The Adventures of Brandar Odaron
Book 1: The Hidden Continent
Chapter 6 Crossing The River
When night was come, the Seven could no longer see how far behind were the pursuing company of Thralls, but Brandar refused to let any of the Six activate the magic of far-sightedness. And he continued south until coming upon the deserted road that ran west from the Third Ford of Theweg, meaning the Ford was due east from where they stepped wearily from a sparse wood through which they had just tramped. Then the Seven took to the road, but so weary had they become that they soon slowed to a crawl, and Brandar ordered that Erek must use his healing upon himself, but only he, and to renew the rest of them by placing his hand upon them, in turn, and speaking the proper word, to keep them all going. And that was done, and the magic canceled, at which they took food from their packs, but continued upon the road while eating, barely able to see in the darkness, so dim were the cloud-covered Moons.
As morning light began to cast weak shadows upon the road, while Brandar led the Six at a steady but unhurried pace, the sound of an enemy encampment came to be heard from a distance ahead, but where enemies could not be seen through the trees, for there was a long curve in the road. And this brought them to a halt, though the road itself remained empty in either direction but for the Seven themselves, standing where the road began to curve to the left. But as they listened, they heard also running water. “That will be the fording place,” said Tomas, in the Andarian tongue. “Heavily guarded, no doubt,” said Rosth, “by the sound of it.” “And with no other way across,” said Khalen. “Not for a hundred leagues, north or south,” said Alak. “Unless we brave the currents,” said Daram. “Aye, likely in putrid waters,” said Erek, in disgust. “Enough!” said Brandar. “Heal yourselves, and activate all of your necklaces. This ford is our only chance at freedom, for the enemy ahead has likely not heard of our coming, and we have yet these filthy disguises. We march to the fording as if nothing is wrong, and bluff our way through. Hold forth the stolen badges, and follow me just as we have seen enemy patrols follow their leaders. We shall take the crossing by force, if needs be. But do not draw, nor attack with magic, unless I shout the command.
“Perhaps here, at last, is the end of the ranks of the enemy through which we must pass, though I foretell that we shall be pursued to the very threshold of the Dwarf Realm, once we have crossed the river, for enemy Mages, or magical creatures, will have kenned our magicks, and mayhap also surmised our purpose." Here Brandar paused, looking around, then said: “Keep a hand to your swords, but do not strike without need. Let us go.” Good advice, but Brandar would himself not heed it, as shall be seen.
Half expecting, half wishing, to encounter some resistance at the ford, what the Seven found was more daunting than they could have imagined, for here were throng upon throng of Gress, led by Great-Ones of their kind, upon both sides of the road to nearly two furlongs from the ford. Thus must the Seven pass all the way through them to make for the place of fording. But that they did, shouting for the Gress loitering upon the road to clear the way, where Brandar must shove some of the more defiant aside. And as the Seven went so far a distance in this manner, there arose a clamor, so that a crowd of the Gress began to follow the newcomers, likely out of mere curiosity. Yet, this had the effect of causing ever more Gress to get out of the way of the Seven as they strode down the road. So did they come to the ford without undue hindrance. But there they were halted, as the ford was guarded by two rows of twelve Gress each, well armed and heavily armored. And these would not allow the Seven to cross unchallenged, disguised or no. Then one Gress leader, very tall for his kind, who had been sitting off to the side, came to the Seven and demanded to know who they were, from whence they had come, and what were their orders.
Now, a strange mood took Brandar; brought on by the press of Gress gathering behind, and freedom so close to hand. And forgetting his own orders, without so much as a word, drawing swiftly his sword and slashing in one stroke, he slew that creature, with the result that a battle was fought there so dire that the Emissaries would later be loath to speak of it, and would have erased it from their memories, if they could.
The Six surprised Volunteers, in the following days, never received a satisfying answer as to why Brandar had not attempted to talk his ways through. But upon a much later time, he said to them: “I beheld there the far bank, and an army of evil all around us, with another yet to arrive, and I did not think that we should have to fight so hard to make the crossing. I am very sorry. It was rather rash, I admit.” Yet, little more would he reveal as to why he had neglected his very own words. And he felt, but never said to them, though he confessed to me when I pressed him on it, as he was telling me his tale, that some mystic power had taken him; possessed him, for good or ill, he could not know. And it was that entity, some great spirit, which had made him kill the Gress leader and plunge his men into battle. Then that spirit remained with him for several days, but would never again come upon him so intently for the rest of his long life.
Even I had no answers for him, lest it was my memory, where I said that the Elves speak of a god, an Enon named Ehpion, the God of Action, who imparts swiftness to those who defend good against evil. Perhaps it was he who had urged Brandar’s strike that day. But I know this not with all certainty.
All of the Emissaries used the lightening of the Jade, and the strength of the Pearl, and the healing of Erek’s Emerald upon their wounds as they fought; and also the plain Andarian steel of their swords. So they cut down the guards and made to cross the wide river, but the whole of the enemy was roused against them, and they must turn in midstream to fend off attacks from behind. Then was it only by the chain-mail armor hidden beneath their disguises that they were saved from arrows and spears, and sword thrusts, and axe-blows -- for so great was the press of foes that they took many a wound ere they could heal themselves rightly. And thus were their arms and legs, and their scalps and ears all gravely hurt. And it was only by the powers of the necklaces that I gave them that they were able to stand so mightily in that river, knee-deep in blood-red water, with many of the enemy’s dead floating away down the river.
It came about, therefore, when the Seven had slain more than a hundred times their number, that the Gress stayed their assault. Then yet another of their leaders came warily forth to speak with the Northrons, who took the respite to hurriedly use the magic of the Emerald to heal themselves.
This one was an Autho, as were disguised the three Dunjilar cousins, although the beast was even larger for his kind than the one Brandar had felled without a word. Thus did the Seven ken that here was the highest ranking Great-One among the enemy there. And despite his brutish look, he was rather more smooth-tongued than expected.
“Who are you?” asked this Gress, as kindly as you please, holding out his hands. “Tell me, brothers, what all this fighting is about? Why is it that you must cross this river at such cost? Why would you slay so many?” “We are to go east,” said Brandar, hotly, in the enemy’s tongue. “Hinder us more and we shall smite you. Begone! Or you shall be slain as the rest.” “To the east?” said the Autho, in wonder. “Then what sort of errand are you on, to slay my warriors merely to go east?” But of course, the Gress was likely not concerned with justice, as all such beasts are cruel in their hearts. Rather, he may have been worried what his overlords would do to him when he could not explain how only seven renegades had slain so many and yet lived. Were the Seven magical deserters, he must have been wondering by then.
“Come now, my brothers,” said he. “I am the Guardian of this Crossing, and am charged with its defense. But I had no word of you, nor of your coming to this sector. Pray tell, what errand is this of which you speak, and fight so valiantly to complete?” Here, however, Brandar could brook no more delay, as that fey spirit had not yet left him, and he yelled at the Gress: “To escape from you, Thrall!” At which he clove the Gress at an angle altogether in two with a great swing of his sword. But with that, a horrible rage took him, so that he went about slaying all of the enemy he could reach, even chasing them onto the riverbank, heedless of his wounds or of how greatly he was outnumbered. Thus were the Seven forced to fight that entire gathering, where the Volunteers formed a line in the water not a hundred paces from the western bank. Yet, by the magicks of their necklaces they slew all who came near; healing themselves in the heat of battle so that they would not lay down from the uncounted blows and cuts, and stabbings and arrows. And while the healing of Erek’s Emerald was always quick and sure, it did nothing to stave the agony from the infliction of a wound. Indeed, the Northrons would later say that it was the memory of all that pain which kept them from speaking freely of that crossing until many long years afterwards.
At length, with Brandar in the lead, the Seven fought back those Gress, often stepping over heaps of fallen foes to get at living opponents. And there the Volunteers must have slain two-hundred and fifty apiece, but Brandar thrice that, ere all of the remaining Gress withdrew; leaving the Seven, at last, to cross the river in peace.
This therefore is how the Emissaries won the crossing of the Theweg, upon the sunset of their fourth night on the task that Brandar named The Quest. And so it was that they made it safely to the far bank, where they rested and healed themselves, and took some food, as the enemy watched from across the water, and daylight faded.
The Seven next made their way down the road from the Third Ford, which curved slightly southwards towards the Crossroads with the Great East Road that ran due east from the Fourth Ford. And they trudged along solemnly in the dark, noting that the lands thereat did not seem to have been so ravaged by the enemy, though they kept a wary eye on the road behind them, sure that the Gress army would cross the river to come after them at least as soon as the Giant’s company had arrived at the Third Ford themselves and told the Gressin there of the death of Gar the Otog.
Then Brandar ordered that the magicks of their necklaces must be extinguished, to keep enemy Mages from kenning their whereabouts. But he knew that this may not greatly hinder the pursuit, for many Durwolc can track prey by scent alone.
No other enemies were seen on this side of the river. So the Emissaries made it easily to the eves of the Woodlands East by noon of the next day. Yet, they believed that the enemy must be following them swiftly, perhaps in very large numbers. Thus must the Seven not tarry, but should seek the mountains east forthwith. Then, with the falling of night, Brandar left the road and led his men east through the woods, seeing by moonlight, for the sky here was clear of all clouds and smoke. And so did they travel on foot all night. But with the rising of the Suns, they made a fireless camp on a low hill, having gone as far as they could manage without healing or food.
Here, the Seven did not realize that they were but two leagues north of the Great East Road. But should they have fared better with that knowledge none can now say, for the road was then patrolled regularly by Westrons upon horseback.
Brandar ordered that two must stand guard for one hour, while the others slept, and he took the first watch with Erek. But so weary were the Northrons that they all fell asleep in just a little while; snoring loudly through that day and all the following night, and well into the light of the very next day, when Brandar woke suddenly, having dreamt of being chased by a great army of Gress and being caught by them! Then he beheld just such a horde marching steadily towards him from the northwest. But here it was yet another bright day, already full wrought, and he hurriedly roused the others; wrathful at himself for falling asleep. Then did he guess that a spell of sleeping must have been laid upon the Seven, but from what source he could not guess. And as to why he had emerged from the sleep just in time, he believed the Gods had sent to him that dream.
The Northrons barely escaped being caught there, and moved swiftly east through the trees. But the way of the woods fooled Brandar, and he turned gradually south, so that the Seven stumbled in surprise upon the Great East Road that afternoon. And here was a large company of Westron Horsemen, going west, and whose leader came to an abrupt halt only paces from where the disguised Northrons stepped so unexpectedly onto the road.
Now, the cavalry leader did not order an attack, but sat confused; wondering what these Gress and Kobo were up to out of their territory. Nevertheless, the Seven did not think of this, forgetting for a moment their disguises, and ran then headlong back into the woods from which they had come.
“Sieze them!” shouted the cavalry leader, thinking the Seven were deserters. And twenty horsemen, the standard contingent for such an order, rode swiftly to chase the fleeing Northrons, glad for a little sport to break up the boredom of the road.
Naturally the Emissaries activated their gemstones as soon as returning to the woods, and ran as far and as fast as they could. And while the riders in pursuit meant merely to capture them for questioning, the Northrons could not know that, as well, and so turned and slew the riders to a man. Meanwhile, the cavalry leader merely sat with the rest of his company, making jokes while awaiting the return of his men. And he believed the sound of fighting from the woods was that of the capturing of the deserters.