(( I know the last chapter was slow but it was to get things moving so to speak. Thank you those few who had reviewed it is much appreciated and needed))
Numair woke up to find the sun streaming through the windows onto his bed, and for a few blissful minutes he remembered nothing about the night before. And then as if on que. He remembered, in hazy flashes drinking, and then wandering and then hiding from the council. Following a few moments later, but with a force to make up for being late, the headache came, he felt as if a herd of elephants were learning to tap dance on his head. He groaned and rolled over to the edge of the bed and tried to see the floor but it wouldn't stay still it moved. He cursed at the rebellious floor and tried to stand. He got half of him up right and then the rest of him fell gently to the floor he met the floor with a gently thump. He lay there and tried to get his legs and arms working in the right order but they seemed to working with a mind of there own. He tried a few more times and then gave up. He was lying there trying not to move and ignore the elephants in his head. When a pair of brightly high polished boots came into view. Numair rolled onto his back and looked upside down at the person, the person was holding a tray that clinked. Daine! "Daine sorry, I had to much to drink" He said in a whisper even that was too loud for him.
Daine put the tray on the table and sat on the bed "I'm sure you meant what you said but I didn't understand a word of it" she told him in a slighter louder then normal voice.
Numair winced and tried to make shushing motions with his hands. But Daine went on with a ruthless smile. "Drinking gods knows what until mid-night, hiding from the pages who were sent to get you for the council. Breaking into the mess hall. And then having guards to make sure that you all got back to your rooms" she listed all the things in a louder then normal voice. She grinned as he winced again, he made hand gestures at her to be quiet. "Daine, please" he said and then winced at his own voice.
Daine relented, and got up and got something off the tray. Numair rolled over onto his hands and knees and then into a sitting position. He lent on the bed and took the offered glass of Daine, with a smile of thanks. He held his breath and drank the foul tasting drink. As horrible as the healers made it taste, it did work fast. As soon as he'd reached the bottom of the glass, the pain in his head was leaving. He pulled a face, and then smiled at Daine.
"I erm, I am sorry for getting drunk dear, it wasn't the intention we had really, its just we got talking and well we drank" Daine sat back on the bed and listened to Numairs rambled apology. She would stop him when he began to repeat himself, but for now she thought. Let him stew.
Sage also woke up at a similar time, he rolled over and off the bed he was on. Lying on the floor he opened one eye and saw someone standing over him, Sage looked at the person, they had no shoes on, loose trousers and no shirt. And to top it all a cheery smile. Sage closed his eyes. His head ached. Beyond all reason and theories his hair ached. "Shelan" he said with a groan. "why are you so happy"
Shey grinned down at the tangled form of Sage. "Because I have no hang over" he said in a equally cheery voice. Sage said something rather rude in Talasan and Shey laughed and walked to open the curtains. Sage groaned again and tried to pull the tangled blankets over his head. But Shey grabbed them and pulled them away. Sage swore again provoking another laugh. Sage opened his eyes. And saw that Shey was now sitting on the floor. Sage groaned and sat up pushing his braids back, then he stood and staggered to the window, he picked up a glass of water that was on the sill, and downed the drink and then looked out, the head ache would go in a while, and he didn't think that he should go out until it did.
"What did we do" he asked with out turning. Shey ran off a list exactly the same as the one Daine was giving to Numair, "Only after the first three bottles, you all started talking in Talasan, so the guards and pages hadn't a clue" Shey added. Sage turned and lent on the window frame his head bowed hidden by his braids. Shey stood and walked over to him. He touched Sages head lightly from behind. A faint green light flared and Sages headache went. Shey went to move his hand away but Sage caught it, he turned and looked at Shey, "Thank you" he said.
Shey pulled his hand free and smiled "Just don't expect it all the time, only this once. Because it was for all times sake" Sage smiled again and then pulled off his dis-deveild shirt and dropped it to the floor, then he pulled off his boots and threw them across to the bed as well.
Later that day, Jon sent two pages to fetch Sage, and Numair. Only Sage and Numair came, Shey had left to go into the town a while before the page came. They arrived at the same time with no illusions as to why. They waited in the outer office chamber. Numair lent on the wall, still not feeling right. Sage on the other hand, bounced around on new found energy that made Numair winced. Jon called them in, and looked at them levelly deciding on how to deal with them.
"You two are the highest level of Mages, and your were drunk and disrupting the palace last night." He pointed at Sage "You refused to come to meetings about trade agreements and hide from the pages" Sage looked away. "Numair Why"? Jon asked.
Before Numair could answer Sage spoke up. "My lord, it is not right that you blame Numair for getting drunk, it was all down to me encouraging him, and yes, we are mages of the highest level but we are also human, and we get drunk sometimes" Jon listened, taken aback not many people would talk to him like that. Numair just stood there looking ill. "And if the other nobles complain" Sage went on "Tell them that it was all me and I am to blame, they will put it down to me being a" he paused for a second and then looked at Numair and said something in Talasan, Numair translated "A savage from lands so far away that even they don't know where they are" Sage nodded his thanks and then turned back to the King. "Besides none of them will say that in my hearing after seeing me fight yesterday" Jon nodded thinking, he was being a little harsh, true, Numair and Sage hadn't seen each other since Numair had left Carthak six or so years ago. Jon sighed "Alright then, you have a point, but please, there are spies here and if they see two mages drunk well then its another point from THEM" Them being Tusiane, The Copper Isles and everyone else with a grudge on Tortall. Numair and Sage both nodded and then Jon gestured for them to sit down, "Now lets talk about what needs doing"
Shey once again was hurrying though the streets of Tortall looking for some tavern that he was meant to meet someone. He looked at the signs, he squinted at them as he walked on. Once again people didn't give him a second look, he was dressed in his normal but plainer clothes. He coat was that of a merchant. Finally he found the tavern he wanted, its sign was a black rose. He hurried inside and looked round, the person was meant to the same one as before. Spotting his cloaked contact he hurried over and sat down. Once the again the contact asked his questions, so all was required was a nod or a shake. Mostly it took a long time to form an answer of correct detail. Finally the strange man said something and Shey looked at him intently shaking his head. The man pressed what he was saying again. Shey looked away nodding reluctance etched in his posture. The stranger stood and left leaving Shey alone. Shey sat with his head in his hands, how he hated this, but he was so good and it was easy. He glanced round him, seeing no-one watching he too stood he dropped a coin onto the table, he nodded to the bar maid and then he left, deciding how to tell Sage he had to leave sooner then expected.
Back in the palace, Numair, Daine, Sage, Alanna, Raoul and Jon were all sat round a large table in Jons workroom. On the table was a very detailed map of the whole of Tortall. Jon pointed to an area about forty or so leagues from the road to Pirates Swoop. Alanna's home. "This is were the rider group, you found the other day were here, so we are allowing for them to travel" He pointed to a spot a little closer to the road. "they are now here" The only thing is, that Daine has spotted something very unusual when she was out yesterday" Jon looked up at Daine, he paused indicating that she should continue the tale.
"I was flying over it here yesterday" She pointing again to a spot close to where they thought the rider group would be. "And well, it felt wrong, I couldn't feel any animals, but what I could feel, was" she paused with a shrug "Wrong. The only times I felt like that when the immortals were around, the bad ones" All of them looked at one another, all except Sage he looked at the map intently as if trying to see through it or into it.
Jon looked across at Numair and Sage "Would you two be able to scry for anything unusual. Daine said she couldn't see anything yesterday, but they may have been because they were under cover" Numair nodded and then stood he walked to a bench by the window he picked up a silver bowl and some water. Then he walked back to the table. The others had moved the map to other table. Numair set the bowl on the table and then he sat back down. Sage came behind Numair and waited. Numair poured the water into the bowl, holding his hands over it, he called on his magic up. Sage placed his hand on Numairs shoulder, a faint silver light could be seen flowing from his hand to Numair shoulder. All the room looked at the bowl and the image over it. The image was, a map of Tortall just like the one they had been looking at only this time, it was a real life one. They could see people walking through the forest. Picking up speed, they flew over towns and forests until they reached the area, that they needed to search. The moving imaged slowed and they could see the rider group hurrying through the forest looking back. Numair moved the spell backwards and they saw nothing, then suddenly they saw what the riders were running from. A large group of the so called immortals. Jon closed his eyes briefly wishing he didn't see what he was seeing. Hurroks, Cold Fangs and something that looked like it should have been in a nightmare, it stood at a guess seven foot tall with an almost insect like body, and instead of hands it had claws each one at least four foot in length, it looked so out of proportion but it was moving with out trouble. Its head was insect like but with forward eyes, like a predator, its teeth were silver, a mark of the immortals. Jon shuddered, "What in Gods name is that" he asked drawing the sign for evil on his chest.
All the other looked into the bowl, thinking, "it's a Manticore" Said a soft voice, making the others jump. Sage didn't look into the bowl he looked away. The spell fizzed and then broke up, showing just a bowl again. Jon looked at Sage, "How do you know what they are" He asked, "We've never seen them before" Sage didn't look up. "He had them in Carthak, they are similar to Stormwings, they live on fear and pain." Sage looked up. "it's a thing of evil, it will kill, feed on the dead it kills, it will kill for any or no reason, sometimes just the fun of killing. It usually doesn't like being around other immortals that aren't its own kind"
Jon paled he had never heard of anything so monstrous. He felt sick just listening to the sound of what this thing did. Alanna looked at the now plain water bowl her face set. "Jon we have to do something now" she said her voice tight with some emotion. "I know that" Jon snapped "I am thinking" "Well think bloody faster" she snapped back "Those things are heading towards the road. "So" Jon interrupted, "There's nothing on that road until" his voice stopped suddenly as he caught on to why Alanna was upset.
"Nothing, until my home, My children. My people and George" she finished. "I cant and I wont leave them, with out knowledge of what's coming" she said softly.
Before Jon could reply Sage spoke, not them but to Numair.
"Do you know of the binding spell. The one to send immortals back to the divine realms."?
Numair thought for a moment. He was sure that he did, grubbing in a pocket he pulled out a piece of paper and wrote something on it, he gave it to Sage who read it and then nodded "Yes, that's the one but do you know it" Numair nodded, "Yes I found it in Carthak last year I though I recognised it".
All of the others had been watching the conversation back and forth. "What, what can you do" Alanna asked her voice urgent "Can you help" Numair and Sage both nodded.
"But we are going to need help" Numair said.
"What" Asked Jon. "Anything" "Two of my companies will come with us" Said Raoul before Numair could answer. Numair nodded, "That's what I was thinking" "And me" Said Alanna.
Jon has walked to the door and summoned in the servant who was outside, "Which groups?" he asked Raoul over his shoulder.
"Two and One" He called back, Jon turned to the servant who nodded that he had heard, Jon waved a hand "With all haste" he said and then the servant ran off to find the companies. Whilst they were waiting for conformation of the companies, they formed there plan. In the end they decided that Sage would go with Alanna and company Two, Whilst Raoul, and the first company would accompany Numair, they would attack from two sides and trap the immortals in the middle and send them back. Raoul, Alanna and the two companies would be back up in case the spell failed to send them all back or if, and it seemed likely they were more immortals in the woods. A knock on the door told them that the companies were ready and that they were now waiting. All filed out of the room and down to the stables were the companies of the Kings Own were waiting ready and briefed. They mounted up. Sage's horse had been tacked and the groom that held the reins was sporting a bruised arm. Sage swiftly. With out a word took off all the tack including the bit and bridle he dropped them at the groom's feet "Next time he will give you more then a bruise if you try to tack him up" Sage told the startled groom and then he swung up onto Stars back. The horse rode out behind the others, he tied his braids back with the front braids. Then he let Star follow the others, as they got out of the city Sage urged Star to catch up with Numair. They rode in silence for most of the way. Until one of the own started a war song and he was soon joined by the others. The singing continued until they reached the forest close to where they had seen the immortal. The men sat ready with there hands on their swords. Suddenly just before a bend in the road. one of the outriders came crashing back through the trees, he had a person slung over the front. As the outrider neared, the own stopped the outrider slid off his horse before it had stopped and he helped the person down.
Sage could see that he had the colours of the Riders on, only there were soaked in blood. A huge gash in his belly showed what the problem was. The man tried to talk. "They came, too many…..Monsters…..Twelve injured six dead….hurry please" then the man stopped his eyes closed. Alanna hurried over and slid off her horse. She touched his head with her hand and then shook her head. "Dead" she said softly. She stood and turned to the outrider "Where was he".? She demanded. The outrider turned to point back the way he came.
"A little way that way, Lady" he answered. Alanna nodded and then remounted she looked to Numair and Sage. "Now we go" she said, her voice brooked no arguments, Sage and Numair nodded and split. The Own split with them. The First with Numair and the second with Sage. Sage stayed on the path, Numair rode off it. They rode off in their own directions. Sage rode in silence he was hoping he was never going to see the Manticore again. As they rounded the bend, they stopped suddenly one of the monsters from the scrying sat on the path before them. It was feeding on one of the dead Riders it hadn't seen them. Then one of the Own coughed and the Manticore looked it. It stood to its full seven foot and screamed at them.
Numair woke up to find the sun streaming through the windows onto his bed, and for a few blissful minutes he remembered nothing about the night before. And then as if on que. He remembered, in hazy flashes drinking, and then wandering and then hiding from the council. Following a few moments later, but with a force to make up for being late, the headache came, he felt as if a herd of elephants were learning to tap dance on his head. He groaned and rolled over to the edge of the bed and tried to see the floor but it wouldn't stay still it moved. He cursed at the rebellious floor and tried to stand. He got half of him up right and then the rest of him fell gently to the floor he met the floor with a gently thump. He lay there and tried to get his legs and arms working in the right order but they seemed to working with a mind of there own. He tried a few more times and then gave up. He was lying there trying not to move and ignore the elephants in his head. When a pair of brightly high polished boots came into view. Numair rolled onto his back and looked upside down at the person, the person was holding a tray that clinked. Daine! "Daine sorry, I had to much to drink" He said in a whisper even that was too loud for him.
Daine put the tray on the table and sat on the bed "I'm sure you meant what you said but I didn't understand a word of it" she told him in a slighter louder then normal voice.
Numair winced and tried to make shushing motions with his hands. But Daine went on with a ruthless smile. "Drinking gods knows what until mid-night, hiding from the pages who were sent to get you for the council. Breaking into the mess hall. And then having guards to make sure that you all got back to your rooms" she listed all the things in a louder then normal voice. She grinned as he winced again, he made hand gestures at her to be quiet. "Daine, please" he said and then winced at his own voice.
Daine relented, and got up and got something off the tray. Numair rolled over onto his hands and knees and then into a sitting position. He lent on the bed and took the offered glass of Daine, with a smile of thanks. He held his breath and drank the foul tasting drink. As horrible as the healers made it taste, it did work fast. As soon as he'd reached the bottom of the glass, the pain in his head was leaving. He pulled a face, and then smiled at Daine.
"I erm, I am sorry for getting drunk dear, it wasn't the intention we had really, its just we got talking and well we drank" Daine sat back on the bed and listened to Numairs rambled apology. She would stop him when he began to repeat himself, but for now she thought. Let him stew.
Sage also woke up at a similar time, he rolled over and off the bed he was on. Lying on the floor he opened one eye and saw someone standing over him, Sage looked at the person, they had no shoes on, loose trousers and no shirt. And to top it all a cheery smile. Sage closed his eyes. His head ached. Beyond all reason and theories his hair ached. "Shelan" he said with a groan. "why are you so happy"
Shey grinned down at the tangled form of Sage. "Because I have no hang over" he said in a equally cheery voice. Sage said something rather rude in Talasan and Shey laughed and walked to open the curtains. Sage groaned again and tried to pull the tangled blankets over his head. But Shey grabbed them and pulled them away. Sage swore again provoking another laugh. Sage opened his eyes. And saw that Shey was now sitting on the floor. Sage groaned and sat up pushing his braids back, then he stood and staggered to the window, he picked up a glass of water that was on the sill, and downed the drink and then looked out, the head ache would go in a while, and he didn't think that he should go out until it did.
"What did we do" he asked with out turning. Shey ran off a list exactly the same as the one Daine was giving to Numair, "Only after the first three bottles, you all started talking in Talasan, so the guards and pages hadn't a clue" Shey added. Sage turned and lent on the window frame his head bowed hidden by his braids. Shey stood and walked over to him. He touched Sages head lightly from behind. A faint green light flared and Sages headache went. Shey went to move his hand away but Sage caught it, he turned and looked at Shey, "Thank you" he said.
Shey pulled his hand free and smiled "Just don't expect it all the time, only this once. Because it was for all times sake" Sage smiled again and then pulled off his dis-deveild shirt and dropped it to the floor, then he pulled off his boots and threw them across to the bed as well.
Later that day, Jon sent two pages to fetch Sage, and Numair. Only Sage and Numair came, Shey had left to go into the town a while before the page came. They arrived at the same time with no illusions as to why. They waited in the outer office chamber. Numair lent on the wall, still not feeling right. Sage on the other hand, bounced around on new found energy that made Numair winced. Jon called them in, and looked at them levelly deciding on how to deal with them.
"You two are the highest level of Mages, and your were drunk and disrupting the palace last night." He pointed at Sage "You refused to come to meetings about trade agreements and hide from the pages" Sage looked away. "Numair Why"? Jon asked.
Before Numair could answer Sage spoke up. "My lord, it is not right that you blame Numair for getting drunk, it was all down to me encouraging him, and yes, we are mages of the highest level but we are also human, and we get drunk sometimes" Jon listened, taken aback not many people would talk to him like that. Numair just stood there looking ill. "And if the other nobles complain" Sage went on "Tell them that it was all me and I am to blame, they will put it down to me being a" he paused for a second and then looked at Numair and said something in Talasan, Numair translated "A savage from lands so far away that even they don't know where they are" Sage nodded his thanks and then turned back to the King. "Besides none of them will say that in my hearing after seeing me fight yesterday" Jon nodded thinking, he was being a little harsh, true, Numair and Sage hadn't seen each other since Numair had left Carthak six or so years ago. Jon sighed "Alright then, you have a point, but please, there are spies here and if they see two mages drunk well then its another point from THEM" Them being Tusiane, The Copper Isles and everyone else with a grudge on Tortall. Numair and Sage both nodded and then Jon gestured for them to sit down, "Now lets talk about what needs doing"
Shey once again was hurrying though the streets of Tortall looking for some tavern that he was meant to meet someone. He looked at the signs, he squinted at them as he walked on. Once again people didn't give him a second look, he was dressed in his normal but plainer clothes. He coat was that of a merchant. Finally he found the tavern he wanted, its sign was a black rose. He hurried inside and looked round, the person was meant to the same one as before. Spotting his cloaked contact he hurried over and sat down. Once the again the contact asked his questions, so all was required was a nod or a shake. Mostly it took a long time to form an answer of correct detail. Finally the strange man said something and Shey looked at him intently shaking his head. The man pressed what he was saying again. Shey looked away nodding reluctance etched in his posture. The stranger stood and left leaving Shey alone. Shey sat with his head in his hands, how he hated this, but he was so good and it was easy. He glanced round him, seeing no-one watching he too stood he dropped a coin onto the table, he nodded to the bar maid and then he left, deciding how to tell Sage he had to leave sooner then expected.
Back in the palace, Numair, Daine, Sage, Alanna, Raoul and Jon were all sat round a large table in Jons workroom. On the table was a very detailed map of the whole of Tortall. Jon pointed to an area about forty or so leagues from the road to Pirates Swoop. Alanna's home. "This is were the rider group, you found the other day were here, so we are allowing for them to travel" He pointed to a spot a little closer to the road. "they are now here" The only thing is, that Daine has spotted something very unusual when she was out yesterday" Jon looked up at Daine, he paused indicating that she should continue the tale.
"I was flying over it here yesterday" She pointing again to a spot close to where they thought the rider group would be. "And well, it felt wrong, I couldn't feel any animals, but what I could feel, was" she paused with a shrug "Wrong. The only times I felt like that when the immortals were around, the bad ones" All of them looked at one another, all except Sage he looked at the map intently as if trying to see through it or into it.
Jon looked across at Numair and Sage "Would you two be able to scry for anything unusual. Daine said she couldn't see anything yesterday, but they may have been because they were under cover" Numair nodded and then stood he walked to a bench by the window he picked up a silver bowl and some water. Then he walked back to the table. The others had moved the map to other table. Numair set the bowl on the table and then he sat back down. Sage came behind Numair and waited. Numair poured the water into the bowl, holding his hands over it, he called on his magic up. Sage placed his hand on Numairs shoulder, a faint silver light could be seen flowing from his hand to Numair shoulder. All the room looked at the bowl and the image over it. The image was, a map of Tortall just like the one they had been looking at only this time, it was a real life one. They could see people walking through the forest. Picking up speed, they flew over towns and forests until they reached the area, that they needed to search. The moving imaged slowed and they could see the rider group hurrying through the forest looking back. Numair moved the spell backwards and they saw nothing, then suddenly they saw what the riders were running from. A large group of the so called immortals. Jon closed his eyes briefly wishing he didn't see what he was seeing. Hurroks, Cold Fangs and something that looked like it should have been in a nightmare, it stood at a guess seven foot tall with an almost insect like body, and instead of hands it had claws each one at least four foot in length, it looked so out of proportion but it was moving with out trouble. Its head was insect like but with forward eyes, like a predator, its teeth were silver, a mark of the immortals. Jon shuddered, "What in Gods name is that" he asked drawing the sign for evil on his chest.
All the other looked into the bowl, thinking, "it's a Manticore" Said a soft voice, making the others jump. Sage didn't look into the bowl he looked away. The spell fizzed and then broke up, showing just a bowl again. Jon looked at Sage, "How do you know what they are" He asked, "We've never seen them before" Sage didn't look up. "He had them in Carthak, they are similar to Stormwings, they live on fear and pain." Sage looked up. "it's a thing of evil, it will kill, feed on the dead it kills, it will kill for any or no reason, sometimes just the fun of killing. It usually doesn't like being around other immortals that aren't its own kind"
Jon paled he had never heard of anything so monstrous. He felt sick just listening to the sound of what this thing did. Alanna looked at the now plain water bowl her face set. "Jon we have to do something now" she said her voice tight with some emotion. "I know that" Jon snapped "I am thinking" "Well think bloody faster" she snapped back "Those things are heading towards the road. "So" Jon interrupted, "There's nothing on that road until" his voice stopped suddenly as he caught on to why Alanna was upset.
"Nothing, until my home, My children. My people and George" she finished. "I cant and I wont leave them, with out knowledge of what's coming" she said softly.
Before Jon could reply Sage spoke, not them but to Numair.
"Do you know of the binding spell. The one to send immortals back to the divine realms."?
Numair thought for a moment. He was sure that he did, grubbing in a pocket he pulled out a piece of paper and wrote something on it, he gave it to Sage who read it and then nodded "Yes, that's the one but do you know it" Numair nodded, "Yes I found it in Carthak last year I though I recognised it".
All of the others had been watching the conversation back and forth. "What, what can you do" Alanna asked her voice urgent "Can you help" Numair and Sage both nodded.
"But we are going to need help" Numair said.
"What" Asked Jon. "Anything" "Two of my companies will come with us" Said Raoul before Numair could answer. Numair nodded, "That's what I was thinking" "And me" Said Alanna.
Jon has walked to the door and summoned in the servant who was outside, "Which groups?" he asked Raoul over his shoulder.
"Two and One" He called back, Jon turned to the servant who nodded that he had heard, Jon waved a hand "With all haste" he said and then the servant ran off to find the companies. Whilst they were waiting for conformation of the companies, they formed there plan. In the end they decided that Sage would go with Alanna and company Two, Whilst Raoul, and the first company would accompany Numair, they would attack from two sides and trap the immortals in the middle and send them back. Raoul, Alanna and the two companies would be back up in case the spell failed to send them all back or if, and it seemed likely they were more immortals in the woods. A knock on the door told them that the companies were ready and that they were now waiting. All filed out of the room and down to the stables were the companies of the Kings Own were waiting ready and briefed. They mounted up. Sage's horse had been tacked and the groom that held the reins was sporting a bruised arm. Sage swiftly. With out a word took off all the tack including the bit and bridle he dropped them at the groom's feet "Next time he will give you more then a bruise if you try to tack him up" Sage told the startled groom and then he swung up onto Stars back. The horse rode out behind the others, he tied his braids back with the front braids. Then he let Star follow the others, as they got out of the city Sage urged Star to catch up with Numair. They rode in silence for most of the way. Until one of the own started a war song and he was soon joined by the others. The singing continued until they reached the forest close to where they had seen the immortal. The men sat ready with there hands on their swords. Suddenly just before a bend in the road. one of the outriders came crashing back through the trees, he had a person slung over the front. As the outrider neared, the own stopped the outrider slid off his horse before it had stopped and he helped the person down.
Sage could see that he had the colours of the Riders on, only there were soaked in blood. A huge gash in his belly showed what the problem was. The man tried to talk. "They came, too many…..Monsters…..Twelve injured six dead….hurry please" then the man stopped his eyes closed. Alanna hurried over and slid off her horse. She touched his head with her hand and then shook her head. "Dead" she said softly. She stood and turned to the outrider "Where was he".? She demanded. The outrider turned to point back the way he came.
"A little way that way, Lady" he answered. Alanna nodded and then remounted she looked to Numair and Sage. "Now we go" she said, her voice brooked no arguments, Sage and Numair nodded and split. The Own split with them. The First with Numair and the second with Sage. Sage stayed on the path, Numair rode off it. They rode off in their own directions. Sage rode in silence he was hoping he was never going to see the Manticore again. As they rounded the bend, they stopped suddenly one of the monsters from the scrying sat on the path before them. It was feeding on one of the dead Riders it hadn't seen them. Then one of the Own coughed and the Manticore looked it. It stood to its full seven foot and screamed at them.