the civilized areas you hail from.”
“What did you drop there just now?” Jymoor asked. She swung her light orb around, trying to get a better look.
“It is a…I have means of watching places. It’s a charm, a magical knickknack if you will. A natural artifact. Intrinsic device?”
“Oh. It looks sort of like a plant seed.”
“Not really a seed, although I do grow them,” Yeel said, holding back his amusement. “Just please remember not to step on it. I find that most disturbing. You can remember that, right?”
“Yes, my lord,” Jymoor said. Yeel stepped through the glowing doorway and his light was gone. Jymoor tried to catch a glimpse of Yeel through the shimmering image of the other side. She caught some movement, a large shadow moving away. She saw a flicker of green like a rope waving through the air. Then there was nothing but the fountain.
“Are you really stepping into that?” grumbled Avorn. The knight carried his helm tucked under his arm, shifting from foot to foot nervously.
“Well…I suppose so,” she said uncertainly.
Jymoor took a look around the tiny grove, and caught sight of a discoloration of the ground. She knelt down, holding her glowing orb close to the surface of the rocky earth. She stood in a wide track of clear slime, barely visible, leading through the area and to the portal.
The tracks of Yeel.
“Unbelievable,” she muttered.
She shrugged and went through the gateway.
Chapter 6: The Stone Garden
I have now traveled with the Great Yeel for six days and nights. His feats of power never cease to amaze me. This mighty wizard commands all the elements. Fire and light I have seen him produce upon the shortest notice. The earth and her children shirk before him, and she weeps at his very passage. Air is also his to command since he can fill his palace with warm or cool breezes at a whim. Water too is his slave. He alters the course of streams within his palace at the smallest motion of his hand.
Yesterday as we supped in his opulent palace in the sky, a gnarth discovered the portal of light which connects us to the mainland and wandered through after our scent. Not only did Yeel detect this gargantuan beast immediately with his mystical eyes that are everywhere, he went out to do battle with the creature side by side with the Crescent Knight. I myself confess to no small measure of anxiety upon seeing the poisoned spines on its tail. But Yeel stood before the thing and called forth some power beyond understanding. Flashes of light and smoke erupted from his outstretched arms, accompanied by a loud crash of sound. The gnarth beast rolled its eyes in stupid terror and bolted from us in haste.
I now know that all the old stories must be true. The barbarian horde is vast, but I find myself beginning to think that there is nothing that Yeel cannot accomplish.
“Are you done with your persistent memory storage?” Yeel said, interrupting Jymoor at her writing. She looked across the dining table at the powerful wizard, trying to decipher his words.
“What’s that?”
“You’re engraving memories onto that roll of fiber, are you not?” Yeel asked, pointing a thin hand at Jymoor’s scroll.
“Oh. Yes, I have a limited amount of it but I felt the need to record your amazing feats before I grew accustomed to them.”
“Ah. How flattering. I wish I could read your memories, but I don’t know your language.”
The knight guffawed. “You’re speaking it now. We understand you,” he said.
“Ah, that I could. My memory isn’t up to the task of learning to speak or write or read it. We communicate through a particular talent I have, of placing meaning into other’s minds. Actually I’ve been speaking to you in my native tongue all along. But still you understand and the words come to you as a side effect.”
“A jest, my lord. Surely a jest?” Jymoor said.
“No, it’s true. I assure you. But we can speak more of it once we resume our journey. Will we reach your homeland this day?”
“No, I’m afraid the forest is vast. The Far Coast is well beyond the common knowledge of my folk.”
“Ah, that’s too bad. But, we’ll get there in time. Like many problems, long journeys are best handled in small doses. Are you ready?”
“Yes, let’s get going,” Avorn said.
Jymoor thought he sounded sour. The Crescent Knight didn’t take well to being the second most noteworthy hero around. He seemed to be waiting for Yeel to