The Fey Wood

The Never Ending Quest - Episode 7961

It was decided.

The route that Astra of Aquilaria had taken from Cicatrice through the wild lands was the more direct, and with the moon now on the wane, there was no reason for any sidetracking. The warrior woman took the lead, having traveled the route most recently. She was directly followed by, surprisingly, Simon the Anchorite, who almost matched her stride for stride. Lady Andrea Croix, though flagging somewhat, followed just after, with the slightly brooding figure of Lord Frederigo D'Honaire bringing up the rear.

They traveled until the sun dipped behind the sharp peaks of the mountain range, and the trail to Cicatrice, littered with death's heads, lay before them.


Deep in a mountain cavern, a wizened man in black robes kneels before a reflecting pool carved by deep springs into the rock. He waves hands traced with old faded tatoos of arcane symbols over the water, and observes the results of his scrying.

He sees visitors making their way up the trail to his craggy and secluded haven amongst the peaks. Three of them have been there before. He surveys the knight, and wishes the oathbreaker had not returned with the other two.

With some curiosity, the old man looks to the new member of the group, and a strange wistful smile spreads across his face.

"So it is happening, just as the shewstones predicted at that augury so long ago..."



When the four reached the hut of Belboz the Fell, they found the doorway to the simple dwelling of animal skins and wood lit with smudge pots. The old necromancer stood just inside, bearing fur cloaks, not one, but two, as if somehow he knew.

Andrea suppressed a shiver as he handed her the garment, not wanting to ponder how much Belboz had seen through his eldritch sorceries.


Later that evening, Andrea sat on the edge of her cot and watched as Belboz, Simon, Frederigo and Astra talked in hushed tones by lantern light over a tattered sheepskin map.

"The poultice I will make," the necromancer said, raising the map and gesturing, "will require you to follow the length of Undine Run from the base of the mountains here, into the forest."

"But old friend," the hermit said with concern, "that leads into the Fey Wood, and nobody's been there since..." he trailed off.

"Since Aethir MacFionn," the knight said grimly, finishing Simon's sentence for him.

"Yes I know, Frederigo," Belboz sighed, "but that's the only place in the seven kingdoms to get Spirit Willow or Fire Moss, both of which I need."

"This is a serious undertaking, Belboz," Simon said, regarding his old colleague.

"The only other way to purge the sickness," the necromancer replied, taking a deep breath, "is death."

Andrea watched as Astra shot a worried look to her. Strangely enough, the warrior woman's concern did not seem for herself, but for her young charge.

Astra then spoke.

"Then the Fey Wood is a risk we'll have to take."

"Oh, and Simon?"

It was the necromancer who had just spoken up.

"Yes," the hermit said, raising his eyes.

"If you get deep enough for Aethir to find you, you know what to do," Belboz said plainly.

Simon the Anchorite nodded, as if he understood.

"Don't be daft old man," the knight retorted, "Aethir MacFionn is dead. Everyone knows that."

"I know what I said, sir knight, and I know what you think is true. My words still stand, though..."

  1. They bedded down for the night, and set out in the morning.

Add New Option

Go Back

View Forward Story Tree
View Back Story Tree


The Traveler

3/6/2000 5:54:30 PM

Linking Enabled

Extending Enabled

The Never Ending Quest Home

Extend-A-Story Home

21385114 episodes viewed since 9/30/2002 1:22:06 PM.

Do not click me.