The Scent of Death

by Shelby Skabelund

  “Do you know what this means?” she yelled out, standing and then twirling around.

  “No, not really.” Nick answered.

  “This means we should celebrate!” she said excitedly. We lost all hope when our uncle never returned. We knew something terrible had happened to him but not exactly what. Without a Keeper we had lost all hope. The tides have turned, and there is hope. We have a Keeper. We have a way to vanquish the dragon and return things to the way they were. It might take you some time to learn, but there is hope none the less.” Nick thought he almost heard a giggle in this last phrase she was so giddy.

  “I hope you aren’t getting so excited over me. This is all a big mistake. That book was meant for someone else. I am just a young boy. Do I look like a dragon slayer? Do I look like someone that could really be a hero?” he asked sarcastically.

  His sour reply didn’t dampen her spirits at all. She continued to bounce around the fire and smile at the thoughts that ran through her head. Nick found himself thinking that this could not be the same girl that had saved him from the fire last night. That girl was solemn and angry. This girl was giddy and well, a girl.

  She kept smiling and quietly talking to herself as she gathered the few things that Rhen had been carrying the night before. As she did, Nick found himself smiling as he watched her for the next few minutes. He forgot about all that was happening for a brief moment and lost himself in those beautiful eyes. He had thought they were beautiful the night before, but the happiness that she was showing worked like a spell of its own. He was lost and motionless for a few minutes, just taking her in.

  “What are you staring at?” Rhen said in a gruff voice.

  Nick jumped startled as he came out of the trance he had been in. He realized that Rhen was just repeating this for the second time.

  “Nothing, it’s just, look at how odd she is acting…” he said feeling a little stupid for staring the way he was.

  Rhen then turned to Vidian and started to explain how he was able to cover their tracks from the night before and that from what he could tell, there were no signs of the Dead Ones anywhere nearby. Vidian in turn went into full detail of what Nick had explained to her about the night before. After she had finished, even Rhen turned and looked Nick over briefly. There was a gentler look on his face, and almost a smile.

  Nick felt the weight from the night before start to come back again. The look of hope on their faces was too much and he started toward the entrance of the cave.

  “Wait” shouted Rhen “you can’t go stomping around in those robes, we need to keep you a secret. If Mortes or the Dead Ones were to get word of a Keeper, there would be trouble fast. Put these on.”

  He held out a pair of tan trousers with a leather strap, and a linen shirt with an open neck. Nick gladly slipped the trousers under the breezy robe and then slipped the robe off and the shirt on. He felt a little better having some pants on after all the adventure.

  He folded up the robe and Vidian offered to put it in Rhen’s small pack. He handed it over without a question and she tucked it away.

  Within the hour, they were headed out though the cave entrance. The sun was high in the sky and very hot. Nick was able to see the landscape for the first time in daylight. He could see the slight impression of green trees back from the way they had come. They were completely surrounded by sand and dirt. Large rock hills pushed themselves out of the ground, and you could see the occasional sprig of bright green desert weeds trying to spring towards the sun.

  Nick wished he had a hat, or something to cover his head and neck. Rhen pushed them on all afternoon. He continued to say that they needed to get “there” before the night fell, or it would not be safe. Nick kept asking where they were going, but he wouldn’t say.

  By the late afternoon, Nick felt as though he was getting to know Vidian a little better. She walked beside him as Rhen lead the way in the burning sun. Vidian was very different today and kept smiling. She had found a desire to talk about her uncle and what he was like. She had gone on and on about the kingdom of Detre and how wonderful it was. Nick was very interested in her description and was excited by the prospect of seeing a functioning castle. His hopes came crashing down as she explained how the dragon had ravaged the castle and made it her own blackened lair. He decided that the castle was off his list of things to see.

  As it was growing dark Rhen called back to them, “Just over this ridge!”

  It seemed like Nicks legs were made of lead. All the walking they had done was taking its toll. His mouth was dry, and lips were chapped. All he could think of was cool water. He was so thirsty.

  As they climbed the last sandy, dusty ridge they could see Rhen stooping under a rock ledge and disappeared. “That’s it.” Said Vidian. “That’s our Home.”

  Nick was confused again. He was looking up into the shadow of a very large cliff and rock mountain. There wasn’t a sign of green life anywhere on it. It was the most unappealing place he had ever seen. The thoughts of living in a hole in this huge mass of rock seemed so discouraging and uncomfortable to Nick. They were still out in the middle of a dusty, sandy, rock wasteland. All he could see for miles was gray rocks and dirt. “How could this be their home? Why would you live under a ledge in the middle of nowhere?” He thought to himself.

  When they finished walking and sliding down the hill they slipped under the rock ledge themselves. Just a few feet under the ledge was a small opening about 3 feet wide and 2 feet tall.

  “Follow me.” said Vidian as she slipped her feet into the opening and disappeared inside. Nick could hear her slide on the stones surface.

  Nick slipped his feet into the opening and the next thing he knew he was sliding down into a dark hole very quickly. When he hit the bottom, he couldn’t see the floor and his knees slammed into his chin and he fell face forward onto a dirt covered cave floor. There was light flickering from a torch, and it took a second for his eyes to focus. When he could see, he was amazed at the sight.

  It was a cave, but it looked like a home. There was a wooden table in the middle of the room with animal skins draped over a bench on both sides of the table. There was a flat rock ledge with a pile of animal skins and what looked like blankets and pillows. It was the most comfortable looking bed and all he wanted to do was to crawl in. There was a second bed across the room in a smaller cubby that must have been Vidian’s.

  Near the Table was a make shift counter. It was made from a pine tree that had been sawn horizontally to make a flat surface. It was resting on flat stacked stones that held it in place waist high. On the counter were plates, cups and eating utensils. There were ceramic jars that Nick assumed held flour and other cooking ingredients. Under the counter were handmade baskets with different items that Nick couldn’t make out in the dark shadow of the counter above.

  Rhen was hunched over by the right side of the counter with a small torch in his hand trying to light a small fire. Nick was amazed that the fire he was lighting was in a small fireplace cut right into the stone. There was a mantle and hearth just like a fireplace you would expect to see in a Christmas painting, but it was all made of the natural stone from the cave wall. The smoke was curling up and disappearing into what must be a chimney carved into the rock. Nick found himself drawn to Rhen’s side running his hands over what he realized was flawless stone work. The oddest thing was that it seemed to be about half the size it should be.

  “Did you build all of this?” Nick asked Rhen his eyes wide with amazement.

  “Oh this?” He waved his hand, “we found this little place while running from the Dead Ones. The fire place was already here, and these bunks were here, but it had been vacant for a very long time. We found cobwebs as thick as willow branches hanging everywhere. We realized it was the perfect place to call home, so we cleaned it up and made it our own. I made the table and benches and the counter. Vidian made the blankets and pillows. All the rest we rummaged up from our little treks. If you think this is impressive, come see
this!”

  Rhen led him to the far-left side of the cave. There was small arched doorway that they both had to stoop to get through. Rhen held up his torch and Nick peered around the small room. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The stone room was perfectly square. Crown molding carved into the stone. What looked like a small pedestal sink carved out of stone and then a stone bench next to an area with a recessed floor. Next to the sink was a chain with a polished stone handle hanging from the wall and a stone spout carved right out of the wall pointing into the sink. Rhen pulled the handle next to the sink and water trickled out. Then Rhen stepped into the recessed floor. When he did Nick could see the floor drop about a quarter of an inch. When it did water began to sprinkle out of a corner in the box from the ceiling of the cave.

  Nick couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The craftsmanship was exquisite. He had never seen anything like it. He couldn’t imagine how many hours it would have taken to build this room. “How in the ….” Nick started and then couldn’t find the words.

  “I know, that is exactly how we reacted. It has sure been nice. The water is sweet and clean. You can drink it right from the spout. It must filter down through the large rocks above the cave somehow. I don’t understand it, but it has been a life saver.” Rhen said with a grin.

  “I can see why you made this place home. It is a shame it is all about half the size you would expect though.” Replied Nick.

  “Well if you were the one carving this all, I bet you would want to reduce the size as well. I can only imagine the time that went into this place. This is the only finished room. They must have started on the living room and quit, because not much had been done in there.” Rhen said pushing a thumb out toward the other part of the cave.

  As they stood there, Nick felt the pains of thirst and effects of the sun return. “May I?” Nick asked. “Of Course.” Replied Rhen.

  Nick pushed his mouth under the spout and pulled the handle. Cool water rushed out and splashed refreshingly into his mouth and soothed his dry lips. He drank and drank, as long as he could without taking a breath. Rhen was right, the water was cool and sweet as though it was coming directly from a fresh spring.

  When he felt it would make him sick to drink any more, Nick released the handle and straightened up. Rhen motioned to him to follow him back into the other room. “Let’s make a bed for you before it gets too late. You can’t be sleeping on the floor.” He turned and yelled into the other room, “Vidian, make us something to eat. I’m starving.”

  It took Nick and Rhen only a few minutes to clear some things off one of the rock ledges that seemed flat. Then they piled some animal furs and a few blankets and a pillow on it. “Go on then, test it out.” Rhen said smiling. Nick didn’t think twice. He climbed in and felt his body almost collapse into the soft furs beneath him. It was so wonderful. He didn’t want to move a muscle.

  Nick woke a few hours later as Vidian was gently shaking his arm and calling his name. “Nick, come and eat some supper. It will be cold if you wait any longer.”

  His body felt so heavy. “His hands must have weights tied to them” he thought. He sat up and the smell of food brought him back to life. He slid himself over the edge of the rock ledge he had been sleeping on and slowly walked to the table.

  Rhen had his head down and elbows spread resting on the table shoveling whatever was on his plate into his mouth. Vidian pointed to a full plate lying on the table that was for him. Nick swung a leg over the bench and sat down. Looking at his plate he could now see what it was. There was some type of delicious smelling meat and a mush of some sort filling the rest of the plate.

  Nick picked up the three fingered fork that was setting next to his plate and took a hesitant bite. He couldn’t make out what he was eating. He couldn’t decide if it was a mashed potato or some type of cracked wheat or maybe both, but it tasted good and was filling. He decided the meat must be deer. It was a good flavor but had a slightly wild taste to it.

  It was very quiet as they all ate. Nick hadn’t noticed how hungry he was. He was so thirsty walking through the heat. It was so intense and that was all he had thought about on the journey. As he scraped up the last of the mush on his plate Rhen startled him by speaking up “We need to go to the mines tonight! I can’t just sit here and let them hurt people.” Vidian’s countenance changed immediately. Her eyes seemed to darken, and her forehead wrinkled.

  “It’s too dangerous!” she almost yelled with a waver in her voice. “The Dead Ones are everywhere, and if they caught us…”

  “We will not get caught.” Rhen fired back. “I’m not that stupid. I just need to see who has been caught, and if there is any easy way to free someone, I will. Imagine if it were you down there. I don’t even like to think about it.” He shook his head.

  “I didn’t say you were stupid, I just said it was dangerous. I don’t have any desire to even see the Dead Ones. They will do anything with no remorse. It scares me to even see their unfeeling eyes, even if they aren’t looking at me. I can’t imagine being face to face with one.” Vidian shuddered involuntarily.

  Nick could feel her tangible fear. Vidian was rattled by these “Dead Ones”. Nick couldn’t help but ask. “Who are the dead ones?”

  It was quiet for a long moment and then Rhen turned his head to look at Nick. “They are almost indescribable. They are in the service of her, the dragon. Normal men cower in fear at the hint of her awful smell. They lose all ability to think clearly and can’t move. They are completely frozen with fear and await their destruction. It is a built-in hunting mechanism for the dragon. It isn’t fair, but it is the way men react.

  The Dead Ones are men who have pledged themselves to the dragon. Somehow, she can change them. They become dead to her smell. They become dead to humanity and they become dead to all emotion. They fear nothing, they care for nothing but themselves and wealth and stature. They carry out her will at all cost. They do things that no sane human would do to another human. Death follows them everywhere. The blank cold look in their eyes will make you sick and send chills up your spine.

  Each one of them shaves their head as they enter her service and they mark their bodies with black ink that is etched into their skin. Each has his own markings, but all have her mark on the back of their skull. You will know it when you see it. Do not fight them if you are caught. They will snap your spine without even a thought.” Rhen finished.

  Nick was speechless. He had thought that the drunken men they had been chased by were scary enough, but this description gave him a new respect for how dangerous they really were. It reminded him of the most heinous criminals, which had done unspeakable things to captives, it reminded him of horror stories that he had heard from the older kids around the campfire, he thought of his video games on his Q5 at home and the Zombies that attacked with no feeling and no thought or guilt.

  A terrible feeling came over him. A dark evil hopeless feeling. The sound of Rhen’s voice had been so matter of fact and serious that Nick didn’t doubt the evil he described. He knew that these men were real and that he was in a very dangerous and evil new world. He could only imagine what Mortes was like. They had described her massive size. The impenetrable scales that covered her body. They described her powerful claws and legs. The thing that scared him the most wasn’t just the power, or the flames, but the evil way that she slaughtered thousands with no remorse.

  “Nick are you alright?” came a female voice.

  It was Vidian. Nick shook his head and realized as he had listened to Rhen, his head had dropped, and he was staring into the dirt and stone floor.

  “Yes, I’m ok, but these men you are describing sound terrible. I have no desire to see one.” Nick said quietly.

  “Nor should you want to.” Said Rhen. “They run the mines and drive the slaves. They do a great job because there is no question in the slaves mind that if they do not do as they are told they will be tortured or killed in brutal ways.” He finished.

  “What are th
ey mining?” Nick asked.

  “They are mining gold and silver. The Dragon has no need of it but lusts after as much of it as possible. They pull it from the mines and take it to her at the castle. They also take steel from the mines to make swords and shields for her Dead Ones. Her armies are growing every day. Only the most evil and selfish people choose to join her. They give their life to her in service, but lose all of what it means to be human. Sure they are alive, but at what cost? All that surrounds her is death and destruction. My life is worth more than that.”

  It was silent for a moment and then Vidian spoke up. “That is why Rhen wants to go to the mines. There are honest good people suffering there. We were there. We have dear friends that are there. There is no doubt that they are suffering. It is horrible…” She broke off and as she hid her head and turned around.

  “I’ll be honest, I’m afraid, but if people are suffering I want to help.” Said Nick. “I don’t know what I can do but I will help.”

  After another long discussion the three decided it would be best to wait until the next night to travel to the mines. They had traveled far and hard to escape capture and if others would need their help then they needed to be rested. One mistake because someone was tired would put their lives in jeopardy. This reasoning made the decision simple for the three of them.

  Later that evening as they had climbed into their beds, Nick was examining the black robe and the book. He slid the book back into the pocket and marveled at how the robe stayed limp and foldable even with the book in the pocket. He folded the robe and folded it again. He couldn’t believe it. It was now the size of a handkerchief, but the book had been placed inside. He unfolded the robe again and reached into the pocket. There he found the soft cool leather of the black book.