Wielder's Fate

by T. B. Christensen

  “Yes,” Blaize replied.

  Another breeze blew against his face as he looked northward.

  “I . . . am . . . coming . . .”

  Blaize smiled as he recognized Traven’s voice.

  “Four . . . days . . . away . . . I . . . have . . . it . . .”

  His smile grew larger. He had hoped Traven was closer but was excited to hear that his young friend had been successful in his search. It was a relief to know that he was alive and on his way. Commander Bentley was still looking around nervously, and his face was decidedly pale. Blaize chuckled at the man’s discomfort.

  “Don’t worry,” he said.

  “We just heard a phantom’s voice out of thin air saying it is coming for us and you tell me not to worry?” the commander questioned with a hint of fear.

  “It was only a message from the Wielder Traven,” Blaize explained. “He found what he was searching for and will join us in four days.”

  “Are you sure?” Commander Bentley asked incredulously.

  “Of course I am.”

  “Is it truly possible to send messages over so great a distance?”

  “It is something that wielders can do. It is called whispering on the wind. Traven can also see far into the distance. In fact, he is probably looking at us right now.”

  Commander Bentley jerked his attention to the sky and looked around uneasily as if trying to determine if there was any evidence that Traven was watching them. He finally turned his attention back to Blaize with a wary smile.

  “I guess I’ll have to trust you,” the commander said. “If the Wielder Traven arrives in four days like you say he will, then I will know for sure of his power. Until then, I hope not to hear any more disembodied voices, especially at night.”

  Blaize chuckled again as he stared out at the galdak’s camp. He remembered the awe he had felt the first time he had seen the ambience used and didn’t blame the commander for his reaction.

  It was comforting to hear that Traven had been successful. With the help of the special object, he would hopefully be able to challenge the galdak wielder and defeat him. Even if he wasn’t able to defeat the powerful wielder, the object should be valuable in helping Traven defend against the wielder’s attacks.

  His thoughts turned more serious as he was reminded of the size of the horde setting up camp in the distance. There were still hundreds of thousands of them, and he only had around sixty thousand soldiers at his command. Four days. They would have to hold the galdak horde at bay for four days before Traven would be able to help them. As long as the galdak wielder remained absent from the battle, it shouldn’t be too difficult even with the disparity of numbers. On the other hand, should the galdak wielder join in the attack, the next four days would be extremely difficult.

  Blaize glanced at the sky to the north, almost imagining that he could feel Traven’s eyes on him. He smiled and motioned with his hands for his young friend to hurry. He then turned to Commander Bentley and continued explaining what needed to be done to prepare for the attack. They only had until nightfall to have everything ready.

  31

  Kalista sat up with a satisfied sigh and stretched. There was a small palace in Kavar, but she had chosen to stay in the city’s finest inn instead. The beds of the luxurious inn were as good as any of those in the palace, and the food was better. She had decided to allow some of Gavin’s relatives from Candus to stay in the palace rooms that she had been offered. They had been grateful, and Kalista was happy to not be in the midst of the constant bustle of the palace. She was glad she had chosen the inn.

  It had felt great to sleep so well and so comfortably after such a long march. She smiled as she looked around the tastefully furnished room. The paintings of flower gardens and orchards hanging in gilded frames were beautiful, but what she was admiring most were the rich, dark wooden panels of the walls. It was comforting to have four solid walls around her while she slept.

  She pushed down her blankets and got out of bed. Her muscles were stiff from fourteen days of riding, but she finally felt rested. She walked over to the shuttered windows and pushed them open. The morning light appeared gloomy under the darkly clouded sky. She frowned at the sight. It appeared that the depressing clouds that had arrived with the galdak horde in Candus had finally caught back up with them.

  Kalista wondered if the galdak horde had reached the city. She knew that the monsters had not been very far behind them. As of yet, she had heard no commotion. If the galdaks had arrived outside the city during the night, it seemed they had not yet launched an attack.

  Her gaze drifted down from the gloomy sky to the crowded grounds surrounding the inn. Her room, located in the corner of the third floor of the establishment, afforded her a decent view of the surrounding area. What would have been a lovely garden was now a refugee camp teeming with tents and people. The congestion would be just as bad throughout all the parks, gardens, and open spaces in the city. She sighed at the thought and reached out to close the shutters as a cool breeze blew through the open window.

  “. . . Kalista . . .”

  Her hands froze on the shutters and a quiet gasp escaped her lips. The sound of the voice had sent a thrill through her entire being. She glanced around for who had addressed her but saw no one.

  “ . . . I . . . am . . . coming . . .”

  Understanding flooded her features as another burst of air blew into her room, bringing the words with it. She recognized the voice and the means with which the message had been carried to her. It was Traven whispering on the wind.

  “. . . Four . . . days . . . be . . . safe . . .”

  Her heart began racing, not out of fear, but out of excitement. Traven was safe and would be there in four days. She waited several more moments to ensure that she had received the entire message and only then finished closing the shutters. She took several steps backward and sat down on the edge of her bed. Her face broke out into a large smile. Traven was thinking of her.

  Kalista supposed she should be more focused on the help he would provide in defending the city, but what occupied her thoughts more was the happiness she would feel having him near her once again. A blush colored her cheeks as she realized what she was thinking. Her current feelings were in stark contrast to how she had felt when being reunited with Gavin ten days prior.

  When the Royal Army had overtaken the citizens of Candus on the road to Kavar, Kalista had easily spotted Gavin from a distance. She had been happy to see him alive and well, but no feelings of joy had sprouted in her heart. No overwhelming sense of relief had fallen over her. In fact, she had felt slightly uneasy and depressed. She was no expert when it came to love, but she was quite certain the feelings she had felt when seeing her fiancé safe and alive were not those that predicted a happy union.

  Kalista had spent the last ten days trying to replace her feelings of doubt with ones of surety and happiness but had so far been unsuccessful. She had begun to wonder if the lack of joy was merely a result of the dire position of her country. Was it possible that she would feel no emotion other than distress until the war was over? She had almost believed that to be the case until now.

  There was no denying what she was currently feeling. Her heart leapt within her at the thought of seeing Traven once again. It was as if a ray of light had just pierced through the gloomy clouds covering the city. The red in her cheeks deepened at the realization. Her feelings brought with them a whole host of future problems. Nevertheless, she would happily bury the future problems for now and focus on the immediate problems that her people were facing. She summoned her maids and had them get her ready for the day. While they performed their duties, Kalista’s thoughts turned back to the strains that the overcrowding of the city would cause.

  Her position had obviously allowed her to secure the best room in the best inn in the city. Others of high rank and means had purchased the rest of the rooms in the city’s inns. All others had been forced to find open spaces where they could set up their
tents. The shortage of available rooms had already caused contention the previous night, and she was sure the problem would not readily go away. There were still many people who had plenty of money to rent a room but were forced to remain in their tents because there were no vacancies.

  Those who had relations living in the city were the most fortunate. They had found lodging and food in the homes of their relatives and were free of paying exorbitant prices for a small room in an inn or being forced to continue sleeping in tents. Then again, she supposed the lack of lodgings was one of the least of the current problems.

  Of more concern were food shortages and sanitation issues. They had brought plenty of food with them from Candus to feed everyone during the march but were beginning to run low on their supplies. Kavar’s own storage cache would take care of the refugees for up to ten more days, but then there would begin to be shortages. There was no telling how long the battle might last, and the thought of running out of food was a legitimate concern.

  The other more immediate problem dealt with sanitation. With the city so crowded, refuse would begin to pile up quickly. If a means wasn’t devised to handle the added waste, the conditions could soon lead to disease and death. It would be devastating to have to fight death on two fronts simultaneously. She would be part of the discussion after breakfast concerning these problems and would make sure that they were solved as quickly as possible.

  Kalista thanked her maids as they finished their duties and bowed to her. She then left her bedroom, walked through the antechamber, and pushed open the door of her suite. As she began walking down the hall, two guards immediately fell in step behind her. Kalista descended the stairs at the end of the hall and proceeded to the main floor of the inn. She was surprised at the crowd that was packed into the common dining room but knew she should have expected it. All of the tables were full and many other patrons stood, lining the walls.

  Kalista’s guards cleared a path for her through the crowded common room and led her to the door that gave entrance to a private dining chamber. It was opened, and she stepped from the noisy, chaotic common room into the quiet space reserved for the most honored guests at the inn. Gavin and his mother were already there, as well as several top advisors.

  Gavin rose with a smile and hugged her in greeting. She took her seat and forced a smile. The hug had felt no different than hugging anyone else. Kalista felt guilty. Gavin had slowly been working his way out of the depression he had fallen into when his father was killed and was almost back to how he had been before. She wondered if it was just her that had somehow changed. She dismissed the uncomfortable thoughts as breakfast was promptly brought into the room.

  “Did you sleep well?” Gavin asked.

  “Oh, yes,” she responded with a genuine smile. “It felt wonderful to be in such a comfortable bed.”

  “I concur,” the baroness added. “The beds here are wonderful, not to mention this delightful breakfast. I am too old to be traveling. I think I might just live out the rest of my days in this inn.”

  They all chuckled as they enjoyed breakfast. The food was delicious, especially after what they had eaten on the march. Unfortunately, the impending food shortage and the realities of their current situation loomed over them, keeping them from being completely at ease. An overall sense of worry clouded the room. When the meal was finished, they left the inn and walked the short distance to Kavar’s modest palace.

  They made their way up the large marble steps and through the palace’s bronze doors. Once inside, they were shown to a meeting room on the main floor. While they waited for the others to arrive, their conversation turned to the more serious topic of the current siege.

  “The galdak horde arrived early this morning and set up camp to the north of the city,” Gavin stated. “It appears they will wait to attack until tonight. That will give the army and city guards plenty of time to coordinate with each other and prepare to defend the city. The army hopes to make a stand and defeat the galdaks here. However, anything is possible in war, and it would be wise for us to be prepared to evacuate again if necessary.”

  Everyone nodded their assent. The army had held for five days at Candus before choosing to retreat. If they could hold at least as long here, Traven would have time to rejoin the army and help prevent another retreat. Kalista realized that most likely no one in the room had any news that the young wielder was on his way. The information would be important as they made their plans. She paused before continuing and glanced at Gavin. She had been careful not to mention Traven around him, but at the present, it could not be avoided.

  “The Wielder Traven sent a message saying that he will arrive here in four days,” Kalista said.

  She was sure she had seen a slight fire in her fiancé’s eyes and a tightening of his lips at the mention of the young wielder, but other than that, his countenance remained unchanged.

  “When did you learn this?” Gavin asked.

  “Earlier this morning.”

  “Who did you receive the information from?” Gavin continued with curiosity. “I have not heard any updates on the young man’s progress.”

  Kalista colored at the thought of explaining that the message had come to her directly from Traven himself while she was in her bedroom. As she was trying to decide how best to answer, a knock sounded at the door. The door was opened and a messenger passed a note to Gavin. Her fiancé turned his attention from Kalista to the letter. He read it quickly and set it on the table with a thoughtful look.

  “The message is from Commander General Blaize,” he stated. “He informs us that the Wielder Traven has sent a message saying that he has obtained the object he left in search of and will be joining us in four days time.”

  “It appears,” the baroness began with a smile, “that the princess was well informed on the subject. That is indeed encouraging news. The Wielder Traven will benefit the defense of the city greatly.”

  “Still,” Gavin said with a firm tone, “the city must hold until he arrives, and then we must hope that he will prove more effective than he was against the galdak wielder outside of Candus.”

  Several advisors mumbled their agreement.

  “Very true,” Kalista observed, eager to change the subject away from Traven. “Even with the hope that the Wielder Traven will arrive and give us another victory, we need to deal with the problems arising from the overcrowding of this city. These issues are immediate.”

  “Yes,” the baroness said. “Baron Gregor and the other leaders of Kavar should join us soon to discuss these issues. Thankfully, part of the overcrowding will be relieved tomorrow morning. Many citizens of Candus have already asked for permission to continue traveling on to Calyn, and I have granted their requests.”

  “How many?” Gavin asked.

  “There are about one hundred who have made the request,” the baroness answered. “I assume that number will grow throughout the day as word gets around. Traveling is often disagreeable, but when compared to staying in a cramped and overcrowded city under siege, it suddenly seems like a fine thing to do.”

  “We will need to send a substantial number of soldiers to protect them until they are safely away from the city,” Gavin mused. “I would rather not, but I do not foresee it being too large of a burden on the army.”

  Another knock sounded on the door and the leaders of Kavar entered the room. They paid their respects to Kalista and sat down at the table. The large room began to feel as crowded as the common room back at the inn. Kalista listened as they discussed the food supply and sanitation issues. She contributed what she could but mostly just listened.

  She tried to focus, but every time she looked at Gavin, her gaze invariably ended up on the paper in front of him. Her thoughts would then turn immediately to Traven and the letter she had written to him before he had left. She still wished she had never written the letter and even more so now that she began to hope that Traven had feelings for her.

  She was reminded that Traven had chosen to con
tact her directly that very morning. He had obviously sent a message to the army and hadn’t needed to send one to her as well. For some reason, he had chosen to speak to her. That must mean he still viewed her in a positive light and cared about her feelings and safety. Otherwise, he would not have bothered to send her a separate message.

  She dismissed the thought and returned her attention to the conversation taking place. They were still discussing the logistics of collecting and disposing of refuse. Gavin made a comment, and she looked back at him. Her eyes then slid back to the letter and her mind began following the same path of thoughts.

  The discussion continued until midmorning while her attention drifted in and out of the conversation. The meeting ended with a hopeful feeling that all of the problems would be taken care of. As long as the army could keep the galdaks at bay until Traven arrived with his magic object, hopefully there would be no need for another evacuation.

  Kalista rose from the table and wished Gavin luck as he left to meet with the commander of the army. She then rejoined her guards and returned to the common room of the inn. The large room was even more crowded than it had been earlier. Her guards cleared a path for her and escorted her back upstairs to her room.

  She let out a sigh as the door closed behind her. Her servants rose, but she waved them back down and walked over to an open window. She peered down at the crowded garden below. Children were running wild through the maze of tents giving chase to one another. She smiled at the sight and longed for the innocence of childhood. The small children were oblivious to the lethal danger that hovered near the city. They had no fear of running out of food or being killed. They trusted that they would be fed and protected as they always had. She hoped their faith would not be in vain.

  Kalista glanced at the adults in sight. They did not wear the same carefree expressions as the children. They were no doubt wondering what had happened to their homes and what the future held for them and their families. Would they be forced to leave this city as well? She groaned inside at the thought.