Session 22

Noon of the 1st Stillday of Bales

Milos takes Heldris to a dry hill nearby where they light candles to celebrate the holy day. Perilake wakes up, shaken and concussed, and looks around. Without hesitation he begins stripping the dead Knight off his armour that bears the crest of house Altenburg. Zoltan musters his lord doubtfully and with the help of the Salt Knight starts digging a shallow grave. They bury the man and follow the Pigeon Knight south.

When they make camp in the evening Heldris again searches for dry wood and comes upon the banks of a river where a large newt is trying to drag a body into the water. Heldris drives the beast back into the river and helps the man to his feet. He claims to be from Kozamost but doesn't recognize his surroundings. He must have travelled further from the village than he intended. At the campfire Anastaz and Heldris wonder why the river manifested before them and the Salt Knight fasts together with the fisherman.

A fetid Bog

2nd Stoneday of Bales

In the morning a constant light rain falls and Zoltan reveals that there is a small dwelling nearby where Perilake might rest and heal his wounds: A hidden vinyard to the east.When they arrive Lyschko and Magdolna, the vintners, approach nervously. Of course the wounded Knight can stay for a day but the family need to harvest and cannot serve the lords. Milos and Heldris volunteer to help them and work side by side with the vintners while Perilake is recovering in the hut under the watchful eye of the Salt Knight.

Later in the evening Magdolna invites them to the cellar where she proudly conducts a tasting of her best wines.

2nd Woodsday of Bales

When they leave in the morning dark clouds threaten to unleash the first harvest storms but Perilake is refreshed and urges the others to follow him. They travel through lush hills until at noon they reach a burned forest, charred stumps and barren branches clawing at the sky. They pass an abandoned shack with the symbol of the Child but press on. Suddenly the Pigeon Knight stops, wherever he turns his senses point to all directions at once. Milos and Perilake separately search the surroundings while Anastaz meditates to find the way forward. Perilake arrives at a copse unburnt and when he enters he finds himself back in a glade with three pliths. A black statue in armour and wielding a scythe blade asks him: “Whom shall I kill?” and without hesitation the Gilded Knight names the hated Herald of the Elf. The Black Stone Hunter vanishes.

Milos finds an ancient rowan tree carrying berries and carved into the gnarly stump a small door. He kneels and prays to his lord for guidance. “Fill your pockets with seeds so that your corpse will feed my Realm." The Fox Knight crouches down and collects the berries. Then he puts them in his pockets and looks up and the door is no longer merely a carving and a silver bell hangs above it.

Twilight of the 2nd Woodsday of Bales

Back in the camp Anastaz takes the Harvest Bow, closes his eyes and shoots an arrow into the air. The arrow whistles and disappears and with a thump it lands next to Milos and soon the company stands together before the door. Perilake turns the antlered handle and the door springs open. A cold wind blows snow into his face and he takes off his armour, binds his shield and weapons together and squeezes through the door. Heldris whispers words into Colman's ears and the old horse snorts and leads the other steeds north. Then he follows Perilake through the door.

The Door

The Thrice-Ninth Kingdom, night

Through a tunnel to the other side: A plateau in the mountains, devoid of colours, under a rock overhang barely wide enough to shield them from the winds. Snow is falling, more cotton than crystal. Heldris cuts down dead twisted trees and they huddle around the fire like lost children.