Downwards the trio hiked, passing the sparse junipers and following the trail next to the frothing torrent. The switchbacks were much less exhausting on this return journey and James was able to keep up with his companions without assistance. The air warmed and the forest thickened as the group approached Oakleaf Gilderwood’s home. “You will need a pack full of healing herbs, Celeste,” Oakleaf instructed, “Bring with you all you can carry.”
“I will indeed sir,” answered Celeste, and she disappeared into the interior of Oakleaf’s storage area, stacked with a wide variety of clay jars and leather satchels. Elsewhere in the enclosure, racks of drying plants and exotic shaped fungi hung from the lowest branches of the trees that formed the living building.
For the first time since his arrival in this new world James was able to consider his new found position in life. The first question that came to mind to ask Mr. Gilderwood was to inquire as to exactly what arrangements had been made to return James to England. However, the time to engage in this discussion seemed unlikely to be in the near future. It also occurred to James that he really had no idea at all as to what his role could be here in a land in which he had no previous experience. On the other hand, it was noteworthy that James’s homeland possessed considerably higher technology than this one. Perhaps he might be able to import useful ideas or technologies into this world, which resembled Earth’s nineteenth century more than it did its twentieth or twenty first. ‘If I survive…..,’ thought James. James’s life appeared to be in much greater jeopardy here than at home. ‘If I survive…..’, James considered grimly, and he realized that he had never before had this thought in his mind.
Celeste emerged with two enormous leather packs and handed one to James. “We must hurry Sir James,” she insisted. “The opportunity to heal the wounded ends with the setting sun. Even now, they rush to find Mr. Gilderwood.” Celeste panned her gaze up and down the slope. “Oh, by the Gods! Where is he now?” questioned Celeste and then turned to James and asked. “Have you seen him? We must depart!”
“I am ready, dear Celeste,” remarked Oakleaf, as he emerged from a particularly dark spot under what appeared to be an impenetrable brush. In each hand the ancient wizard carried weathered leather satchels filled to bursting with bundled herbs. “The carnage must be terrible indeed.”
The trio continued the descent to the valley floor. A short distance below his home site the forest opened into a remarkable set of terraced garden beds, each held together by hand built stone structures. The variety of plant species was dazzling. Each was miraculously well tended, with different colors and textures of soil visible under some of the crops. Web like coverings, resembling translucent tents, protected some plants from the weather, with other crops open to the weather. As they descended James sensed an increasing temperature gradient and the types of plants also differed. James sensed this was also intentional. The terraces stretched below them, and there were more than 3000 feet of vertical difference between Gilderwood’s home and the floor of the valley.
Celeste turned to comment,”The gardens of Mr. Gilderwood are the greatest on Earth. There are plants and soils from every continent present here,” observed Celeste, as she continued to match the wizard's pace. A look forward on the path noted to James the presence of a tall soldier, clad in an earth colored uniform. The fabric of the uniform was elaborately sewn to produce a series of ridges of alternating dark brown and tan coloured folds that cascaded over one another. Over his shoulder was slung a metal shield adorned with fancy gold leaf layered over ornately molded letters: a large W followed by a similarly sized F. On his metal helmet, three long feathers were mounted reaching high above his head and leaning at odd angles, and one of the stems was cracked and bent. He was scorched and bleeding, and accompanied by three other lesser men, also dressed in similar but less ornate uniforms. Each sported an enormous sword.
“Ah, Sir Gilderwood!” exclaimed the officer, visibly pleased by the wizard's presence. “Sorely you are needed on the battlefield. May we be of assistance to you or your acolytes?” asked the man, first casting his eyes in an unsettling manner in the direction of Celeste and then in amazement at James. Clearly he had no idea what to make of the young citizen of Orkney. Celeste sneered back at the man with open contempt, and then handed her pack to one of the lesser soldiers, gesturing towards James to do the same with his. Celeste grasped the handle of her war hammer and detached it from her belt, hoisting it between herself and the commanding officer in an almost threatening manner. Celeste looked as ferocious as an angry bobcat for a moment, causing the officer to look elsewhere, anywhere really, to avoid Celeste’s scowl. The group formed a line down the trail, soldiers in the lead and James bringing up the rear. James resolved to try to avoid offending Celeste in the future.
The stench of cordite, death and something else that was intensely disturbing greeted the band as they entered the battlefield. Moaning, screaming and occasional gunshots permeated the air. James observed a soldier using a pistol at close range on the bodies of the giant war dogs that had been earlier engaged with the Sisters battle group. Apparently, he was charged with ensuring they were entirely dead.
Oakleaf’s first impulse was to proceed directly towards the group of women, some of whom appeared wounded and one of which was lying motionless on the ground. The officer began to raise an objection but the wizards scowl quickly put him in his place.
Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
“When you have finished assisting the injured sisters I hope that you will be able to find time to administer to my soldiers, Sir Gilderwood,” commented the officer, and then continued, “We have set up a makeshift hospital tent next to the copse of trees.”
“Indeed I shall, Captain Schartzkoff!” replied Oakleaf, and then he directed the soldiers carrying the packs to set them next to the Sister’s battlegroup.
“It is as I feared Sir Gilderwood. One of our sisters has perished!” cried Celeste, tears welling up in her eyes. “Oh dear! Oh dear! Oh dear!” she continued. “It is Bernadette!” and indeed James noted that the young woman appeared dead, with her chest crushed by the jaws of one of the beasts that had attacked earlier. Three Sisters tended the formerly beautiful young woman, gently arranging the body on a litter, constructed of recently gathered wood wrapped with fabric.
“Does she still breathe,” queried Oakleaf.
“Nay,” replied the powerful woman, older than the rest who appeared to be their leader, and then she added grimly, “And no heartbeat, neither, Mr. Gilderwood. Do you suppose that there is any hope sir?” she asked with a pleading look in her eyes.
“We shall see. We shall see,” commented Oakleaf, as he considered his options. Which options might assist this woman seemed inconceivable to James. He doubted if a modern London hospital would have anything to offer anybody in this condition. What anyone here thought might be done in the middle of a field with backpacks full of dried herbs was enough to boggle James’s mind. Were these people crazy?
“What of the others, Sister Williamson?” asked Oakleaf.
“Broken bones, lacerations, and an internal injury,” replied the Sister directly.
“All right!” stated Oakleaf with great determination. “We will deal with the others later. In the meantime we shall see what is possible to do for lovely Bernadette. It certainly would not do, to carry on without her enthusiastic presence!” and then gesturing towards Celeste, he continued, “And certainly, my most able bodied and competent of all assistants cannot be without her closest friend. Let us begin our work.”
With that determination Oakleaf bade Celeste to move in beside him next to the litter containing Bernadette’s crushed body. The wizard’s hands moved quickly as he gathered a dozen different herbs from the assortment Celeste arranged for his use. Gently he placed small amounts over several of the most egregious wounds and then crushed a handful of mixed herbs into a small clay bowl, festooned with spirals and vines. Next he removed a brown glass bottle from one of the packs, opened it, and poured some of the contained liquid over the crushed herbs. Colors emerged from the powders and ran together as he agitated the mixture. A faint mist arose from the bowl. Next he raised the head of the young lady, opened her lips and poured some of the liquid into the mouth of the perished beauty, finishing up by gently lowering her head back onto the litter. The wizard raised his staff above the woman.
A low hum arose from inside Oakleaf Gilderwood, as he began to utter strange words again, although unlike during the battle where he cast his spells from the Summit of the Elders, this time his incantations took the form of a gentle song. The notes and words carried a note of immense sadness, almost a pleading tone.
“He seeks her soul, across the Great Divide,” explained Celeste. “He will summon her to return to her body. Many souls resent his efforts to return them to this world. Sometimes, he must persuade them,” insisted Celeste.
The tone of the song changed, becoming more energetic and powerful. Oakleaf was sweating as if engaged in a supreme effort. “Bernadette is near! Encourage her!” exhorted the wizard. “Sisters! Bring her back to the land of the living!”
Immediately the sisters broke their silence with pleading and encouragement, calling all manner of pleas towards the fallen warrior woman. “Bernadette return! Sister! Your work is unfinished! There remain agents of Chaos for you to slay, dear Bernadette!” Each called in their own way including Celeste. Oakleaf continued to sing and rubbed his hands over the terrible wounds where he had previously applied the herbal mixture. A mist, then a smoke arose from wherever he touched and then from her mouth and nose. James was shocked to observe the young woman’s tissues beginning to knit themselves back together. Her ribcage was re-inflating and even some of her spilled blood flowed back up and into her body.
She coughed! And then she cursed, screaming in pain, but the knitting of tissues continued to accelerate. A few more moments of extreme discomfort and she was suddenly well enough to sit herself up and look around wide eyed at her Sisters. Celeste hugged her deeply, tears in both of their eyes. “Bernadette!” she gasped, “You are alive!”
Clearly overwhelmed by her experience and shaking her head from side to side Bernadette replied “I had journeyed far into the realm of the dead, and I could see my mother in the distance. I felt compelled to make my way towards her but Mr. Gilderwood stood between us. I did my best to convince him to let me join my mother, to no avail. Eventually he forced me to turn back. Only then did I hear you all, and the things you said convinced me to return to this land of pain and suffering!”
Amazingly to James, Sister Bernadette then returned to her feet and began tending to the others and their wounds. Soon, with the green clad wizard’s assistance, all of the Sister’s wounds received in battle were healed. By the time this was accomplished the Captain’s patience was tried to its limit. He pleaded to Oakleaf, “Sir Gilderwood! I implore you! My men also require assistance.” The exhausted wizard nodded, acknowledging his understanding of the situation and gathering his possessions, he arose.
“Young James, dear Celeste, we have further work to do,” said Oakleaf Gilderwood, and in response to these words James turned to follow Emerald mage. Celeste gathered her packs and lifted her war hammer to her shoulder, following behind James and the two older men. They moved towards a group of knights, clad in finery, who were encircling a fallen horse and two injured horsemen.
Suddenly, halfway across the clearing an ear splitting scream split the air, “It lives!” yelled the female voice, obviously terrified.
James turned quickly, only to be confronted by the terrifying scene of an injured but still mobile, giant war hound galloping towards him, jaws extended, revealing blood covered teeth. James turned to flee but slipped clumsily to one knee, then curled his head downwards to prepare for the blow which would inevitably come.
Instead, a hideous yell filled the air, and when James recovered his wits enough to look, his gaze was rewarded by seeing Celeste delivering a final, this time fatal, hammer blow to the horrific creature's head. “It dies,” commented Celeste.