Chapter 7 - Master UlriC

Logan strode across the plain briskly, his desire to getaway from the orc camp evident in his step. He motioned tohis companions to follow him as he passed by them, callingout, “Come on, let’s go.” The big man mounted his horse with an ease that he had never shown before and quicklyurged his horse into a gallop. Nyla’s calls for him to wait were ignored, and she and Tarn exchanged worried glancesas they climbed into their own saddles and took off afterhim.Logan galloped across the plain for quite a distance,then reined in his horse and waited for his companions.Gasping for breath, Tarn pulled up next to Logan. “What inthe hells was that all about?!” he exploded.Logan reached around and rubbed his horse behind theears. His reply was matter-of-fact, “I was saving our lives.”“Saving… our… lives?” Nyla wheezed, trying to catch herbreath. “We were in the middle of an orc camp, and you boltacross the desert like some half-crazed centaur whelp? Youcould have gotten us killed trying to follow you! Never mindthe fact that we still don’t know everything Sir Alec sent usout here for!”“What happened back there?” Tarn cut in. The priest looked him square in the eye. “I told you. I

saved our lives. And yes, I did nd out something of what’s

going on. ” Tarn simply raised an eyebrow, and so Logansighed and continued. “I swore an oath with the Shaman.”“You what?” Nyla exploded.“I said, I swore an oath with the Shaman.”“Tarn, let’s get out of here. It’s obvious that that Shaman

bewitched him somehow. I can’t see any other reason for

him to do such a thing.” Nyla nudged her horse in its ank,

urging it to move off. Tarn held up his hand for her to wait,however, and reluctantly, she did.Logan grasped the reigns of his horse in both hands. “Isaid it before. I made a pact with the Shaman and savedour lives. Now, if you’ll excuse me, we should be going.”He kicked his horse into a gallop again, tearing across theplains. The other two shared an exasperated look, and tookoff after him. The priest pushed his horse hard for several moreminutes until the river came into sight. He pulled up nextto it and dismounted, letting the horse wander down to the water and drink. He then sat down on a large rock nextto the pack horse, whom he had forgotten about, and wasgrateful to realize the animal had not wandered off in all theexcitement. He waited for the few moments his companionsneeded to pull up by him, and when they did, Logan sawthe fury in Tarn’s eyes. He waited for the argument he knew was coming. Tarn climbed down off his horse and shouted at Logan,“Explain yourself, priest! What happened back there?!”Logan hopped up and started walking along theriver. “Do you remember what Alec told us before we leftthe keep? He told us to watch out for unusual wounds —wounds that were somehow still alive. The Shamanshowed me the body of his nephew. It looked old —very old,thousands of years old, in fact - like a mummy. But youknow what?

The body was still warm.”

“I’ve never seen anything like it. That shaman told mesome summoned beast killed the boy with one blow. Hesay’s they’ve been hunting it, and that they aren’t the band

we’re looking for — they’re too busy hunting the

stealer

togo raiding,” Tarn crossed his arms across his chest. “And you believehim?”

He nodded. “I swore we would help him nd the

beast. We’re supposed to meet back here in one monthto exchange information.” He kicked at the dirt with oneboot. “Tarn, he’s worried. I am too. I’ve never even heardof something that would leave a body like that. We needinformation. I must consult with the head of my order in Traazon Keep .”Nyla chimed in next. “Well, I suppose I could speak withMaster Ulric, then. If you believe this Shaman, and if whathe says is true —that it is some sort of magical beast….Well, if anyone at the Keep knows about it, he will. ” Tarn snorted softly. “What?” Logan replied.“I get the fun job, then. I get to tell Alec what we found,and what we didn’t. For some reason, I don’t think he’ll betoo happy.” He sat down. “Let’s give the horses a few moreminutes to rest, and then let’s get outta here.”* * * They rode hard for several hours, continuing even afternight had fallen in their hurry to get back to Traazon Keep.Around dawn, as they came to the edge of the city, they were met by a patrol of mounted soldiers. They left theirhorses with the guardsmen and made their way on foot.Nyla quickly separated from her companions and starteddown the road toward the mages’ guild. She chuckled

briey at the thought, for she knew that many people

thought of the mages guild here in the keep as little morethan a joke. By the standards of the heartland cities, she