right and around the base of the mountains.
“We’re finally going to see beyond the mountains,” Percival says.
Within a day or two’s travel to the south lies the Ha’avjah Desert. Though we cannot see the sand, the horizon is flat and dry. We travel west and around the point of the Wolfpack Mountains to Fragruss.
We cross the Juniper River at an arched stone bridge and Fragruss comes into sight from behind the mountains.
This city is truly fascinating. It’s built on a plateau like Amgid, but it’s nestled so perfectly into the mountains that the Juniper River creates a natural moat, at least from the west; cliffs protect it from all other sides. It flows down from the north, circles about half the city, and then curves to the southwest towards the ocean. On the opposite side of the river stands a mesa, upon which a bridge arches to the front gate of Fragruss. As we near, however, I see that there is an empty space about fifteen feet long between the end of the bridge and the gate. This only becomes clear when we climb the stone stairs to the top of the mesa and begin to cross the colossal bridge.
Instead of a gate, an enormous drawbridge with massive chains lies across the gap separating the gate from the end of the bridge. It is made of wood, but reinforced along the edges with steel plates. It clunks heavily as we walk across it. The river roars beneath us, and a couple of waterwheels clank as they turn in the churning water.
As we pass underneath the archway leading into the city, I note a lifted portcullis. To the left and right, protected in the walls, there must be enormous reels for lifting the bridge.
“That’s quite the defense,” Nathaniel observes. One of the guards nods appreciatively, eyeing my missing fingers and the hammer hanging on my back.
“Where will Archeantus be?” James questions.
“Probably in the safest part of the city,” I respond. “There is my guess.” I point forward, to a titanic tower at the back of the city. It’s tall and wide, with two similar taller towers behind it, creating a triangle. The towers merge to create an immense fortress, the rear of which is one with the mountain.
“I like the look of this keep,” James comments. “Just about impenetrable.”
And indeed it is. A wide set of stairs leads about twenty feet into the air, to a small stone plaza. An arch with a tower on either side stands on the plaza. Almost identical to the contraption leading into the city, a drawbridge spans the distance from the plaza to the open portcullis of the keep. Guards sit and stand at attention on the arch and underneath it.
When we reach the archway leading into the keep, the guards cross their halberds, barring the way. “Business?” asks one of them.
“I am Captain Armstrong,” I reply. “I’ve been summoned by Lord Archeantus.”
The guard who spoke looks down at my hand, then up at me. I tower over him. “Dragonhammer,” he mutters. Then they both pull back their halberds and he says, “Lord Archeantus awaits you inside, Captain.”
I nod my appreciation and we walk under the arch. This, however, is where I remember that I have never been here before and don’t know my way around. Quickly I voice this concern to the guards. One of them walks barely into the keep and knocks on the door a few steps to the left. Another guard comes out and they trade a few words. Then the first guard walks back to his post and the other says with a thick accent, “Follow me.”
The stone of the fortress is dark, and the halls are lit by windows and torches. Most of the windows are tall and narrow for shooting arrows through, and the ones that aren’t are paned with glass. These windows are only up on the higher levels, however.
The guard leads us down the left hall which curves to the right. Our footsteps echo slightly in the stone halls. Purple tapestries bearing the white insignia of Mohonri hang on the walls at intervals, usually on either side of almost every door. We go up a flight of stairs, though the hall continues to the left of the stairs. Once up, we take a right through a spacious arched hall and stop in the middle. An arched pair of double doors stands to the left. A few ornate benches sit on either side of the doors.
“Wait here,”