When he got to the edge of the low wall, he came upon a young man sitting on one of the boulders, looking out into the darkness beyond. The youth was accompanied by a teen girl and they were both talking with each other. Erewn started dragging his feet so they could hear him coming. When they both turned in his direction, he held out a hand in a gesture of peace.
“Hail and pleasant eventides to you,” Erewn said as he got closer.
Jinn got off the boulder and stood fully upright as he held out his open palm. “Hail honored guest, what brings you out here at this time of the night?”
Erewn grinned as he held out the wineskin so they both could see it. “Your name is Jinn, is it not?”
Jinn nodded. “Yes, honored guest. This is my sister, Nyx.”
Nyx made a slight bow. She had been observing the outsider during the feast, but decided to pay her brother a visit, thinking that Erewn would still be in the hall when she got back. She was somewhat surprised to find him out here, and was glad that she didn’t lose sight of him after all. “A pleasant eventide to you, honored guest.”
Erewn bowed in return. He immediately sensed that the girl was a Striga. “I wanted to see what the village would look out here in the evening. To be honest, sitting around feasting and everyone staring at you makes me uncomfortable, so I had to venture out, if only for just a short while.”
Jinn nodded. “You have been given the promise of sanctuary, so that is your right. But since you have traveled the wastes for a long time, can I ask you a question?”
Erewn smiled. “Of course, young one. I will attempt to answer to the best of my ability.”
Jinn turned and stared out into the twilit dunes out in the distance. “Have you come across other settlements like this one? Other tribes?”
Erewn shook his head. “I am afraid not. Yours is the first tribe that I have found during my wanderings after my own. I was but a child when my father took me away from our village, for it was already abandoned and we were the last ones to leave.”
Nyx wasn’t sure why Miri distrusted this man, but she found him to be friendly and fascinating. She soon forgot about her task as an innate curiosity overcame her wariness. “Honored guest, have you encountered ruins and such? The teller tells us many stories about how the land was before the wastelands consumed everything. I have heard that there are villages filled with thousands of people and they were called cities. Are any such places still in existence?”
Erewn looked down. “I am afraid to say this, but I think all the cities are now dead. Many ruins have I stumbled upon in my wanderings, and all were either devoid of life or inhabited by fell creatures that would have killed me had I lingered. Yours may very well be the last village out here. If there is another part of the world that might still have thriving cities, I do not know, but it is always good to hope.”
Nyx frowned. Perhaps Miri was wrong about this man. He seemed forthcoming and friendly enough. “I have to tell you about our protector. I must apologize on her behalf. Her behavior to you earlier during the day was rude and it is so unlike her to be this wary of outsiders who come in peace.”
Erewn grinned once more. “That is all in the past now. But it seems that I missed her during the feasting, was she not there?”
Nyx blushed with shame. “She is near the edge of the Silt Sea …checking on things there.”
“Well, I hope that she does return to at least partake of the feast before all the food and wine is gone,” Erewn said while holding up the bloated wineskin in front of him. “Speaking of which, I had not seen you at the feast, Jinn, so I brought along this ration of wine for you.”
Jinn shrugged. “I have been assigned as sentry for this evening. Your offer to drink wine is very enticing, thank you. But I must decline, for the chief hunter will be angry with me if he sees me drinking any of that.”
Nyx elbowed her brother. “Oh come now, Jinn! Just a few sips will not get you drunk. I know you cannot take more than a thimbleful anyway before you’re fast asleep!”
“Silence!” Jinn hissed. “Must you tell everyone about me?”
Erewn laughed as he held out the wineskin. “Do not worry, your secrets are safe with me. For when I wander out there, I shall have no one to tell it to. But your sister is right, just a few sips will not hurt. As guest of honor, I must insist.”
Jinn was in a bind. As part of his oath as a tribal sentry, he wasn’t supposed to drink wine while on duty. At the same time, the honored guest might be offended if he didn’t. He took the wineskin in his hands, opened the stopper and drank a little bit of it. The warm liquid was soothing, a good remedy for the chilly night air. “I am honored you allowed me to partake of this wine that was offered to you.”
Erewn chuckled as he handed the wineskin to Nyx. “And now you, girl.”
Nyx took a step back and shook her head. “Oh no, I could not. Like my brother, I also have tasks to do this evening.”
“Have a drink and I shall accept your apology on behalf of your protector,” Erewn said as he held out the wineskin once more.
It was Jinn’s turn to chide his sister. “Go on. No one is looking.”
Nyx sighed as she took the wineskin in her hands. “Oh, very well.” She titled her head up and took a long swallow. It was only the second time that she had drunk the potent brew and she quickly started to gag. Nyx almost dropped the wineskin as she staggered backwards, drops of wine dribbling down her neck.
Jinn laughed and quickly took the wineskin away from her. “Look what you have done, sister. You have spilled wine onto the sand!”
Erewn was grinning from ear to ear as he took back the wineskin. “You did well, Nyx. Was this your first time to drink such a beverage?”
Nyx wiped the remaining drops of wine from her chin with her arm. “My second. Please do not tell anyone of this.”
Erewn nodded. “Of course. I am honored to have met you both this evening. I have not yet learned everyone’s name, but I hope to remedy that soon.”
“With the impression you have made,” a voice in the darkness said. “It would seem that you will know the names of the others soon enough.”
All three turned. Stepping out of the shadows was Krag, his long cloak fluttering in the night breeze. Jinn immediately looked away in shame, but Krag walked over to him and placed a calloused hand on his shoulder. Erewn walked up to the chief hunter and offered the wineskin to him. Krag gladly took the leather pouch and drank several long draughts of the wine.
Jinn hung his head in shame. “I-I am sorry, chief hunter. I partook of the wine even though it was against my duty.”
Krag let out a big, throaty laugh. “Have no fear, Jinn. I will not punish you for your indiscretion. This is a feast after all, and I will not let the other sentries know as long as we keep what had occurred within this group, yes?”
They all laughed. Krag offered the wineskin back to Erewn, but the other man declined. “I have had plenty already,” the honored guest said. “You may go ahead and finish the rest of it.”
Krag passed it to the siblings and each took another sip before handing it back to him. Krag took another long draught of the intoxicating liquid. The wineskin was now almost empty. “There. Now honored guest, I can escort you back to the feast or to your guest quarters and sleep off the rest of the evening. What shall it be?”
“I have been on my feet since the day began, so I believe I shall retire for the evening,” Erewn said before glancing at a now tipsy looking Nyx. “I wanted to ask you if my weapons have been stored properly?”
Nyx grinned sheepishly. Only a few sips and she was seeing double already. “My apologies once again, honored guest. Your weapons are in my hut, the fourth one to the left of our central well.” She pointed over to a row of houses nearby. “As the future protector, it was my duty to safeguard them. Have no fear, for they shall be returned to you once you venture forth into the wastes.”
Erewn bowed once again. “I thank you and take my leave now. Enjoy the rest of the
eventide.”
Nyx tried to bow and almost fell face down into the ground. Jinn was able to catch her in time and they both started laughing. Krag just shook his head while he gestured at Erewn to follow him. Erewn nodded and walked alongside of him as they both headed towards the center of the settlement. So far so good, everything was going according to plan. When Erewn needed to escape back to the wastes, he knew which course to take.
While walking close to the main footpath, Krag suddenly stopped as he looked down on the ground while holding onto the side of walled house. “It seems that I had far too much to drink this evening. My senses have been dulled into a haze-filled oblivion.”
Erewn took him by the arm. The chief hunter had drank the most, so it meant that he got a concentrated dose of the sleeping powder that was mixed into it. “Let me help you. Which is the way to your hut?”
Krag pointed with a shaky finger at a house just ahead of them. “T-there.”
Erewn supported him as they both made their way to the front of the mud brick hut. Erewn used one hand to move the leather flap from the entryway as he peered inside. Krag’s wife lay on the floor, already passed out. The chief hunter suddenly slumped on his shoulder, so Erewn had to drag him inside the place before placing the now unconscious man onto the floor beside his wife.
The sounds of revelry had already ceased and an eerie silence settled over the village. The sleeping powder had done its work and now almost everyone was in a deep slumber. The time to act was now. Erewn wore a heavy tunic made of thick leather, so his upper body was somewhat armored. He looked around the chief hunter’s abode, looking for any weapons. There was a rack that contained Krag’s bone spear. Erewn looked over the weapon closely. It had a metal spearhead, but bringing a large weapon like that might arouse suspicions on those that had not been exposed to the sleeping powder, so it was better for him to use a smaller weapon, one that he could conceal among his person.
Erewn quickly noticed a dagger lying on top of a low stone table. He picked it up and noticed that its serrated edges meant it was made from dargon teeth. A good weapon, he thought as he stowed it away beneath the folds of his cloak. He made his way back to the entryway, took a look outside to make sure no one was watching, then ventured out.
Most of the village was bathed in twilight as the full moon above gave enough illumination for anyone to make their way around the area. The distant fire from nearby huts and the assembly hall gave the streets a washed out, flickering orange hue, but there were still enough shadows to conceal one’s self. Erewn dashed from one hut to the next, opening flaps and peering inside. Two of the huts were empty, their occupants may have passed out at the feast in the assembly hall. The third hut had a family of four, but neither of the sleeping two children was the blond boy.
Just as he made it to the western edge of the settlement, he soon remembered that the apprentice Striga’s hut was nearby. Using the nearby shadows as cover, he dashed across one of the larger streets as he got to the entryway. Peering inside, he noticed that the place was totally in the dark. From the reflected light of the open entryway, he could barely make out the outline of the weapon rack. Slipping inside the hut, Erewn extended his arms so he could use his sense of touch to locate his bone sword. Just as his right hand ran along what he felt was a shaft of a bone spear, his first two fingers inadvertently touched the razor sharp obsidian edge of his blade, cutting right through the skin. Erewn gasped as he pulled his hand back and licked the cut on his fingers. What a foolish way to find my own blade, he thought as his other hand found the grip and he lifted it from the rack.
Putting on his leather gloves, Erewn gripped the sword with one hand while he slowly began to make his way towards the main well. He had made a head count ever since he started observing the village the past few days. Erewn figured that there were no more than a dozen hunters and perhaps another thirty men of fighting age at the most. The entire tribe’s population didn’t seem to be more than three hundred, with many of them old men and women representing a higher proportion of the population. With most of the tribe fast asleep, he now stood a very good chance of pulling this task off.
The next street ahead was located in the main thoroughfare, and a slightly large hut signified that it was the abode of someone important to the village, possibly an elder. Erewn silently made his way over until he was able to crouch down beside the entryway, using his senses to detect anyone present. He could feel a wave of heat and see the light coming from the gaps in the leather flap, meaning someone had lit a fire inside. Readying his sword, Erewn mustered up his full reserve of Vis, then flipped open the leather flap before thrusting his body inside.
The interior of the hut was larger than most. There was a smoldering fire pit at the far end and Erewn saw an old man tending it, his back turned away from him. Glancing around quickly, he noticed a small figure lying on a bed of furs near the far side of the wall. Recognizing Devos, Erewn knew that the old man was one of the elders in that council he had attended just a few hours before. This was the teller’s house, and the boy was right there, asleep.
Devos immediately sensed someone behind him as he turned and saw that the stranger had come inside. His eyes opened wide when he saw that Erewn was fully clothed and armed. As Devos got up, he reached for the knife that was lying on a nearby table, but his hand suddenly froze in midair. He couldn’t move as the outsider held out his free hand, as if signaling him to stop.
Erewn gestured with his open hand as he used his Vis. The old man was now floating in the air a few inches from the floor, unable to move. “Do not make me kill you, Elder.”
No matter how hard he tried, Devos could not act. He tried to cry out, but his voice was barely a hoarse whisper. Then his lungs began to feel heavy while he floated helplessly just a few feet off the ground. Erewn gestured once more, and his mindforce pushed the old man straight into the wall. Devos collided into a rack full of carved stones before his back was driven into a wall of bricks. The force of the invisible push had stunned him, and the old man closed his eyes and groaned. The Magus noticed the old man’s knife and used his mindforce to pull the blade back into the air and into his waiting hand. Now he had two backup weapons.
Erewn turned as he noticed the boy beginning to stir. The noise must have awakened him. It was the moment he realized that if he killed the boy within the settlement, then he would be in violation of the oath of peace. What he needed to do was to take the child and kill him somewhere out in the dunes and bury the body in the sand. Erewn placed his free hand over the boy’s mouth, just as the child suddenly opened his eyes. “If you utter a sound, I will kill you.”
Grabbing the child by his elbow, he pulled the boy up and pushed him through the entrance flap. The moment they were both outside of the teller’s hut, he kept a tight grip on the boy’s arm as he pulled Rion alongside of him while proceeding towards the perimeter.
“Stop,” a voice behind them said.
Erewn turned around. Standing twenty feet away from him was Miri. She was holding her black spear with one hand. It looked like he was in for a battle after all.
Miri had been watching the edges near the Silt Sea during most of the evening. She was concerned that the outsider might have had allies who were waiting for the right moment to strike. When nobody turned up, she came back into the village center just to check up on the others and was shocked to see the entire tribe was mostly fast asleep. Miri tried her mindsense to see if she could warn Nyx, but her mental feelers soon told her that her protégé was also in a deep slumber. Then she proceeded towards the teller’s hut, just in the nick of time.
Erewn smiled as he pushed the boy to the side. “This child is mine, thank you for finding him out there in the wastes.”
Rion was thrown to the ground but he tilted his head up. “I do not belong to you!”
Miri’s face was a mask of stone. “You have just told another lie. So I was correct, you are a Magus. What did you do to the teller?”
“Yo
ur teller is merely stunned,” Erewn said. “He tried to keep me from the child I was tasked to retrieve and return to the citadel.”
“I will not go back to that place!” Rion said.
Erewn gave the boy a backhanded slap which sent the child into the side of the dirt pathway. Miri started to advance, but she stopped when she noticed Erewn brandishing his bone sword. Miri glanced over to the boy. “Get away,” she said.
Rion took off running. The two of them began to circle each other. Miri held her spear at chest level with both hands, keeping its point centered on her opponent. Erewn held his sword pointed up while keeping it close to his body, but his left hand remained free and at his side. They were both maneuvering in the middle of the main pathway, so there was at least ten feet in between them. A few of the older people who did not drink the spiked wine had come out of their huts and formed a small crowd near the intersection, silently watching the event.
“By the right of possession, I am merely claiming the boy for the citadel,” Erewn said. “Your hostile actions are in violation of the promise of sanctuary.”
“Prove that he belongs to the Magi,” Miri said tersely.
“His name is Rion and he is eleven cycles old,” Erewn said. “The boy is a Magus. I have been dispatched by the administrator of Doss to bring him back.”
“So this proves that you are indeed a Magus,” Miri said. “You are the one who violated the promise when you lied during the questioning.”
“If you remember the exact words that I spoke, you will note I never denied I was a Magus, I merely asked why you suspected I was one,” Erewn said. “By those very words, I did not lie to you, and therefore, I have not violated the sacred promise.”
“Enough!’ Miri hissed. “Your deceptions and your actions against the boy and the teller are as clear as the coming day. Drop your weapon and surrender peacefully.”
“No, I claim the boy and I shall leave under the promise of sanctuary,” Erewn said. “You cannot stop me.”
Miri was in a wide stance, ready for battle. She moved a step forward and thrust her spear at the Magus, but Erewn sidestepped away as he brought up his sword in a blocking position. Miri circled again, keeping some distance since she had the advantage of reach, by virtue of wielding a longer weapon. Erewn was staying on the defensive, he needed to know just how much Vis she still had while keeping his mental defenses at their maximum strength. Just as he shifted towards his right side, Miri lunged at him and her spear tip was able to scratch his upper leg. Several people in the crowd gasped. It was a known law that the first to spill blood under the promise of sanctuary was the violator.
Lands of Dust (The Dying World Book 1) Page 11