The lich smiled, “Looking for Grayson.” Her simple answer made Peter the high priest shudder. “Have you seen him?” She asked innocently.

Peter responded. “I regret that I don’t want to talk out here.” The cold wind blew. And everybody shuddered. It was late in the afternoon now, time was flying while nothing was said. “You are not welcome here, but I have to talk to you.”

A sneering smile stretched out on Grisum’s face. Almost a knowing smile. She said nothing.

Peter turned to Garrick, “When the fires are low, bring her into the temple.”

He turned walking away, expecting the other’s to follow, and they did. Garrick stayed behind, pulling his furs closer to his body to fight the cold. “How long do you think your search for your old lover will take.”

Again the Lich said nothing, she just stared after the High Priest and the others.

Grisum smiled, her skin pulled over bone stretching into a horrid feature. “Well look away, as for the killing you and I know it isn’t possible.”

Peter turned to the others, “How long do you plan to stay in my village?”

Garrick spoke up first, “Not long, overnight to rest.”

Grisum scoffed, “I will be frozen stiff by then.”

“You’re dead, remember, so being stiff of the cold just means we move you and not you moving on your own.” Danulf explained.

Mindy started giggling uncomfortably. This was not going well, in her opinion.

The only person that did nothing and said nothing was Dena, the whole situation was still unreal, she was traveling with a relative, that because that relative existed, her entire family was massacred.

Grisum responded, “you plan on carrying my flesh and bones on the journey to find the man I love?” Even she laughed.

Grisum turned. Frost hung from her delicate face. Some of the skin saged, with bone exposed along the chin. She stood. “I thought I would be alone for the rest of the day?”

“No abomination, you won’t be alone.” Peter said.

Danulf shifted on his feet. Dena had her hand on the hilt of her sword. And Mindy watched with anticipation.

“Peter,” Grisum spoke. “Your mother served me well.”

Rage burned in the man’s eyes. Garrick saw the hatred. “You knew who we brought here?”

Peter spoke, “My mother was from the sands. She met my father on his piligramage to the north, for a solitice right. I was made.” He paused. “My mothers nomadic tribe, sends people to serve the prisoner. The lich. They had done this for centuries. The ones picked to serve this witch… they were demeaned criminals by the leader. For petty crimes. My mom’s crime was not sleeping with the leader after she had me.”

Grisum, “I don’t know how you left. You were amusing.” A half smile.

“I wasn’t the prisoner there was I.” Peter taunted.

“You know you can’t kill me.” Grisum reminded the man, she knew as a boy.

“I was lucky my mom found my dad, and he brought me here.” Peter stated. “You are not welcome in my village.”

“Already knew that,” Grisum the lich said, rolling her eyes. “So why did you come out here?”

Garrick admitted, “Yes.”

“You broke the law bringing a creature of damnation here.” Peter said calmly.

Once again Garrick stood before the great fire, and admitted, “Yes.”

Peter stood, “Take me too her.”

“No.” Garrick said.

“Let me get this straight,” Peter picked up a cup of ale. He took a sip. “Your story about this adventure, which isn’t finished, I must add, is incredible. And you are helping this Lich find her true love to do what? Kill him? I don’t understand, plus it is you duty to kill the abomination.” His voice never raised.

Garrick said, “Astute analysis. There is also Mindy’s tribe that needs help.”

Peter stood. “You will take me to this Grisum.”

The man in antlers spoke, “Of course,” Petter reached for a a roll that had been just put before him. Many foods were brought out, everybody started eating, and talking. “Where did you go?”

Garrick took a drink, then he got up, walked around the long table, and started his story, “As was done, as is always done, before the fire, I will regail you of my adventure…”

Garrick was animated in the telling of how he met the party he was traveling with, from the first battle, to the volcano that made the sand sharp glass, to the lich… He acted spoke exaggerated. “I stand here before you to be judged, and to leave if I must because my tale hasn’t finished yet.

He turned back running his hand over the texted surface of the carving. The group followed his lead. The surface was smooth and rough in the expected places.

As they walked through the door they dropped their hands to the side. They entered into a hall, opposite them was a hearth with a roaring fire. Above the hearth were more carvings of creatures. Some of the creatures were attacking humans, others were passively grazing.

Before them was a. Long table with a bench on the side facing the hearth. Garrick explained, “We never sit with our backs to the flame.”

They sat on the bench next to the head priest, Garrick, the Danulf, Dena, and Mindy. Greenly the riding dog, didn’t follow into the hall, she just laid in front of the doorway.

Lunch was about to be served.

The next movement was lifting the weapons over the head, the head priest did this and turned. Both man shouted “Slosgrag!” Loudly and bowed.

Pleased the Priest turned dropping the spear to the floor. He bear hugged Garrick, “My friend, where did you go with out notice.”

Garrick smiled. “An adventure my friend, that is far from over.”He returned the hug.

“Come my friend, the ladies have finished making the noon meal, we eat and talk.” The priest didn’t acknowledge the people sitting watching all of this, he just turned to walk away expecting Garrick to follow.

Dena shifter next to Danulf, “What just happened? I thought they were going to fight.”

“Alcurian’s know a lot, but sometimes we don’t, and this is one of those times.”

Garrick didn’t follow, hearing his party behind him, he turned going back, “Follow me.” He commanded. Then he turned back to follow the head priest, giving nobody an explanation or name of where they were.

The town was walled off on one side, and it was clear on that side there were buildings carved into it. On the other side of that was a huge cathedral. The cathedral was ornate, with carvings of people celebrating, eating and drinking.  This was where Garrick turned taking the group to the steep steps.

Taking a deep breath, he knew he was walking into his place. Knowing he would have to explain his abrupt leaving of the place to the head of his order. He was a brave stubborn man, and he didn’t care what the head priest wanted in the first place.

Before they could enter, a man dressed all in fur with horns of a goat on his head, came out the huge carved oak doors. “Garrick, you may enter.”

All Garrick did was raise an red eyebrow. Then he entered. He knew the others followed.

The man with horns disappeared, only to show back up onto the stage. Behind him was an alter, before the horned man was nothing. There were benches lined up one right after another.

“Sit.” Was all Garrick said, as he took his ax from his back. The head priest, the man in the horn grabbed his spear. This was the welcoming ceremony….

“Highervale is just around the conner, warm ale and bed for all.”

Mindy pulled her body onto the rock, and shivered, “One more cliff and I would have killed you.”

“So you were not comfortable sleeping in the hammock on the side of a mountain.” Garrick chided her.

He turned to see Danulf and his conjured fired, Dena rubbing her dogs nose, and the Horrid lich still staring out at nothing.

Garrick barked, “We leave.” And everybody followed.