The Second Generation by Margaret Weis

Author:Margaret Weis [Weis, Margaret]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 978-0-7869-6290-7
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Publishing
Published: 2012-04-10T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

Castle Bargath

It was nearing sundown when they reached the outer walls of Castle Gargath. The walls shifted aspect just like the castle. Sometimes they appeared to be built of bricks. When the group looked again, however, they were hedges, then iron bars. The change was so rapid that it made one dizzy to watch.

On reaching the base of the shifting walls, the warriors left them, despite another recruiting speech from Tanin. The speech was a halfhearted attempt at best. The fact that he was giving it practically naked lessened his enthusiasm, plus he was fairly certain it was bound to fail. Nonetheless, he made the attempt.

“Come with us! Show this evil lord that you are men! That you intend to stand up to him and fight! Show him you are willing to risk your lives in defense of your homes!”

Sure enough, the speech had not worked. The moment the shadow of the shifting castle walls fell over them, the warriors backed away, looking up at it in terror. Shaking their heads and muttering, they fled back into the jungle.

“At least leave us your spears?” Sturm pleaded.

That didn’t work either.

“They need their spears,” Tanin said, “to make certain we don’t hightail it back to the ship.”

“Aye, you’re right, lad,” said Dougan, peering into the trees. “They’re out there, watching us. And there they’ll stay until—” He stopped.

“Until what?” Palin demanded coldly. He could still see the dwarf’s leer and hear the unspoken words, and he shivered in the jungle heat.

“Until they’re certain we’re not coming back. Right?” Sturm said.

“Now, laddie, we’ll be coming back,” Dougan said soothingly, stroking his beard. “After all, you have me with you. And we’re comrades—”

“Share and share alike,” Tanin and Sturm both said grumpily.

“The first thing we have to do is make some weapons,” Tanin continued. Thick jungle vegetation grew all around them. Strange-looking trees of various types, festooned with hanging vines and brightly colored flowers, grew right up to within a foot of the wall. And there the vegetation stopped. “Not even plants come near this place,” he muttered. “Palin, give me your knife.”

“Good idea,” said the young mage. “I’d forgotten about it.” Rolling up his white sleeve, Palin fumbled at the dagger in its cunning leather thong, which held it to his forearm and was supposed to—at a flick of its owner’s wrist—release the dagger and allow it to drop into Palin’s hand. But the cunning thong was apparently more cunning that its master, for Palin couldn’t get the dagger loose.

“Here,” he said, flushing in embarrassment and holding out his arm to Tanin, “you get it.”

Keeping his smile carefully concealed, Tanin managed to free the dagger, which he and Sturm used to cut off tree branches. These they honed into crude spears, working rapidly. Day was dying a lingering death, the light fading from the sky, leaving it a sickly gray color.

“Do you know anything of this Lord Gargath?” Tanin asked Dougan as he worked, whittling the point of the green stick sharp.

“No,” said the dwarf, watching in disapproval.

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