by Terry Schott
“No.”
“What race of Preu Treya do your kind most resemble?”
“I’m not sure.”
The druid arched one eyebrow.
“I’ve not seen any other races since I got here.”
“You told me your knowledge of this world is based on a game you play.”
“That’s right.”
“Then I assume that your game closely mirrors our reality here.” The druid raised a hand. “I know, elves do not war in your game, but that is a small detail. Name the race you resemble and I will tell you if they exist here.”
“Mankind.” Aleron tucked pieces of dried moss between the twigs. “Where I come from, we exactly match the game version of mankind.”
Keaedan laughed as he finished spitting half of the rabbit and leaned it against a tree. “That is indeed interesting. Thank you for sharing that bit of information.”
“Humans exist here?”
“Yes.” He reached for a stick and began spitting the second half of their dinner. “Let me name the other races now.” He named them one by one, finishing as he completed his task and leaned the spit beside the first.
Aleron nodded. “They all match the game lore that I’m familiar with.”
Master Keaedan chuckled. “Game lore.”
“I guess that likely sounds strange.”
“To most, but the other visitor from your realm used the same terminology.”
“The visitor from a long time ago?”
“That’s right.”
“Huh.”
Keaedan finished preparations and washed his hands in a bowl of clean water, then joined Aleron near the fire pit. “You still don’t believe me. About the Traveller from decades ago.”
“I believe you.” Aleron picked up flint and steel. “But it doesn’t make any sense.” He struck the flint, sending a shower of sparks onto the tinder. After a few strikes, small tendrils of smoke began to curl up from the dry moss. He got closer and blew. At first the smoke grew in thickness, the moss glowing brighter with each breath. Then the glowing edges faded to grey and the smoke disappeared. He leaned back on his haunches and shook his head. “I suck at this.”
“Are you a druid where you come from?”
Aleron laughed. “No.”
“A ranger or some other type of woodsman?”
“I’ve never spent any time in the woods back home. I’ve definitely never tried to make a fire.”
Keaedan’s expression became sad. “What a horrible thought. Never spending time in the woods.”
“It’s not so bad. I grew up in a town. When that’s all you know, you don’t miss this.”
Keaedan snapped his fingers. There was a whoosh and flames materialized, dancing over the twigs and moss. “Keep trying. You will feel a great sense of accomplishment when you finally succeed.”
“Maybe you should have let me try a few more times with this one.”
“You’re right.” The old man’s eyes twinkled as he smiled. “But I’m too hungry to be patient at the moment.”
They watched the fire in silence. When it was burning evenly, Keaedan placed the rabbit skewers over the flames.
Aleron held his palms toward the flames. “So the other elves want to steal me in order to have my service for a decade.”
“That’s right. After you complete Scout training.”
“How long does that take?”
“Depends on the student. Months for some, years for others.”
“Sounds boring.”
“I suppose.” Keaedan turned the skewers. “Maybe it’s possible to learn a craft in a short amount of time where you come from, but here there is no substitute for time spent practicing.”
Aleron groaned. “It’s the same where I come from. It’s just…” He shook his head. I didn’t sign up to play a game where I spend all my time learning. “Since they want me alive, will they try to take us without violence?”
“I wouldn’t say so. I expect they would be happiest if I were to die in the exchange.”
“Killing a master druid is not easy to do.”
Keaedan looked up from the fire and winked. “That is true.”
“When do you expect them to attack?”
“Never.”
Aleron frowned and the master druid smiled. “I have a plan.”
40
“Food’s ready.” Lelthaes removed the meat from the fire and set it to cool on two stones. He covered his hand with a cloth and retrieved the pot from the flames, setting it next to the meat and lifting the lid. Then he took a wooden spoon and stirred the vegetables, mixing them with the broth.
Shale pulled plates from her backpack. As she was handing them to Lelthaes, Jielir emerged from the darkness. “Excellent timing. I’m starving.”
“See?” Lelthaes rolled his eyes. “He did it again.”
Shale laughed and Jielir shook his head, bending down to place bow and quiver on the ground. “Stop it.”
“I’m serious. You go hide in the shadows and pretend to be busy until you know dinner’s ready, don’t you?”
“No.” Jielir laughed as he sat beside the fire. “Some gifts are more practical than others is all. Over the years I have come to sense when food will be ready.”
“Right.”
“When I’m out on a hunt, at least. Trust me, when you’re with a full squad of rangers, it’s an ability you will either gain or you’ll get the tail end of every meal, which means you go hungry.”
Lelthaes laughed as he cut a piece of meat from the skewer, dropped it on the plate in Shale’s hand, and ladled vegetables over it. “If you’re telling me the truth, it’s not important for me to learn. I’ll keep a close eye on you. When you head for camp, I’ll follow.”
They laughed and Jielir nodded as Shale handed him a plate of food. “You wouldn’t be the first to do so, lad. It’s not a bad back-up plan.”
They ate without speaking. Meals could be dangerous in the wild, the scent of food attracting animals that would otherwise steer clear, or inviting attack from lurking enemies. Jielir had taught them that the best time to attack an enemy was when they were holding a utensil instead of a weapon.
When they finished, Jielir gathered the plates and moved to the edge of the fire, wiping them clean with leaves. They would wash them properly next time they were near a stream.
“I assume you found nothing out there?” Shale asked.
“You’re correct. Nothing dangerous or unnatural for miles around us.”
“Have we closed the gap?”
“No. They are still half a day ahead.”
“When will we make our move?” Lelthaes asked.
“Tomorrow.” Jielir stroked his goatee. “In the morning, we will increase our pace so that we catch them by nightfall, and then attack when they are sleeping.”
41
Aleron draped his cloak around his shoulders and began to walk away from their new camp. “Back in a few. Gonna grab some firewood.”
“Wait.”
He turned. “What?”
Master Keaedan was facing away from him, arms at his sides with palms facing forward. “We won’t make a fire tonight.”
Aleron rubbed one eye. “Why not?”
“It will interfere with our night vision.”
Aleron returned to stand beside the druid. He noticed the man had his eyes closed, chin tilted upwards. “Are you praying?”
“No.” Keaedan’s posture did not change.
“What are you up to?”
“Something that requires my concentration.”
Aleron closed his mouth and waited. After a minute or so, the druid took a deep breath and began to make a low rumbling noise in his chest. When he ran out of breath, he sucked in another lungful and continued rumbling.
Eventually, Master Keaedan opened his eyes and lowered his arms. “There. That should do it.” He turned and knelt, opening his backpack and removing a small leather pouch.
“That should do what?”
“You’ll see.”
Aleron returned to his own pack. “They should attack soon, right?”
The old druid nodded. “We are close to the Scout outpost. Should arrive by late morning tomorrow. If they are going to attack us, their best time is tonight.”
“Maybe we should press on.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Running gives them an advantage.”
“We are safe here, then?”
Master Keaedan shook his head and laughed. “We aren’t safe at all. But this way, I choose the battlefield, which is something you should always do if you’re able.”
“I can’t believe they are actually going to attack us.”
“Why?”
“You’re a master druid.”
“So?”
“The power you must wield.” Aleron shook his head. “They are fools to fight.”
“Elves have been warring with each other for a very long time.” Keaedan sat down and pulled another pouch from his backpack. He withdrew a piece of jerky and held the pouch toward Aleron. “I am strong, but it’s possible to best me. Rangers have developed many interesting tactics for handling druids. I teach the strategies to our own rangers.”
Aleron took a piece of jerky from the pouch. “They could take you out, then?”
Master Keaedan smiled. “I do like my odds today.”
Aleron started to ask another question but a sound from behind Keaedan made the words catch in this throat. His eyes widened as a giant grizzly bear emerged from the woods. It lumbered toward them, its great black coat shimmering with each step. It made a soft grunting sound, similar to the sound the master druid had been making earlier.
Master Keaedan smiled at Aleron. “Wait here.”
“That won’t be a problem,” Aleron muttered as the druid stood and walked toward the great bear. It watched Keaedan approach. When he got close, the bear leaned its head toward him. The druid threw his arms around the creature’s neck, laughing as he buried his face in its fur. The bear nuzzled Keaedan’s shoulder and made a sound that reminded Aleron of a cat purring.
After a few moments, the druid stood back and held one palm flat. Then he produced the first pouch he’d taken from his pack and poured yellow granules onto his hand. He said something and held his hand toward the bear. It jerked its head up and down as if it was nodding, and leaned close. A large pink tongue darted out and lapped the granules from the old man’s palm. Keaedan laughed.
When the granules had disappeared, the bear sat back on its haunches and listened as Master Keaedan began to speak. Each time he paused, the bear nodded, occasionally adding a grunt or soft growl.
Aleron guessed maybe fifteen minutes passed in this manner. Then the bear stood, the druid hugged it once more, and the it shambled off into the woods.
Master Keaedan returned to Aleron.
“That was incredible to watch.”
“Even more incredible to be a part of.” The druid dropped the empty pouch into his backpack. “Everything’s set. Let’s try and get some sleep.”
“Right now? It’s the middle of the day.”
“Try.” Keaedan lay down and rested his head on his backpack. “When you wake up, stay put and look to me for instructions. If all goes as planned, there will come a point when it will be safe to move out. Be ready for that.”
“Will you wake me?”
“No.”
“What if I don’t wake up in time, then?”
Master Keaedan laughed. “When the time is right, I’m certain you won’t be able to sleep.”
42
Shale squinted as she peered through the trees. “I thought you said we were close to their camp.”
“We are.” Jielir’s whisper was as faint as her own. “They didn’t make a fire.”
“That’s a first.”
“They are expecting us to attack.”
She looked at him. “They know we hunt them?”
“Of course. We are tracking a master druid.”
“How would he know? I haven’t seen any signs of him spying on us.”
“He is friends with the animals of the forest. Birds, squirrels, foxes, anything in the woods could have been reporting our progress to him.”
“Huh.”
“You hit your head or something?”
“No, why?”
“You sound surprised.”
“No.”
“I know it’s your first hunt, but you’ve heard stories. Some of your direct ancestors are legendary druids. Their talents and abilities should come as no surprise.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Sorry, I’m just a bit nervous. Not thinking straight.”
“Well snap out of it, girl. You were picked for this mission for your wits and skill. Get them ready to use. I’m going to need your arrows to fly straight and true not too long from now.”
“I’m ready.”
“We’ll see.” He paused and then tapped her leg. “I’m kidding. I know you’ll perform when the time arrives.” He pointed and she looked in the direction he was indicating. “There. See that dull grey patch way up there?”
She squinted for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah.”
“That’s them. The druid has cast an illusion over them, but I’ve seen enough of them to be able to recognize it. Took a while, but I’m sure enough to call that our target.”
Shale frowned. Jielir had been scanning the landscape for over half an hour. “What if you’re wrong?”
“We attack it quietly. If it’s not them, then we advance and I look for another patch.”
“It could be a long night,” Lelthaes muttered.
Jielir sniffed. “You’re welcome to run forward, banging through the brush and making as much noise as you like.”
“No.”
“Make things quicker, that’s for certain.”
“And brighter too.” Lelthaes shook his head. “I have no desire to feel druid’s fire on my skin, thank you very much. It doesn’t burn wood or leaves, but I’ve seen the damage it can do to flesh.”
“Slow and steady wins the race,” Shale whispered.
“That’s catchy.” Lelthaes nudged her. “Where’d you hear that?”
“Oh, I don’t know.”
“Enough chatter.” Jielir pulled three arrows from his quiver. “Let’s move. Shale, you will work your way left, Lelthaes right.”
“Will you cast Wolven Spirit on us?” Lelthaes asked.
“No. Too many trees to navigate. A speed spell would do more harm than good.”
Shale looked at their destination once more. “A two hundred count?”
Jielir considered her suggestion and nodded. “Sure. That will give us time to reach our spots without making too much noise. Sound good to you, Lelthaes?”
“Yes.” The young ranger drew three arrows and half stood.
“When you reach two hundred, watch my arrow and aim yours for the same target.”
“It will be the druid?”
“That’s right, the largest shape. Fire fast, shoot true. We don’t want to hit the young Scout by mistake. If all goes well, the druid will die before he knows we are there.”
“If any animals warn him?”
Jielir’s white teeth appeared in the darkness. “It’s a poor ranger who is unable to cloak their movements from animals for under a count of five hundred.” Shale pursed her lips and Jielir leaned toward her. “You can both do this. I believe in you.”
She nodded. “You’re right. We got this.”
“That’s the spirit. Luck and fortune. One.” Jielir stopped counting aloud and watched as the two young rangers set out. He knew they were silently keeping count like they had practised hundreds of times.
He remained motionless, watching the target in the distance. When his count reached forty-six, he started forward.
***
Shale waited twenty feet from the camp, silently counting. She had reached her spot at one hundred sixty-seven, finding a
n even piece of ground that she could stand and shoot from when the time came. Three arrows were stuck in the ground in front of her. Three more hung from her fingers. She continued counting, her eyes locked on the large grey shape.
I don’t think it’s an elf. The thought crossed her mind but she shook it off, continuing her count. It didn’t matter if it was the real target or not. When she saw Jielir’s arrow fly, hers would follow. That was her focus for now.
At one hundred eighty-five she stood and nocked her first arrow.
One hundred ninety-three. She drew the string back to her cheek, aiming down the shaft, adjusting the angle of the bow for the distance.
Her shoulder felt the first hint of a tremor from the strain of holding the arrow drawn as her count reached two hundred. She knew from practise that the strain would cause her muscles to waver and affect her aim in another ten to fifteen seconds. The shot would occur before then. Her timing was perfect. She was ready.
Jielir’s arrow, its shaft glowing with the faintest hint of white light, whirred toward the target. She released her arrow, immediately nocking the next and drawing, then repeating the process once more before watching them travel their course.
The combined arrows hit the mark in rapid succession. Shale smiled and reached down, blindly snagging the three arrows from the dirt and nocking one.
Nothing stirred in the camp. Shale began to count to twenty as they had agreed. If their target was the druid, he was dead. So far the ambush was proceeding perfectly. The smaller shape remained motionless.
When she reached twenty, Shale moved toward the camp, bow ready. They did not want to harm the Scout candidate, but if he put up a fight, an arrow to the knee or foot might be necessary to subdue him.
From the corner of her vision, she saw Jielir approaching. Lelthaes was directly across from her.
They stopped a few feet from the second shape, Jielir’s bow was slung over his shoulder, long knife drawn. He nodded once, then pulled back the cover to reveal a bundle of sticks and leaves.
Jielir swore and let the blanket fall, spinning on his heel to remove the dark grey sheet from the larger mound. He kicked the pile of sticks, then turned to face the other two. He smiled. “Perfectly executed. Great work.”