Read Online Wielder's Rising by T.B. Christensen - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: T.B. Christensen
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a way drains me quickly.”
Traven concentrated on a spot in front of Studell and pulled a large flame into reality. The philosopher jumped back with a surprised gasp but then grinned and stepped towards the bright flame. He only had a chance to rub his hands in front of it for a few seconds before it disappeared. Traven walked back over to the philosopher and the horses. He was breathing hard and the extra effort had caused him an even worse headache. He was grateful for the dark night and cool air that wouldn’t agitate his pain. He heaved himself up onto Pennon’s back.
“We better keep moving,” he said quietly. “That took a lot out of me. I’d like to ride as far as we can before it gets too hot in the morning.”
Studell agreed and thanked him for creating the flame. Their horses were soon once again plodding through the soft sand along the ridges of the dunes in a northward direction. As the night wore on, Traven’s headache slowly began to fade. When it was finally no more than a dull ache, he began searching the far horizon for the next marker along their journey, the Keeper’s Staff.
He wondered how close they would have to get to the tall rock formation to see it in the dark. He kept scanning the horizon hoping to see it soon. If they weren’t able to locate the formation, they wouldn’t be able to continue following the map to the ruins. About an hour later Traven noticed a thin, dark line rising up from the horizon. He couldn’t see it well enough to guarantee that it was the formation known as the Keeper’s Staff, but he changed their course slightly to the west so that they would be going directly toward it.
He smiled with relief as the sky finally began to lighten ever so slightly, foretelling the coming of dawn. With the extra light he could tell that it was indeed a tall, crooked rock formation rising up out of the desert. Studell still couldn’t see it but trusted Traven’s declaration that they were indeed going in the correct direction. Within a short time, their surroundings began to change. The high sandy dunes began to get smaller and smaller, and rocks began to poke through every so often.
Just before sunrise, the horses’ hooves left the soft sand of the dunes and began to clink against the solid rock of the changing landscape. It was still as barren and void of life as the sand dunes had been, but the flat landscape was interspersed with boulders and small rock formations. The single, most prominent formation of them all was a tall, narrow rock configuration that made its way crookedly up towards the sky. Even though it was still a ways into the rocky terrain, it was now clearly visible to the philosopher as well.
“You’ve got good eyes,” he said to Traven as they continued riding towards it. “I would have to say that is definitely the Keeper’s Staff.”
The sight gave hope to Traven that the map truly was accurate. He hoped more than anything that the spring on the far side of the Keeper’s Staff still existed and would be easy to find. They paused, as the sun was rising, to eat breakfast and refresh themselves. Then they made their last push towards the Keeper’s Staff. They wanted to get as far as they could before stopping to sleep during the hottest time of the day. The warmth of the sun was welcome after the chill of the night, but as they continued onwards and the temperature continued to rise, Traven was reminded of why they had decided it was best to travel at night.
By midmorning the heat began to bother the philosopher, and they decided to stop and sleep. They were both exhausted from the lack of rest during the night. They set up a quick camp in the shadow of a tall boulder and collapsed onto their bedrolls. Despite the hard rockiness of the terrain, they were both soon fast asleep.
6
Traven woke up in the late afternoon feeling much better. His headache was completely
Traven concentrated on a spot in front of Studell and pulled a large flame into reality. The philosopher jumped back with a surprised gasp but then grinned and stepped towards the bright flame. He only had a chance to rub his hands in front of it for a few seconds before it disappeared. Traven walked back over to the philosopher and the horses. He was breathing hard and the extra effort had caused him an even worse headache. He was grateful for the dark night and cool air that wouldn’t agitate his pain. He heaved himself up onto Pennon’s back.
“We better keep moving,” he said quietly. “That took a lot out of me. I’d like to ride as far as we can before it gets too hot in the morning.”
Studell agreed and thanked him for creating the flame. Their horses were soon once again plodding through the soft sand along the ridges of the dunes in a northward direction. As the night wore on, Traven’s headache slowly began to fade. When it was finally no more than a dull ache, he began searching the far horizon for the next marker along their journey, the Keeper’s Staff.
He wondered how close they would have to get to the tall rock formation to see it in the dark. He kept scanning the horizon hoping to see it soon. If they weren’t able to locate the formation, they wouldn’t be able to continue following the map to the ruins. About an hour later Traven noticed a thin, dark line rising up from the horizon. He couldn’t see it well enough to guarantee that it was the formation known as the Keeper’s Staff, but he changed their course slightly to the west so that they would be going directly toward it.
He smiled with relief as the sky finally began to lighten ever so slightly, foretelling the coming of dawn. With the extra light he could tell that it was indeed a tall, crooked rock formation rising up out of the desert. Studell still couldn’t see it but trusted Traven’s declaration that they were indeed going in the correct direction. Within a short time, their surroundings began to change. The high sandy dunes began to get smaller and smaller, and rocks began to poke through every so often.
Just before sunrise, the horses’ hooves left the soft sand of the dunes and began to clink against the solid rock of the changing landscape. It was still as barren and void of life as the sand dunes had been, but the flat landscape was interspersed with boulders and small rock formations. The single, most prominent formation of them all was a tall, narrow rock configuration that made its way crookedly up towards the sky. Even though it was still a ways into the rocky terrain, it was now clearly visible to the philosopher as well.
“You’ve got good eyes,” he said to Traven as they continued riding towards it. “I would have to say that is definitely the Keeper’s Staff.”
The sight gave hope to Traven that the map truly was accurate. He hoped more than anything that the spring on the far side of the Keeper’s Staff still existed and would be easy to find. They paused, as the sun was rising, to eat breakfast and refresh themselves. Then they made their last push towards the Keeper’s Staff. They wanted to get as far as they could before stopping to sleep during the hottest time of the day. The warmth of the sun was welcome after the chill of the night, but as they continued onwards and the temperature continued to rise, Traven was reminded of why they had decided it was best to travel at night.
By midmorning the heat began to bother the philosopher, and they decided to stop and sleep. They were both exhausted from the lack of rest during the night. They set up a quick camp in the shadow of a tall boulder and collapsed onto their bedrolls. Despite the hard rockiness of the terrain, they were both soon fast asleep.
6
Traven woke up in the late afternoon feeling much better. His headache was completely
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