The Search for Freedom CH4 Mistress of the Mountain
by Zachary Dovel
LAST EDIT: 7/26/00
C&C appreciated to pzach@mac.com or Yahoo Messenger username pzach816!
Lina sped forward towards the momentous hill. Her sights gazed at the top peaks and her one objective. The wind graced her motion as he started towards it in and incredible speed. It's actually quite amazing the velocity reachable when flying low to the ground. The ground was a blur beneath her. It couldn't take long to reach to the top with that speed. Something disappeared. It wasn't noticeable until her air beneath herself gradually depleted. In a screaming kind of graceful way, she landed on the ground, stuffing her face with dust.
"Wha...what happened!?" Lina dusted herself off as she picked herself up. The ominous peak just stood there, giving little help to her condition. "What kind of sorceress puts up a magic ward around her house!?" Her growl could have almost been heard from Gourry and Spyn even at their distance now. They were on their own adventure, trying to help the obra in time. "It looks like I'll have to take the hard way."
She walked over to the first stone boulders leading up the rocky side. With a tug and a sigh, she crawled up and onto it to meet the next looming rock to scale. As she furthered in progress, the dampness of the air started slipping into her mind as a vague though. In the sweat of her work, she hadn't taken any notice of the oncoming storm clouds in the distance until just now. "This just isn't my day," she angerly said. Scrambling now, Lina pressed onward because she was too far to retreat now. With her effort, she tried her hardest to outrun the breaking of the storm. Anxiety continued to fill her. She had to make it before the rain hit. I'm not gonna get wet! she thought. I hate rain I hate rain I hate rain! She hardly noticed she had reached the halfway point. She felt a little rain droplet settle on her skin. It caused a cold tingle, reminding her and pressing her on harder than ever. There were more to come if she didn't make it. The first strike of lightning came a couple miles off, illuminating everything to the point of blindness for a moment. She had to pause for a moment to recollect her thoughts. "Lightning!?" She shook her fist at the sky for a moment, almost as if she thought she could scold the clouds. It took a moment for the foolishness to set in, and for her to continue onward with a few cuss words still in mind.
The mountain gradually kept getting steeper and steeper as she made progress. The beating water eventually made her have to climb with her arm's and legs. "Agh! My clothes! I have got to find some shelter until this passes." She peered around looking for something; anything. Her garb was getting wetter and heavier by the minute. A bit of rock crumbled that had held her fingers. The bits bounced down the slope cracking into smaller and smaller pieces as it hit the ground. "Maybe if I can reach that cave..." Lina said as she tried to edge toward it. Her eyes had just noticed it for it was shielded from sight before from below by a jut of the rock below it. Another strike of lightning hit a tree at the bottom of the mountain. "Yes...It's definitely about time for shelter." More rocks crumbled, making her foot slip. She latched quickly to the nearest hand hold, peering down below. The look was dizzying. It was amazing how little work you can do to get so high up. "I can't make another move like that." She swung her foot up onto a foothold to her left. Another bolt struck. The blinding flash hid her hand from vision as they began slipping away from the hold into the air. Frantically her arms flailed, looking form something to catch. Nothing spotted the surface where she tried to grip the mostly bland rock. She rolled and tumbled down the hill. Her face took a few nicks, and so did her body. Those minor wounds did nothing compared to the landing on the rock platform that created a sound from which could make any face wince at her impact. Lina hasn't landed too far below from where she was, but still it hurt. It was probably one tenth down she had fallen. Her eyes started closing slowly. A dreaminess that could cloud out great pain that would come soon. It protected her. The darkness would protect her.
Slowly, Lina's mind started coming together. Ever so slowly it was. Thoughts still were jumbled in a helter skelter type fashion, but yet arranged clearly enough to think common enough thoughts without becoming too confused. She was just a tad started to find herself in a bed inside of a building she had never seen. The room she found herself in was small. The few furnishings were simple, but they had a homelike quality. Everything from the table and chair and the base of the feather bed were made of a wood, stained a rich dark brown. There was something else she noticed, no window.
Lina tried to sit up, but felt a sting at her chest. It felt like the bones were on fire. She collapsed back into the bed, unable to move until the pain slowly subsided. "What happened?" she questioned herself. The memory was there, yet vague. It was bit like an old faded picture. The image as a whole was there, yet details where missing from the loss of color.
The door creaked open. The opening held a woman of an older age. She looked something like a sweet grandmother in a way. She was aged, yet not too much to distort her beauty her youth. She spoke with a soft soothing voice that lulled the listener into a tranquil calmness. "You look better this morning," she commented.
"Morning?" Lina was given a moment to think. Something about it startled her. What was it? It then hit her. This was not where she was suppose to be. "I was actually out for the whole day from falling!?" Lina ask incredulously. "Where am I?"
"On top of the peak you were climbing of course." she answered matter of factly, "I found you all bruised with a number of broken bones after that storm let up. You wouldn't have survived long if I hadn't brought you in." The woman let out a soft laugh. "Out dead you were. You almost were dead."
Lina examined herself, first noticing the bandages on her head and numerous places on her body. With the splints on her left leg, she couldn't have gotten to her feet if she wanted to. That is without magic of course. Then she realization of being trapped and injured in the witch's tower jumped in, shocking her senses. She refused to show any fear. But for a woman so bad, why had she saved her? Maybe Utopious was wrong. Utopious? "You...you're....Darnus! Right?"
"Well, you can reason now at least. I thought you'd be totally senseless still. Why did you try to climb my mountain, girl?"
This woman didn't look anything like what old wolf had said. Well, he didn't actually give a real a description either from what she remembered. From the way the beast scowled, though, she sounded to be the most hideous thing on the earth. She actually held a quite kind of beauty, though demanding when she wanted to be.
"I was searching for you." Lina answered.
"Well, duh," The woman fummed. "You could have gotten yourself killed on my land!"
"Yeah so?"
The woman glowered at the young spirited woman in front of her. A smile slowly aroused itself from Darnus's face previously emotionless face. "You have a lot of spunk. I'm just so tired of death and fighting. I didn't want you dieing climbing my hill." As Darnus finished her sentence, the lively energy she had seemed to sweep away from her to a solemnness. Through the face, though, sadness laid hidden only escaping weakly though her eyes. It had to be hidden, burried beneath her years of living. It was gone though, back behind the mask. "Who have you the idea that I'm like that?"
"Well...from Utopious's face.....never mind"
The woman chuckled. Lina wasn't quite sure what to make of it. She HAD to have a few screws loose. Still, Darnus certainly didn't look like the violent type. "That wolf. He know he likes me." Lina would've face faulted if she wasn't in bed. She was so filled with consternation, she felt about to pop. "Why are you really here lass?" Darnus was so good at holding that motherly kind look when she wanted to that it was frightening. Lina could just see herself asking her for a cookie and telling her about her day. Or scolding her if she needed to.
"I was in search of a book..."
"No, you don't want that."
Lina paused for a second, surprised at the woman's injection to blink. "But wait!!" she came back in pleading, "I didn't even tell you what book!"
"I know you want the borderhand spell book. They all do, or they come to me in hopes of curing someone or hurting another for their own good. The book wouldn't even do you any good anyway."
"Why not? Just give it to me anyway! I'm sure I can figure it out with you. I'm trying to save the whole Obra breed of whatevers!"
"It was part of the oath of the borderhand clan sworn by everyone of it. It's too dangerous having the wrong people using the power held by those things." Darnus's face was so grave there for a moment, so serious. It lightened just then, but her words still held a commanding tone. "There is one way you can see it. It is if you complete the one-hundred challenges of gaul."
"Wha....a hundred!? How am I suppose to do so many things when I can't even get out of bed!?"
"I gave your wounds some medicine along with a little magic " Darnus split a small smile. "You'll be as good as new tonight."
"Huh? Magic? How with the ward? No one can use magic on the mountain!" Darnus close the door behind her as she left, wordless. The room fell silent to Lina's softening breathing. "AGH! I hate that woman!"
The day passed slowly with nothing to look at or even a window to see outside. That was when she really had notice the absence of it. Nothing changed. The only thing Lina could really do was plot and plan, even though she had so little to go on, and even littler reason reason to plan in the first place. Sitting there though, her thoughts slowed with the energy drained in her healing. She wasn't sure when or how long she had slept.
The world came back again though at the closing of the door. Darnus was back. Had that much time really passed? Lina so hated the isolated room. "You can get up now," Darnus said nonchalantly. There was no real feeling to her voice, it was more a fact than a command. It seemed her way.
"You can't mean this quickly!? I hadn't fallen asleep that long! I couldn't even move then."
"Up, it's time to start work. You have to have some way to replay me for saving you, anyway." Darnus started to undo the splints with deft hands. She appeared to have the experience in healing.
Lina frowned. Her mind said she couldn't move, but she had to comply with those eyes, staring though her as hard as rock. Yes, just like a mother scolding a child. Lina slid over to the side of the bed. She expected the pain that was once there. Nothing happened. Stepping to her feet gently, she felt like her body was as it was before the accident, maybe even stronger. "H-how did you use magic here?" Lina inquired with great surprise. She refused to let this by her.
"You'll learn. Think of yourself as my apprentance while you stay here."
"I don't have that kind of time! I can't be an apprentince. My friends will be killed if I don't get to them in time as well as the people the obra come in contact with as well as the animals themselves!"
"Patience is a virtue. There will be time if you work hard. You'll learn something though it. Just go to sleep until morning."
Lina sighed. "How am I going to do that when I've been sleeping all day?"
"Oh yes," Darnus was jumbled for a second at not remembering, "Well, you can do a bit of work until you tire enough for sleep."
"What's my first job?" Lina asked eagerly.
"Well," the woman scratched her chin, as if thinking hard. "The dishes would be a good way to start. Just don't drop them, they're very expensive china."
"Dishes?" Lina exasperated, but held most of it back. The eagerness was all gone.
"Yes, you have to start small. I'll help you get started, then I'll retire for a bit myself." Darnus yawned, then beckoning Lina to follow her.
Lina sighed in grief at the thoughts of what was coming. Dishes? What does this woman think I am, a servant?
"Here it is." Darnus pointed to the sink, with wash rags and soap. "Any questions?"
Lina shook her head and began her work by taking the first plate from the sink. It was covered in a thick layer of crud. It looked to once have been steak slightly liquefied and hardened to the plate. She let a quiver of disgust, trying not to touch it. With a look around, she saw the trash to throw the food into.
As Lina went about her work, Darnus gave a nod of praise. She appeared to trust Lina enough, for her not to watch her every moment. But without that supervision, Lina thought she might have a chance to do a little spying around. She just had to keep faithful a bit longer.
The kitchen was a much friendlier room than the guest room. There were actually windows. Through them not much was visible, except maybe a few trees in the moonlit light. It was much too dark out there. The floor had a plush green carpet covering the hardwood. A little distance away was the table for eating, and just beyond the door outside. The thought to scramble outside occurred to her a few times, yet was quickly dismissed in disgust. She had a job. Lina took a drying towel at start polishing the plate, maybe enough to destroy the polish without really noticing. Her body was tensed at the though of Darnus giving dish washing duty without her really thinking about it outright. She looked on still, sighting the door Darnus had entered, a little to the right of her room. Both were connected directly to the kitchen. And then there were some stairs farther over to what appeared to be a basement. I'll have to look down there first, Lina though. It seemed to be the best bet for finding that book of spells. She took a bowl without thinking. With one look, it went back into the sink. "I think I'll finish them just a tad later."
Almost as if stalking, Lina lightly prowled the wood-creaking hall to the stairs. She managed a mostly quiet atmosphere by stepping on the nailed joints of wood. Each time it did creak, Lina paused what felt to be hours. Darnus didn't wake up yet, though. With a lunge, she grabbed the railing of staircase once in range. The stone steps felt to be a safe heaven for walking on at last.
Dashing gently down into the dark corridor, Lina attempted to light a ball of fire in her hand for light. Rueing herself for ever coming here, she remembered the magic ward. She glanced, though, at an unlit torch. "It'll have to do," she muttered. Lina peered around, unable to find anything to light it with. A though then occurred in her mind. "The fire....place." She felt about ready to face fault. The fire was burning upstairs on the wall past Darnus's room. She would have to make a return trip. Also, if she was too slow on returning, the woman might smell the smoke. Who knows what she would do if she had found her. Lina shuttered at the thought of her physical attack to the witch's magic. It definitely wouldn't be a fair fight. There was no other visible choice though, besides stumbling blindly which would not to that much good, besides making more noise.
So, with a bit of annoyance, Lina retreaded her path up the stairs to peer around cautiously at the hall. Not a thing in the house stirred. Cautiously she moved across the hall, past Darnus's room. Every step was perfect. Not a noise was made. Slowly, the old brick fireplace came closer and closer. Torch in hand, she shoved the wick in. A few seconds passed until it completely lit. She turned her body back to the stairs. It was then that the door opened. Darnus stood there with a hard look of stone. "What are you doing?" she asked.
"er...uh," Lina stuttered. I need an excuse! "I was.....using this torch to disinfect the dishes. I just had to relight it."
Darnus studied Lina for a moment. She seemed to probe everything carefully with her eyes. All Lina could do was force herself not to fidget under her scrutiny. "You needed it for just the one dish you did?"
"Well, I wouldn't dare continue on a only half complete job!"
"And what do you do afterwards? Wipe the suet off after 'disinfecting it'?"
Lina almost flushed, forgetting that little point. "Yes! That way it's the cleanest it can be." Darnus didn't say anything aside from a few mutters Lina though were about her strangeness. Just standing there as she did, her introspective stare made it hard for Lina to concentrate. She slowly then receded to her room, saying, "Keep up the good work. You'd better be up early tomorrow, there's much more to come." Lina still couldn't believe she accepted that answer. That could really get on her nerves.
Shifting back and forth a moment, Lina mind tried to decide whether to finish the dishes or not. She decided to give it a try for she would look a bit suspicious with only one dish cleaned. Picking up the topmost bowl, Lina started scrubbing in the soapy liquid. She would get half done before becoming so sick of it she'd stop. It was then that she had turned in for sleep.
Lina awoke in bed a the sound of the door slamming. Does she have to do that? She didn't bother getting up, knowing who it was. "Up! " Darnus commanded. Lina complied, fussing a bit.
"What time is it?"
"Time to get to work," she announced, "yet today its a different kind."
"Hm?"
"Well, I got my pay out of you, it's time for you to hurry to save your friend."
"Huh?"
"I can somewhat tell what will happen in the future. It comes and goes and almost seems random sometimes. You wouldn't have been able to help the men if you were right with them."
"What's your point?"
"It's time to teach you to cure your friend. You finished enough of your chore, I guess."
"But I didn't finish."
"Boy, you're stubborn, Girl! Well, at least you didn't break anything." Lina gave an incredibly innocent look at that point. "The truth is, what you seek doesn't rely in magic. The cure you want is in herbs. The borderhand clan used herbs to to do their spells and what not. It looked like Magic, set it wasn't."
Lina looked a bit more confused. "What?"
"You heard me! Come on! We have to hurry, your must leave soon to save your friend." Darnus went to her drawers downstairs pushing Lina alongside. The cabinet just across from the cellar stairs. Pulling it open revealed a bunch of bottles. She thumbed them a moment before handing one to Lina. It looked a bit like a wine bottle. In fact, it was! "Okay, you need to make him drink this. ALL of it. Don't be surprised if it doesn't appear to be working immediately either."
"Wha...what about the book?"
"Nah ah. That stays one of my secrets. You don't want your friend to die, do you?"
Lina gave a quick glower before being shoved forward again, eventually outside. She was about a step from saying something back to the aged woman, then changing her mind. It was time to go. As she descended the mountain, though, she caught sight of something.
"Shadow!"
Lina climbed down carefully, never loosing sight of her old horse. It was her second best horse she ever had. Apparently he hadn't been eaten by those monsters. Maybe her luck was on an up slide. With a crumble of pebbles underfoot, she reasserted her concentration on making it on time. It was Spyn who mattered now. She had to make it.