Whew...that was quick, sorry I'm really on a bit of a roll now with Old Owl Well and decided I may as well put this chapter up right now. Don't worry, you can read at your own pace!
Thanks to Gaspode for continuing to review me so comprehensively.
The large, sweeping valley opened up before Phaedra. It formed a long, narrow path walled in on either side by unforgiving sheer rock faces, through which the sunlight of the mountain noontide shone like a beacon, glimmering over the crystalline rock of the cliffs. She, Khelgar, Neeshka and Elanee had been travelling from dawn, and they were finally nearing the place this Katalmach was supposed to be, if Callum's map was truly accurate. Phaedra hoped he was near, and would find them soon. They had not yet encountered the orcs, the long journey and the mountains had been silent through this day, but something told her that were they to travel these paths for too long the beasts, who knew them far better than she did, would surely find the small party. She shuddered at the memory of that ferocious charge on Old Owl Well. If the orcs attacked in great numbers as they had then, it would not be possible to hold them off.
"We should move on quickly" Elanee advised insistently, as Phaedra paused for a moment beneath the weight of that thought. "It is not wise to remain in one place, not here"
"Yes, of course" Phaedra pulled her pack higher up on her shoulders, and moved down toward the valley, the others followed. They had left the horses back in the stables at Old Owl Well under Callum's supervision, for the animals' own safety. They would not be all that much help here in the mountains, and could only bring unwanted attention. But Phaedra found herself missing the comforting presence of Mistletoe, not least as she struggled through a whole day of walking onwards under the unforgiving sun.
Suddenly, just as their path began to plunge deeper, Neeshka stopped mid-step, freezing completely still. Phaedra, turning to glance at her with a sudden sense of the pressing threat descending about them, could see her senses straining, her hand slowly moving to the blade at her side…
"What is it fiendling?" Khelgar asked eagerly, his gaze leaping up to scan the cliffs around them, Phaedra's hands ran to her bow slowly, spells stirring in her mind, something was going on…
"I thought I heard something" Neeshka answered softly "Maybe…" Elanee frowned, leaning her head to the side as though straining to hear something on the whispering wind.
At once a bestial roar of rage split the air, split apart the silence of the valley, broke into the wind's tremulous rhythm, a harsh, angry howl that echoed furiously down the valley. Phaedra froze in horror, no…not now…oh Lathander…
"Ambush!" Khelgar roared, drawing his axe from his back, and the first of the orcs appeared from a hidden pathway across the cliffs above, a huge beast, wielding a blood-stained and battered club, his savage gaze fixed upon them. The orc bellowed another defiant war cry, quickly answered by a chorus of savage voices that seemed almost to shake the valley around them. Gods, how many of the orcs could there be here?
"Keep together!" Phaedra found the strength to cry, stringing her bow deftly, and pulling an arrow from her quiver to slot into it. As the first orc began to lope toward them, it was this arrow that cut him down, but quickly more of the beasts poured down the hidden way from the cliff-side, fearsome warriors with an assortment of bloodied weapons, bellowing their battle cries. Khelgar sprinted forward to meet them, Neeshka shadowed him gracefully, her slender blades on hand. Phaedra and Elanee moved in to cover their path, Phaedra cast an array of shimmering bolts of energy into the fray, where Elanee's whispered words brought forth protective light, that gathered around the two front-line combatants. Khelgar engaged a huge warrior, his axe blades caught his foe's strike, then he slammed the hilt down from below, sending the orc to the ground hard, where Khelgar dispatched him quickly. Neeshka agilely slipped from the reach of another orc, her sword darting in to slay him with a swift lunge. Behind her a berserk fighter reared upwards, ready to strike, but Phaedra cut him down with a single arrow, her aim true and deadly. The power of nature shimmered around Elanee as she chanted, she cast forth spells of strength and protection around Khelgar and Neeshka, so that when an orc struck Khelgar a glancing blow, it bounced harmlessly off the layer of protection.
"Lass…more of them!" Khelgar roared, pulling his axe from the dead body of an orc warrior. "Up there on the cliffs!" Phaedra leapt backwards, stifling a cry of horror…another group of the orcs was pouring down from secret positions on the cliffs, a platoon of them, even larger and fiercer than the one they were fighting now…how could they hope to win against these as well? Her spells burned within her as she cast bolts of fire towards one of those remaining from the first attack, the orc screamed brutishly, staggering backwards. Another warrior ran toward her, but her arrow slammed into him, and he collapsed soundlessly, killed at once.
"I can't hold it much longer!" Elanee warned from beside Phaedra, her spells were blazing around Khelgar and Neeshka, protecting them for now, but she was draining what little energy the earth had here, and she couldn't hold on much longer. Phaedra frantically glanced up at the orcs she had just glimpsed. They were moving now, their battle-cries fierce and terrible, no…there was no way they could fight them off too. They were just too many, far too many of them…Gods they had to run! Panic slammed into her like a blow, scattering spells and shards of spells from her mind, she did not know what to do, only one thing, only one thing…run!
"Khelgar" She screamed, staggering back "Neeshka…run! We have to get out of here!" But how could she outrun them? How could any of them even hope to escape? Her spells fled her mind, the only though was to run…and run quickly…Lathander protect them all!
She dimly heard Elanee stumble forwards behind her, Neeshka darted beside them both as they headed furiously for the cliffs beyond them but…where was Khelgar? Surely, he wasn't going to try and fight? She swung backward and saw him…oh Gods, no! He stood facing the horde of orc warriors, his axe set at his side, he couldn't be meaning to fight…not without them! "Khelgar!" she cried, staggering to a halt and gesturing furiously "We have to run! Come on Khelgar! Come on!"
"I'll hold them off!" Khelgar bellowed, turning back to them once, his features grim, black orc blood running down the blades of his axe. "Run! Go!"
"No!" Phaedra fired from where she stood, taking down one of the orcs before they got close to Khelgar, they couldn't leave him, she wouldn't allow it to happen! "Khelgar…!"
"Go lass, go, by the Hells!" Khelgar snarled, heaving his axe "Go!"
At once, just before Phaedra made that fateful move she knew she was about to make, back towards Khelgar and the flood of orcs, another sound echoed down the valley, another note, this time pure and vibrant, vibrating through the rocks as though it were the voice of some angelic creature, the sound of a horn. Phaedra started with shock…this was certainly not more orcs. The orcs' feverish attack ceased instantly, they began to glance around themselves fearfully, drawing their weapons close….they knew this sound, and feared it! Out of the same secret pathways down the cliffs that the orcs had used to ambush Phaedra and her friends, a group of men, humans, some fifty strong, now came. They were warriors all, wielding a huge assortment of different weapons, some nothing more than farming tools converted to a more grisly use, others obviously stolen from slain orcs. Many of them bore trophies as macabre as those the orcs themselves carried, tusks, skulls, all of orcish origin, there were many, many of these trophies. Phaedra knew at once that they had to be the warriors of the Katalmach. Few looked like authentically trained soldiers, but they advanced with clear discipline and courage. At their forefront, clearly in full control of their advance, there was one man, though, who seemed of a completely different calibre. He strode with a strange serenity down the path towards the orcs, wearing armour of a much higher quality than the others, in his hands he bore some sort of warhammer, a vicious weapon he carried with all the deft skill of a highly trained warrior and in his other hand, a shield of wood bound by straps of iron, evidently well-used as well. There was no sign of fear in him, or anger either, nothing but purposeful determination. Could this, then, be the Katalmach himself…?
The group of soldiers, with that man at the forefront, engaged the orcs at a run, but keeping to an obviously well-practiced formation. Weapons clashed, the metal blazing in the noon sunlight. Phaedra ran forward to get in closer, her arrows slicing into the melee to cut the orcs down amongst their foes. Khelgar ran forward to join the fray, his fierce assault buckling into the orcs from behind. The warrior Phaedra had noticed engaged with a particular ferocity, attacking recklessly, without thought for himself or his safety, pushing deeper and deeper into the band of orcs, his hammer cleaving through the creatures, bone and flesh alike, always, despite the boldness of his attack, moving with the same cold purposefulness she had wondered at before. Phaedra fired an arrow into one of the foes he nearly missed, slaying the orc instantly, he glanced up at her, and eyes of a startling icy blue met her own, then he dived back into the conflict with renewed fervour. At last the orcs, roaring their defiance, began to flee, scattering back towards the cliffs, and the Katalmach raised a hand, barking an abrupt order to stop his warriors pursuing, an order they instantly and unquestioningly obeyed.
Phaedra ran over quickly, so she had found the Katalmach after all, or he had found them it seemed, and he had saved their lives. She had to talk to him. Neeshka and Elanee walked on after her, and Khelgar came to meet them halfway. When she reached the battle site, the Katalmach's warriors were already gathering up their wounded and their dead, as well as the weapons formerly wielded by their foes in an obviously well-drilled manoeuvre. They were, most of them, farmers, with the tanned countenances and weather-stained skin of their profession, though they all held themselves with the toughness of trained combatants, or those who had lost much to war. Their commander, however, stood slightly apart, a strange regretful stillness in his posture, he looked up to the sky, but his thoughts were evidently on something else, something which brought a bleak austerity to his features. But he turned to them as they moved over, and Phaedra found herself face to face with the man called the Katalmach.
His eyes, light blue like shards of ice and glittering like glass, were again the first thing she noticed, they were intensely focused, clear and sharp, set in an aquiline face, clearly indicating that, despite the circumstances, this man was descendent of one of the highest noble families, his prominent cheekbones, high and cut to a crystalline sharpness, were another indicator of an august ancestry. His dark hair that was drawn back from his forehead, neatly and functionally trimmed in the manner of a soldier, and his skin, under a somewhat uncertain tan obviously gained recently here in the mountains was naturally almost as pale as Phaedra's own. He seemed to be about 30, a very tall man, and broad across the shoulder, a practiced warrior evidently, but he had an air of dignity and nobility about him which seemed incongruous to a man of blood. His armour was of the highest quality, plate metal, Phaedra saw, though she knew little of metalcraft, but he bore its weight easily.
"The orcs are deadly foes" he said slowly, his voice was deep and rich, palpably calming "But I am glad to see that we arrived in time to aid you"
"Are you…the one they call the Katalmach?" Phaedra asked, feeling young and quite uncertain of herself in a way she had not for quite some time under that gaze.
"I am Casavir" He nodded gravely "But the orcs speak of me by that name, yes"
"He's a paladin" Neeshka muttered sharply from Phaedra's side "I'd know that…aura anywhere…" Phaedra could barely restrain a gasp of surprise and awe…the paladins were near-legendary holy warriors, champions of the benign deities such as Tyr or Ilmater and pure warriors of virtue. So that explained Casavir's skill in combat and leadership, as well as, perhaps, the sense of deep inner strength he radiated.
"I assume you were looking for me if that name is known to you" Casavir continued levelly "None travel these mountains without good reason, especially now" He gazed at her for a moment, until she realised finally that he in fact was waiting for her to introduce herself in turn.
"My name is Phaedra, Phaedra Blake" She answered quickly, his presence was somewhat…overawing. "And this is Neeshka and Khelgar, and Elanee… they are my friends" Casavir glanced at each of them in turn, his gaze lingered longest on Neeshka, but he remained impassive, showing neither shock nor condemnation at the fact she was a tiefling. "We're here to find the Waterdhavian Ambassador to Neverwinter…Issani." Phaedra said carefully. "It seems he might have been captured by an orc chieftain, Logram"
"You are a strange fellowship to be in Neverwinter's service" Casavir remarked "But I do know of Logram…there are few in these mountains that do not"
"We were hoping…that is, I had been told that you might know where Logram's cave is" Phaedra continued "I have been instructed to rescue the Ambassador…and kill Logram" Casavir paused for a moment, those clear, sharp eyes, so astonishingly light and blue, settled on hers, and she too fell silent, awed by the solemn strength in them. He seemed to search her face for a moment, for something hidden in her perhaps, but, if he found it, he gave nothing away.
"I see" He answered at last "I do know the location of that monster Logram's lair, and if you strike at him, you will have my aid." He glanced away, up into the mountains "We are exposed here, my lady. Our camp lies only a few leagues to the west, it will perhaps be safer to discuss our next move there, if you agree" Phaedra nodded slowly, trying to hide her surprise to be addressed as 'my lady', even his speech had that same quality of quiet but undeniable authority and solemnity. "Let us be off then, it is not wise to linger here"
oooo0000oooo
"I don't trust him" Neeshka muttered, settling down by the fire in the midst of the camp Casavir's warriors seemed to have erected on a sheltered plateau "You can't trust holy warriors" Phaedra glanced around quickly, hoping no one was listening in. It had been already made abundantly clear that few, if any, of Casavir's soldiers trusted them in turn. It seemed this was because they served Neverwinter, though the root of their enmity remained a mystery to her. No one had said anything openly of course, not with Casavir standing by her the whole way, his presence a beacon of commanding security, but she'd sensed that they resented revealing the location of their base to outsiders. It was certainly a well-hidden place, sheltered in a deep bowl of rock at the heights of the mountainside, accessed solely by a single narrow path up the cliffs, though she did not doubt that these hardy mountain people had many other escape routes prepared if necessary. They'd erected tents, well-built but clearly portable, and the community seemed to be highly organised and seamlessly functional, was this all Casavir's doing?
"And they say I have irrational prejudices" Khelgar grunted, pattering over to where the others were just in time to hear Neeshka's remark. They were being given a wide berth by the warriors, while Casavir himself seemed to be conversing with his lieutenants on the other side of the camp.
"What?" Neeshka rounded on the dwarf. "Men like him have hunted me since I was ten years old…besides he's hiding something…"
"What do you mean?" Phaedra glanced at her, surprised. She trusted Neeshka's instincts, but…Casavir had seemed so reliable to her. Even now, when he stood some distance from her, she still felt that undeniable sense of…protective force in his presence.
"I mean, what's he really doing here?" Neeshka said "This isn't the kind of place you find paladins, believe me"
"Well, fighting the orcs does seem like a righteous mission" Phaedra glanced across the fire at where Casavir stood…he did seem at odds with his surroundings perhaps.
"So why isn't he with the Greycloaks then?" Neeshka asked "What's he really got against Neverwinter?"
"He seems reasonable" Elanee put in, shrugging elegantly "Why not just ask him?"
"Oh no, not me" The tiefling shook her head adamantly "I'm the fiendling, remember? The hellspawn…"
"I could talk to him" Phaedra said, glancing once again across the camp to where Casavir stood…well, perhaps Neeshka really was right that Casavir's presence here was strange but she couldn't believe that he was hiding some dark secret, as her friend seemed to be suggesting. It just didn't seem right…not him…
"Handsome, isn't he?" Elanee murmured
"Well…she certainly can't take her eyes off him" Neeshka grumbled in a stage whisper. Phaedra recoiled instantly, tearing her gaze away from Casavir as fast as she could to glare at the two of them resentfully, but even so she couldn't stop the blood treacherously rushing to her cheeks.
"He's helping us, that's all" She fumed.
"Okay, sure" Neeshka nodded sarcastically, as Khelgar roared with laughter and even Elanee sniggered behind her hand. "Why don't you just go over there then and…talk?" The way she said it, it sounded like…honestly, this was ridiculous!
"Fine, then…" Phaedra stood huffily, brushing down her gown "I will" Within a few steps, though, her determination faded as she felt the eyes of almost every one of Casavir's followers bore suspiciously into her as she made her way slowly and carefully across their camp. Plus, there was the issue of what to say to Casavir himself. She could hardly just confront him and ask for the truth outright; that would be horribly discourteous. And after what Neeshka had just suggested…by Lathander, there wasn't a grain of truth in it, except maybe that Casavir really was quite handsome, but it wasn't like that really meant anything, not to her at least. Oh great, now her thoughts were in a complete muddle, and it was all Neeshka's fault. And she had just reached Casavir and she had absolutely nothing to say now, and she was going to make a complete fool of herself. But thankfully, as she glanced up, she saw that Casavir was still speaking with one of his lieutenants, the only female warrior in his rugged band, Katriona, she had introduced herself as earlier. Neither of them seemed to notice her waiting, so she decided it best to keep silent for a moment while she composed herself.
"Sir…we have suffered losses…but I will ready the men for an assault on Logram's tribe" Katriona was saying, as Phaedra drew up to them. Clearly a veteran of both battle and grief in these mountains, she held herself with an assured confidence and grim determination, ready to fight…even to die, perhaps, at the word of her commander. Casavir commanded strong allegiance, and Phaedra could see why. Though he was sober, almost bleak, the paladin nonetheless had the presence, the stature of the kind which radiated strength, at once physical and spiritual, so that it would be easy to lay your fears aside and follow.
"No Katriona, not this time" Casavir answered "In this we shall be better served by a small group, by stealth. Logram shall never be overcome by what force you or I can muster here…"
"Sir…Casavir" Katriona glanced up into his face, a fierce loyalty in her eyes "Let me come with you at least. I know what you're up against. I've seen Logram's hordes, so have you, and they want your blood…"
"No…" Casavir shook his head sombrely "Katriona, I trust you with my life, but here, I cannot allow you to join with us" Phaedra glanced between the two of them carefully, trying to puzzle out their relationship. Katriona obviously cared deeply for her commander, but Casavir was distant, even to her. Phaedra sensed something in the paladin, something deeper than the steadfast strength he radiated, something which brought that bleakness to his features. What had he lost?
"Why?" Katriona protested "We should be the ones to go with you. Your comrades, your warriors, to the death!"
"Katriona, Logram must be stopped and Phaedra is here to accomplish that" Casavir replied "But we may fail and if we do the orcs will unleash a fury upon these mountains that will threaten even the garrison at Old Owl must take the others and go to Old Owl Well, warn Commander Callum what we plan to do…"
"Casavir…" Katriona pleaded
"If we fail…" Casavir continued implacably "I have to know the Fort is under your protection…do you understand me Katriona? If I die, Old Owl Well is the last hope against these monsters"
"Gods, Casavir..." Katriona murmured sadly, then she straightened and saluted, the dutiful lieutenant once again "I will do it, sir, then, if that is what you require of me but by Torm and Tyr, don't you dare let that beast have the satisfaction of killing you" At once she turned on Phaedra, the thinly veiled hostility in her glinting blue eyes clear and hard. Phaedra stepped back, excuses leaping to her lips for being caught effectively eavesdropping but Katriona had no time for it anyway "I hope you know what you are getting into half-elven" She said coolly "But if Neverwinter relies on you, who am I to argue?"
"Neverwinter relies on me, yes" Phaedra lowered her head, but her gaze remained fixed on Katriona "And so I shall see this through, I will do everything I can to stop this monster and his army"
"We'll see" Katriona murmured mutinously "You don't know what these monsters are, what they do…I doubt you have what it takes…"
"Katriona!" Casavir interrupted, raising his voice only slightly but it was enough to silence Katriona completely. When he spoke again, it was in the same measured, authoritative way he usually did. "Enough, Phaedra is here to help us."
"Very well sir" Katriona stepped back instantly, but even so Phaedra could see the strain in her self-control as she contemplated where her commander was to go. If even Katriona feared Logram's lair so, did Phaedra even have a chance there? "Look out for yourself Casavir…and you…" She glanced at Phaedra quickly, but less confrontationally "Keep him safe" With the she turned and walked away, with enough haste in her step to make it clear that she feared to stay a moment longer, unless her anxiety broke through entirely.
"Are your companions readied?" Casavir turned to Phaedra, immediately moving to the practical concerns of their mission, hiding anything Katriona's words had made him feel deep within. Phaedra thought it best not to disturb them, so nodded and tried to make herself focus similarly on what was important right now.
"You're coming with us, then?" She said
"Indeed" Casavir nodded slowly "You shall have little chance of finding Logram without my aid, even less of getting through to him unharmed. You fight well, all of you, but he is ruthless and merciless, you shall need my guidance and my blade" He lifted his hammer slowly, but somehow, despite the fearful reminder of what was to come in his words, Phaedra found herself deeply reassured that, whatever happened, Casavir's devotion to their cause would see them through. She vaguely recalled having come over to ask him something, but in the face of his grim determination it was forgotten. Somehow, it didn't seem to matter anymore. What mattered now was that she place herself under his guidance, whatever came next.
