Here we go: Chapter Ten! It took a while, but a week's not *that* long,
after all.
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They had hardly left the ruins behind and entered the forest when Sturm stopped dead on his tracks, gazing at Jack and Daniel in an annoyed manner. "Halt! Now, we have led them to safety. They can stay here. We are not leading the dark mages to our campsite," he declared, not even willing to address the two.
"Just a moment! Who're you calling dark mages here? Without us - well, without whatever Daniel did, you'd still be rotting there among those lizards!"
"Yes, and I am truly thankful of that, but -"
"Sturm, they have done nothing to harm us, nothing to suggest that they are not friends. They are in worse a situation than we, they are injured, they have neither food nor water, and they have nowhere to go. I think we owe it to them to at least offer them that."
"Well, thanks, elf-boy!"
Sturm snorted, looking definitely unhappy, but he nodded his head. "You are right, Tanis. It is the honorable thing to do, and that is all that matters."
"And we're truly grateful for your kindness," Daniel replied. Though odd as it was, he didn't really feel hungry or thirsty. Or tired - which wasn't strange, considering that it wasn't that late, and he had slept quite a bit last night.
Tanis and Sturm led the way deeper into the woods. They had not walked long when they came to a large area of very thick bushes or low trees of some kind. Here, the half-elf showed them the easiest way to crawl through the growth.
Sheltered in the heart of the thicket was a round, open place. In the middle of the clear area was a small campfire, and next to it sat two humans and a dwarf. This had to be the very same dwarf who had fought together with the kender, Tas, earlier. Daniel had never seen the two humans before - he was certain he would have remembered the woman. She had long hair that seemed to be glimmering both silvery and golden in the same time. The man was tall and proud looking. They were both dressed in clothes that somehow reminded Daniel of North-American Indians.
"So, finally you're here!" the dwarf grunted to Tanis and Sturm. "That blasted kender said that they hadn't killed you, so it was only a matter of time, I reckon. What took you so long?"
"Flint! Good to see you again," Tanis replied, his warm tone quite a contrast to the complaining dwarf. "Tas actually saw us? Why didn't you tell him to come and free us as well?"
"I'm sure he would've done that if he could've. He said that there were a lot of draconians surrounding you from every side, and he couldn't even get close enough to greet you. And you've brought visitors with you! I remember, you were there fighting the draconians, you were, but I never quite heard your names."
"I'm Daniel Jackson and this is Jack O'Neill. And I didn't hear your name either..."
"Flint Fireforge, that's what they call me. And the pretty lady is Goldmoon, Chieftain's Daughter, and the tall man is Riverwind." As she was introduced, Goldmoon smiled, albeit hesitantly, and Riverwind responded with a rather stiff nod.
"Without their help, we might be dead, and we would certainly still be prisoners," Tanis explained, gesturing at Jack and Daniel.
"Still, I warn you. I will watch them closely. We were freed only because of the magic of this Daniel, and he would not explain it to us." Sturm's voice was quite hostile. Riverwind's eyes narrowed visibly as he heard this.
Daniel spread out his hands, palms open. "Look, I don't know what happened there. I know as little as you know. Actually, I know less than you know. I only heard of this magic of yours when I met Raistlin - not meaning you as a person, just this place, mind you."
"I must say, even I find that difficult to believe, but I do trust you, Daniel," Tanis assured. "And whoever these two might be, they have earned our gratitude, and whatever little help we can give."
"The stew's nearly ready," Flint pointed towards a large pot hanging above the fire. "If you're quick, we might be able to finish it before that doorknob returns. Just siddown."
Daniel walked a few steps closer to the fire and was about to do as the dwarf suggested, when he noticed that Goldmoon had stood up. She was holding a staff of some kind - a part of it was made of what looked like blue crystal. "I see you are injured. I might be able to help," she offered.
"With that?" Jack glanced at the woman suspiciously. "A stick?"
"It may look like nothing more, but it is truly powerful. My friends could tell you that it is true, but I expect you wish to see for yourself," Goldmoon replied patiently. "Just step closer."
"Whatever..."
Daniel grinned. He was mildly surprised that Jack hadn't told her to tend to him first. Jack definitely didn't trust these people, since he was willing to take the risk and try this alien healing device thing first.
The woman pointed the staff at the cut on Jack's chest. Jack closed his eyes - Daniel nearly did so as well. Goldmoon touched Jack with the tip of the crystal staff, and mumbled something that sounded like a prayer of some kind.
"Is that magic?" Daniel uttered. Jack quickly opened his eyes and prodded at where the wound had been. Now, there was nothing there but smooth skin. Only the clothes were torn and spotted with old blood.
"No, I am no magic-user. This power is different. I believe it may come from the True Gods."
"Well, I'll be... Gods or whatever, it worked. Like one of those goa'uld things, don't ya think?"
The idea that this thing might come from the local "Gods" didn't sound too good to Daniel. The goa'uld liked to impersonate deities. The goa'uld were also able to produce healing devices. And here they had a world which the gods had abandoned, and where the power of healing came from them. The good thing was, there was no reason for the gods to be returning any time soon. He nodded his reply to Jack.
"He's actually hurt worse than me," Jack noted to the woman, pointing at Daniel.
Goldmoon approached, and Daniel turned around to show her the deep cuts crossing his back. "This does indeed look bad," she muttered. "I am surprised that you're still on your feet."
"Me too," Jack said quickly.
Daniel simply shrugged. He didn't really see what Goldmoon did, and hardly felt anything - perhaps a small surge of warmth, but that was all. He turned to look at Jack, who smiled happily at him. Probably the woman had done her trick again.
"I don't feel any different, actually," he noted.
Jack raised his eyebrows. "Well, aren't you stubborn," he declared, which didn't make much sense, in Daniel's opinion. "May I?" Jack reached to try Daniel's forehead once again.
"Jack, please!" Daniel exclaimed, but stayed still nevertheless, just to humor the colonel.
However, the colonel wasn't humored. He glanced at Goldmoon. "You're some sort of a healer, right? I think I might be going nuts. I keep thinking, and feeling, that this man's got a fever. I'm starting to believe that it's just me. Would you mind telling me the truth?"
The woman looked thoroughly puzzled, but nevertheless stepped closer, and actually placed one slender hand on the brow of each of the two.
"No, I think you are right," Goldmoon replied to Jack. "It is quite understandable, after all, he was badly wounded. I think it should pass now that the wounds are healed, but he should rest."
"Thank you! Now, Danny. I'm not listening to any of your 'But Jack, I'm all right' -crap. We'll sit down, eat the stew and then you can go to sleep."
Daniel rolled his eyes, but did follow Jack, when he sat down among the others around the campfire. He closed his eyes and leaned on his knees. Nope, he didn't feel sick. Though he did feel a bit strange - kind of hyperactive, like after drinking a lot of coffee.
Flint Fireforge was the only one who had finished eating when Tasslehoff Burrfoot emerged from the surrounding thicket, practically beaming with enthusiasm and bursting to share his news. Seeing Jack and Daniel seemed to agitate him even more.
"Something big has happened! The lizard-men have retreated, they're not at that stone ring anymore! Instead, there's some really strange people there. They're trying to look like draconians, or snakes, or birds, or something like that. Though those are just the helmets. I saw them take those off! And underneath, they look a lot like that big dark tall man who was the friend of these two here!"
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I've got this feeling that the story looks like it doesn't make any sense at all. I really hope that's just me. Anyway, I've got it all figured out. Well, at least most of it. ;-)
***************************************
They had hardly left the ruins behind and entered the forest when Sturm stopped dead on his tracks, gazing at Jack and Daniel in an annoyed manner. "Halt! Now, we have led them to safety. They can stay here. We are not leading the dark mages to our campsite," he declared, not even willing to address the two.
"Just a moment! Who're you calling dark mages here? Without us - well, without whatever Daniel did, you'd still be rotting there among those lizards!"
"Yes, and I am truly thankful of that, but -"
"Sturm, they have done nothing to harm us, nothing to suggest that they are not friends. They are in worse a situation than we, they are injured, they have neither food nor water, and they have nowhere to go. I think we owe it to them to at least offer them that."
"Well, thanks, elf-boy!"
Sturm snorted, looking definitely unhappy, but he nodded his head. "You are right, Tanis. It is the honorable thing to do, and that is all that matters."
"And we're truly grateful for your kindness," Daniel replied. Though odd as it was, he didn't really feel hungry or thirsty. Or tired - which wasn't strange, considering that it wasn't that late, and he had slept quite a bit last night.
Tanis and Sturm led the way deeper into the woods. They had not walked long when they came to a large area of very thick bushes or low trees of some kind. Here, the half-elf showed them the easiest way to crawl through the growth.
Sheltered in the heart of the thicket was a round, open place. In the middle of the clear area was a small campfire, and next to it sat two humans and a dwarf. This had to be the very same dwarf who had fought together with the kender, Tas, earlier. Daniel had never seen the two humans before - he was certain he would have remembered the woman. She had long hair that seemed to be glimmering both silvery and golden in the same time. The man was tall and proud looking. They were both dressed in clothes that somehow reminded Daniel of North-American Indians.
"So, finally you're here!" the dwarf grunted to Tanis and Sturm. "That blasted kender said that they hadn't killed you, so it was only a matter of time, I reckon. What took you so long?"
"Flint! Good to see you again," Tanis replied, his warm tone quite a contrast to the complaining dwarf. "Tas actually saw us? Why didn't you tell him to come and free us as well?"
"I'm sure he would've done that if he could've. He said that there were a lot of draconians surrounding you from every side, and he couldn't even get close enough to greet you. And you've brought visitors with you! I remember, you were there fighting the draconians, you were, but I never quite heard your names."
"I'm Daniel Jackson and this is Jack O'Neill. And I didn't hear your name either..."
"Flint Fireforge, that's what they call me. And the pretty lady is Goldmoon, Chieftain's Daughter, and the tall man is Riverwind." As she was introduced, Goldmoon smiled, albeit hesitantly, and Riverwind responded with a rather stiff nod.
"Without their help, we might be dead, and we would certainly still be prisoners," Tanis explained, gesturing at Jack and Daniel.
"Still, I warn you. I will watch them closely. We were freed only because of the magic of this Daniel, and he would not explain it to us." Sturm's voice was quite hostile. Riverwind's eyes narrowed visibly as he heard this.
Daniel spread out his hands, palms open. "Look, I don't know what happened there. I know as little as you know. Actually, I know less than you know. I only heard of this magic of yours when I met Raistlin - not meaning you as a person, just this place, mind you."
"I must say, even I find that difficult to believe, but I do trust you, Daniel," Tanis assured. "And whoever these two might be, they have earned our gratitude, and whatever little help we can give."
"The stew's nearly ready," Flint pointed towards a large pot hanging above the fire. "If you're quick, we might be able to finish it before that doorknob returns. Just siddown."
Daniel walked a few steps closer to the fire and was about to do as the dwarf suggested, when he noticed that Goldmoon had stood up. She was holding a staff of some kind - a part of it was made of what looked like blue crystal. "I see you are injured. I might be able to help," she offered.
"With that?" Jack glanced at the woman suspiciously. "A stick?"
"It may look like nothing more, but it is truly powerful. My friends could tell you that it is true, but I expect you wish to see for yourself," Goldmoon replied patiently. "Just step closer."
"Whatever..."
Daniel grinned. He was mildly surprised that Jack hadn't told her to tend to him first. Jack definitely didn't trust these people, since he was willing to take the risk and try this alien healing device thing first.
The woman pointed the staff at the cut on Jack's chest. Jack closed his eyes - Daniel nearly did so as well. Goldmoon touched Jack with the tip of the crystal staff, and mumbled something that sounded like a prayer of some kind.
"Is that magic?" Daniel uttered. Jack quickly opened his eyes and prodded at where the wound had been. Now, there was nothing there but smooth skin. Only the clothes were torn and spotted with old blood.
"No, I am no magic-user. This power is different. I believe it may come from the True Gods."
"Well, I'll be... Gods or whatever, it worked. Like one of those goa'uld things, don't ya think?"
The idea that this thing might come from the local "Gods" didn't sound too good to Daniel. The goa'uld liked to impersonate deities. The goa'uld were also able to produce healing devices. And here they had a world which the gods had abandoned, and where the power of healing came from them. The good thing was, there was no reason for the gods to be returning any time soon. He nodded his reply to Jack.
"He's actually hurt worse than me," Jack noted to the woman, pointing at Daniel.
Goldmoon approached, and Daniel turned around to show her the deep cuts crossing his back. "This does indeed look bad," she muttered. "I am surprised that you're still on your feet."
"Me too," Jack said quickly.
Daniel simply shrugged. He didn't really see what Goldmoon did, and hardly felt anything - perhaps a small surge of warmth, but that was all. He turned to look at Jack, who smiled happily at him. Probably the woman had done her trick again.
"I don't feel any different, actually," he noted.
Jack raised his eyebrows. "Well, aren't you stubborn," he declared, which didn't make much sense, in Daniel's opinion. "May I?" Jack reached to try Daniel's forehead once again.
"Jack, please!" Daniel exclaimed, but stayed still nevertheless, just to humor the colonel.
However, the colonel wasn't humored. He glanced at Goldmoon. "You're some sort of a healer, right? I think I might be going nuts. I keep thinking, and feeling, that this man's got a fever. I'm starting to believe that it's just me. Would you mind telling me the truth?"
The woman looked thoroughly puzzled, but nevertheless stepped closer, and actually placed one slender hand on the brow of each of the two.
"No, I think you are right," Goldmoon replied to Jack. "It is quite understandable, after all, he was badly wounded. I think it should pass now that the wounds are healed, but he should rest."
"Thank you! Now, Danny. I'm not listening to any of your 'But Jack, I'm all right' -crap. We'll sit down, eat the stew and then you can go to sleep."
Daniel rolled his eyes, but did follow Jack, when he sat down among the others around the campfire. He closed his eyes and leaned on his knees. Nope, he didn't feel sick. Though he did feel a bit strange - kind of hyperactive, like after drinking a lot of coffee.
Flint Fireforge was the only one who had finished eating when Tasslehoff Burrfoot emerged from the surrounding thicket, practically beaming with enthusiasm and bursting to share his news. Seeing Jack and Daniel seemed to agitate him even more.
"Something big has happened! The lizard-men have retreated, they're not at that stone ring anymore! Instead, there's some really strange people there. They're trying to look like draconians, or snakes, or birds, or something like that. Though those are just the helmets. I saw them take those off! And underneath, they look a lot like that big dark tall man who was the friend of these two here!"
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I've got this feeling that the story looks like it doesn't make any sense at all. I really hope that's just me. Anyway, I've got it all figured out. Well, at least most of it. ;-)