this.”
“That’s just what the Norghanian tracker and his men will think if they follow our trail here.” The Assassin began to cross the slippery ice floor. “Follow me, Iruki Wind of the Steppes. Don’t be afraid, we’ll survive, I promise!”
Unfathomable Forests
“I’m alive! I can’t believe it!” Aliana exclaimed once she had recovered her breath. She was lying in the mud beside the river: the same river which moments before had tried to drown her in its wild current. She dragged herself out of the grasp of the water, fearing it might take her again. By sheer miracle she had not perished, but she was freezing, covered in mud and terribly sore. She was not really a very good swimmer, and the current had been so strong she could not understand how she had managed to survive. She remembered the water filling her lungs, her terror, the convulsive coughing, the relentless roar of the river as it rolled her to the bottom, and her desperate attempts to reach the surface and breathe the precious air.
But she had survived.
She was soaking wet, and her lungs ached from the effort, as did her arms and legs. She lay on her side on the riverbank and breathed deeply. She rested for a while trying to remember what had happened, and suddenly the memory of the waterfall hit her like a slap. Once again came the searing pain and fear she had felt as she was being dragged by the current. At that moment she had thought she was surely going to die.
But she had been wrong. Now she came to think about it, she realized to her surprise that the waterfall had indeed saved her life. By the time she reached the fall she had no strength left to fight the river. In a matter of moments she would have drowned. But the force of the water had launched her into this great peaceful pool. Even though the impact had been violent it had not killed her, and with the last of her strength she reached the bank of the pool.
She rolled over and looked at the waterfall. It was impressive, at least ninety feet tall. Water never ceased pouring in an endless flow, creating a plume of spray as it fell in the great lagoon at its feet. All around it was a colorful wild forest which took her breath away. To Aliana that idyllic spot seemed the pleasantest in the world.
But then an image broke her reverie.
The painted face of a Red Usik.
The memory of it made her start. She immediately jumped to her feet with her hand to her waist. Her dagger was still there, but she had lost her bow. She looked around: all she could see was a dense forest of full-grown oak and fir trees. At the foot of the majestic trees, among their curled fat roots, underbrush covered the ground. Aliana could not help but admire how forest and jungle had formed such a beautifully interconnected, harmonious ecosystem.
But this was Usik territory. She had to get out of there!
Her thoughts went back to the group: Gerart, Kendas, Lomar and the helpless Haradin. Would they come for her? Gerart would search for her, she was sure of that, the prince would do no less. They’ll come for me, I’m sure. They’ll never leave me here, at the mercy of savages. Or am I wrong? They have to take Haradin to safety, what’s at stake is too important to risk coming back for me and stumbling across the Usik.
She sat down, crossing her legs. She had to face the fact that they might not come for her, although the idea made her choke with anxiety. She thought about Gerart again. The feelings the young prince aroused in her had tempted her to jump to conclusions, although thinking about it more calmly, she was less sure that he would start a search for her. The young prince was facing a complicated situation. Gerart would act according to his duty as a prince and take the Mage to Rilentor. It was the right thing to do, and what was expected of him. No matter how much he wanted to save her, in the end he would do what he must, and she knew it. But she would not feel he had been
“That’s just what the Norghanian tracker and his men will think if they follow our trail here.” The Assassin began to cross the slippery ice floor. “Follow me, Iruki Wind of the Steppes. Don’t be afraid, we’ll survive, I promise!”
Unfathomable Forests
“I’m alive! I can’t believe it!” Aliana exclaimed once she had recovered her breath. She was lying in the mud beside the river: the same river which moments before had tried to drown her in its wild current. She dragged herself out of the grasp of the water, fearing it might take her again. By sheer miracle she had not perished, but she was freezing, covered in mud and terribly sore. She was not really a very good swimmer, and the current had been so strong she could not understand how she had managed to survive. She remembered the water filling her lungs, her terror, the convulsive coughing, the relentless roar of the river as it rolled her to the bottom, and her desperate attempts to reach the surface and breathe the precious air.
But she had survived.
She was soaking wet, and her lungs ached from the effort, as did her arms and legs. She lay on her side on the riverbank and breathed deeply. She rested for a while trying to remember what had happened, and suddenly the memory of the waterfall hit her like a slap. Once again came the searing pain and fear she had felt as she was being dragged by the current. At that moment she had thought she was surely going to die.
But she had been wrong. Now she came to think about it, she realized to her surprise that the waterfall had indeed saved her life. By the time she reached the fall she had no strength left to fight the river. In a matter of moments she would have drowned. But the force of the water had launched her into this great peaceful pool. Even though the impact had been violent it had not killed her, and with the last of her strength she reached the bank of the pool.
She rolled over and looked at the waterfall. It was impressive, at least ninety feet tall. Water never ceased pouring in an endless flow, creating a plume of spray as it fell in the great lagoon at its feet. All around it was a colorful wild forest which took her breath away. To Aliana that idyllic spot seemed the pleasantest in the world.
But then an image broke her reverie.
The painted face of a Red Usik.
The memory of it made her start. She immediately jumped to her feet with her hand to her waist. Her dagger was still there, but she had lost her bow. She looked around: all she could see was a dense forest of full-grown oak and fir trees. At the foot of the majestic trees, among their curled fat roots, underbrush covered the ground. Aliana could not help but admire how forest and jungle had formed such a beautifully interconnected, harmonious ecosystem.
But this was Usik territory. She had to get out of there!
Her thoughts went back to the group: Gerart, Kendas, Lomar and the helpless Haradin. Would they come for her? Gerart would search for her, she was sure of that, the prince would do no less. They’ll come for me, I’m sure. They’ll never leave me here, at the mercy of savages. Or am I wrong? They have to take Haradin to safety, what’s at stake is too important to risk coming back for me and stumbling across the Usik.
She sat down, crossing her legs. She had to face the fact that they might not come for her, although the idea made her choke with anxiety. She thought about Gerart again. The feelings the young prince aroused in her had tempted her to jump to conclusions, although thinking about it more calmly, she was less sure that he would start a search for her. The young prince was facing a complicated situation. Gerart would act according to his duty as a prince and take the Mage to Rilentor. It was the right thing to do, and what was expected of him. No matter how much he wanted to save her, in the end he would do what he must, and she knew it. But she would not feel he had been
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