Chapter 5: Ambush

I stepped through the portal and found that it was dark on the other side. Immediately a sword was placed against my throat and a voice hissed, "So what do we have here?"

Immediately the armour deployed itself, the collar rising up between the blade of his sword and my skin, and it upset my captor so much that he jumped back. "By the Highest One! Witchcraft and Sorcery!" He said making the sign that I was now used to seeing.

I turned to face the man; the visor was now showing his features as if it was pure daylight. I drew Twilight and pointed it back at him, returning the favour. "That wasn't Witchcraft, but this sword is! May I introduce you to Twilight!" I turned the sword and in the half-light the runes seemed to shine.

The man's eyes widened, "But that is Edward's blade, the demon sword! How did you get it? You're not Edward I know that whore-son's face well!" He said and from the venom in his tone I didn't think they would get on.

"I killed Edward and took this blade from his lifeless hands! Declare yourself! Are you for Hubert and Brak Distar?" I asked as Twilight caressed his throat.

He managed to safely turn his head and spit onto the ground, "Nay! I'm against them and their ilk! We're all waiting for the true lord to return to the land when things will be as they should be!" He straightened up as if daring me to run him through.

I nodded and stood back, sheathing Twilight as I did so "Good, I'm against Hubert and I've declared him outlaw! The woman yonder is under my protection!" I said, the man made a sign and his men released their holds on my people. The only ones not doing so were currently freed by Genius who was in her wolf state.

"Genius, it's okay. They're friendly!" I called to her, and as if taking its cue from me the armour returned to its normal state. Genius gave a yap and then went to where Brenda was standing, changing back to her human form as she did so.

"By the Highest One, what is that woman?" The man asked shocked at what he saw.

She is also the lady's protector; I wouldst warn you against attacking either of them." I said and then added, "My name is John."

He looked at me, "I thank you for your trust in me, I am called Forester, as I live mainly in the forest here. Wouldst you come with us to our camp? We have plenty of game to keep us supplied." He offered.

I have to admit that after this piece of action I needed a rest, some of the men were flagging as well, and so we accepted his offer. The tent and duplicator were picked up by more of my men, much to the interest of Forester's men.

During our walk, we had been forced to leave our horses behind the portal when we entered Turch Malic, Forester tried to gain information from me.

"Tell me John, from whence doest you hail?"

I smiled, "Well recently, we've just travelled from Turch Malic." I said in a conversational tone of voice.

"From where? And you are still sane? What type of person are you?" Was his astonished reply.

"Turch Malic! And with precautions the land is easily traversed." I told him simply.

He looked at me, "Please sir, you're obviously a mage of great power! What spell didst you use? Our mage would be grateful to learn it!" He said anxiously.

I laughed and held up a mask, "There is no magic, no spells! Just this simple face-mask, if a person wears it when the wind is blowing in Turch Malic then he can walk on that land without fear." I told him. I expected him to ask more questions but he just nodded.

"Then John something like that wouldst help us. There are many plains available through that land that, due to the danger of the wind, no one wouldst dare take the path. May I request the boon of having some of these items; they would be most gratefully received." I don't know who this man thought he was, but the more he spoke the more he reminded me of Uriah Heep from Dickens.

I nodded, "We have several spares should you need some, but I would not want to hear that you used them to attack others weaker than yourselves!" I admonished him.

"You came into our forest through the portal! Many who have done that were so mad that they harmed themselves before we could help them. It was for that reason only that caused me to use my blade to you. That was all John." He said and I could hear the truth in his words. "Forsooth, if I had a suit of armour like yours I wouldst be brave to face many men." He added.

I shook my head, "I'm sorry Forester, but I conjured this suit and I've found that I can only make one of any item, I did create a..." I paused I didn't want the secret of the duplicator to be shared just yet. "Number of the face masks but that was a sheer mistake." I continued hoping he didn't notice, but it did make me think ... why not duplicate the armour and let Gerald have one and possibly Brother Pieter the other — I don't know why I didn't include Brenda in the list? Just getting into the flow of the land? I still don't know.

But my thoughts were derailed by Forester hitting me on the back in friendship, "Great, I knew this trip would be worth it. The Brother at the camp told me it would! He said 'You will meet a traveller from a far off land, who has much to do in this world!' I have to say that most of what he tells is gibberish, but then you never know!" he added with a wink.

"Well I'm not from around here, but when I was asked to help I just couldn't say no, could I?" I told him

He laughed, "Why not? You never know what might happen? It could be very dangerous! No, never just accept what's offered, you might never return!" He told me seriously with the air of an Army Private who learnt the hard way. (Never Volunteer!)

"Well it took me away from my life and has given me this new one, so it's not all that bad." I said with a laugh.

"It must have been so different from this to make you seem so happy about it."

"It was very different, where I'm from is nothing like this, although it used to be many years ago." I said.

"Ah yes, then the Barons started to clear the lands I suppose?" Forester asked slightly interested.

"Something like that, but how do you survive here in the forest? I would have thought that game was scarce around here." I asked.

"We are expert hunters, you'll be surprised how much game is available here, and of course from other realms we now trade with, but the Bastard Distar is causing us problems in these areas." He spat to the ground again

"How can he stop you?" I asked him

"His tame mages send spells to disrupt the portals, we wouldst open one to find that the other side goes to some ice-swept land where a person would freeze to death, in fact many of my people have been lost like that!" he shook his head sadly.

"Why is he doing this?" I asked although I could have worked out the answer for myself.

"He wants to take over the trade in all the lands of Brenham. In this way he thinks that he will be able to keep his boot upon the necks of the people, and thereby forcing them to obey him!" Forester didn't strike me as a man to give up easily and I said so. He laughed, "No, whatever he does we still find a way to act. Our tame cleric does his best to anchor the portals it's just that Distar's wizards are many to our one. But we still fight!" He said with a smile.

"I'm glad to hear it." I said and we walked on. When Forester left me the armour spoke to me.

"Excuse me sir, I know you've lost the instructions but I have to warn you that you will not be able to copy me in the duplicator!" It said urgently.

"Oh really? And why is that?" I asked him.

"It's a simple matter really, I'm a copyrighted item and so should a copy of me be made then I would automatically shut-down and negate any duplication system, making both systems inoperable, I don't think this would be what you need." It said in a panicky voice, that's if a machine can appear to panic.

"I don't want to disable either unit just yet, so I'll leave that alone." I said.

"Thank you sir, I just thought I better mention this before anything untoward happened." The armour said sounding relieved.

While we were walking Gerald made his way to me, "Lord John, do you think it's wise to remain with these people, we know nothing about them. How can we say that they will not try to harm the Lady Brenda?" He said.

I shook my head, "I trust him, he may be a bandit, but he's against Hubert and Brak Distar!" I said my mind made up.

Gerald shook his head, "That's the trouble with bandits, they change sides when it's expedient, I don't like the look of him!"

"But while we are here we're going to stay with them! They've offered us protection while we are here, and I think that after Turch Malic we need some rest." I said - in what I have learnt to use as my 'Lord of the Manor' tone.

Gerald glared at me but then nodded, "If that is what you've decided, my Lord." He said and then moved away to the head of the line with Forester. I was soon joined by Brother Pieter he was hesitant about talking to me, especially after my admonishing him for his wanting to use the other men for an experiment I need to do.

"Well Brother, are you going to say what is on your mind?" I asked him quietly.

"My Lord I have to apologise for my words earlier, you were right! I was wrong to advise you to use the peasants' as I did. You said I was to be your confessor and priest, which would also include the souls of your men! We should have had prisoners with whom to test!" he said

I shook my head, "You haven't learnt everything just yet Brother Pieter! All life should be held sacred, everyone has a life to live and it's up to us to respect them for that! Not waste them needlessly!" I told him.

"I'm sorry My Lord, but your attitude is not as other Lords would be. I find it hard to follow your reasoning."

"Look at it like this Brother. I grew up in a world where Lords are not as here. I'm not used to pushing people down, and so I try to help them in my own way and to show them how to better themselves." I could see that he still didn't understand and so I went back to my 'Lord' tone, "And that is what I have decreed for my people, to improve their lot in life." I said

Brother Pieter blinked, "If that is what you have decided Lord." He said with a bow as he returned to his previous position.

The next person to approach me was Genius, who had left Brenda with Gerald. "My Lord, may I speak to you?" She asked.

I smiled at her, "I thought you were?" I said but at her blank look I sighed and nodded, "Yes Genius you may."

"My Lord, I have listened to Gerald's words." She said, although she had been near the back of the procession I believed her.

"And you agree with him that I shouldn't trust Forester?" I said questioningly.

"Not at all my Lord, The man feels good. He hasn't mistreated the forest but used it intelligently; I was going to say that we wouldst be safe with him." She hesitated slightly so I knew that there was something else.

"But?" I asked her.

She frowned and then shook her head. "I'm not sure ... there is a feeling around us, one that bodes of ill fortune to us, but I know not from where." She said and looked around, back to where Brenda was laughing with Gerald — obviously some court tit-bit that was amusing, I assumed.

"Do you think that we've got Dark Wraiths nearby?" I asked her.

"Noooo, it's nothing like that, I could smell them if they were a mile away! This is something I feel in my bones, I wouldst advise that you remain vigilant my Lord, there is danger ... if only..." She didn't finish her thought but returned to Brenda.

I noticed that Gerald smiled as Genius approached and graciously bowed to her as he relinquished his attendance to Brenda. I couldn't help but think 'just what was it that Genius had felt?'

We arrived at an encampment with what appeared to be wigwam around the place — not the mistaken tepee shapes that people confused it with but the real domed dwellings, easy to construct and to cover with moss that was plentiful in the forest.

Forester turned to me, "I wouldst be honoured if you would join me, and your two women are invited as well, my wife would be happy to meet you." He said

I turned to look to where Genius and Brenda, who was looking around at the village, were standing, I noticed that Genius was nodding and so I turned back to Forester, "Thank you Forester, we're happy to accept your invitation."

I noticed that Forester was frowning, "But what of your men, we do not have enough places for them." He said worriedly.

"We have a tent for them, do not worry." I said and, directing the men to a clearing we erected the tent firmly, I asked them if they had food and when finding out that they didn't we used the duplicator again, using the memory function to copy the MRE that it already knew about.