Frostfell_ The Wizards - Mark Sehestedt [23]
"Of course."
"In the years of war between Raumathar and Narfell, many from Sossal allied themselves with Raumathar against the demon hordes of Narfell. But in their desperation, some even among the Raumathari sought power where they should not. I have heard it told that in those ancient days some of the Sossrim swore loyalty to Raumathari wizards who sought power with demons, devils, and other foul beings from the outer darkness. Their own folk shunned them, and so they have lived in the far north, performing their vile rites. In the darkest winters, sometimes they raid far south, taking plunder and captives. But I have never heard of them striking all the way into Cormyr. So far… never have I heard of such a thing. And Jalan was all they took?"
"Yes. They slaughtered any who stood in their way, and the… uh, the dark one called down a killing frost, but they took no plunder. Only my son."
"Why?" asked the belkagen. "Why travel more than a thousand miles through foreign lands for one boy?"
"I don't know. I wish I did. I only want my son back."
"Have you ever noticed anything special about the boy?"
"You're asking a mother?"
The belkagen smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. "You study the arcane. You know what I mean."
"Dreams."
Both the belkagen and Lendri seemed to tense at this. "Dreams…?" asked the belkagen.
"Jalan was always a vivid dreamer, even as a small child. I can only remember images and words from dreams, but Jalan… he could recall sounds, shapes, even smells and touch in solid detail. And he said he often dreamed of a shining song."
"A shining song?"
Amira shrugged. "Only a dream. I never thought about it much."
The belkagen and Lendri shared a look. "The elves do not sleep like other folk of the world. We rest and"-he seemed to be searching for the word-"walk the dreamroad. Dreams can be very powerful and hold great meaning."
"I sometimes dream I can fly," said Amira. "It doesn't make me a bird."
"What did you do?" Lendri broke in.
"About birds?"
"About your son. When you returned to the High Horn and found him gone."
"In Cormyr," said Amira, "the war with the Horde is still fresh in the minds of many, especially among the knights and wizards. I don't know any who didn't lose someone. When it was discovered that Tuigan and other easterners had penetrated one of our westernmost outposts… well, it was treated with extreme concern.
"Three expeditions were mounted to pursue the raiders, each led by a war wizard. Since the murderers had my son-and since my family has contacts in Nathoud-I volunteered to lead one team. Two of us caught up with them about fifty miles east of the Sunrise Mountains. We caught them late in the day. By surprise. But still they fought like cornered dogs-except for the cloaked one, who cowered and hid and left the fighting to his men and other hired blades. They fled before us.
"But when the sun went down, the… dark thing, he… uh, seemed to 'wake up' and fill with terrible strength. He killed over half our force." Amira shivered at the memory and pulled her cloak around her. Full night had fallen, and their campfire did little to penetrate the thick darkness. "It was as if he called down the heart of winter itself. Strong men died in their tracks. All but a few of us were killed, but we took many enemy lives as well. A few of us managed to get away with Jalan and flee. We ran through the night. More died. In the end, it was only the sunrise that saved us. Exhausted as we were, we pushed on."
"You said three teams were sent out," said Lendri. "Your team met with one. What of the other?"
"What few of us survived met them in Almorel. We'd hoped to find a portal thereabouts and make it as far west as we could. We watched for the pale barbarians and the dark thing, but we were foolish." Amira stared into the fire, and her voice hardened. "We underestimated our foe. Whoever is leading them put the word out to every thug and bandit in the Wastes. That loud-mouthed bastard