by Tom Burton
After a few moments, Aaron spots something unusual. He takes a few steps forward in concentration, and he makes out a small line moving across the fields, unnatural in its straightness. Aaron points toward it and says, “It looks like we have found what we are looking for!”
“The bridge?” Daniel asks.
Aaron affirms Daniel’s guess and walks quickly down the hill.
Daniel follows Aaron and says, “Where shall we rest for the night?”
Aaron looks ahead to spot a location, but sees nothing suitable.
“There is nowhere safe from here to the bridge to rest our heads, so let’s set up at the bottom of this hill,” suggests Aaron. “We can get a good night’s rest, and maybe by mid-morning we will make it there.” Daniel nods in approval, and the two descend quickly down the hill. They eat a quick meal and settle in for the night, tired as always from a long day of walking.
Rising once again with the dawn, the two young men follow the sloping landscape toward the walls. Aaron’s estimate of the distance is off by two hours, and they reach the cleared area before the wall after noon. As they approach the wall, they see that it must be more than thirty meters high, taller than any building they saw in Volgate. They see small lookout stations atop the wall at regular intervals. The young men are startled by a voice calling out to them.
“You there! Halt!” Aaron and Daniel look around for the person who is shouting at them. “Turn around and go back the way you came!” The boys finally look up at the nearest lookout station, where they see an archer, with his bow drawn, aiming down at them.
Aaron and Daniel quickly put their hands in the air. “We mean no harm, friend,” Aaron calls out, trying to keep the archer calm.
“What is your purpose here?” the archer asks, releasing some of the tension in the bowstring.
“We have an official grant from Lord Fuller to allow us passage to the Crown Lands. We are just trying to find our way to the bridge,” replies Aaron.
The archer is quiet for a moment, and Aaron guesses that he might be talking with another guard atop the wall. The archer puts up his bow and calls down to them. “You had better head north to the bridge,” he says, pointing along the wall to their left. “Follow the wall, but stay farther away, for your own safety. Just last night we had to shoot a few rebels trying to find a way through or under the wall. Other lookouts might shoot first instead of asking questions.”
Aaron nervously thanks the archer, and then he and Daniel walk some distance away from the wall before turning northward. In less than an hour, they finally reach the bridge. Having moved back from the wall, the land rose upward, and the young men could see the bridge as they approached the only passage over the walls. The bridge itself is a narrow ribbon of wood spanning the two walls, and the walls run off into the distance in both directions. There is a small collection of huts at the base of a tall wooden scaffold that has stairs built into it, leading up to the bridge. Aaron is surprised to see that the area around the scaffold is fortified with a tall wooden palisade.
Aaron and Daniel cautiously approach the gate in the wooden walls, where they are met by two guards, who signal them to stop well away from the gate. Aaron and Daniel stand nervously, their hands in full view of the guards.
“You must have official approval from the Lord of the West to enter here and thus gain access to the Crown Lands,” one of the guards informs them.
Daniel slowly takes out the scroll from his jacket, holding it up for the guards to see. “We have permission from the Lord of the West.”
The guard beckons for the young men to approach the gate, and he takes the scroll that Daniel offers. He unties the parchment and reads the letter slowly. Then he gives it to the other guard, who also reads it slowly before nodding at his cohort.
“No one has ever given us one of these before. You must be the first people to be allowed across,” the guard reveals.
“Well, with the trouble we have had, we understand that it’s not something to boast about,” Daniel says drily.
“How did you get official access?” the second guards asks.
Aaron replies, “We approached the Lord directly in Volgate. We are simply going to visit the Capital for educational reasons. Lord Fuller believed us, and he gave us this letter.”
“I wish you good for fortune,” says the guard. “I’ll keep this letter, and you’ll need to get a similar approval from someone in the Crown Lands to return, if they let you.” The guards open the main gates for them to pass.
As the gates are shut behind them, the second guard points Aaron and Daniel toward the scaffolding at the base of the wall. They soon find themselves at the bottom of the steep staircase. They walk up the steps slowly, wondering about the sturdiness of the scaffolding and dizzy at the height. When they come out at the top of the stairs, they see the narrow bridge stretching out before them. Several more soldiers stand on a small platform before the bridge, looking at them curiously. Taking a deep breath, the two young men step forward, Aaron in the lead, Daniel close behind.
Near the middle of the bridge, Daniel quietly says, “Two factions divided, connected only by this small bridge.” Aaron hears the sadness in Daniel’s voice, and he feels the same. As they near the Crown Lands side of the bridge, they see that there are no guards. With a quick glance back to the other wall, Aaron sees the silhouette of lookout stations against the late afternoon sun in both directions along the wall. There must be dozens of soldiers standing watch atop the western wall.
At the top of the scaffolding on the Crown Lands’ side of the bridge, Aaron and Daniel look down into the shadows created by the wall. They see no activity below, no cook fires or torches. They look at each other in confusion, and then carefully descend the stairs. At the bottom, they find nothing but a wide clearing. Tree stumps are visible in the false twilight, but nothing has been built here.
“Maybe the king’s reach is not as far as people think,” Daniel theorizes. Aaron chuckles grimly in agreement, and he starts off along the path leading away from the walls, further into the Crown Lands.
“This is unknown territory for us now. Anything could be thrown at us now,” Aaron warns.
“Thanks, Aaron. That’s very comforting,” Daniel replies sarcastically.
Before long, Aaron and Daniel come out from the shadow of the wall, and, soon after, they leave the forest as well. The path they followed joins with a well-traveled road that cuts through a meadow. As the sun finally descends below the wall and real twilight begins, the young men spot an inn.
Daniel perks up, saying, “Looks like I see our beds for the night!”
Aaron smiles, and they quicken their pace. As they near the inn, they walk past the stables standing around it, and from the sounds of the horses, the stables seem to be rather full. Daniel and Aaron see a man standing next to the door to the inn, under a sign with three mugs painted on it and the words, “The Three.”
“We are looking for a bed for the night,” Daniel says formally. The man nods and opens the door for them. The hinges are well oiled, and the door opens silently. As they walk in, they see people from all walks of life and all parts of Neroman. There are some travelers from eastern villages, from western villages, from other regions around the country, and even from the Capital itself.
After Aaron and Daniel order ales and dinner from the bartender, they sit at a table, stretching their legs gratefully. Looking around the room, taking in the strange clothing and faces, Aaron sees a young man reading a thick book. Aaron can see the title is “History of Neroman: VI.”
“Daniel, we might have find someone worth talking to,” Aaron whispers. Daniel turns around to see whom Aaron is talking about. He sees a man about the same age as he and Aaron, though a little taller.
“What makes him so special?” Daniel asks.
Aaron quickly replies, “Look at the book he’s reading. It’s a h
istory book! Maybe he knows something about my visions.”
“Is it such a good idea to trust someone we don’t know?” cautions Daniel.
Aaron thinks for moment, then says, “Maybe you’re right. Still, it can’t hurt to see what he knows, right?” Aaron suddenly stands up and walks over to the young man’s table. Daniel anxiously follows Aaron.
“Learning some history?” Aaron asks in a friendly tone.
The man looks up, his youthful face showing surprise. He replies, “Yeah, fourth time reading it through, but it keeps me happy.”
Aaron smiles and says, “Yeah, that’s what we all must do.” Pointing to a seat at the table, Aaron asks, “Mind if we join you?”
The man smiles warily and nods, and Aaron and Daniel sit down.
“I’m Aaron Silver, and this is my friend, Daniel. Where are you from, if you don’t mind me asking?”
The man looks at them cautiously. “My name is Sam Woodgard. I come from the east, a small fishing village. I’ve decided to visit the capital. I’m a fan of history, you see, and Dellmoor has a lot of books in their library. How about you?”
Daniel says, “We come from the West. We are travelling to the Capital because, well, because we are sick of milking cows, to be perfectly honest.” The young men chuckle at this, although Aaron is surprised by Daniel’s easy lie.
Sam pauses a beat, then says, “The West? What are you doing here, then? Are you going the long way around?”
Aaron and Daniel look at each, and then look back at Sam. Daniel says, “I think we can admit that we don’t really know the way to the capital. We’re not exactly known for our knowledge of the world.”
Aaron pauses for a moment, then offers a suggestion. “Since you know the way, Sam, what do you say we travel together?”
Sam draws back in surprise, then replies coldly, “I don’t know you. Why should I trust you in the least, let alone travel together?”
Before Aaron and Daniel can respond, the tavern grows quiet as a handful of Dellmoor soldiers walk in. They hold their helmets under their arms instead of wearing them, and their red armor and gold capes glint in the firelight. They claim a pair of tables in the corner behind Sam. Behind Aaron and Daniel, a group of commoners look with disdain at the soldiers and turn back to their own conversations.
As the barmaid delivers mugs of ale to the soldiers, one of the commoners stands up and turns to the soldiers. He says derisively, “Are you sure you want to be drinking with commoners?”
Another man stands up and sneers, “It’s only so they can say they are the richest men in the room! Talk about a waste of money. And good ale!” The other men laugh raucously.
One of the soldiers responds aggressively, “Mind your tongue, or we’ll rip it off!”
The whole group of commoners then stands up.
One of them shouts, “You should be protecting us, not threatening us!”
Another shouts, “Disgrace!” The common room is now silent. The tension in the room feels alive, and Aaron, Daniel, and Sam realize they are sitting in the space between the two groups. The soldiers slowly stand, hands on the hilts of their swords. More of the commoners around the tavern stand as well, gripping belt knives.
One of the soldiers asks, “You sure you want to do this?” There is no response from the group of men who insulted the soldiers. Aaron, Daniel, and Sam gather their bags and move toward the bar, which appears to be neutral territory. The middle of the common room is now empty except for the feel of impending violence.
Opposite the entrance to the tavern, Aaron sees the door open on its silent hinges, and a farmer enters the common room behind the soldiers. The soldiers remain focused on the commoners across from them. Quickly assessing the situation, the new arrival picks up a chair and slams it into the back of the nearest soldier’s head. The young man falls to the floor, knocking a helmet off a table. Before the helmet stops clattering on the wooden boards, a soldier draws his sword and plunges it into the farmer’s stomach. The commoners scream as if they’d all been stabbed, and they charge the soldiers with knives drawn and cudgels raised. The rest of the soldiers quickly draw their swords and meet the commoners in the middle of the room.
Aaron shouts, “We have to get out, now!” Daniel and Sam follow Aaron, and they creep along the wall toward the tavern door. As the three young men reach the door, Daniel looks back and sees an oil lantern fall to the floor, knocked from its bracket when one of the brawny farmers slams a soldier into the wall. The oil splashes on the wooden floor, and the flames leap from the floor in the shape of a fan.
Aaron, Daniel, and Sam dash out the door, but the sounds of fighting change as men start to shout in panic. The three young men turn quickly, and they can see flames through the windows of the tavern.
“We have to go back in there!” Aaron shouts.
“Let’s go!” Daniel replies, dashing after Aaron. Sam follows them, though moving more slowly than the others. When they open the tavern door, they see that the fire has spread across most of the bar, but it has not yet reached the outer walls. Some of the soldiers and farmers are still fighting with each other, but there are women and children crying over the bodies of commoners with terrible wounds. Aaron and Daniel each scoop up a child and grab a woman by the arm, and they run outside together. Sam picks up a young girl and carries her in his arms. Sam catches up with the survivors as Aaron and Daniel are telling them to stay there, safe from the fire. Then Aaron and Daniel turn back to the tavern. Sam, however, does not turn back to the tavern.
“Sam, let’s go!” Daniel urges. Sam’s mouth opens, but no words come out. Daniel shakes his head angrily and follows Aaron back into the tavern. Ash-covered men, some in armor, all of them bloody, stumble out of the tavern as Aaron and Daniel rush back inside. The fire has spread all around the common room, and flames are climbing the outer walls. They see a man struggling in the smoke, unable to stand because of a leg wound, and they see a young boy hiding under a table.
“You get the boy, I’ll grab that man!” Aaron has to shout to be heard over the roar of the flames. Daniel pulls the petrified boy out from under the table and runs outside with him. Aaron bends over the man, grabbing his arms to hoist him up. The thick wooden beams of the tavern walls and ceiling groan as the fire consumes them. With a grunt, Aaron lifts the injured man to his feet, and they stumble through the flames and outside. As Aaron catches up with Daniel and they hurry toward Sam and the other survivors, they hear screams from the tavern as the roof caves in and the walls collapse inward. The survivors weep as they stare at the blaze.
Daniel turns to Sam and says angrily, “You could have saved someone.” Sam hangs his head and closes his eyes in shame.
One of the working men approaches Aaron. The ash on the man’s face is streaked by tears and by blood from a gash over his right eye. Extending his hand, he says, “I just wanted to thank you for saving my life.” Aaron nods and shakes his hand. “Unlike those soldiers, you protected us in our time of need. The country needs more men like you.”
Aaron can only offer a small shrug at this, but he then asks, “What will you do now?”
“We’ve all lost something today, be it friends or family.” Gesturing toward the other survivors, he continues, “We will go back to the East, where the Capital’s influence is at a minimum.” Aaron wishes them safe travels, and surviving men shepherd the rest of the group as they set off together toward their homes.
After a while, when the soldiers have tended to their wounded and departed as well, the three young men remain within sight of the inn, lying tiredly on their blankets.
“Why didn’t you go back into the fire, Sam?” asks Daniel quietly, with a keen expression on his face. Aaron rolls onto his side to look at Sam.
His eyes still cast down at the ground, Sam replies softly, “I was going to, but I just froze. Something stopped me, and I couldn’t move.” Sam si
ghs heavily. “I’m no hero. I’m not brave, nor strong, nor am I going to be part of any song after I die. My strength is my head, not my body. I’m sorry for not following you in there, I should have done, and that decision will stay with me for the rest of my life.”
There is a moment of silence, then Aaron attempts to comfort Sam. “You told us the truth, and we’re grateful for it. Now it’s only fair to give you the same courtesy.” Sam looks up at Aaron, a mix of fear and curiosity in his eyes.
After a deep breath, Aaron says, “I have been receiving explicit visions for the last few weeks, visions filled with fire and death, similar to what we just saw here. A few nights ago I received a message, an unorthodox message, at the end of my vision. A man told me to go to the capital, to learn what my horrible dream means. That’s why we’re heading to Dellmoor.”
Sam lifts his head to look at Aaron, and then at Daniel. “Thank you for trusting me with this. It was smart of you not to trust a stranger right away. I would be honored to help you find what you are looking for.” Aaron smiles at Sam, and Daniel sticks out his hand to grasp Sam by the shoulder.
As the three young men smile at each other, Aaron says, “Let’s get to the capital. Lead the way, Sam!”
Sam nods, and Daniel interjects, “First thing in the morning, right? I’m exhausted!” The other two agree, and they settle down to sleep under the stars shining down on the Crown Lands.
In the North, Luke Snow enters the ruined stronghold of Redlock Hall, which is surrounded by dead trees. The mass of black crows and orcs separate to make a path for Luke, bowing their heads as he passes them. The orcs with Luke follow him into the old castle, keeping their distance. As Luke walks toward the inner gates, the gates open with an audible command. Luke knows that more orcs are working on the mechanism to open the gates. As Luke enters the inner keep, he sees more orcs crowding the space, but they also make way for him. Luke makes his way to the great hall, which is in deeply shadowed. The ancient hearths were destroyed long ago, and there are no fires to warm the hall, nor are there torches to light it. A dilapidated throne is set upon a raised dais, the split in the back of the throne is visible in the meager light trickling through holes in the ceiling. As he strides across the hall, Luke lifts his arm and opens his hand behind him, and the door closes as if on its own. As his eyes adjust to the dim lighting, Luke sees a hooded figure standing by the throne, facing away from Luke, one arm on the throne.