Eylysia, is a world of magic and wonder. Humans and beasts live side by side as equals and depend upon the guidance of the Council of Wizards to insure their prosperity and safety.
The Kahlisian Wars have ended and all seems peaceful in Arishamal u...
Early morning found the residents of the Crimson Rose walking south along the beach from their ship towards the impressive sea-cliffs where the hermit, Ozab dwelt. Only Gella, the twins, Ophelia, and little Odette stayed behind.
The twins, Trey and Cat, were determined to get the small catapults they had scavenged restored to working order. The deck-mounted weapons were like none the Scratchbacks had ever seen. Though the catapults were only five feet high on their mounts, the mechanisms which provided the impetus to whip the firing arm were housed in an enclosed base nearly as wide as the weapon was tall. The deck-mount was covered in small wheels, valves, levers, and sights. Long flexible tubes, four inches wide and twenty feet long, snaked from the freshly mounted pedestals for reasons unknown.
Ophelia spent the morning telling fairy-tales to her daughter, while Gella, who could barely remember her mother, sat next to the little girl, listening with just as much intensity and joy.
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The expedition to the cliffs was almost halfway there when Salto noticed a crowd of diverse beasts, about fifty of them, sitting around extinguished campfires on the beach. He pointed this out to Otto who explained.
"They are all here hoping to see friends and family from the outside. This is where the walkway to the shield that I told you about is located. These beasts, most of them, at least, are recently stranded on Xenoth. Some of these poor creatures have been coming for years, without any success."
"Are there always beasts here? Aren't they afraid of the Gleaners?" Zian asked.
"The Gleaners prey on individuals and helpless families," Otto said with contempt, "these beasts here are all sea-beasts and mariners, tough and weathered. It would be too much of a battle for the Brotherhood. They would win, certainly, there are far too many in their ranks, but the price would be high with many casualties. There are more beasts than normal on the ridge, though, probably because the Deev have left Xenoth. Those horrors kill beasts for sport and even the toughest beasts are wise enough to avoid them."
"Can we go and see da barrier?" Wilbur asked. Egbert interrupted.
"Let's foind Ozab first. Oi'd loike to foind out if he knows anything or if he's just crazy. We can examine da barrier on our way back."
"Yeah!" Winky exclaimed. He and Groggs were carrying a wooden chest, "Alla dis food Winks and me is luggin' ta bribe da old loon'll go bad, not ta mention dat dose blokes down dere look pretty hungry. If'n dey find out about dis grub we're carryin', it ain't gonna make it to no caves."
Otto nodded. "That's smart," the otter agreed. The compliment made Groggs smile broadly. He liked being called smart, it happened so rarely. Otto continued, "We're in no rush, the ridge will still be here."
They passed the queuing castaways and continued forward towards the looming cliffs ahead.
The cliffs were impressive, rising to well over two hundred feet. The beach along which the small crew walked narrowed from its widest point of almost five hundred yards to nothing at the base of the precipice. The stone edifice rose at a very steep angle from the sea directly to the summit. Openings and caves pockmarked the face.
