Dawn of the Valiant (The Valerious Chronicles: Book One)

by Julian Saheed

Thibalt lay on the mossy ground just behind a fallen tree trunk that was slick with forest overgrowth. Next to him lay Estallion and Harrinus, and behind them the remaining Feldonian soldiers. The air was thick with moisture that coated them in a slimy layer of grime and made the night unbearably cold. They could see the camp ahead of them, just beyond the tree line, and as far as they could tell the two sentries who were watching the forest with tired eyes had not spotted them.

  The clearing was well lit by the combination of the moon's white glow and the many fires scattered throughout the Primals camp. Thibalt scanned the camp through the broken wall and saw Christill lying with his back against a pile of broken rubble. His little brother sat gazing into the distance with a far away look. Thibalt did not need to look twice to see that he was in a dire state. His blood caked, battered head swayed as he sat with his hands bound behind him. His body had been stripped of clothing, but for his filthy trousers. A rage unlike anything he had ever felt swelled in Thibalt as he saw the many cuts and bruises marking Christill's body. He could feel his wrath rising with each passing second.

  Errollan, lying to the left of Estallion, was waiting for Kilthies to send him the signal to attack. He suddenly heard Kilthies's voice in his head. "Attack the camp when the moon reaches the tree line." Errollan looked to the sky and saw that the moon was not far from this point. He turned to Harrinus and said, "We move in fifteen minutes. Spread the word." Harrinus nodded and conveyed the message to the soldier next to him.

  Thibalt forced himself to fight the yearning inside of him that was urging him to charge into the camp right now and free his brother. Estallion noticed the anxiousness in Thibalt's features and placed his arm around him. Thibalt felt his friend's arm pin him to the ground and was slightly shaken out of his trance. Though he could not speak for fear of alerting the assassins, Estallion's shaking head clearly conveyed his message to Thibalt. Thibalt simply nodded and let his muscles relax slightly. In fifteen minutes he would have his chance.