Ghost Riders in the Sky

A set of spells enables Muld's group to reconnoiter Orc Pass in a very eerie style.

50.

Ghost Riders in the Sky

 

It was still dark when Muld banged on each stateroom door to wake everyone up.    Half of an hour later they were all assembled on the bridge and for a few minutes, he spoke privately to Mage Keith, Allea and Elina.    When the meeting ended, he seemed pleased and then addressed the rest of them.

“I think we have found a way to get the information about the geological formations of the pass, without putting any of us in danger.   However, this will require us to wait for several hours.”

“Wait?”  Darv asked, “Why?”

Muld looked out the bridge window at the sun peeking through the puffy clouds on the eastern horizon, “Because we can’t do it when the sun is out.”

“Do what?  Speak plainly, man!”  Darv said, somewhat grumpily.

Muld just grinned, enjoying frustrating the Dwarf, “Because ghosts don’t come out in the sunlight!” 

Everyone just looked at each other, perplexed, except for Mage Keith, Allea and Elina, who frowned slightly at Muld’s boyish games.

“Oh, for Heaven’s sake, Muld!”   Allea finally said, “Then I’ll tell them.    We have a spell that must be cast either at night or during an overcast day. The weather is going to get dark and rainy this afternoon " we think"so we will have to wait.   Let me tell you about the spell, and then we’ll all eat breakfast and take time to prepare ourselves.

 

***

It was several hours past noon before the mountains pulled the clouds together enough to create a deep winter’s gloominess across the region.

They all stood on the bridge of the Autumn Maid, not too thrilled with the costumes they had been forced to wear.   They weren’t actually ‘costumes’, but actual Orc, Hobgoblin and Goblin armor and clothing that Muld had either purchased or borrowed from the refugees in Westmark before they had left.  

He had not spoken to anyone about his idea.    Until he had discussed it with the spell casters in his group, he had not known for certain that it would even work.   

But he’d taken the chance before hand and had spent a tidy sum of silver for the armor and equipment.    Syndi wondered what he would have done with all of it if he hadn’t found someone to cast the spells.

“This is ridiculous.” Darv snorted, “This will never work.”

“I think it will, Master Darv.”    Muld responded, tightening a leather gauntlet to his wrist, “Wait until you see the effect of the spell, then you’ll change your mind.   Trust me.”

“Hah.”  The Dwarf grumbled, but went back to stretching out a studded leather jerkin.  

“How did you ever think of this obscure spell, Muld?”   Allea wondered, frowning at her own horrid appearance in a mirror that the crew had placed in the room.

“I read many things, and some of my favorite types of reading material are accounts of great wizards and spell-casters.   This same spell was used 500 years ago by the wizard of Noddterzane to fend off an army of pirates that sought his gold.    They say that he was never hounded by them again after he cast this spell.”

 

“Well, we’re all ready, I guess, so let’s see how we look.”   Jevon suggested, and Muld had them all stand close together, except for the three spell casters.    Allea thumbed quickly through the spellbook she had taken from Helios’ tower, while Mage Keith looked over her shoulder, envious of the wonderful tome of ancient spells.

“I’ll cast the first one.” She said to Keith and Elina, “Then Mage Keith, you can do the next one, and finally Elina will do the last one.   If we need a fourth casting, can you do it, Muld?”

“Yes, I think so.   But I imagine three will suffice.”

Allea turned to the elderly wizard, “Mage Keith, how would you like to copy the spells out of this book when we return to Westmark?”

The crotchety man’s eyes brightened like a child given a new toy, “I would indeed, Lady Allea!”

“Then you are welcome to do so, as are you Elina.”

The Inion Sidhe lady bowed slightly, “Thank you, Allea --  I would not mind looking through the tome to see if there are any that might interest me.”

“I’m sure there are many in this book that would interest any magic user.   Ah, here it is; ‘The Ghost Rider’.”

 

After a few brief instructions, Allea began chanting the spell.   It took a few minutes and then suddenly it activated.     All of them seemed to take the forms of ghosts, fading in and out of sight, and having a pale etherealness about them that was startling to behold.    

But odder still was their mounts.   For each of them now sat astride a phantom horse with eyes like full moons, cold and dead.     Several of them found their heads passing through the ceiling of the cabin.    From the expression on the Autumn Maid crew’s faces, Muld had achieved his desired effect.

“We look ghastly.”   Syndi said, and her voice came out distant, hollow and mournful, though she had not attempted to speak that way.  

With their Goblinoid armor and equipment donned, they seemed to be specters of fallen Orcs, Goblins or Hobgoblins.   Their features were blurred and somewhat distorted, and even the fair ladies of the group were creepy to behold.

“Remember to keep track of the time " when the spell ends, you will not be able to pass through things or hover in air.”   Muld said with the voice of a spirit from the grave, “You must stay within sight of the others of the group or the effect will fade and you will return to your true form.   Also, remember that you will not be able to touch anything " your hand will pass right through it.   So be careful.”

 

They all agreed and bidding farewell to the airship crew, they simply floated through the floor on their phantom steeds.   Their horses galloped across the dark and gloomy sky and it was such an exhilarating experience that all of them enjoyed it.    Even Syndi, who had battled airsickness the day before, thrilled to their magical flight.   

Down, down, down they rode, in a westerly direction, as storm clouds gathered around them and thunder boomed.   Then the rain began to fall, but it fell through them and they did not get wet.

 

As thrilling as it was for the eleven adventurers, the effect was terrifying to the Imperial guards stationed at their posts at the north and south watchtowers.   While the guardsmen, weary of the long, boring hours, watched the storm’s approach, suddenly there appeared riders coming down out of the clouds.

They sounded the alarm, suspecting some sort of wizard’s magic had brought a cavalry into their midst.    But as they neared, it was evident that the riders were not alive.    Like white shadows they rode down toward them.   Javelins were thrown at them, and arrows shot, but all went through their forms.   

Then their forms grew clearer " they looked like tortured souls wearing ragged armor of the sub-humans that lived in the deep reaches of the Elotrush Mountains.

 

Though the gates were barred, the ghost riders galloped through, and their haunted faces stared at them as they passed by.  

Many of the guards lost their nerves and risked court-martial by fleeing from their posts.   But the majority were battle-hardened veterans and though terrified of the apparitions, they manned their station and watched the spirits as they rode all around in the cold winter rain.

Up and down the sides of the Pass they rode as if riding across a level field.   Sometimes they split up and rode up and down different parts of the passage, but mostly they seemed to haunt the steep walls of the pass as if they were searching for something.

Several brave sentries crept as near as their hearts would allow, to groups of the ghosts, but not near enough to hear their words clearly.   

Two of the ghosts rode up to the northern watchtower and through the walls into the barracks.    Men scrambled to get out of their way as they stared all around the room from behind their cloaked forms.    One of the two spirits seemed to have glowing red eyes, which did nothing to relieve their fears.   In faint, whispered voices the two ghosts spoke to each other.  

Then the specter with the glowing eyes seemed to turn to the tower’s captain as if he saw them.   

“Doooooooommmm…” It moaned, “Death comes tonight… tonight…. Death to all… who remain by night…. Dooooommmmm…. Beware….flee…. or die…. Tonight…dooooommm!”

The two spirits then turned their horses and rode through the walls of the tower.   

 

For several hours they watched the ghostly company gallop and float around the Pass.   The Captain of the North tower sent for aid and a squad of Imperial soldiers led by a senior centurion arrived.    Yet the ghosts just ignored them and conducted their mysterious business.    They would disappear up the side of the pass for a few minutes, and then reappear elsewhere.   They would fade out to almost a mist, and then in a blink of an eye seem much more material in form.

A priest of Nunmontu was sent for and when he saw the ghosts, he grew nearly as pale as they were.    Finally the Captain and centurion convinced the priest (using thinly veiled threats) to ask The One True God to dispel the apparitions.  

With a shaking voice he ordered them to be gone in the name of The One True God.    A small Goblin-like ghost rode up to the priest, inches away from the man’s face, and gave a hoarse, moaning laugh. 

This was too much for the Nunmontuite priest, and he swatted at the ghost, but his hand passed through without touching anything.    Giving a piercing scream, the priest turned and ran as fast as he could out of the station and kept running until he had returned to his home in Southgate.

The scene shook the resolve of more of the guards and many fled, leaving only a handful of hearty souls at the north watchtower.

Still the ghosts cavorted about, riding all around in the drizzle and fog as the daylight faded in the west.

Finally, as if heeding a mysterious call, they all gathered together in the center of the pass and rode straight up the side of the wall until the fog and clouds hid them from view.

 

***

“Wow, what an experience.”   Jevon exclaimed as they rematerialized inside the bridge of the Autumn Maid.   It was a sentiment all his companions shared.    Even Mage Keith and Darv were smiling at the end of their day as a ghost.   

They had recast the spell twice and Muld had shown them all the various places in the pass where an avalanche would be most effective.    By the end of the day, all of them had a greater understanding of geology.   

Mutt and Tadd had ridden around the neighboring mountain trails to make certain that the filling of the pass with debris would not trap any of the few remaining Orc groups that lived in the mountains.    They were satisfied to learn that the Orcs had several narrow, winding passages that interconnected, leading to their hidden villages, so the loss of the pass would not trap them.

“We are ready now.”  Muld told them when they had all calmed down and were ready to listen to him, “There are three places on the walls of the Pass that are extremely unstable " two on the east side and one on the west side.    We will cast the spells at these spots and if my calculations are correct, then there will be a massive earthquake that will fill most of the Pass and destroy the northern watchtower.”

“So are ye sure of what spells should be cast and where they need to be cast?”   Darv asked.

Muld nodded, “Absolutely, Master Darv.    We will require two sets of spells, cast three times.    The spells we need are Rock to Mud and Earthquake, both of which are found in Allea’s acquired spellbook.   We will also need three levitation spells to get each caster to their assigned spot on the pass wall.”

“Nine spells?!”   Rick asked, “How will three spell casters manage to cast three spells each?”

“Elina, Allea and Mage Keith will be able to cast the Rock to Mud and Earthquake spells, one after another.    I know the levitation spell and I will cast it for one of the three.    I will teach Syndi the spell, so she will cast it for another one of the three.   I have my master’s wand of levitation that I will teach you how to use, Rick, and you will then be in charge of the third of our spell casters.”

“Me?”  Rick asked, alarmed, “I don’t know how to use a wand!”

“Anyone can use this wand.   It was made for common people, and when I show you how to use it, you’ll find it quite easy.”

“I’ve never cast a spell before.”  Syndi said, raising her hand.

“Don’t fear, Syndi, I believe you are a natural and it is a simple spell that most apprentices know.”

“I don’t want someone’s life hanging in the balance because of me.”   She protested.

“You’ll do fine, believe me.”

“Well…” She hesitated, but Muld’s look reluctantly convinced her to try to learn.

“Good, it is all settled then.    Allea, Elina and Mage Keith; the three of you retire to a quiet place and learn those other two spells from Helios’ spellbook.    I’ll instruct Syndi and Rick on their roles and we’ll meet back here in three hours to complete our mission.”

 

***

It was only a few hours before midnight when they all reassembled.   The two ladies and the elderly mage had learned the spells and were confident they could cast them, suspended from a levitation platform in the cold drizzle.

Rick had been shown how to use the levitation wand and was thrilled to learn something new.   Syndi had easily mastered her first spell and was as excited about it as Rick was to use the wand.    

They waited until midnight, so that the Autumn Maid could be moved above the pass in the clouds without drawing attention.    When the ship hovered as near as it could without being detected, Muld instructed Syndi and Rick to generate levitation platforms, while he did the same thing.

A moment later, three glowing blue platforms appeared on the deck outside of the Autumn Maid’s bridge.    Mage Keith selected Rick’s levitation platform, Elina picked Syndi’s generated levitation platform for her own, and Allea took Muld’s platform.    Then the six slowly descended over the side of the ship, toward their targets.

Rick and Syndi maneuvered their platforms very carefully, for both were terrified of accidentally dispelling their magic platform and sending both pilot and passenger plummeting to a horrible death.    Their fear made them cautious and that helped ensure safety.   

The fog had turned into a nearly freezing drizzle again by the time that all three platforms were in place.   Far below, the smoky torch lights of the northern watchtower could be seen, though none would likely see the platforms so high above them.

Muld waved his glow stick to signal the three magic users to begin casting the Rock to Mud spell.   

It wasn’t what would be called a lengthy spell, but it seemed to take a long time.    When all three activated, there was a series of shifting of rock from above the area of effect of the spell.    Muld knew that this spell alone " given enough time"would probably result in a Landslide or avalanche.    But he needed something catastrophic and quick.   So waving the glow stick a second time, the three spell casters began chanting the Earthquake spell.  

It was a long spell to cast and the Practical Magic Engineer worried about a mispronounced word or forgotten phrase.    But the three performed the spell flawlessly.   He waved the glowstick wildly to tell Syndi and Rick to take their platforms upward.   With frustrating slowness the three levitation platforms rose, as a faint, but growing rumble began to come from the sides of Orc Pass.

Upwards the platforms crept, as the mountains shook with violence from the spell.   Small rocks began to become dislodged and rolled down the side of the Pass.    There was first a loud popping sound, then several matching sounds and with colossal force, huge sections of both walls of the mountain pass tumbled away and slid down the narrow sides, picking up larger rocks and dirt below it.

Louder and louder it grew, until it seemed as if all the mountains around the pass were collapsing in upon themselves.  The noise filed the air and a cloud of debris followed it.   The roar of the avalanche went on for a surprisingly long time.   The echoes were still resounding when they had stepped off the levitation platforms onto the deck of the airship.  

“Yesh, have mercy!”  Allea gasped as the echoes faded away.

“Well that certainly worked!”  Mage Keith said to Muld, patting the younger man on the shoulder.

“We will have to wait until morning to assess the damage.”  Muld told everyone.

Syndi looked pale and somewhat drained as they all stood on the deck.  

“Are you alright?”   Muld asked when he saw her expression, “You cast that spell wonderfully.”

“Thanks.”  She said softly, “How many people do you think we killed with that avalanche?”

Her words sobered the mood of the others on the deck.

“Hopefully none, or at least not many.”  He said gently to her, “That was one reason for the whole ghost charade.   I had hoped to scare as many away from the Pass as possible, to avoid having them die.”

“But they were Imperial soldiers!   They were under orders, and you know there were at least some there!    How horrible to die that way.”   She covered her face with her hands.

“Syndi, I didn’t want to kill any of them.”  Muld explained, “But think of what those same soldiers did to the people of Southgate.   Think of the innocent people who died for no fault of their own.    These men were soldiers " the Southern Empire does not draft its troops, they volunteered.    It is a dangerous profession.   We did this to protect innocent people from persecution and war, Syndi.   It had to be done.”

She looked up from her tears, “Maybe so; I know they were soldiers, but they had families, Muld.”

“Yes, and it is tragic that it came to this.   I had a Master that was very dear to me too, and soldiers killed him just because he wouldn’t turn me over to them.”

She knew he was right and nodded, but was still upset.   Elina and Allea took charge of her and led her to her quarters in the lower deck of the Autumn Maid.  

Muld watched her go, feeling regret that she had convinced him to allow her to join the team.   She was certainly the type who would make a good Practical Magician, but this was not the best first experience for her.  

With a last look over the edge of the airship, he joined the others inside.

 

Author's Note

Two chapters today as 49 was short and 50 seems appropriate for Halloween.

Reviews

[Elina]

"Allea wondered, frowning at her own horrid appearance in a mirror from the cabins below that the crew had placed in the room to help them." This is a bit of a run-on and will need some work.
"But the majority was battle-hardened veterans..." Because "veterans" is plural, you'll want to change "was" to "were."
"Far below the smoky torch lights of the northern watchtower could be seen..." You will want to put a comma after "Far below" to help clarify.