The Battle of Es-soh-en by Dennis Knotts

Author:Dennis Knotts
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Publish on Demand Global LLC

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

VISITOR FROM THE KINGDOM

It had been two days since Teacher had departed the palace of Dula. He had taken the Western Road which had been used centuries ago to lead to the Western Ocean. He had traveled quickly for the first day and a half; but now he was leaving the populated areas. Here the Veil of Darkness was a dark line on the horizon, and so few people dwelt this close the forces of evil. During the first part of His journey the roads had been well-traveled and maintained. About the middle of last night the roads began to show signs of decay. Several pot holes had appeared in the road. Some had been filled with rocks to make them less dangerous; others had not. Cracks had also formed in the roads where grass and weeds had broken through.

With the morning light, the road was reduced to only sections of pavement spotted amid other sections of dirt or mud. About an hour ago, the pavement had ended all together. The ground had been packed hard from centuries of use as the main route to the sea port; and so it was still possible to see the path among the wild plants and weeds that had taken over. Several ancient trees had fallen over across the path; and Teacher had to climb over them. As He came to one tree He paused, and stroked it gently. It was almost impossible to make out the ancient face formed by cracks in the bark and knots which grew when the tree was still alive. Most would not have noted, but Teacher saw and grieved. This was one of the earlier tree druids who had put down his roots centuries ago when the Songs of the Sword could still be heard. When the Veil had begun to spread, the tree druid was too set to move.

The vegetation had become scarce, and what little there was was unhealthy. Food would be even more difficult to find along the road. Finally Teacher sat to rest, and lean against one of the few trees left standing between where He was and the beginning of the Veil of Darkness.

“Greetings Teacher…or should I say ‘Es-soh-en’?” came a powerful voice. The speaker came from the other side of the tree; and Teacher looked up and smiled. There was no surprise in His eyes as if He were expecting the visitor. The figure stood over six feet tall; His chest, bare except for a leather harness was firm and solid. The only movement on the fur-covered skin was the rippling of muscles as the visitor strode forward and extended his thick right arm to welcome Teacher. The snout of the companion was extended and square, covered with the same fur as most of the upper body. The round brown eyes sparkled under the thick brow, and a horn the length of a man’s forearm grew from either side of the minotaur’s head.

“Kal!” exclaimed Teacher as He took the outstretched hand and rose to a standing position.

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