The Last IceBreaker, Part VIII
Harlios stood by one of the ritual markers, looking at Rashtingall. "It doesn't make sense," he thought. "What is it? How could it come to be? Can it be a relic of Kargan Tor and the Celestial Court?"
He sighed, then stooped and lifted his saddle. He turned it over in his hands until he was holding it by one stirrup. He stepped back two paces, then started to spin. Faster and faster, till a mighty heave sent the saddle flying off towards the Black Rock. He saw it's vague greenish outline, heard it thump against the ground. The he stooped again for his saddlebags. Again he spun, again he let fly. The bags stood out against the dark glow of Rashtingall, conspicuous by their very blankness. Another thump.
"Any man foolish enough to challenge the guardian spirits here for
my old gear will be poorly repaid for his efforts," he thought.
"But what about your swords? Your iron scimitar, earned in Aggar?
The wyvern's claw?" asked Drel.
"That is another matter. Watch"
Harlios picked up his scimitar and slid it from the sheath. He
idly tossed the sheath towards Black Rock, then spoke, "Rashtingall, Place
of Challenge, accept my humble tribute. An enchanted arm, worthy to be
contested over." He swung the sword back over his shoulder, and heaved.
The scimitar seemed to fly from his hand. It spun through the air and
clanked as it rebounded from the Black Rock, to lie at it's base.
"Harlios, didn't it seem to pick up speed, rather than slow?"
He did not answer. Instead he lofted the claw underhand. It too
whacked up agianst the base of Rashtingall. A vague humming sound was to
be heard, almost a low drone. "Rashtingall is pleased," thought Harlios,
as he bowed and turned away.
"Now Drel, it is time to say goodbye."
"What?"
"I am Doomed; Valind means to torture me until the end of the world.
If you are with me when I am taken, you will share this fate. How could a
man do such a thing to so faithfull a friend?"
Harlios felt a warm glow from his ally, steadily growing stronger. "Here now, did you think I would forget about you?"
"No, my friend, I am merely savoring our comradeship for the final
time. Later there will be no opportunity."
"Good, then that's settled."
"No, I am staying. I'll just be to busy for sentimentality."
"Drel....."
"Harlios, don't you realize that I too am bound up in the rituals?
I can no more flee than you. Valind will net himself two victims if your
plan doesn't work."
"...........what makes you think I have a plan?"
"When you were speaking to the shaman, suddenly I felt your heart
shift. Fear and dread seemed to recede, shoved aside by a sense of Fate."
"I do not mean to be tortured forever. But I can only chose the
lesser of two evils, and perhaps you will not agree with my choice."
Harlios walked back towards his saddle blanket. "The idea came to me when I was considering how to last the longest against whatever Hend Valindsson throws at me. Uzhim Ice Lords, and Hollri, at the very least. Their magics will be Fear and Cold and Darkness. Well is Fear is a Lunar weapon as well; I can deal with that. But Cold and Darkness? Both of the Kalikos's turned to Solar Powers to defeat them; Light, Fire, Heat."
"First I thought to set the Challenge Ground as a square, and cordon
off an adjoining area for my fire elemental. Light & heat, yes? Most
of my foes would be glad to stay in my shadow, to keep me between themselves
and elemental fire. But sooner or later a particulalry powerfull one would
press me away, and place _me_ in the shadow. Swelling up with Cold and
Darkness, this foe would numb and blind me. That would be the end."
"So I considered how to prevent such a thing. The answer is to
draw the elemental into my own frame. The no Darkness can blind me, no
Cold can chill me."
"But Harlios, the elemental will destroy you from within. It will
burn away your flesh in short order."
"Then the trick is, obviously, to give it some other sort of fuel."
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