2006-03-31 - The Land of Aryus and Fire of Sumel

THE LAND OF ARYUS AND FIRE OF SUMEL

THE STORY OF THE SEVEN STARS

CHAPTER 1

Grey clouds are gathering with vengeance over the mountains and closing in on the sad valley, blocking off any cheer that the sun can bring to the weary city. It is like a noose that is choking the old city into submission and trapping it in grief forever. No sun dares to shine through the dark clouds over Antook. Sometimes it seems the only color the people know is grey. At least the grey shows a glint of hope. It’s hard to imagine the sparkling mansions and sun-lit valley of so long ago. It was said you couldn’t find a happier place but now there is hardly even a shadow left. It is not recognizable to the old tales.

If it weren’t for the little trinkets the hunters brought into town on occasion one would think this ancient city of wonders never existed and that it was simply a tale of old to try and brighten people’s spirits. There was a city once and it rivaled any Atlantis you could ever imagine.

Yes, sometimes the hunters while looking for treasure would instead find old earthen ware or a small statue if they were lucky. Any large item had been destroyed or stolen long ago. More times than not a treasure hunter would take these items alone as their prize, relieved they found anything at all, and go on their way after a few months here. It’s a disgrace to the cities history and what a history, indeed. None can compare to such a rich place as this.

Antook is an old city but ancient is the ground it stands on. To look about the place you can tell that even the stones are mourning for some long lost masters. It was on that very ground that the blood of so many men, women and children were slain so long ago. They did not go without a fight but there were too many of too much power that overcame them all in the end.

Only a handful survived. Their great sadness still lives on. Why had they lived and watched everyone they loved die around them? It’s a piece of an ancient war that no historian can even guess when it began or why it happened. What are left are the black memories of the few who survived and the stories they once told.

It was a sunny day but the shadows of night grew darker than any other and the stars all but left the sky. Even the moon seemed to hide so there was only a pool of darkness swallowing everyone. Forces great in their ruthless evil came down from the mountains like ants over a foot hill. So great was their numbers that it took only minutes for all to fall valiantly to their deaths.

The Great King left the thrown empty and even the daughters pulled out their swords. Honor was with them if nothing else would be. It was said that more voices of rage screamed through that night than ever they let cries of pain enlighten the enemy’s ears. To die by defending your life is valiant but to die without a cry for your sorrow as you watch your city fall is strength that is beyond humanity. It seems as if something magic once dwelled in that valley until the day the light went out.

The once sparkling mansions perished that night and their scraps make up the charred grey villas that line the blackened cobblestone streets. The people who were the pride of the Ancient Kingdom are now mostly bitter and shamed. What was once a wonder on earth has now become a graveyard for the dead past.

There is one thing that survived long after the valiant survivors perished. Now it is only an echo of the crafts these men used to weald.

The vineyards managed to not be completely destroyed. They took the roots and over many centuries re-grew the surrounding mountains to their former glory. It is said that the richest wines of the world are grown in Antook vineyards. Whatever it is you have a taste for they have a secret to quench it. Still, it is only a shadow of the taste and nothing could ever compare to the wine of the angels so very long ago.

With the vineyards the people have found one other thing to wake up the city. They found they are good at gardening. All around the city you find lively blooms and deep greens, like roses on a tombstone. The most unique tree decorating the town is the willow. These weeping trees line the streets from a mile before you enter the city to a mile after you leave it in any direction. They are notched with age and their branches touch the ground in several places where they have not yet been pruned back. It seems obvious that long ago some one decided to mark the city for it’s sad past by reminding everyone that now is a time for mourning.

This sadness is hope that the mourning will end and the city will rise again.

Even the weather listens to this sad song.

Every day in Antook it will rain. Sometimes it will only be a bit of rainy mist that will last for only minutes and other times it will be a drizzle that will go on for days or even months at a time but the storms are what everyone fears. Some times the warm winds from the south will hit the chill winds of the north and it will seem they will war with each other in the sky. Lightening will crash down and the thunder will shake the houses. Many homes have fallen from these monsters and many times the vineyards have been replanted after they had been burned to a smoking black crisp by the fire the clouds spit down. No one now living can remember a day full of only sunshine or snow in that old valley in the mountains.

There is a legend behind this sad valley that tells about the ancient Antook and its treasure. The treasure is the reason the city mourns day and night. It was guarded 24 hours a day in happier times and its worth was said to be more than any one could price for how could you lay a price on the greatest treasure in the world? When the city fell the treasure never reached the hands of the enemy; that much is for certain. The legend does not give much more information but people who have a bloodline going back to the ancients tell stories that their parents heard from their parents all the way back to those who were the only witnesses. They say there is a gateway in the mountains. The setting sun looks upon it but they also boast that the ancients were a most intelligent race and that no one save the only one chosen will ever find it. The gateway was laid there for one person alone and long have these people been waiting to see who will raise their kingdom to its former glory. Only then will the mourning end and the sparkling city will once again stand in all of its former beauty and former power. It is common knowledge amongst the villagers that the ancients will raise again to finish the task they left behind but first the gate has to be found and the chosen one must rise again.

Most people in this age of science and history consider the story to have elements of truth but no shred of evidence save for that there was once a great city that rivaled all other cities in that very valley. Some choose to believe that there is a treasure and some choose to be more practical and think it a fairy tale. All the same it is an undeniable fact that thousands of treasure hunters come to Antook each year and dig up the mountains. There isn’t a day where any inn in the city has an empty room to spare. Many people rent out their spare rooms to these strangers. The wine, which is said to be the greatest in the world, is served at the pubs and wasted on filthy greed. The whole city has now a stink of it. It could rain money and give them all more than they could ever use in a lifetime and none would be satisfied. The hunters brought their greed into the city and city found their greed in the hunters. There are not many you can trust but there are a few who seemed to be incorruptible.

These few are considered dreamers and fewer are considered to be crazy. It was one of these few who hold the ancient story in a truer form. Only one other is wise enough to listen but even she has difficult time believing.

It took only minutes for the gathering rain clouds to cover the afternoon sun. Audacia Lavanas gathered her brown wool coat and her bright red umbrella.

Audacia is a rather short sweet looking girl and many of the boys fawn after her because of her comfortable curves, long black locks and her round baby cheeks. Her eyes are a deep green. She is almost always good humored and people usually ask her what is wrong if she is not smiling. She is rarely ever seen without her worn brown wool coat and her red umbrella. The boys always know when she is walking their way because the umbrella stands out against the grey scenery.

Today has been rather uneventful for Audy. Her only excitement so far is the loss of her keys or as her friend Illy would say, “You’ve lost your mind!”

Looking at her watch she murmured, “Fifteen minutes. She’ll be waiting and cross if I’m late!

‘I swear you’ve lost your mind if you weren’t the only sane person in this town, Audy,’ she’ll say.”

She was walking around the house now opening cabinets and searching on shelves and tabletops.

“I love her dearly but honestly sometimes she just gets on my nerves,” said Audacia thinking out loud.

“Where did I put my keys?” Her searching became more frantic and she was now ripping open drawers and turning pockets inside out with anger as much as frustration.

“Wait,” she said to herself as if a lost memory had suddenly come back to her.

Running to the worn ebony couch in the front room that sat directly in front of the bay window looking East she bent over as if searching for something and scooped up a pair of pants that were piled up in the corner against the wall and the side of the couch. She turned the pockets inside out and found nothing so she shook the pants and heard nothing clink to the floor. In anger she threw the pants down and began feeling around on the floor. Bent over in frustration she glanced over behind the couch and saw a faint shadow of something material piled up in a haphazard lump.

“Ah ha!”

She grabbed the pile which was her keys and stuffed them in her pocket. She was using the side of the couch to help her stand up when she stopped suddenly. There was something that caught her eye.

“How strange.”

Outside the clouds were thick and dark but on the tallest eastern mountain peak to the upper left side she could see a glint as if the sun were shining off metal or a pool of water. There was no sun to be found and few hunters would dare face the snow storm that would surely be raging tonight at the top of that peak. It was so bright. What could it possibly be?

Never minding the time she went to fetch her binoculars for bird watching to see if she could get a better view. When she came back the light had not faded but had seemed to grow brighter or the clouds had grown darker, she could not tell which for both seemed to be the case. When she put the binoculars to her eyes and focused all she saw at first was a ball of light on the mountain top. As she gazed the light seemed to dim until it faded completely away.

Audy’s eyes widened and her mouth gaped as she stared in disbelief.

It could have been a trick of the eyes but she thought she saw a figure. It looked as if a woman with long golden hair and a blazing golden dress was walking along the mountain pass. What was she doing? She could freeze to death up there.

More clearly now Audy could defiantly make out that yes, there was a woman walking on the mountain side. Her head was bowed and her hands were folded over each other as if lost in some kind of prayer. She was descending with ease as if the chill air and the rough terrain were not even a thought in her mind let alone a bother. Then she saw the small figures behind her. What were those?

“Are those baby cubs? Where is the mother? Does she not know she is going to get killed?” Trailing behind the golden woman walked 3 tiny brown bears.

She was about to put the binoculars down to go and warn the authorities when something caught her eye. She suddenly stopped and put the binoculars closer to her eyes again. As she looked the woman had walked behind the view of an old aspen tree. It should have taken seconds at most for her to come into view on the other side. She disappeared. One by one the baby bears trailed on into the obstruction and one by one they did not come out the other side.

Audacia stood there for a good 3 minutes searching the mountain side but they had vanished. She tossed the binoculars onto her couch and ran out into the misty rain to get to her friends house and share what she had seen.

While she was walking her face must have matched the scenery. She hadn’t made it two blocks from her house when she ran into her friend Maury.

“Come on you great beast. You wanna have a go? I’ll wallop ya. Move!”

He pulled on the leash of his great old St. Bernard who he named Goliath. His red curls were bouncing and his face was wincing but his dog was about twice his size and when Goliath decided to rest Maury didn’t go any where no matter how much he wanted to.

The neighbor was pointing at the sight from across the street and laughing at poor Mr. Keeler.

“I told ya to get him trained while he was young, Maury. Now look at ya. I’m gonna get my camera.”

“Oh bugger off Ally! If you get a picture of this I’m gonna tell every one about that night in the moors. I swear it!”

Ally’s face had become suddenly alarmed and she glanced around to make sure that no one had heard even a glimpse of what Maury had just said.

“Have it your way you spoiled sport. Why should I care about your stupid dog anyways?”

Maury screamed, “Ha, did I ever tell you that you’re a selfish little prat?”

It was too late. Ally was already walking into her house and closing the door behind her with her nose pointing to the sky.

“Now, if you don’t move I swear I really am going to wallop ya and you won’t like it one bit. Do ya understand?”

Maury made his hands into fists and started acting as if he was about to have a boxing match with the huge dog.

Goliath proceeded to lie down in the mud like he was ready to take a nap.

Maury made a horribly distorted angry face. Grunting through gritted teeth he bellowed, “Uuuuhhhhh, I hate you!”

Audy, had just come down the street and at that moment had chosen to look behind her shoulder to the eastern mountain to see if she could glimpse the light and at that moment ran right into the bent over backside of Mr. Keeler.

Not expecting to have some one shove him Maury lost his balance and fell head first into wet dog. Toppling over Maury fell Audy with an uncomfortable thud onto the poor dogs’ stomach.

They both screamed and Goliath jumped up dropping both of them head first onto the muddy cobblestone street.

Audy instantly noticed the freezing cold and wetness around her. Then she smelled Goliath who probably hadn’t had a bath in a year knowing how well Maury could manage, who was wet to boot and now all over her. She felt the sudden urge to vomit but instead just spit not caring if any one saw her at that particular moment. She kneeled and used a clean part of her coat to wipe her face off.

“Gross, wet dog! It’s everywhere, Uhh. And mud! It’s all over!

My umbrella! Oh, blast!”

Looking down you could see that her poor red umbrella that was as much a part of her now as her black curls had a bent metal piece making it lopsided and practically useless.

“Hello, Audy” said a very muddy Maury sitting next to her with fingerprints where he’d wiped the mud away from his eyes and around his mouth.

“Well, that’s one way to get my dog to move.”

Audy looked at Goliath who was now half way down the street his leash trailing behind him as he ran home and then at her disgustingly dirty friend and began laughing.

“Oh my, do I look as bad as you?” she said pointing.

“I do believe you should probably have a bath…soon!” he said with as much humor and laughter as Audy.

“You stink,” he said smiling.

They both broke out in a new round of laughter that lasted for at least a good few minutes.

“Well, this is one time I’m actually glad it’s raining,” said Audy after she had settled herself down.

“Yes, you don’t hear that to much round ‘ere.

Well, I don’t know where you’re off to but I think you best come in the house and clean up a bit. You can’t go walking around town like that,” said Maury.

“Hmm…I think you’re quite right. Oh well, at least I’ll have something to talk about when I get to Illy’s.”

They helped each other off the ground and started walking slowly towards Mr. Keeler’s house while wiping mud off their knees.

“You’re going to be late aren’t you? She’s going to have words with you, ya know.”

“Can’t be helped, I guess.”

“What were you doing, anyways?”

“Hmm...doing?”

“Well, it’s rather hard to just miss that prat of a dog of mine hogging all the walking space and me yelling over him,” he said smiling.

“Oh, I was looking at the Eastern Peak.”

“Well, o.k. then.

I’m sure it would have still been there when you got to Illy’s. It hasn’t gone anywhere yet that I can see,” said Maury glancing behind him.

“I know. It’s silly really. I could have sworn earlier that I saw a woman walking up there.”

“There are a lot of women that go up there. They are called, ‘hunters,’ or have you forgotten?”

“Yes, I know but this was different. Oh, I don’t know. Maybe it was just my eyes playing tricks on me but it was almost like she was glowing and I swear I saw 3 baby cubs trailing after her in a single file like…well, I don’t know like what since I’ve never seen anything to compare it to.”

“You feeling alright? You look a bit peaked, and with a story like that either you need a set of glasses, you’ve got a fever or you’ve been listening to them old stories way too much.

Really, it’s not healthy to spend all of your spare time digging up the ancient past. It won’t do ya no good. It’s over and this city will never look like them stories again.”

“Maybe your right, old friend.”

When they got down the block they walked into Maury’s old, grey, stone two-story house and saw that Goliath was resting on the porch that Maury had built himself out of pine wood only five years ago. If he’d been scared before it didn’t show now. The dog was laying on his side dozing peacefully, his legs moving a bit and small cries escaped his mouth as if he were chasing an animal in his dreams.

“He’s a big old loaf, he is,” said Maury smiling as he stepped over him to get to the door.

Maury lent Audy a set of his old pants that he didn’t care much about any more and he put hers in the wash while she cleaned up in the bathroom. He changed into some old comfy cloths in his bedroom and used a pitcher of water on the chest at the foot of his bed to wash his face, hair and his hands. He didn’t do the best of jobs and would need a proper bath later on. The towel he dried with was filthy and went in the wash as well. He carefully bent the old red umbrella back into its original shape and set it right by the door so Audy wouldn’t forget it. He placed her keys which she’d left in her pants pocket right next to the umbrella as she finished up in the bathroom.

Soon after Audy came into the front room to find Maury reading in his rocker with his feet up, his red curls swaying back and forth in the slight draft.

“Feel better?

“Much, thank you so much!”

“No problem, dreary. Can’t think of better company I could have. I just wish you could stay for tea but I guess you had better be off,” he said looking at his watch.

“You’re things are by the door and you’re pants are in the wash. I’ll have to bring them over on Saturday while I’m out making the rounds.”

“Oh, that’s no problem.”

She thanked him kindly again, picked up her umbrella and keys and then was on her way as soon as possible for she was very late already.

She hadn’t gotten two more blocks in the rain when a new sudden panic came over her. She felt like she was being watched and whatever she felt was watching her was not nice. A sudden feeling like someone had just walked over her grave chilled her to the bone. She looked around her at the empty darkened windows on either side and then behind her. There was nothing.

Then she moved her umbrella and looked up not knowing quite why she had the sudden urge to do it. The clouds were getting so dark and the shadows were swirling deeper all around above her. She looked at the sky behind her and she could have sworn the deep grays were swirling together as if they were about to strike the ground. Were they tornados? Right at that moment she didn’t care as long as she got out from under it.

That is when she looked at the mountain below this strange cloud activity. It was the light! The light glowed on like a bright star and almost stung her eyes to glance at it. It was now further down the mountain and it seems it was almost to the vineyards.

Now she knew she had seen it. Either she was crazy or something seriously wrong was going on. She sped up to try to get to Illys’ house as soon as possible. Whatever was the case she had a strange feeling like she shouldn’t be outside. She felt eyes on her from every angle as long as she stood out there.

Illia’s Bakery stood another block and an half away. She started in a paced run not caring now if people looked at her from their windows. As far as they knew she was running from the rain.

It was then she noticed the smell. It was a strange combination of fire and lilacs. Where was it coming from?

As she was running she came to the alley that cut between two old stone buildings that led to the back door and loading dock of the Bakery. The smell was getting stronger and she knew it coming from the shadows of that dark pathway. Out of the corner of her eye she saw something dark wrapping itself around the corner of the building and hugging the shadows. It seemed it was blackness itself. It wasn’t a shadow but it was at the same time. Whatever this figure was it wasn’t moving into the light and Audy careened to the right running ever faster by the alley afraid that if she didn’t this shadow creature would reach out and grab her. She had a sudden notion of being dragged off into dark depths forever where no one could ever find her no matter how long or hard they looked.

She banged on Ilia’s door staring behind her into the small visible part of the alley. She couldn’t tell for certain but if she wasn’t crazy and she saw true an ebony hand was gripping the stones as if in fury over a lost prey.

Ilia, not knowing the state of affairs, looked down upon her short friend with a smile. Illy is a rather tall and round woman, a sign that she is a good baker by trade because she eats her own sweets as much as she sells them. Her hair is grey with highlights of silvery white and she always wears it up in a loose bun so that several strands will fall down about her face. Her eyes are a bright blue like her long cotton dress. She always wears a white apron that very much matches her hair when she has been spending time in the kitchen. Today she is covered in flour and smells like sugar, a homely combination. Her cheeks are rounded and glow a warm red in a most welcoming smile showing many of her white shiny teeth. The wrinkles around her eyes are long as if no grief could stop them from laughing. A deep bubble of humor is emanating from Illy as she opens the door to her very late friend.

“You’re over an hour late, Audy. What was it this time? Don’t tell me. You lost your umbrella or your keys, maybe.”

Her smile faded as she saw the expression on her young friends face.

Speaking in a more serious tone she said, “Well, your tea’s been getting cold. You best come inside and tell me what’s on your mind. You don’t look well.”

Audacia rushed inside, shaking and out of breath. Her friend glanced about in the street as her friend entered. She locked the door as Audy came in, closed the curtains and burned every light she had in her bakery. There was not even a single candle or stove left cold. After Illy served tea and sweet breads she recounted all of what she had just witnessed. After a few moments of silence Illy replied.

“I know this woman you speak of. She is not from this time. She is what you call a gate keeper. I have seen her but never by my waking eyes. It’s as if she haunts me but she is the better of the haunting. There are secrets dark and unholy that keep her hidden. They are not to be meddled with and I can tell you that my hair has gone grey long before it was due by their evil. You see long ago we were not even of this world; we were here and yet not here as if floating between two realities.

I have seen it in my dreams. There is a great land beyond our own. It is one which no man can ever venture and come back to tell the tale. Long before man ever roamed, this land was unified by all sacred creatures and peace was truly in existence.

For more ages than Man can comprehend existence simply went on as it always had. Until the ancient creature that is known simply as Sumel rose up against the great King Aryus. He was evil and though he was clad in white his heart was black. There was a grave battle and the land was divided. There were those who chose peace and those who simply chose to act. No war here could be its equal. The great kingdom was torn in two by Loyalists and Rebels.

Never again has any one known what peace was any more than a dream foggy at mid-day.

It went as such that the mere thought of a kingdom that would over come the dark power evolved into reality. It is here that the Great War is still waged silently by Man who is merely a thought of peace, corrupted by fire.

Those mountains do not hold a gateway to golden treasure but a gateway to the hidden land which is by far the greatest treasure of all. This is holy land we trod on and dirty by our filth. It would be unforgivable but I believe that the Great King is wise and knows the folly of men and money. Those few who heed his warning will save Antook.

This keeper you saw holds the doors open much like in Ancient Antook where once light spilled over for many centuries making this place holy and all the inhabitants were holy as well. It’s the gateway to the Kingdom and it’s on our doorstep but dark things now control it.

I believe she will try to find the new keeper but it will be a grave day for whom ever that is. There are forces that will not take kindly to the gates reopening.”

“How could you possibly know this? It is a dream. I have many dreams in the night and my heart wants to listen more than anything but my head tells me that dawn has come and it is time to put such fancies away.”

Leaning in to Audy keeping her eyes fixed on different places in the room and placing a hand on her shoulder Illy now whispered, “There are some stories that you don’t just make up and tell. Sometimes, what you see in the night is really what is or was or could be and it’s not wise to dismiss the wise ones tell you. Learn to listen!

You say that your dreams are foolish even after you have witnessed your first obvious miracle. After all you have seen today could a dream not be truth! It sounds to me like you have a gift and that this place; holy as it once was; is trying to reach you but the men who dwell here have you trapped. Only once you choose to listen can you first begin to see. There were once dream keepers who dwelled in this ancient city. Their blood still flows through our veins and their ghosts are at unrest. They must fulfill the prophesy but that can not be done if you choose to turn your head little Audy.”

Speaking loudly and rather disgruntled Audy cried, “You make it sound as if I had a part to play in this ancient tale. While I do love your stories, Ilia, I am merely a cook in the Inn and that is my part to play. It was foolish to tell you all of this. I apologize.”

Ilia groaned with frustration, “You will never rise to what you could be with that attitude. Only those who truly believe will have the great Kings blessing and play a part in the tale. I am far too old but you, little one, are much more capable if you would only open your eyes and quit listening to that Dia of yours!”

“Illy, I beg you must not speak like that in front of me! She had raised me for 18 years, has given me a job in the inn for the last four years and helped me to be able to live on my own. I must respect that.”

“She is a grump and a bad caretaker. Her head is only full of gold. You need respect her but you don’t have to agree with her. You don’t want to end up like that, do you?”

Audacia’s mouth dropped open, “I think I better be going, Illy. This is something we are never going to agree upon and as friends I do not want to argue…again”

“Very well then; foolish as you are being; I can not press the issue, "she said with a scornful look as she paused to press her lips together as if struggling not to say more.

Ilia scooped up the empty plates and tea cups. She went bumbling off around a corner to disappear into her kitchen. She was humming a happy tune as she went but it was something Audy did not recognize. She sat there smiling and waiting for her friend to come back, comforted at the mere thought that she was not alone.

Then the events of the day washed over her again. Everything seemed to happen so fast. What was going on? Should she check herself into the mental hospital and if not then what had the world released out of the wild into their tiny city and why did even the clouds seem to argue? She sat for a good four or five minutes pondering this and staring out into the rain before she realized that her friend was taking a very long time coming back. Then she remembered the hand in the shadows that was angry and at the back door!

Audacia stood up so fast she knocked the chair over without even realizing what she was doing. She stopped and waited there frozen, hoping that nothing had heard that.

Slowly she began to creep on her tip toes to the door that Illy had disappeared around. She grabbed a rolling pin that had been laid in the sink behind the register as quietly as she could while staring all the while at the door to watch for shadows.

She pressed herself up against the wall by open doorway holding the pin like a baseball bat. Keeping the bat ready she turned her head quietly around the corner.

There was no one in the room. She could see it well since every little light was blazing. Nothing could be seen even under the sinks. She felt even more uneasy.

She noticed that the dishes were sitting in a pile, untouched on the counter. Where had Ilia gone?

Slowly she crept around the corner taking heed to glance quickly in either direction on the other side of the doorway which could not be seen from the outside to make sure no foes stood at wait to grab her. There was nothing to be seen.

She crept slowly to the back of the room her eyes darting every which way quickly but always focusing back on the closed door at the back. It was the pantry she knew for she had been back there several times.

It was then she smelled lilacs. Whatever had been in the alley was very near now. It smelled as if the pantry was on fire.

Glancing down she saw a thin layer of smoke rising up against the outside to the door. She readied her makeshift weapon with one hand and lifted the other to open the door.

Before her hand could even reach the handle the doorknob began to turn.

Audy jumped out the way and bent her knees to whack whatever it was behind the door from here to next Tuesday.

The door swung open with a bang hitting hard the counter beside it.

There stood Illy looking as if she were about fall over of a heart attack.

“Aaarrggh! Are you trying to kill me? Put that down.”

Audy lowered her, ‘weapon,’ relieved it was only Illy behind the door. The smell had gone and her muscles began to relax.

“What were you trying to do?”

“Sorry, I thought. I mean you were gone for so long and I was afraid...” She trailed off and didn’t know how to finish what she was thinking.

“Well, I suppose you have had quite a scare today but never mind me dreary. I’m only glad you didn’t make me into mincemeat.

Well, there is my scare for the day.”

Audy could see that her friend was shaking and it wasn’t just from the rolling pin she guessed. Her eyes were wide like she’d seen a ghost and her hair had become more disheveled since she’d left the table. All the same the smell was now gone so she guessed it was safe for a time.

“Come along now. You can set the pin in the sink. It’s getting late and you better be off soon or you’ll not have time to make dinner before bed.”

Usually it is Audy who was saying those words. Something is not right.

Being a good hostess Ilia walked her friend to the door and opened it for her as she straightened her coat and stepped outside to open her umbrella in the rain.

"Will you come back Tuesday? I’ll have a fresh batch of sweet bread if you can make it by five. Any later than that and I might starve to death or eat it all myself,” said Ilia now laughing a little at her forgetful friend.

“That would be lovely. Your cakes can not measure to all the stars in the sky, Illy,” said Audy relieved to the change of topic, “I can taste them now.”

Just when it seemed the events of the day had finally calmed down the laughter had left her friend suddenly and a graven image overcame the wrinkles on Illia’s face. She was staring out the window with new concern.

“Have you told any one else what you told me?” said Ilia whispering once more this time into Audy’s ear.

“Well, I might have mentioned it to Maury when we bumped into each other today.”

“Shhh, not so loud lass…Perfect, just what we need! You couldn’t have found some one a little more dependable? You know he doesn’t believe in the old stories. He won’t be able to help you. He’ll only squeal.”

“Oh no, not Maury. You don’t know him like I do. He’d never do that.”

“Shhh…Don’t say his name!

I don’t mean that he’s not trustworthy I just mean that he’ll talk because he’ll think he’s helping you. That would be a fine mess to get ourselves into now wouldn’t it?”

She didn’t give her a chance to answer.

“Well, just try and avoid him for a bit but if you do see him pretend like you are doing better than well so he’ll think the whole thing was nothing.”

“Alright then, I will.”

“Be safe, Audy,” warned Ilia in a new strange tone that seemed unfamiliar to Audacia.

"There is something in this storm coming I don’t like. You can see the tips of the mountains so the clouds are high and yet still dark and thick. From what you have told me today I fear you are in danger. It could be nothing but I fear in my heart that it might be best for you to hurry home and leave the lights burning tonight.

Whatever you do, don’t stand in the shadows.

Not even to sleep. You keep the lights on all night tonight!”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“I'll see you Tuesday."

With that Audacia turned not knowing what else to say. With a frightened and puzzled look on her face she walked out the old Oak door opening her old red umbrella to the dreary rain outside. Illy slammed the old Oak door shut with more of a bang than Audy had expected. Never before had she had a conversation like that with her old dear friend.

She turned and glanced in the window a few steps from the door. There stood her friend piling log after log onto the fire as if she were afraid the world was going to freeze over. Suddenly aware she was afraid of what was going to happen tonight she turned away.

The sky seemed unusually dark and had a strange shade of green to it. Audacia seemed to panic at this sky. She did not know why but some unknown fear began to well up inside her and the rain seemed colder and heavier than it usually did. It hit her flesh like tiny spears and soaked through her coat with unnatural speed as if it were in an attack to render her useless. It was almost as if the rain itself wanted her to be trapped in the night sky and that feeling of being stuck in it made Audacia even more freighted, like a rabbit in the snare of a Wolf, unable to escape but struggling all the same.

Audy began to run into the oncoming night hoping that she would make it home safe. Something in the far reaches of her mind was shouting. It was a warning to close the door before the shadows fall, to lock up the house and hide the key but she had not yet learned to listen and did not hear everything that she needed to know. She latched on to one random bit that seemed to scream, “A beast is coming! A beast is coming!”

Her heart pounded as this thought kept screaming to her. “A beast is coming!” She ran faster and her eyes blurred against the water and the wind. With a lack of her eyes to guide her she did not see the large ditch in front of her and she fell hitting her leg hard against the rocky ground, her hands scraping against the rugged floor to protect her face. A sharp pain ran up the whole right side of her body.

“A beast is coming!” The fear was now panic. She scrambled to her feet as the invisible force gained on her with every second. She left the umbrella. Hardly being able to register the pain she limped at as fast a run as she could manage around the empty turns of the streets to her home on the hill.

“A beast is coming!” The though was ever more loud and vivid. The shadows of night were becoming ever clearer with every second. Her house was so close. The door was now right in front of her. She scrambled in her pockets for her keys and then realized there was only lint inside.

Suddenly it hit her that she had dropped them when she fell in the street. She would have to go back and the night was already so close. Almost as soon as this thought entered her head she realized she would never make it.

A block away was the Old Tawny Pub. It was a cozy place full of merry-making and song. That would have to be safe enough for now. She took up a mad dash for it at once. The streets were uninviting but against the cold grey she began to see the warm glow of Old Pub. As she pulled the door handle to walk inside she felt a strange pull on her to not go inside and she struggled to manage the old oak door to just enough space so that she squirmed inside. Her arms suddenly felt like lead and she was panting from the run and hurt from the fall. Something inside her was now almost in hysterics to shut the door. Though she was tired she pulled on the old door with all her might. That very millisecond the door clicked to a shut the street light outside glowed with a sudden brightness against the dark night that was now upon them all.

The moment she walked out of the driving rain into the light and warmth of the old pub she tried to ignore her fears though she was still shaking from the unseen foe in the darkness. Silently she slipped into the grungy pub bathroom hoping that no one would see her in such a state. She did as well as she could to clean up the cuts on her hands. Lifting her pant leg she saw a long gash from her knee to almost her mid thigh. Wetting the thin paper towels she attempted as best as she could to clean out the mud from the cut that had now ruined Maurys’ old pants. What ever mud she could wipe away from her sopping wet cloths she did so, relieved she had worn dark colors so that it was not quite so noticeable. As long as she left her coat on she should be alright.

“What a dunce. I can’t believe I did that. I hope Maury isn’t too angry with me. Maybe I can patch them. He probably won’t mind.”

When she felt she had sufficiently cleaned herself up and pulled her hair back into the cleanest bun possible she opened the bathroom door. Something seemed to stop her at that moment. A familiar new smell filled her nostrils. She turned around her heart pounding once more to see only the toilet, mirror, sink, toiletries and the window.

That was it. The window was black against the light of the room. She curiously moved a bit closer and realized it was blacker than night. She could not even make out the potted plants on the ledge outside. Suddenly the same pull she felt at the Oak door had her in its snares. All that kept her from being bathed in dark was a fine mesh screen.

That was the moment she saw its eyes. Never before had she seen something glow so dark a red save for the very blood that poured from her veins.

She heard a gurgling noise like an animal pitching a threat as watched the beast snare its teeth. They were small and sharp like a thousand charcoal razors. It was no shadow. It was rage itself.

Something told her that if it wanted to a small mesh screen and one 220V light bulb was not going to keep this daemon out.

She pulled away flexing every muscle she had in her body. She had one more inch to the door. The light above the sink exploded and the sound of breaking glass hit her and the floor. She jumped back in fright and that jump was just enough to get her back into the light in just enough time. She turned and ran to the other room and as she did so the door hinges moved on their own and tried with all their might to push her back into the dark room but it was too late. It merely knocked her into the wall.

She busted a frightened pace to the end of the hall not daring to look back. Coming into the brighter room of the main Tavern she saw a sea of unfamiliar faces. There would be no one to protect her if the lights went out.

“Hunters,” she muttered under her breath.

Normally, she was curious to see their little treasures but right now she was sickened by them. Something about them coming to steal what did not belong to them made her think more of the animal in the dark if you could call him that.

She walked up to the bar as she tried to steady her pace. She knew she must look frightful so she began to focus on anything she could that didn’t remind her of today. Then she saw old Mr. Morter. He was a sweet man despite who he served.

Shaking she walked up to old Mr. Morter and asked for warm red wine to help take out the chill as she sat by the fire but really she just needed to dull her nerves. It was not her only drink of the night.

That, I am sure, she will regret for a long time.

THE LAND OF ARYUS AND FIRE OF SUMEL

THE STORY OF THE SEVEN STARS

CHAPTER 2

“Hello Mr. Morter. How are you this evening?” she said as cheery as she could muster.

“A trifle bit occupied like always but fine otherwise. The storm has brought in strange folk out of the rain.

Speaking of strange; my dear Audy you look just frightful. When you came in out of the storm I thought you were going to fall over.”

“Yes, there is a terrible storm brewing and I couldn’t make it home. I fell in a ditch and now I’ve lost my keys. I don’t think I’ll be able to find them until morning if this beast of a storm keeps up and I don’t rightly think I’ll want to walk home in this even if it is only a few blocks away.”

“Well, well. That is a problem now isn’t it? Don’t you worry your little head about that now. I don’t have any rooms but I do have a few spare blankets if you don’t mind curling up in front of the fire tonight.”

“That would be wonderful. Thank you so much.”

“Think nothing of it. I wish I had more, dreary. Well, you look chilled to the bone. Go and sit by the fire and I’ll bring you a tall glass of my red honey wine. There ain’t nuthin that ‘ill warm you up faster,” he said with a smile.

She walked to the old cushioned chair that sat by the fire gratefully and warmed her toes and her hands in the light. Her eyes wandered around the corners of the room. A soft glow illuminated every corner and she began to feel safer than she had in several hours.

She realized she hadn’t brought any of her money with her since when she left she thought she’d only be stopping over at her friends house for a small while before heading back home what should have been hours ago now.

Shortly after she realized she had a minor dilemma Mr. Morter walked over with a pint of the warm read wine.

“I’m so sorry Mr. Morter but I seem to have left my purse at home. I was only supposed to be visiting a friends house this afternoon and I spent longer there than I planned so now I’m here with not a coin on me.”

Not even seeming to be fazed by her confession he said, “Lass, this is the only pub you ever go to and I know that for a fact because you can’t stand Mr. OrRell and have told me so on several rather jolly occasions,” he said laughing a little at her cheery inebriations. “I would not turn away a good customer who I know will be back. I’ll just put it on your tab.”

“I didn’t know I had one,” she said smiling with relief.

“That; my friend; is why you have one. Shall I bring you some dinner as well Ms. Lavanas?”

“Oh, yes please. Something simple and not fried would really hit the spot,” and she smiled with genuine relief in her eyes. It seemed like ages ago already since she’d eaten at Illy’s house and that was only a few sweets and tea. She began to realize that she hadn’t had a proper meal all day and that her stomach was crying for food.

She sat for awhile sipping the toasty thick sweetness. She was now not only warming up but could start to feel her cheeks heating up nice and rosy and her head began to feel a bit light and breezy. Every tense muscle began to relax and she sank into the chair behind her staring at the flames.

Mr. Morter came back about 20 minutes later with a spread of aged bread, butter, cheeses and cold meats. He also brought her another glass of wine.

Before long her stomach was filled and her head was swimming in cozy thoughts rather than in the dark thoughts she’d had most of the day.

She then thought back to the woman on the mountain.

“I wonder if she made it into town or at least to some place where she could be warm,” she said silently to herself.

“You know what,” she heard a voice behind her speaking and her chair seemed to move a bit under the sudden supporting weight of some one propped up against the back, “I saw this red umbrella propped up against the big old chair and I wondered if it might be little Audy Lavanas coming out for a nightcap after a very exhausting day.”

Maury stood behind her obviously coming out to check on what the hunters brought in from the mountains as he so often said he did though Audy had long guessed his ulterior motive.

“Well, if it isn’t my drunken friend.”

“Ah, you know me to well.”

“More than I should wish sometimes,” said Audy with a giggle at her friends rosy cheeks.

“So have you calmed down from earlier today? No more nasty spills.”

“Funny you should ask. I don’t think I’ve fallen face first since I was 12 and I tripped over the microphone wire in heels during that talent show.”

Maury split a gut at that, “I forgot all about that! That was brilliant, that was. Half way through…what was that song? Oh yeah, ‘Longing of Time,” at that he began a rendition of what he saw from his angle.

With his hand to his mouth and his other hand in the air as if dancing in his seat he sang a drunk and merry tune,

“’The sun was an angel of brightness among the hills of thee

The gold a symbol rendered from the seat of the risen king

The hills, blessed ribbon of daylight, kept the flowered door

And the charms of kings were fighting, fighting, fighting

The charms of kings were fighting, into the darkened lore

For the night came with no warning, and the blood of thee was shed

Broke swords of valiant heroes, and women of equal tread

For the foul of angels was certain, and their bones won’t keep a lie

And the cries of the happy people came down to quiet sorrow

Nary a cry of sorrow, under the blackened night

Knowing the poison of treason they kept their valiant fight

See hope with the stars in the shadows, not all was lost and marred

They hid their hope in the mountains, now thou shan’t find me there

But the one whom has the starlight, holding the long lost secret

Open the doors are barred none, inside is ancient fair,’”

He motioned his hands taking one and smashing it down into the other hand like he was squashing a bug, “and splat!”

“You fell right off the stage with your bum in the air. I’ll never forget those polka-dotted cotton briefs you were wearing and neither will any boy in this town I’d wager.”

Maury was now howling with laughter. Audy broke in a roar of laughter as well so that the others in the pub glanced their way but no one took any real notice.

“Oh, I’d forgotten all about the panties! I thought I was gonna wet ‘em I was so embarrassed. That would have been a sorry sight! There I was running off the stage and limping in a broken heel all the way to the restroom. That was just salt in the wound since it only made the whole room bust up even louder. I-I don’t even think they calmed down for at least a good 5 minutes.

Ha! The things you bring up Maury.”

“I didn’t bring it up. You did.”

“Oh yeah, what was I going to say? What did I say before that?”

“Hell, I don’t know.”

“Neither do I. It was important too. Don’t ya hate it when that happens?”

“Yeah, like the time I was over at Tad’s house and he nearly burnt the whole place down because I forgot to remind him to check on his dinner. Ha, I knew I was supposed to remember something so I sat down and picked my brains out. Wasn’t until I smelt somethin’ burnin’ that I came runnin’. Poor guy was scrubbing his walls fer a month afterwards to get the stain offa everything”

“You were the one who started that fire!”

“Yes, indeedy. I’m a bona fide ninny at your service. That sealed it if ever there was any doubt.”

“Wow, I’m getting low,” said Audy glancing at her glass.

When did that happen? I don’t think I ought to have any more wine tonight or I’ll be seeing my dinner again before dawn.”

Maury laughed at Audy.

“How about one of these?” he said pointing to his stein.

“What cha drinking tonight, Maury?”

“Good old Munikish, dark and think and stout as it has ever been.”

“That sounds much more my speed.”

Audy made her way past the thick crowd gathered around the bar and put in an order for a nice tall stein.

She stood there pressed up against new strangers, old friend and some old drunks inching her way to the counter. She caught a bit of a few odd conversations in between some of her own greetings and gossip.

“Some one has gone a bit too far tonight. They went and smashed the bathroom light. Now ya can’t go with out a buddy guarding a crack in the door.”

The next voice she could tell was Mrs. Morter who often comes down in the busier times of the night to help out Mr. Morter when the crowd is too large.

“Well, who would go and do a thing like that? There is a difference between being a jolly bit drunk and a new world between being violent drunk. If any one even looks like they will make a fight or a threat here tonight I won’t hesitate to have the watchmen on them in a second.

Give me five minutes to have that fixed right up for ya, laddy.”

Audy could see the figure of Mrs. Morter waddling away at a hurried pace towards the hall in search of a light bulb.

“Hey, is that you Audy? Wow, you look um…great,” said the voice of her old classmate Ropel from in front of her.

“Well, thanks Roopie. How have you been? It’s been ages. The last I saw of you was when you were still working the mines.”

“Yeah, that was a bugger of a job. Some of my cloths are always going to stink like coal. I’ve been up at Luenda for the past 6 months working at the Watch Station there. I only came home for a week to see my sister’s graduation.”

“Wow, she’s already 18? It seems like I was babysitting her a few months ago but I guess it has been a long time now hasn’t it?”

“A few years now,” he said smiling.

“And you’re a watcher. Well, I never thought I’d see you doing that. You were always being chased by them as I recall.”

“I guess if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Well, I’m up but I’ll see you around Audy. I’ll stop over in a bit to catch up.”

“K, I’ll be waiting,” she said with a genuine looking smile though she really hoped he would forget they had run into each other. Ropel had never been much of a friend let alone a conversationalist. He’d always seemed to bring her trouble.

“I’ll have two Bold Burberry’s, please,” said Ropel to Mr. Morter.

Audy’s attention went soon elsewhere as she ease dropped on other people around her.

“On my way back down we ran into some other hunters. They said they had never seen a cloud formation like that and that was when we all decided we better boot back here in case it was a war storm. When a beast heads in the last place I want to be is in a shallow hole in the ground lest I be digging my own grave and I have plenty of years left in me to do that. No need to go rushin’ it.

I thought I was onto something too. I could swear I saw something shining in the snow a ways up the mountain. That was before Lanny slipped on the cliff. I still can’t believe she didn’t fall down. There is magic afoot when something like that happens.”

“Oh, get off it Corby. It was luck an’ that’s all.”

“Not from what I saw. You was over that cliff I tell ya. People don’t fall off cliffs an’ bounce back on the air to solid ground, they fall. My eyes aren’t that bad.”

“It was weird but that’s all. It musta’ been some kind of tree that was over the edge an’ caught me or something.”

“No, no you would have still fallen”

“Well, then I never went over as far as you thought. Let’s just call it a trick of the light and stop being so morbid. I’m still shaking from the whole thing as it is. I don’t need my husband claiming up and down that I should be dead right now in front of a whole bunch of open ears”

Mr. Morter looked down at Audy, “Yes, dear. What’ll you have?”

“hmm…oh. Sorry, Mr. Morter. Sometimes I think my brain has run away from me,” she said snapping back into her own little mission.

I’ll have a nice tall stein of Munikish, if I may?”

“Of course, lassie. Just a minute.”

He pulled a large wooden stein from the counter and placed it under the tap of the Munikish being careful to tilt in so not to get more froth on top than alcohol.

Meanwhile Audy’s ears were concentrating intently on the sounds around her as she tried to hear more about the plight of the two daring hunters.

“But there was someone there, I tell ya. They were there and not at the same time. It was like they was well see-through.”

“Oh for heaven’s sake. Corby. Would you just shut your mouth? They’ll have you away to the funny farm by mornin’ if ya keep on blabbering on like this!”

Then from somewhere in the press of bodies around her she felt something cold. At first she thought some one had spilled an icy cold drink on her foot but the cold grew. In a manner of seconds it was wrapped completely around her toes and foot all the way around her ankle. Then her other foot began to go cold from the toes up around her ankles. She tried kicking her feet hoping that she could get away. Her feet would not move.

Audy began to panic realizing that people were standing to close for her to glance down. From her chest down she was blanketed in the shadows of people around her.

The cold made its way to her knees which were frozen in place while the rest of her body was shaking as if she’d just been in a train wreck.

“This is it,” she thought although she no idea of what lay beyond the darkness. All she could feel was that she was going to die sooner than she had ever planned on as the chill freeze moved.

“Here ya go Miss Lavanas. Enjoy,” and he carefully handed her the full stein.

At the very mention of her name the icy cold grip disappeared. It was as if the word itself had some kind of repellant effect on the shadow. She hoped that was the case because the other option scared her to death.

The beast was playing games with her like a cat with a mouse and Audy was already trapped in the corner with no where else to go.

She thanked Mr. Morter unsteadily clasping the drink and headed back to her table.

As she walked out of range she picked up on bits and pieces of other conversations but she thought she could distinctly make out the words, “shadow man,” and, “bears.”

“Well, that took a might bit longer than I’d hoped,” she managed.

“A lot of people decided they had nothing better to do tonight I guess,” she said while stooping into her seat by the fire.

Audacia was still shaking and very uneasy. She glanced around the room and where there was light before she began to notice darkened corners. The shadows were growing and suddenly she felt like they weren’t going to wait for her much longer. As she glanced around the room a slight breeze was blowing each candle out one by one. She felt as if the breeze had a life of it’s own as it seemed to blow out the candles in a haphazard pattern; one by the door and then one closer to the fire and then one in the corner and back again. It was then that she felt the breeze caress her cheek almost like the soft touch of a cold hand. The night was growing thin and some how she knew that she wouldn’t make it safe into the morning. Fear was gripping every inch of her body so that she was almost in tears.

Maury had made himself quite comfortable sitting across the table which was a makeshift chess board when people had a mind to play. His feet were propped up one over the other between where the Knight and Rook sit facing the fire while he smoked a long cigar. He was too relaxed to even notice the fear in Audacia’s eyes.

“Ah, I figured you wouldn’t make it back here very fast. You get caught up when you go up there lass. You should let me get your next round. I’ll be much faster than you I bet,” and he smiled.

“Oh really, and why is that do ya say?”

Audacia was trying to come off cheery and unbothered. Either she was doing a decent job or Maury Keeler was too blasted to notice.

“When you head up there all you see is a shift of the guys trying to swarm in close for the chance to say a few words to ya, hopin’ you’ll notice.”

Audy blushed and glanced into the fire, “oh hush Maury. They do not swarm and besides it’s rather annoying really.”

“So you admit it! Yeah, annoying. I sure bet it is.”

Speaking in a very sarcastic tone he said, “I’d hate to have beautiful girls rubbing up against me all day asking for a kiss but meaning something else, if ya know what I mean,” and he lifted his eyebrows up while he cocked his head to the side in a rather vulgar meaning of the words he’d just spoken.

“Call me a prude if you like but if ever I were to find some one to settle with it sure wouldn’t be a horn dog like that.”

“Well, that counts me out,” said Maury smiling, “and the rest of Antook as well”

The conversation went on in such a humorous fashion for at least 4 hours and over at least 5 more glasses of Munikish.

“You’re such a fool Maury,” cried Audy in a wave of new laughter at whatever story he’d just shared with her.

“It’s true! And the donkey was none to pleased with Ally after that either. I bet the poor thing had nightmares about her ugly face for weeks after that.”

They both cracked up and Audy even snorted a little, her face being so strained in smiles of drunken happiness.

“Hey Audy, I said I’d come over and catch up for a bit,” said Ropel from beside her.

He sat down on the end of the table completely blocking from view Maury and nearly spilling her drink. The company’s faces became suddenly somber and unhappy.

“Oh, hi Roopie. What’s up?” she said in a rather uninterested tone.

Luckily, Ropel was rather dense and didn’t pick up on her sudden change of tone and rather serious glance.

“Not a whole lot. I’ve been supplying my sister over there all night and now she has found some dull twit to talk to so once I found and opening to get away I came over here to visit.”

“Kind of like I was doing,” said Maury from behind him.

“Oh, hey Maury. I didn’t see you back there.”

“I wouldn’t see you to well if I walked straight up to you and sat down with my back to you either,” said Maury getting heated.

“Hey, there’s no need to get touchy. I swear I didn’t realize you were there.”

“Yeah, he probably didn’t Maury,” said Audy trying to portray that he was rather dull witted but not sure if that comment came across obvious enough.

“Well, you need to move over you big lump. You butted in on this conversation and I’m not getting butt out of it.”

He moved over so he was sitting more on the end of the table. Audy grabbed her glass as if it were precious and held it close to her just before Ropel managed to send it to the floor in a crashing mess.

Suddenly, she realized she needed a big swig of liquid courage to get through this conversation with out ticking off Maury or Ropel and she buried herself in her glass.

They had never been on good terms with each other after a fight they had in school over a girl of all things. Maury had lost and the girl chose Ropel probably for his good looks because it certainly wasn’t for his charm. Audy had tried to tell Maury that the girl was digging for status and not worth his time but his pride had obviously been hurt.

It only got worse when later that year Ropel had beat him out of the winning score in the championship. He hadn’t followed the play and had cheated him just because he could. Audy had always thought that was more of a reason Maury hated him than a girl could ever be.

Ropel had gone down in the local Hall of Fame as one of the greats while all the time it should have been Maury and it seemed to make him sick. The guy was an obvious dunce and he could have worked at the corner mart selling papers forever and everyone in Antook would have adored him while they never even knew Maury’s name unless he told it to them.

“Anyways, what have you been up to Audy?” said Ropel ignoring Maury completely.

“Oh, well I’m still working at the Corner Inn as one of the cooks. It’s a decent job and I really enjoy it…and you?”

“Well, I’ve been working as a watchmen over in Luenda for a bit now.”

“Oh, right. You said that in line didn’t you?”

“Yeah, I guess I did.”

There was an awkward pause as Ropel stared intently at Audacia. She’d seen that look before many times and it always made her feel more like an object than a person. She suddenly hated Ropel and wished he’d go away.

“Well, I’ve been working at the historical society for the past few years and I love it. We get to go on digs, often times getting to kick the hunters out of their gold mines to do it too. Thanks, for asking,” said Maury from behind them bitterly.

“I didn’t,” snide Ropel.

Then the clock tower stroke midnight outside and suddenly the audible level of the pub went u

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