Into the fire

"But all the ways are not blocked," said Tip. "You told us yourself that Drimmen-deeve is free."

"Aye, but the High King may know it not, though Coron Eiron has now sent messengers across Quadran Pass to find King Blaine and tell him that way is now unfettered."

As they rode among the trees of the Greatwood-"Aye, Tipperton, a Pysk did slay a Draedan," said Aravan. "I was there when 'twas done."

"How did this come about?" asked Tip. "And how can a tiny Pysk slay a mighty Gargon?"

"Ji

"Not in a what?" asked Tip.

"Corporeal state," answered Beau. "Not in a physical form." Then Beau frowned and looked at Aravan. "Not in a physical form?"

Aravan nodded. "It was as she dreamwalked, and she slew the Draedan's spirit therein but not its body, though its body did die as well."

"When was this and where?" asked Tip.

A look of pain flared deep in Aravan's eyes. "It was on a small isle in the Sindhu Sea in the time of the destruction of Rwn…"

On the sixth day of May Galarun looked out on the open plain, empty for as far as the eye could see, though a hawk circled in the distant sky. To the left a spur of the Rimmen Mountains guarded the north. Galarun turned to the Waer-linga. "I thank ye all for the warning and for guiding us here. That we would have fallen into a Ruptish trap is mayhap certain. Yet now ye have steered us 'round their flank, and 'tis on to Xian we ride. Long will it take to reach there, and long will be the journey back.

"Yet heed, as ye have guided us, I would have ye keep track of the whereabouts of the Spaunen and lead other folk safely past them as well."

"But we were thinking of going to Pellar and aiding the High King," said Tip.

Ry

Tip turned to Ry

Ry

"I say, though," exclaimed Beau, "in the meantime, if we can get the Drimmen-deeve Dwarves to come to Darda Erynian, then we can destroy the remnants of the Foul Folk who wait at Eryn Ford, and then we won't have to worry about them at all."

Aravan shook his head. "Nay, Beau, 'tis better those Spaunen be left alone, for where they are they do little good in Modru's cause, and little harm in ours."

"But they slew nearly all the Vanadurin," protested Beau, "and if that's little harm, then I don't know what harm is."

"Aye, that was indeed harm. Yet heed, as Galarun says, we would have ye Waerlinga keep track of the Rupt and guide others past them as ye have guided us. And in that way they will be ineffective, a waste of Modru's power."

Galarun nodded. "The Horde is best set along a margin where they are doing no good whatsoever, though Modru knows it not. Mayhap it will lead him to believe we have not set out at all, and are yet to fall into his trap. If so, then mayhap our mission to Black Mountain will go forth unmolested. Hence, leave them be, and this I promise, when we return we will lay the Rupt by the heels. And when the time to go to Pellar comes, we will proudly ride with ye.

"But now our mission is not to aid the High King, but to fetch a sword instead, and I would have Modru think we are yet to come."

Ry

Galarun smiled and then said, "Fare ye well, my friends, and may Adon ward each and every one of ye."

And Galarun signed to his company, and with Aravan at his side, out into the plains they all rode, packhorses and remounts trailing, the Lian on an enigmatic mission to receive a silver sword from Mages and bear it back to war.

"Farewell," cried Ry

As they watched the Elven company ride away, Tipper-ton sighed and said, "I suppose they're right, though leaving two segments of Foul Folk on our very doorstone sits askew with me. Nevertheless, if keeping track of the Spawn and guiding others past will serve the needs of all best, well then, I suppose it'll have to do."

Ry

The four Warrows set out for Caer Lindor, where they would cross back over into the Blackwood once more. And as they rode, Beau said, "Well, Tip, with Warrows and Pysks and Groaning Stones, with Living Mounds and Woodwers, there's not a man among them. We couldn't find a better group of not-men."

"Not-men they are, that I agree, but I ask you this: are we using their aid to quench the fires of war or simply to avoid strife?"

Beau frowned and did not answer Tipperton's question as into the Greatwood they rode.

Chapter 29

Summer came at last, though it seemed more chill than summers before. "I wouldn't doubt that it's all the fault of Gyphon," said Beau, his back to a boulder as he watched the slope behind.

"Gyphon?" asked Li

"Wull, Tip thinks it's due to Karak blowing up and sending stone dust into the sky, and Phais and Loric seemed to think that as well. If they're right, then this chill summer is due to the hand of Gyphon. It's all co

"You keep saying that, Beau, about all things being co

"Well, they are. Let me tell you how events falling upon the world are like stones being cast into ponds, the consequences like waves, mixing and mingling and affecting one another-"

"Hsst!" shushed Li

Beau and Li

"Might as well put that aside, Li

"Gallinipper?'

Beau gri

Long they watched from the overlook, viewing the wold east of Eryn Ford, the ridge part of the spur of the Rimmen Mountains extending down to the Greatwood. Finally the Ogru trod 'round a flank of stone to disappear from view.

"Should we follow?" asked Li

Beau shook his head and resumed his watch on the slope behind. "I think he's heading up to his Troll hole again."

For the past seven weeks, Warrows and Fox Riders had been keeping watch on the Spawn, and they knew much of their movements by now. This particular Ogru had a lair in the spur of the mountains a bit north of where Li

As to the remainder of the Spawn, they yet sent patrols along the margins of Darda Erynian and Darda Stor, though they kept a goodly distance away from the eaves themselves.

In the early days of the vigil, acting on Galarun's request, Tynvyr had ridden to the Dylvana and asked them to join in the watch on the Spaunen, and to guide travellers past. In the meantime, Tipperton and Ry

It was as they were riding northwesterly away from The Clearing-a vast open space in the Greatwood, on the verge of which they had met with the Baeron-that Ry