The Battle for Jordborg

by Logan Petty

  “Hey girl, did ya miss me?” She looked deep into Songrandir’s eyes. She stared until a thought came to her.

  “Nah, Timb, that’s not it. He does deserve to make them after leaving me crying in the rain. Choosing that witch. Ugh, that’s not real magic. Nah, he deserves to make those mistakes, but I’m not gonna let him make them.”

  Timbrell shivered violently as Mari climbed onto Songrandir’s back. “W-what are ye doing? Aren’t we going back inside? Where it’s safe? And not raining?”

  “Not tonight, Timb. If Sawain wants a dragon, then I have to make sure he gets one.”

  Timbrell nearly tumbled off the drake as she began to move up river. He climbed into her lap and grabbed her face.

  “W-w-w-w-WHAT? Mari, lass, I don’t think that’s what I had in mind when I said to let him make mistakes. I meant--”

  Mari cut him off as she spurred her drake forward, “I know what you meant, but if Turin won’t be his guiding light, maybe I can be. I have to try.”

  Timbrell began to let out sobs of his own. “I changed me mind. Ye should just get over the lout and move on. Preferably in the opposite direction of a dragon. And how do we even know which direction that dragon is in?”

  Mari patted Songrandir. “Well, Song’s kinda like a dragon, I think. They’re big, smart lizards. She’s a big smart lizard. They’ve got a link. I’m sure of it.”

  Timbrell sighed and tried to dump the pooling water from Mari’s hood so he could drape it over her head. He resigned himself to his fate, but felt compelled to try to change it one last time.

  “Are ye sure he’s worth it, lass? I mean . . . he did abandon you in a thunderstorm and hasn’t even come back to stop you from leaving,” he glanced back, hoping to see Sawain rushing behind them, proving him wrong. “I mean . . . maybe we shouldn’t go challenging fate.”

  Mari shook her head. “It’s like you said. Nothing’s set in stone yet. Regardless of how he feels, I know what I have to do. I’m going to be his guiding light.”

  Chapter 5:

  Thunder boomed through the earthen tunnel as Sawain ran after Kyra. Though she had a head start on him, he caught up quickly.

  “Kyra, wait! Please talk to me!”

  She halted and he nearly crashed into her. She spun around on her heels and swung for his face. He didn’t have the heart to dodge it as she slapped him hard across his cheek. His hand shot up to the mark he felt rising. Kyra’s eyes were swollen and her lip quivered as she screamed at Sawain.

  “Two years! Two years I’ve been searching for you! I’ve seen you in my dreams. You’re always reaching out for me, but I can never reach back. I thought . . . I thought maybe if I kept looking for you . . . maybe my dreams meant something. I’d begun to lose hope. And yet, after all this time, I found you and there you are, holding another girl.”

  Sawain furrowed his brow. “Holding another girl? What do you mean?”

  Kyra threw her arms up in the air. “Nath’s teeth, Sawain! Is your head filled with rocks? I just saw you out there, holding Mari. It’s just too much!”

  She turned to rush away and Sawain reached out and grabbed her hand. His touch froze her to the spot as he turned her back around.

  “Look, will you give me a second to explain? Mari is our bard. Her songs are the only thing that can stop a berserker’s rage. She’s my calming presence when I lose myself.”

  Kyra’s tear fell fresh. “That’s supposed to make me feel better?”

  She wrenched her hand from his and turned again. He scratched the back of his head. He had no idea what to say. He followed after her, hoping the words would come to him.

  “Kyra, please. You said I was in your dreams. I’ve had dreams too. I’ve seen you, but when I saw you, you looked so . . . disappointed.”

  She turned around and walked backwards so she could glare at him but keep a good distance between the two. “Did it look something like this, Sawain? Just go on and tell me, do you love her?”

  Sawain stopped in his tracks. They had reached the large part of the cave now, and the others’ eyes were now on him.

  “What?”

  Axel appeared by Kyra’s side and draped a dry blanket over her shoulders. “Look at the lot of ye, soaked through to the bone! Ye’ll need to get dry or yer likely to catch yer death. Where’re the others?”

  Sawain looked around the room. Everyone he glanced at looked away awkwardly. He suddenly realized what he had done.

  “Mari and Timbrell . . . . They’re outside. Probably need some time to themselves. They’ll be back in shortly.”

  A large, shimmering serpentine form slinked past Sawain. He could feel Songrandir’s angry glare as she stalked past him and vanished into the tunnel that led outside. Kyra shrugged Axle’s hand off her shoulder and stalked off into the darkness beyond. He sighed as he watched her go.

  “Look, everyone, I’m sorry. I didn’t handle any of this well. I’m no leader. I should have never dragged any of you into this. I don’t know what to do anymore, but I do realize that I’m just not a thinker. Axel, you should take over this operation. I’m not fit to lead.”

  Binze looked up and stepped forward. “Whoa now, hold on, Sawain. No offense to Master Rimebeard, but I vowed to follow you and you alone.”

  A forlorn glaze in Sawain’s eyes formed as he stared wistfully at Binze.

  “I’m sorry, Binze, but this entire scheme is half baked. I’m no tactician. I don’t know how to plan some great heist in a city I’ve never seen before. I don’t know what to say to a dragon that will keep him from peeling the skin off my bones. I’m in over my head.”

  Sydarion sidled up to Sawain and took him by the shoulders. He ushered him to a seat beside a bonfire Banthan was busy trying to keep stoked with the limited firewood they had in the cave.

  “Listen, little brother. I know that’s not true. You are a fine tactician. Okay, maybe you don’t know how to pull off an elaborate heist - yet. Maybe your eloquence is lacking for now. But I know you’ll find your solution. You always do. Stop being so hard on yourself. It’s not like you have to do this alone.”

  Sawain shuddered as he sat down by the fire. “Yeah, that’s what Mari said . . . but that’s the problem. I can’t do this anymore. I can’t keep asking people to put their lives on the line for me anymore. Tobi . . . Loraleth . . . everyone from Underfell Town. They put their hopes in me and look what it got them.”

  “Just what did it get them, Swerdbrekker? What has it gotten any of us?”

  Banthan looked up from where he crouched across from Sawain. The red fire light shone on his face, intensifying the ferocity in his visage.

  “I’ll tell you what: nothing. Nothing yet. But that’s because we’re still fighting to claim it. Fighting to fulfil that promise you made to us about driving the Grey King out of our lands. And before you give me any more of that filth about not asking anyone else to die for you, let me say this: no one ever asked me to join this insane venture. No one ever asked Lora . . . . Look, my point is I chose to follow you. So did every other Ghost who left the city with you. I get it. You’re mad at Turin. Makes sense. You were never given a choice. This random god comes along while you’re minding your own business, getting killed by gnolls, and picks you up, dusts you off, then tells you to go fight his battles for him. I guess that would make me pretty ill, too. So you think just because you’re set up as Turin’s little puppet, dancing on his stage, that the rest of us are puppets, too. Am I right?”

  Sparks rose into the air as a burning log broke in the fire. Sawain’s gaze rose with it, settling on Banthan.

  “You think you have me all figured out, is that it? Well, what if I made my own choice for once? What if I decide to quit and walk out of here right now?”

  Banthan stood up and dusted himself off. “Well, I’d probably complain about the rain, but I’d be right behind you. If you’re going home, so am I. Let’s pack our stuff and leave tonight. We can be back in Alfhaven by tomorrow if we move fast enough.”
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  Silence fell over the cave, punctuated by the popping wood in the fire. Sawain continued to scrutinize Banthan.

  “So that’s it? Just because I give up and go home, you’d just give up on everything you’ve been fighting for?”

  Banthan kicked a rock at Sawain, which bounced harmlessly off his boot. “You got water in your ears? I’m not fighting for some greater good. I’m fighting because you’re fighting. Ask any of the Ghosts, they’ll tell you the same thing. We don’t fight because we were asked to fight. We’re here because we believe in you. We sacrifice freely. We made our choice, so have a little faith in us. You want to pack it up? Fine. Let’s go home. Tell that god of yours to go find another champion. I’m not a big fan of his work anyway.”

  Thunder rolled through the cave as Banthan finished his speech. Sawain opened his mouth to speak but was astounded at Banthan’s insight. Images of his friends ran through his head. Nara, Banth, Lora, Tobi, Jatharr, Timbrell, Mari. He remembered Mari’s face in the rain. His hand reached up for the totem around his neck only to find it was no longer there. He remembered tearing it off and throwing it. He stood up quickly, nearly knocking Sydarion off his seat.

  “My totem! I threw it into the canyon while I was angry. I have to go find it.”

  Banthan smiled, crossing his arms. “So you’re still going to dance to Turin’s song? Fine by me, I suppose.”

  Sawain shot Banthan an irritated glare as he turned to head out. He remembered that Mari was still out there and slowed his pace. He knew that he owed her an apology, but was not sure if he knew where to begin. His urgency to recover the totem compelled him forward regardless. He moved quickly through the dark tunnel, listening to the rainfall outside. He did not see Mari or Timbrell at the mouth of the cave when he arrived.

  Are they still out in the storm? I really must have messed up this time.

  Icy pellets of water assaulted Sawain as he stepped out of the cave’s shelter. It took only a second for his eyes to adjust. He looked all around as he splashed through the shin deep water. Mari and Timbrell were nowhere to be found. His totem was gone as well. He wondered if it could have been washed downstream. The concern for his totem faded the more he thought about Mari. It was not like her to go off on her own, and Songrandir was also missing. He sloshed through the rising waters as he fought to get to the other side where the ravine rose up and out of the hills. When he got to the top, he did not see anyone around, though he could not see far in this storm. Worry began to consume his thoughts as he ran back down into the ravine. He made his way quickly back into the cave, running headlong down the all too familiar tunnel. He burst out into the cavern, dripping wet.

  “Eldingbál!”

  His drake slithered out of the shadows, and dashed to his side. He was already on Eldingbál’s back by the time the others had clambered around him. Axel shouted dismally.

  “Bjorn’s beard! What’s happened lad?”

  Banthan was already astride his drake as they slid to his side. “It’s Mari, isn’t it? That girl has always acted rashly when upset. She can’t have got far yet.”

  Binze shouldered his blade. “Where to, Swerdbrekker?”

  Sawain’s mind was a blur. “Binze, Terina, how long will it take you to run to the Bone-City?”

  Terina ran a hand along the bottom of her jaw. “A few hours, maybe a bit longer in the rain. You don’t think the girl went after the Runestone shard, do you?”

  The sounds of camp being quickly broken disheveled Sawain’s scattered thoughts further. “I -- I’m not sure, but I want you to check. Keep an eye out for them as you go. I doubt she even knows which direction to go. We need to fan out. Everyone pick a direction and ride in it. Ride all night if you have to. Find her and bring her back here. Everyone meet back in two days. If we haven’t found her by then . . . .”

  Kyra emerged from the outer darkness. “Sawain . . . .”

  Sawain turned his drake toward the entrance. “We’ll find her. Banth and I will ride west. Everyone else pair up and pick a direction.”

  The party flooded out of the cave. Sawain did not even wait to discuss it further. He had to find Mari. This was his fault and he had to fix it. Eldingbál glided through the water and bounded up to the hills above. His muzzle worked the ground furiously. Banthan and Huggan followed suit as the drakes worked to pick up a trail. Sawain leaned in close to his drake.

  “Come on, there has to be something.”

  Eldinbál raised his head quickly and darted northwestward. Huggan raced alongside him. Banthan shouted over the torrential beating from the rain.

  “Please tell me we aren’t riding toward a dragon.”

  Sawain blinked, squinting through the storm. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

  “For you, maybe!”

  Sawain rode in silence as he braced for the worst.

  . . .

  Mari held tight to Songrandir as she wove in and out of the rocks and trees of the fells as lightning flashed overhead.

  “You sure you know where you’re going, Song? I mean, maybe we should stop and ask for directions.”

  A large lump under Mari’s cloak shook violently as Timbrell’s voice yelled from it, “Are ye sure we can’t just stop for the night? We haven’t had dinner yet and the sun will be rising any minute now.”

  Mari had noticed the change in the light, but had hoped it was the storm letting up. She hugged Songrandir tighter as her stomach growled.

  “There’s no way it’s been eight hours already! I mean, Song’s going pretty strong still.”

  Songrandir twisted her head up momentarily. Mari caught the glimpse of exhaustion in her expression. She sighed.

  “If we stop now, we risk the others finding us, or worse -- getting to that dragon first.”

  Timbrell shook harder. “If we don’t stop, we risk dying of starvation or exhaustion! Whichever comes first.”

  She sighed, unable to see far ahead of her. “Fine, let’s stop, but we need to find shelter.”

  Songrandir found a small grove at the foot of the last hill they skirted. The trees did little to stop the rain, but trees always comforted Mari. She climbed down from her drake and sat against one of the larger trees. Timbrell ran out of her cloak to avoid being sat on, then quickly repositioned himself in the warmest, driest part under her cloak. Songrandir curled up around Mari as well, resting her massive head on Mari’s lap. The drake was so much warmer than Mari expected her to be. These drakes truly were marvelous creatures. Timbrell’s shaking had ceased and was replaced by snores. It did not take Songrandir long to fall asleep either.

  Fatigue quickly gripped Mari as she sniffled, trying to keep her nose from dripping. She cuddled as close to her drake as possible and drifted off to sleep. That night, her dreams were dark. She kept seeing Sawain. She would call out to him, but he would always walk away. Sometimes he would walk into a trap, where he would be brutally murdered. Other times he would walk into Kyra’s arms and Mari could only watch as he wrapped his arms around the other girl. She would scream and cry, but Sawain would just ignore her. When she finally opened her eyes, it was daylight. The rain was still coming down, though not nearly as hard. She stretched her stiff muscles and woke her companions with a few playful shoves.

  “Come on, sleepy heads. Time to rise and shine. We have to go meet a dragon today!”

  Timbrell poked his head out of the cloak and winced. “Ugh, still raining? Doesn’t it ever stop?”

  Mari giggled, but it quickly turned into a cough. Timbrell scurried up and placed a paw on her face. “Lass, yer burning up! I told ye this rain’ll be the death of us! We need to find a town -- get a healer!”

  Mari shook him off her face. “I’m fine, Timb. Just a little morning cold. Once we get moving, I’ll feel better. Let’s see if we have anything to eat.”

  She opened her pouch that she kept on her side and pulled out the first thing in it. She stared at the little lion totem that belonged to Sawain. The stabbing pain in her chest flared
up at the sight of it. She shoved it back in the pouch and pulled out three seed cakes.

  “Looks like this is all we have. We better find that dragon fast so we can regroup and get some better grub. Here Timb, you take one, and you too, Song. Oh, don’t turn your nose up. They’re good! And mostly dry still. Come on, we have to get back to it.”

  After a hasty breakfast, the three companions continued their journey. Though light filtered in from the gray clouds overhead, the world was cast in a dark veil. Rain steadily beat down on the trio as they moved from rock to rock, glade to glade, watching for enemies the whole time. They found a creek after an hour of riding and stopped for a quick water break before continuing on. They stuck close to the water, following its flow up stream. Mari’s reasoning had returned to her somewhat. She felt as if she was being hunted, Sawain probably rode throughout the night in order to reach her. He had to be getting close. The uneasy feeling in the back of her skull made her inch forward on Songrandir as if it would make the drake walk faster. Dizziness gripped her as she glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one was behind them. She marked it off as travel fatigue and hoped Timbrell did not notice.

  Hours passed and still they had not found any trace of civilization. Mari had no idea how vast Hammerhold’s wilderness could be. The sheer magnitude of such a place made the young bard miss the close quarters of Alfhaven. Timbrell sighed in exasperation.

  “What I wouldn’t give to find anything. A town, a farm, even an abandoned hovel would be nicer than this.”

  Mari squinted through the rain as it finally let up enough for her to see better. They reached the top of a barren hill, cut clean of trees. Another hill rose up beyond it with a small valley between it and the hill they stood on. The stream they had been following opened up into a small dark lake in the heart of the valley. A dark structure rose up from the far hill that looked like a massive tree trunk with no boughs. Mari pointed at it.

  “Look, Song! That has to be Ylsgrin’s tower. See Timb, I knew this would work. And hey - now you get your wish! We found some form of civilization.”