Before they left the crest of the mountain where the small cave was, Aeronwyn had doubled back and checked on the secret door. It was still closed although Aeronwyn thought she heard hammering on the far side. With luck we can gain a couple of days. She doubted it but hoped for it nonetheless.
Keri was packed up and ready when she returned so they set off down the mountain path. As they descended the path seemed less like a path and more like the side of a mountain. Obviously the years had taken their toll. Finally they reached a spot where no path was clear and the mountainside was all they had.
"We can't go back. How can we go on?" Keri asked, looking at the steep rocky face of the mountain.
"We shall have to climb down. Here, take this rope I found in the storage room and tie it around your waist." Aeronwyn handed her one end of a fairly long rope. She then tied the other end around her own waist. "You will go first so if you fall, I can dig in and hold you. Don't look way down. Just watch your feet and hands. Find a place to support your foot, find another place to support your other foot and then move your hands one at a time. Keep doing this, slowly and carefully."
Keri looked terrified and Aeronwyn didn't blame her. They didn't have any pitons, no extra rope nor most of the gear they should have to scale down a mountain. This was dangerous but they had no choice. Free climbing was not something the inexperienced should attempt but on the plus side, the slope wasn't a vertical drop either. It was a mountainside slope that, as long as they were careful, was manageable.
Keri went first and when Aeronwyn called out encouragement. Soon it was Aeronwyn's turn and she slipped her legs over the side and found her first footing. Carefully, minute after gruelling minute they made their way down the slope.
"How are you doing, Keri? Still okay?" Aeronwyn asked.
"Okay, but not great." Keri sounded out of breath.
"Let's take a break. Relax against the mountain and just breathe, okay?" Aeronwyn knew Keri was unused to this level of physical exercise. When a few minutes had passed, she looked down to chec on Keri.
"Ready to get going?" she asked.
"As ready as I will ever be." came Keri's muted response.
For another hour they continued down, carefully checking footholds before moving their hands. Suddenly Keri called up to Aeronwyn.
"Hey. I have hit some kind of ledge or something."
"Stay there. Let me join you." Aeronwyn called back. Within a few seconds Aeronwyn had made her way to where Keri was waiting. It was indeed a ledge but even better was that the mountain slope below it broadened out into some woods. It would be an easy descent and then cover. Aeronwyn sighed with relief. "We can untie these ropes now. See how much easier that will be?"
Keri nodded, sharing Aeronwyn's relief. "I think I aged ten years in the past few hours. Can we rest a bit?"
Aeronwyn looked up, considering. "We could but would you mind terribly if we waited until we reached the woods? I would appreciate being in cover before we stop moving." Keri nodded and turned to the down slope.
With a little effort and a bit of scraped skin they made the tree line in less than two hours. The trees were scarce at first but as they made their way down the mountain further the trees grew thicker and taller. Soon they were in an old forest. The trees were covered with foliage high up from the ground but on the forest floor Aeronwyn and Keri walked on a bed of soft dry pine needles. Other than the occasional fern and fungus growing from fallen, dead trees, there were no other plants. Aeronwyn signalled a fallen tree. "We need to consider our next move. Let's sit and take a break."
Keri, grateful, sat astride the tree and leaned back on her pack. "I could sleep here!"
"We could. I am still worried about our pursuers. If solid rock won't deter them I doubt a mere mountainside will prove an impediment." Aeronwyn mused. "We need to find a way off this mountain and a way to hide our trail!"
"I'm sorry, I just don't know anything about the outside world. I wish I did." Keri admitted.
"I know. For now what we must do is continue downhill but as soon as we come to a river or a stream we can try laying a false trail. Meanwhile, if they do catch up, are you prepared to fight?"
"Honestly? I don't know. I never have but I never had magic before. I'll try." Keri looked at Aeronwyn. "I will try." she repeated.
"That is all I can ask. Okay, let's keep going while we have light. It will get dark in the woods faster than you might expect." Aeronwyn stood up and pointed at a tree far downhill. "Mark that tree and aim for it. When we get there we will mark another until we can no longer see."
They made good time but all too soon it was too dark to see beyond a few feet. They made camp and shared food and water. Aeronwyn decided against a mage light so as not to give their position away, should their pursuers be close enough to see. Keri was soon fast asleep and Aeronwyn sat in the dark and watched.
Just around the time she would have switched places with Keri, Aeronwyn saw a bobble of light. It wasn't much but - there - it was repeated again. Damn. They are using torches and not slowing down at all. What the hell did I do to them to incur this much anger? Aeronwyn wondered.
Leaning over Keri, she placed her hand over Keri's mouth and gently shook her awake. At first Keri reacted to the hand but Aeronwyn bent down and whispered, "Ssshhh. They are almost on us. Get up quietly and be ready."
Keri got up but she was terrified. Aeronwyn touched her shoulder and directed her eyes towards the oncoming lights. There were at least ten lights. "How many?" Keri whispered.
"Twenty, maybe more." Aeronwyn replied with the same voice. "When you throw your fireball, aim it in front. The pine needles should catch and provide confusion as well. Wait for my signal!"
The pursuers were no more than twenty five feet away when Aeronwyn said, "Now!" and shot a fireball in front of one of the torches. Keri followed suit and within seconds, fires blazing across the forest floor in front of them. One of the men boldly jumped through the fire and Keri, panicked, threw her next fireball right at his chest.
It hit with an explosion of fire and screams. His panic began to spread as one man yelled "Demons! They are Demons!" and dropped his torch as he ran away from the flames. Aeronwyn, steadily and pitilessly threw fire at man after man that still faced them. Keri, sickened but firm followed suit. Many of the men were on fire now, a few dead but most screaming as they vainly tried to extinguish flames powered by magic. The few not yet hurt withdrew as the forest floor itself caught fire. Within minutes, the fire was spreading uncontrollably.
"Keri, we have to run. Come on. Forget them, just run." Aeronwyn grabbed Keri and dragged her down slope. "The fire may spread, uphill first but soon this whole area could be ablaze."
Keri didn't move at first but Aeronwyn's insistent pull snapped her out of her shock and she turned and ran. Aeronwyn conjured up a mage light but it was almost not needed as the forest behind them seemed alive light. Well, I wanted to break up the pursuit! Aeronwyn thought wryly as she and Keri ran from the flames.
