It was the third time in a week the Golem had arrived at the city’s gate; mouth open in a silent cry as it beat on the gate. I watched the automated action of clay fist rising and beating the gate, it’s mouth open and the sense of anguish it emanated with it hollow eyes and repetitive action. As it beat on the gate clay crumbled from it fist. I did not feel it was a danger to anyone but to err on the side caution the Duke would keep the gate closed. The Golem had arrived just after dawn and it was now noon, if it followed the pattern of the previous visits it would be leaving soon.
I sent out a tendril of energy to see if I could sense the maker or the purpose of this Golem. All I sensed was the mud with its mixture of elements carbon, nitrogen, sulphur, phosphorous, calcium, iron, silicon. A little high on the sulphur and phosphorous this could indicate that it came from the mountainous area of the Duchy. No sense arrived of who had created this mud man.
I turned to the Duke as he spoke “ We need to know where this Golem comes from and if it is the same one returning of if there are any more out there and why they are coming.” He narrowed his eyes at the disturbance. “Jax, I want you and Arwen to follow when it leaves and find out its purpose. Between you and Arwen you can deal with both physical and magical danger to city.”
Arwen banged his fist against his chest. “At your command My Lord” he responded.
I rolled my eyes behind the Duke’s back then responded. Yes My Lord” Arwen was so proper all the time, this was going to be a fun filled trip dealing with Arwen’s prejudices relating to magic and his desire to always take the straightest path to resolve any problems.
The Duke turned away saying over his shoulder. “Prepare to stay out of the city until you have found the source of these Golems.”
I started after the Duke when Arwen put out his arm in front of me. “We need to decide how we will deal with this problem.” He rumbled.
“No.” I responded we need to get our gear together and head off outside of the walls, then we can have a discussion while we are travelling” I pushed his arm aside and walked off.
After packing my gear I headed down to the stables. “Hey Creek.” I called out to the Stable Master “I need a horse for a bit of a trek to follow yon Golem along with Arwen”
Creek wave towards the stalls. “Take Dusty, she’s good for a long ride” he replied.
Dusty was particular favourite of mine. She had a placid temperament and didn’t spook when I blasted fire from her back and she had a sweet nature and easy gait which enabled me to ride hands free. As I was saddling up Dusty my straight and narrow sidekick, Arwen, arrived, He did not have a sweet nature, I don’t know of anyone else who is as uptight as he is.
He went straight to the stall that held his gelding Lancer. From the corner of my eye I saw Lancer push his head into Arwen’s chest and Arwen gently rubbed his ears and offered a carrot. Maybe he had some redeeming qualities.
Out in the courtyard I mounted Dusty, Arwen was already astride Lancer. He turned to me “The Golem has left the gate and is heading towards the mountains, you will follow my direction for your own safety.”
“Awen, we are partners in this journey if you have to use physical force I will heed your word but do NOT try to restrict anything that I need to do with magic.”
He sharply turned to the gate without acknowledging my words. I pushed Dusty to come abreast with Lancer. I had no intention of trailing along behind Awen. The Golem was had gone quite a distance ahead, for a mud creation he moved quite quickly. We galloped until we were within easy viewing and continued silently riding after the Golem.
As night drew near I sent a Starlight to float above the Golem’s head as he was not stopping. We silently rode after the Golem throughout the night. As the morning drew near I let the starlight go out and I noticed the Golem was quite a bit smaller than he had been the previous day.
“Arwen, do see the size of the Golem? It is shrinking.” I broke the silence that had been like a solid block between us throughout the night.
He turned his head towards me. “Any idea why that would be happening?” he asked.
I shook my head. “it is not something I have ever come across.”
Throughout the night we had been heading towards the mountain, now the land was starting to rise with gullies and ravines across the landscape. The Golem kept walking steadily forward getting smaller all the time. After another hour the Golem was now less than half the height it had been. I reached out with my mind. Again I sensed the mud and it components but I sensed a lot of it all around us.
“Arwen, something strange is going on, I sense lots of moving mud”. As I said this I was looking all around and through the trees I saw another Golem. “Look over there, another Golem.”
Arwen had been scanning the area “I can see four more Golem” he said
The Golem were all moving around doing something but I could not fathom what it was.
“I get a sense that they are coming and going from a valley to the off to the right” I said
“Our Golem is going in that directions as well” he replied
We arrived at the head of the valley and we saw small Golems coming from and going towards the river. We headed in that direction. Along the riverbank was a cut out. Seated in the cut out was a tiny child, a little girl who looked skin and bone, dressed in a dirty, ragged piece of cloth. She was creating small men from the mud surrounding her. When she completed a little man she kissed in on it’s muddy head and put it on a rock to dry. Others on the rocks that had dried were getting up and walking off the head off in the valley to do whatever it was they were doing.
Arwen and I shared a disbelieving look. “I leave this to your expertise” he said. “I don’t think my skills with physical force are needed here.”
I dismounted and walked towards the little girl. “Hello little one.”
The child’s eyes turned towards me and a brilliant smile spread across her face. She dropped the mud she had in her hands and raised her arms to me. I went over to pick her up.
“What are you doing here all by yourself” I asked. She didn’t respond to my words but I felt a small foreign touch in my mind.
“What is your name?” She didn’t respond. “Can you talk to me.” Again I felt that tiny feather light touch in my mind.
I looked over to Arwen. “I don’t think she can talk” I said.
“She looks like she need food” he said as he started to create a fire.
I felt a bump against my leg, looking down I saw a Golem carrying berries. “The Golem’s have been feeding her”
“Is that usual? Arwen responded.
I settled her down by the fire and the Golem dropped the berries and another came along with some more berries and dropped them.
The little girl kept smiling her beautiful smile as we fed her and got ready to head back to city. I could not get a word out of her but whenever I asked a question I felt the tiny touch in my head. As we returned to the city I remembered something I had read in The Book of Auguries, an augury that had been prophesised in the time of the current Duke’s father.
Take heed of the Silent Child who bring warning
Of the war to come with the unknowable enemy
The Blood Drinker and Magic Eaters
Who come from the place beyond time.
