The three days passed slowly, but they were not unwelcomed. Elyar
rested, practiced his swordplay with the other Hunters. Ruzur really enjoyed sparring. They were close in skill, but Elyar surpassed him in
technique. But just barely. Elyar quickly learned that Frem was much better at shooting than he was at sword fighting. Doval was a good fighter, but he tended to use brute force and his emotions to win. That combination did not work well on a skilled fighter. Declan proved to be an exciting challenge. Like Davol, Declan fought with ferocity over skill, but his massive size made up for it. Elyar walked away from many a match victorious, but bruised.
Besides sparring, Elyar praticed his weaving or just walked through the village. By the last day he knew the names of many of the inhabitants. Whenever he passed they called to him or asked for his assistance. He enjoyed helping these poor folk. They had no lord near by to offer them his assistance. No clergy either. They were alone in the wilderness. Alone, and in most ways, forgotten. Their village did not even show up on a map.
He helped rethatch roofs, mended tools, strengthened some through calligromancy, and did whatever else he could. After the first day Jerome and Ruzur started helping him. Ruzur was not used to this type of work, but he was a fast learner. Elyar could tell his attitude had really changed. He was not just pleasant now. He joked with him and included him in most activities.
In fact, most of the Hunters had incorporated him and Jerome as one of their own. It felt good to have a family again. It helped lesson the feeling of missing his family. By the last day the people had started referring to them as the Lord of the Dawn and his guard. He was not sure how the Hunters liked being called his “guard,” but Elyar liked it.
Especially the “Lord of the Dawn” part.
While helping fix a spad, He had the chance of asking where the
name came from. He said his sword looked like the sun when it just po ked its head up.
The third day had come and gone. Still no sign of the Century. Elyar knew they would leave in the morning. He felt sad to leave, but a part of him was excited. Not many get the chance to leave Korax. The anticipation of leaving the empire and participating in an adventure had begun to excite him.
Sitting by the nights fire, trying to contain his jittery nerves, Elyar heard Frem state their plans.
“We have waited the alloted time for the Century. As you know we cannot wait any longer. Our mission is more important. I wish I could learn of their whereabouts, but alas we cannot. We leave at first light. May Theos protect them…and us.” It was late and Frem crawled into his tent. The rest followed shortly after. No music or song this night. No sto ries of the days of old. Just the anticipationg for the journey ahead.
Jerome bid Elyar goodnight. Elyar waved him his goodnight but stayed by the fire. His mind could not let him sleep. Alone, he sat watching the flames dance before him. Rhythmic, enticing, even dance like. The flames performed a number for their one audience member. It lulled him into an uneasy sleep.
Another night of nightmares met Elyar. Dead trees reached out to grab him. Cackling laughter surrounded him no matter where he fled to. Then, hands began stretching from the ground. Hands swinging at unnatural angles. Skin ripped off revealing bone and sinue. Before the rest of the bodies could appear Elyar’s eyes shot open. He felt like he knew what might befall them. But what if he was wrong and these were just dreams? Pondering what to do he quietly walked to his tent and went to sleep.
The dawn broke like the others. The sun creeping through the trees, its golden arrows piercing where the branches and leaves allowed. Elyar did not sleep well which is why he was packed and ready before the rest. He greeted Jerome and Ruzur as they walked up. Jerome had his normal grin spread across his face. Ruzur, on the other hand, was not a morning person. He would not show any emotion except for short, bitter words for at least another hour. During his morning “moody” time, Ruzur liked to hide behind his dreads so no one could see his face. Elyar thought he felt safer that way. He chuckled at such a big man acting so silly.
Reminded him of Yonn a little.
They slowly meandured through the forest on their way to Tem’s. The crunch of their feet the only sound in the quiet, cool morning. They passed a few villagers who greeted them. After the third greeting Frem looked back at Elyar clearly annoyed at being called a “guard” for the third time. Elyar could not help but smile. This must be how his father felt when he was in Erast. It was a good feeling.
By noon they had reached Tem’s hovel. The man was standing outside messing with some of his herbs. He straightened up when he heard them coming.
“Was wonrin if ye wes stil comin.” Tem chuckled walking toward the gat. He opened it up and hoisted up his pack. It was small. A few loose items and one or two small potions swung from the outside. Elyar was curious what was in them. One looked blue. He had no idea what drink could be blue.
“Are you ready, Tem?” Frem said ignoring the comment.
“Do I lok redi te ye?” Tem replied with what Elyar thought was sarcasm. He honestly could not tell with this man.
Frem looked at him for a moment and then pursed his lips and nodded. Before he could truly answer, Tem jumped a little and started walk skipping. Elyar was caught between laughing and utter bewilderment.
Was he going to skip the whole way?
The man was truly weird. But he looked like he was good at what he did. He easily guided them to a small path that was invisible from their direction. He started leading them through a thick pocket of trees until it broke revealing a stone path heading into the mountain.
“It be a fur da walk to de otter sid. I will gud thee and wat for yees retun.”
Everyone stared at him. Elyar was frantically trying to figure out what he had just said. Before anyone could respond Tem was halfway day the stone path. Frem glanced at Declan, then gave a nod to the gr oup and started walking.
Their journey followed what looked like a mix between a dried up river bed and a man made path. It was about the width of a lying man with steep sides. Elyar could tell it was slowly rising, but it was hard to tell how fast. Green tuffs of grass and other shrubs had forced their way through small cracks in the grey rock. By noon the trees had nearly disappeared. The sun began to beat down on them. Though Elyar knew it was mid spring by then, the sun felt scorching.
Nothing eventful happened that day. They walked, and walked, and walked. Before the sun set they found a wide enough section to camp. It was about three times the size and was a large flat rock. There was some brush to grab for a fire which Havol quickly got roaring. Now that the sun was basically gone the temperature was starting to drop. Elyar wrap ped himself in his cloak and sat by the fire trying not to shiver.
How could it be this cold all of a sudden? He thought to himself. He had never been in the mountains and their temperature shift was unnatural in his opinion. After a few minutes he warmed himself and became very sleepy. While he tried not to nod off Ruzur was telling a story about his sailing for a pirate lord. Elyar was facinated, but he could not keep his eyes open. His head jerked up from his chest realizing he had drifted off. He bat his eyes a few times trying to regain control of his drifting mind. Utilizing all his strength Elyar stood up, bid the party goodnight, and stumbled to bed. He was not sure which happened first, his body fal ling into bed or him falling asleep.
The sun was shinning long before its rays touched the group. They were on the move for multiple hours before it began beating on them again. Besides getting used to the mountains nothing much happened the second day. Elyar stopped looking around much because the scenary rarely changed. A shrub here, a blade of grass there. Every once in awhile a scraggly tree would appear. Its gnarled bony trunk oddly rising from the stone. Elyar thought its survival both encouraging and haunting. The hiked up into the upper part of the mountain by the end of the second day. Tem told them they were nearly at the peak. At least that is what he thought Tem said. He was starting to understand the odd man more.
Night fell and they set up another camp. This time it was on a small
cliff. Below them lay a small valley with a lake. A river meandered from it down the side they had been walking up. Sometime that afternoon they had left the dry river bed for a rocky path winding in zig zags up the mountain. A chilly wind hit Elyar’s face as he looked out over the valley and mountains on the far side. It was a beautiful, baren grey tapestry with only white snow, blue water, and small tuffs of green shrubbery breaking up the endless grey stone.
The wind made it difficult to light a fire. After a few tries they gave up. With no fire everyone ate a cold dinner and called it an early night. Frem set up a watch rotation which was beginning to feel like standard practice to Elyar. He drew third watch.
Worst watch.
He went to bed exhausted. Not as physically tired as the night before, but still tired. If felt like he was asleep for a second before a hand shook him awake. Frem stood over him for a second before walking to his tent. Another night, another watch. He got up strething trying to remove the last vestiges of sleep. Then he walked over to where Ruzur sat. They had not had a watch together in a while. Elyar was looking for ward to getting to know the dark man better.
They sat under the night sky silent for a while. Its brilliance shocking. Elyar figured their height made the sky reveal more of her beauty. There were more stars than he had ever seen. As he looked into the night, he noticed a section of the sky had a line of more stars than the rest. It looked like a band crossing the sky.
“Are the stars like this where your from?” Elyar eventually asked.
Ruzur looked at them for a moment longer before responding, “yes. My land is wide full of dunes and great stretches of what we call the Sand Sea. When my father and I sat under the night sky on our caravan travels we would look up into the sky. The stars would dance for us.” He paused for a moment. After the pause turned longer than Elyar expected he looked at Ruzur. A small line down his cheek lit up by the stars. Eventually Ruzur wiped it with his hand and continued. “My father would tell me stories about the star beasts. Stories of battles and rescue. I loved hearing those tales.” Ruzur trailed off again, ending his story.
Elyar waited a little while, than said, “he sounds like a good man.
Where is he now?”
Sighing, Ruzur responded, “He is playing music before the Eternal Twins.”
“I’m sorry.” Elyar said thinking about what it would be like to lose his father. He felt deeply sad at the thought. To never see his father or speak to him again made a lump appear in his throat. It took a few minutes before he could clear it. “What happened? If you don’t mind telling me.”
Elyar could see a slight smile appear on Ruzur’s face. “Rezan was the greatest man I knew. He was a great warrior, father, and he was the wisest man I have ever met.” The rest of the watch Ruzur told Elyar story after story. How his father defeated a giant scorpion by jumping on its back and tricking it to sting itself. Or how he survived seven days alone in the desert by drinking his own urin and eating desert mice. The story that had Elyar enraptured was how he fought in a local war between Ruzur’s people and a local goblin tribe. The war lasted nearly two years and Rezan was a great leader and warrior during it. Near the end of the war Rezan besieged the goblin stronghold, climbed a latter by himself, and fought off thirty goblins single handedly.
His story ended shortly before sunrise, its presence just creeping over the horizon. Elyar had so many questions about Ruzur’s father. They cha tted about Rezan and other things until it was time to wake everyone.
As they broke camp Tem stood on a rock and announced, “T’day we bagin or decend int te vale!”
Everyone looked at him to see if there was more. But he hopped off and stood near the path fidgeting with his staff. It was actually a stick he found the day before. He treated it like how Elyar thought a wizard of old would treat theirs. He chuckled to himself as he finished packing.
Soon they were on their way again. Tem might have been crazy, but he did know his way through the mountain. Just as he had said, they began their decent. Elyar was very happy they were not going up any more. His thighs were getting very tired.
As the walked, Elyar noticed the scenary began to change again. Granit was being replaced with dirt once again. Plants were appearing brining with them animal life. It was a pleasant change. He thought the stone world had a unique beauty, but he missed trees, birds, and everything else forests bring with them. It was strange. A month ago he disliked going into Dasos Forest. But now, he quite enjoyed trapsing thro ugh them.
Day three slowly slipped into day four. They made camp and broke camp. Nothing was different except the scenary. A little knot had started to form in Elyar’s stomach the night before. He was not sure what it was about at first. But the closer they got to their destination the larger it became.
While they walked the morning of the last day Elyar pulled Jerome toward the back to talk. “Are you nervous about what we are going to find?”
Shacking his head while pursing his lips Jerome said, “not really. I don’t think much about the rumors. Even if Tem believes them. I think he believes almost anything.”
Elyar smiled thinking about Tem’s peculiarities. “Thanks. I think I am overthinking the stories we heard.”
“Anytime, mi lord. Anytime.” Jerome laughed.
After another hour or so of walking Tem suddenly stopped and jumped on a large stump. He took his pack off and began fumbling in it for something. Elyar walked up to see what he was doing and why they had stopped. Tem did not look up from his task seemingly ignoring the group. Frem, along with everyone else it seemed, started looking annoyed.
“Is there a particular reason why we have stopped?” Frem finally asked.
“Yes! And no.” Tem nonchalontly replied still digging.
A moment passed. “Care to continue?” Frem said again a little anger seeping out.
“No. I se I gunna stop at te bas of de monten. Now we her.”
Everyone looked around unsure where to go. Frem, very visibly annoyed now, clenched his jaw and started walking down the path again. Elyar started as well, but looked back at Tem after a few steps. He wal ked back to him to ask him one last question.
“What do we have to fear continuing down this path?”
Tem’s head slowly turned up from the bag as he locked eyes with Elyar. He had not noticed before, but Tem’s eyes were different colors. One was blue like the sky while the other was nearly black like a dark forest cave.
“Everything and nothing.” His eyes seemed to glaze over and he chanted,
“continue until the crows land, follow their path until ruble stand.
but beware the marsh to stay from harm, Touch nothing or raise the alarm.
Slay the Soul Weaver, but it is not the end,
He shall rise but you cannot bend!”
Tem blinked a few times, looked at Elyar smacking his lips like they were dry, and then went back to rumaging through his bag. It looked like he had no idea what just happened. Shocked, Elyar asked, “how do you know about the Soul Weaver?”
But he did not answer. Tem did not seem to notice Elyar standing before him. Confused and more alarmed then before, Eyar turned and ran back up the path to rejoin the group. Jerome glanced at him as he stepped in line, but Elyar was relieved when he merely turned back and kept walking. for the rest of the morning Elyar recited the poem to hims elf over and over again trying to piece it together.
Midmorning slowly turned to afternoon. But Elyar did not notice the sun climbing overhead, nor did he notice the forest transform into flat plains. They camped that night rotating watches like normal. The morning dawned like all the rest waking the group and prompting anot her departure.
Sleep, pack, walk. Sleep, pack, walk. The rhythm was becoming repetitious to Elyar. Sometimes he caught himself doing things fully by habit without thinking. He packed up his entire tent, set his backpack down, and stood watching the morning grow before wondering if he had packed up. He looked around and began panacking because he could not find any of his stuff. That is until he looked down and saw his bag next to his feet.
Elyar realized Jerome had seen his embarasing lapse in memory
when he heard his softly laughter a few feet from over. Elyar’s cheeks turned slightly red as he made a face at his friend and mocked his chuckling.
Soon they started walking. Elyar, always walking in the back, was lost in his thoughts as the sun slowly climbed. He was so lost in his thoughts that he bumped into Jerome. They had stopped. That is when he looked around. He looked back and saw nothing but faded brown grass. Turning around he saw the beginning of dead trees, pools of stagnant water, and ravens. Lots of ravens.
Elyar suddenly remembered Tem’s words. Looking around he started trying to find where the ravens were roosting. He did not care if he looked a little crazy as he ran up the path jumping on a rock. The sun was beating down so he covered his eyes with his hands. He looked one way and only saw marshes and flying ravens. But when he looked the other way he still saw nothing.
He hoped off the rock turning back toward the group. They stood staring at him. Looking toward the ground to hide his embarasement Elyar walked toward them.
“What were you doing mi lord?” Jerome said. Elyar could tell he was trying to hold back a laugh, but it seeped through his question.
“Nothing.” Replied Elyar shortly. With that he sat down on the ground and pulled out a snack. Munching away thinking about his embarasing moment and what Tem had told him. There are ravens here. So where do they perch? Am I following the words of a crazy man? No, he knew about the soul weaver.
“This is as good a time as any to discuss our headings. We are looking for where a weaver would live. This seems like a good place to start looking.” Frem said as he joined Elyar on the ground. He also grabbed a bag and began eating some dried berries.
The group began talking about which way they should go. Elyar did not pay much attention at first. His mind still abuzz with thoughts. A bug flew around his ear bringing him out of his head. He swatted at it but it was too small. As he started paying attention to the world around him again he noticed a little iritating buzz sound came from the entire area.
“That buzzing is annoying.” He mumbled to himself.
“Yes, it is annoying. But not as annoying as you!” Havol retorted.
Elyar sat up shocked at what Havol had just said. That is when he noticed the heated argument raging around him. Havol, Frem, and Declan all had red faces contorted into angry expressions. Ruzur and Jerome looked engaged but no way near as passionate.
“What did I do!” Elyar defensively responded.
Havol looked at him with a face redder than a tomato and shouted,
“It is not what you do, it what you don’t do! You are always in your head!
Never engaging! Do something!”
Frem put his hand between them before Elyar could argue back. “Havol, this is not Elyar’s fault. Do not put your anger toward him. He is young.” Havol huffed a few times before standing up and walking away.
He stood by the edge of a marsh. Frem turned toward the group and continued, “we must decide which direction to go. These marshes go on for miles in all directions. Unlike Havol’s plan of randomly pointing, we must decide on a direction.”
Spinning back around Havol said, “why not!? Why is one direction
better than another? We have no idea which way this fiend resides!”
“No, Havol, we cannot just wander around looking for a sign. You know that this marsh could go on for miles!” Frem said trying to restrain his growing frustration. Elyar was not sure if it was Havol or the bugs Frem kept swatting that was angering him more.
“I know that! But we either explore or turn back. What do you suggest?” Havol said matching Frem’s tonwaving his arms either in anger or to swat more bugs.
Actually, now that Elyar noticed, everyone was waving a hand around their faces or hitting something on their arm. But nothing was bot hering him now.
Before anyone could answer Havol, Elyar interjected, “I think I know which way to go.”
Everyone turned to him. Frem and Havol looked very annoyed, Declan’s face had returned to his usual stoney expression, while Ruzur and Jerome both had a raised brow waiting for what he had to say. “Ah…ah.” He stammered out. He felt his heart rate increase and heat spread across his cheeks as he glanced over and saw a pile of ruble. An idea flashed in his mind so he pointed and said, “there is ruble over there. That means there once were buildings. Right? I think we should head that way. If I was an evil being lurking in the marsh I would want
somewhere to hide. I think that is a good place to start.”
Everyone looked at him for another second. Havol’s shoulders relaxed a little. He saw them glance at each other. Finally Jerome broke the awkward silence, “I think it is worth a try.”
“Fine, it’s the best we got.” Agreed Frem.
Everyone else nodded their heads and Frem motioned for Elyar to take the lead. Elyar was not excited to be in front. But he was beginning to feel a new pressure. It felt like they were being watched. He did not know if it was the ravens watching…or something else.
Their walk toward the ruble took longer than he expected. Elyar thought it would have been closer, but he quickly realized the flatness of the marsh allowed him to see farther than he thought. On top of that, the marsh did not allow for a straight shot. As they meandered through the marshes, trying to find firm footing a soft have began to surround them. The sun slowly sank in the sky igniting the fog into beautiful golden hues. It was difficult for Elyar to see far into the mist. He rubbed his hands on his arms as a shiver passed through him. He had not realized how cold the air had gotten. As the sun faded, casting the world into darkness, the last vestiges of warmth went with it.
Out of the darkness Elyar heard Frem’s voice, “We will light a fire and camp here. We can continue in the morning.”
Elyar moved his hands around but could not see more than a vague shadow. He stood where he was letting his eyes adjust. Soon he could see a little better, though not by much. He set his backpack on the ground and started fumbling around for sticks. Elyar heard a few strikes of flint on stone, the sparks lit the area with some lights and then a small fire appeared.
As the fire grew he could feel the warmth spread. The fog also seemed to retreat away back into the darkness. Everyone seemed on edge since the fight earlier. No one talked much unless it was needed. They set up their camp and Elyar and Declan took the first watch. Without saying a word Declan walked over and set up his position on the far end of the camp. Elyar decided to set up far away from anyone. Since everyone was kind of moody he wanted to think. Which apparently I do too much.
The first part of his watch went by slowly. He watched the mist shifting around in and out forming interesting shapes. One form looked like a goat. Another like cat. It helped pass the time. Maybe halfway through his watch silver rays started passing through the mist. The scene looked like ghostly wisps moving in and out of reality. As he watched the scene unfolding before him he saw the ruble in the distance.
It was an odd piece of old architecture. He could not see much through the fog. As the moon rose higher it cast its light illuminating more of the architecture. He saw one section rise high into the night. It might have been the remains of an ancient tower. He was not sure, but it kind of reminded him of Val.
“Elyar.”
He jumped from his seat as the voice startled him. “Frem! You start led me.” Elyar whispered.
“You are an excellent lookout.” Frem whispered back placing his hand on Elyar’s shoulder as he headed towards his tent. He glanced one
more time toward the broken tower. He felt a pull toward it. A small desire to walk toward it and embrace a path. One that he was not sure its destination. But he knew he craved its path. A path of purpose. He took a small step toward the tower without thinking. He caught himself, sh ook his head, and turned toward his tent.
That is not a life for me. I do not know who this Raven King is, but I do not want what he is offering. He shook his head as he slipped under his blanket.
I think you do want it. Another voice cut through his mind. It sounded like his, but also different. Elyar drew the blanket closer around him and drifted to sleep.