A Perilous Journey

The Ahlissan Chronicles

~ Novella 2 ~

A Perilous Journey

~ 5 ~

Dark Designs

Deloraa stood before the throne of the Archmage Lyzandred. The throne itself was on a raised dais and in front of him was a gold pedestal on which was a glass orb filled with a mist that shifted colors, it allowed him to scry almost anywhere he wanted. He knew about her failure, there was no hiding it from him.

"Well what do you have to say for yourself Deloraa?" The mage asked, perturbed by this setback.

"I have no excuse Great One, the assassin that I hired failed in his mission." It irritated Deloraa beyond words that she had to answer to this creature but her mission was not yet complete, she had yet to obtain the secret that she had been sent to learn.

"I am curious," he said eyeing her closely "how your fellow Hierarchs in the Hooded Order would deal with such a failure. I thought that they had sent me their greatest priestess to study in my presence. Were they mistaken?" He sneered at Deloraa waiting to see how his harsh words would affect her.

"Such failures are met with death Great One" Deloraa raised her eyes to look upon Lyzandred "and I am the most powerful of my order, one of the Dread and Awful Presences, Hierarch and favored of the Dark God. I will not stand here and allow myself to be berated because one dim-witted half-breed could not dispatch a seasoned warrior." Deloraa bit her lip until it bled to hold back the rest of what she knew would be highly insulting words. "The warrior is young, yes but he is resourceful, strong and skilled. I did not expect the assassin to succeed; he was a test to gauge the swordsman's prowess. Now that I know more about the knight and his abilities I can better plan my next strike."

Lyzandred leaned back in his throne his hands folded under his chin. He examined the evil priestess, standing before him dressed in the black robes of her order, one of their symbols a jagged black spiral was embroidered on the front. Although he could not see her face, for her hood was pulled low, he knew she had been marked as one of the Chained Gods' most devoted. Peering at her through his golden half-mask Lyzandred leaned forward as he spoke again choosing his words wisely.

"Do you still intend to honor our pact Deloraa, the secret of the artifact that you have asked for in exchange for the gift that you have promised me?" He waited for her answer.

Deloraa raised her red eyes to look directly into the dark eye slits of Lyzandred's mask.

"Yes, Ancient One, my gift in exchange for the secret."

"I trust your feelings are clear on this?" he asked. "No confusion that would hinder your efforts?"

"No Lyzandred, they are clear."

"Very well then, I leave you to secure your payment. But I warn you, do not fail me for my time and my patience grows short."

Lyzandred sat back in his great throne and looked straight ahead without a word. The priestess realizing that she was dismissed turned and stalked away her temper flaring.

'How dare he dismiss her so!' she thought to herself. 'She was a Hierarch of the Ender, his representative and most favored within the Order!' Her lips curled into a snarl, she would make the Archmage pay for his insults to her. Walking the corridors of Lyzandred's squat citadel engulfed in its' eerie blue light, Deloraa made her way back to her chambers; she needed to report her progress to her fellow Hierarchs. The priestess made her way through the twisting maze like corridors until she came to the wooden door that served as the entrance to her chambers; she quietly spoke the word of command and made her way inside.

Going to her desk she picked up the platinum bowl and placed it on the pillar in the center of the room. Next she fetched a pitcher and filled the bowl with water; then reaching into a hidden pocket concealed in the folds of her robes Deloraa withdrew a small crystal vial filled with a dark reddish-blackish liquid. Removing the crystal stopper she carefully poured a single drop into the water in the silver bowl, the water instantly became black and reflective.

Deloraa leaned over and peered into the liquid, concentrating on the black stone city of Molag, she uttered words in the spidery language of magik that would allow her to see through the magikal barriers around the city that prevented scrying. She opened her eyes to see the hooded countenance of her fellow Hierarch, Vazirian, come into focus. Hooded and dressed in black robes with rust-red runes of protection stitched into the hems of his sleeves and hood Vazirian inquired as to her progress.

"Hierarch Deloraa, how comes your progress have you acquired the secret yet?"

"No not yet, Hierarch Vazirian, I am still in process of procuring the payment that Lyzandred demands for it."

"You told us that you would have it by now Deloraa." Vazirian snarled.

"What I said dear Vazirian was that I was moving forward with my plan. I made no assurances that I would have the artifact so soon. Do not attempt to twist my words!"

Within the dark depths of his hood Vazirians' lip curled into a twisted smile.

"So be it Hierarch Deloraa continue with your mission and do not fail."

"But of course Hierarch Vazirian." She said her tone drenched in sarcasm.

The image of Vazirian faded from the bowl and Deloraa turned her thoughts to her creation. She concentrated on the homunculus and she felt the connection as her mind touched what constituted as the conscience of the creature. The horrid little thing felt the touch of its mistress and it opened its' senses to her. Closing her eyes and focusing Deloraa allowed herself to see through the creatures eyes as if they were her own. She was perched in a tree overlooking the river, beneath her the ship and then looking into the distance she could the sprawling oaks and mighty elms of the Celadon Forest.

Perfect she thought, the Celadon was thick and it was split by the Nesser River. The eastern half was in the Kingdom of Nyrond and the western in the Duchy of Urnst. Even though these two kingdoms laid claim to the great forest neither patrolled it nor harvested timber from it. The forest's main inhabitants were the Sylvan or Gray elves and they tolerated very few strangers to their woodland realm. However, the south western portion of the Celadon touched the wild Abbor-Alz hills, and there dwelt the tribes of bloodthirsty hobgoblins who worshipped the same dark entity as she.

Focusing her thoughts Deloraa gave her foul minion instructions for its next mission. The homunculus acknowledged its mistress's instructions and leaped off its' branch. It spread its' leathery dragon-like wings and flew over the ship before turning southwest toward the Abbor-Alz hills. The last thing Deloraa saw through the creatures eyes before she withdrew her mind were the green tops of mighty trees and the brown hills far in the distance.

* * *

From his lofty perch in the dense trees above the river the hobgoblin Warchief known as Wulfgut watched as their target sailed beneath his gaze. Beside him was the horrid little creature that found him only the day before and offered him a bargain. Wulfgut's tribe was the strongest in their valley in the Abbor-Alz hills but he wanted to extend his reach and for that he needed better weapons for his troops. Steel weapons were what he wanted and this disgusting wizard's mouthpiece had offered him just that. His warriors would attack the ship and take what the wizard wanted and upon delivery he would be rewarded with edged steel.

Wulfgut's tribe had occasionally pirated trade barges coming down the Nesser and while this ship was much larger than the barges the plan of attack would be the same. They would wait for the ship to come to the last sharp bend in the river and when it would slow to make the turn they would raise their net across the waterway and then swing down and board her. The hobgoblins would capture their victim and deliver their loot to the mages' citadel. As the ship sailed past they descended and Wulfgut, sent his fastest scouts ahead to the bend in the river to prepare for the main raiding parties' arrival.

* * *

The raiders knew that their wargs would be able to easily outrun the ship as she had to slow down for the bends in the river. By the time Wulfgut and his party arrived the scouts had successfully strung the net across the river and tied it to a large tree on the far bank, the net was submerged for the time being so as not to give it away. Pleased with the scouts work Wulfgut set his hobgoblin warriors in their perches and had a group of lesser goblins ready with a wide boarding plank that they would use to exit the ship. Pleased with his preparations the over-large grey skinned hobgoblin narrowed his red eyes and waited for his prey.

* * *

The mottled grey and green hobgoblin scout watched as the captain of the large sailing ship directed his crew. As his Warchief had said the captain had furled the mainsails and was using the smaller triangular sails at the front of the ship to navigate the tight bend in the river, he was also dragging the ship's anchor to help control its' speed. The large vessel seemed to be cruising at just the right speed, he made a hand gesture to the raider to his right and that raider passed it to the next and so on. Wulfgut received the signal from the scout on his far left flank, as soon as the ship was under him they would attack. As the vessel began to pass under him, Wulfgut let out a tremendous roar! The hobgoblin raiders below heaved on the ropes that lifted the huge net from the water and hurriedly wrapped them around a huge oak tree. They looked up to see their fellow goblinoids swinging down to the main deck of the ship.

As the hobgoblin raiders landed on the deck of the brig they howled at the stunned looks on the sailors faces. Several of the smelly grey-skinned humanoids ran forward to the bow and hacked the lines securing the jib sails; with nothing to hold them tight against the wind the sails went limp. Two more hobgoblins ran to the anchor and released the capstan dropping it completely to the bottom. The crew of the Scarlet Queen felt their brig come to a sudden stop, as the sailors recovered from the shock of the net and the invaders they drew their cutlasses and watched as a group of disorganized goblins lifted a wide wooden plank from the river's edge to the deck and stormed up. Suddenly the deck was swarming with green-grey hobgoblins and even more green-skinned slightly smaller goblins.

* * *

Lord Brion had been relaxing in his stateroom when he felt the ship lurch and heard the sounds of battle topside. Jumping from his berth he threw his chainmail hauberk on over his head and grabbed his battle sword. As he stepped into the corridor he saw Matthew's frightened face.

"Sir what's happening?"

Brion looked at the door that closed off the corridor from the rest of the lower deck, it hadn't been breached but it would be soon.

"Battle Matthew, now go to Lady Eryca, fetch her and Kira and lock yourselves in Miss Karolyn's cabin." The boy looked at him in shock as he heard a loud thud on the overhead above him. "Quickly Matthew, go now!"

The boy's feet took him down the hall as fast as he could manage and he pressed himself to the bulkhead to avoid Lord Barnard and the other men as they rushed down to meet Brion at the door. The five men looked and nodded to each other as Brion threw open the door raced up to the main deck and joined the battle. The battle was fully underway as the five men waded into the thick of it. They turned their backs to each other and hacked and slashed their way into the stinking throng of goblinoids. Once they were a good ten paces from the hatch to the lower decks they formed a semi-circle, determined to hold their position and protect their loved ones below.

* * *

Lady Eryca had just finished grabbing up her gear when Matthew rushed into her cabin panting and slammed the door shut behind him.

"Matthew have they breached the hallway?" She asked him, the tension obvious in her voice.

"No Ma'am not yet, Lord Brion and the others went through and shut it behind them. My Master told me to take you two into Miss Karolyn's cabin and lock ourselves in."

"Alright then, Kira do you have your spell-book and the wand I gave you?" The small blonde girl nodded clutching the wand her Shalafi had given her for emergencies in her tiny hand. Picking up her staff Eryca moved to the door and heard nothing from the corridor only the muffled sounds outside. "Move quickly and stay with me little ones. Ready?" The children nodded at her with frightened faces. Drawing a deep breath Eryca threw open the door, seeing no immediate threat she herded the children into Karolyn's stateroom.

Karolyn was poised next to the door her dagger in her hand but held her strike when the first person threw the door was Kira followed by Matthew and her Mistress. After she had shut the door and lowered the locking bar Karolyn moved to clutch Eryca's arm.

"My Lady what is going on up there?"

"My best guess is that we've been ambushed Karolyn. I heard shouting in the goblin tongue, possibly raiders who mistook us for a merchant vessel."

"What should we do my Lady?"

"Lord Brion told Matthew that we should secure ourselves in here and protect the children."

Suddenly Eryca pitched forward as a bright white light exploded in her head, in her mind's eye she saw her grandfather wounded as Brion and Barnard closed ranks around him. Astinos laid aside his mace as he attempted to heal the fallen warrior and Aizantius continued to cast spells as fast as possible.

Karolyn grasped Eryca by the shoulders. "My Lady?" she asked concerned. Eryca managed to stand and motioned for Kira to come closer.

"Kira do you remember the command word for the wand?" The little girl nodded, so Eryca went on. "Remember that is a last resort. If goblins break through that door you use it, understood?" Again the girl nodded, Eryca made her way to the door. Karolyn moved to Eryca and whispered so as not to frighten the children even more.

"My Lady, where do you think you are going?" she asked panic in her eyes.

"Grandfather has been wounded. I am going to assist them in the battle."

"But my Lady, Lord Brion said for you to stay here with us." Karolyn's eyes pleaded with her Mistress. "I fear for you, please do not go."

"I must Karolyn they need me and I cannot just sit here while they need my help." Eryca lifted the locking bar from across the door. "Stay with the children and keep them safe." With that Eryca opened the door and stayed in the corridor until she heard Karolyn lock it from inside once again. Then the determined sorceress made her way forward to the outer door.