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“Tor,” she called out once more as panic began to set in. She felt someone grab her arm and cried out in fright.
“It is alright, it is only me.”
“Tor,” she said in relief.
“We need to take the left path.” He called out to Grimmel, telling him the same information and asking him to pass it on to Ban. “From now on, keep me in sight at all times. If you cannot see me, call out and stay still; I will find you. I will keep relaying instructions to you. Please pass on everything I say to Grimmel and he will do the same for Ban.”
River nodded and they started moving once more. The rest of the climb was slow. They had to frequently call out to each other, making sure everyone was alright as well as relaying directions. The fog became thicker and soon they could see no more than a few footsteps in front of them.
Other than their voices, the woodland was eerily quiet. Legs began to tire and when River called out that she needed a rest Tor returned and sat just up the path from her so she could see him. Grimmel caught up with them, then so did Ban.
“Has anyone been counting steps?” Tor asked.
“Seven thousand, eight hundred and sixty two.” Grimmel told him. They still had a long way to go.
“I suggest we stop for a while and eat.” There were no complaints, so they each opened their bags and took out their food. They had been taking sips from their bottles regularly, but there was still enough to last them the rest of the upward climb as well as the descent.
Tor wanted to carry River the rest of the way up, but he knew it would be dangerous. The path was uneven and it was easy to lose your footing, especially with the fog being so thick. If he fell and landed on top of her she might be badly injured. It was not worth the risk.
“Are you alright to continue?” he asked once they had finished eating. River nodded her head, but not enthusiastically. Ban volunteered to carry her, but Tor explained his reservations and Ban was forced to agree that it was best that she kept walking. Due to their short legs, she and Grimmel were having to take more steps than either Ban or Tor so the climb was taking a heavier toll on them. Thankfully the steps had been created by dwarves so they were not high, hence the vast number of them.
What felt like days later, but could not have been more than a few hours, Tor walked around a bend and found himself in a large clearing. For some reason the fog had not penetrated here and he could easily see, mounted on the top of a tall metal pole, a horn.
A smile spread across his face. “We are here,” he called back behind him to River, who was struggling to walk the last few steps.
She collapsed on the ground beside him, breathing hard. “It will be easier going down,” he assured her.
“I know it will,” she panted. “I plan on jumping.”
Tor was still chuckling when Grimmel arrived.
“What is so funny?” his grumbled. His legs were hurting more than he cared to admit.
Tor told him River’s plans on getting back to the ground and Grimmel gave it some serious consideration before deciding he would rather put up with the blisters and sore muscles than be dead.
Ban arrived and all four looked up at the horn, which would tower over River’s head when she stood next to the pole.
“How is she going to blow that?” Grimmel asked.
“Now you know why I am here,” Ban said and winked. “Come on young lady,” he continued and pulled River to her feet. “You have rested enough. I want to get down again before it gets dark.”
With surprising gentleness he picked her up, cradled her in his arms and carried her over to the pole. He then put her on the ground, placed his hands around her waist and lifted her up until she was level with the horn. Feeling safe and fully supported in Ban’s big strong hands, she placed her own about the horn, put her lips to the mouthpiece, took a deep breath then blew with all of her might.
A clear low note rang out, vibrating through the air. It did not last long and as silence descended once more, words appeared in the air.
Now the ezra you must see
They require a moving tree
Kill one, if you think you can
Prove to them you are a man
Tell them what it is you seek
Choose carefully who will speak
As only questions may be spoken
If you wish to receive the token
“Did anyone think to bring writing material?” Tor asked, but nobody had. They would have to rely on their memories.
“I wish Ellen was here,” the Prince muttered as he read the words for the fourth time, trying, unsuccessfully, to imprint them onto his brain.
“We should remember two lines each,” Grimmel suggested. “That should not be too hard.”
It was a good idea and they allocated themselves lines in the order they had made the climb.
When everyone was happy that they could remember their part, Tor announced it was time to go.
“Can we rest for a little while longer?” River asked, but Tor shook his head.
“It will not take us as long to get down as it did to climb up here, but it will still take a while and, as Ban said earlier, we want to be at the bottom before it starts to get dark.”
The descent took less time than any of them had expected as the fog had disappeared. They had been so intent on reading and memorising the words of the latest clue that none of them noticed it thinning at the edges of the clearing.
The four weary travellers were exhausted by the time they took their last step and collapsed onto the ground.
“Welcome back,” a familiar voice said. “I thought these might be handy.”
They looked up and saw the lead dwarf standing next to a couple of horses. Tor felt like crying with joy. He forced himself to stand up and encouraged the others to do so. Ban climbed onto the back of one of the horses and Tor passed River to him. When he was satisfied that she was sitting comfortably, Ban instructed the horse to return to the village.
Tor moved as if to pick Grimmel up, but he backed away. “Do not even think about it,” he warned.
Laughing, Tor mounted then held his hand down to help Grimmel up. “Thank you,” he said to the lead dwarf. “Do you want a lift? There is room.”
The dwarf shook his head. “I prefer to walk. Hot baths have been drawn for you in the visitors lodge, should you wish to make use of them.” His words were music to their ears.
It only took a few minutes to ride to the village, but River was almost asleep by the time they got there. Ban carried her into the building they were staying in and handed her over to Ellen, who took her to her own room where her steaming bath had been prepared.
“Should we wake her up?” Ria asked, but Ellen shook her head.
“She will only drop off again as soon as she is in the hot water anyway. I will keep an eye on her.”
Between them the two women quickly got her undressed and laid her into the bath, to which Ellen had added scented oils. She placed a pillow into the water to support her head, holding it above the water while she washed her down, removing all of the dirt and grime that had collected on the water sprite’s tiny body while she walked through the woodland.
When she was finished she removed the pillow and washed River’s hair. Throughout the process the sleeping figure never showed any signs of waking.
Ellen called to Ria, who helped her lift River out of the water and onto soft towels they had placed on the bed. Using a spell she used regularly, Ellen dried her hair then massaged her legs. After all of the walking she had had to do her leg muscles would probably stiffen up overnight and might be very painful in the morning. Ellen intended to do all she could to prevent that.
While Ellen dealt with River, Vicky and Nosmas set to work on Ban. He was a good patient, taking all of their advice and gratefully accepting all they did for him.
Bellak was in the room Grimmel was sharing with Seth when he stumbled in, his worn out legs barely able to keep him on his feet. When the wizard volunteered his services Grimmel gruffly pointed out that he was a dwarf and dwarves were used to walking. Then he threw Bellak out of the room and locked the door. He stripped off his clothing and climbed into the tub, moaning in pleasure as the heat penetrated deep into his tired body.
Tor staggered into the room he was sharing with Patrick to find him sitting on the bed waiting for him.
“Tough day?” he asked.
“I have had worse.”
“Though I would guess not many.”
Tor looked longingly at the steam rising from the bathtub, then at Patrick, wondering how he could ask his friend to leave without being rude.
Patrick read his mind. “I am not leaving. Either I help you bathe or Ria does. The choice is yours, but I have a feeling I might be more gentle than she will.”
Tor considered what had just been said and for a moment wondered if he should choose Ria, but common sense prevailed and he nodded his head, accepting Patrick’s advice.
“Now are you going to take your clothes off or am I going to do it for you?”
It was a threat Tor knew Patrick would carry out so he hurriedly disrobed and lay down in the tub. The water was so soothing he closed his eyes and began to doze. Until that moment he had not realised why his friend thought he would need help to bathe, but the moment he got into the bathtub the exhaustion he had been holding back hit him and he was grateful that Patrick was there.
He had been bathed by servants many times in his life and it always made him feel uncomfortable. This time was different. This time he was being helped by a friend because he needed it, not pandered to by strangers because he was of royal blood.
Using a rough cloth, Patrick rubbed him down all over, checking regularly that he was not slipping under the water as he dozed.
When he finished, Patrick allowed Tor to sleep for a while. The hot water would do his muscles a lot of good and he waited until it started to cool before waking him.
“Are you able to get yourself out?” he asked as he gently shook him. He was not being sarcastic; there was a real possibility that Tor would not have the strength to stand.
Tor nodded and, bracing himself against the sides of the bath with his hands, he slowly eased himself upward. His legs were shaking as they took his weight and Patrick had to help him keep his balance as he stepped out of the bath.
He made it to the bed before he collapsed and Patrick dried him down.
“I did not realise I was so tired.”
“That is why I am here,” Patrick told him. “Now lay face down on the bed.” Tor didn’t have the strength to argue.
Using oil that Ellen had given him, Patrick proceeded to massage Tor’s muscles, starting at his feet, making his way up his legs and back and finishing with his shoulders. He did not care that he was touching him intimately. Tor was his friend and would do the same for him were their roles reversed.
When he was done he ordered Tor to turn over. He placed a towel over him so he could keep his modesty then rubbed down the front of his legs and his arms before returning to his shoulders.
Tor was asleep once more by the time Patrick put the lid back on the bottle of oil. Without waking him, Patrick manoeuvred his body around a little then covered him over with the blankets.
He left the room and made his way to the dining room where he found plenty of food left over. There was some sort of stew keeping warm and fresh bread.
“How is he?” Ellen asked as Patrick helped himself to a bowl and began ladling some of the mixture into it.
“Sleeping like a baby.”
“River too. Vicky gave Ban a sleeping potion so he will not wake until tomorrow. Grimmel has shut himself in his room so I have no idea how he is feeling.”
“Did anyone think to ask about the next clue?” Seth asked. Nobody had. Taking care of their friends had been more important. “I guess it will have to wait until morning then.”
Everyone stayed up late, drinking glasses of wine and discussing Jem and Marie’s plans for the future. After a while Marie would be able to travel for short periods of time and they hoped to be able to go back to Remeny to visit her friends and family. It would take too long to reach Jem’s family, so when the time was right he would send them a message and ask them to meet him in Durston. He wanted them to be there for his wedding.
There was much rejoicing and celebrating that night and more than one person was a little worse for wear the next morning.
Patrick was awake before Tor and asked him if he wanted breakfast as soon as he saw him stir. As he had not eaten the previous evening he was starving, but did not want to eat in bed unless he had to.
He rolled his shoulders and moved his arms about, surprised at how good they felt. He then moved his legs to the side and attempted to stand. There was no stiffness at all and when he stood up he could almost believe that he had not climbed the ‘Stairway to the Gods’ and collected the latest clue.
He looked at Patrick and was filled with gratitude. He knew he must have hated every minute he had had his hands on him and could not put his gratitude into words. “Thank you,” was all he said. Nothing else was needed.
The fact that Tor was moving about told Patrick that he wanted to go to the dining room to eat. “Do you need help getting dressed?”
“I think I will be able to manage.” He did not sound certain, so Patrick stayed with him, just in case he was needed.
The two men strode side by side to the dining room and Tor was glad to see River was already there. Of the four who had collected the new clue, she had suffered the most. Her short stature and tiny frame meant she had had to work the most on the climb and was so close to exhaustion that Tor had been really worried, but now she looked as though she had endured nothing more than a casual stroll around the village.
Grimmel was also there, tucking into a bowl of porridge. He looked none the worse for wear and just grunted at Tor when he asked how he was.
Ban was the last to arrive. The sleeping potion had worked better than Vicky had expected and everyone had finished eating by the time he surfaced. He looked well and confirmed that none of his muscles ached.
Those who had retrieved the latest clue were feeling a lot better than some of the others, who were nursing sore heads. Ria refused to eat anything. She drank some chilled fruit juice, then ran outside to empty her stomach. Again. When she returned she vowed to have nothing but water for the rest of the day. Seth was looking decidedly green, but managed to eat, and Modo just sat with his head in his hands. Torrick kept looking across at them and laughing while Liselle told him to stop being cruel.
Eventually talk turned to the clue and between them they quoted it.
“Anyone ever heard of the ezra?”
Blank faces greeted the question. Tor was disappointed, but not surprised. He moved on.
“What about a moving tree? What could that mean?”
“You need a tree sprite,” River suggested quietly.
Tor looked at her with admiration. He was not the only one. It was a very good idea. The only problem would be finding one. More specifically, finding one who would be prepared to join the quest. Water sprites and tree sprites were notorious for not liking to travel. He had gotten lucky with River. He was not so hopeful about being lucky a second time.
“Does anyone happen to know a tree sprite?” Ellen enquired, but without much hope.
“Especially one that does not mind being killed,” Seth added.
“What do you mean?” Tor asked. He had heard the clue more times than his young protégé had, but could not work out what he was talking about.
“The clue says we have to take a moving tree to the ezra then says we have to kill one. But is it talking about the ezra or a tree sprite?”
“Say the clue again,” Ellen requested.
Tor and River did so, repeating their lines of the clue.
“He is right, you know,” Patrick said once they had all had time to think about what they had just heard.
“Damn. It is going to be hard enough getting a tree sprite to join us as it is without having to tell them that they may be killed.”
“Then do not tell them.”
Tor glared at Patrick in disgust.
The lead dwarf arrived at that moment to inform Marie that it was time to go through the flames once more. She bounced from her seat, eager to have the next part of her treatment. Jem took her hand, determined not to be parted from her any more than he had to be.
“Just one moment,” Ban said before they could leave the room. “I can understand why me and Tor had to climb all those steps with River, but why did Grimmel have to go as well?”
The dwarf grinned. “That one is easy. Nobody is allowed on the Stairway to the Gods without a dwarf with them and there was no way I was going to do all that climbing.”
He was laughing as he walked away.
While waiting for Marie and Jem to return, they continued to discuss the clue then progressed to everyone’s plans. Ban, River and Grimmel had performed their duties so could return to their homes if they wished, but all opted to remain on the quest. Ban and Grimmel both expressed a desire to see more of the world, but River refused to explain her reasons.
When Marie returned she had a glow about her and could not keep the smile off her face.
“I take it everything went well,” Ria observed.
“You could say that. I have received some good news. The flame creatures told the dwarves that my illness is not hereditary. It is impossible for it to be passed on.”
“That is great news,” Liselle told her. Beside her Torrick was frowning. He did not understand the significance of what Marie had said.
“It means she can have children,” Liselle told him.
“You are a fast worker,” Patrick said, slapping Jem on the back.
“Not yet,” Marie said in shock, making Patrick laugh.
“It is time we thought about leaving,” Tor announced. He hated to bring the topic up when his team were relaxed and enjoying themselves, but they were in last place and needed to get moving.
Everyone had mixed feelings about leaving Jem and Marie behind. They would miss them a great deal, but they had a good future ahead of them, which is more than Marie expected when she first left Remeny.
Many tears were shed, but they were followed by promises of staying in touch and visiting once the quest was complete.
It was a nice warm day, the sun was shining and the birds in the trees were singing. It was a good day to be travelling and Tor set a fast pace.
They had not been travelling long when Seth steered the cart closer to Patrick.
“I have just realised something. You had better not die again as you no longer have any bodyguards.”
Patrick was not concerned. “You and Tor would not leave my corpse just lying unprotected, out in the open. Would you?” Without answering, Seth increased the speed of the donkey pulling the wagon, putting some distance between himself and Patrick so he could not see him grinning. “Would you?” Patrick repeated, but Seth pretended not to hear him.
“Tor,” Patrick called out. “You will take care of my body if I die again I presume. Tor? Tor?”
Tor did not respond, choosing to let his friend worry for a while.