| With renewed regard for his "sister-in-arms", Fred fell back to sleep;
the day, filled as it was with magic and revelations, finally caught up
with him.
In the morning the smell of cooking flesh greeted Fred's nostrils. Opening
one eye he saw Tarin chewing on something greasy while farther off was
Astra with an egg in her hand. After a quick breakfast the three began
to gather their things. Supplies were checked, the horses packed, and all
made ready. Fred's first glimpse of Rift saw him engaged in animated conversation
with the innkeep. Finally all was said and done and Rift approached.
"How was your night?" asked Rift of the others. Fred stared, Astra seemed
to be in a world all her own, and Tarin was his usual silent self. "That
good, eh?" said Rift, and he mounted his horse.
Their ride began in earnest and all was quiet; each had their own thoughts
to mull over, each had their own difficulties and anticipations, each knew
that by day's end they would be within the hill-country of the Goth Mountains,
and each knew that local legend had clearly marked that as a no- man's
land.
*********
The terrain north of the inn was less hilly than what the foursome had
become used to. The diversions and detours they had to make earlier placed
them farther west within MalBoncton's territory than they had planned.
Luckily the level ground aided in their speed, and soon a dark line of
forest could be seen to the southeast and to the northeast the shadow of
the Goth was just becoming visible. They kept north on the cart- road and
by midmorning a clump of birch trees came into their view, and a stone's
throw from them was an obelisk made of snow-white rock. This was their
landmark, this was the marker between MalBoncton and the Confederacy. They
could now turn northeast, the journey to the dead dragon's lair could now
take a more direct path...or could it?
-
 the Shrine
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