Edward stumbled forward, the valley dangerously hovering below. He was on the edge of the mountains, where the plains started. The side he was on was dangerously steep and went down a good five hundred to thousand feet, before the sudden flat forest below. In the distance, he could see the southern mountains beyond the plains. The rock was dry and solid and very unpleasant to hold as he carefully moved forward on the narrow path. It was wide enough for two men, but he clinged hard to the walls, fearing the edge and straight drop to death. Fortunately his hands were not sweaty and he could get a firm grip wherever he entered his fingers.

He cursed himself for the mess he had gotten into. The move had been utter foolishness and he now had to account for a dead horse too. The sun was barely visible to the west, and it would be dark soon. He wondered what he would do then. Slowly, as he reached a wide ledge, he looked above. He still had to climb at least fifty feet to reach the usual beaten path. There was, however, absolutely no way he could climb the slick stone without a rope which was absent.

'Blast it!' he moaned, wondering why he had ever fallen to the vague intuition of going to Harburg. He would possibly have done better to just stay safely in Thais. Just as he was about to think of trying the impossible vertical climb, he felt dust and tiny rocks fall in his hair. Looking up again, he vaguely saw something move.

'Mel!' he shouted, though he had not the slightest idea if it was actually her. Few people passed on the lands, and Edward hoped it would be someone friendly. Nobody looked down and nothing even moved again. He looked above again for a couple of seconds, but nothing. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something move right on the path he had come from. Quickly, unsure, he scrambled inside a small dark hole to the side of the ledge. It, thankfully, hid him completely from outside view.

Two men came, completely hooded and cloaked in black and turned behind. For a moment, he thought one had seen him, but he turned away without any sign. One of them was pacing back and forth on the ledge, his footing light and making hardly any sound.

'Do you think the scheme shall work?' he asked. 'It has been said far too many times, but never did it really fan out as wanted'

There was something about the voice that Edward didn't like. It sounded disconnected from the world, and felt colder than any other he had heard before. It was pitched like his voice, but without the lively emotion in it.

'It will, surely' the second said. 'This time, we have him, for everything in the world. He is far too powerful than any of us. He has far more knowledge than all others I've known'

'Have you spoken to him?'

The second shrugged.

'Only few ever have that privilege, maybe because he has his own followers whom he trusts more. I have heard him speak, though it was only a shadow to see'

The first paced back and forth faster.

'I don't know about this' he said. 'I don't understand why we are even trusting him. Why does he even want to help us?'

'It was he, if I'm correct, who designed the entire scheme. It was initially not a matter of us trusting him, but he trusting us. I don't doubt there would have be many more who he could have gone to'

'Could he now? To whom? Orcs? Elves? The dirty dwarves? I don't think that is really what it is'

The second shrugged again. There was a silence for a few minutes. The first stopped pacing for a moment.

'There's something about this place I don't like' he said roughly. 'It's too barren, even colder than the Abandoned Hills'

'What's wrong about that?' the other said. 'These ways are rarely used, isn't that expected?'

'This used to be a trade route long ago, the times few of us remember. I once had traveled along this very path and it was full of life and activity. Such ways leave their traces, but I can find none'

'It's the heat' the second nodded. 'Probably the heat is responsible for the wear off'

'You don't understand. The scent is too strong to go in a few hundred years. Something is not what it should be. There is some witchcraft happening here'

He stopped pacing and looked above heatedly. For a second, he sniffed and inhaled strongly and then looked below again.

'Nothing' he said, resuming the walk. 'I suspect it's a clever mix, or maybe sorcery, though I doubt it's both. I think I need to check on this...'

'No' the other said firmly. 'He has told us to wait ahead and we must stay. He'll have your head if you stray'

'I have to investigate this. This is most unnatural!'

'I wouldn't advice that. He should come any second now and it's not usual that he asks us to go ahead'

Thee first man grunted and made a rude gesture.

'I don't care. I'm going...'

'Nowhere' a voice said from behind. It was powerful and commanding to say the least. Edward guessed it was their leader. Again, he could make out the chill in the tone.

'I'm very displeased with you, Rowin' he said, coming into view. 'I couldn't have imagined you'd question my wisdom when it comes to these things. I already had discovered what you did long back'

He wore a similar black cloak and hood, but it was thicker than the two and Edward wondered how he could wear it in the sheer heat. The man was well built and looked like a warrior, though he could only see his back. A sword hung at his side.

'There is no time to waste for these silly things. We must make haste or we shall be too late'

'My Lord!' Rowin said. 'These circumstances are most unnatural and I'm sure some trickery is going on. We must explore the area to see if anyone is hiding around'

Edward sunk an inch deeper into the hole. A single drop of perspiration appeared on his forehead.

'Silence' the leader said sharply. 'I care not if anyone hides here, it is no business or importance to us. If you are not satisfied, let me show you something'

He whistled sharply. For a moment, the man stood with his hand outstretched. Edward gasped.

'Touch it not, for the creature has been to the White Stream and drunk it's water' he said, stroking it. 'By my guess, it was a wild beast who strayed to the unknown lands before making way back to civilization. No other animal could have survived such a fall'

It was Edward's horse. He had seen it fall into the valley himself, and now he couldn't believe his eyes.

'Let's kill it' the second man said with a distinct drawl. 'Maybe we'll have a feast'

'I dare not touch it' the leader said, turning away. 'Even the blood of the beast shall be contaminated with the White Waters and if that is, it shall be doom for all of us. No! We tie it here to die slowly, and make on our own way'

It was a direct order and the men didn't dare question it. Quickly, efficiently, they tied up the white horse to a nearby rock, securely binding it. The creature didn't resist, something that Edward couldn't understand.

'Do we leave immediately?' Rowin asked, still eyeing the horse.

'Yes!' the leader said. 'We have absolutely no time to waste. The sooner I get insights in this, the better it shall be. We travel fast now, and I no longer need this'

He took off the black cloak to reveal a blood red cape. Edward suddenly noticed that the sun had set and it was becoming dark.

'We'll corner them right in the tower. Keep to the shadows and wait till I give my signal. Do not act unless we know what we want'

The two men nodded. Edward blinked. The next second, they had vanished.