Far Horizons: Tales of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror. Issue #15 June 2015 | Page 28

Tamarlan
The four companions were too tired to explore the
First Delve very far. They carefully descended a
wide rock stair to the second level. Gamying, who
was familiar with the layout, led them to some guest
quarters. They found made-up beds and large jugs of
water, as if guests were expected. Manfred and Kris
made themselves comfortable while Gamying took
Aglaral to find sustenance.
Manfred was extremely tired and found it difficult to
keep his eyes open. He watched Kris through halfclosed eyelids. The bard was curled up on his bed,
in the foetal position again. Who is he? What role
is he playing? What should I do with him? “Is there
anything that you need to tell me, Kris?” The bard
just whimpered and curled himself up tighter. I cannot trust him. I must stay awake until Gamying and
Aglaral return.
When Gamying and Aglaral returned about twenty minutes later, they found both Kris and Manfred
asleep. “Do you think we should wake them?” Aglaral
asked.
“We’d better, Manfred needs to eat. We need him at
full strength. As for the coward, I couldn’t care less.”
“There may be an explanation for his actions. I prefer
to extend the concept of innocent until proven guilty,”
Aglaral declared.
“He was condemned out of his own mouth, as far as
I’m concerned. When we get to Tamarlan, I intend to
prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law.”
“That is as it should be. Let’s give him the benefit of
the doubt until then. But keep a wary eye on him at all
times,” Aglaral said.
“Agreed, my friend. You fought well today. I am
pr oud to have had the honour to stand beside you
in battle. I fear that there may be many more battles
ahead of us. I would be proud to have you join the
elite Tamarlan Palace Guard. I would have someone I

trust to watch my back in the battles ahead.”
“I am honoured, my Lord. Despite everything, I remain a Captain of the City States in the current service
of Elannort. My family remains at risk in the south. I
am cast on the seas of fate. Let us wait to see which
shore I am cast upon next.”
Gamying nodded and moved to wake up Manfred and
Kris. He gently nudged the old wizard, but was much
rougher when he shook the sleeping bard. The two
men sat up and listened to Gamying’s report.
“As you suspected, the halls are empty. Where the
dwarves have gone, I do not know. Although times
were hard, there was no talk of leaving when I was
here recently and Dawit said nothing at the Council
that would hint at where they might be. There was
no evidence that they went south, so I must assume
that they have gone to Tamarlan. I fear that so many
hungry mouths will not be welcomed there. Whatever
happened, it is clear that they left in a hurry. Tables are
set for a meal. Half-eaten food remains on the plates.
Clothes are scattered about. Chairs are knocked over
in the rush to leave. We neither saw nor heard any evidence that an enemy has been here or is still present.
We have collected food and beer. We should eat and
rest. We can explore further tomorrow.”
The weary travellers feasted on stale bread, dried meat
strips, last year’s soft crinkly apples, and mugs of
foaming ale. Gamying and Aglaral chattered about the
fight with the wargs and what they had seen exploring
the delve. Kris sat quietly, nibbling slowly on a strip
of dried meat. Manfred savoured the dwarven ale and
observed the scene, while his mind was busy on other
matters. At last, he spoke.
“I have probed the delve, right down to the lowest
levels. There is no one living here, other than ourselves. I cannot fathom it. Something or someone must
have precipitated this, but I can feel no trace. I cannot
believe that they would head for Tamarlan. I have
probed as far as I can, but I cannot feel the dwarves.
They may no longer be in this dimension. I wish I had
Jhamed here; there may be a hidden dimension portal
in the delve. At least we can sleep safe tonight. To-

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