by A. J. Medina
“All of them.”
A bird landed on a branch and tweeted. The woman looked up and bared her teeth causing the bird to fly away.
I was curious about this woman. “What is your name? If I might ask.”
She gave me the once over again and then said, “If I ever tell you my name, it will be the last word you ever hear.”
With those words, the woman with the black hair patted the last wolf that had waited, and it left.
Thomas still stood in his position—looking like a statue, unwavering and planted into the ground.
The woman with the black hair was the only one that remained. Her eyes landed on Thomas. He still had his sword ready to plunge into a wolf that wasn’t even there anymore.
“Remember. Don’t kill anything on my land,” she said.
“Understood,” I answered her, even though her eyes were still on Thomas. “But we’ll have to come through your land on our way back. Do we have permission to pass through, and maybe camp here again?”
Another bird landed and tweeted from the tree branch above.
“Aye, you have my permission.”
The woman lifted her head and peered at the bird before she turned to leave. One wolf had returned. Its head peaked into our camp from the bushes, probably wondering why the woman hadn’t followed yet. “Two... four... five,” she said once more, and then used her hands to part the bushes and leave in the direction of the cottage that I had found by following the wolf tracks last night.
With all of them gone we could all breathe easily. Thomas finally dropped his sword and rotated his shoulders trying to relieve the burning and stiffness that had accrued from staying in that position for so long.
“What was that?” Aednat asked. “Who was she? The mother of wolves?”
“I don’t know,” I answered. “Let’s pack up and break camp quickly. And drink your potions.”
“You don’t have to tell me again. The faster we leave her land, the better,” Thomas added.
While we marched on, there was nothing to see but the forest. I could hear the water that flowed to the south and as long as I kept it there I was sure we were headed in the right direction.
I never did see the rock the woman with the black hair spoke about. The one that was shaped like a wolf head and marked the border of her land. I figured we had to have passed it by now, and since we still had some food, didn’t need to kill anything anyway.
“What’s that?” Aednat asked pointing at one of the trees.
There was something etched into the tree’s bark.
“What is that?” she asked again.
Everyone surrounded the tree, trying to get a better look. I had never seen that thing before and pulled out my journal.
I opened it to an empty page and drew the image that I saw. I knew the simple waves that were drawn underneath the object represented water, and the image kind of resembled a row boat, but seemed odd, because it had large posts sticking straight up and what looked like bed sheets attached to them.
I didn’t know what it was, and wondered if anyone back at the castle city would know. When I finished drawing the object in my journal, Neala peeked over my shoulder. “That looks great. It’s almost an exact replica of it.”
Aednat wanted to see and pushed Neala out of the way. “It looks like my baby brother drew it,” Aednat said.
I shut my journal and was about to tell Aednat to shut it, when Neala shoved Aednat. “Stop pushing me around,” Neala said.
Aednat laughed and mocked her. “Look at little miss chamber maiden. You think you’re strong enough to fight me?”
Neala’s eyes said ‘aye,’ but she didn’t say it, instead choosing to stay quiet.
“Leave her alone, Aednat,” I said.
“She shoved me and now she has to answer for it.”
Neala shouted at Aednat. “You pushed me out of the way first!”
“So. You’re just a servant.”
That was it. I had it with Aednat’s mistreatment of Neala. “Aednat! Enough! I’ve had it with the way you treat her.”
“So are you going to come to her rescue all the time now?” Aednat asked.
“Aye. She’s my friend,” I said, upset with Aednat’s behavior.
“You always seem to cling to the weak ones. Just like you and...”
Aednat paused. She couldn’t dare say what I think she was going to say.
“Aednat stop!” Davina pleaded.
And Aednat did stop. I could see the guilt in her face. She didn’t mean to mock the dead. Even if she never really liked Tessa, she new better than to say something bad about her now. Not only because she was my friend, but because she was a knight that fell in battle. That could’ve been any one of us. It could’ve even been Aednat.
“She’s my friend, so just leave it at that,” I said.
“Well, I hope you take care of her, otherwise you’ll be mourning two friends.”
I had enough of her smart mouth. My body stiffened and I growled at her. Some sort of animal sound escaped my throat. I didn’t even realize I had made the sound. With every muscle tensed, I widened my arms and leaned slightly forward ready to charge, but somehow I couldn’t move.
The wind had suddenly picked up, causing my braid to whip around and slap me in the face. I regained some movement in my fingers and extended them out from the balled up fists I had a moment ago.
I opened my mouth and a high pitched, shrill squeal came out. My attention was focused solely on Aednat so I don’t know what everyone else was doing, but Aednat’s eyes opened wide and she shifted into a fighting stance. The wind howled all around us. The tree branches, scarce with their remaining leaves, swayed and rustled back and forth.
Dirt began to smack Aednat in the face and I wished the dirt particles weren’t so small. Aednat lifted her hands up in front of her face and used her palms to protect her eyes. It was working until the amount of dirt flying at her increased.
The dirt began to belt not just her face, but her stomach and chest as well. All I could see was her... her standing there making it seem like it was my fault. My fault that Tessa was dead. She wasn’t my responsibility. I wasn’t supposed to take care of her. Or was I? Maybe Aednat was right. I was second knight. I was in charge. Tessa and all that had fallen were my responsibility. Just like these four were. I’m supposed to take care of them and make sure they don’t die under my guard.
I felt a smile creep onto my face when the dirt crashing into Aednat grew in size and was accompanied by rocks. For the seconds that seemed like an eternity, all I heard was my shrill scream and the wind. Aednat summoned her shield and never screamed or said a word until the larger rocks started crashing into her body. One pelted her shin and she cried out in pain.
I held my stance, my braid flapping in the wind, my shrill scream still coming out of my mouth until I finally heard them. All of them. Neala, Davina, Thomas, and even Aednat were pleading for me to stop. My mouth shut and for a moment I felt a sense of peace. My muscles relaxed, the wind died down, and silence fell all around us.
I could move again and stretched out my arm muscles. Davina went over to check on Aednat and make sure she was alright. I was supposed to care for her — make sure my knights were safe — but right then, I didn’t care if she was injured or not. Served her right for making me feel bad. Even if there might be some truth to what she had said.
“Are you alright?” a beautiful, coy voice asked from behind. I knew that voice well. It was the voice of someone I did care about. Someone who had seen and done things that she didn’t want to talk about. Things that she was afraid she would have to do again, if she wasn’t under my protection.
“Aye, Neala. I’m fine,” I told her.
“How did you do that?”
“I don’t know. Something inside me just... exploded.”
“That’s an understatement,” Thomas said, and then ripped a piece of dried meat between his teeth.
A whirling commotion began overhead and when I lift
ed my gaze to see what it was, a flock of birds swirled in the sky. They were just like the two that had been studying us at our morning meal—green feathers with some red and blue mixed in. They swirled in a circular motion at first and then made what seemed like the letter S in the air. When they stopped, they came to rest on the tree branches directly above us. They looked at one another and tweeted about something and then looked down at the five of us and the tweeting stopped all at once. Each and every single bird studied us.
Thomas ripped and chewed another piece of dried meat. “They’re probably wondering what just happened. Birds can sense weather changes, you know.”
“Aye, just like the falcons,” Neala added.
“I don’t like the looks of them,” Aednat said.
And neither did I. They were staring at us. Each of us. Their eyes kept shifting from one of us to the other. I didn’t like the silence. What was with the silence? Why weren’t they tweeting?
“Let’s move,” I ordered my group. I didn’t want to spend another moment under their watchful eyes.
Chapter 16
After walking through trees, more trees and nothing but trees — and with the sound of water still to the south — the sun began to set.
The thought of stopping entered my mind, but by my estimation we should be coming up on the dragon wizard’s castle very soon and I didn’t want to stop just yet.
When we entered a small clearing, the others must’ve been thinking about making camp because they stopped and studied the area.
Thomas retrieved an apple from his satchel and bit into it. While still chewing he mumbled, “Camp?”
Aednat and Davina slid their satchels off and placed them on the ground—both of them ready to make camp for the night.
“Nay,” I said. “Let’s keep moving.”
Thomas shrugged and led the way.
“Come on, Alora. I’m tired,” Aednat complained.
“Me too,” Davina said.
“I would like to rest as well,” Neala added.
“Fine, we can rest, but only for a few minutes. We’re close, I can feel it. We can make it there tonight.”
“We don’t even know if he’ll be there. Let’s make camp,” Aednat suggested.
“Nay. We’ll keep moving.”
Aednat groaned and squatted down for a short rest. I on the other hand, couldn’t wait. My body wanted to keep moving. I wanted to arrive at the castle. I paced back and forth watching the others rest until I couldn’t wait any longer.
“That’s long enough. Let’s move on.”
The others groaned and even Neala let out a sigh of contention. I ignored them all and focused on the darkening woods ahead. While everyone stood and threw their satchels back on, I dug into mine.
I held out my hand and offered the vials. “Here. Everyone drink.”
“What is it?” Neala asked taking one from my hand.
“It’s the potion of dark to light. It let’s us see better in the dark.”
Neala happily uncorked her vial and drank it in one gulp. Aednat, Davina and Thomas all drank theirs and we were ready to forge on.
As night fell upon us, I led the way. Maneuvering through the trees, the light was faint, it still looked as if the sun was setting or like if I held a torch. But this was better. There was no torch to hold. No torch to get blown out by the wind and no chance of setting the woods on fire.
As the evening pressed on, I rotated to the back of the group and walked by Neala.
We talked and talked about what the dragon wizard would be like. I said he would be kind, but Neala wondered how a dragon could be anything but cruel, when at last, the trees became sparse and a wall of bushes blocked our path.
“Is this it?” Aednat asked.
I studied the bushes. “Aye, I think it is.”
I watched as Aednat, Thomas and then Davina fought their way through the wall and to the other side. When they were through, Neala stepped forward, reached out and touched the dense bush. She used both hands to spread the bush as if she was swimming, and then passed through.
I was the last to make it through the wall and when I made it to the other side, the four of them were staring up at the castle ruins that stood on top of the mountain. The mountain that rested right on the water’s edge.
Half way up the mountain, began a set of winding steps that were carved into the sides and wrapped around the outside of the mountain. They appeared to be broken off at the bottom half so that no one could use them to climb up to the castle that rested at the top.
Neala was the first to speak. “How are we going to get up there?” she asked. “The steps only come down but half way.”
“How else? By climbing,” Aednat said.
“I can’t climb that,” Neala said.
“You can’t do much of anything, can you?” Aednat mocked.
Davina nudged Aednat and whispered. “Stop it before Alora punishes you.”
Aednat glanced my way and then turned her gaze back up at the castle.
“Me, Aednat and Davina will climb up the mountain and to the steps. Thomas stay here with Neala.”
“Sounds good to me,” Thomas said, and then placed his satchel on the ground and sat by its side. Tapping the ground next to him he said, “Neala, sit. Let’s watch the show.”
“What show?” she asked sitting on the ground next to him.
Thomas pointed to the mountain. “Of them trying to get up that thing.”
The three of us walked up to the mountain’s base and studied it. The mountain was wide, really wide, and it looked like it stretched all the way to the sky. I wondered if I or any of us would be able to climb that high or would our muscles give out before we made it to where the steps began.
“Soar,” Davina said.
“It’s too high,” Aednat advised her.
“But it might get us closer. Let’s try it.”
The three of us, aimed our palms at the ground and crouched at the ready. “At my command,” I said. “Ready? Now!”
I soared up the side of the mountain and when I felt my upward momentum starting to fade, reached out to find a foot and handhold.
The mountain was damp, retaining much of the moisture from the rains and possibly from its closeness to the water that rested on the other side of it.
Holding on to the side, I was already much closer to the steps. Davina and Aednat had already started climbing and I rushed to catch up.
I tried not to look down and focused on my climb. Reach. Grip. Hand. Foot. One step at a time and don’t look down. Don’t. Look. Down.
As I climbed up towards the dragon wizard’s castle, all I could think about was what I would learn. That usual feeling of fear plus excitement made my already racing heart race even faster.
And then something hit me on the head. I looked up to see Aednat dangling. She had lost her footing.
I raced up the side of the mountain and reached her, took her hand and placed it back on the mountain.
“Are you alright?” I asked the now clinging to the side of the mountain girl. She didn’t move.
“Aye,” she said. But I wasn’t so sure.
“Can you make it?” I asked.
“Of course. I would’ve found my grip eventually.”
I guess that was her way of saying thank you for saving me. “Come on then,” I said. “Stay at my side.”
Aednat didn’t huff, groan or protest. She stayed at my side the whole way up to the steps.
I climbed a little higher so that I could reach out with one foot and land on the steps. Aednat and Davina were right behind me. I couldn’t contain myself and took off running up the stairs. They wrapped around the side of the mountain and curved up the whole way. I forgot where I was for a moment and looked out and beyond them. We were high, very high. Almost too high. The water flowed and it reminded me of the view from the castle city.
Is this how all castles were built? Up high on mountains by the water?
When we reached the
top of the winding mountain staircase, I was sad to see that the castle was truly in ruins. It was the remains of what appeared to be a great castle. Most of the walls had crumbled, and there appeared to be no roof tops to protect us from the rain or snow.
“Stay together,” I commanded, and then I stepped deeper into the castle ruins.
Each wall we passed must’ve created a new room or maybe someone’s sleeping chambers. We passed under a wall that hadn’t crumbled. Passing under the arch, we were led into an open space.
“A courtyard?” Davina asked.
“It looks like the entrance,” I said.
There was a gate that secured the opening and the walls appeared intact although still weak and unkempt.
And then I heard the whoosh. I had heard it once before, the sound of wind being stirred. I heard it that night when me and Silas were on the balcony, embraced in each other’s arms. “Armor!” I shouted, and then summoned my own.
Next, came a loud boom as the dragon landed right in front of us.
I waved hello and was about to greet him, when he shouted at us.
“Trespassers!”
Before I could explain, he growled and then inhaled deeply.
I knew what that meant and prepared myself. “Davina, Aednat, get behind me, quickly.”
There was no hesitation on Aednat’s part — she quickly moved to my rear — but Davina stood frozen with fear. I reached out, grabbed her and slid her behind my body.
When the stream of fire inched towards us, I raised my arm and the fire split into two separate streams.
Upon seeing this. The dragon stopped breathing his fire. “A wizard?” he asked.
He didn’t seem impressed. This time he inhaled deeply and I prepared for him. The flame started off as one long stream of fire and then all on its own, split into three separate streams. Davina gasped, but I held my footing. Davina tried to run away, but I heard Aednat tell her to stand fast and I told them to do the same. “Stay put! Form a straight line behind me!”
I stepped back, closing the gap between us. One flame turned to flank us from the left, the other from the right and the third one rose high and tried to attack from above.
Did the dragon wizard really believe his assault would work?