Dragonlance Tales II, Vol. 2 – The Cataclysm

face of another. He said Skorm once bit through the arm of

a warrior and stood chewing on it in front of him. He said –

“Never mind,” Graym said hastily. His stomach had

been wobbly all day. “Where is this scourge?” He looked

around fearfully. “Not with you, I take it.”

“He and his troops are camped in the bone yard – ”

“Picturesque,” Graym murmured, approving.

“In the Valley of Death, beyond Graveside. There are

more than a hundred of them now. Every dawn,” Rhael said

with a voice like death, “we see more warriors standing by

Skorm’s tents. Every day his troops increase.”

Graym turned to his companions. “And you all told me

no one was hiring. It was nothing but a necessary market

downturn, and you call it a Catechism.”

“Cataclysm,” Darll hissed.

“Right you are, sir.” Graym turned to Rhael. “And, now,

young elder … I can’t get used to that, by the way. Why are

you an elder, Miss?”

“Elders aren’t chosen because they are old,” a man next

to her, quite old himself, explained. “We are chosen because

each of us represents one of the elder virtues.”

“And what,” Graym asked, feeling his ears turning red,

“is Miss Rhael’s virtue?”

“Elder Rhael embodies fearlessness.”

“No wonder she’s so young,” Darll said dryly. “Fearlessness

never reaches old age. What about you?” He pointed

with both chained hands at the elder who had spoken. “Who

are you?”

The old man stepped back from Darll. “I am Werlow,”

he said. “I embody caution.”

“Good for you,” said Darll. “And what did you do about

Skorm?”

“I convinced the rest of the people to evacuate,” Werlow

said. “We elders have stayed, to pray for the coming of

heroes.”

“We’re here,” Jarek said happily. “We’re heroes, aren’t

we?” He looked to Graym for support.

Graym cleared his throat. “I don’t like to boast. We’re

desperate men . . . and bold warriors, but we’ve left our

robbing ways behind us. We have trade goods” – he didn’t

want to say ‘ale,’ though the barrels made it obvious – “that

we’re taking all the way to Krinneor, where our fortunes

will be made and our lives will be good, in the richest city

in the world.” His voice went husky. “The golden towers,

the marble doors, the excellent drains.”

The elders exchanged glances. They were silent.

Finally Rhael said, “The road to Krinneor winds around

the Valley of Tombs. There is no way there, except through

Skorm’s army.”

The Wolf brothers made most unwarlike whimpering

sounds. Darll edged over and kicked them each, hard.

Graym frowned. “Don’t they ever move out of the

cemetery, Miss? Parade, or bivouac, or do any of those nice

martial things that make armies so popular with

politicians?”

Rhael shook her head. “They have no need to,” she said

sadly. “They just grow strong and plan to attack us.”

“How much, to fight them?” Darll asked suddenly.

The elders looked at each other.

“Nothing,” a reed-slender old woman said. “We heard

of your fight with the bounty hunters. That is why we

sought you. If you refuse to fight, we’ll inform every hunter

we can find, and you’ll be taken or killed.”

“That seems harsh, Ma’am,” Graym said. “Fight or die?

For nothing?”

“And what elder virtue are you?” Darll asked.

The old woman smiled thinly. Thrift.”

Graym made up his mind, turned, and addressed his

companions. “These pick-me-up armies are all bluff. Farm

boys and fishermen, not one real soldier in twenty.”

Jarek was counting on his fingers. “How many real

soldiers does that make against each of us?”

“One,” Fenris said flatly.

“Maybe even two,” Farms added.

Graym waved his hand. “What’s that to us? Nothing at

all. They’re just trainees. We’re road-tested. Months of

hardship, baking sun, blinding rain – ”

“Great ale – ” Jarek said, caught up in the enthusiasm.

Graym interrupted hurriedly. “And there you are. We’ll

frighten off this lot in no time and be back on the road.” He

raised a fist and shouted, “To Krinneor!”

“To Krinneor!” Jarek shouted. Darll said nothing. The

Wolf brothers looked worried.

The elders had tears in their eyes. Graym was pleased to

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