by The Ranger
Silence followed Richard's revelation, and he pulled his attention away from the swirling power ahead.
"Do we have any more of that concealing mixture?"
"None," Khora murmured. "What were you thinking?"
He brought his eyes to her and saw the curiosity that sat across her face.
"I'm thinking…" he said before pausing for a moment. "I think you three should stay here and stay well-hidden. I'll go to Solton and help them however I can."
"No, we can't split up again," Edmund fought back. "We need to stay together."
"I can't leave them to face this on their own," he countered. "This… they're not part of this mess, and it shouldn't be their battle. But it is now. The least I can do is make sure they don't fight alone."
"Then we help them, all of us," Khora put forward. "However we have to, we'll manage."
Eren was quiet as they talked and retreated from the conversation, moving a few steps down the path. He looked to be listening intently but did not offer a word in response to any of them.
"What about you?" Richard called to him. "What do you think?"
His friend sighed and shrugged carelessly.
"I'm thinking that I've made enough bad decisions. I'll follow your lead, Rich. If you want to fight… I'll fight. If you want to keep moving… I'm right behind you. I trust your judgement."
Richard gripped his arm and squeezed it for a moment.
"Thank you," he murmured. "This will be over soon."
He nodded and set his hand on his blade with a sigh.
"Let's start moving," Khora suggested. "That barrier is beginning to dull."
Richard scanned it again, realizing she was right. It was still gleaming brightly, but the brilliant golden hues had begun to fade. Time was running out.
He dashed ahead, with Eren sticking to his heels like a demon as they ran. Khora and Edmund lagged behind but kept a reasonable pace to their rear. He put no thought to the snow gathered on the ground, nor the water that began to seep through it and render their path quite slick. All that mattered was reaching the village.
Richard's eyes widened when the Soul Seekers began to materialize before them. He planted his feet as he stopped and quickly adopted a defensive stance. Eren had not quite realized their predicament as he began to slow his sprint, only to slip in the frothy snow. Richard's attention didn't waver while his friend flailed about on the ground; his eyes were on the legion that sat ahead of them.
It was a large portion of the numbers he had seen in his vision, but it mattered little where the rest had gone. The creatures gathered here would be enough to raze Solton and kill anyone within if the barrier fell.
"Get up, Eren," he ordered. "There's too many of them for me to fight alone."
He almost didn't hear Khora approach as she moved to their side. Richard felt engulfed by the darkness that burned on all sides. It nearly encompassed his every sense.
"Thanks," Eren sputtered as she helped him rise to his feet.
No words escaped her, though; instead, her expression hardened when she set her sights on the enemies.
"This was a mistake. This is… there's…" she muttered but quickly raised her spear. "But still, we must not yield."
Richard steeled himself as the monsters lumbered forward, and slowly his hand came to rest on the hilt of his blade. He gripped it tightly and took a deep breath. It felt warm to his touch.
Before any of them could make a move, the Seekers turned away from them, seemingly losing interest in the gathered travelers. The sound of a clash could be heard coming towards them, growing louder in each passing second.
"What is that?" Edmund questioned, holding Ranger with one hand and his small axe with the other.
Richard narrowed his eyes and caught a glimpse of flashing steel sweeping through the Seekers. Just as it had happened when he forced Tala's power through them, the creatures erupted into smoke and faded away. Beyond the dispelled monsters stood one of the largest men he had ever seen.
He looked to be a half-a-foot taller than Khora and incredibly stout. His brown hair, which had begun to gray, was cut short to his scalp, and a long scar wrapped around his right hand. It was difficult to notice much else, as he was covered in plate armor from head to toe. It didn't help that the man was moving incredibly fast, his greatsword cleaving through Seekers on all sides. Most of them burst when the blade made contact, but some managed to resist for a few moments.
Richard had been so mesmerized by his quick movements and gleaming sword, he hadn't noticed the two men fighting beside him.
"They're allies!" a voice yelled. "Help them get back!"
He looked at the source of the voice and found Kiri had been the one to call out. Both he and Baku were battling alongside the large man and were eagerly waiting for them to come forward.
"H-how?" Khora mumbled.
Richard's hand wavered as their objective became clear. He pulled on his earthen threads, and vines sprouted from the ground. They split the sea of Seekers to either side and formed a clear path back to Solton.
"What was tha-" Kiri began to ask.
"Fight now, ask later!" Baku yelled, cracking a stray Seeker with a heavy axe.
The large man turned to face them and stretched out his hand.
"I am Andros," he panted. "A Sentinel of Summerstone. Join us, and we will survive this."
Richard could not help but believe him.
"Come on!" Khora pushed, grabbing Edmund and Eren. "Follow them!"
As if he had coordinated with her, Andros' face hardened when she and the others rushed forward. He lifted his greatsword and ran ahead of them, swinging it at any of the errant monsters that dared to cross their path. Within moments they had managed to reach the barrier and harmlessly pass through.
It was not until they were on the other side of the golden dome that Richard realized Solton was still just beyond the hill.
"This barrier," he muttered. "It's much larger than I had expected."
"That's the only thing that's gone well today," Kiri explained, his hand on his knees as he caught his breath. "But, it's shrinking. It won't be too long before it's at the edge of the village."
Richard returned his focus to the border of the dome. Sure enough, it slowly inched closer to them. In a few minutes, it would be well past him.
"How did you do that with the vines?" Baku asked, standing close to him.
"Primordial magic, I'd assume," Andros offered, sliding his blade into its sheath. "Am I right, boy? Are you some kind of witch?"
"N-no," he corrected. "Whatever power this is, it was granted to me by… by an Ancient. A nature spirit."
The Sentinel seemed to almost wince for a moment, but he did not comment. His eyes moved to Solton, and he crossed his arms over his breastplate.
"We can't stay here. Lord Jira will want to know you're here," Andros suggested.
Richard and Edmund shared a curious look as the older man began to saunter away.
"Lord?" Khora questioned.
"Don't listen to him; Jira hasn't used that title in a long time," Kiri told them. "Andros is just… let's say, faithful to the laws of decorum.
"How do you know that?" Richard inquired. "How did you get here?"
"I'll explain, but we should start getting back to Solton," the man brushed aside. "Come on, we have to move."
The walk up the hill was surprisingly pleasant. Richard had not noticed it before, but now that they walked beneath Solton's barrier, it felt like all his troubles had begun to slip away. He felt warm and comforted by the light that glittered above his head— it seemed like he was enveloped in an unyielding embrace. It had even shielded them from the falling rain.
"So, you're from Summerstone?" Edmund questioned.
"Arrived here just over two years ago with the rest of them," Kiri nodded. "I had thought it would be a good change, but life here wasn't quite what I was hoping for. I went to the Ashlands with Eilon, and he came back. I didn't. Well, until now."
>
"Minatir's henchmen didn't give us much of a choice," Baku spat. "They chased us off the coast. We'd be on our way to Myonmara if it wasn't for that damn goblin and his grudges."
"If it makes you feel better, Danis killed him," Eren revealed. "Used a bolt to pull the life from him."
Baku's face grew into a smile.
"That does make me feel better," he laughed. "Little runt had it coming. I just wish I had been there to see it."
"You'd better be glad we weren't there," Kiri scolded. "I don't know that we would've made it out."
He scoffed at the claim.
"I know I would've made it, but if I had to drag you out too… well, I don't know about that," he taunted.
Edmund endured a chuckle as Kiri's face grew red, and he began to chastise Baku. Richard wasn't paying much attention, though. His focus was on the man that walked far ahead of them.
"Who is he?" he asked.
Kiri followed his eyes and turned back to him.
"That's Andros, he was supposed to escort us here and return to Summerstone, but he decided to stay," the man explained. "He felt that to leave us here would go against his code."
"Which is?" Eren asked, drawing closer to the pair of them.
"Well, like he mentioned, he's a Sentinel," Kiri said, sporting an almost annoyed look on his face.
"Yes, well — sorry to say — but we don't know what that means," Eren admitted, sarcasm heavy on each word.
"Do you Azrians not have any— fine, I'll give you the short of it," he sighed. "Sentinels are individuals who have proven to be both powerful warriors and devoted servants to the public. There's sometimes a more… spiritual element to them, but not always. And there's this list of rules, they call them the 'Sentinel Scrolls,' and any warrior anointed with the title must obey them. Mostly defend the peace and stand against evil sort of thing. I'm sure you've got some type of understanding now, yes?"
"So, he's some sort of handpicked soldier, eh?" Eren poked. "Is that why he's got that Seeker-killing sword?"
Kiri laughed a bit as he shook his head.
"That one I can't answer," he chuckled. "I don't know much about that weapon of his. Today was maybe the third time I've ever seen him wield it."
"If he's supposed to be Solton's defender, why wasn't he here to kill the Shade?" Edmund joined.
"There was a Shade here?" the man asked, his eyes wide.
"There was. Some of your people were injured, and she had to help them defeat it," the young boy confirmed, pointing at Khora.
"I had no idea," Kiri whispered, his attention on the woman ahead of them. "Although I know why Andros wasn't here. Some Sentinels adopt a second vow, one beyond what they're already sworn to. They devote themselves to one of the Gods, choosing either a Matron or a Patron to surrender themselves to. Andros chose Honus and offers pilgrimage to Him twice a year. He goes up into the mountains or deep into the forest and communes with the natural world. No supplies, no outside aid. Just Andros and his God."
"That's…" Eren murmured. "incredibly stupid. All that strength wasted on someone who would leave their home in the middle of a crisis."
Kiri looked surprised, but after a moment, he laughed at the insult.
"Andros is… peculiar, but I doubt he knew about the Shade when he began his journey," he reasoned. "He returned from the forests when the Seekers appeared. Apparently, a few unlucky monsters thought they could overpower him."
Richard turned his eyes back to Andros, but he had disappeared over the hill's edge. Instead, he saw Khora looking at him before she crossed into Solton.
"Well, this isn't as small as I expected," Eren admitted. "Although it's no Azra."
Suddenly, a familiar figure began to approach them, a warm smile following his uplifting aura.
"Be thankful; if this was Azra, he wouldn't be here," Richard commented.
"I sensed a strange power approaching and sent Andros to investigate. I didn't think its source would be a friend," Eilon revealed, setting his hand on Richard's shoulder. "It's good to see familiar faces joining us here."
The mage scanned them and lingered on Eren for a moment. His smile slowly faded, and he took a step back.
"I see you've already suffered a loss," he told them. "I'm sorry. Please, follow me."
Eilon turned and led them through Solton. Richard examined their surroundings and saw the villagers had built a few fortifications on the settlement's edges— mostly wooden spikes fastened together and soaked in pitch. Many of the residents were hurrying around, panic clear on their faces. Some were guiding children away from the commotion, and others were collecting supplies and taking them to the center of the pavilion where a few people had already gathered. Among them stood Jira, and Jensen at his side, helping another villager haul some wood stakes around.
"Lord Jira," Andros called. "We found the source of the strange power Eilon sensed. It's this boy."
Jira turned to look at Richard as Andros motioned to him. He looked older than he had before; it almost seemed like this conflict had aged him faster than time had managed to.
"Please, Andros, you know you do not need to use that title," the old man sighed. "There are no lords here."
He then turned his attention back to Richard.
"Is this true?" he asked.
"It is. It would take too long to explain, but all you need to know is that I can help you fight these monsters. We can help you fight."
"Tell us what your plan is, Jira," Khora requested, standing close to the old man.
He spared a glance at Kiri, who seemed to be avoiding his gaze, before setting his sights on Eilon.
"Tell them, please," the old man asked, a tired look on his face.
The wizard pointed to the ground, and lying on the dirt, there was a large unrolled scroll. The snow in its vicinity had evaporated, leaving dried earth in its stead. The scroll pulsated intermittently, and there was a glow across the edges of the parchment.
"This is the only thing preventing the Soul Seekers from entering Solton," Eilon explained. "This scroll is repelling them, but it's already beginning to fail. I can't predict how long it will take, but soon, it will burn through the little energy it has left."
"Can we make another one?" Eren offered.
"No," the sorcerer shook his head. "I didn't create this on my own. It took five of Summerstone's most powerful mages to construct an enchantment capable of resisting dark magic, and we hoped it would never be needed. I can run my own power through the scroll, but that will only stall its decline for minutes."
"You're the second person to call this dark magic," Eren pointed out. "What does that mean?"
"We don't have time for this," Andros scowled.
"It is fine; I'll be brief," Eilon sighed, turning to him. "To put it simply… it's the corruption of magic. Magic is neither good nor evil; it just is. It's a fundamental force of existence that, through us, can take on different forms of itself. But, when you take resentment, hate, or any of the other negative aspects of humanity and channel them through a Blessing… it becomes tainted. A perversion of what it once was."
"Leaving us with this darkness," Jira added. "We cannot let ourselves be doomed by this wicked power."
"We'll have to destroy the Soul Seekers before the barrier fails," Andros added. "My Banisher blade is meant to dispel the undead, but it appears to destroy these monsters just as well. However, I can't cut through that horde on my own, and I can't split my focus worrying about my people. Should these foul creatures manage to enter the village while I am distracted, you must all be prepared."
"What do you suggest, Andros?" Jira asked.
The Sentinel scanned them and turned to look at the other villagers scurrying around.
"Someone must stay with Eilon to guard him while he maintains the scroll's power," he brought forward. "He will likely be their greatest target. With that in mind… we must keep the children and the others unable to fight far from here."
"I had a similar though
t," Jira murmured. "The healing house and the two homes closest to it seem like a safe enough area for them. I've asked Roland to marshal a few men and begin fortifying the buildings. I'll join them, as well."
Richard tried to remember the layout of the village as best he could. They were standing in the pavilion, which was near the southern edge of Solton. The healing house was across the settlement nestled near the northern border. They had passed through that direction in their initial visit, and Jira had pointed out a handful of large, multi-family homes. It seemed, at a glance, an easily defensible place.
"I commend your foresight, my lord," Andros declared before turning to Khora. "Girl, you seem capable; go with Lord Jira. You and the small one can help him watch over the children."
Khora stamped the butt of her spear into the snow.
"You are correct: I am capable," she returned. "And I will join the defense."
Richard looked at her and saw defiance in her eyes. He saw exhaustion too.
"No, Andros is right," he muttered, earning him an angry look. "Your reflexes have slowed. I first saw it when we met the Seekers outside. You should stay with Jira and keep the people safe."
Her face stretched into a frown, but she made no effort to disagree with him.
"I'll be there with you, Khora," Edmund offered.
"I suppose there's no time to argue," she grumbled.
"That settles matters," Andros told them. "However, we still need someone to stand with Eilon. Preferably, someone accustomed to the presence of magic."
"I'll stay with him," Eren volunteered, stepping closer to the wizard. "I spent four years living below a mad sorcerer, so I think I'll be fine."
"Kiri, you'll stay here as well," Jira ordered.
"No, I want to fight with Andros," the man objected. "I won't stay here."
"Kiriko…" the old grumbled, eyes narrowed. "Do not do this to me now."
"I am not a little boy anymore," he muttered. "I am not some child that needs their parent's guiding hand. I haven't been for a long time."