The Hollow Grove: The Companions [Book 2]

[50] Lord Vöhl | The Tomb of Valor

Lord Vöhl paced his throne room, finally stopping to stare down at his newest map. This one contained more hash marks than the previous one. More sections of the land searched, yet so many undiscovered. With each village burned, they took more captives. The Elders mostly. He found them easy to break, but they only told him old tales and legends. Still, they narrowed his initial search down to the northwest territories of the Eastern lands.

Only the Druids, the keepers of the stones, knew their true location. He could not wait to get his hands on just one of them. How I would make him squeal, he thought. He assumed they magicked some sort of protection around it to hide it from prying eyes.

"My Lord." Muxluk poked his head through his main door.

Vöhl shook his head. "I grow tired of these interruptions. Unless you have something of dire importance..."

"Wrent has returned!"

"Who is this Wrent? What of Drukha? What of my Hashasi-asal?"

"Drukha fell at the hands of the enemy, my Lord."

Vöhl stormed toward Muxluk. The black roots of his arms spread wide ready to swipe.

"Yet his mission was successful!" The Goblin pleaded.

Vöhl let the vines slacken. "Tell me."

"One of his men, Wrent, claims he discovered the location of Green Haven."

"Bring him to me."

Muxluk left and returned with the Assassin. Wrent limped forward. The Shaman healers bandaged his bent arm to his body to to heal. Shoulder wound, thought Vöhl remembering getting the same thing done to himself in his past life. They cut off the right side of his tunic to get at other wounds and covered them with healing mud.

"What happened?" asked Vöhl. "Don't leave out the slightest detail."

Wrent told his tale of the Vargurs crazed reaction, then the Faeling appearing out of nowhere.

"Though I wished to fight," said Wrent, "Drukha made me flee to get you the location."

"Were you followed?"

The Hobgoblin winced and clutched at his arm. "No. I led them east, circled back, and struck them from behind. Though, I suffered many wounds."

"You've done well, Wrent," said Vöhl. "Muxluk, see to it that he gets the best of aid. You will be paid in compensation. I reward my Hashasi-asal well. Since your...pack...did not return with you, half their share is yours."

Wrent bowed. "My Lord is generous."

"And half is yours, Captain," the leader said to Muxluk. "You've earned it."

The Goblin nodded and grinned his thanks.

Vöhl crossed his limbs in deep thought. "But we will not rest on our new found glory. Ready the troops. We march as quickly as we're able. The Hobgoblin will ride with me."

[][][]

"A mausoleum," said Kayla. She stared in amazement at the beauty of the white stone structure. At first glance it appeared to be carved from a single massive stone, but she could not tell for sure. In front of her stood a set of Ironwood doors, and next to those, a more Dragon-sized pair. Fluted pillars bordered each portal and a relief carving decorated the entire front wall on either side of the doors. Two Dragons in flight with each carrying a Knight.

"This is the Tomb of Valor," said Arataas. Still in his guise, he spread his hands wide in display. "Inside, we will find what you need." He pulled on the smaller set of doors, but they didn't budge.