Brian Pratt - Quest's end

Outside, dusk was definitely on its way. “We’ll never make it back before dark,” Seth said to Kevik.

Kevik nodded then light flared from the end of his staff as he cast his spell. “Stay close,” he said. Wrapping his cloak tightly around him, he leaned into the wind and began forging his way through the snow. Behind him, Seth and Soth bent low as they too tried to minimize the wind’s sting. The storm was beginning to worsen. The chill of the wind seemed to go right through their clothes and sapped the warmth from their bodies.

At one point, Kevik’s foot slipped and he lost his balance. A blast of wind struck him and threw him backwards into Seth. “Careful,” Seth said as he caught him before he could fall onto the snow covered ground.

“Thank you,” Kevik said as he righted himself.

By the time they had left the outskirts of Gilbeth behind, all three were chilled to the bone. Seth’s teeth were chattering so badly, that he was surprised the other two hadn’t heard him yet. They followed the road as best they could in the growing gloom. The only light they now had was that of Kevik’s staff.

Where are you?

The question that suddenly entered his mind almost made him lose his balance. Glancing to the ring on the hand that gripped the staff, he concentrated on Bart. On the road outside of town, he mentally replied. The ring on his hand enabled him to communicate with Bart who wore the other of the pair.

Lost? Bart asked.

I don’t think so, he replied. Snow’s getting very bad though.

We’ll come get you, Bart told him.

Alright, Kevik said. Look for my light.

Will do, came the reply, then the communication ended.

Ten minutes later, Soth caught sight of a light approaching from behind them. It turned out to be Bart and Riyan. “You guys passed the lane,” Bart told them. He then led them back down the road to the where the lane turned off. Once they were on the lane and heading toward the manor, its lights soon became visible through the blowing snow.

Back at the manor, they found a fire roaring in the fireplace and the smell of hot cider filling the air. After they removed their jackets and snow packed boots, Chyfe came forward with a mug of hot cider for each of them.

“Thanks man,” Seth said as he took his. The warmth of the cider coming through the mug caused his hands to ache as feeling began to return. “It’s getting bad out there.”

Bart nodded. “I know,” he replied. “Chad hasn’t made it back yet.”

“If he’s smart, he’ll stay in town until it blows over,” Riyan said.

“You might want to hold off on going to the Tower for a few days,” Soth advised Kevik. The cider entering his system sent warmth spreading throughout his body. He looked around for his brother and failed to find him. About to ask where he was, he saw him emerging from the kitchen with a large chunk of beef.

“Perhaps you’re right,” agreed Kevik. Besides, he’ll need to devote some time to the spells he had copied into his spell book while in the library in order to perfect them.

Riyan went over to the window and looked out. All that he saw was darkness, except for the wisps of snow that blew against the window pane. Worry for his friend gnawed at him, but he knew that to go in search of him would be futile in such weather.

When Chad made to leave earlier that evening, Alicia had suggested for him to stay the night due to the severity of the storm. “We wouldn’t want him getting lost and dying out there,” she argued.

Her father didn’t care for the idea but couldn’t come up with a good reason to object that wouldn’t besmirch Chad’s honor. “Alright,” he agreed. “You can sleep in the front room.”

“Thank you sir,” Chad replied. He glanced to Alicia who gave him a smile. Their exchange was not lost to her father.

Blankets were piled on the long couch for Chad as the family made ready for bed. Her father remained in the front room after his wife and daughters had gone upstairs to their rooms. Relaxing in a chair by the fireplace, he pulled out his pipe and proceeded to light it.

Chad sat on the couch, not comfortable with the idea of crawling under the covers with him sitting nearby. They sat there quietly for several minutes while her father stared into the fire as he puffed on his pipe. “You needn’t feel the need to remain here to guard the honor of your daughter,” Chad finally said.

Her father smiled at that. “If I thought you were the type to take advantage of her under my own roof, I would have sent you on your way tonight,” he replied. Outside the wind howled as it beat snow against the sides of the house. The shutters had been closed to protect the windows, and at times the wind would moan eerily as it blew across them.

“Sometimes my boy, it is simply nice to enjoy a moment of quiet,” he explained. “As a young man, you probably can’t understand that. But once you get older and have children, you’ll better know what I mean.” He nodded to the covers on the couch. “Go ahead and sleep, I’ll be here for a bit longer.” Putting the pipe to his mouth, he returned his gaze to the fire crackling in the fireplace.

Chad was still uncomfortable with the thought of sleeping with him but feet away. But doing as the man advised, he laid down and pulled the covers over him. Her father stayed there for another quarter hour doing nothing but puffing on his pipe and watching the fire crackle and snap. Chad hadn’t been able to fall asleep while her father remained in the room. Rather, his mind had turned time and again to the bottle of wine, and the crest that it bore.

The wind had died down the following morning. Blue sky and sunshine made the blanket of snow dazzle. True, it was frigid outside, but the morning air was filled with the delightful squeals of children at play. At an estate outside of town, work began as the occupants began digging out.

A path was made through the snow connecting the manor house, stable, and Kevik’s tower. They were all but complete with the job when a figure appeared coming down the lane from the main road. Riyan was relieved to see Chad making his way through the snowdrifts. Planting his shovel in a pile of snow, he set off toward his lifelong friend. “I was worried about you,” he said as the two came together.

“They insisted I stay the night,” Chad said.

Bart came up behind Riyan and said, “Just in time to help dig out.”

Chad glanced to the paths already dug. “Looks like it’s already done,” he observed.

“Not all the way to the road it isn’t,” Bart explained.

“What?” Chad exclaimed. Then he saw the glint in Bart’s eye he always had when joking. Bart chuckled at his expense and patted him on the back as the three friends began walking back to the estate.

“Kevik’s in his tower I take it?” Chad asked as he looked up to the tower’s third floor window.

“Where else would he be?” replied Riyan.

“I’ve got something to show you when we get inside,” Chad told them.

“Oh?” asked Riyan with a sly look on his face.

When Chad noticed it he shook his head. “Nothing like that,” he explained. “I may have a lead on where to look for the last segment of the key.” When Riyan glanced at him questioningly, he nodded in all sincerity.

“Where?” asked Bart.

“Let’s go inside first,” he said. Once they were inside the warmth of the manor house, he set his pack on the table and removed the wine bottle.

“Alicia’s father got this from a trader,” he explained. Moving over to the window where the light would better reveal the crest, he showed it to them. “See here,” Chad said as he pointed to it. “If you take away most of the design, all you have left is the coat of arms.”