CHAPTER 14

The footing was treacherous as they ascended the rocky crags of the Grey Mountains.  They had just dispatched a marauding band of Orcs and were continuing their journey to Skavenblight.  "The path is even worse ahead," Aenarion informed them as he returned from scouting.  "Worse than this?"  Garrick said as he nearly stumbled to the ground.  "Yes, and much more dangerous," Aenarion replied.  "There are several places that an ambush would be likely if someone were so inclined."  "Or something."  Enrico finished eyeing the path suspiciously.  "You were the one who discovered this godforsaken trail," Garrick snorted.  "It was either this or walk four days out of our way," Enrico countered as he pressed his body against the cliff face.  The trail had become extremely narrow and they were inching their way along to keep from falling to their deaths.  They continued for what seemed like hours, moving precariously along the trail.

Finally, it broadened and they were able to walk normally.  They had just come to a bend in the path when they heard a mighty roar shatter the silence.  They had just enough time to look when three Minotaurs dropped on them from the rocks above.  Gilchrist, who was at the back of the group, was slammed to the ground hard by one of the creatures and lay motionless.  Enrico was able to parry the initial blow of the one attacking him before Aenarion reached his side. Lyndryell, who was several paces ahead of everyone was hard pressed to keep the creatures at bay, having barely had enough time to draw the twin blades of Orion.  Garrick sprang quickly into action.  The creature that had dropped closest to him was about to deliver a killing blow to Gilchrist, so he pulled out his mighty axe and threw it, striking the beast square in the back.  It fell to the ground and did not get up.  He ran over to his friend.

As soon as Garrick reached Gilchrist, it was clear that Gilchrist was in bad shape.  He had taken a severe blow to the head and was losing a lot of blood.  Garrick knew there was no time to lose.  He retrieved his axe and went to help the embattled Lyndryell who had recovered from his initial surprise and had wounded the Minotaur severely.  Lyndryell saw Garrick coming and lunged at the Minotaur to distract it.  He feinted with one sword and as the monster moved to block, he struck with the other, hitting the creature full across the face.  Then the Wood Elf dove to the side as it screamed in agony, swinging wildly as it searched for where its prey had gone.  But the only thing it found was Garrick's axe as it tore through flesh and bone.  Lyndryell quickly turned to help Gilchrist as Enrico and Aenarion were finishing off the last of the monsters.

But Garrick just stood there staring at the bloody corpse in front of him.  A rush of emotions welled up inside of him--revulsion, at the sight of the bloody wound he had inflicted, fear,  at the thought that this monster wanted to kill him.  They kept racing through his mind, threatening to tear him apart--glee, at the rush of adrenalin and the thrill of the kill; loathing, that he could kill so easily and without regret; and finally, terror at the rage he could feel growing inside of him, that threatened to undo the very fabric of his existence.  A rage so intense that to unleash it could not only put his friends in danger, but himself as well.  They kept coming one after the other, it felt as if his mind were splitting apart.  Two distinct personalities fighting for control.  Garrick grabbed his head, no longer able to take the pain.  Then, suddenly, the pain ceased and the rage overtook him, he grabbed his axe and started swinging wildly at the corpse, hacking and slashing until blood and gore covered the ground.  He knelt down over the body and tore at it with his hands, pulling out its innards and tossing them to the side.  Then he took the beast's heart out and proceeded to devour it whole.  He could feel the power surging inside of him as it this beast's life essence was coursing through him, healing his wounds and making him stronger.  All the while, his sane side kept calling to him, "Garrick, Garrick Stormfeld, what are you doing?"  What have you become?  First the young boy in Nuln, now this.  It is you who are the monster."  "Nooooo..." Garrick shouted as he fell to the ground, his rage being replaced by doubt and confusion.

Lyndryell saw Garrick go down and went to him as quickly as he could.  Aenarion and Enrico had killed the Minotaur that had attacked them and now Aenarion was seeing to the severely wounded Gilchrist.  When Lyndryell reached Garrick he saw blood and guts everywhere.  He began to ask what had happened but stopped in mid-sentence.  Garrick was covered with blood and mumbling under his breath.  Lyndryell watched helplessly as he drifted into unconsciousness and tried to wake him.  But when he rolled Garrick over he was greeted with only a blank stare and what appeared to be tears running down his face.

They continued their journey climbing higher and higher up the treacherous mountain path.  Gilchrist had mostly recovered from his injuries but could not remember what had happened.  Garrick on the other hand either could not remember or was unwilling to remember what had happened to him.  Lyndryell did not press him on the matter and explained it away to the others.  Garrick seemed like his old self again the last couple of days, Enrico and him laughing and remembering about old times with Jered and Fenwick.  They were nearly to the top of the mountain when Lyndryell found what appeared to be a small cave.  They decided to stop for the night and finish the climb in the morning.

"You killed six Trolls all by yourself?" the young lady asked.  "Yes, six of them!" Enrico repeated pulling out his sword and jabbing it forward to put emphasis on his statement.  The young ladies seated at the table all gasped in awe.  "You must be the Greatest Warrior in the Empire," another lady said.  "Well, I'm good, but the Greatest Warrior, I think not."  "You are just modest," she said.  The ladies sat transfixed as Enrico went into another horrific tale of evil sorcerers and hidden treasures.  "We love you....Oh brave Enrico....We love you"  He felt himself drifting in the air, the voices kept calling to him.  "You are the greatest warrior in the world....You are..."

Enrico awoke with a start.  He was very disoriented.  He opened his eyes and all he could see was white.  He was suffocating.  What was wrong.  The smell of death was in the air.  His senses suddenly sprang to life--he was trapped.  It appeared to be string of some kind, it was wrapped all around him.  It was sticky, he could barely move. Then the realization of what was happening hit him, a web, he was trapped in a spider's web.  He could hear a strange chittering sound coming from somewhere close and nearby he heard the shouting of his companions.  They were out there fighting for their lives.  Enrico felt a tug on his cocoon.  He was being dragged across the cave floor.  He reached for his sword but the webbing was too strong and he could not pull it out.  Realizing that very soon he was going to be the main course for some hungry Spiders, he quickly retrieved his dagger from its concealed spot in his sleeve and began cutting away at his prison.  He had managed to get his head and shoulders free before his captor realized what was happening.  Enrico threw his dagger as the Spider wheeled around embedding it in its side.  Black blood gushed from its wound.  He pulled his sword and continued to cut himself free.  The Spider hesitated for a moment then charged.  Enrico rolled to the side, finally freeing himself in the process.  The Spider narrowly missed him with its gaping jaws.  It was as big as a man, but with eight legs it was exceptionally quick.

He got back to his feet and across the cavern he saw his companions fighting the biggest Spider he had ever seen.  "That must be the Queen." he thought to himself as he prepared to meet another charge.  The Spider came at him, a flurry of legs and jaws.  He deftly fought off the attacking Spider, taking off its two front legs in the process.  It lunged at him again, but he was prepared.  He swung his sword in a downward arc.  The Spider, slowed by its loss of limbs, lunged right into the oncoming sword, cleaving it nearly in two.  Enrico watched as it lay writhing on the floor.  "That will teach you to mess with the Greatest Warrior in the Empire!" he muttered with a laugh as he went to help the others.

The next morning, Lyndryell explained to Enrico how they had awakened in the middle of the night to find Enrico, who had been sleeping at the back of the cave, missing.  They started searching for him deeper into the mountain, in a series of cross-connecting caverns, and came across a Spiders' lair.  The large Queen and two smaller ones.  "Garrick and I had killed the Queen and Gilchrist and Aenarion killed the other."  They started their journey again, inspired, when they realized they would reach the summit before nightfall.