toward where they have stopped, then return back into the mist.
“They mean not to follow?” asks Shorty.
“Looks that way,” replies James. “At least not at the moment.”
“Could be they’re gathering their forces before coming after us,” suggests Reilin.
“If that’s the case,” Jiron says, “we best not be anywhere near here when they do.” Glancing over to where Miko is working on Stig, he says, “As soon as Stig is ready to travel, we leave.”
The others nod their heads. James glances back to the mist and the temple hidden within. But how are they to get inside?
Chapter Thirty
Several minutes later, the glow surrounding Miko and Stig disappears. Miko comes to his feet and turns to the others. “He’ll live,” he says. “The creature’s blow cracked some ribs, and being tied across his horse’s back didn’t do much to help the injuries either. They’re fine now but he needs rest.”
“Can he take a couple hours in the saddle?” Jiron asks.
When Miko looks skeptical, James adds, “We really should try to get as far away from the mist as we can before stopping for the night.”
“The journey won’t be good for him,” he tells him. “But what must be, must be.”
“Alright then,” James announces. To Scar and Potbelly he says, “You two be in charge of helping Stig. The rest of us get ready to ride.”
As Scar and Potbelly assist a weak and wobbly Stig onto his horse, Jiron goes over to Aleya where she’s staring off toward mist. “You alright?” he asks.
Shrugging, she continues staring at the mist. “Is that what happens?” she asks.
“I’m not sure I understand what you are asking,” he tells her.
“When you and James go on your adventures,” she says then turns to gaze into his eyes. Pointing back to the mist she adds, “Do you get into situations like what we just went through?”
Nodding, he places his hand on her shoulder and says, “Sometimes. But not always.”
“I had no idea,” she admits. “Oh sure, we’ve been in scrapes since this summer began. But nothing like what we just went through.”
He can see the fear in her eyes, worry for what the future may hold. “I understand how you feel,” he tells her. “Back there, I was scared to death let me tell you. For a while I thought we were through.”
“What about next time?” she asks. “Suppose we don’t survive it? I’ve been thinking about what is going to happen should we somehow manage to find a way into the temple. I…I just don’t want to lose you.”
“Nor I you,” he says.
“Ahem.”
Looking over his shoulder, Jiron sees James and the others are already in the saddle. He turns back to her and gives her a hug and kiss. “Don’t worry, we’ll make it through this.”
Squeezing him tight, she says, “I hope so.”
Breaking off the embrace, they move to their horses and mount. “Okay,” he says to the others, “let’s go.” Leaving the mist behind them, he heads eastward. Aleya rides beside him.
It takes them over an hour before the mist disappears completely in the distance. Then they ride for another hour just for good measure before stopping for the night. When they do, Miko attends to the rest of the company who have injuries.
Scar and Potbelly help Stig from his horse and onto his blanket where he goes to sleep almost immediately. Dinner is cold rations as they do not wish to take the risk of someone being in the area and see their fire. Before the rest of the company turns in, James and Jiron move away from the others and talk of what they should do. Brother Willim joins them.
“Any ideas?” Jiron asks.
“One, but I’m not sure if you’re going to like it,” he replies.
“What?” asks Brother Willim.
James pulls out the medallion he recovered from the underground temple they passed through near the fortress of Kern. In the starlight the sign of the warrior priest is barely visible.
“You still have that?” he asks.
“Oh yeah,” he replies with a nod.
“What is it?” asks Brother Willim.
James hands it to him and he inspects it for a moment before handing it back. “Have you ever heard of warrior priests being able to travel great distances in the blink of an eye?” he asks.
“No,” he replies. “I have never heard that before.”
James replaces the medallion within his pouch and says, “We’ve come across a system of teleportation daises in several different locations. The last time Jiron and I used one, we ended up in the very same temple complex where I first found this medallion.” He looks to Brother Willim to gauge his reaction.
“I’m not sure I’m following you,” he admits.
“Okay, let me explain it this way,” he says. Bending over, he pulls an old exposed plant root out of the ground and draws two circles in the dirt a foot apart. Pointing to the circles he says, “Suppose these represent two of the teleportation daises in two different temples. Say the temples are separated by a hundred miles of land and water. You with me so far?”
“Yes,” nods Brother Willim. “Go on.”
“Now,” he begins then points to the circle on the left, “should a person bearing one of these medallions step upon this dais, he will be instantaneously transported to the other.” Moving his root from the left circle, he brings it over and taps the one on the right. “I’m sure there is a way to control where the daises send you. The only problem is that I haven’t figured it out yet.”
“What do you propose to do then?” Brother Willim asks.
“Find someone who does,” he explains.
“But wouldn’t that mean someone who has access to one of the medallions?” observes Brother Willim.
“That’s right,” says Jiron. “And the only ones who would, would be those in the temples.”
“I would even guess it to be only those in the temple hierarchy,” James says. “Which would mean they would be quite powerful.”
“And you’re planning on forcing one of them to help you?” he asks.
James nods. “I’m not sure how yet, or where, but we’re running out of time.”
“Perrilin’s spent time down here,” Jiron says. “He may know of something that would suit our purpose.”
“You’re right,” agrees James. “Bring him over if you would.”
“Be right back,” he says then gets up and heads over to where the others are beginning to fall asleep. In little more than a minute, he returns with Perrilin.
James gives him a rundown of what they plan and then asks him if there are any major temples nearby. “It needs to be a fairly large one as I’m not sure if they are all equipped with these teleportation daises.”
“They’re not going to help you,” he tells them. “You better understand that right now.” He can see the determination in their eyes and adds, “They will die before they do.”
“What other choice do we have?” Jiron asks. “Our time is beginning to run out.”
He glances from James to Jiron then back again. Remaining silent while he searches their eyes, he finally asks, “You seriously mean to go through with this?”
“Yes we are,” Jiron states with finality.
“Very well then.” He then grins as he says, “If we don’t get ourselves killed in the process, this will make one unbelievable saga.”
Jiron chuckles, “You got that right. It already has been.”
“Now Cyst, the town we left rather abruptly had a temple, but it wasn’t what you would call a main one,” he explains. “Further to the south is a larger town by the name of Zixtyn. I’ve been there several times and the temple there trains many of Dmon-Li’s new acolytes. It’s not just a single temple but a complex of over a dozen large
