Darkin A Journey East - By Joseph A. Turkot Page 0,26
serve Grelion himself—they are his greatest minions. Morimyr is their home, though they extend themselves much farther than its cold steps.”
“And what name do we give this tower we are now headed for?” asked Adacon.
“It is the tower of Ceptical, dear Adacon, and it is there that I hope we shall recover the greatest swordsman in all the land,” Krem spoke.
“Hah! It is I you speak of, old man. I’ve been fighting with swords since I was a child. All through my slavery did I and some others form our own secret sparring titles. Hah, and it was always I who held the highest most rank,” Erguile said arrogantly. “But not an easy thing, what we did. A good number of the men who came to fight with us were caught with their weapons, the dumb fools. Friends they may have been, but pity them I do not. It was their mistake to be not overly concerned with their going about here and there in proper stealth.”
“I never had any idea such clans existed on the farm,” exclaimed Adacon. “Surely I would have joined had any of you spoke of it.”
“Yes, it was a very cautious thing, and I always spoke with the slaves whom I thought would fancy such a thing—you, young Adacon, never caught my eye as one to fight.”
“I did practice as much as possible in my hut, with the space that allowed. I became quite good I think, over time. It was only after I slashed my walls a good dozen times that I stopped. Still, I retained the fighting arts in my mind, as I had learned from the different books I acquired.”
“I’m more surprised that you can read, Adacon, for I was the only other on the farm able to do so. How was it you learned?”
“I’m not sure—odd as it may sound—I suppose I was taught somehow, by someone, in my earliest years. As far back as I can remember I could already read fairly well, though I learned more over time as I found ways of getting books on the farm.”
“Ah! You too learned to steal from the wagons! I thought I was the only one who knew it possible. Their dumbfounded faces must have looked funny upon seeing the empty wagons.” Erguile laughed.
“Well I never spoiled an entire wagon, but I surely confiscated my share to read.”
“Ah, I see. Well I guess you missed out on the fine tobacco that sometimes rolled through.”
“Both of you seem rather learned for slaves, more so than I thought a slave ever could be,” said Krem with a touch of bitter-sweet in his voice.
“Hah, and smart enough you are for a dwarf of a man, without the girth mind you, and at the ripe old age of who knows how many centuries past!” Erguile joked and they all laughed.
The three roamed deeper over the dunes of the unchanging desert, stopping only briefly here and there for a drink of water. The sun began to fall in the western sky, and the scorching heat began to subside at last. Adacon wondered about the thief as they walked in silence, and his mind played the night over and over again in his memory. The unforeseen circumstance Krem had spoken of, it had to be his own mentioning of the creature—what else could have made Krem change their plans? After all, Krem said that the news came to him late at night, and that was enough for Adacon, though Erguile must have thought old Krem referred to an insight of magic. Either way, Adacon felt a slight fear, mainly because he knew not what he was afraid of. But if Krem had reason to keep off the dunes after nightfall, Adacon believed that it had to be something terribly evil. There would be a time to question Krem; it was not now, and it would have to be in private.
“Do you suppose we’ll actually reach the place anytime soon? I am growing tired, this wretched sand makes for hard footwork,” grunted Erguile, fatigue in his voice.
“The Solun can be very cruel when it wants to be. I fear we may not make it all the way to the tower tonight, but we must reach the Vashnod Plains at least,” Krem said.
“Have your estimates been misguided, poor Vapour?” mocked Erguile.
“No, but it is both of you whom I’ve misjudged, for our speed is lessened on your account,” responded Krem.
“Pah! My account? Surely I am stouter of leg than an