Kargen paused mid-stroke. “Do you hear that?”
“Unless I’m mistaken,” said Natalia, “that’s a waterfall.”
The rumbling sound increased as they paddled harder. The river turned slightly to the right, and before them appeared a massive cascade that fell from a cliff high above: a two-hundred-foot drop from an escarpment that ran as far as the eye could see.
“It appears our way is blocked,” said Athgar. “I don’t fancy the idea of carting the umak up there, not to mention our supplies.”
“There is another way,” said Natalia. “Pull over to the left bank, and let me take a closer look.”
Shaluhk, sitting in the rear this day, steered them to shore. They were soon on dry land, their eyes glued to the sight before them.
“Well?” said Athgar. “What are you thinking?”
“There’s a flat area of rock at the top, on the right-hand side. Do you see it?”
“I do, but how does it help us?”
“If I can get up there, I can cast a frozen arch spell.”
“I’m not certain that will do anything. We’re trying to get up a waterfall, not go home.”
“When we were in Andover, I used the spell to escape the Royal Palace. I need only see the target area to connect to it with an arch.”
“Couldn’t you cast it from here?”
“No. I need to see the anchor point, and we’re too low relative to the source of the falls. If I can get up there, connecting that flat area to this spot here would be simple. Who’s the best climber?”
“Kargen,” said Shaluhk. “He was known as the tree snake in his youth.”
“Then he and I will make the ascent.”
“Shouldn’t we all go?” asked Athgar.
“No. Someone needs to watch our supplies. The last thing we need is to get to the top only to discover a wild animal ransacked our camp.”
“What animal? We haven’t seen hide nor hair of anything since we found that carcass.”
“True,” replied Shaluhk, “but the tusker came from somewhere, and I doubt it fell down that waterfall.”
“A good point, but Natalia’s never climbed anything like that before.”
“I shall go first,” offered Kargen, “then lower a rope for Nat-Alia to use.”
“You’ll need a lot more rope than we have.”
“Then we will do it in stages. I see some ledges here and there that should suffice for a resting space for Nat-Alia while I ascend to the next section.”
“And what should we do in the meantime?”
“Fret,” said Shaluhk. “It is what all bondmates do when their loved one is in jeopardy. We will also watch for any signs of danger. Remember, we still do not know what killed that tusker.”
Kargen pointed. “We will start there, at that mass of rubble at the bottom of the gorge that forms a ramp. Thereafter, we will be climbing an almost vertical cliff face.”
“This would be an ideal time for a spell of scrying,” said Natalia. “Too bad we don’t have an Enchanter with us.”
“Have we ever actually met one?” asked Athgar. “I remember Fire and Water Mages, and we suspected Air Mages were at work off the coast of Corassus, but I can’t recall anyone capable of casting enchantments.”
“Nor I, which is a pity, considering Greta’s potential in that field. Hopefully, we can seek one out once we’ve dealt with the Volstrum. That doesn’t help us at this particular moment, but it’s always good to keep an eye on the future.”
“I know of tribes who practice such magic,” said Shaluhk. “The Night Dreamers come to mind, but even they are in far-off Talyria.”
“Then perhaps, when this is all over, we’ll visit them.”
“Agreed,” said Kargen, “but we should concentrate on the task at hand, which is getting up that cliff face. Come, Nat-Alia. It is time we start climbing.”
Athgar leaned against the umak, watching as Kargen and Natalia traversed the steep, rocky slope. It demanded their utmost attention to keep a stable footing, but their progress was relatively swift. They rested as they reached the base of the cliff, Natalia turning to wave back at Athgar and Shaluhk.
“What do you suppose they will find up there?” asked Shaluhk.
“Nothing good, I’ll wager. This entire area feels so…”
“So, what?”
“I was going to say primitive. It’s as though it’s lain untouched for thousands of years.”
“It likely has. Most of the eastern lands are untrodden, and I know of no one who ventured this far north and returned to tell of it.”
Athgar’s gaze turned eastward, though nothing was there save for thick forest. “I wonder what strange sights lay undiscovered. Until we came to Therengia, we had never seen a tusker. I suppose even stranger beasts might exist farther out in the unexplored regions.”
“We shall likely never know,” said Shaluhk, “but perhaps future generations will travel there, seeking to unlock whatever mysteries lurk within.”
Kargen climbed the cliff face, digging in with fingers to grasp small crevices in the rock. He progressed swiftly but needed to locate a ledge for Natalia to rest. He glanced over his shoulder, judging the distance down to her. Any farther, and he would lack the rope to pull her up. He looked to either side, searching for a suitable position. He moved to the right, feeling the lip of a ledge, and hauled himself onto it and sat, dangling his legs over the edge as he caught his breath.
He leaned over, waving, catching Natalia’s attention. “I found a ledge,” he shouted. “Give me a chance to rest, and then I shall lower the rope.” She waved back in reply. Kargen was only half the way up, but it gave him a good view of the area, not that there was much to see. On either side of the river, trees stretched to the horizon. With the cliff blocking his view north, anything could be up there, from mountains to ancient fortresses. Would he reach the top only to come face to face with creatures even larger than a tusker?
Kargen shook it off, then stood, removing the rope from his shoulder. He tied one end around his waist before lowering the other to Natalia. She waited until it was unrolled, then began climbing, quickly pulling herself up the rope, and soon took Kargen’s proffered hand to join him on the ledge. “That was easier than I imagined,” she said.
“Perhaps, but it will only get worse. The cliff above has a slight overhang. The next time you climb, the rope will hang free rather than against the rock wall.” He gathered up the rope and looped it around his neck and shoulder. “It is time for me to climb again.” With that, he was scrambling up the stone wall, finding handholds in the tiniest crevices.
“I am curious,” said Shaluhk. “What else did you learn from the Ashwalkers?”
“You know most of it,” replied Athgar. “The ability to resist fire and the fire watch spell.” He paused momentarily. “Oh yes. There was something else: a ball of fire that could be tossed back and forth, building in intensity and a spell you set in place like a ward.”
“And what does it do?”
“It sends a flame skyward if anything large comes close. The Ashwalkers used them to mark their territory.”
“I would think such a spell would have limited usefulness.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Look around you,” said Shaluhk. “Much of this forest is dry. A flame such as you describe could rapidly grow to engulf the entire area.”
“I hadn’t considered that. Fortunately, their new home in the Thornwood isn’t nearly as dense as it is here.”
“You have surpassed the teachings of Artoch. These spells you learned were not known to him.”
“You yourself have unlocked unknown magic.”
“Yes, the result of retaining Khurlig’s memories after her possession. Now that I have had time to sift through them, I realize how deep her knowledge of life and death was.”
“I should think that makes you the most powerful shaman in all of Eiddenwerthe.”
“Do not confuse knowledge with power. Yes, I have Khurlig’s memories, but that does not strengthen my magic; it merely unlocks long-forgotten spells. Power is measured by the ability of a mage to control the energy within. By that measure, Nat-Alia is the most powerful mage to ever exist, as evidenced by her mastery of the ley lines.”
“Do you know of any shamans who rival your own abilities?”
“Laghul and Voruhn possess a more limited collection of spells but are as powerful as I am. If we expand our search outside Therengia, then I would say Aubrey is the most powerful I know, though she is a Life Mage, not a shaman.”
“She’s the Human from the west, isn’t she?”
“She is. I hope to meet her one day, for the exchange of information would be most rewarding.”
Athgar glanced up at the waterfall. Natalia was three-quarters of the way up the cliff face, sitting with her legs dangling over a ledge while Kargen climbed the last stretch. “It won’t be long now,” he mused, “then we can continue our journey.”
“What is that?” said Shaluhk.
“I don’t see anything.”
“There,” she replied, pointing eastward.
In the distance, a tiny speck glided high up in the air. As it grew closer, Athgar noticed flapping wings. “What in the name of the Gods is that?”
“Whatever it is, it is huge.”
Athgar looked back to the cliff face where Kargen had neared the top while Natalia watched him from below. He knew he shouldn’t worry, for they had plenty of time to complete their climb before the distant flier drew close, but something nagged at him. He returned his gaze to the intruder. “There’s something odd about it,” he said, “but I can’t figure out what.”
“I noticed it too,” said Shaluhk. “It is closing remarkably fast, far faster than I would expect.”
The creature turned, flying parallel to them. In form, it was not too dissimilar to the rygaurs Athgar and Natalia had encountered in the south, but on a substantially larger scale. Even from this distance, they could make out its dog-like head attached to a body that stretched out, ending in a snakelike tail. A fin running down its back made it look even more serpentine, and when it screeched, it revealed rows of teeth.
“I don’t like the sound of that,” said Athgar.
It flew above the river, heading south before turning west to cross over the waterway, then turned north. Another screech echoed off the cliff face, and the creature began a shallow dive, aiming straight for Kargen.
“Look out!” yelled Athgar, but the waterfall made it impossible for the Orc to hear his warning. He looked skyward once more, finding it hard to focus on the creature, for the air surrounding it writhed with dark smoke as if it had flown directly out of the Underworld. With a final flap of its membranous wings, it plummeted towards the top of the cliff.
Kargen had climbed to the top and was in the midst of lowering the rope to Natalia, so he didn’t see the approaching horror until it was almost upon him, but he reacted fast, dropping to the ground as its claws reached for him.
The thing flew directly overhead, missing his head by a finger’s breadth, then continued following the river northward, eventually disappearing around a bend.
A surge of relief ran through Athgar. He rushed forward to the base of the slope, calling out to Natalia, but she had already begun climbing the last length of rope. Fearful the creature might return, he searched the sky, finding nothing. Then, he caught sight of Shaluhk pointing skyward and followed her gaze to spot the creature flying south incredibly fast.
He pointed at it as he called on his inner spark. Flames shot out from his fingertips, climbing skyward, but he’d miscalculated the beast’s speed in his haste, and his attack missed.
Onward, it rushed at an astonishing speed, flying straight up before it flipped around and dove back down, heading straight for the waterfall.
Athgar readied another streak of fire, aiming directly in its path, but it swerved to the left at the last moment, displaying remarkable agility.
He considered stringing his bow, but the beast flew so fast it would be long gone before he could nock an arrow. He lifted his arms, ready to cast again, but the creature was too close to Natalia.
She was halfway up when its massive claws plucked her from the rope, and then the creature was flying west, paralleling the cliff face with Natalia clutched in its grasp.
Athgar watched in horror as it climbed into the air, its powerful wings flapping, each stroke taking her farther away. Athgar dared not cast a spell for fear of hitting his wife, yet what else could he do, simply watch her carted off as food?
Kargen had strung his warbow, an arrow flying from the top of the cliff, striking the tail, but it did not slow it down. The creature flew on, the arrow now a mere decoration.
Natalia struggled to breathe, one arm crushed against her by the massive claw, the other reaching out, desperate to pry herself loose.
Blood flowed freely from her left arm even as it pressed into her side. The creature’s talons had reached out, one cutting deeply into flesh, the other tearing her from her position on the rope. Now she was hurtling upward, its vice-like grip crushing her lungs.
She fought to remain conscious but grew more light-headed as the blood pumped out of her veins. Was this how it all ended, carried aloft by a strange beast, never to be seen again? Her heart went out to Athgar, flooding her with a desire to live. She closed her eyes, trying to cast a spell, but a wave of intense pain invaded her concentration. Her life was bleeding out, her strength diminishing with every breath.
She weakly raised her hand, grasping the creature’s leg as she had the mage hunter, Nikolai, all those years ago. Her power built, and the soothing embrace of her magic enveloped her as it poured out. Her fingers turned frosty, ice creeping out, spreading over the creature’s leg and down its foot, the air turning frigid as the talons froze over.
As frost turned to ice, the creature let out a horrific wail. The talons released their prey, sending chunks of ice flying, and then Natalia was falling, staring up in shock at the massive beast above her.
Athgar held his breath as Natalia fell, unable to turn away from the horrific sight of her plummeting hundreds of feet, building up speed as she tumbled through the air.
He glanced at Shaluhk to see her running for the river, not understanding why. He struggled to think of anything he could do to save her, even contemplated using his magic to spare her the pain of death, but he could do nothing except watch, mesmerized as she struck the river, her limbs hanging loose, her head lolling to one side, and a plume of water exploded upwards.