Chapter 5

“Where have you been?” Arlette snapped. “And in my favorite leather no less.”

Lukil and Arless looked up from their map. They looked at Low. Arless gave a low whistle while Lukil licked his lips.

“I went to the temple of the Omniscient God, Trule.” Low replied. “And your leather is really comfortable.

“Trule's not not Omniscient. He's a light god.”

“He told me he was Omniscient, and he also said that we should head west. That we must see the Red Oracle.”

“There are no red Oracles.” Arlette said.

“Actually there is one. She's the only red Oracle known in the light realm. Red Oracles are from the dark domain. The one we seek is the only one that hasn't been killed. She's nearly three hundred in age and blind as a bat with cataracts.” Lukil said. “However she plays a wicked game of chess and whips my a*s every chance she gets. She travels a lot but apparently she's in the wests right now.”

“So we leave now.” Low said. “Trule told me that there was an angry god who owes him money and that he'll only get madder if I don't show up soon.”

“Why you though?” Arless asked as she took a bite of her bagel.

“I think he knows me.”

“And where is this God?” Asked Arlette.

“Trule said that the red oracle will tell us where to go and that the god will be there.” Low said.

“And why couldn't Trule tell you who you are?”

“Because he said he's omniscient and that he must follow the will of the Oracles.”

“I hate that crap.” Arlette said. “Well I have to shop so I'll be back. See you around noon.”

When noon came Low was passed out on the bed. Arless and Lukil were locked in a game of chess. The two were currently at a stalemate.

“We leaving yet?” Arlette asked.

“Hold on.” Lukil said waving his hand at Arlette. His eyes roamed the board examining all positions finally picking up the bishop he moved it four squares diagonally left along the black. “A-ha cornered ya check.”

Arless moved here castle and slammed it into the spot Lukil's bishop vacated. “Check mate, milord.”

Lukil slapped his forehead when he saw his mistake.

“Well that blows everything to smithereens.” Lukil said slumping down. “The boys asleep right now. Who's gonna wake him up?”

The two looked at Arlette who growled and stomped into the room.

Low was sitting on the bed. He stared vacantly out the window. “Cheetaurs,” he whispered. “I have a feeling that we have a strict deadline that warrants no leeway. We're going to need either cheetaurs or canuses with the canus being preferred.”

“They don't come cheap.” Arlette said.

“Then sell this.” He handed Arlette a ruby. “This will fetch a hefty sum, that I'm sure of.”

“Where did you get this?” Arlette asked.

“The armor, it's not armor but a jacket with padded pockets for the noiseless transport of money. One of the pockets had, what I'm assuming, is payment for the transfer of the letter to the late Lord Kraes.” Low looked at Arlette. “Theres a seller on the western edge of town. Lets get out of here, my entire body is tingling.”

The canus, a half-wolf half-horse beast towering over nine feet. The upper body is the powerful wolf while the rear is the sleek body of a horse. Their omnivores to accommodate the two different natural necessities of both halves.

“For four, it'll be two thousand crystals. For the harness and saddles, thats another thousand, and for the replacement booties for the longer runs, is five hundred.”

“Three thousand five hundred for all that.” Arlette said panicked.

“We'll take them.” Low said. “How much id you get for the ruby?”

“Four rare longswords and twenty flying daggers.”

Low shook his head with a giggle. “Your a blade fiend aren't you?”

“Can't pass them up.” Arlette said with a shrug.

Low pulled out two bright cobalt jewels. “Will these be enough?”

The merchants eyes glittered greedily at the sight of the jewels. “I'm bound by honor to actually say that only one will pay for everything, and I'm also bound by code to tell you that I'll throw in a combination feed for them thats guaranteed to provide them with a balanced meal, and for that amout I can provide a total of one month, complete with a sled.”

“That'll do.” Low said handing over the jewels.

They mounted the beasts, hooking Arlette's to the sled, which was designed for rough running on even rougher terrain.

The speed of a canus rivaled the speed of the gryphon whose flight speed was forty to forty-five miles an hour.

At an equal or greater speed, by the time the sunset, even with the wagon, they had cleared a stretch of close to 200 miles with the beast running the entire way. They stopped occasionally for a small meal or water.