Legends of Noth-Saria: The Eve of Book One

Dawn arrived hastily and light finally reached the darkest frontiers of the forest. The shadows of night were overtaken and the remaining darkness scurried into the deepest hiding spots among the roots of the trees.

Dango awoke the earliest. As he got up he peered above at the little clefts where the pale blue sky shown. Tall evergreens surrounded the two nobbins, fencing them in on all sides. Dazzling rays of sunlight pierced in from the canopy and splashed everywhere, casting thin streaks of gold upon the bark and the damp floor. Now the rock of the slope was completely smothered by fresh sparkling blades of grass and moss that looked like a thick blanket of dark green carpet.

Soon Dart also opened his eyes. Then the companions ate their breakfast speedily. The sun flashed from above, slowly toasting them like a campfire. When they were done they set off again, climbing higher and higher; drawing nearer and nearer to the majestic spires of Amloth. The forest ceased to part from them as it climbed along. By now the slope was getting steeper and down far below was the great valley of Greenhollow bathed in a veil of mist. To the nobbins’ far right were ranks upon ranks of tree-clad ridges.

Suddenly the trees halted. A few yards up was barren and rocky. An enormous white cliff hung over them like the wall of a fortress. Here the aroma of pine had completely dissolved and waves and waves of cool breeze whispered upon their sweaty faces. The sky was dabbed with wisps of cloud hither and thither and the sun was still scorching the land with all its might.

‘So this is Whitebeam’s Wall. It would prove a fine defensive point to take in the midst of battle. Let us examine this wonder further and hopefully there is a route that leads beyond it; though my hope for that is low. Follow close behind Dart,’ said Dango in a stern tone.

‘Indeed! This land is full of surprises. But I really do desire to reach the village before long. How much more steps must we take to even sight the lights? I’m afraid to travel by nightfall,’ complained Dart.

Dango halted and turned around, sighing. ‘There is yet a long way to venture. Six leagues I’m afraid. But the faster we tread, the sooner we will be there. My intentions are that we arrive before dusk. There are queer legends about this place after dark. If it is true, we would not want to linger here any longer. Hasten my friend. Let us go!’

The nobbins hiked along the foot of the cliff. Dart rubbed his fingers on it and a thin white powder smudged onto his hand. Shadowy hollows were scattered about in the rock. Sometimes the nobbins would sit in these hollows and watch the outside world as the gathering clouds drifted by. But most of the time they payed no attention to even the most extraordinary wonders of the environment around them.

The cliff suddenly took them to a slant. The wall rose higher and higher and by now the nobbins were so high up that even the tallest point of the oldest trees were beneath their feet. No sunlight reached this area; it was cool and windy. The air echoed against the cliff like the sound of a low pipe being played continuously. Fragments of rock and smaller pebbles met the soles of their shoes and it came to be dangerously slippery.