Death of Moon and Darkness: Part 5

Death of Moon and Darkness: Part 51

Andellin continued to run almost blindly, following his strange and elusive rescuer.  The ground beneath his feet began to harden, and the air began to thin and become clear of the mist.  The swampy quagmire was behind them, they were in the jungle once more.  They came to a steady halt as the run gave way to a jog, the jog to a walk, until they finally stopped to sit under a patch of heavily vined balboa trees.  There was light this day as it struggled through the openings in the thick canopy.  Strangley though this stretch of jungle was much thinner than that of the strip near the bridge.2

The two men sat panting a moment before the blue-cloaked human pulled two small skins from the inside of his cloak and tossed one to Andellin.  He drank heavily, and so Andellin did the same; it was fresh cold water.3

"We're safe now, they won't come beyond the edge of the swamp." The man said between his deep swigs, then he continued, "Gave me quite a scare you know.  Most people don't even make it as far into Twinreed Swamp as you did."4

"How in the world did you find me?" Andellin asked still very confused at all this.5

"You scream louder than the howler monkeys, anyone within a mile Twinreed could here you." The gruff man returned.6

"Okay, but what were those things? How did you get rid of them?" Andellin asked again.7

"Well, 'I' really have no clue as to what they are, but the natives here call them Crimson Death.  Probably because the damn things come upon in the veil of darkness or night, and you don't know their hunting you until its too late.  The blood mist starts to form about you, and that's when they strike.  Suck away at your soul, then they rip your body to shreds.  Had a few run-ins with them about ten years ago, nearly got me then.  But the trick is light, they can't stand it.  A few bright flashes and they'll flee faster than mouse from a cat." The old man chuckled at the analogy.8

Andellin, not finding the matter funny at all, was somewhat puzzled at the man's knowledge of the swamp wraiths.  Suddenly the terrible taste from the rancid liquid returned in his mouth. "I see you know a great deal about those things.  I'm impressed, but what was that awful liquid you used on me?"9

"Oh that stuff, a simple herb remedy.  It's a small mixture of orchid nectar, Tapiss root, and boiled balboa leaves.  The bitter taste comes from the Tapiss, never did like that stuff.  But don't worry, the taste will go away in a couple of hours." The old man answered once more.10

Andellin liked this old man, he was interesting to say the least.  But he still didn't know where he came from or what he was doing on this island, and least of all his name.  So he pressed a little more.  "I thank you for saving me back there, you've saved my life and taken me to safety and I don't know a thing about you.  What's your name?"11

"You're just full of questions, aren't you lad?", he paused a moment, "The name's Merrik Rame.  I was a sailor on a merchant trade ship, but it went down 12 years ago in massive squall.  I drifted amid the sea until I washed up on this island.  Surveyed the island for any sign of civilization, but the most I found was a small village of primitive halflings on the cliffs just northwest of here.  They took me in and I've been stuck here ever since.  Always thought I might get lucky and a ship would cross by this way, but it never happened.  So how did you end up here, what's your story?" Merrik finished and returned the same question.12

"Well, that'll take a while." Andellin answered.13

"We've got a ways to walk before we reach the natives' village, tell me along the way." Merrik offered.  They both stood up and started making their through the jungle.  After a short distance, they crossed a small footpath continued following that northwest.  Andellin told all what had happended since the death of Lunarai, to the confrontation with the drow scouts, to the near loss of Trin, to becoming stranded on the island.14

By late afternoon the jungle had began to thin out along the path they walked.  A rocky ridge appeared before them, by then Andellin had finished telling Merrik his story.  Then he started with the questions again, "So what exactly were you doing that far into the jungle?"15

"I was gathing some special flowers and herbs, needed them for the chemical formulas." Merrick answered, pointing to the knapsack across his back.16

"Oh, so you're a wizard-", Andellin began to conclude.17

"Ah! no, no, lad.  Not a wizard, a scientist."  Merrik jumped to correct him.18

"But, then how did you create the light?  It had to be magic, only wizards and sorcerers can create light like that.  Besides, science is pretty much only good for creating advanced healing remedies."  Andellin asked somewhat baffled.19

"That was no magic lad, those were powder bursts.  They're merely a mix of magnesium dust, flour, and little bit of black powder.  But it seems you and natives have the same opinion of me.  Poor halflings don't know any better."  He shook his head at the last comment.20

"I meant no offense by it, its just-", Andellin tried retake that last comment.21

"Bah! Don't worry about it, how could I be angry with the only person I've been able to have a civilized conversation with in years.  I can't have that with natives here. But anyway, come on now.  Up the ridge, the village is just at the top."  Merrik finished trying starting to climb steep rocky and moss covered ridge.  It took them about another hour before they reached the top.  The trees continued to grow thinner still until Andellin could see the clear late afternoon sky above him.  There had been sun that day, quite refreshing compared the to the gray cast he had dealt with the day before.22

"You know, despite how primitive these halflings may be, they sure know about the advantages of higher ground."  Andellin noted.23

"Lad, you don't know the half of it.  Just wait until you see the view of the island from the cliffs." Merrik answered, teasing Andellin and giving him a strange sense of eagerness.24

As the trees parted, Andellin could see the ground was coming to a drop-off.  What he saw the amazed him beyond anything he had ever imagined.  The land dropped off for thousands of feet.  A drop of this type would surely kill a man iff he fell.  The entire island was like a giant bowl, and the ridge that he and Merrik stood upon was the rim of that bowl.  Dense jungle spead out all across the island, covering nearly the whole of the floor, though their was one thing that was very odd.25

Ancient ruins littered the whole of the floor of this massive jungle.  In the center of the island stood a lone mountain, a spire that scraped the sky. Like the jungle though, the spire was also littered by the ruins as well, but instead it seemed as if the towers and walls were built into the mountain.  It was quite strange.26

His eyes followed then to the base, there he saw a deep rock quarry that fed into the cave.  A river ran through quarry, and as his eyes continued to follow he saw that the river followed along the base of the ridge.  It branched off into smaller streams that interlaced all across the jungle floor.  The main river was traced back to a low point on ridge to the east that was created by a waterfall, probably fed by stream from the ocean.  At the western point the river ended in a lake; it was crystal blue and quite beautiful.27

The island was massive.  Andellin just gazed at its natural wonders for many long moments.  It was amazing.  All manner of giant birds dotted the air ... giant eagles, giants hawks, shrikes, rocs.28

Once more, Andellin's eyes fell upon the spire in the center of island.  He was mezmerized by it.  It gave him a strange feeling, something he had never felt before.  Then the voice came once more, the one of the dragon created of clouds in his dream; distant in the hollows of his mind.29

-Orron ... Great Hall ... Crimson Claw-30