baggage."
Reluctantly, and somewhat awkwardly, Gideon climbed onto the beast.
Ragan then told Bessa that for their own safety, they should tell anyone who would inquire about them that they had never been there.
Gideon bade a heavy-hearted farewell to the Valora family. Although he had known them for only a few short hours, he liked them and was sorry he had to leave. He did not want anything to happen to them, especially since they had been so nice to him.
"Perhaps I will stop here again in the future, Bessa," he said. "Thank you for everything. Good-bye."
Then, with Ragan guiding his elax by the harness straps, he waved farewell to the Valoras, and the two travelers proceeded down the stone roads that led west.
After about three hours, Gideon's backside began to ache.
"Ragan," he moaned between jolting strides, "this pace is killing me. Can't we stop and rest? I mean, how far is it to this Tetherin anyway? Will a five- or ten-minute rest stop hurt?"
It seemed like every other word that left his lips came out like a hiccup because he was bouncing up and down on the elax's back.
"That is normal and to be expected from someone who does not ride often. We do need a rest, but we will take it a little later on. Can your posterior wait until then?" asked Ragan, smiling slightly.
"I guess it can hold out another ten minutes or so, but not much longer."
He felt heavier and was doing his best just to keep from falling off his mount. To keep his mind off his aching buttocks, he decided to ask some more questions of his traveling companion. After all, Pyne had told him that Ragan would answer all his questions. He decided, after a moment, to address a question that had been bothering him since it was brought up.
Gideon spoke with some loudness as Ragan had moved ahead, "Ragan, you mentioned something about the Dark One. Who is that, if you don't mind my asking? This Dormas guy?"
"Do not speak that name so loudly, heedless of its implications," growled Ragan as he spun violently in his saddle to face him.
Gideon balked.
"I am sorry, young one. I momentarily forgot that you are unaware when it comes to the ways of this world and its fears. Forgive my outburst. The uttering of that vile name fills me—and all free folk—with disgust. The Dark One I was referring to is Dormas, the rebel lord of Errada. He is what you might call a greater power or deity.
"Long ago, when this world was young, after the Eternals finished creating the multiverse, the Erradans returned to the key world of Illúmaril. Then the Lords of Errada were united. They created many of the beasts and races that still exist on this world, and when it was their time, the Erradans awoke those first races of Illúmaril from their sleep. Dormas was one of those creators. At the time, he too was 'of the light.' Nevertheless, even the core of the most pure can be rotted with the proper temptation. Such was Dormas's destiny.
"Dormas's temptation was an unquenchable thirst for power, and it was this that drew the attention of the entity Sorgoth. This powerful vile entity of the void persuaded Dormas with visions and promises of power and turned him against the other Erradan lords.
"The ruler of the Lords of Errada then, as now, was and is the wise and noble Adon, who, though elected king, had no more power than the other Eternals.
"Dormas hated Adon because his own power was far superior to that of his ruler, and he felt that might and knowledge should make the ruler. Since he could not openly challenge Adon for the crown, Dormas sulked in his halls, twisting and manipulating the structures that make up life."
"Genes?" asked Gideon excitedly. "You mean he was a genetic engineer? A scientist?"
"In one sense," said the wizard after a moment's thought. "Though his methods were far different from anything you would have learned on Earth. In the course of time, he created many things, though some were unnatural, abominations that he hid in the deep cave systems under the world, where they still wait to be freed. Eventually, through his own sources, Adon and some of the other Erradans discovered Dormas's coveted secrets and called him to council.
"'Dormas, my brother,' he said, 'I understand that you are perverting the blessed matter of life that the Lords of Creation gave to us for safekeeping and are twisting it into things so tormented by their deformities that they are mad. Why do you do this, my brother?'
"And Dormas scorned him by saying, 'Do you not know, O Omnipotent One?'
"However, Adon knew more than Dormas realized, and he said, 'Be comforted, my brother, for though you are not king, you are a prince in the realms of Errada.'
"This Dormas pondered for a moment and then laughed sarcastically and said, 'I do not wish to be a prince. I wish to be king! Were it not for your mewling and compensations to your inner circle of friends, I would be.'
"Adon grew angered at these words, saying, 'You forget yourself, Dormas. I am king. I was elected by the free will of the majority of beings of Errada and the Lords of Errada. All, that is, but you. I will tell you this, Dormas, the Lords of Errada held secret council discussing the possibility of you as our leader, but because of your instability, we had to decline the motion. One cannot rule as an absolute. The vice of power makes rulers unjust and of no benefit to the subjects they rule. Therefore, their trust and authority become unworthy. Above all, Dormas, a ruler needs compassion and benevolence for all his subjects or his responsibility as the sovereign leader is meaningless.'
"To this, Dormas said to Adon, 'Compassion is a fool's device! Fear is what our creatures need to keep them loyal to us, the fear of annihilation and retribution. O, great king and brother, I fear you have grown soft in your limited omniscience. And I shall not follow a soft liege.'"
"Nice guy," quipped Gideon sarcastically. "What happened then?" He found himself enjoying Ragan's storytelling manner.
"Dormas left Errada and came to Illúmaril. He settled on Ascalon, in the lands now called Morthaurnan, built a vast city within a mountain fortress he created called Gorhaudfuin, and proclaimed himself king and the lord of the world. For many years, he dwelt in isolation, creating creatures to live in his kingdom. During this time, he created the Urshkaar as his primary soldiers, the Urakeen, and most of the other dark folk of the world, including trollkin, dread giants, ogres, and such. Then, as a gift from Sorgoth, Dormas was given the Charachau, deadly warriors from the one of the outer planes. Dormas modified these creatures with his power, and they became demonspawn. These Charachau became the first of many terrors to walk the land created or gathered by Dormas. The Charachau only live to serve and fight and fight to serve and live.
"When the Firstborn of the people you might call elves came to Ascalon from Alorion, he lured some down the path of evil and made them into the Dark Elves, his first great servants. The greatest most powerful and skilled of these Dark Elves became the Valharri, 'lords of power.' In time, Dormas created a vast army of such power and size that he decided the time was right to seize dominion and take Errada. He then declared war on his Erradan brethren and all that they stood for and created. After four great wars and defeats, Dormas eventually had a powerful spellweave placed on him called the Interdiction of the Guardians, which effectively prevents him from physically entering the world in any form, even spiritually to a degree."
"And where is he now?" asked Gideon.
"He still remains outside, thankfully," replied Ragan. "But there are those loyal to him who would see
