RHIDAUNA, The Shadow of the Revenaunt, Book 1

CHAPTER 17 - RHIDAUN-LORN

The young priest of Naulda softly sang a hymn to his goddess as he walked the narrow path to the well. 'Ten,' he said cheerfully to his small dog. 'Another ten, then I'll have checked a hundred springs. One hundred wellsprings, all in prime condition! The Father Superior can be satisfied; Naulda's works are in good order.' The terrier barked. She was fine, as long as she was outside with her master.

When he reached the lake, he saw to his surprise that he was not alone. A small man in a brown cloak was bending over to drink Naulda's crystal clear waters from his cupped hands.

'Good day,' the priest said cheerfully. 'May the gifts of my Lady strengthen you.'

'Thank you, Father,' the little man said. His voice sounded as hoarse and creaky as a rusty hinge.

'See how beautiful it is here.' The young priest looked around at the fresh greenery and the colorful fragility of the wildflowers.

'Are you traveling?' the man said and the priest nodded.

'My dog and I are from our temple in Leudra City. I'm inspecting Naulda's springs along the King's Road for cleanliness. Rewarding work! Each healthy well can save a life and that's a pleasant thought.'

'But lonely work, I'd say.'

The priest nodded. 'I'm very much on my own. I don't speak to many people, except for chance meetings like this. I sleep out in the open and, I only go to a temple when my supplies run out. But I'm content with that; my needs are few.'

'Do you have far to go?'

'I'm almost done,' the priest laughed. 'After this spring another nine, and then I'll have visited a hundred sources of clear, blessed water.'

'A hundred springs! You're a stayer.' Vasthul put his hand on the shoulder of the unsuspecting cleric and sent a lethal dose of energy into his body. With a shudder and a sigh, his victim slumped to the ground. The little terrier ran over to her master, and whined softly. Vasthul pointed and with a soft yelp, the animal collapsed.

A violent cough seized the little man. Then the terrible cramps hit him and he clutched his stomach with both hands. Panting and with tears streaming down his face, he waited until the pain had subsided. When he regained control, he quickly stripped the blue robe from the priest's body. His hands went through the pockets, but all he found were a few coppers and a document assigning Father Jenden, of the temple in Leudra City, to the inspection of all Naulda's springs along the King's Road to Kyrran.

With a sense of triumph, he rolled the blue robe up in his backpack. Dressed in that, they'd allow him, the simple River Priest, portal transportation to Rhidaun-Lorn. While he turned to leave he thought of something. Smiling, he kicked the dead priest into the spring. 'Clean water, eh?' he murmured. 'Enjoy it!'

The adept serving Naulda's temple portal in Kyrran was only too happy to port Father Jenden, servant of the River Goddess in Leudra City to the capital. He wished the good father rapid recovery from the nasty skin irritation that forced him to hide half his face in bandages and flashed back, unaware of the death that had been so close to him. Vasthul would have preferred to send the youngster to the spirit world, but his wits said no and he stayed his hand.

In an alley, he swapped the blue priestly robe for his own brown one and hid it under a pile of garbage. Shivering and still miserable, he began looking for a place to hide during the coming days.

The journey through the wild lands between Nadrilland and the provincial duchy of Halendaun was long and monotonous. Ghyll's irritation grew by the hour and was only with difficulty suppressed. The restlessness that had troubled him since their first, dream-plagued night at Gromarthen grew and became almost compulsive. He had to reach Rhidaun-Lorn, and as soon as possible. The fact that the journey took so much time frustrated him immensely. Eventually it took a bear to release him from his black mood.