by Logan Petty
Sawain hated sleeping in trees. He looked forward to being out in the open Fells again, At least there, he did not have to strap himself to his bed to prevent falling to his death.
He looked up at the leafy canopy that enveloped the forest. Even in this great oak, they were several feet below the verdant cover. He let his mind wander as he drifted into the realm of dreams.
I wonder if it’s day or night right now. Since we left the city, I haven’t been able to keep up with it. I have no idea how long it has been since we left. I wonder how everyone is doing in Anvilheim. I hope the Dawnstar Company made it back safely.
Sawain awoke with a start. The dream he had was already fading from his memory. He just remembered falling. Naralei stood over him.
Sawain graciously accepted the rations and tore into the jerky ravenously. It left the same tingling sensation in his mouth that the wolf he ate on the Fells had.
Siethtakar Jerky. Haven’t had this kind of meat in a while.
He quickly finished his meal and untied the rope that bound him to the tree. He got to his feet and stretched the stiffness out of his limbs. Everyone else was busy doing the same. A few minutes later, the team was up and ready to go. Sawain waited for everyone’s eyes to fall on him before he whispered instructions.
“Alright, we need to get moving again. Do we have a heading?”
Loraleth nodded, “I made a mark before we stopped to rest. We just need to go that way.”
She pointed just to Sawain’s right. He smiled at Loraleth.
“Good job, Loraleth. Now that we know where we are going, let’s move.”
Everyone nodded and spread out into their travel formation. Sawain gave the signal and they were off again. They wove their way through the tight labyrinth of trees for nearly an hour before Loraleth halted them. Sawain watched her hands intently in the darkness. One of her hands reached for a knife while the other shot into the air.
Everyone gave a sign of acknowledgment. Sawain could hear steel slide against wood in the stillness as the outriders unsheathed their weapons. He quietly drew his own and allowed the team a moment to catch their breath before they crept onward.
It was not long before Sawain could make out the faint glow ahead. It emitted the same eerie light the one he stumbled across when he entered the forest a year ago did. He remembered it well, especially the flesh eating plants that called the grove home. He flashed a quick warning to the team.
They encircled the grove. Sawain scanned the foliage below for any movement. He did not see anything. He inched closer to the blue-green light. He was able to see into the grove once he peered around the tree he used as cover.
It was beautiful to behold. A small oasis of glowing water adorned the center of the grove. It was surrounded by mushrooms the size of a small dog. They glowed as brightly as the pool, but their colorful aura shifted from blue to green to violet randomly. Their colors rippled like water. Sawain scanned around for the deadly vines, but did not see any. The floor of the grove was covered in thick moss. Massive ferns grew along the edges. Green vines wove around the tree trunks. Each vine was dotted with small violet flowers.
Sawain did not see anything dangerous in this grove, so he took a breath and stepped to the other side of the tree he hid in. The other outriders followed suit. Tobi climbed down his tree and fell onto the mossy ground below with a dramatic flop. He rolled around in it, chuckling softly.
“Sawain, you have to try this! We should just sleep here tonight! This moss is so soft!”
Sawain’s first instinct was to scan the edge of the grove for signs of movement. When he saw none, he hesitantly climbed to the ground.
“Tobi, what’s the point in sticking to the trees and moving like ghosts if you’re going to just start yelling the second you find a comfortable bed? Get up, we don’t know what’s in that moss.”
Tobi dismissed his rebuke with a wave, “Aww, come on, Sawain. Give it a try. It’s Downmoss! The druids use it as bedding, and for good reason, too!”
Tobi’s dismissal of his order irritated Sawain, “Bedding or not, I said get up. We aren’t here to take a nap.”
Tobi sat up, an embarrassed scowl on his face, “Sorry, Sawain, I wasn’t trying to disobey.”
Sawain’s heart sank. He smiled and offered Tobi a hand up, which his friend gladly accepted. The others were on the ground now, as well. Loraleth carved a quick X onto a tree. She was astonished when the X mark healed up almost immediately. In response, she took the same knife and plunged it into the ground between two roots.
“There must be some healing properties in that water. This tree just healed over my trail mark as soon as I made it. Maybe we should take some with us.”
Tobi nodded, “Yeah, we should! I read a book one time that said water from a druid’s wellspring can cure all kinds of diseases. Maybe it can help heal wounds, too!”
Sawain looked at the glowing water. The thought of drinking it unsettled him. He noticed that Jatharr had the same expression on his face. Jatharr bent down to inspect it closer.
“Are you sure it’s safe? I mean, I’ve heard it can’t change sentient beings into Siethtakar, but, I mean, there’s just something unnatural about it.”
Banthan stooped down and plunged his water skin into the pool, “Come on, don’t be a pixie, Jatharr. Drink up!”
Jatharr raised an eyebrow at Banthan, “Don’t be a pixie? What kind of taunt is that?”
Naralei rubbed her temples and shook her head, “Not a very accurate one, actually. It means don’t be a pest. Pixies are the evil underlings of the accursed Fae. They are just obnoxious little imps when alone or in small groups. Put them in a swarm, though, and they’ll tear the flesh from your bones in seconds. I always hated that phrase.”
Sawain furrowed his brow, “Fae?”
Mari chuckled as she submerged her water skin as well, “You know, Faeries. Magical beings from another world. They’re just a myth, meant to scare children into doing what they’re told.”
Timbrel bounced around on the mossy ground. He raised his arm to his nose and tried to act scary.
“Don’t go outside the city gates, or a Faerie will get you! And when she does, she’ll take your eyes and eat your heart!”
Sawain’s curiosity was piqued, “Why would it take my eyes?”
Banthan jumped in on the fun and spoke in a low tone, “They say the eyes are windows to your soul. She eats your heart, then uses your eyes in an unholy ritual that merges your soul with hers, extending her already unnatural lifespan.”
Jatharr snorted, “Nonsense. Creatures from another world? How foolish. Don’t let them go spooking you, Sawain. It’s all child’s play.”
Sawain swallowed the lump in his throat silently, “I’m not afraid. Why would I be?”
Banthan rose to his feet, a malicious grin on his face, “They say the last thing you ever see is a pair of glowing eyes, swooping at you from the darkness. Like those there!”
Banthan pointed dramatically behind Sawain. He put on his best look of utter terror. Sawain scowled.
“Banthan you can’t be serious. Do I look—”
Sawain’s words stuck in his throat as it swelled shut. His eyes caught sight of two pale glowing orbs at the edge of the grove. He rushed at Banthan at the same time the creature did. Sawain was faster and was able to throw Banthan aside and put his right arm up in time to catch the beast’s jaws. He was surprised that a creature so large did not crunch straight through his arm.
Bestial howls erupted around them. Sawain looked at his opponent The beast looked like a white dog, but was the size of a bear. Its fan
gs were disproportionately large as well. He looked at his arm and noticed that the gauntlet Captain Nerelis gave him grew over his entire forearm and formed a hide of bark that absorbed the impact of the deadly teeth. An armor clad figure rode astride the beast. It was covered in hardened leather armor and wore a gruesome mask of stitched cadaver flesh. It wielded a serrated sword, which it was about to bring down on Sawain.
Sawain grabbed his sword with his free hand to parry the deadly blow. He sliced the hound across the muzzle. It yelped and let go of his arm, which gave him time to roll to his feet. The noise of battle crashed like thunder all around him. His attacker rushed him. The hound snapped at him. He rolled to its right, narrowly avoiding the swatting blade. He drew a knife and pivoted around. He threw it hard, but the raider’s blade knocked it away. He drew another knife and rushed the dog as it charged for another bite.
Sawain flicked the knife. It pierced the dog’s nose. The dog reared up and yelped in agony. Sawain took a swipe at the canine but missed. The massive dog thrashed around in pain, which caused its rider to have to focus on hanging on.
Sawain drew his third knife and aimed for the rider’s ribs. It was a successful hit this time. The rider roared in pain and fell off of the thrashing mount. Sawain glanced around the battlefield. Two other pairs of dogs and riders were engaging the Ghosts. Tobi was pinned by a dog while Jatharr and Naralei fought the rider, who wielded two swords. They ducked and parried the maniacal adversary’s quick succession of thrusts and swings. Tobi struggled to reach his sword, which was on the ground, just out of the reach of his fingertips. Mari and Timbrel were being chased by the other hound. Loraleth threw a flurry of knives at this assailant in an attempt to divert it from Mari. Banthan climbed out of the pool Sawain pushed him into.
Sawain’s opponent rose from the ground and ripped the knife from its ribcage. Sawain readied his weapon as a bad feeling came over him. The rider threw the knife at Sawain, which he easily ducked. The terrifying enemy was in his face. Sawain did not even notice it approach. Blinding pain flashed through Sawain’s body, which caused him to scream.
The rider’s sword tore through Sawain’s leg. It cut all the way through, bone and all, and came out the other end. It forced Sawain to kneel as it pinned him to the ground. Fear rippled through him like a cold wave. He looked into the enemy’s pale, glowing eyes. He noticed what looked like smoldering runes burning on the other side of the mask. A growling laugh rolled from the rider’s throat.
The sound of steel cutting air whistled in Sawain’s ears. That was replaced by the sound of steel cutting through flesh and bone. Cold blood spattered Sawain’s face as the decapitated head of his attacker rolled between its own legs. The limp body fell to the earth. Banthan stood behind it and gripped his blood soaked blade.
“Looks like you owe me one,”
“Behind you!”
Banthan pivoted around in time to see the riderless hound bound toward him. He nimbly avoided the deadly maw and ran his blade across its throat. It fell at Sawain’s feet, still gurgling.
“Debt paid,” Sawain gasped.
Sawain looked around the battlefield. Tobi was still pinned, screaming in agony as the hound came down on him. The other enemy riders were dead too, but the third hound had knocked Mari unconscious and turned its attention on Loraleth. She grabbed for a nonexistent knife and the hound rushed her. It rammed her with its massive skull and sent her to the ground. She tried to stumble to her feet, but the giant dog was ready for her. It bit down on her shoulder. Sawain could hear the crunch of shattered bones over her scream.
It was enough. Rage flooded his mind and washed all fear away. He roared in righteous anger and ripped the sword from his leg. It hurt. He did not care. He rushed the hound that bit Loraleth. It let go of her and turned on him. The enraged bellow that ripped from his throat visibly intimidated the creature. He felt its blood spray him as he buried both swords into its chest and tore them out again. In the same movement, he sliced the hound across the maw and brought it down. The third dog turned on Sawain. Its jaws dripped blood. Sawain roared and threw the enemy sword like a giant knife. It soared through the air and buried itself in the monster’s shoulder. It halted its pursuit, broke away from the fight, and whimpered loudly as it fled into the darkness.
Sawain roared one more time before the rage left him. When it did, overwhelming pain ran from his leg to his mind. He glanced around. His team was in as bad shape as he was. Loraleth was on the ground, bleeding profusely. Tobi was not moving. Blood dripped from a wound on Naralei’s left arm. Mari sat against a tree trunk with her head slump on her chest.. Timbrel was nowhere in sight. Jatharr limped to Tobi and knelt down beside him. Shadows covered Sawain’s vision as Jatharr hung his head. The pain from his shattered leg drove him to his back. It was too much for him to handle. He blacked out.
Chapter 14
Sawain opened his eyes. He was in darkness. He could hear voices, but he did not know who they belonged to or what they said. His leg hurt. He tried to move it. Pain rippled through his body. He suppressed the scream in his throat into a grunt. The pain sharpened his senses. He was in the druid grove still. He could make out the faces around him. Jatharr, Mari, Banthan and Naralei were huddled around him. They looked relieved to see him awake. Jatharr grinned through bleary eyes.
“He’s coming around! I guess the Druid water did do some good!”
Naralei sighed, “You scared us, leader. I didn’t think you were ever going to wake up.”
Sawain still had to squint to make out which of the girls was talking to him, “Naralei? What do you mean? How long have I been out?”
She hesitated before she answered, “Almost two days.”
Sawain was fully awake now. He tried to pull himself to his feet, but the pain from his leg and four pairs of hands kept him pinned to the spot.
“What do you mean two days? Why didn’t you wake me up?”
Jatharr grunted as he struggled to keep Sawain from breaking his grip, “What do you think we’ve been doing? Your wound was grievous. There was some sort of poison on those blades that made it hard for us to heal them. Even the gash on Naralei’s arm took a day to stop bleeding. We thought you were going to bleed out at any moment. It’s amazing you’re even awake. We just got the bleeding to stop.”
Sawain looked at his wounded leg. His pants were torn away at the wound and the injury itself was wrapped in bloody rags and set between two sticks. The unbound part of his leg was a dark color. He was sure it did not look the way it was supposed to look.
“Where are the others? Timbrel? Tobi? Loraleth?”
Everyone’s expressions flashed worry and sadness. Though he was delirious, Sawain caught the change, brief as it was. Naralei forced a smile.
“Don’t worry about them right now. We need to make sure we can get this leg of yours well enough to travel. There’s no way I can fix it, but maybe Sibilach will be able to help us, if she is a magic user, like everyone says she is.”
Sawain ignored Naralei’s advice, “Where are the others, Naralei? I want to know what shape my team is in.”
Naralei dropped her gaze. Everyone was silent for a moment, then Jatharr cleared his throat.
“Timbrel’s fine. He got chased up a tree in the fight. He’s with Loraleth right now. She was badly wounded as well, but not by the same weapons you and Nara were. Everything shook her up badly, though. She isn’t coping well.”
Sawain arched an eyebrow, “Why? What shook her so bad? I thought that, out of all of us, she was unshakable.”
Jatharr hesitated before speaking, “She came close to death, Sawain. You did too. In fact, I think Turin’s favor is the only thing that kept you here. You should have died from that wound. You still could, too. Best case scenario is you loose the leg, but not yer life.”
This hit Sawain hard. The breath left him while he stared at his blackened leg. His career as a leader and hero just began. The thought of losing all of his dreams here in this grove terrified hi
m. He could not speak for several minutes. Finally, he looked up at Jatharr again.
“What about Tobi?”
Everyone was silent. Sorrow draped heavily on their features. Jatharr sighed and closed his eyes.
“He’s gone, Sawain.”
Numbness spilled over Sawain’s mind and trickled into his body. He stared at Jatharr with his mouth agape. He did not believe him. He shook his head.
“No. No, you’re lying. He can’t—”
A sob found its way into Sawain’s throat. He refused to believe it. He tried to force himself up. The four attendants fell on him to keep him from rising. Mari begged him.
“Sawain, please, calm down. You’re going to hurt yourself more. If we lose you, we’ve lost everything!”
Sawain was not listening to reason, “Where is he? Where is Tobi?! Let me up! Now!”
The four friends did all they could to keep the broken warrior from rising. Sawain’s rage stirred within him. Red filled his eyes as he fought to get to his feet. He began to scream and thrash.
“Get off me! Get off me! WHERE IS HE? WHERE IS HE?”
Jatharr grunted as he took a blow from Sawain’s left fist, “Alright, let him go, before he kills us all!”
The others reluctantly obliged and jumped back from Sawain. The pain from his leg kept Sawain on his hands and knees, but his rage fueled his determination to find his best friend. He scanned the grove. His eyes fell on a mound of rocks beside the druid pool. He crawled slowly over to it, dread filling his chest as he inched closer. Soon he was beside it. He stared at the end of the pile closest to the water. Sickness soured his stomach as he reached for one of the large rocks in the pile.
He pulled it away and several of the smaller rocks fell away with it. Tobi’s face was revealed. Reality crashed down on Sawain. It was more than he could handle. He fell prone beside Tobi’s makeshift grave and let out all of his grief. He cried harder than he ever had in his life. Tears fell like rain as he screamed uncontrollably.