Chapter 6 - Journey to the Hermit

The boys had been spellbound by Kylus' tale.  As Kylus paused, a deafening silence overtook the cave.  Finally, Andres spoke up.  "So, how did you find us?" he asked.

Kylus became agitated and started pacing around some more.  "If you would stop interrupting me, I would get to that!" he muttered.  Andres turned to Cable and silently mouthed the words, "What did I do?"  Cable just shrugged and turned once again toward Kylus.

"After I reached this portion of the cave," the hairy man continued, "I saw a glimmer of light.  I followed the shaft of light and found a small opening to the outside.  I immediately crawled out, relieved at being able to breathe fresh air.  For awhile, I'd wondered if I'd ever make it outside again.

"After catching my bearings and realized where I was, I headed back to the woods where I had been hunting just a few hours earlier.  I felt bad about having left the elk lying dead on the forest floor.  So I snuck back through the woods, found the body, and dragged him back to this cave.  It took hours, for the elk was heavy, and the woods were teeming with black knights.  But the more of those rogues that I saw, the more determined I became to get the elk back to my hideout.  I would not leave the beast for those villains to devour!

"Finally, I reached the cave.  I made the opening larger, dragged the elk in, and then pulled some brush over the opening to conceal it.  Well, the next day or two was spent dressing the elk and drying the meat.  I lived off the meat of that elk for a month.  I didn't dare to hunt again, for I could constantly hear people walking through the woods, as though searching for me.  But after a few weeks, it seemed as though they gave up looking.

"Do you see those bones in the corner?" Kylus asked, turning back toward the boys.  "Well, that is the elk.  His name is Ralph.  He's been my only company all these years.  Haven't you, Ralph?"  At this point, Kylus went over and patted the elk's skull.  Cable shook his head; Andres chuckled inside.

"Ever since that time, I have wandered through these woods, watching," Kylus continued, pulling himself away from Ralph.  "Well, last night, I laid down to sleep, but my soul was agitated.  I couldn't relax.  So I went outside and gazed at the stars.  The full moon was out; it was a beautiful night.  I decided that I'd go hunting.

"But as I was heading out, a flap of wings startled me.  I looked up and--for the first time in 10 years--I saw the owl.  There was no doubt; it was the same owl that had led me to the trap door in the castle.  As I stared, it slowly rose through the air and headed down toward the river.  I figured I should follow.  Perhaps this was the moment I'd been prepared for all these years!  I reached the riverbank after a five-minute walk.  And there you lay, gasping for air.  Not only that, but a stranger in a canoe was pursuing you!  I didn't know who it was, so I fired a couple of arrows toward him, just to scare him a bit.  He changed course, and I dragged you up to the cave."

The boys marveled as they heard Kylus conclude his tale.  Could it have been the same owl that had guided them down the river?  Cable asked, "So mister, how did we get to the riverbank?  The last thing I can remember, we were about to tumble over the waterfall."

Kylus replied, "I don't know, son.  I don't know how you got there.  This is strange, very strange.  The wolves howling, the man pursuing...I just don't understand it."  He paused and turned toward the bones.  "What do you make of it, Ralph?"

The elk remained silent.  Kylus nodded.

At this point, Cable grabbed the ring that was dangling around his neck and showed it to Kylus.  "Do you think it has something to do with this?" he asked.

Kylus peered intently at the ring.  He grasped it gingerly and looked at it from every possible angle.  "Could it be?" he turned to the bones and asked.  Ralph was still silent.

"Could it be what?" Cable asked.

"Well...if it is what I think it is, you are in great danger."  Kylus walked over to the mouth of the cave and listened.  "Listen," he said at last, "while it is still somewhat dark, it is important that you leave.  The stranger is still pursuing you.  If you stay here, I fear that you--and I--may be found.  Already, I hear a stirring among the birds.  A search party will soon be sent.  You must go!"

"Go where?" asked Andres, feeling suddenly a bit nervous.

"You must go see The Hermit," Kylus replied.  "He will explain everything.  I could tell you more, much more, but there is no time.  Here, grab your satchels and follow me."

The boys did as Kylus said.  As they came to the mouth of the cave, Kylus turned to them and gave them some parting instructions.  "As you leave this cave, turn to the left.  In a few yards, you will come out to an open field.  You must run across this field as though your life depends up on it...for it does!  At the far end of the field, you will see a towering fir tree.  This marks the start of a trail.  If you stay on this trail, you will be safe.  It is narrow and, in some cases, a little hard to follow.  But you will be safe, for Slumbutter's henchmen have not yet discovered it."

"Who is Slumbutter?" asked Cable, who was the master of asking questions in order to delay having to do something he really didn't feel like doing.

Kylus growled.  "There is no time for questions!" he declared.  But relenting a bit, he continued.  "He's the wicked king of this realm.  At least, he calls himself 'king'.  But he's a thug, as is his right-hand man, Prince Dor-ko.  They rule the Kingdom of Aberdeen with an iron fist.  If I'm right, my guess is that part of your job is to help restore the rightful king to this land...whoever that might be.  But off you go!

"Oh, and one more thing...as you follow the trail, after while you'll notice a road lying off to your left.  Do not go to the road!  If someone needs help--if they really need help--then you may lend a hand.  But other than that, stay away!  The trail will be your guide.  It will wind high into the mountains.  When the trail reaches its peak, you will find yourself at the foot of a cliff.  The Hermit dwells atop the cliff.  That is where you must go."

"How will we get up the cliff?" asked Cable.

"You will find out when you get there.  No one ever finds out until they get there.  Just remember--beware of the road.  And never choose the easier path over the more difficult one. 

"Now, on your way.  The open field is visible to the enemy, but hopefully he sleeps and you will be safe.  I would go with you, but my calling is to watch, not to guide.  So run!  Who knows if all of Aberdeen has awaited your arrival?"

With those words implanted in their ears, the boys emerged out of the cave.  The sun had not yet risen, though the full moon still shone.  The boys turned to the left and ran.  They broke into the open field, fixed the fir tree in their sights, and raced across the open field.  In some ways, this was not unusual--the boys raced wherever they went, and Cable usually won.  This time was not different, except that this time, they really didn't care who won.  They just didn't want to get killed by an arrow flung from an unseen enemy.

The boys soon reached the tree, apparently without incident.  They found the trail and resumed their strange journey.  The boys moved quickly at first.  As the sun rose, a towering cliff was visible in the distance.  They immediately recognized it as their goal, and they pressed on with vigor.

As the hours wore on, the trail grew steeper, and the boys grew weary.  They eventually saw the road off to their left, and they made every effort to conceal themselves from the people and animals that walked on it.  But secretly, they wished they could dash over to the road and catch a ride on one of the horse-drawn wagons.  They could see people munching on fruit, and it made their own hunger all the more unbearable.

Eventually, in the late afternoon, they came to a fork in the trail.  One leg continued upward, while the other descended downward.  Andres looked down longingly.  He was tired of going up.  "Hey Cable," he said, "why don't we head down this trail just a little bit.  Maybe there is an apple tree or something.  I'm starved."

Before Cable could chastise his brother for wanting to choose the easier route, they heard footsteps.  A man came around the corner of the trail, a hood drawn tightly over his head.  The boys were startled--it was the first person they had encountered on the trail all day.  Andres reached into his satchel and pulled out a coin.  "Excuse me, sir," he said, offering the coin.  "Do you happen to have any food we could buy?  My brother and I are about to die of hunger."

The hooded man paused and looked at the coin.  Andres tried to see his face, but could only see his eyes.  His eyes seemed to sparkle.  "Well," he said at last, "you don't look like you're starving.  But it's easy to work up an appetite here in the mountains."  He reached into his pockets, pulling out the reddest, shiniest apples the boys had ever seen.  "Keep your money, my friend.  Take and eat."

Andres sunk his teeth into the apple without another thought.  The more cautious Cable paused for a moment before eating, as though waiting to see if Andres would keel over from poisoning.  When he seemed assured that Andres would be all right, he too grabbed an apple and ate.  It was the juiciest apple he had ever eaten.  They couldn't have imagined a more refreshing morsel of food.  After having eaten just one, they felt completely refreshed.

The hooded man took his walking stick and snapped in in half over his knee.  He handed each half to one of the boys.  "You'll find that these will make your journey easier," he said.  "Now, let's be going."

"Where are you going?" asked Cable.

"I'm going to find my son," said the hooded man.  He then grew silent, and the boys asked no more questions.

After perhaps two more miles of hiking through the mountains, the hooded man suggested that they pull into a clearing and rest.  The boys felt assured in the man's presence, as though they hadn't a care in the world.  They fell asleep immediately.

When they awoke the next morning, the hooded man was gone.

As the boys continued on their journey, hunger gnawed at their stomachs once again.  Suddenly they heard a cry coming from the nearby road.  "Help!  My cart is broken down!" the voice called out.

"Let's go help him," Andres whispered.  "Kylus said we could help someone if they needed it."

"I think we'd better just go," Cable replied.

But Andres would not be deterred.  He left the trail and walked quietly through the woods toward the road.  When his view was clear, he could see a cart loaded with fruit on the side of the road.  A wheel had fallen off.  A boy was trying, in utter futility, to replace it.

Andres couldn't get his eyes off the fruit.  It didn't look quite as red and shiny as the hooded man's fruit.  But it still looked good.  And he was hungrier now than he was when he'd met the hooded man.  Unable to resist--and not wanting to resist--he burst out of the woods.  "Can I help?" he asked.

Cable, unwilling to let his brother go out alone, followed him.

The boy seemed startled, then smiled.  Andres thought this was a strange reaction.  But then he looked up.

On the other side of the cart, a man stood up.  He was a tall man, and his jaw stuck out to the right.  He said nothing; his sneer said enough.  The boys gasped.  The stranger who had come to their village had found them.