The Paladins - James M. Ward [20]
"Noph, you're babbling," said Trandon. "Get up!"
Miltiades knelt down next to Noph and shut Harloon's lids. "He died well, Freeman Kastonoph, but we must move on."
Noph looked up at the paladin, shocked. "And just leave him here?"
"Indeed. The quest must continue."
The boy began to sob through his words. "Harl worshiped you, as well as Tyr! He gave his-his life for me and-and you expect me to walk away from him-leave him here? Is that some kind of-of honor?"
Miltiades stood erect and looked down severely upon Noph. "Foolish youngling, we have all lost friends- friends whom we have known for years. If Harloon died saving you, honor him by finishing what he started."
"But we can't just leave him here!" protested Noph. "We can't!"
"There will be time to mourn him when the quest is completed," said Kern. "Come on, Noph. Be strong."
"I don't want to be strong! My friend is dead!"
"I have an idea," Aleena intervened. She knelt next to Noph and stroked his hair. "I have an idea, Noph. Let's put him in the boat, set it on fire, and send it down the river. He would have liked that."
Noph looked into her eyes with a mixture of adoration and tears but did not speak.
"Freeman Kastonoph, he saved your life," said Miltiades. "If you honor Harloon, then justify his death by completing his quest."
Kern and Aleena helped Noph up. "After we finish rescuing Lady Eidola, I'll introduce you to Harloon's parents," the red-haired paladin offered. "They're merchant folk. You'll like them."
Able delivered a prayer for Harloon's quick passage to the Seven Heavens while the paladins chanted. Trandon and Jacob poured oil over the boat. Aleena drew a candle from her pack, anchored it in the floor of the boat, surrounded by the black oil, and carefully lit it. They launched the craft with Harloon resting at the stern, one hand on the tiller, the other on his warhammer. Aleena cast a spell as it drifted away, and the tiny flame of the candle flared brightly, touching off the oil. With a whoosh, flames swept over the vessel and its noble occupant.
Noph stood silently gazing at the flames. How could the paladins claim to be men of goodness and light, and abandon their fallen? he wondered. They didn't deserve Harloon, who would never let them down!
When the light of the bier had disappeared around the bend, Noph looked down at his feet and spied the coil of rope, barely noticing that it had magically wound itself up.
"Can I have this-to keep in memory of Harloon?"
Aleena waved her hand over the rope. "I detect no harmful energies," she said. "If no one minds, I think it'd be fine for you to keep it." The rest nodded assent.
Jacob and Trandon moved to the point position as the party prepared to move into the caves of Under-mountain with only a fragment of map to show the way. Miltiades walked next to Noph.
"Freeman Kastonoph, you fought passably well in your first combat. I salute your courage. However, we are likely to be tested again before we complete our quest, and more may die. We will not have time to treat others as we did Harloon. Grieving is appropriate, but we must mourn after the quest is completed."
"Yes, sir." Pretentious bastard!
"Let's get moving," said Kern. "The princess awaits."
"She's not a princess!" insisted Aleena.
In the darkness ahead, the laughter burst forth again.
Interlude 4
When you lose control of the situation, just keep lashing out until you feel important again.
"Rejik, keep those manes under control!" "I can't help it. The reflections keep trying to attack each other."
The vrocks stood between two massive groups of lesser fiends, all jostling roughly amongst themselves; inarticulate obscenities echoed through the corridors around them. Hundreds of manes-bloated little creatures with pointed ears and noses, and spindly stalks of wiry hair growing from the backs of their heads- spread out