Chapter 6 Alaric's Bride

“Alaric, I write of sad news concerning your niece Lanie. A rain of fire covered the Black Forest when Daxus and Gilda were away making crops grow. Goblins flew down from the sky and attacked everybody in the forest. They took Lanie. Gilda has now put me in charge of the finding in Andos’s palace before Lanie gets married to Nabu. You must help me rescue Lanie, she is only a child. Your friend, Alexis.”

After reading the letter, Alaric makes a tree branch float in the air and flies to the Black Forest. His new roommate, Myra had arrived with Alexis’ son Treynor claiming her husband Modred was going to sacrifice him believing he is an elf. Even worse, after Laeos’s wife Marianna died after childbirth did she comfort Laeos too much and carrying his child now. She came looking for Alexis and Alaric took pity on her. He said she could stay until she had her baby, then had to leave because Nix was coming to live here. Myra helped out cooking food and mending his clothes. She promised to care for his house while he is away. Alexis’s father often stopped by to see his grandson. Alaric arrived at the Black Forest to a royal welcome. Gilda changed the heroes into birds and they flew up to the sky to save Lanie. They rest upon a cloud and gaze at this new outlook of the surface. They eyed the earth goddess Lotan sound asleep. The world looks so green and peaceful from this distance. Alas, they had to leave this serenity because Lanie is waiting for rescuing. Reaching the palace of Andos, they spot goblins and sprites gliding around the castle to patrol the skies. Some carry baskets of grain from the offerings of worshippers honoring the sky god. The archsprite swatted at the tiny hummingbirds. Alexis decided to follow a goblin transporting wine jars and slipped into its pocket. Our heroes hear the guards laughing at Lanie squealing for help when she was changed into a faerie. The heroes flew out of the goblin’s pocket. Alaric saw a hole in a wall where a tiny faerie lives. This particular faerie had a mouse head on her wall and a bed a parakeep feathers, treasures she must have come by from trading with fairies on the surface. The faerie was gone, but a pot cooking in its fireplace told our heroes that it is nearby. Upon sniffing the contents of the pot, the missing occupant appears to the heroes. The female pixie offers a meal for the birds. She expressed knowledge of faeries on the surface coming with offerings to Andos, who shares with his servants. She shows upon making dirt markings on the floor exactly where Lanie is caged.

Alaric and Alexis told the pixie that the god Daxus would reward her for her assistance, for they only have weapons. They plot their escape as they sip the pixie’s soup. In the end, the pixie insists they take her to the Black Forest for her reward. The pixie guides the birds through the aged stone wall cracks into a grain storage room. They fly behind jars and baskets on the floor and return to their elf stature to hold the faerie in Alaric’s pocket. They surprise Lanie swaying on her cage swing in song. Her high pitched voice is incomprehensible to Alexis. Alaric translates that she is happy to see them. A lock spell on the cage door Alaric uses his crystal to break in the bars and grab Lanie. Lanie sat in Alexis’s pocket. The heroes slip out into a bed chamber with a chimney. Lanie and Alexis then flew up the chimney. Alaric creeps down the hallway to confront his new enemy Nabu. Our hero silently slithers like a snake toward the great hall in the palace. Sprinting to a banner hanging from a terrace, he could hear great celebration from stars, goblins, sprites, and dancing comets. He views tables holding masses of food and drink. A cloaked hood hiding the reflection of light from the elf’s eyes, he awaits his moment to triumph. He casually transforms an unsuspecting wobbling drunk goblin into dust. Nabu interrupts the party to posture for a speech with his proud father Andos sitting on a throne.

He declares that Lanie will be held prisoner until their betrothal ceremony at first sunlight. Remaining still as a statue he hears Andos further condemning Elexi and Lixi for not allowing a betrothal to Lanie. Just then, Lanie and Alexis are dragged into the great hall by sprites. Alerted of intrusion by the missing prisoner and broken bars, the strange hummingbird and faerie were quickly caught. The other faerie must have gotten away. He declares Alexis as a Daxus spy to try and stop the betrothal. He orders a new spell to lock Lanie’s cage shut. The escapees are carried off into separate chambers. Before Alaric could declare his presence, he changes into a hummingbird and follows Alexis into the dungeon. Above goblin guards and through the keyhole, Alaric the bird transforms in Alexis’s cell. An image of Iris appears in the dark dungeon as Alaric prays to his amulet. She claims to use a handful of grain, as if to feed a certain faerie, to break into the cage. To convince the guards of a prisoner present, Iris changes a stone from the dungeon into a faerie. Our heroes thank Iris as she fades into the darkness. Alexis realizes Iris set him free when he waves farewell. Pointing his sword at the door, Alaric speaks a spell to open the charmed door.

“Andun comiton,” speaks Alaric who caught the password from a goblin guard.

Alexis hides under Alaric’s cloak. They sneak back to Lanie’s cage. As recommended by Iris, Alaric snatches a handful of grain and reaches into the gilded cage holding Lanie. Andos had played a trick on the rescuers and had fake faeries planted in different chambers that were really goblins altered by Andos. With the amulet of Iris, Alaric could see their true form. Alaric the Brave switches faeries and carries Lanie to safety, or so he thought. The archsprite bursts in with goblins from hearing Lanie’s squeals of joy. Swords clash until Alaric shouted “Petrious lucin” and “Andun comiton”. A blinding light from his crystal shot out and the door fell over with a loud thud. A trashed chamber was the only evidence the archsprite had of the elves’ presence. The intruders scurry down the hallways to come to a halt at a wall covered with a tapestry. Alexis curses Andos and shushes at the sound of scampering footsteps. They jump into the tapestry and froze stiff until the goblins left the hallway. Changed into faeries, everyone leaps out of the tapestry and fly up another chimney. Alexis and Lanie fly away to the safety of Leesville. Alaric hopes now he can confront Nabu. He slips by guards by altering himself into mirrors, mural characters, and an empty goblet. At last, he reaches the great hall to see Andos punishing the goblins and sprites for letting intruders into the castle. It is now clear to Andos there was another hero possessing magic. A few missing goblins made more clear it was a powerful wizard. He watches the archsprites answer to Andos about the bright light and door spell only guards knew.

Atop of the terrace, Alaric again looks down at Andos from a hidden spot. Then Alaric the Brave slides down a banner and lights his sword into a flame. Making his presence known to all, he challenges Nabu for kidnapping his niece. The sky god brushed Nabu aside and drew his lightning bolt sword to step down from his throne. Mystery solved, Andos flings lightning bolts at our hero. Alaric dodges them all and flings out his own balls of light to make Andos dodge. At the clashing of swords, they both realize the other’s strength. All around the great hall the enemies fight, flinging different spells at each other and hitting the gaping servants. Soon, drapes on fire, tables overturned, and frozen goblins are viewed when Alaric grows weary.

“Very strong against a god, little immortal.” spoke Andos circling the hero gasping for breath.

“Your daughter taught me well during her many visits to my bed.” replies Alaric.

“Fresh too. No wonder Iris likes you. Well now you can wait for her to save you, little star.” declared Andos.

Overwhelmed in anger of taking so long to defeat this immortal elf, Andos swings his sword to unleash a wind that knocks Alaric off his feet. With another wave of his sword, a great sunray burst out and Alaric exploded through the wooden beam roof to fly into the chariot of the moon goddess Selene. Alaric explained how Nabu kidnapped Lanie to gain a betrothal. Ashamed her son did such a cruel thing, she stops the horses for a moment to let Alaric step off and walk along the goddess Alma’s robes. It was very cold and silent up in the heavens. He saw other stars that made up the constellations. He found the famous Tari who was cast into the stars by Elexi when she trapped the fate goddess Anastia into a mirror when she revealed a sad fate for her. Alaric asked what Anastia predicted to make her caste her into a mirror.

“She said I fated for the stars and guide sailors with my crown.” answered Tari.

“Amazing, her mirror is in Iris’s palace protecting a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.” replied Alaric. “Any chance for her to leave the mirror?”

“It is always possible, magic spells can be broken. I put forth a strong spell for her.” bragged Tari.

“The fate goddess Anastia had woven a sad end to Tari’s story

A heavy curse placed on her to make her father worry

No holy immortal nor immortal hero can undo the spell

Forevermore her soul is entrapped inside this mirage cell

No one who loves her nor willing to switch places can relieve her fate

Only the sea goddess Tari can set her free from the brassy gate.”

“I have to write that down, you certainly covered most possible spell breakers.” reacted Alaric.

“I did my best. But now the sun is setting and we must sleep.” finished Tari.

Alaric too rested in the folds of Alma’s robes. Down on the surface of Lotan, the night gazers noticed a new bright star appearing near the evening star Asherah. Alaric walked over to Asherah to ask her opinion of his relationship with Iris. Asherah declared she always spoke fondly of him and upset when their father and twin brother objected to a betrothal. She even consulted the Mirror of Anastia on his future prospects. Sadly, his heroic future meant that he belonged on Lotan and not in the sky with her. Alaric accepted the reply and waited for Seline to return. The silver moon horses came by and Seline assured Alaric that an agreement had been reached. Iris also arrived with her golden chariot being pulled by fire horses. Seline stepped off her chariot to sew a tear in Alma’s robe where Alaric came through. The Lotan star gazers then saw a comet fly across the sky as Iris brought Alaric to the Black Forest. Once landing on the beach, a great earthquake shook the Black Forest. To the east in the Dark Mountains a bright light shot out and thunderous rumblings echoed through the winds. A volcano inside the Dark Mountains must have erupted to cause all this. Iris wonders if the sun horses caused it when they landed. Powdery ash fell like rain around the Black Forest, the Dark Mountains got buried in it. The elves who escaped on ships had to find a new home. Some sailed south further into the Titania coastal forests and many settled along the Lotan coastal colonies. A great sea wave pummeled the coastline drowning thousands in Lotan and Blythe. The new colonies Laurel and Litsy were wiped out completely. Sailors returning home had to rebuild the forts further inland because the coastal marshes were now under water. Elves of the Olin Mountains found the Aurora River swelled and flowed too swiftly to navigate it. Rafts and canoes were upended and boatmen drowned. For days the rivers along the coasts were filled with bodies and driftwood, until the villagers cleared them out. The mermaids along the beaches dived into the sea to be unharmed. For a few years, there were heavy rains, red sunsets, and blue moons. The famine caused by moldy grains lasted for five years causing many creatures to leave Lotan and borderland Blythe for better lands. Many went to Kadacia where the short grass desert was in full bloom from all the rain and bountiful harvest came year after year. Many of Alexis and Alaric’s ships were destroyed sitting at the docks and Alaric sold his partnerships in Kara and Litsy. He kept his partnership with Alexis rebuilding Laurel and in Illium with Empress Athena. He built a new boat to row to the Amazon Valley.

Now the South Sea coastal kingdoms did receive great rainstorms that caused floods harsh enough to take out houses and towns. The South Sea people suffered as they planted their crops in the autumn for the foggy sun and frosts withered the grains causing a famine. The people rebelled against their rulers and new dynasties began. Their famine did not last as long and Northern people began to move in along the coast. A new elf city sprung up in Nubia called Avaris. People searching for new homes made the vast trade routes unused for a time until the rebuilding of their lives was complete. After the theatrical event, Daxus explained that Lanie is betrothed to Nabu and will remain in the Black Forest until she reaches adulthood. Lanie said she rather liked Nabu and convinced her mother to accept a betrothal. Lixi scoffed a little goddess would like any adolescent god who pays attention to her. Daxus defended Lanie break the betrothal whenever she wishes. Since the agreement, Lanie has spent much time with her family in Itheram palace and returns with the mermaids. Alaric returned to Leesville to prepare for his wedding in two days. He paused in relief that this day finally came. Alaric wakes bright and early to watch the sunrise. Myra decorates the home and helps prepare the feast. The next two days are nothing but preparing food and finishing the clothing. He polishes his bronze armor from Iris. He says too himself that he will remember this day forever. The marketplace has many tables covered in food for the guests. His sisters and their families arrive. Iris comes to give him her wedding gift, a helmet that makes the wearer invisible. She comments how he appears so grown up. Iris pecks him a kiss of congratulations. Kalulah and his new son Kiko greet their father and remain on the outskirts of town during the celebration. Alaric thanked the goddess. Alaric started greeting his other guests and accepting their gifts; pixies, mermaids, elves, sprites, fauns, centaurs, elves, and one giant. Alaric parades with his relations and friends in front of him to the elf stone temple covered in statues and murals. Then all the guests wait for the bride who just entered the village.

Nix’s parade reaches Leesville as the last dew drop dries. Her attendants toss pansy petals in the air as she touches the border of the village. Nix sits with a lilia bouquet upon a brown horse with a black mane and tail. A white star is visible on its forehead. Humans ride starred horses at weddings for luck. Upon her soft golden hair tied with braids atop of long tresses lays a lilia wreath. Her gown is white with lace strands descending the bodice. Her white leather shoes are laced with linen. Her attendants shine in yellow gowns and carnation wreaths in their hair. As Nix slides off her horse, Alaric notices a long piece of lace hanging from her golden headpiece from Athena. Her attendants toss the last of their petals down the aisle. Nix comes last with her father at her side. Her mother died from winter sickness the winter before. With his priestess mother conducting the ceremony, Alaric marries his dearly beloved. The Sorceress blesses the bride and groom. They light candles praying to Iris for fertility and happiness. Gilda sings a song of praise. Flowers are laid at the goddess Ishtar’s statue for good fortunes. An elf harpist plays a song of celebration with a human flutist. The vows were spoken next.

“I Alaric Starlin, take in marriage Nix Cosson of Brightsburg. I shall provide comfort, hope, love, security, and happiness for my wife for as long as we live.”

“I Nix Cosson, take in marriage Alaric Starlin of Leesville, pledge to my husband love, security, comfort, riches in gold and children, and happiness in old age for as long as we live.”

The marriage contract is read to the guests. Alaric gives Nix a large ring with a bright red ruby. The dowry is paid next. Cossus the Dragonslayer gives his daughter fifteen jars of wine, three chests of clothing, fourteen bags of coins, ten boxes of jewelry, four quilts, six goats, five pigs, four sheep, two dogs, and one horse. Her belongings are delivered to Alaric’s home. Our hero wonders how all these things are going to fit in his house. He and Alexis had built a small barn for the impending animals. He had to travel to the grasslands to cut some hay. Perhaps a cave behind the waterfall could store much of their possessions. The wedding bond announced sealed, The Sorceress presents the husband and wife. The reception is celebrated in no time. Food platters were soon empty. Music filled the late morning sky. Elves, humans, pixies, godly persons, sprites, fauns, centaurs, and one giant danced in the cool mountain air. Ricky the Snakecharmer bragged to Alaric about his latest girlfriend. Alaric could never figure out what Ricky saw in these women. Large bosoms and no brain are not much to brag about. Alaric and his nephew Alani walk around the village. The nephew seems enamored about all the stories his uncle has to tell. Alani had much to say about his half-brother Elmo. He spoke of how Elmo met his betrothed Iceni. He slept in a well on his travels in the Borderlands. A maiden tossed a coin to wish upon meeting the Grand Prince who was looking for a bride. The coin bounced on Elmo’s head and he awoke to find a shocked human girl at the top of the well. He promised to grant her wish to be the Grand Princess and sent her in a chariot with her brother to meet the prince. Her name was Athena.

She became the Empress upon her father-in-law’s death and had children. One son died as an infant and Elmo came to guide the child into the afterlife. Many spoke of her oldest son being cursed, when he was born, by a witch not invited to the celebration. He would make a weak king so Elmo promised Athena that she will somehow have a male heir to inherit the throne. Females are only regents for young heirs waiting to grow up to be the emperor. Then, when Elmo reached Roanoke Castle of the afterlife goddess Isis and the boy’s soul judged by the phoenix Hato, he met Iceni. She was a mermaid that recently died and was judged a kind soul to go into the happy sea in the afterlife. Elmo fell instantly in love and asked to grant the mermaid rebirth into any form she chooses. Isis granted the request and Iceni chose a sea gull so she could fly and swim along the seacoast. After a few years, she was reborn as a sea gull and always welcomed Elmo into her nest to thank him for the rebirth. So now they have been betrothed for years. She returned to the happy sea after dying as a sea gull. Elmo routinely visits her. Alani followed Elmo down to meet Iceni and discovered the daughter of Isis is quite pretty. He does not recall seeing much of her at Gilda’s wedding. The goddess Manda showed him how gods and goddesses change forms at will. They played all around the castle and Alani met his elf and sprite ancestors. She talked about her sister Charise marrying the fire god Devon and moving to the surface. Elmo spoke to her parents about a betrothal as a favor to him. Alani is looking forward to growing up. Alaric told him not to hurry growing up, for he has eternity to be grown. Alani also said that his father is thinking of making him the river god when he reaches maturity. Lanie will be the goddess of poetry. He is getting tutored in animals, plants, and spells. Alaric gives him his old wooden sword to learn to fight with. Gilda wished her brother happiness in his marriage. Her gift is a cherry that he can throw in the air and will turn into a bird that will deliver a message to her. Daxus rewarded the pixie that helped rescue Lanie with a splinter of enchanted wood to use as a wand when visiting the surface. The faerie was grateful of the gift and flew away back to the sky. Lixi gave Alaric a big hug. She gave him a starfish that can be tossed any body of water to send to call Alani to him. Just as the noon sun passed its high mark in the sky, uninvited brownies turn up. They flip over tables, slash at the guests with their tiny swords, knock over torches to set fire to the decorations, and set the tied up animals loose. Underneath a table, Alaric and Nix hide from the destructive brownies.

“This will be an unforgettable day to tell our children someday, Nix.” comments Alaric.

“Sooner than you think,” answers Nix.

Alaric awkwardly looks at Nix to figure out what she meant by that.

“That is right, I am carrying your child,” claims Nix.

Alaric pulls away from the table being lifted by the brownies and watches it get tossed several feet. Once the shock wears off, he jumps in joy of becoming a father. All the wedding guests congratulate the couple after the brownies fly away. Alaric swears he saw Ryan up in a tree after the brownies scattered after their destruction. Ryan naturally denied this. The wedding gifts are repaired by Alaric’s sisters. The brownies’ fires forgotten, the celebration continues into the evening. Nix found her things were displayed in her new home. Her quilt on the bed, her pottery, and decorated boxes were sitting next to Alaric’s spell books and containers of herbs. One vase held rose and lilia flowers. Alaric showed Nix the cave behind Aurora Falls where many chests and jars are stored. The mermaids serenaded the couple at sunset. Trolls come out to offer their congratulations and give the couple a cauldron that heats faster than any human or elf made pot. Nix’s animals were safe in the barn. The next morning, Nix retrieved some milk from the goats. It had been a long time since Alaric had milk. Laeos and Myra seem to have connected during the celebration. He said Modred was furious at her for disappearing. She had ruined the sacrifice and the gods will punish the town for her selfishness. Fearing that Modred would harm the elves for protecting her, she promised to leave and go to Adar to find work. Treynor was happy to hold his half-brother Andan from Laeos’s wife Marianna. Alexis as the groomsman was less ecstatic seeing Myra again and glared at Treynor in disgust. In the end, Alexis said Treynor could come to him during his apprenticeship when he gets older. He could never forgive himself if Modred killed him for a sacrifice. Myra agreed to that. Nix was delighted to help with the impending birth of her niece or nephew.

Ricky had come back to Leesville with honey, perfume oils, and jars of fruit. The large hairy camels pulled Ricky’s wagon and his newest girlfriend sat beside him. They packed four boats of their trade goods. Alaric packed up his gemstones, feathers, shell beads, smoked fish, coral, and array of iron tools. Laeos and Myra added linen cloth, plant dyes, metal pieces, river shells, and bread. It will take a fortnight to reach Kadacia and another week to reach the Amazon Valley. The Sorceress promised to watch their animals. They paddled along the edge of the Aurora River to avoid the inner river current heading towards the coast in the opposite direction. All the way up the river, the girlfriend never shut up about how Ricky the Snakecharmer saved them all from the dragons and never would make it out of the pass alive without him. Laeos was not impressed with the giant female companion either. The ladies seemed to like her. One day when they rested, Ricky’s companion thought she should decide where to make camp. Then she asked for a drink of water as Laeos was sipping one from his flask. He dumped the water on the ground and left to refill it in the river. The giant girl also couldn’t hold her tongue how tall the mountains are and have much to tell when she returns home. The Aurora River was large with rapids and waterfalls making rainbows. Many times they had to carry the boats around hills making waterfalls. On the way back they can just over the edge. The ladies chatted on their respective homes and men as if all was normal. They paddled to Dragon’s Pass and Alaric grabbed a shed dragon skin. The skin is tougher than bronze. They hid from dragons and ran into the ruffigans they met before. This time they were a bit more polite, though Alaric hurled an axe at one stealing from their cargo. He hit the leather bag and scared off the thief. At a fork in a stream leading into the mountains, they met a group of centaurs. Centaurs love wine and celebrate to craftsmen god Talin as their wine god. Alaric traded for silver mirrors and mica powder to decorate pottery and clothes. Nix got a tin tub and green beans. Ricky got wool and a few gold rings. Laeos received furs and sapphires. Myra traded for an iron bracelet in the shape of a snake. The giantess got some rose crystal beads.

Centaurs are masters of metals along with decorative shields and quivers. Their brass, gold, silver, tin coins are similar to humans and accepted when there was an unequal barter with objects. The travelers also had shell beads to use as coins further inland. As evening fell and the fish and vegetables were cooked, Laeos exploded at the giantess for her relentless boasting. He declared to no longer tolerate her presence and took off to climb a hill. Alaric tried to stop him, thus making Ricky angry that Alaric took Laeos’s side in the disagreement. Resentful of Ricky’s insolence of Laeos’s feelings towards the giantess, Alaric followed Laeos and coaxed him back to the camp. Ricky got up at sunrise and started climbing a large pine. He looked down at the valley and saw Alaric coming up too. He said he was looking for signs in the sky and predicted a good day. Ricky asks for forgiveness for not calming his woman down from her bragging. He just loves hearing all she says about him. They tolerated her presence, but never directly spoke to her. The next day once through the pass, the human cliff dwellers welcomed the travelers and celebrated their arrival. Dressed in feathered headdresses covering their long black hair and wool clothes contrasting their dark tanned skin, the Kadacians lay down carpets for the guests to sit by the bonfires. A common symbol is a spirit with a hunched back playing a flute is evident. Their leather boots and shoes are discovered to make no noise when they attack other villages when supplies are short. The cliff dwellers live in giant carved out holes in the cliffs of Dragon’s Pass. They use ladders to reach their homes. They have suspended ropes to lift cargo boxes to their doors. Women farm wheat, rye, and flax. Children gather nuts, berries, vegetables, and fruit. Men herd cattle in the river valley and search for gemstones. They obtain gooseberries Alaric adored and bought two baskets of it. The humans and giants detested the treasure. They grew fond of the precious stones set in silver jewelry. Nix also loved their dolls made from clay and cloth. They traded for metals, gemstones, baskets of bread, wine, and leather. Music and dancers entertained the visitors in the firelight of the dark night. The next morning the trading party left. The cliff dwellers bid the travelers farewell. The female continued her grand stories of Ricky’s heroics, even including that his sword was covered in dragon scales. At least, the couple was far enough away from the others so they did not have to listen to it. Alaric giggled as he stared at the stars of all the lies this stupid fool must be repeating from Ricky. Alaric woke up bright and early to discover a cheerless Ricky watching the sunrise.

“The mountains are so beautiful with the sun behind them. The colors of the sky are wonderful to see.” stated his friend. “I wonder what makes the Kadacians live in such a dry area. Everything here is lush and green.”

“Are you saying you do not want to go to Kadacia with the rest of us?” asked Alaric.

“No, just wondering why all my girlfriends never meet your approval. I enjoy their companionship.” answered the giant.

“Spare me, Ricky the Great. You may charm the ladies, but you do not fool me. You like them because they give you never ending praise for things you never done. I wonder if you love any of them, or your real friends. You know the ones who care about you when you are not an outstanding hero.” responded the elf.

“I want to be your hero Alaric. You are everyone else’s hero, even mine.” said the giant.

“Ricky, you are my hero. You can brush ten men over in one sweep of your arm. You stopped Flint from attacking me while I slept.” spoke Alaric to a stunned friend. “Yes Ricky, your shouting at Flint woke me. I pretended to sleep because you defended me so well.”

“I do not know how you stay modest with all you can do. You rarely use your magic powers in front of Nix. I would try to impress everyone I met if I had your powers.” finished Ricky.

“Perhaps, that is why I have them instead of you.” finished Alaric.

The irritable giantess interrupted the conversation to ask what they were saying about her. Their morning porridge was tasty with green apples added. Nix admitted they tasted better cooked than raw. In two days, they reached the border of Kadacia at the Aurora River where it turns north and were attacked by bandits. They all hurled spears and slung arrows. Finding a tenacious foe, the bandits regrouped and attacked again further up river. The bandits were chased off. Later in the evening rest along the river bank, they were attacked again. This time the bandits took off with a bag of iron tool heads. They followed their trail to a glen and hid in the trees until the bandits made a campfire celebrating with wine. Ricky, Laeos and Alaric hid behind pine trees intending to surround the twenty odd bandits and three women with five children. The ladies remained at camp. Then, they fired a volley of arrows as the men fell down drunk. The women ran into the forest with the children. The men grabbed their leather shields and peeked out to view their attackers. The arrows kept coming and it was believed that the group they just attacked was indeed the culprits. The few men laying down drunk were the first to get hit with arrows. The bandits failed to spot where the bowmen were located and waited for them to run out of arrows. Alaric puts on his new helmet from Alano. What he didn’t know was that it made him invisible. He continued to fire arrows from behind his tree until Ricky came out to attack with his battle axe. Laeos and Alaric rushed out with their axes. Ricky broke through the wall of shields and knocked over the bandits. He grabbed away spears and lifted the bandits holding them. Laeos and Alaric dodged projectiles to wallop their foes. When the chaos ceased and cries from wounded filled the air, Laeos wondered out loud where Alaric was because he missed all the excitement. Alaric replied he was standing right there. Ricky and Laeos began to look for his fallen body. Confused, Alaric took off his helmet and shouted his presence. Ricky and Laeos jumped in shock. Laeos asked if he used magic. Alaric didn’t think so. He placed his new helmet on again and they said he disappeared. They met a woman who threw a rock as they gathered coins, jewelry, beads, arrow heads, and axe heads. Laeos spun around to hurl an axe at the attacker and she dodged with a scream. Laeos then walked over to retrieve his axe. He said they were lucky they didn’t have time to capture slaves. They gathered what they could and returned to their ladies triumphant. They continued on north following the river to a great stone bridge.

These mountains to the west of the river are called Anasazi after a Kadacian queen who built forts to protect trade routes to the east. They continue north to find Fort Abirgail inside a mountain valley. It was grand fort built on the sides of a mountain. Stone block walls and towers held soldiers on patrol. They walked through the gate and asked where the marketplace was located. Kadacian soldiers and leprechaun villagers came up to their stall. They traded for coins, stones, feathers, leather, furs, tool heads, and food. One leprechaun traded a wooden box for a jar of rose water saying it was a wishing box. Ricky made a wish and opened the box to find nothing. The box was quite small so he traded with Nix for some shell beads. She made a wish and opened the box. Nothing happened. The dusk falling, everyone began walking towards taverns and homes for the evening meal. The travelers settled into an inn and dined with nomads and Lotans. The men recited being attacked by bandits and several in the room knew who they were talking about. They were outcasts banished by the lord. In the firelight, music and dancers entertained the guests. A bard sings poems of heroes and the royal family. News arrives that the old King Andros of Lotan died and his son King Nib is trying to increase taxes to build a new temple to honor his father. The new Crown Prince Dylan is searching for a bride. Word is spread how a Nomad chief sent emissaries to promote a member of his tribe for consideration. Nix walked around for a drink and found a female leprechaun providing mead. She asked the lady about the wishing box. It didn’t do anything. It was painted pretty with blue and white diamond checker shapes and a decorated tin latch in the shape of a fairy. The lady opened it and said the wood was from the apple tree, the tree of wishing. Nix asked how it worked. The lady explained to make a wish and then, close the box. The box is painted to capture a spirit who will grant a wish to be released. Nix thanked the lady and sat by her companions. Ricky was the first to try it. He made a wish and closed the box. The box jerked. A tinkling sound came from the box and Ricky asked his wish to be granted to be released. Alaric said his wish is granted, but not the way he intends. He opened the box to release the spirit that came out like a curl of smoke. The others tried the wishing box and Nix was the last one. She made her wish and closed the box. It jerked making a tinkling noise and opened it to release the spirit. It glowed like a firefly and flew up the smoke hole in the ceiling. A leprechaun grabbed the box and glared at her with a most evil expression.

“You just unleashed a banshee. Evil and death will come to you.” scowled the leprechaun.

Then, he walked away with the closed box jerking in his firm grasp. Nix claimed she traded for that box and demanded compensation. The leprechaun set a gold coin on the table. Nix said she wished for her baby to survive and grow up to make her a grandmother. During the night Nix screamed in pain and blood to bring forth a tiny baby too young to live. The buried the tiny one in the cemetery outside the fort. In her sadness, Nix confessed to a lie. Nix’s mother did not die from winter sickness as first told. She was murdered for using magic to kill her neighbor’s baby. The baby she was helping deliver got stuck and she could not save it. The mother died soon after screaming of a splitting headache and suddenly died in her husband’s arms. The father and husband accused her of killing his family with magic. A crowd gathered at the temple to bury the pair and the man attacked her with an axe to strike her on the back of the head. Cossus had to bury her in secret.

“What was her name? You keep calling her The Lady.” observed Homer.

“Phoebe, her name was Phoebe the Healer.” replied The Wizard. “It’s painful to say her name.”

They continued their journey through the Anasazi Mountains and found the Amazon Valley when their boats were hit with arrows. After Nix took off her helmet and dropped her hair, did the arrows ceased. The Amazons came to the boats and welcomed the women to dine with them. The men had to stay at the river. The ladies brought the warrior women to trade and they accepted the men into their camp. They were quite interesting. They wore leather clothing and held bronze knives. They gather food in the valley and hunt animals. They have a collection of jars and baskets from all the traders that have come through. Their cooking vessel was the stomach of a deer and hot stones were tossed in the soup to heat it. They said they traded for a pewter cauldron and the food tasted weird. They use it to wash their hands and dishes after meals. There was just one man called the wolf. The queen of women takes on a partner who is a merchant to translate for the women. He came from Armorica to the north of Kadacia separated by the sandstone hills. Only nomads live there with their livestock and gather around lakes during winters. Many nomads come to the Amazons to trade and some to raid. That is why they welcome visitors with arrows. Laeos was delighted in the young ladies and slept in their lodge. Alaric delighted the women with stories of the seas and fighting pirates. There is a land called Anakia that makes cotton fabric, olive oil, and the finest gold statues for their temples. The women wear face paint and cones of wax on their heads that melt to scent the hair. The Amazons are covered in tattoos so face paint for beauty is rather silly. Myra was invited to remain with them and she agreed. Her daughter Pippi would grow up with the Amazons until Alaric took her as a pupil of sorcery. She became the shaman of the Amazons. So after trading their wares, they returned to Leesville going down river.

The travelers set up shop in the marketplace. Alaric and Nix brought to Leesville many treasures. They had gemstones of every kind, metals of every kind, reptile skins, furs, feathers, flower oils, mead, and herbs. The Amazon queen adored his shark tooth necklace so he traded it for her necklace of feathers. He took apart the leather and feathers to sell individually. They shared the wealth with his parents giving them a bronze vessel and camel wool cloaks. Cossus received a silver vessel and camel wool cloak. Nix kept her camel cloak, a silver necklace with blue stones, a gold and silver swirled bracelet, a deer leather coat, a basket of green beans, and a jewelry box with a red phoenix painted on the lid. Alaric kept a chest of gooseberries, deer leather boots, a pair of camel pants, a wool tunic, a jar of amber stones, and a gold armband with silver coils around it. He gave Treynor a bead necklace with a sand dollar pendant along with stone tools to practice with. Alaric told wild tales to Treynor and the elves during the violet twilight as they preserved their harvested vegetables into jars. A bard put his descriptions into songs. Alaric then left his bride for the coast to sail to the South Sea. He returned in the autumn to reap the grain harvest to find it wasn’t ready. Since the volcano destroyed the Dark Mountains, the elves have been experiencing weather becoming colder. They experienced frost at the end of summer damaging much of the crops about to be harvested. A white ring around the sun contrasted from the blue haze slowing the maturity of the grain and postponed the harvest. It was now cold and rainy every day, making Nix and Treynor resort to wearing winter clothing. While waiting to harvest grain to ripen, the men went hunting in the forest and further out into the grasslands. The women fished with spears in the river and collected freshwater mussels. In Lotan villages, witches were killed for blocking the sun with their magic. In Alaric’s sailing, the South Sea cultures were planting their grains between rainstorms. They feared a bad harvest and reluctantly traded for food from the prior harvest. The winemakers in Vinland on the other side of Kadacia to the west had their grapes shrivel in the frost and cold temperatures to postpone their harvest of wine. Alaric hopes for the best that this troubled will end and have a good planting next spring.