Ardalia: The Breath of Aoles

Chapter Sixteen - IN HOSTILE TERRITORY

They had stopped,contemplating the fault that could have been the edge of the world.It drew the eyes, as it seemed to be drawing everything that camenear to it into its bottomless depths. Pelmen was astounded by itsdimensions. What force could have disemboweled the earth that much?He could feel corrosive and irritant fumes on his skin, and thebreath of Aoles only made the heaviness of the air more of anuisance. Pelmen grimaced as he noticed that his nidepoux'sbreathing was raspier than usual.

Withoutthe necklace, I'd be in the same state. If the crimson shamans arebehind it, they can't be far away.

His uncle'sfeatures were expressionless and his gaze was that of a hevelenpreparing to confront a long-anticipated ordeal. Pelmen opened hismouth without making a sound. Perhaps it was his imagination, but itseemed to him that only the wind, which plunged, roaring, into theearth, had any right to disturb the silence of the place. Byspeaking, he risked awakening an unwanted attention, the malevolenceof which would be even deeper than the gulf itself. A cold shudderran down his spinal column. His companions also remained silent.

Imust not allow fear to dictate how I react.

The sound of hisvoice rose into the air, not as firmly as he would have wished, butdistinct enough. From the corner of his eye, he saw Lominan shakeherself as if emerging from a bad dream.

"Theatmosphere here would be almost unbreathable without the necklace,"he said. "The crimson shamans?"

Elisan shook herhead negatively. "Since time immemorial the Rift has been one ofthe symbols of Valshhyk's presence on Ardalia. It's not hislackeys versed in sorcery that are creating what's reaching ournostrils... although they have the power to reproduce it, alas."

"Thecrimson shamans corrupt the breath of Aoles in a more condensedform," Xuven explained.

"Thiscomes from the Rift, then," Pelmen concluded. "In theseconditions, how do you expect to continue to follow the cart bysmell?"

Xuven stared at thefault. "I fear that I'm no longer able to do so. The sulfur istoo strong here—itsscent masks all others."

"Youdon't even want to try?"

Xuven's gray gazefixed upon him. "Only as a last resort. I'd need to take off thenecklace to open myself to the Sign of Aoles."

"We'llguide you," said Elisan. "Our spells don't require the removalof the necklace."

Xuven nodded."Logically," he said, "they must be continuing along the edgeof the fault for the sake of secrecy. That's what I'd do in theirplace. The dread this place inspires is their best ally. It's saidthat those who get too close to the Great Rift are endangering theirvery souls."

It was decided thatthey would veer away from the gaping fault before resuming aneastward course. That meant giving up on following the tracks of thetoropone cart, relying solely on the magician's abilities ofdetection, but Pelmen was relieved at the decision. Although hisuncle's thoughts were difficult to guess, he suspected that Xuvenconsidered Elisan-Finella's aid as a necessary evil. Certainly, hedid not like being dependent on the feless'tu—farfrom it—but his conception of "females" was perhaps morecomplicated than he let on most of the time. The day before, Xuvenhad avoided Pelmen's gaze when asked why he had entered the serviceof a female Aguerri if he did not trust females. "She's theexception to the rule," Xuven had muttered. "Then again, I'venever thought about her in that way."

Pelmen had notargued with him, but his uncle's discomfort was apparent.

As they resumedtheir march, he saw blue-furred bestial silhouettes a hundred yardsaway, leaning over the edge of the fault. The quadrupeds looked likethey were drinking the darkness. Pelmen shivered.