“I still don't like this,” said Brinlee, the village elder.
“Like it or not, Bartock is right,” interjected Erste Roan, Ing's uncle. “My nephew and our own Alma Lifetree passed through this way not twenty days ago. What else can we do? As Bartock says, Slithzalien has not been idle and neither can we. We all knew this day would come in our hearts even if we said it would not in our minds. We are soldiers and the shadow is spreading. Everyone must be ready by the eve of the seventh day following this one at first light.”
Mildren Yornak, the young boy who Ing had met in the walls of the mountain, was there as well. “Ing is going to be alright, isn't he?” he said with worry coloring his voice. “I mean nothing will happen to him, will it, Erste?”
“That is exactly the matter in question, young Mildren,” Erste replied. “Nothing will happen to him if we strike now and don't delay. They made it into the dark town of Akram and I aided them in their escape into the Mountains of Promises where the snow lions dwell and the witch resides, but LaBelle was upon their tails with his three vagabonds. I would have delayed the fools, but I had to make haste to return here to Dharma.”
“On their way back from the Mountains of Promises they will not be so lucky. No longer am I there to aid them and LaBelle may plague them yet. But I trust in the strength of my nephew and Alma, even if the odds are two to Hector's four. In any case, Ing and Alma will have to pass back through the twilight town and I do not know how they will make it through that accursed gate that separates it from the rest of Eclestia.”
“Therefore we must strike that dread town where Slithzalien and his minions and his foul general Soren Abbalah who was once one of us, reside. That will be the only chance they have of escaping from it once again. They have no chance of opening the gate or scaling its walls. We will set the forces of Dharma against the forces of darkness and see who shall win.”
I must ride out to meet the general in battle, thought Bartock. Soren, if there is any chance left that I can save you, I will. I promise that as a friend, I promise that on our friendship. Your heart cannot be wholly blackened. I will not believe it. Not of one such as you, my dearest of friends. I was supposed to protect you and I failed. But I shall not fail again.
“Erste has the right of things,” he said. “If things have gone sour in the south,” (he referred to Ganwin), “then how so fare things here in the north? Condeth Rahal is too far away and we cannot ask for their assistance although we may in days to come. It would take a ship a fortnight to travel there and back.” If we were lucky. “This task lies in our hands, the mountain people of Dharma.” Erste, you're going to hate me for this. “Erste, I would ask that you stay here while I ride out to do battle with General Soren.”
Erste was undoubtedly troubled, but he appeared calm. “I must come with you, Bartock. This is not your battle alone. As you said, it lies on all the mountain people gathered here. I would see myself fight to protect our home.”
I can't let him come, thought Bartock. He loves Soren as I do and it clouds his vision. If it comes to swords it must be I who duels the general in black. Foul as it sounds, he cannot live if he remains general of the dark forces. If he is dead, the shadow of war will crumble to a certain extent and perchance Slithzalien will lose heart. “No, Erste you must remain here in the Horda Mountains. When our host returns from the battle I will speak to you once again.”
“With Ing and Alma safe, he will surely wish to head back to Ganwin and save his people from the king, Oxen Mollish. You must be there to help him in this task. For the sake of your sister-in-law, Selenia Roan, you must help her son in his final hour. You will follow at his heels as he heads to the far south and join blades with him against the tyrant king and his ill adviser, Salkar Stadeus. Your nephew will battle the king and you will take up arms against the royal priest. Ing cannot defeat them both alone. He needs the help of his uncle. Afterwards you can return to your cave or do as you please.”
“Very well,” Erste said. “It seems the time is almost upon me that I once again come face to face with a Stadeus although I would rather not in this lifetime or the next. They are ill men of an ill mind. To think that Salkar Stadeus stood by King Garwen's side and King Gallen before him and the people trusted him.”
“I would turn the man lose and have no more bloodshed on his behalf, but he is too dangerous. His hand may not have been the hand that slew my brother's wife, but he is responsible. Why didn't Selenia heed my warnings to leave the town? Alas! I must kill Salkar and be done with it. If I were to leave him be he would find some other mischief to wreak.”
“The man is a servant to his master
