A Fork In The Road

Chapter 6-A Fork In The Road

Above the bridge of Keeldor, on the snow covered hills, two figures could be seen, walking slowly across the ankle deep mounds of snow. Those two figures were Turushkna and Wargen, heading for the abandoned tower of which Wargen, king of Keeldor spoke, this tower hopefully housed the scroll of Tigre. As they walked Turushkna continued frequently looking back toward the bridge.

"You know Wargen,"Turushkna started,"I don't feel good about this, not one bit."

"And why is that Sir Lorofax?"Wargen asked confused, turning around slowly.

"I just do not feel right about leaving the others behind,"Turushkna sighed,"and you yourself said this scroll only existed in legend, much like the jewel of Graznor, what shall you do if our search turns us up with empty hands."

"It's all about having faith my boy,"Wargen smiled,"just have faith, and everything else just seems to fall into place."

"I shall hope so,"Turushkna said softly to himself,"for both our sakes."

Turushkna and Wargen continued their trek through the snow as thunder rolled in the distance, and the first drops of rain could be felt. It began to pick up quickly, and Turushkna and Wargen headed for cover in a nearby clump of trees.

"I do not like the look of this,"Filgid said sadly,"Turushkna has ventured off with Wargen, both to find some sacred scroll. I suppose Turushkna knows what he is doing, but I still do not know how this will all fare in the end."

"Of course you do not,"Dongo said, placing his hand on Filgid's shoulder,"that's because it's not the end."

Filgid smiled and nodded. Dongo sat down on the wooden chair beside Filgid and lifted the note from the table, reading it aloud.

"I am sorry, but I must leave. I must go to a place that I do not know the way to. But that is why I have brought a companion.
Wargen speaks of a sacred scroll, far off in the mountains. I personally have not heard the tale of this scroll, but Wargen says it is the last ray of hope we have left since Tahl has stolen the Blade of Tigre. The scroll is located in a tower, a two day journey from where I stand now, I do not know what we shall find in the tower, but for now this shred of hope is all I have to cling to. Wargen has arranged for a boat to transport you along the river of Hylios, good luck. I shall meet up with you just outside the valley of Trilyaj, somewhere along the river on which you travel, hopefully I will hold the scroll in my hand when we do meet."

"If you ask me he's nothing but a fool,"Filgid said after hearing the note's contents for the second, perhaps third time.

"I would not be so quick to judge, I have heard the legend of which Turushkna and Wargen speak. There is a chance that the scroll does truly exist,"Dongo answered, standing up and placing the note back on the table,"I am going to wake the others, if we expect to meet Turushkna in two days outside the valley, we had better get on that boat now."

Filgid leaned back in his chair and looked out the window of the small wooden hut into the gray skies, rain pouring downward like sheets. He had a sad look on his face as he placed his hands on his staff and stood up from his chair. He swung his pack over his shoulder and headed for the door as a flash of lightning lit up the area.

Across the fields of Orshire, on the plains of Iglos, a swarm of black riders was quickly riding across the land, paying no attention to the storm. It was Tahl and his army of Jarlinx, they were headed for Graznor, taking the quickest route possible. Suddenly a bolt of lightning struck the ground before Tahl and his horse came to a halt, rearing upward and tossing Tahl from it's back.

"Sir, are you alright?"A Jarlinx asked Tahl, helping him to his feet.

"I am fine, but this has made me realize we are going about this storm all wrong, we must walk. Everyone off your steed, bring him along beside you until this weather subsides,"Tahl answered.

"But sir,"the same Jarlinx interrupted,"won't that allow Turushkna and his men a chance to catch up with us?"

"Silence, I would rather allow them to have a slight advantage for a period of time then take another fall like that and perhaps ruin this whole plan!"

The Jarlinx nodded and fell back in line as the army dismounted and walked slowly across the plains of Iglos.

Filgid's eyes widened as the group was loading into the boat.

"We must go, and go quickly, now while the time is right!"he shouted.

"While the time is right?"Yujin asked,"what do you mean?"

"I am not even sure myself Sir Yujin, but we must go now, something tells me that this is an excellent time to act."

Dongo shrugged,"Well, wizard's are not often wrong, and when they are it is only a minor fault, let us leave now, before out window of time passes. Which it has not done yet, correct Filgid"

"No,"Filgid smiled,"not yet."

The group loaded the boat and all hopped in, ready to leave. Dongo, taking one oar, pushed them off from the dock, and the group waved goodbye and said thank you to the dwarves. The current was a bit rough because of the storm, but the fairly large boat for the most part was not affected.

The rain continued to fall as Turushkna and Wargen walked along the mountain path, the hoods of their cloaks up, protecting their faces from the wind. Turushkna peered around and noticed that not many plants were living in this area, it was as if something had sucked the life from the ground, killing everything for miles. The ground was black and stony, and only a few small animals could be seen venturing through what looked like fields.

Wargen stumbled and nearly fell but Turushkna was there to catch him, and he asked him in a low voice, "Wargen, what is this place?"

"These are the fields of Keeldor,"Wargen answered looking around sadly,"they used to be much more beautiful, but for the past few years....well you see what they look like."

"How did they become this way?"

"Now that, I do not know, the tranformation was not overnight, but it happened quickly just the same. Do you suppose we shall find the answer to this secret as well on this journey?"

"I have already discovered a great deal on this journey, and I suppose we could overturn more secrets of the world of Raldicon, and even if we do not, I will make it a deed to figure out why your fields look the way they do."

Wargen smiled and him and Turushkna followed the path until it led to a small, dark forest. Turushkna continued on into the forest, but Wargen stopped just outside the trees.

"Wargen,"Turushkna called,"Why do you stop?"

"I dispise trees,"Wargen answered,"they frighten me, it has always been that way."

"But you had no trouble going into the trees before,"Turushkna pointed out,"Why is this so different?"

"That was a few trees, no big deal, and besides we needed the cover from the rain. But we do not need it now, we have our cloaks, and now there are many trees."

"Wargen, I promise you, nothing dangerous is in these woods, now please, come with me, for I do not know the way to the tower."

"Very well, I shall come, it's just a small forest anywhow..."

The boat began to toss and turn on the river of Hylios, and Dongo and Yujin paddled hard to keep up with the current, but not to go too fast.

"Filgid, we should slow down, rest for a while on the shore!"Dongo yelled, trying to be heard over the wind.

"No, our time window is quickly closing let us go now!"Filgid answered.

The boat began to pick up speed as the rain fell harder, suddenly it collided with a rock, bending the bow and putting a gaping hole in the side. The boat quickly sank, and the group had to struggle to shore. As Filgid and the others looked around they noticed that there were only 5 people in their party.

"Yujin is missing!"Jay exclaimed,"we can't rest now, no way! We must head up the river along the bank and try to find him, let us go now!"

"You are right Jay,"Filgid said,"I see what my haste has done, let us go now and try to save Yujin, perhaps he is still alive, we shall see, we shall see."

"The Counsel Of Harrog"