A horn sounded across Val. Long and mournful. Floated along the soft breeze before slowly fading. It sounded the passing of the dead into the Hall of Theos. A long line of mourners walked down the main street. Everyone wore black. Black dresses, black cloaks, and black smocks. All symbolic of their status before Theos. Before the people walked priests holding pans of incense.
A breeze brushed under his wings. Staying a loft was easy in this condition. The sun warmed his black feathers as he watched the people down below. They slowly wandered in long lines. Another horn blast resounded.
He knew they would walk to the local cemetery. From his position he could see the outline of the tombs. The wind shifted his position a little. A smaller jay fluttered below him. He wanted to chase it. The hunger in his stomach reminded him that he had not eaten since the day before. But he let the feeling pass.
More villagers walked toward the cemetery. Once there, he knew loved ones would place a flower on the dead. A priest would say the prescribed incantations and ceremonial music would be played. The people would stay and mourn their dead before heading back so the slain could be fully buried.
He continued watching for a while. Then he blinked. The blue sky looked at him from above. White puffy clouds blew above him. Some were turning dark. A storm was brewing. The grass by his head rustled his black hair. As he sat up he swiped some grass and hair out of his face. The camp was still to his left. No one was in sight. A faint echo of the death horns played in his mind.
Elyar sat in the grass for a little while waiting to return to the group. His mind was abuzz with what Pyke had told him. He could not move from the fact that he was being accused of treason.
Treason! I helped them prepare for the battle, train for the battle, and I bled for them! I nearly died fighting! Kristiana lost her life for me and Val. How could I be a traitor!
The more he thought about it the angrier he got. The dark clouds above him slowly grew darker. The wind wiped through his hair forcing the grass lower and lower. He watched the leaves twist and turn flying through the air. The storm battered the world around him like his emotions inside.
He eventually stood up and looked over to the camp. No one was there. He was not sure where they had gone. They must have gone to prepare for the storm or something. He stared at the empty camp for a minute when a thought crossed his mind.
I can’t let them come with me. They sacrificed their lives for a small crime. They would only be slapped on the wrist for rescuing a wild weaver. But a traitor to the crown…they would hang.
He let that thought hang in the air for a moment. His friends. The ones who had fought by him, laughed with him, and had broken the law for him. He could not let them follow him down this path. Whichever way he went he would be hunted. The Raven King was probably still pursuing him and now Korax would want his head. It did not matter if it was a raven or an eagle. He was a wanted man.
Why should I let everyone sacrifice their lives for me? No one knows who helped me. They don’t know Pyke is on his way, either. Is my life worth them exiling themselves? No!
He knew what he needed to do. He needed to leave. Leave before they found out. Go somewhere they could not find him. Pyke wanted him to go to The Fork. That was southeast from them. But Faeland was southwest. A new thought appeared.
It is time to visit the Raven King. Time to go to the land of the fae. I don’t know if you can hear me or see me oh Raven King. But I am coming.
Not to you, but for you.
He was decided. It was time to take the fight to the Raven. This little fox would break into the birds nest. Resolved, he quietly headed back to camp. It only took a few minutes for him to break his tent down and saddle Angist. She made a soft huff while stomping her hoof.
Quietly he stroked her and whispered, “easy girl. It’s ok. We are going on an adventure you and I.” Her head nustled against his face. He was glad at least one friend could travel with him.
Glancing around one last time he leaped on her and aimed her south. In front of him, a long stretch of darkness. A streak of lightning illumines the black expanse miles away. The wind continues to pummel his hair, face, and cloak.
Elyar Nudged Angist into a soft gallop. The plains slowly passed as the sun rose through the sky. His body was already sore from his wounds and the galloping was already exacerbating them. His back and arm hurt. But it did not matter. He would get to where he was heading.There his wounds would not matter if he died.
Time went by slowly. Traveling was bad enough. Traveling alone while injured was worse. There was no one to talk to. No one to pass the time with. He was alone. Which is what he wanted, but the reality was still hard to get used to. The weather was not making it any better.
He could not tell when the sun started setting, but eventually it started getting dark. Darker really. A light drizzle had begun a few hours before that slightly soaking everything on Elyar. He knew it was going to be a long journey.
Longer if things did not go well. Taking things easy would be important. Even if he was feeling impatient. He rode through the rest of the night. It was miserable, but he wanted to make sure he had a lot of ground between him and the others. The storm would help hide his tracks.
The sun began brightening the world. Dark clouds still obscured the entire sky, but he knew it was day because things were not as dark. The rain continued coming down in small sheets. It was not thick enough to obscure his sight, but it still made his clothes soaked.
A few hours after sunrise he decided it was time to take a rest. He found a small grove of trees with a narrow creek. The rain was making the little river swell. But it was still small enough to allow Angist to drink easily. After making sure she was settled he began setting up his own camp. Everything was wet. The ground, the grass, and his clothes were all soaked. He set up his tent, which was damp as well, and quickly dropped inside. He laid there for only a few seconds before his exhaustion overcame him. One thought popped in his mind as he fell asleep: One day down. About a month to go. This is going to be a long journey.
His dreams were weird. One dream in particular stood out amongst the rest. He was not in it, nor was the Raven King. He saw Val as he had left it. Days passed and it began to recover. Then he saw a dark blob on the horizon. The blob slowly grew bigger and bigger. Eventually he could make out banners and army ranks. It was another army heading toward Val. It looked to be three to four times as large as the last. This time, they would not be denied.
His dream quickly flashed to The Feud. Another army causing devastation. He saw slaughter everywhere. Death and chaos followed every dream. His home was on fire. Then it flashed to another city so large he could not comprehend it. Flames grew from the walls. The walls were crumbling while siege weapons bombarded them. He could hear screams of those on and behind the walls.
It flashed one more time. He saw a throne room. A room he had seen before. Stone walls surrounding a stone throne. It was dark with large flames coming up from basins sitting on stone pillars. Sitting on the throne was a man enshrouded in shadow. Elyar could now tell he was a fae. He sat forward a little. Just enough for Elyar to see the bottom of his face. A smile curled up his mouth. Then he heard a voice in his head, but he knew it was from the king.
So…you’re finally coming?
Elyar jerked up in bed. Moving so fast shocks of pain coursed down his back causing him to clench his teeth and squeeze his hands into tight fists. As it passed he started breathing again. He had not realized he was holding it. Sleep would not come to him now. After laying in bed for a minute he decided it was time to get up and continue.
The storm outside was starting to dissipate. Small rays of golden light pierced the wet grass. Angist stood a few yards off grazing as the breeze continued to move the green sea. He broke down his tent and packed it away in his saddle bag. Before re saddling his e-mare he stood leaning against a tree watching the storm. Bursts of rain cascaded down like the breaths of a dying animal. The dark clouds fighting for their life mirrored the fight within. His fists clenched as a flash lit up the distant sky. This fight would end one way or another. Either he would sputter out like the storm before him, or he would destroy the world in his wrath.
Elyar quietly grabbed Angist and brought her back to the grove. Once saddled, he mounted her and positioned himself south. With the storm before him, slowly breaking into nothingness, he kicked Angist in the side. She gentled began trotting toward the horizon. He did not know what his fate would be. But this time, it was in his own hands.
THE END