Dennis McCiernan - Into the Forge

"Say now," said Tip, "just where is this, uh, in-between crossing you made in coming here?"

Eloran glanced at Talarin and, at a nod from the Alor, said, "Four days south of here lies the circle of stones… in Lianion, the land thou doth name Rell."

"Lianion?" Tip turned to Rael. "Isn't Lianion what we sang about tonight? Lianion, the first land? I thought that was on the High Plane, in Adonar to be precise."

Rael smiled. "Aye. Lianion is indeed in Adonar. Yet when first we came unto Mithgar, we made the crossing at the circle of stones, and the realm we came into was called Lianion as well, for it was the first land we trod upon in this world. 'Twas only later it became known as Rell."

Tip nodded and then turned back to the Dylvana. "Tell me, Lord Eloran, did you see any Foul Folk on your four-day journey through Rell?"

"Movement in the distance at times," replied the Elf. "Yet whether or no 'twas Foul Folk, I cannot say, for my mission unto Arden Vale was urgent, and I did not turn aside to investigate."

Tip sighed and glanced at Beau, as if to say, We should have gone south and 'round.

But Beau gave a slight shake of his head, wordlessly replying [No, bucco; wait till the thaw].

"When dost thou plan on returning, Eloran?" asked Talarin.

"Mayhap tomorrow."

Rael shook her head. "Nay, Eloran. Rest instead. Tarry a day or so." The Dara took up the small iron container lying on the table at hand and opened the clasp. "I feel that something looms. What, I cannot say." Carefully she unwrapped the crystal from its black silk as all remained silent. Deeply she looked into the pellucid stone, and no one moved, and Beau's mouth gaped circular and wide in bated anticipation. Long moments passed, but at last she sighed and looked up and shook her head. "Nothing," she murmured, and pent breaths were released.

Talarin reached out and touched her hand, then turned to Eloran. "Dara Rael is right: thou shouldst tarry awhile and rest, for alert eyes are needed in these times."

Eloran nodded. "A day or so," he replied. "But then I must go. First to the circle of stones, and thence across Adonar unto the oaken ring, where I will ride the in-between and back unto Mithgar."

"Ah, the Weiunwood," said Gildor. "Well do I like that shaggy forest."

"There's an in-between crossing in the Weiunwood?" asked Beau, his eyes wide.

"Aye," affirmed Eloran.

"Oh, my. Then you had better watch out where you ride, for I have foraged there and some of that wood is, um, 'closed.' "

Tipperton looked at Beau. "Closed?"

Beau nodded. "Places with an eerie feel, and you enter at your peril."

Eloran smiled. "Indeed, wee one, for in those places dwell the Hidden Ones, and they do make it so, and not all who set foot therein e'er come out again. The oak ring itself is within a place what thou dost name 'closed.' "

"And you plan on going there, to this oak ring?"

"Aye," agreed Eloran. "There I'll emerge. Yet fear not for me, for Elvenkind has permission to travel within."

Beau's mouth formed a silent.

Eloran turned to Talarin. "And from the ring I will ride to join King Blaine, wherever he may be found."

Talarin looked up from the floor. "When you reach him, say this unto the High King: Arden will rally to the cause and oppose Modru at every turn. Warn him as well that Draedani walk among the Foul Folk."

Eloran blanched. "Gargoni?"

Talarin gestured and Gildor replied. "Aye. Three of the Mandraki came through Kregyn a moon past. Amid a Horde they marched, though wide was the berth given.

South into Dhruousdarda they went, yet thence we know not where."

"I say," said Tip, "what with all this talk of crossing from Mithgar to Adonar and back again… could we ride down to this circle of stones and cross the in-between and then ride somewhere in Adonar and cross back over to Mithgar, to Aven? I mean, that way for the most part we could avoid any foe who might stand in our path."

Talarin looked at Rael, but she was gazing dejectedly at her crystal. It was Faeon who answered: "Ye both would need to know the ritual, the learning of which is no easy thing."

"Especially to cross at the circle," added Eloran.

"Huah," grunted Beau. "And just how long does it take to learn this ritual?"

Faeon turned up a hand. "Some master the rite in as short as a year, while others never learn."

"Wull, how do so many Foul Folk get across, then? I mean, are they all smart enough to learn the rite? If so, then surely we're as smart as they."

Faeon sighed. " Tis said they are aided by Gyphon."

Tipperton frowned. "Couldn't you just carry us across on your horses? I mean, we could simply ride on your laps… or behind your saddles."

Faeon shook her head. "Nay, Sir Tipperton. Thy mind, heart, soul, spirit, and body must be attuned to make the crossing."

"But I don't understand," said Tip. "What about the horses? How do they get across? Surely they don't know the ritual; surely they are not attuned. Does Adon help them?"

Gildor cleared his throat. "One of the Mageborn once told me whatever was embraced within the aura of the chanter would be borne across."

"You mean like clothes and weapons and such?" asked Beau.

Gildor nodded. "Those and more. -And as Sir Tipperton has pointed out, horses… as well as other animals."

"Well then, we' ve come full circle," said Tipperton. "If horses can be taken across, why not me and Beau?"

With both hands Gildor gestured at his own body. "Heed, the aura of a lesser animal can be enveloped in the aura of the chanter, and thence borne across. Yet thine aura cannot be embraced within mine own."

"Why not?"

"The aura of a living person is too strong to be girdled, my friend. Though at times I have thought were a chanter to bear someone who stands at the door of death, then mayhap could be done, for then I think the aura of the dying one would be weak enough to be held within that of the chanter. But given one who lies not at death's doorway, then it cannot be done. And that leaves only objects and lesser animals which a chanter can take between."

Tip sounded a dejected "Oh."

Vanidor turned up a hand, then said, "I would add but one thing my dwa has said, and it is this: a well-trained animal seems to attune itself unto the master. Hence, master and animal, they mesh and unify into one, and this eases the crossing. As to whether a raging wild animal can be taken between, that I cannot say, for I have not tried, nor do I know of any who has."

"Lor', Tip," breathed Beau, "if we were dumb beasts tamed or even rocks, then we could go."

"If we were dumb beasts tamed or even rocks," replied Tip, touching high up on his silken jerkin under which rested the coin, "we wouldn't have this mission in the first pla-" Suddenly Tip's voice jerked to a halt, and then he turned to Eloran. "I say, Lord Eloran, did the High King say anything of a mission to Agron to deliver a coin? This coin?" Quickly Tip pulled the pewter disk from under his collar and looped the thong over his head and handed the token to the Dylvana.

Eloran studied the token, then handed it back, saying, "Nay, he did not. Yet times were chaotic, and we were hard pressed, and I was not privy to all."

Tip sighed and slipped the thong back over his head.

"Say this, then, to the High King," said Talarin. "The Kingsmen bearing the plain coin are slain, yet these worthy Waerlinga will deliver the token unto Agron. We shall see that it is done. But if there is a message the King sent with the token as well, we know it not."

Eloran frowned in puzzlement and started to speak. Yet ere he could say aught, Rael groaned, and all eyes turned to the Dara to find her gaze locked vacantly upon the glittering crystal lying on black silk in her lap. Tip started to rise but Vanidor motioned him down, while Beau looked about as if seeking his medical bag, saying, "She nee-" but Faeon shushed him to quietness. And then Rael's voice chanted out in plainsong: "Jes a at an thas nid mahr Ut cwenz afyra an rok, Als Vyir raifant avel ulsan E iul peraefiral."