Chapter Nine

A/N: I've changed the excerpt from Tirylese's bestiary "Other Elementals and Free Magic Creatures". It read that "counter-ringing Mosrael" would disrupt the Jakomes ability to think, when "counter-ringing Belgaer (the Thinker)" is what I meant to put down.

The small town of Houghton, despite its comfortable beds, was not a very friendly place. Yasmel quietly mentioned to Nathaniel that when faced with a choice between the Inkeeper they had met last night and the shopkeepers they had to deal with this morning, she would rather be back with the Inkeeper, though he had held them at swordpoint. Nathaniel sullenly agreed with her.

Eyes followed the strangely dressed travellers as they made their way through the crowded marketplace, replenishing supplies and food. The travelers, to the townsfolk, certainly looked threatening, especially the young man. He was equipped with two long swords, and the way he carried himself suggested power and authority. Though they did not carry bells, the some of the townsfolk had barely a doubt that the stangers were necromancers of sorts.

"Ach, that's impossible, Fellany, yeh got yer ears on backwards?" A gnarled old man sitting on a bench said loudly to his companion. "'Course they ain't necromancers! D'ye smell that gawdawful stench that necromancers carry with 'em? 'Sides, Balsem down to the Inn says that 'e 'imself checked their Charter Marks. 'Sides bein' the strongest Marks 'e ever touched, they were pure, 'e says. So don't you be talkin' ta me about necromancers!"

The travelers were nearly done topping up their food stores when Yasmel stumbled. Her eyes were blank as she fell against a booth that sold live chickens. Both the hens and the owner of the booth squawked loudly as the counter tipped over, sending feathers and coins flying. Nathaniel drew his sword with grace, whirled around at the disturbance and heard the vocalization of prophecy.

"Tirylese draws closer to her doom. The Prince rides south with the all speed he can muster, but it will not be enough. The Wallmaker and the Voice must be at Albalef before sundown tomorrow." Yasmel gave a shuddering gasp and pushed herself up off of the ground with her hands. The townsfolk stared as Nathaniel re-sheathed his sword and aided Yasmel to her feet. She was out of breath, but she cleared her throat and said weakly, "I Saw us on horseback. We must go now."

"Yes, I heard," Nathaniel said, but muttered good-humouredly"INow/I we get to go on horseback. I said before we left that going on horseback seemed like a good idea, but "No" she Saw us walking..."

The townsfolk drew back as the small woman stared around the marketplace, searching. She rushed over to the nearest stable and peered in. She shook her head before moving on to the next, where she found the horses she was searching for. Nathaniel quietly followed her, and while she made her way into the livery and sale stable, he looked at what she was currently haggling over. Two grey Andalusians were housed in the stalls that were closest to Nathaniel. With a small smile on her face, Yasmel watched the owner of the stable move into one of the tack rooms and search for suitable saddles and halters. When he finished tacking the horses, Yasmel handed over a small sack. Nathaniel watched the owner happily weigh it in his hand, and assumed that it was the last of their gold.

Yasmel led the horses out of the stable and beckoned to Nathaniel, who clambered over the plank fence and strode towards their new mounts. Yasmel had climbed up on hers by the time that Nathaniel reached them, and was arranging her pack. As he placed his foot in one of the stirrups, Nathaniel suddenly remembered all of his equestrian training from childhood, and recalled how much he hated horses. Sighing deeply, he pulled himself into the saddle and prepared his muscles for a day of hellish riding.

Tirylese groaned as she stepped through her Diamond of Protection. The fading Charter Marks dissipated in the morning sunlight. She was a half-days walk from Estel. The Cliffs loomed behind her. She wanted more than anything to be back at the House, safe and warm. "Does the walker choose the path..." Uncle's voice in her head asked, and as Tirylese walked down the worn road towards Estel, she replied "...or does the path choose the walker?" The wind gusted and blew leaves into her hair and face. The wind also brought the scent of Free Magic, and Tirylese's resolve was strengthened. Holding her head high, running through her mind the words that were inscribed on the final page of "The Book of the Dead", she bravely walked on to Estel.

As she arrived, the small city was not as it had been five days before. The usually bustling streets were silent. The fresh mountain air was tainted with the reek of Free Magic. The houses, once so friendly, were now barred and shuttered. Tirylese thanked the Charter that it was high noon, and reached out with her death sense. Half of the creatures in the city were Dead. The others, Tirylese assumed, were behind the doors of the barred houses. She bowed her head and used her uncanny ability to hone in on where the concentration of the Dead lie.

Walking down the main road of the city, she came to one of the smaller side streets, and turned to her left. Unsheathing her sword and Saraneth, she stood motionless in the middle of the road. Ringing the sixth bell, she called out, "Back into Death!" Letting her own body freeze, she allowed her spirit slide into the dark waters that she had traversed so many times. Here in Death, she would be able to control the fell creatures better. Their spirits came, gnashing their teeth and howling, into the First Presinct, where they were all banished beyond the Ninth Gate.

Icicles snapped off of her embroidered surcoat as she moved, coming back into the pleasant warmth of Life. Peering around in the sudden brightness, she shouted, "People of Estel! Where is your Charter Mage? This is the Abhorsen!" She waited moment before one of the houses closest to her creaked and the shutter of the front window opened slightly. A small face peeped out.

"The Charter Mage is up the road. In the house that is next to the shoemakers shop." Before Tirylese could thank this person, the shutter abruptly clunked back into place, and the face vanished. Tirylese considered telling these folks that the Dead had gone, but dismsissed that idea. More Dead would probably take over the area once she had left, and so she simply walked up towards the house where the Charter Mage supposedly was.

He was walking down the steps of the house that the face had sent her to when she got there. Holding his arms out, smiling, he said "Abhorsen! I thought I had heard you calling! Have you rid my fine city of the Dead?"

Amused at this stout man who thought he was a politician, Tirylese shook her head. "No, sir. There are several Free Magic creatures south of here, near Albalef. I fear that more Dead will simply take over your city when the sun falls, or if the cloud increases. I must leave here long before then."

The Mage looked crest-fallen as Tirylese said this. "I do hope that the good people of Albalef are alright. Thank-you, Abhorsen, for being here. You are going, then, to Albalef?" He asked hopefully.

"Yes."

He nodded. "When you do head back for your home, after, please stop back here. This city is a good place, and we are thankful for your protection."

Tirylese smiled. "I know, sir. I do like Estel, and I will return to rid your city of the Dead again. Until that time, please ensure that everyone stays as they are now; well hidden."

"Of course, of course! Thank-you again, Abhorsen." The Mage squinted up at the sky. "Doubtless you want to be getting away. I would offer you a horse, but as you can see," The mage swept his arm at the empty ranges, "we don't have one to part with now. The Dead were sating themselves on them. Many apologies, but you will have to walk."

Tirylese nodded. "Thank-you." She slowly walked with her head down out of the city, and continued her trek south.

Henreid had caught up with his company several hours after leaving the Clayr's Glacier. Switching horses at checkpoints, he mounted the fresh one with growing apprehension at the days to come. In the same hour that he took charge of the Royal Guard, a Message Hawk from the Glacier reached him.

"Tirylese draws closer to her doom. The Royal Guard must be south of Estel before the sun falls tomorrow," the voice of the Daughter of the Clayr Qatryn was issued as the large bird opened its sharp pointed beak. Henreid smoothed down the ruffled feathers of the hawk before placing it on a tree branch.

"Thank you. You've had a long flight. Abhorsen's house is not far from here, and it has many mews. Perhaps you could recover there for your journey back to the Glacier."

Addressing his soldiers, Henreid yelled that they must make all speed south, to Estel.

The cloud built up more and more solidly as Nathaniel and Yasmel made their way to Albalef. Estel had been a let down. The houses had been barred, and there was nothing stirring in the small city. However, there were piles of ash in the road, indicating that many Dead had been slain. This fact heartened Nathaniel. Tirylese had been here. Pressing on, they had a short ride to Albalef. The heavy clouds began to dribble fat drops of rain, which smelled again of Free Magic, and sizzled on the travelers' Charter Marks before trickling down their weary faces. The road underneath grew slick and muddy, and the rain increased.

"I am really getting tired of being rained on." Nathaniel shouted into the wind, hoping it reached the ears of the Clayr riding in front of him.

"Yes, I agree!" She shouted back. "Let's find whoever is working these clouds and part them from their heads!" She clapped once, letting the reins fall to the horn of the saddle, and began to whistle slowly, Charter Magic infusing each note and trill. A North-east wind began to rise and, as the riders continued, patches of the cloud began to break up, and the rain lessened. Nathaniel aided Yasmel's weather working a bit, but he mostly kept silent, garnering his energy.

"There seems to be the most resistance from the west... I am assuming that's where the weather workers are." Yasmel said. "Shall we go there first? It won't be a long ways from Albalef..."

Digging his heels into the ribs of the horse, Nathaniel pulled the reins to his right. "It will help to dispel any Dead Hands if we are able to get rid of this cloud cover."

As they rode west, Yasmel intensified her Charter weather working, singing out Charter Marks instead of just whistling. The golden Marks, when they hit the rain, fizzled and dissolved the drops. The cloud overhead slowly began to change, Nathaniel saw as they made their way towards the weather workers and Albalef. Dapples of blue appeared between snatches of dull grey. Some of the clouds began to show a white edging as the rain in them was spent or evaporated by Yasmel's work. A little ways west, there was a concentrated effort of Free Magic, felt stongly by Yasmel and Nathaniel. Yasmel's horse reared as the cloud began to steadily build again. Fog lazily drifted over them, renewing the metallic stench of Free Magic. The Charter spell halted as Yasmel retched, sliding sideways on the horse, who was milling about anxiously. Nathaniel went to her and supported her until she righted herself on the saddle again. He drew in the air with his fingers a Charter spell for renewal, and interwove it with a Charter Mark for strength. Cupping it in his hand, he placed his palm on Yasmel's throat. Smiling, she began to sing again, aided by Nathaniel's whistles. Their hands holding tight, their fingers entwined, they worked the cloud, summoning wind. The blue dapples appeared again, but this time, they stayed and grew, showing rays of the sun.

The travelers rode again, and Nathaniel unsheathed his sword. At a full out gallop, they found the weather workers; Shadow hands, who abruptly vanished before them. This left the Charter unhampered to clear the cloud. Brilliant afternoon sunshine poured down. Nathaniel squinted in the sudden light as they continued their ride to Albalef.

I'm sorry, my personal life in imploding right now, so I'm not able to complete this chapter the way I want to. Hopefully, everything will settle down, and I'll be able to release a lengthy chapter 10. Thought I'd post this before Narn and everyone who's been reading this abandon me for lack out output. Anyway, I hope you liked it, please review.