said grimly, holding his old friend?s gaze, ?that if we aren?t here to deal with dangers outside the castle, then perhaps we have been sent to deal with what is inside instead??

Gendt continued to push for answers, ?But isn?t Arantor an ex-Grandmage of the Gaian Cabal? the Ancient Order of Gaian Wizards? I mean, I heard that he sat on the Council of Twelve for over forty years and is one of its most respected ex-members??

Another young soldier joined in, as murmurs of discontent and worry grew around the campfire. ?My uncle is a Judicar in Verdithian City, and he has dealt with most of the local wizards in his time. He always said that Arantor was one of the kindest and wisest Gaian wizards he had ever met! Surely we can?t have been sent here to attack him???

?None of that matters. If our orders are to attack the wizard, then it is not our place to question them. You are all missing the point my father is trying to make?? Kalthorine interjected firmly, and the whispers around the campfire grew silent as ears strained to listen to what the normally taciturn young knight had to say.

?What?s that, Kal?? even Jonas was interested now ? although he thought his brother overly serious and a little too self-absorbed, he also knew that when Kalthorine did bother to speak out, more often than not it was worth paying attention.

Kalthorine turned to his brother and smiled thinly (always a bad sign, thought Jonas). ?We are the Paladins of Gaia. Arantor is a Gaian mage. Do the math, little brother??

Gendt was still confused ?Why is that so important??

Kalthorine turned to the young soldier and, seeing the bemused expression on the man?s face, smiled to himself inwardly. Had they given up completely on teaching new recruits about the Order?s origins? He measured his next words carefully, ?Remember your basic tenets? The two Facets of Magic that exist in Khalkaereon? Remember? Gaian magic is the magic of internal power, life and creation. Arcane magic is the magic of external power, death and destruction, yes??

Seeing the blank look on Gendt?s face, Kalthorine sighed but continued unabashed, ?The two magics oppose each other. Neither is inherently good or evil, just opposite in their effects ? effects which are capable of causing destruction on an unimaginable scale whenever they cancel each other out. So to prevent their misuse, hundreds of years ago the Council of Twelve ordered the formation of the two Orders of Knights of the Balance, namely the Paladins of Gaia and the Arcane Blades.

?Each knightly order was trained in tactics, skills and powers in order to best combat abuse by wizards who studied their respective opposing magics.

?So while most of our time as Paladins of Gaia has been filled with general soldiering, we have been trained to best combat wizards?? Kalthorine saw the light of understanding starting to dawn in young Gendt?s eyes, ?Arcane wizards, that is. Not a Gaian wizard like Arantor?.

Sertus nodded slowly, ?Aye lad, you put it well. So what are we doing camped outside a Gaian wizard?s fortress? If there is trouble with a Gaian wizard, where are the Arcane Blades??

Trelayne had remained silent and detached during this exchange, although he was fully aware that what Kalthorine and Sertus said made a lot of sense. Finally, however, sensing the general feeling of unease growing among the troops he rose slowly and tried to speak with a confidence that he did not feel ?No doubt all our questions will be answered tomorrow. For now, I suggest that you all finish your food and ? the after-effects of Sergeant Sertus?s sausages notwithstanding ? try to get as good a night?s sleep as you all can. And do not trouble yourselves worrying about our reasons for being here? Lord Guthrod has called a meeting of company commanders at daybreak to explain our mission. Rest assured that as soon as I know, so will you??

Apparently satisfied by their captain?s assurances, the soldiers began to return to their tents, although Trelayne noticed that Kalthorine and Sertus seemed even more pensive than usual. As he headed back to his own tent, Trelayne could not shake the feeling that, as ever, he should trust Sertus?s instincts? something about this mission just did not feel right.

[Sir Kalthorine]

Chapter II ? Confrontations

?Fall back! Everyone fall back and regroup outside the castle!? yelled Kalthorine.

In Helmati?s name, please let them hear me, he prayed silently ? although he realised it was most likely a forlorn hope above the tumult of screams, clashing blades and roaring flames all around him. He staggered backwards, barely able to maintain a grip on Sertus?s semi-conscious bulk as another burning beam fell from the vaulted ceiling of the castle?s keep and crashed into the staircase in front of them, splintering and sending flaming shards in all directions. Kalthorine raised an arm to shield himself and Sertus?s injured body from the deadly pyrotechnic shower, and as he did so he heard Sertus?s rasping voice hiss in his ear. ?Kalthorine, drop!?

Instinctively, Kalthorine released his grip on Sertus?s body, dropped to one knee and swung his sword back over his shoulder. Had he delayed for a fraction of a second, the axe blow aimed at his head would have struck home ? instead, it deflected off the hilt of his sword, the force of the blow sending it clattering from his grasp. Kalthorine kicked hard at the stairs, propelling his body backwards and causing the guard to miss another easy chance to strike. Moments later he struck the marbled pillar at the base of the stairs? banister with such force that all breath was crushed from his lungs. As he lay stunned and helpless the guard started towards him and raised his axe for the killing blow ? only to collapse screaming in mid-stride, Sertus?s dagger protruding from the back of his knee.

Kalthorine struggled to his feet, still badly winded and with blood pouring from his broken and gashed shoulder. He started back up the wrecked staircase towards Sertus, only to be dragged back. ?Its too late, Kal? shouted Gendt as he pulled Kalthorine from the stairs, his voice barely audible above the sounds of cracking and burning timber, ?Sertus is lost and we have to get out of here NOW?? With one last anguished look through the billowing smoke towards Sertus?s body, Kalthorine allowed his young companion to help him back through the gaping hole in the castle wall, while the remaining members of Trelayne?s beleaguered company fought a desperate rearguard action against Arantor?s personal guard.

Kalthorine was barely aware of his surroundings as he was helped towards the healers? tent. The morning?s events flashed through his mind as he slipped into unconsciousness: his father?s return, troubled, from Lord Guthrod?s tent with the news that the Paladins of Gaia had been ordered to act as a protective buffer zone between the Gaian wizard Arantor and a rogue Arcane wizard called Teylin, who had apparently sworn to kill the Gaian mage; the feeling of trepidation as the soldiers waited anxiously for the wizard?s arrival; the shock and confusion as the walls of Arantor?s castle exploded outwards in a ball of flame and debris, decimating the forces closest to the castle walls; the wizard Teylin?s arrival seemingly from nowhere during the ensuing chaos and his charge straight through what was left of the castle?s defences on a horse with hooves of fire; and, finally, Trelayne?s elite company leading the pursuit of the wizard into the burning castle. The last thing to pass through Kalthorine?s mind before he blacked out was the image of Trelayne and Jonas battling their way through an arch at the top of the stairwell moments before the burning ceiling collapsed behind them?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jonas heard the first wooden beams begin to crash down and hurled himself forwards through the archway. Landing heavily on the floor of the stone-paved corridor, he scrambled forwards frantically as the roof behind him continued to cave in, sending clouds of dust up to mingle with the churning smoke. Feeling a hand on his shoulder Jonas quickly rolled onto his back and reached for his sword.

?Hold, Jonas. We made it? calm yourself?. Jonas recognised the voice and let out a heavy sigh of relief.

?What happened, father? Where are we, and where is everyone else?? he asked, picking himself up off the ground as the smoke and dust began to settle and he was better able to take in his surroundings. The arch they had both leapt through moments before its collapse was now completely blocked with rubble and smouldering timbers, and sounds of the conflagration they had battled through could be heard faintly beyond the debris. Jonas could also make out the noise of battle receding into the middle distance.

His head clearing rapidly, Jonas turned to Trelayne with more than a hint of panic in his voice. ?Kalthorine! Sertus! Father, they were right behind us? what if they didn?t??

?We can do nothing for them now, Jonas. We must have faith that they are safe ? and in the meantime, we have our orders. We have to find Teylin before he can get to Arantor. A violent confrontation between two wizards of opposing Facets could be disastrous.?

Jonas knew his father was right ? he had heard tales of the horrific aftermaths of clashes between powerful Gaian and Arcane powers, in the days before the Council formed the Knights of the Balance to police their actions. As much as he was worried about his brother, he had to try and put concerns for Kal, Sertus and his other comrades to the back of his mind and focus on their mission. Picking up his sword, he became aware for the first time how quiet it was on their side of the demolished arch. Where were all the guards? They had fought their way through at least twenty well armed men in their pursuit of the red-robed Teylin through the hole in the castle walls, across the hall and up the wide, ornate staircase ? and they had seen the mage blast the arch at the top of the stairs with a massive ball of fire moments before he disappeared through it. Jonas tensed and looked around anxiously, gripping his sword in expectation of another wave of axe-wielding foes. But all he could see was a narrow, unadorned stone corridor stretching onwards, lit every few yards by fat grey candles mounted in small niches in the walls.

?I don?t think you need to worry about any more guards, Jonas? uhh?? Trelayne winced in pain and held his side as he leant against the wall for support.

?Father, you?re hurt??

Trelayne waved his son away ?Just? just a bruise. And maybe a few broken ribs? his smile turned into a grimace as another wave of agony shot through his side like a jagged knife. The beam that had crashed into his abdomen as he dived through the archway had obviously caused more damage than he had first thought. ?Let me gather myself for a second.? he gasped through the pain.

Jonas nodded and stepped back to allow his father to concentrate. He remembered guiltily how often in the past he had been jealous of the apparent ease with which his father wielded the limited Gaian magics that some within the Order had access to. But now he watched with more than a little relief at the tell-tale flush of colour in his father?s cheeks, and the sudden visible spurt of accelerated growth in the moss clinging to the cracks in the stone wall he was leaning on that indicated the seepage of Gaian essence from the Beyond.

Trelayne could feel his shattered ribs slowly regenerating and the torn muscles and blood vessels knitting together under his hand as he let the Gaian essence flow through his torso. He could also sense his heart pumping harder and faster as more and more magical energy coursed through his body, until he dared risk it no longer and slumped, gasping against the wall to allow the pains in his chest to subside. A few moments longer and he knew he would have risked causing permanent damage to his heart, but the Gaian self-healing seemed to have done its job ? he felt stiff and bruised, but able to continue after he got his breath back.

Trelayne looked up and gave Jonas a weak but reassuring smile. ?All is well, Jonas, your old man is mended.?

Jonas responded with a sly grin, but Trelayne could see the relief in his eyes ?Well that is good news, father, I?d hate to have to play the lone hero? lack of witnesses to noble deeds really devalues their currency with the ladies! Now,? his voice took on a more serious tone ?what were you saying about the guards??

?Just that I don?t think they will be a problem now. Did you see the glyphs around the archway before everything exploded? I?ve seen their like before ? some kind of Gaian warding spell, I?d guess to stop nosey guards wandering through into what I assume is a restricted area of the castle? maybe even Arantor?s private quarters.?

Jonas nodded his understanding ?Do you think that is why Teylin blasted it with a ball of fire before he ran through??

?Yes, most likely he needed to wipe out some of the glyphs to gain access to Arantor. The death and mayhem that ensued as he brought the hall crashing down behind him were probably just a bonus?? added Trelayne grimly. Feeling his strength returning, the old Paladin straightened and drew his sword, turning to his son with a look of steely determination ?OK hero, lets go wizard hunting!? Trelayne set off purposefully down the narrow stone corridor with Jonas close behind him.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Few words passed between Jonas and his father as they advanced with the best balance they could maintain between stealth and haste. Both knew they had to try as hard as they could to surprise Teylin ? an army of two could hardly expect to succeed in a frontal assault against a man who could hit them with bolts of fire, ice or lightning at will. And yet Teylin had a huge head start on them, so excessive caution was not an option.

If the situation were not so tense, thought Jonas, after finding that yet another side door led to an empty storeroom, I might find the whole thing ironically amusing ? we are trusting to the arrogance of wizards to give us time! Like his father, Jonas was hoping that words would be exchanged between Arantor and Teylin before they came to blows. Surely both wizards realised how dangerous a magical battle between disciples of Gaia and Arcana could be? Any further thoughts on the matter were curtailed however, as out of the corner of his eye Jonas saw his father freeze in place. Then he heard it too? two raised male voices coming from around the corner up ahead.

Trelayne nodded to his son and they both crept forwards towards the source of the voices. Still too far away to make out any of the words, as they approached the corner the voices stopped abruptly. The two Paladins hesitated, wondering if their presence had been detected.

Jonas glanced over at his father nervously, and was about to inquire with a whisper what they should do next, when suddenly and without warning there was a vivid flash of green light from around the corner, followed by a short but unearthly scream. Uttering a most ignoble curse, Trelayne dropped all pretence of stealth and sprinted around the corner, with Jonas at his heels. What both men saw as they entered the room stopped them dead in their tracks.

The room was apparently a large laboratory of some kind, roughly circular and around forty feet or so across. There were no windows, although a heavy iron shutter near the apex of the domed stone ceiling was slightly ajar, casting slivers of daylight down into the room?s smoky interior. Most of the smoke, and the majority of the light in the lab, originated from four large metal braziers spaced out between the bottle-strewn workbenches. Shelves around the wall held every kind of alchemical component imaginable. Jars, bottles and flasks filled the shelves, many constructed from the dull olive green magic-resistant ceramic favoured by Gaian wizards, while many glass jars could be seen to hold a variety of preserved herbs and animal body-parts.

The most unusual contents of the room, however, were the eight six-foot-tall frosted glass receptacles distributed evenly around the wall ? each filled to the brim with a bubbling translucent green liquid. Clearly visible within each one was a vaguely humanoid figure? moving. The top of each glass cylinder was open, and the noxious green fumes that were escaping assaulted Jonas?s and Trelayne?s nostrils as they stood framed in the doorway. Under any other circumstances their first reactions would have been to retch or gag at the stench, or at least to cover their noses in disgust. However, at that moment their attentions were focussed on the three figures in the centre of the room.

The first figure lay motionless on the laboratory?s central workbench, and beyond the fact that it seemed to be humanoid and female in form, few other details could be made out from the doorway. Part of the reason for this was the second figure sprawled across it ? the body of the Gaian wizard Arantor. Trelayne had seen Arantor at a diplomatic conference in Verdithian City and recognised him at once, although the white, lifeless eyes now staring up at him from a red-veined face apparently frozen in agony at the point of death hardly seemed to belong to the same kindly old wizard of Trelayne?s memory.

The third figure stood over both bodies. Teylin wore the heavy blood-red travelling robes of the Arcane Cabal, and had both arms outstretched above the body of Arantor. Tall even for a wizard, he would have been an imposing enough presence even without his hawkish features, jet black hair swept back in a tight bunch, and small but inconceivably deep-set eyes that almost seemed to burn with an inner fire? eyes that registered the presence of the two men at the door a mere fraction of a second after their arrival. Teylin?s bloodless lips curled into a wicked smile, and Trelayne noticed the wizard?s fingers beginning to twitch in an all-too-recognisable pattern.

?Get down!? he yelled, pulling Jonas backwards and causing them both to collapse in a heap behind a nearby wooden workbench.

As they hit the ground they felt a blast of hot air and a vicious tingle in their nerve endings as the air where they had been standing a split second earlier lit up briefly with the discharge of a searing bolt of blue lightning from Teylin?s outstretched fingertips. Realising what his father was doing, Jonas swung his sword and hacked off one of the wooden legs of the workbench, causing it to topple onto its side and form an impromptu shield against Teylin?s magical onslaught.

?Wait for his next blast then we move, me left and you right.? hissed Trelayne. ?He can?t hit us both if we split up.?

Jonas nodded, his heart pounding and his mind racing as he braced himself for the next impact. He knew, however, that his father was thinking the same as he was? one fireball and it would be all over. Jonas turned his head to find Trelayne looking at him, and saw nothing but love, pride and quiet resignation in his father?s eyes. Together they waited for the inevitable roar of flames descending on them?

But it didn?t come.

Instead they heard a low chuckle, and a voice like snakes slithering on wet grass said ?Well met, my good knights. I think that little demonstration proves beyond any reasonable doubt that I have the upper hand here, and that you are both Paladins of Gaia. Now I am going to count to three? very old hat I know, but effective nonetheless? and you are both going to stand up without your weapons and we are going to talk. You know I could kill you where you lie without breaking sweat. So what do you say to a truce??

?You won?t need any count, Teylin? said Trelayne, leaving his sword where it lay behind the upturned table and standing to meet the wizard?s challenge.

Jonas, albeit more reluctantly, followed suit. ?What makes you so sure that we are Paladins?? he demanded, hoping that his voice sounded more confident than he felt. Teylin did not reply, instead letting out a snort of derision, raising one immaculately trimmed eyebrow and looking at Jonas with undisguised disdain.

?The lightning bolt? said Trelayne quietly. Jonas looked at his father with surprise. Was that a hint of grudging admiration he detected in his tone of voice?

Trelayne continued, ?It was a test. As a Gaian Paladin officer I recognised the Arcane magic hand gestures for an electrical projection spell and threw us behind the wooden table instead of the closer metal cabinet, where the electrical discharge would have killed us.?

Teylin applauded mockingly. ?Very impressive, good sir knight.? he sneered. ?But now I humbly suggest that you both shut up and listen to the conditions for my allowing you to survive this little encounter. And these terms are non-negotiable ? after all, any remote chance you had of stopping me (if you ever had one) evaporated the moment I detected your presence. At the risk of being labelled a walking cliché, your lives are, quite literally, in my hands?? Teylin chuckled softly and wiggled the fingers on his still-outstretched hands, causing wisps of dry smoke to rise from his fingertips.

Jonas was getting increasingly frustrated by Teylin?s arrogant manner, but as he opened his mouth to speak he felt a restraining hand on his arm. ?We are listening, mage.? he heard Trelayne say through clenched teeth.

Teylin nodded in satisfaction ?My terms are simple. I was going to leave a note here on this fool Arantor?s body?. Teylin waved nonchalantly towards the twisted corpse of the former Gaian Grandmage, although for a second Trelayne was puzzled by the expression on Teylin?s face ? was that a hint of regret he detected in the Arcane wizard?s hitherto implacable features?

Teylin continued in a matter-of-fact tone. ?But when I saw you two appear I realised I could get my message across much more easily by word of mouth ? provided you could be trusted to deliver it, hence my little ?supercharged? test to see if you were both members of that oh-so-honourable Order of Prancing Paladins.?

Teylin?s mocking façade evaporated abruptly and his voice became deadly serious. He spoke slowly, deliberately and with icy clarity ?Now listen very carefully. This message is for the ears of the Council of Twelve only. I have no doubt you will deem it necessary to tell your commanding officer, but other than that one small concession, if I get wind that anyone else has had this message leaked to them then I will kill you, your friends and your families, and the consequences for the rest of Khalkaereon will be beyond your worst nightmares. Am I making myself perfectly clear??

Trelayne nodded curtly, ?What is the message??

?The message is simple. Five words: ?Teylin has the Stonefire Gem?. Arantor found it, I discovered that he had it, he thought he could keep it from me. He failed...? Teylin gestured triumphantly around the lab, apparently proud of the carnage that had ensued from his brief battle with the old Gaian Archmage. As he did so his voluminous robes parted slightly ? and Trelayne heard Jonas gasp quietly as he too caught a glimpse of the glowing red crystal Teylin was clasping tightly to his chest beneath his cloak.

After his theatrical flourish, Teylin turned once again towards Arantor?s lifeless body. ?How else could an Arcane wizard like myself defeat a master of the Gaian arts so easily, and not even cause the slightest ripple in the fabric of the barrier between Reality and the Beyond??

Jonas was finding it very difficult to concentrate on Teylin?s words. He felt almost physically sick ? was that the Stonefire Gem he had seen clutched beneath the wizard?s robes? Could the legendary Stonefire Gem actually exist? Could Teylin be believed? He looked at his father, who was staring at Teylin with ashen face and haunted eyes. Whatever they thought of Teylin?s trustworthiness, the evidence of what had transpired before their arrival in the room and the sheer magnitude of what Teylin was saying weighed heavily on both of them.

The reaction of the two soldiers did not go unnoticed by the Arcane wizard. ?Please concentrate, gentleman, as I can tell that you are well aware of the gravity of my statements. So are we clear? The Council of Twelve, and the Council of Twelve only, must be told: Teylin of Mamnoth has the Stonefire Gem. I will contact them later with my demands. Suffice it to say that very soon, the Council of Twelve will be replaced by a Rulership of One, or else the whole of Khalkaereon will suffer immeasurable torment and destruction. Goodbye, my good knights.?

As Trelayne and Jonas looked on in stunned silence, Teylin turned to face the far wall. Before either of the two Paladins could make a move to stop him, he uttered a short incantation and made a stabbing motion with his right hand ? as the wall promptly exploded outwards in a hail of rock fragments and wooden splinters. Sunlight poured through the gaping hole, as without a moment?s hesitation Teylin ran forwards and threw himself through the gap. By the time Trelayne?s and Jonas?s eyes had recovered from the sudden glare of natural light and they had run after him, the wizard had disappeared into the dense woodland at the rear of the castle.

Trelayne was the first to turn and view the carnage that was the remains of Arantor?s laboratory. A strong breeze now blew through the opening in the wall behind him, whipping the smoke from the three still-upright braziers into angry spirals. The final brazier had been upturned by the blast from the exploding wall, and its scattered coals lay sizzling in pools of green ichor from two of the large glass containers that had been shattered in the blast. The grotesquely incomplete-looking humanoid figures from the two containers lay twitching feebly on the laboratory floor, and had it not been for the fresh air now pouring into the room the stench would have been unbearable.

Out of the corner of his eye Trelayne saw Jonas shiver ? although whether from the cold draught of the chill morning air or from revulsion at the sight of the convulsing greenish ?things? that had been set free from their glass prisons, Trelayne did not wish to ask. Instead, he stepped gingerly through the remains of the workbenches that had borne the brunt of Teylin?s magical blast until he reached Arantor?s corpse.

As gently as he could, Trelayne turned the body of the old wizard onto its back. The expression of agony on the mage?s face was even more unnerving at these close quarters, although Trelayne was somewhat taken aback by how much the veins stood out on Arantor?s face and neck. He gently parted the dead wizard?s robes, and the puzzled expression on Trelayne?s face turned to a deep frown of concern as he saw the large, purple bruise on the left hand side of Arantor?s chest. ?Very odd?? he muttered to himself, deep in thought.

Any further thoughts on the matter were interrupted, however. Even Jonas heard the low moan from his position at the gap in the wall, where he had been scanning the visible clearings on the wooded hillside for any signs of the direction Teylin had headed after his dramatic escape. On hearing the groan from the middle of the room, he quickly turned and joined his father. ?Arantor?? he enquired excitedly, ?That moan? is he still alive??

Trelayne shook his head, ?No, Arantor is beyond our help? but it seems that we do have a survivor. Help me with this body.? As reverently as they could, Trelayne and Jonas lowered the body of the dead wizard onto a dry part of the floor, before returning quickly to examine the last figure laid out on the central workbench.

?By Freyan?s Fortune, she?s alive!? cried Jonas in amazement, his eyes widening. That the body lying on the table was that of a slim, petite female in her late teens or early twenties there was little doubt, although she was a female unlike any other Jonas had seen before.

She was peculiarly bald, and from what Jonas could see of her form (a piece of sackcloth having been draped across her midriff) she seemed completely devoid of any body hair at all. Other features that would normally have attracted Jonas?s attention, such as her youthful and pretty face, abnormally small and tapered ears and complete absence of nipples or navel, paled into insignificance when compared with her skin. As if her olive green complexion was not strange enough, the whole of her skin was covered in what at first sight seemed like tiny scales. No, thought Jonas, not scales? the sheen and texture seemed more like a? like a fleshy tree leaf. Jonas had never seen or heard of any creature that even came close to the figure he saw stretched out on the table before him.

While Jonas was coming to terms with the girl?s appearance, Trelayne lifted her arm to check for a pulse. Her skin felt cool to the touch, and for a instant he had the sickening feeling that for the second time that day they had acted too late to save a life. This was a fleeting thought, however, as suddenly the girl?s eyes snapped open and she sat bolt upright, flinging her arms around Trelayne?s neck and holding him in a vice like grip as she opened her lungs and let out a brief, ear-splitting scream. Trelayne felt a short spasm of pain in his head and glanced towards Jonas. They had both heard that scream before ? moments before they had entered the laboratory.

Before either of the two men could recover from their initial shock, the young woman had relaxed her grip a little and was sobbing quietly into Trelayne?s neck. ?Shh, child? you are safe now.? the old Paladin stroked her bare head reassuringly, while indicating to Jonas to hand over his cloak to provide some protection for her shivering form.

?Are you hurt?? he enquired gently. The girl lifted her head from his shoulder and looked up at him with large, tear-filled eyes of a striking violet hue. She shook her head slowly.

?Do you have a name, my dear?? asked Trelayne.

?My name is?? her brow furrowed in concentration. ?I think my name is? Crysta.?

?I am Trelayne, and this is my son Jonas.? he paused, wondering how someone could seem so unsure of their own name. ?Do you know where you are??

Crysta looked up at Trelayne in obvious distress. ?I don?t? I? can?t remember?? she seemed about to burst into tears again. Trelayne, smiling to calm her nerves, lifted a gauntleted hand and gently brushed her cheek. Even through Jonas?s heavy cloak she still felt cold, and Trelayne was worried that this and her apparent lapse of memory might be symptoms of unseen injuries. They needed to leave and get her to a healer.

Who and what she really was, and what she was doing in Arantor?s laboratory in the first place, could wait for another time.

[Sir Kalthorine]

Chapter III : Decisions

Kalthorine awakened with a hacking cough and a burning sensation in his throat and lungs ? an after effect, no doubt, of the acrid black smoke he had inhaled whilst inside the castle. As the reddish-grey mist of unconsciousness cleared, he realised he was propped up in a rough bed, his left shoulder dressed and heavily bandaged. Looking around at the other dozen or so other occupied beds scattered around the rest of the healer?s tent, his heart sank as he thought of Sertus. The old sergeant had taken the full force of the archway blast, but had still stayed conscious long enough to warn Kalthorine of the attacking guard. His final, selfless act had been to save the young Paladin?s life. But, Kalthorine thought bitterly, he had been unable to return the favour. Could he have moved faster to save the life of his father?s oldest friend? Did he really have to let Gendt pull him out at that precise moment? ?Chalk another needless death down to my self-preservation instincts?? he muttered darkly to himself.

?Hey! The hero of the rearguard awakens? and resumes his usual habit of frowning and talking to himself!?

Kalthorine was shaken out of his dark mood by the relief of hearing his brother?s voice. He looked up to see Jonas walking towards him from a guarded private enclosure on the far side of the tent. Jonas was, as ever, smiling, but Kalthorine thought the smile seemed rather more forced than usual.

Jonas seated himself by his injured brother. ?Good to see you awake, Kal ? father and I were worried for a while there. The lay healers say that your shoulder should be fine, but that as soon as you feel strong enough you should try a bit of the old Gaian touch on it to speed up your recovery.? Like his adopted father, Kalthorine too had the talent for manipulating Gaian magics to some small degree.

Jonas continued more seriously, ?Everyone is sorry about what happened to Sertus. Gendt told me about how hard you tried to save him? and DO NOT? he added quickly as he saw Kalthorine about to speak ?I repeat DO NOT go torturing yourself about whether or not you could have done more. From what I?ve heard you couldn?t ? and the last thing we need right now is you getting all angst-ridden and self-destructive on us again.?

Kalthorine forced a smile, ?Alright, little brother, just tell me? how long have I been out, and what have I missed??

Jonas gave Kalthorine a brief summary of the events of the battle since his brother had been stretchered away from it some eighteen hours previously. Once the pandemonium caused by the wizard Teylin?s initial assault was over Arantor?s personal guard had been defeated relatively easily, but in their role in the vanguard of the action Trelayne?s company had been hit hard.

Along with Sertus, the company had lost two-thirds of its number, almost half of the casualties being a direct result of the collapse of the main hall roof following Teylin?s fireball. Jonas then went on to describe his and Trelayne?s encounter with Teylin, the death of Arantor, Teylin?s dramatic escape, the discovery of Crysta, and how they had eventually been rescued by another company of Paladins who had managed to climb up to Teylin?s blast hole in the wall of the laboratory tower.

Of the Stonefire Gem and the ?message? he and Trelayne had been asked to deliver, however, he said nothing.

Kalthorine had been listening intently, and as Jonas finished he noticed a strange look in his brother?s eyes. He knows I am still hiding something, thought Jonas. A few moments of strained silence passed before Kalthorine visibly relaxed and smiled weakly, raising a quizzical eyebrow in the direction of his brother. ?Crysta, eh?... so you are telling me that even in the middle of a burning castle, after fighting your way through more than a dozen men and barely surviving an encounter with a crazed wizard, you still managed to find yourself a potential new girlfriend??

Jonas laughed, but Kalthorine could still sense something was amiss. ?Is anything wrong??

Jonas sighed, ?I didn?t just come here to check on you, Kal. I have orders from Lord Guthrod to escort Crysta to him for questioning.? he gestured back over his shoulder towards the guarded alcove. ?Lay healers can?t find anything wrong with her, and father and Lord Guthrod seem to think she might be able to shed some light on what happened between Arantor and Teylin.?

?In that case, I?m coming with you?? winced Kalthorine, feeling a dull ache in his shoulder as he swung his legs slowly out of bed. ?You know I can?t stand being left in the dark, and I have a lot to catch up on.? he smiled grimly.

?Oh no you don?t! I?m not letting you??

?Oh shut up Jonas. You can either help me up and take me with you now, or you?ll have to carry me back to my death bed later when I try to follow you anyway. Your choice.?

Jonas sighed, and with a shrug of resignation helped his wounded brother out of bed. Blood relation or no, he reflected, the family streak of stubbornness was as evident in Kalthorine as it was in Trelayne?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Lord Guthrod d?Armathir had been a colonel in the Order of Paladins of Gaia for fifteen years. In that time he had commanded his troops in eight campaigns against Dregg incursions, led regular sorties in response to barbarian raids from the Foolspire mountains and been involved in innumerable peacekeeping duties and police actions. He had deservedly earned his reputation as a commander who could think on his feet, and his shrewd mind and supreme tactical confidence meant he could not remember a time when he was at a loss for words when presented with a command problem.

Until now, that is.

Lord Guthrod sat in stunned silence, staring blankly at the surface of his stained and scarred gyrwood desk. The old desk, constructed of the immensely strong but magically light wood from the enchanted Gyr forest, had first come into his possession over fifteen years ago ? part of the spoils from the Pyrrhic victory that had been the ?famous? Battle of Darion Bridge.

Even now Guthrod still had nightmares about fighting on that fateful day. One small regiment of a hundred and fifty Paladins of Gaia had defended a strategically vital bridge over the river Darion against a force of over a thousand of the evil, misshapen, lizard-like Dreggs during one of their major incursions into civilised lands.

The victory had come at a hefty price; barely twenty of the Paladins had survived. It was his role in that battle that had earned the then Captain Guthrod his knighthood and regimental command, as he had successfully rallied the troops after their colonel?s demise. Guthrod knew, however, that had it not been for the brave actions of one young Lieutenant whose squad had covered his retreat across the bridge, he would most likely not have survived the battle at all. That young lieutenant had since become the battle-hardened captain who had just delivered the news that had rendered Guthrod uncharacteristically speechless.

Guthrod sighed deeply and leaned forwards onto the desk. As he did so, it creaked audibly. A sign of the times, thought Guthrod wearily as he looked up from the desk at Trelayne who sat on its far side, his grim face illuminated by flickering torches. Maybe, wondered Guthrod, all three of them ? colonel, captain and desk ? were starting to show their age.

It was Trelayne who broke the silence. ?Might I suggest, my lord, that Jonas is the best choice to deliver the message to the Council of Twelve? He is by far the best horseman among those of us who know of the? object.?

Guthrod nodded slowly, still deep in thought. He was still coming to terms with the revelation that the ?object? Trelayne was so careful not to mention by name, the infamous Stonefire Gem, was not only real but now lay in the hands of someone who could potentially tap into its fabled powers.

He now understood why Trelayne had requested this meeting in the middle of the night and had insisted on Guthrod?s guards, heralds and scribes leaving the command tent before speaking. At least fate had decreed it would be Trelayne to deliver the message, as Guthrod was too careful a commander to have allowed any but one of his most trusted subordinates to demand a solo audience at such an ungodly hour.

?I agree, captain. But it is not the delivery of the message that concerns me. We cannot simply stand idly by while Teylin learns to harness the powers of the Stonefire Gem ? it is a good sevenday ride from here to Angrim Keep, so by the time we receive the Council?s orders that damnable mage may be beyond our reach.

?As soon as we realised he had made his escape, I ordered scouts to be sent out in all directions to try and find any signs of where he may have headed. We were lucky ? there were signs of recent Arcane magic use heading roughly eastwards for the better part of a league.?

Trelayne nodded. The use of Arcane magic was hard to hide. Gaian magic opened a channel to the Beyond and caused plant-life in the locality to grow with the surge of released essence. Arcane magic, on the other hand, drew upon the essence already contained in living things, and as a result its use caused nearby plant-life to wither and die. ?That makes sense ? the City of Mamnoth lies in that direction and Teylin did refer to himself as ?Teylin of Mamnoth?? ? Trelayne stopped talking and frowned.

Guthrod noticed the hesitation. ?You have something to add, captain??

Trelayne continued thoughtfully, ?It just seems a little strange that we have so quickly been able to determine where we think he is heading ? I would have imagined a mage of his supposed power to be a little more ?subtle? somehow. It just seems too easy and convenient for him to have been so careless.?

Guthrod thought carefully for a moment before responding. ?Unless? unless he wants a force to follow him there. Think about it ? if the Stonefire Gem is as powerful an artefact as legends state, then why should he need to hide? And what better way to demonstrate his power than by wiping out a small army sent to stop him? No, we must take action to follow him and discover his plans, but until I receive instructions from the Council I will not risk sending a large force of my men needlessly to their deaths??

Trelayne nodded his agreement, ?What do you intend to do then, sir??

?Our choices are limited. As, indeed, is the information we have to go on. Perhaps the girl you rescued is the key.? Guthrod?s brow furrowed ? the girl was of no race he or his advisors had seen before. ?Our healers can find nothing out of the ordinary with her ? other than her decidedly ?unique? appearance she seems in perfect health. You have spent some time with her since you brought her back. What do you make of her??

Trelayne shrugged, ?If it weren?t for the way she looks, I would say she was a perfectly normal, scared and confused young woman. She claims to have no memory of anything from before she awoke, other than her name ? Crysta. The fact that we found her in Arantor?s laboratory, though? I am no expert on the ways of wizards, but I would guess that she must have been subject to some terrible alchemical meddling to look the way she does. Surely she cannot be natural, but how could Arantor??

Trelayne paused again and looked pointedly at Guthrod. They were surely both thinking the same thing ? if Crysta had indeed been magically altered, then the much-respected and eminent Grandmage Arantor had committed the ultimate sin against the Laws of the Gaian Cabal.

The ban on the use of Gaian magicks to create or mutate life had remained unbroken for over nine hundred years, ever since the horrific aftermath of early experiments into this aspect of Gaian powers had led to the creation and subsequent proliferation of the twisted reptilian humanoid race known as Dreggs. Any Gaian wizard even suspected of tampering with creation powers since then had been subject to immediate execution without mercy ? an edict policed savagely by both Gaian and Arcane Cabals on the orders of the Council of Twelve. The surge of Gaian essence needed to tamper with the lifeforce of a living creature was so great that no wizard could possibly hope to conceal such vile experimentation without being detected. Unless?

?The Stonefire Gem,? stated Guthrod bleakly, ?If Arantor commanded its powers, however briefly, maybe he could have used it to conceal any such atrocities from his fellows. Creation experiments would also explain the existence of those poor abominations you found.?

Trelayne shuddered at the memory of the half-alive, misshapen entities in the glass cylinders. None of them had lived more than a few hours after Arantor?s death. ?Can we be sure that Crysta was constructed by magic, though?? he continued. ?I?m not convinced ? she seems so very real. The poor girl does not remember anything ? what she is, where she came from, nothing? might she simply be a race we haven?t encountered before??

Before Guthrod could respond, there was a short drumbeat from outside the tent. Guthrod sat back and reached round to strike a small gong by his right shoulder. ?Perhaps we can find out more by asking the girl directly. That is her now ? I asked Jonas to bring her over.?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The tent flap opened, and in stepped Crysta, flanked by Jonas and Kalthorine. Guthrod barely managed to suppress a wry smile at the sight of the odd trio standing before him. Jonas and Kalthorine as a pair looked incongruous enough ? the former standing erect to attention in his Paladinic black and gold tabard, and the latter in white medical robes clearly still nursing his shoulder injury as he stood pale and sweating, swaying slightly.

But it was the diminutive, trembling figure that stood dwarfed between the two six-foot-plus warriors that completed the implausible picture. Standing barely five feet tall and wrapped in a grey silk hooded robe, Guthrod could see two frightened eyes viewing him from under the hood as the girl held on tightly to Jonas?s arm. His eyebrows rose slightly in surprise and curiosity as he took in Crysta?s olive green complexion and almond-shaped violet eyes for the first time. She was a pretty young thing, he thought distractedly, but describing her appearance as ?exotic? would be a distinct understatement.

Trelayne turned to face her and smiled warmly. On seeing him, the girl?s countenance relaxed and she scampered quickly to his side, smiling broadly. ?Trelayne! I am so glad to see you? but why have I been brought over here? Who is this other man? Have you found anything else yet about???

Trelayne lifted a single finger to his lips, ?Shh, Crysta, you will be given every chance to ask whatever questions you want later. This is Lord Guthrod, my commanding officer ? you remember me telling you about him earlier? You can trust him as much as you know you can trust me. Now? do you feel well enough to answer some of his questions??

Crysta glanced nervously at the imperious, bearded figure sat behind the large desk, but took a deep breath and composed herself before nodding vigorously, ?If it helps you, and if it can give me more clues about who and what I am, then I am ready to help however I can.?

Guthrod smiled genially at the elfin figure standing defiantly before him. If she was indeed the result of an act of Gaian creation or alteration as he and Trelayne suspected, then she was also clearly a living, breathing soul that deserved to be respected as such. He could already sense why Trelayne had empathised with her plight and taken her under his protection ? volunteering as he had to command the guard that had been stationed outside her cubicle while healers had examined her in detail following her rescue from Arantor?s castle.

And she in turn had only seemed comfortable when Trelayne had been nearby. The old captain was certainly a natural surrogate father. As this last thought passed through Guthrod?s mind he glanced over at Kalthorine. If he ever had cause to doubt Trelayne?s instincts, Guthrod only had to remind himself about how Trelayne had taken Kalthorine into his house and nurtured him to become the fine knight he was today, despite the young man?s background and the circumstances in which they had first met.

Turning back to Crysta, Guthrod motioned for her to sit down. ?Do not be afraid, child, this is not an interrogation ? but you understand that I have to try and find out if you know more than you might realise about what happened. I take it Trelayne has already explained the circumstances surrounding how you were found. Now, in your own time, what do you remember, if anything, about Arantor and Teylin??

Crysta tried to answer calmly, although her voice trembled slightly as she spoke. ?The first thing I remember properly is waking up from a nightmare I can?t remember, lying on the bench in that horrible room.? She shuddered and closed her eyes. ?As to anything that happened before then, I wish I could say ? I?m not even sure if Crysta is my real name, and? and I don?t even know what I am. When I first saw my own face in the mirror that Trelayne brought to me in the hospital tent I just screamed? I couldn?t help myself. What am I?!?? A tear slid down her cheek as her shoulders began to shake.

Trelayne put a reassuring hand on her shoulder and spoke kindly, ?Take your time, Crysta. Now, when you feel ready? what did you mean by the first thing you remember properly??

After taking a few moments to compose herself, Crysta continued shakily, ?When you first rescued me, I couldn?t remember anything at all from before I woke up ? but since then it is like a fog in my mind has started to lift a little. I can recall? voices, belonging to two men arguing close by me ? an old voice and a younger, oily-sounding one.?

Guthrod and Trelayne quickly exchanged glances. Guthrod leaned closer to Crysta and enquired gently, ?Can you remember anything specific that they might have said to each other??

Crysta sat concentrating with her head bowed, and thought carefully before responding. ?I can?t remember anything close to a complete conversation, just a few isolated phrases ? and I can?t guarantee I have these in the right order. I remember the old voice saying ?I can?t let you take it? and ?If it takes my life.? And I can recall the young voice saying something like ?Back in Mamnoth?.? After another brief pause, she lifted her head suddenly and stared straight at Guthrod. ?What is the Stonefire Gem??

Guthrod felt the blood drain from his face in an instant, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Kalthorine stagger backwards against a tent pole. ?The Stonefire Gem?? he heard the young knight gasp, turning to his younger brother who stood pale and wide-eyed. ?Jonas, I knew you were holding something back from me, but?? he started, then recovering his composure and remembering where he was, he stood upright again with some little difficulty and turned back to face Guthrod. ?I am sorry, my Lord, forgive my outburst. I just never thought??

Guthrod raised his hand and replied sombrely, ?Your reaction is understandable, Kalthorine. And perhaps your inadvertently being let in on the gravity of our problem may help share the burden. And now, young lady,? he continued quietly but firmly, turning back to a worried-looking Crysta, ?in answer to your question, the Stonefire Gem is a magical artefact of inestimable power, and one which until recent events I would have claimed as simple myth.

"Legend states that the Stonefire Gem has the power to grant unlimited access to all forms of magic without limitations or dangers to the wielder. Any mage that controls the Stonefire Gem would be able to wield power too immense and terrible to imagine. And now, it would seem, Arantor somehow managed to find it ? and lost it to the wizard Teylin.?

Guthrod paused briefly for his comments to sink in, before continuing, ?Now, my dear, might I ask how you came to know of it??

Crysta, aware of all eyes in the room fixed on her, shifted uncomfortably in her seat. ?It is just? well? when you asked me what I remembered hearing and I concentrated, it is as if some of what I heard suddenly made sense. Again, I am sorry that my recall is not perfect, but the two voices were definitely arguing about something called the Stonefire Gem. The young voice ? I assume that was your wizard Teylin ? demanded that the old voice ? Arantor, did you call him? ? give him the Stonefire Gem immediately. Arantor replied by saying that? and this is where I am not entirely sure again? he could not let Teylin have the Gem. And now I remember Arantor?s last words before he died??

Crysta turned to look at Trelayne with tears in her eyes. ?He said? he said ?If it takes my life to give the Gem the protection it needs, then so be it.? And then there was this horrible green flash, and I heard this unearthly scream, and then everything went black.?

With this last admission, the horror of what she had experienced became too much for Crysta to bear, and she crumpled on the chair, her entire frame wracked with heaving sobs. Trelayne knelt by her and took her in his arms gently. This poor girl had gone through so much, and was still no closer to understanding who or what she was.

Trelayne felt his heart close to bursting. She was so lost and helpless, his thoughts could not help but bring back memories of his own daughter, lost in tragic circumstances almost ten years previously? almost as a reflex action, he glanced up towards Kalthorine, who had by now recovered from his initial shock at hearing the Stonefire Gem being mentioned, and had been listening intently to Crysta?s recollections of Arantor?s and Teylin?s confrontation.

?If Arantor thought his death at Teylin?s hands would somehow protect the Gem,? Kalthorine said thoughtfully, ?then perhaps we have more time than we first thought.?

Guthrod turned to the young knight, ?What do you mean, Lieutenant??

?Well,? continued Kalthorine, ?It is well known that a disciplined wizard, knowing his or her own death is imminent, no longer needs to take care to contain their power and can in effect ?go out with a bang? in one last, ultra-powerful expenditure of their abilities. Perhaps Arantor, knowing he could not prevent Teylin from taking the Gem, placed some kind of powerful protective ward on it to restrict Teylin?s ability to use it.?

Trelayne, still holding the tearful Crysta, nodded in agreement. ?That explains something that has been bothering me. When I examined Arantor?s body, his chest was severely bruised as if his heart had burst inside his ribcage. And to my knowledge that only happens if a user of Gaian magics loses control of the essence surge? either accidentally or deliberately.?

Guthrod rose from behind his desk. ?Then perhaps there is yet time. We know Teylin says he has the Gem, and we know the Gem is nowhere to be found in the castle, so for now we will act on the assumption that he wasn?t lying. Whether or not Arantor managed to somehow make the Gem unusable, it is also safe to assume that it is not going to take a wizard as powerful as Teylin is purported to be very long to work out how to bypass a protection spell. Either way, the time for talk has ended ? we have to act, and act now.?

Guthrod turned to Jonas, who had stood in bewildered silence throughout the whole conversation. ?Jonas, you are, as your father rightly said, the best horseman here. You must carry the responsibility of trying to get the message to the Council of Twelve as fast as possible. I cannot risk sending the message by carrier falcon ? if the falcon is mistakenly shot down, the wrong person reads it and news leaks out that a rogue Arcane wizard is in possession of the Stonefire Gem then the consequences do not bear thinking about. Do you know the way to Angrim Keep??

?Yes, my Lord.?

?You must make haste and deliver the message via the fastest route you can determine, and then return to me with the Council?s response. I will take the regiment back to our garrison in Verdithian City and await you there. Take that young squire Gendt with you as escort on your journey ? he is the only one who can come close to keeping up with you on horseback ? but tell him nothing of the message. Knowledge of the existence of the Stonefire Gem must not leave this tent, do you understand??

?Yes sir.?

Guthrod then turned to Trelayne and Kalthorine. ?However, I will not allow Teylin to continue with his plans, whatever they may be, without making some attempt to stop him, or at least find out what they are. Kalthorine, is your shoulder sufficiently healed to stand up to a long journey??

?It will be, my Lord.?

?Good. Captain Trelayne, you are under orders to travel with Lieutenant Kalthorine to the City of Mamnoth to find out whatever you can about Teylin?s plans. A large company of troops will attract undue attention, and as I recall you both know Mamnoth well. If you have an opportunity to stop him or retrieve the Stonefire Gem then take it, otherwise return to me in Verdithian City once you have found out as much as you can. I will also send a sealed copy of Teylin?s message with you to be forwarded by protected courier from Mamnoth to Angrim Keep.

"Jonas will be taking the fastest route to the Keep but probably not the safest, and we cannot risk the message not reaching the Council at all.?

Crysta had, by now, stopped crying. She stood up slowly and looked at Guthrod. ?Wh? what is going to happen to me?? she asked in a hoarse whisper.

?If I might offer a suggestion, my Lord?? asked Trelayne.

?Go on, captain.?

?Crysta has already been able to recall information that has proved extremely useful in piecing together what happened between Teylin and Arantor. What if she has more to offer as her memory returns? She may yet have an important role to play in unearthing Teylin?s plans. I humbly request, therefore, that she accompany us to Mamnoth, as the journey there is not overtly dangerous and she is so light that she will not slow us unduly. Also, Mamnoth is well known as a seat of learning ? perhaps someone there might be able to help Crysta determine something more about her origins??

Guthrod thought about this for a moment, and then nodded slowly. ?So be it. You three will leave just before first light for Mamnoth, and Jonas and Gendt will set off at the same time for Angrim Keep. I suggest you use the last few hours before dawn to gather whatever limited supplies you will need for your journeys, and I will instruct my most trusted squire to water the best horses ready for your departure.?

Lord Guthrod paused, and then leant forwards on his old gyrwood desk, causing it to once again creak in protest. For one fleeting moment, his shoulders seemed to sag with the weight of the responsibility he carried, but as he looked up at the four figures standing before him there was steel in his gaze.

He spoke slowly and quietly but with grim authority. ?I do not need to tell you all how important it is that you do not fail, and that whatever happens you tell no one but the Council about the existence of the Stonefire Gem. Good luck to you all? you are dismissed, and may the goddess Helmati watch over you in your endeavours.?

As everyone began to file slowly out of his tent, Guthrod motioned to Kalthorine to stay behind. When they were alone, Guthrod emerged from behind his desk and walked up to the young knight. Placing his hand on Kalthorine?s uninjured shoulder, he spoke quietly. ?Lieutenant Kalthorine, you are aware that your father and I have been through a lot together, and that he means a lot to me.?

?Yes sir.?

?And that he is a brave, noble and infinitely compassionate man. His attitude towards that Crysta girl could be deemed as bordering on? fatherly?

?Yes sir.?

?I am also aware of your wisdom and that your courage and loyalty to the Order of Paladins of Gaia, Kalthorine, is beyond reproach. Your background is a distant and irrelevant memory ? with Trelayne?s guidance you have pulled yourself out of the gutter to become one of the finest Paladins it has ever been my honour to command.?

?Thank you, sir?? Kalthorine was beginning to feel uneasy.

Guthrod?s words were delivered with icy precision. ?Keep an eye on the girl, Kalthorine. Although I hope that your father is right and that she is an innocent who may yet prove to hold useful information, I have been a commander in the Order for too long not to make sure all possible scenarios are catered for. There is a chance, however small, that she may yet prove to be... dangerous.?

?Yes sir.?

?Kalthorine, if you even suspect that she may be working for Teylin or that she is preventing you from completing your mission, consciously or otherwise, you must...?

?Yes sir.? Kalthorine had broken out in a cold sweat ? he had already guessed what Guthrod was about to say.

?Kill her??

[Sir Kalthorine]

Chapter IV: First Journeys

As the three riders made their way through the sparsely wooded hillsides, their passage barely merited notice among the residents of the few small hamlets and scattered smallholdings they chanced upon in their journey. On one occasion an astute farmhand, observing the trio as they passed, commented to one of his fellow workers that the travellers? horses seemed particularly magnificent, but a swift boxing of his ears by his supervisor soon cut short any further musings.

Another time, an innkeeper?s wife was out collecting mushrooms in late evening in the woods behind her husband?s inn when she spotted the three figures riding silently by. How curious, she thought, that they chose not to stop and rest at their inn, particularly as the next village was a good half day?s ride further on. And was the girl holding onto the first rider?s waist deliberately trying to hide her face as they rode by?

Trelayne felt Crysta shift uncomfortably in the saddle behind him. He smiled, ?We will make camp in the woods up ahead ? until we get our story straight about why you look the way you do, or come up with a plausible reason why you keep your skin and face hidden, we cannot risk too much contact with the locals. Stopping at an inn isn?t an option at the moment, I?m afraid.?

?I understand. And I honestly don?t mind ? the countryside and weather around here have been so nice that camping out sounds like it could be fun!?

Trelayne?s smile broadened, both at Crysta?s unremitting cheerfulness and on hearing the disgruntled snort from Kalthorine as he followed some ten paces further back. He knew that Kalthorine was much more at home in the city than in the wilds, but as a farmer born and bred he agreed wholeheartedly with Crysta?s sentiments.

It was certainly true that Heldria ? the region of south-western Khalkaereon they were riding through ? was blessed with some of the most idyllic countryside in the land. Shielded from the biting western wind and extremes of weather by the towering and almost inconceivably jagged peaks of the Shardscrag mountains, the low rolling hillsides of the area enjoyed a mild climate and were well watered. Frequent showers helped top up the levels of the many rivers and streams that flowed swiftly from the Shardscrag foothills in the west.

Many of the smaller streams drained into the region?s numerous lakes, while the larger watercourses continued their meandering journeys east to join up with the mighty river Galdrion as it flowed southwards towards the port of Verdithian. It was in these lush river valleys that the majority of Heldria?s larger settled areas were located ? villages and small towns that had grown up to serve as markets and centres of commerce for the region?s thriving agricultural community. As well as lowland farms, Heldria was home to many hillside settlements that made a healthy living from harvesting the abundant orchard fruits from the area?s rich woodlands. It was no surprise that Heldria was often referred to as ?orchard county.?

As a farmer of many years, Trelayne knew full well why the soil throughout Heldria was so highly fertile. The few straggly clouds that successfully traversed the Shardscrag mountains brought with them significant amounts of volcanic ash as well as water. The resultant ?muddy showers? in the region were so infamous that they had given rise to a few select colloquial phrases ? one of the most common being a derogatory term for ladies of ?loose virtue?. Certainly there was not a woman in Khalkaereon that would not be outraged at being described as ?as pure as Heldrian rainwater!?

As successful and numerous as Heldria?s agricultural settlements were, the region was still large and significantly hilly enough that vast tracts of its north-western reaches remained virtually uninhabited. It must have been for this reason, thought Trelayne, together with Heldria?s abundant resources and outstanding natural beauty, that more than one Gaian wizard had chosen to retire here. Practitioners of Gaian magic traditionally had an affinity with nature ? although if Arantor had indeed been involved with the kind of perverse experimentation that he and Lord Guthrod suspected, then that ?affinity? had taken a distinctly dark and troubling turn.

?This looks like a good spot to make camp.?

Kalthorine?s voice roused Trelayne from his thoughts. They had travelled some miles past the last village and it was now almost completely dark. Kalthorine had led them off the forest road to a small clearing, and had already dismounted and started to tie up his steed. Trelayne followed suit, struggling to help Crysta down from the back of his horse.

?You are heavier than you look, little lady!?

?Why my good sir, I had mistaken you for a gentleman!?

They both laughed. Behind them, Kalthorine just scowled darkly and began collecting firewood. He felt sure that Jonas must be travelling in more amenable company.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

?So, tell me again lieutenant, why exactly are we in such an incredible hurry to get to Angrim Keep that we must dare the Stinkwood??

Jonas groaned inwardly. For the first two out of their three day ride he had been glad of Gendt?s company ? the freckled youth was nearly as good a horseman as he was, and his shared enthusiasm for practical joking and admiration of the fairer sex had made for some enjoyable and ofttimes hilarious chitchat. Jonas had found Gendt?s descriptions of his supposedly numerous romantic ?conquests? particularly amusing, as it was quite clear to him that the fresh-faced eighteen-year old had never been intimate with a woman. Still, the young man at least deserved bonus marks for imagination, and in a lot of ways Gendt reminded Jonas of a slightly younger (and much more innocent) version of himself.

Their jocular mood had changed abruptly as soon as Jonas had announced that the most direct route to Angrim Keep would take them through the eastern reaches of the Stinkwood. He recalled the expression on Gendt?s face when he had broken the news of his intentions.

?Wh?what?!? Are you insane? No one uses the northern forest track to Derthyn any more without taking a small army along with them! Why don?t we travel east to Mamnoth instead and take the Northway to Angrim Keep from there??

?Because you know full well that I am under orders to deliver my message to the Council of Twelve by the fastest route possible. Travelling via Mamnoth would add another two days to our ride, and that is not acceptable.?

?But if delivering this oh-so-secret message is so damned important, surely the extra time would be justified by the extra safety? Come on, lieutenant? we are talking about the Stinkwood here??

Eventually, Jonas had to pull rank and issue a direct order to Gendt to take the forest road. He hated doing this ? Jonas was no respecter of authority himself, and he knew that Gendt was no coward. Anyway, thought Jonas wearily, what his young companion said made a lot of sense. The Stinkwood was not a place to enter lightly, although it had not always been so.

If Jonas remembered his history correctly (which was by no means a certainty ? Kalthorine had always been the more studious of the two brothers), then until a couple of hundred years ago the Stinkwood had been known as Crebanwood. In those days, there had been a thriving lumber trade from Lake Creban down the River Darwater to the town of Derthyn, and on from there to the major provincial cities of Rifthome and Mamnoth. All that had changed when the waters of the lake ?went bad?.

Lake Creban was fed from the Angaroth Plateau above via the mighty Falls of Charoth. Two centuries ago, for unknown reasons (at least as far as Jonas was aware) the water of the falls somehow became imbued with Gaian magic ? presumably from a source on the Plateau above. Previously harmless algae in the lake began growing at a prolific rate, and the river Darwater changed almost overnight from a wide, fast flowing channel into a sluggish, festering ditch.

Over the following decade the character of the entire wood, watered primarily as it was by Lake Creban and the Darwater, transformed irrevocably. Trees became twisted and intertwined as the inflow of Gaian energy caused them to swell and grow. As they struggled hungrily with each other in competition for sunlight, plant life growing beneath their eaves was starved of daylight and began to decay. The stench of the rotting vegetation, accelerated and perpetuated as it was by the corrupting influence of Gaian magic, soon led to the formerly noble forest being granted the less than flattering title of ?Stinkwood?.

Dense, warped tree growth and a horrible smell were not the primary reasons why trade through the Stinkwood had virtually ground to a halt. Gaian magic had not only mutated the flora in the forest, it had a dramatic effect on animal life as well. Individuals brave or stupid enough to venture off the one remaining useable road through the Stinkwood into the sinister depths of the forest ? at least those who returned sane and in one piece ? told wild stories of vicious black wolves the size of cart horses, vampire bats with wing spans like giant eagles, massive four-armed bears with glowing red eyes, and other abominations best left to the realm of nightmares.

The only souls who still travelled through the Stinkwood, reflected Jonas, were those bold, foolish or desperate enough to attempt a reckless dash along the forest track between the towns of Derthyn and Garrick, and hopefully with sense enough to travel in large, well defended caravans.

So here they were, two young soldiers with only each other for company, about to make camp overnight while still a full half day?s ride from the border of this most unnatural and menacing forest. No, thought Jonas, Gendt was well within his rights to question his superior?s sanity!

?I am fully aware of your concerns, Gendt, but as I have told you before, Lord Guthrod was quite clear in his instructions. There is already a copy of the message taking the safer route with my father. Our orders are to take whatever risks I deem necessary to try and get this message to the Council as fast as we possibly can. And whatever I think about the potential dangers, the Stinkwood road is the faster course.?

Gendt opened his mouth to stubbornly continue his protests, but at that moment the unearthly stillness of the dark wood around them was shattered by a frightened scream, followed by the sound of a number of loud, guttural, gibbering voices from beyond a corner in the forest road up ahead.

With barely a glance at each other, Jonas and Gendt swiftly mounted their horses, drew their swords and spurred their steeds on towards the source of the noise.
As he followed Jonas around the corner, Gendt could not help gasping in horror as he took in the scene of utter carnage in the road ahead. A small covered wagon rested on its side in the road, the ox that had presumably been pulling it lying in a pool of its own blood a short distance further ahead. Broken boxes and shattered urns from the wagon lay scattered in the road ? the nature of their contents was unclear in the gloom of the early forest evening, but presumably they had been of sufficient value to persuade their owner to hire a troop of caravan guards. At least, Gendt assumed that what remained of the three mangled, armoured human bodies strewn across the forest track had until very recently been guards.

As he and Jonas continued their charge, the one surviving guard fell screaming under a flurry of blows from his nightmarish assailants. ?I hate Grapplers!? Gendt heard Jonas yell.

Gendt had heard of Grapplers, but had also hoped never to be in a position to face one. One of the Stinkwood?s most fearsome predators, at one time they had been a harmless species of monkey or small ape natural to the forest ? but harmless or natural they were no longer. Now roaming the Stinkwood in vicious, bloodthirsty packs, the effects of Gaian magic had been to cause the formerly peaceful primates to grow to over five feet in height and given them long, brutal fangs.

The most frighteningly effective influence of the Gaian corruption, however, had been to grant (or maybe curse) them with massively powerful forelimbs stretching to over twice their body length and ending in muscular hands with wickedly sharp, cruel talons. Grapplers earned their name from the habit of solitary members of the species hanging upside down from a tree and enveloping unwitting passers by in a suffocating, bone-crunching embrace. When attacking en masse, however, Grapplers preferred instead to charge their foes in a frenzied, all-out assault with razor-sharp claws flailing. Such had clearly happened here ? the wagon and its guards had not stood a chance.

Although they had most probably been taken by surprise, the guards had managed to kill three of the Grapplers before they had been overcome. Of the four Grapplers left alive, three had leapt onto the upturned wagon and had begun to slash wildly at its covering ? the fourth had stopped tearing open the throat of the last unfortunate guard and had spotted Jonas?s approach. Its face barely had time to contort into the vestiges of a snarl before the powerful swing of Jonas?s sword severed its feral head from its shoulders.

As the momentum of his charge carried him towards the three remaining Grapplers, the reason for their continued obsession with the wagon became apparent. Another scream rang out, clearly a woman?s voice, and clearly now originating from somewhere beneath the inverted wagon. ?I?ll draw them away ? you get to whoever is trapped.? yelled Jonas to Gendt, now only a few short strides behind him.

Bracing himself, Jonas jabbed his spurs into the sides of his mount and urged it forwards. Leaning forwards to grasp the bridle, Jonas whispered ?I?m sorry? into the horse?s ear before heaving back on the reins to send it into a flying leap over the wagon, and directly over the heads of the Grapplers.

Another expert swing of his sword took care of another Grappler, splitting its skull from front to back with deadly precision. The remaining pair reacted exactly as Jonas had expected? and feared. With howls of primeval rage they swung their arms upwards in a vicious arc, ripping through the chest and stomach of Jonas?s horse. Readying himself, Jonas prepared to propel himself forwards in anticipation of the now lifeless body of his steed crumpling beneath him.

A split second later, the carcass of the horse struck the ground as out of the corner of his eye Jonas spotted the two remaining Grapplers leaping towards him in snarling pursuit. He kicked hard? and collapsed face-first on the road, his ankle trapped in the stirrup. Ironically, this misfortune saved Jonas?s life, however briefly. Having seen their quarry preparing to dive forwards, the Grapplers had misjudged their own jump and leaped too far, missing Jonas completely with their whirling talons and landing some distance further down the road. Their natural dexterity soon saw them back on their feet, however, and as Jonas raised his face from the dirt he saw the two screaming ape-creatures bearing down on him.

No fear, no anger. That was surprising. Staring imminent death in the face, Jonas had expected to at least feel a little scared or annoyed, but instead he just felt? disappointed. Disappointed that he hadn?t had the chance to make that big difference to the world he and Kalthorine had always talked about. It?s up to you now, Kal, he thought resignedly as he heard the guttural yells of the attacking Grapplers and felt their hot, rancid breath on the back of his neck. Mercifully, he lost consciousness at the first sear of pain across his back.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The small campfire hissed and crackled in the chill autumn night air, illuminating the three figures huddled around it. Crysta had seated herself on a tree stump close to Trelayne, while Kalthorine sat alone on the opposite side of the fire seemingly in deep thought, carefully polishing his dagger.

Crysta shivered, and hugged Trelayne?s arm tightly. ?Trelayne, what is this ?Council? that Jonas has been sent to??

Trelayne smiled as he continued to unpack and hand out trail rations from his saddlebag, ?More questions Crysta? I?d hoped you would have learned quite enough for one day. Take care that insatiably curious brain of yours doesn?t pop!?

Ever since they had left Arantor?s castle at dawn two days ago, Crysta had bombarded Trelayne with a myriad of queries covering just about every aspect of the society, geography and history of the world. Although his own experiences did not extend very far beyond the borders of Khalkaereon, Trelayne had tried to answer her as best he could ? far from finding her incessant questioning frustrating, he found her enthusiasm and insatiable appetite for knowledge quite invigorating.

?Last one for today, promise!? Crysta beamed back.

Trelayne chuckled, ?The Council of Twelve is what holds Khalkaereon together ? think of it as government, moral beacon and spiritual guide for the country all rolled into one group of fourteen wise and powerful individuals. All major decisions that affect Khalkaereon as a whole are decided by majority vote.?

?Wow! Sounds impressive? uh, wait a second. Did you say fourteen people? I thought that it was a Council of Twelve?

?Fourteen people, twelve votes.?

?What??

Trelayne gave an exaggerated sigh ?Very well, if you absolutely must have all the details.? He smiled at the sight of Crysta?s wide eyes and vigorous nodding, and started counting off the council members on his fingers. ?One representative from each of Khalkaereon?s six major city states, the Grandmages of the Arcane and Gaian Cabals, and the Prefects of the Arcane Blades and Paladins of Gaia.?

?That?s ten.?

?The land?s three most influential religious sects ? Olanah, Helmati and Lenneth ? each have representatives on the council, but as a group they only control one vote.?

?That makes eleven. What about the final one??

Trelayne?s face darkened as he spoke, ?The Dragon?s Tooth.?

?The whoozit?s what??

?The Dragon?s Tooth. The head of the ?Serpents of the Shadow?s Hand?, an ancient mercenary order of spies & assassins with a vast network of agents throughout Khalkaereon.?

?Assassins! How did they get on the Council??

Trelayne shrugged, ?I was born a farmer, and I?ve spent most of my life as a soldier, so don?t ask me to understand the thoughts of politicians. All I know is that whatever their dubious nature the Shadow?s Hand were among the founder members of the council.?

Taking a bite of his rations, Trelayne noticed that Crysta wasn?t eating. ?I know that standard issue rations are not the tastiest of delicacies, Crysta, but do try and eat something.?

?Thanks, but I?m not hungry.? she smiled.

?You know, this is the end of our second day, and in all that time I cannot recall you eating a single thing. And you are still not hungry?? Kalthorine had been virtually monosyllabic since their departure from Lord Guthrod?s encampment. Trelayne had assumed he was suffering from another one of his sporadic black moods, and was therefore taken aback at his speaking out so resolutely now, his gaze fixed on Crysta.

Crysta did not seem at all fazed by Kalthorine?s harsh tone of voice, and merely shrugged. ?Not at all hungry, no? although I guess I should be by now. Perhaps whatever happened to me while I was inside Arantor?s castle included filling me up for a long journey??

Crysta laughed, but Trelayne could hear the strain in her voice. ?Kalthorine, we are supposed to be looking after Crysta, not cross-examining her!?

Before Kalthorine could respond, to both his and Trelayne?s surprise Crysta stood quickly and started towards the horses. ?Where are you going?? he asked.
Crysta turned back towards Kalthorine with a bemused expression on her face. ?Didn?t you just ask if you could speak to your father alone??

?No, I said nothing.?

?But I?m sure??

?Kalthorine is right, Crysta ? he didn?t say anything.?

?But I was about to? and I was going to ask to speak to you alone? Kalthorine said quietly, looking knowingly at Trelayne, ?which at least answers one question.?

?What question? What do you mean??

?What Kalthorine means,? said Trelayne slowly, ?is that there can now be little doubt that there must be some residual Gaian magic in you, Crysta. It would seem that you read Kalthorine?s mind.?

?I did no such thing! That is? I don?t think I did. I certainly didn?t mean to. Although now I think about it, I didn?t actually hear Kal say the words ? I just sensed the gist of what he was going to say. So I didn?t so much read his mind as? feel it??

Kalthorine?s harsh laugh echoed around the clearing, ?Well, that makes everything alright then! Empathy good, telepathy bad, is that it?

?Kalthorine! Calm down, please. Crysta said that it was an accident, and I believe her.?

Kalthorine snorted in derision, ?Of course you believe her. You know, father, for someone who prides himself on being such a good judge of character, you have always been susceptible to a good old hard luck story.?

There was a steely edge to Trelayne?s voice as he replied, ?If you mean that I always give others the benefit of the doubt until they give me reason not to, then I am only too glad to agree. And I would remind you, son, that if I were not such a ?soft touch? then it is unlikely you would be here today.?

?Will you two please stop arguing about me as if I wasn?t here?!? Crysta stepped over to Kalthorine and stood in front of him, hands placed firmly on her hips. ?And if you have a problem with me, Kal, then at least do me the courtesy of being open with me about it. It does not take any ?empathy? on my part to work out that you don?t want me along on this trip, and that you clearly think I am hiding something.?

Crysta?s anger had given her a boost of courage, and the almost comical sight of the diminutive elfin figure standing defiantly before him with eyes blazing and finger wagging reproachfully caused Kalthorine?s demeanour to soften. He smiled sheepishly and opened his mouth to apologise.

?Don?t you dare try to apologise yet, Kalthorine, not until you at least show me the courtesy of allowing me to be properly angry at you! I don?t care what you think about me, I need to be a part of this expedition? Trelayne is the only person who seems to care anything about helping me find out who or what I am, and if he says that I might find some answers in Mamnoth then no one ? least of all you ? is going to stop me from going there with him.?

Crysta whirled round to face Trelayne. ?And now I am going to look for some more firewood so that you and your judgmental ?son? can have that little one-to-one that he wants? whether he has actually ?asked? for it or not!?, and with one last smouldering glare directed towards Kalthorine, she stormed away into the woods.

Trelayne and Kalthorine just sat and watched her leave in stunned silence.
?For such a fragile-looking waif, she can be quite a firebrand, eh?? Trelayne chuckled softly, breaking the silence as he moved over to sit next to his son. He addressed the young Paladin with quiet concern ?Kalthorine, please tell me what is wrong? It is not like you to be so hostile and mistrustful. You have always trusted my instincts before ? why doubt me this time??

Kalthorine looked up at Trelayne, and for a second considered giving in to his
desire to tell his father about Lord Guthrod?s orders concerning Crysta. What if Crysta did prove to be dangerous, or perhaps even an agent of Teylin? If a decision had to be taken to end her life, wouldn?t it be easier to bear if Trelayne was forewarned?

But Lord Guthrod had been quite specific in insisting that Trelayne not be told, and Kalthorine knew he was right. He was under orders to dispose of Crysta even if there was just a suspicion that she was a risk to the assignment ? but Kalthorine knew that Trelayne would never allow any harm to come to someone under his protection unless there was complete, incontrovertible proof that they were a threat. Yes, Lord Guthrod knew Kalthorine and Trelayne only too well? damn him.

Perceiving the troubled look in Kalthorine?s eyes, Trelayne put a steadying hand on his son?s shoulder and smiled supportively. ?I understand your misgivings, Kal, truly I do. Please do not think for one second that I have not got my own doubts about Crysta as well. Rest assured that I am certainly going to be keeping a close eye on her. But you were not in that lab when Jonas and I found her, and you did not see the look of sheer terror and bewilderment in her eyes when she awoke. I cannot believe she could be consciously working for Teylin ? and even if she is unwittingly under his influence then she is still our only real link to him and the Stonefire Gem. Keep your allies close, and your enemies closer, eh??

If only you knew how accurate that statement might prove to be, father, thought Kalthorine. He sighed ?I?m sorry. I am still finding it hard to come to terms with everything that has happened over the last few days.?

?So am I, Kal? so am I. The fact remains, however, that we three may be required to put up with each other?s company for some considerable time ? at the very least it is still another sevenday ride to Mamnoth. As a favour to a tired old man, try to spend some of that time getting to know Crysta better, please??

?I will try, I promise. Although I can?t guarantee to be the ideal travelling companion ? the fact that we are heading to Mamnoth is not going to help my disposition.?

?I know, son. I am not overjoyed at the prospect of going back there, either. But duty is an unfeeling and unforgiving taskmaster.?

Kalthorine nodded and permitted himself to return Trelayne?s smile. With Lord Guthrod?s words still echoing in his head, he understood only too well what duty might require of him on this mission. Not for the first time, he found himself envious of his brother. Why did Jonas always seem to get the straightforward and uncomplicated missions?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

?Gendt, quickly, he?s awake!?

Jonas?s eyes fluttered open to reveal the dirty face of a dishevelled, tired-looking young woman smiling down at him. He started in surprise, and then cried aloud as a burning pain shot across his back. The woman?s expression changed from one of delight to concern, ?Hold still, Jonas. Let the Lythenwort balm do its work.?

?Who? who are you? And more to the point, why am I still alive??

?Because you are one lucky son of a bitch, with more lives than an Arkalian snowcat.? Gendt approached, grinning broadly, but Jonas could hear the relief in his voice.

?Stop grinning like an idiot and tell me what happened. And who is this?? Jonas replied brusquely while hurriedly taking in his surroundings. They were still on the forest road adjacent to the broken wagon, against which he had been propped up with a saddle blanket thrown over him. Gendt had obviously rounded up their three remaining horses, which stood nervously tethered nearby.

Considering the fate of his last steed, Jonas sent a silent prayer to the goddess Helmati that they had chosen to ride express relay ? two horses each, switching horses regularly so that one could recover as the mounted one tired. The horse whose life Jonas had reluctantly sacrificed had clearly not been released from its term of service on its death, as the smell of roasting horseflesh filled Jonas?s nostrils.

The meat was sizzling on a spit over a large campfire that was blazing a short distance from where he sat. The sky was now completely dark, and out of the corner of his eye Jonas could see a number of torches arranged in a blazing ring around the camp. He must remember to congratulate Gendt, he reflected, on making good use of his basic training ? the majority of the nocturnal predators in Khalkaereon were fearful of fire and light, and it was reasonable to presume the same was true of the denizens of the Stinkwood.

Finally, his attention returned to the young woman kneeling by him, busy pounding some pungent smelling herbs in a small bowl. Underneath the grime and what appeared to be dried blood on her forehead, Jonas could tell that she was probably in her mid twenties, with steel grey eyes and wispy, shoulder-length, rather unkempt mousey-brown hair. Her dusky red travelling robes were a size or two too big for her and failed to conceal her rather scrawny frame. Jonas?s discerning eye noted that under all the dirt she was probably quite attractive, and even in his weakened state he made a mental note to encourage her to wash at the earliest opportunity.

The woman had noticed his careful scrutiny, and after emptying her herbs into a small kettle of water boiling on the fire she turned to Jonas and met his enquiring gaze with a smile. ?My name is Jennah, and I owe you my life.?

?And vice versa.? interjected Gendt.

?What do you mean??

?Well, I take it you have guessed it was Jennah we heard screaming under that wagon. When you made your crazy leap and the Grapplers went after you, I followed your orders and dragged her to safety. Then I looked up and saw you just lying there defenceless as the Grapplers bore down on you.?

?I know. I felt one sink its talons into my back.?

?No you didn?t. If the Grapplers had got to you, you wouldn?t be here now. I doubt any of us would.?

?But my back still hurts like hell. So what??

?If you will just shut up for a second and let me finish, I?ll tell you! Where was I? Oh yeah, there I was standing helplessly by, convinced that the Grapplers were about to make mincemeat of you? when Jennah here stepped forward and saved all our skins.?

?Jennah?? Jonas turned and stared at his apparent saviour, his eyebrows raised in wonder. She in turn looked away, clearly embarrassed.

?Yes! It turns out that we rescued an Arcane Mage? the pain you felt in your back was caused by a plume of fire on its way to turning those two Grapplers into primate extra-crispy!?

?I am sorry about burning your back, Jonas. I?m only a neophyte Mage and I haven?t learned to control the release of my essence effectively yet.?

?You?re telling me!? said Gendt excitedly, ?She put so much into the spell that she knocked herself cold. For a few awful minutes back there I thought I had two dead bodies on my hands!?

Jonas laughed, ?Well, Jennah, apprentice Mage or not you have my gratitude. But what possessed you to risk travelling through the Stinkwood at all, and with such a small band of guards??

Jennah suddenly looked uneasy ?They were all I could afford at short notice. I was? I was trying to get to Verdithian City, and? I didn?t want to draw attention to myself...? she paused, and Jonas could clearly see that she was distressed. Oh well, he thought, he was carrying his fair share of secrets around as well. Unearthing Jennah?s reasons for risking a journey through the Stinkwood could wait until another time, and after all he did owe the young Mage his life.

Jonas decided to change the subject before she became too uncomfortable.
?I take it this horrible slime I can feel dribbling down my back is your doing as well??

?Horrible slime?? Jennah brightened up as she scolded Jonas, ?I?ll have you know that I might only be a trainee Mage, but I?ll not have anyone doubting my skill as a herbalist. I grew up as an unofficial assistant to my mother, who was the personal physician to the Lord of Hebredia. She taught me everything she knew about medicinal herbs. That ?horrible slime? is Green Lythenwort balm. There is nothing more effective for treating serious burns, I?ve had to use almost my entire stock to treat you, and it isn?t cheap.?

?Very well, doctor. You bill me for the Lythenwort, and I?ll bill you for a new tabard and a new horse. Deal??

Jennah looked concerned for a moment, until she saw the twinkle in Jonas?s eye. Chuckling, she fetched the kettle from the fire and filled a small cup before offering it to Jonas.

?Here, drink this and it will help to deaden the pain. Don?t worry, there?s no charge for the herbs in this brew.? she added mischievously.

Jonas hesitated, ?Will it make me drowsy??

?No, why??

Satisfied, Jonas took a sip of the herbal brew, and Jennah could not help smiling at the look of disgust and revulsion on the young man?s face.

Jonas recovered his composure and looked up at Jennah, his voice taking on a serious tone ?Because we have to be on our way as soon as we can. Unlike you, we took the Stinkwood road for reasons of speed, not stealth. We would have made camp overnight anyway ? the horses are tired and it would be foolhardy to attempt to follow the forest road in pitch darkness. But we must be able to move on as quickly as possible. How soon before I can ride without causing myself any lasting damage??

Jennah?s brow furrowed. ?Well, the Lythenwort balm should have started to work already, so provided you stay as still as you can for the rest of the night you should easily be fit enough to ride by dawn. But?? she hesitated again.

?But what??

?But? what about me??

Jonas thought for a moment before responding. ?Can you ride? And I mean really ride, as in fast, hard and long??

Jennah nodded confidently, ?I had a horse called Silma back in Hebredia. Every morning I could I took him out and??

?That?s good enough for me. If you like, you can ride with us until we get to Derthyn ? we can?t ride express relay any more, so we will need to look for fresh horses before the final leg of our journey to Angrim Keep. After that, we?ll see. Gendt??

?Yes, Jonas.?

?Make sure the horses are watered and fed and ready to leave at first light. Other than that, I suggest that we all try and catch up on some rest. Personally, I think my chances of surviving a combination of a charcoaled horseflesh supper, green slime dribbling down my back and drowning in pints of scalding hot weed tea are only slightly better than fifty-fifty. But I guess I?ll just have to trust my new physician, won?t I??

Jonas winked at Jennah, who responded with a broad smile. As he settled down for the remainder of the night, Jonas couldn?t help thinking about his father and brother. The lucky pair were probably bedded down in some warm inn at that very moment? why did Kalthorine always seem to get the straightforward and uncomplicated missions?

[Sir Kalthorine]

Chapter V: Homecomings and Destinies (Unfinished)

Kalthorine was not really sure whether he felt better or worse ? in the three days since their altercation by the campfire, he had tried to follow his father?s advice and get to know Crysta better, with mixed results. She certainly seemed open and friendly enough, but Guthrod?s words of warning about the dangers she might pose to the mission still echoed in Kal?s mind.

At least he was as sure as he could be, now, that her demeanour of innocent enthusiasm and emotional naivety was most likely genuine and not some act put on to gain their trust. The fact still remained, however, that whoever ? or whatever ? she once was, the apparent hole in her memory could well be a side effect of whatever twisted magic had made her what she was now, and maybe even by design rather than by accident. Kalthorine could not silence his own nagging suspicion that perhaps Crysta?s amnesia was itself part of her ?creator?s? plan, and if so, what kind of memories could be so vital that they had to be concealed?

Whatever his doubts, Kalthorine did find himself wondering in what possible way could the frail figure shivering behind him in the saddle be a danger to anyone? Crysta had wrapped her arms around his waist under his cloak to try and gain some protection from the biting wind as their horses made their way slowly up the exposed hillside.

The three travellers had left the orchards and pastures of Heldria behind some three days previously, after Trelayne had begun to worry about the unwanted attention they (and Crysta in particular) might draw as they drew closer to the populous banks of the River Verdis. After a brief discussion of their options, it had been decided that the safest approach to the City of Mamnoth would be to turn north until they reached the more sparsely settled Giantstooth Hills, and then follow the main ridge eastwards to Mamnoth.

Of course, Kalthorine reflected, shifting his heavy cloak tighter around Crysta and himself in a vain attempt to keep out the worst of the conditions, there was a good reason why the Giantstooth Hills were virtually unpopulated. The range of craggy low peaks were little more than the remnants of a geological oddity ? a single, long finger of dense, dark grey rock stretching for hundreds of miles along Heldria?s northern perimeter, worn and broken by millennia of driving winds and unforgiving winter storms into a series of broken, barren hillocks and rocky gorges.

As they had first caught sight of the angular hills from a distance, silhouetted uneasily against the steely blue-grey of the northern sky in stark contrast to the soft green Heldrian pastures that lay before them, it was clear why the hills had been named as they were. The Giantstooth Hills were almost as unforgiving in their climate as in their countenance, as cool air masses drifting from northern climes picked up an excess of moisture as they drifted over the Stinkwood before unceremoniously dumping most of it as the worst kind of penetrating, icy rain as they tried to rise over the unforgiving heights.

Thank the Gods, thought Kalthorine, that at least they had avoided the worst that the region had to offer by only skirting the edges of the southern peaks. Even here, though, the absence of any significant amounts of fertile soil meant that the only signs of civilisation they had encountered had been the lonely cottages of a handful of resilient sheep farmers, and the small abandoned bluestone quarry they had used for shelter on the previous night.

Despite the bleak and exposed conditions they were enduring, Kalthorine could not help but wish they had not made such rapid progress toward their destination. The closer the approach to Mamnoth, the greater his feelings of trepidation and dread at an imminent but most unwelcome return to the town of his childhood . As ever, Crysta was not helping?

?Kalthorine, you still haven?t told me very much about what it was like to grow up in Mamnoth.? piped up the cheery voice from behind him.

Kalthorine sighed. ?I told you before, Crysta, there is nothing else worth sharing with you. I grew up in Underbridge, I got into bad company, and? Trelayne found me and took me in. That is the long and short of it.?

He felt Crysta shift uncomfortably in the saddle, as her grip on his waist slackened.
?Take care you don?t fall, Crysta ? this is rough terrain we are travelling over. You really should hold on tighter.?

?I?d rather not, I?? Crysta?s voice trailed off.

?What is it?? enquired Kalthorine.

?It doesn?t matter.? Another long pause. ?It?s just that, well? If I hold on too tightly while you are talking I? I?m sorry, it really doesn?t matter.?

Rather taken aback by Crysta? sudden and uncharacteristic reticence, Kalthorine was about to pursue the matter further, but his train of thought was interrupted by the sight of Trelayne stopping his horse at the top of the rise. He saw his father turn around, a grim smile on his face.

Taking a deep breath, Kalthorine pushed his nagging fears to the back of his mind and spurred the horse on to a canter to join Trelayne at the top of the hill. A long, rocky slope stretched out below them, meandering down to the shores of a wide lake, and beyond that? the City of Mamnoth.

Trelayne placed a gentle hand on Kalthorine?s shoulder. ?Welcome home, son.?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As they picked their way carefully down the boulder-strewn slope, Kalthorine was not the only one harbouring misgivings. Trelayne, too, was less than happy about having to return to Mamnoth after all this time, although he could not help smiling to himself as he caught sight of Crysta?s expression of wide-eyed wonder. An understandable reaction, Trelayne thought, from anyone seeing Mamnoth for the first time. Whatever his own feelings of antipathy towards the place, he had to admit that it was truly a wonder of architecture and engineering. Indeed, without Mamnoth, it was unlikely that Khalkaereon would be the peaceful and cohesive nation it now was. Trelayne still remembered fondly how his grandfather had taken any opportunity to talk about Mamnoth ? always enthusiastically and often in great detail.

Khalkaereon?s internal trade had always depended for the most part on its great rivers. Two of the mightiest channels were the Deepflood, flowing south-east from the Citadel of Rifthome in the shadow of the Angaroth Plateau, and the Hebros, by far and away the longest river in the land with its source somewhere deep in the Dregglands beyond Khalkaereon?s north-eastern borders. As the Deepflood was forced eastwards by the natural barrier of the Giantstooth Hills, it joined the Hebros at the expansive Lake Mamos. Finally, the River Verdis emerged from the southern tip of Lake Mamos to commence its broad, meandering journey south to the open sea.

Unfortunately, uninterrupted trade journeys from the northern extremes of Khalkaereon to the southern coast were made very difficult by the Mamosian Falls, an imposing twin waterfall which formed an impassable boundary between the northern and southern halves of Lake Mamos, either side of the Lake?s massive rocky central island. This separation of easy trade between north and south almost led to political as well as economic division within Khalkaereon, until the City of Mamnoth was devised and built to solve the problem.

Mamnoth was an impressive sight when approached from any direction, but looking down on it as they were now even Trelayne felt a knot of excitement in his stomach. Constructed on Lake Mamos?s large central island, the City was designed and built on two tiers. The lower tier, bordering the region of Lake Mamos at the foot of the Mamosian Falls, was erected mainly from the dense, dark blue-grey granite-like rock mined locally from the Giantstooth Hills, and housed the majority of the City?s mercantile concerns and residential areas.

In contrast, the top tier, built level with the lake above the waterfall, was constructed almost entirely of brilliant white marble stone shipped from northern mines near Rifthome, and housed most of the City?s noble residences, administration and famed seats of learning. Numerous wide, ornate canals cut through both tiers, allowing ships of all sizes to travel effortlessly from Mamnoth?s many lakeside docks to the City?s most impressive engineering feature ? the Water Stair. Built into the cliff face separating upper and lower tiers, this intricate network of locks and horse-powered water-lifts enabled a merchant captain to pilot his barge from the northernmost reaches of Khalkaereon to the southern coastal port of Verdithian without once having to disembark.

Even the technological marvel of the Water Stair and the startling contrast between the Cities of Moon and Sky (as the gleaming white marbled upper city and sombre blue-grey lower city were often called) were not Mamnoth?s most impressive visual features. Instead, on approaching the City the eyes of a first-time visitor would most likely be drawn to the Spire of the Burning Moon, a colossal marble tower erected at the centre of the City of the Moon?s Noble District. Even with eyes downcast to avoid the glare of the Spire?s perpetually-burning summit beacon, a visitor would still be faced with the imposing sight of the City?s five Great Bridges ? two connecting the City of the Moon with the Lake?s northern shores, two connecting the City of the Sky with the southern shores, and the sweeping magnificence of the Skydome Arch, providing the principle thoroughfare between upper and lower city tiers.

As majestic as the Skydome Arch was, however, Trelayne was aware that its engineers had failed to foresee at least one unfortunate side-effect of its construction. Sheltered in perpetual half-shadow beneath its expanse, sandwiched between the cliff-face and the towering arch supports, the Underbridge district of the lower tier had over the years gained a deserved reputation as Mamnoth?s seedy underbelly ? literally as well as figuratively. As he recalled his one and only previous foray into the Underbridge district, Trelayne felt a pang of sorrow and could not help but cast a glance over towards Kalthorine. As difficult as it may be for him to come to terms with returning to Mamnoth after all this time, Trelayne could not begin to imagine how hard it must be for his son.

...and that is as far as I got!