Spears of Redriver

Part Forty-Six - To Morside?

"What do you mean, gone?" Carthus asked in disbelief. Anger was apparent across his face, but it was not directed at Tassos or Yaltos. He was mad at himself for leading good men to their deaths. The valley had proven to be more dangerous than he had anticipated.

"Farg was gone, the horses were gone...and tracks were leading in and away from his hideout in the rocks" Tassos replied quickly.

"The tracks were those of the boar-riders of the Blue Army, they must have taken your friend and now likely know that you are all here" Yaltos added.

"The king will know soon enough as well, and then you can expect a rough return to the city" Lyor directed his attention to Carthus.

"Oh no...if the dwarves took Farg, he will not speak," Enlief pitched in, chuckling, "he would rather die than give up his brothers-in-arms."

"It is still a risk," Lyor replied.

"Well I know Farg, I've known him for some time...he will not speak" Enlief reassured the gathering.

"There is more, Master Carthus," Tassos said, his eyes sank to the dirt, and he cleared his throat, "Theo's body is gone as well, Yaltos tells me that whoever dies within the valley, joins the ranks of the dead men."

"No," Carthus said, voice trailing off weakly.

"It is so, I have seen my own men rise and turn on me soon after they fell...if the body is not removed from the valley, the person always comes back. It a deadly strong necromancy" Lyor shared his gaze with everyone as he spoke.

"What do we do?" Carthus asked, "we cannot leave Farg a captive of the Blue Army."

"No, we cannot...that would endanger everything you have worked for in Morside, and we cannot risk losing your strength and your reputation with the people," Lyor nodded.

"So we sneak into the Blue Army camp and break him out!" Enlief joked.

"Indeed," Lyor simply replied, solemn as ever.

"Can we do that? Would we get away with something like that?" Enlief was clearly surprised.

"We can...you cannot," Lyor replied. He cleared his throat and turned to Yaltos and Kithar, "gather a small group, our best men...we will get Farg out of the Blue Army camp, you must return to city and prepare for the worst...if the king knows you are here investigating against his word, he will greet you like a long hated enemy."

"What about the valley? The dead? What is it about the stone relic that causes this curse?" Carthus asked, "I can't just leave...all those dead have to be put to rest...Theo is out there!"

"The stone relic can be destroyed...if one can get close enough to it. If the heart of the stone is removed...the curse will end," Lyor frowned, "but, it is something we have tried to do since the beginning, with no success. The ruins in which the stone rests now are swarming with the dead, so unless one can fly...or has a legion at his disposal, it cannot be done."

Silence surrounded the gathering amid the stones of Tharsand. Crows, sitting perched in dark corners atop the ruins, glared down at them all. A pleasant breeze blew by intermittently as the men remained in thought. The moment of a few seconds felt like an hour in the heat.

"So we are agreed, you must return to the city" Lyor recommended.

"We are agreed," Carthus nodded.

"I know your man, Tassos, is likely tired from his trip, but it would be wise to leave right away. It is important that you have time to prepare your men in Morside, should Farg speak to the Blue Army of your mission" Lyor bowed his head.

"Of course, you are right...we will pack and leave right away," Carthus agreed.

"And we can be sure that your men will get to Farg?" Enlief asked.

"Yes, that can be assured, more a few of our men have already been inside their camp, we know the layout and the dark paths which to take in and out" the master assassin nodded.

"Then it is decided, you get Farg, and we go to Morside" Carthus ordered the men, turning his attention to Enlief and Tassos.

"Yes sir" the young swordsman bowed his head.

The Spears and the Ordethi parted ways only moments later, each group preparing for a difficult journey ahead. They kept to themselves as they packed provisions and saddled horses. The Ordethi were generous with all that they could share, which was a surprise to the Master Spear even though they were on friendly terms with the assassins.

The spears finished packing quicker than the assassins and said their farewells. Carthus asked Tassos and Enlief to wait for him by the entrance of the ruins. Watching them ride off, Enlief getting one last look at the carvings on the walls, Carthus pulled Kithar aside.

"Listen, I was just wondering..." the Maad began, looking around suspiciously, trying to avoid drawing any more attention, "where is the relic hidden?"

"Ha!" Kithar laughed, and Carthus glared at him.

"What is it?" the Maad asked, confused.

"Lyor said that you would likely come to me with this question...he knows you are stubborn, and will likely go to search for the relic if we tell you where it is or not" Kithar patted the Maad on both shoulders.

"He is wise, that Lyor," Carthus looked down, shaking his head in disbelief, "so will you tell me?"

"Your heart is set on the stone?" the Ordethi asked.

"It is!" Carthus fixed his gaze on the man.

"Ride north, along the western cliffs above the valley...this will help you avoid the Blue Army camp...you will need to get to the tower, you will see it in the distance. When you are at the tower, do not go in, there is a secret entrance into the catacombs underneath it, which you will see if you scale down the cliff directly at the foot of the tower" Kithar nodded.

"And then what?" Carthus asked.

"You will know, the stone is there," Kithar replied. He patted him on the shoulder once again, "now, I must go...your friend Farg is waiting."

"Thank you, Kithar" Carthus bowed his head with respect.

"Do not die...I don't want to have to kill you if you die," Kithar smiled, and they parted ways with that. Carthus mounted up and heeled his horse forward. He took his last ride through Tharsand slowly, examining the walls and carvings and statues spread throughout. When he finally approached the Spears at the entrance of the ruin, he smiled.

"So...to Morside?" Enlief asked with a grin.

"North, along the valley...we are going to stop the curse" Carthus replied with a grin of his own, once again spurring his horse onward. He picked up the lead with Tassos and the Nord to either side of him.