The Heir of Eyria

by Osku Alanen

“We have company,” Ronan replied with a grim tone.

  “I don’t see any—.”

  “That’s far enough,” a loud voice boomed in the cold forest air around them.

  A group of dirty, masked men appeared from all around them. Some had been hidden in the treetops, while some had stood behind the larges pine trees around them. Raven and Rose were still ahead of them, but they slowed backed towards Ronan and Rust. Both had drawn their weapons.

  “We’re surrounded,” Rose hissed.

  “That we are,” Raven acknowledged.

  “Thieves, you reckon?” Ronan added.

  “What else, you fool? It’s your damn loud mouth that got us into this mess!” Rose answered.

  “Now, now, Rose,” Raven answered, sounding calm. “I’m quite sure they have been following us for quite a while now.”

  These were hardened men. Men with dead eyes. Ronan scanned the forest around them, praying for an opening for an escape.

  There was none.

  “Ah, alas. I believe we have no choice but to fight, gentlemen,” Raven said with a guarded grin. He drew his weapon—the very same blade he used against the poor sailor in the tavern.

  “I believe it’s in all our best interest if you throw those weapons away right now!” the same voice that had shouted from somewhere in the forest.

  Much to Ronan’s surprise, a lone woman emerged. A woman leading a group of thieves, that was something Ronan had never heard of before.

  The woman crept closer, four other hardened men with grim faces slowly following her. “You’re the leader then, eh? Why don’t you put that toothpick away and throw all your valuables and rations this way—carefully, mind you.”

  “A toothpick?” Raven said, feigning shock. “Why, I am truly offended now, my lady. I would have you know we have a history, this blade and I.”

  The woman shrugged. “I could give a rat’s ass about all that. Now, do as you’re told, and you might leave here alive. Your choice.”

  Raven turned his gaze to Ronan, looking at him with a raised eyebrow. Ronan nodded; there was no need for words. They all knew what had to happen here. “Aye,” he answered to the bandit. “I believe we’ve made our choice.”

  Raven was the first to charge. His blade pierced a sorry-looking man’s heart with a quick stab, only a quiet sigh coming out from his mouth. Just as Raven kicked the now dead man to the cold ground, Rose’s arrow rushed through air, cutting through one man’s throat like it was paper. The man dropped his bow as he clutched his throat, desperately fighting to draw breath, but finding only blood flowing out. Another man charged Raven, but Rust’s blade cut his head off clean with a single swing.

  The rest of the thieves stood still, shocked at the sudden death of three of their comrades. They looked at each other, eyes wide with fear.

  “Go, you damn fools!” the woman shrieked. The men around her charged, shouting.

  The sorry fool who chose Ronan as his target rushed towards him with a rusty, ill-cared longsword. He struck him with a blow that Ronan sidestepped with ease. Ronan brought down his axe, cutting the sorry fool’s arm clean off, the sword dropping silently on the soft forest bed. It took the thief a moment to realize what was happening, as the poor bastard kept staring at the stump in front with disbelieving eyes. Then the pain hit him. He screamed.

  Only four men remained. They all stood still, motionless, only the screams of their fallen and dying companions remained. They all dropped their blades and started running. Only the woman remained, white knuckles embracing her sword like it was her baby.

  “Why don’t you drop that ‘toothpick’, lady, and we’ll talk? I’m afraid it won’t do you any good,” Raven said with a crooked smile.

  The woman dropped her swords, fists shaking with fury. Rose kicked the feet of the woman, sending her sprawling to the ground. She twisted her arm behind her back, painfully enough to make the woman gasp in pain. Much to Ronan’s surprise, she didn’t scream.

  “That’s enough, Rose. I think the poor girl has learned her lesson.”

  “You’ll pay for this. Bastards,” the woman hissed, face kissing mud.

  Raven motioned for Rose to help the girl up. He took her face in his fingers, turning her check from left to right. “No. I don’t believe I will.” He brought his face close for them to kiss and whispered: “I have a question for you, girl.”

  The girl waited for Raven to continue with murderous eyes.

  “Do you want to live?”

  The woman pressed her lips together, frowning. She probably thought the question a trap.

  “Well?” Raven pressed. He motioned Rose to let the woman lose. Rose obeyed.

  The woman massaged her wrists, obviously in pain. “Yes,” she finally said with a lowered, resigned voice.

  “Oh!” Raven gasped. “She has her tongue back. Well, I’ll tell you what, girl. If you can answer just one tiny question, you just might live to see another day.”

  She swallowed. “What do you want to know?

  “Have you, by any chance, stumbled upon a certain wolf in this part of the woods lately?

  “A wolf?” The woman asked with a confused look.

  Rose rolled her eyes. “Raven, we don’t have time for this. Stop playing with the bitch.”

  Raven pursed his lips. “Alright, alright,” he said with a sigh. “A big wolf, then. Touched by the Daemoni. You can’t miss it if you see it, really. Ring a bell?”

  The girl snarled, obviously angered by the belittling attitude. Ronan got the feeling she was used to it, though. The belittling attitude of men. He didn’t think Raven the kind of man to play with others, but then again, he didn’t really know the man that well yet, did he? And besides, she did try to rob and kill them just now.

  “Aye, we saw it. The bastard is smart; it took two of my men watching the camp last night and lured them outside, dragging them out into the darkness. It even ate our supplies. That’s why we attacked you now. Out of desperation….”

  Raven exchanged a look with Ronan. “Well, well. Seems we’re in luck.” He paused for a moment. “You wouldn’t happen to remember exactly where this camp of yours was?”

  She shrugged. “It’s about half a day’s walk from here. Just follow the river upstream. You can’t miss it.”

  “Say, girl,” Raven crept closer, face devoid of emotion. It sent chills down Ronan’s spine, the coldness in his words. “You wouldn’t be lying to us, would you? It would be such a shame, you lying to us.”

  She shook her head. “It’s the truth. I’ve no reason to lie to you bastards, do I? I’m not planning to die just yet. I have unfinished business.”

  Raven smiled. “Right. I believe you.” Raven took the girl’s arm. “Alas, I’m afraid I have to insist that you come with us. You know, just in case you are lying.”

  ***

  They pressed through the dense wilderness in hushed silence until, finally, they found a hill to climb. From there, they could finally see the Forbidden Mountain looming in the distance. Ronan squinted his eyes, following the shape of the river below—the very same one the woman had told them to follow. It curved around the cliff below like a pregnant woman’s belly, disappearing behind the dense trees in the distance. The girl claimed their camp lied just beyond sight. They pressed onwards, weapons readied in case the men that escaped would mount a rescue or try to ambush them. Ronan didn’t think they would—no coward would attack them after witnessing the massacre earlier. And those men were cowards.

  “Would you like to tell me your name, miss?” Rust asked the girl, voice polite.

  “Some call me Ivy.”

  “Suitable name for a bandit. Poisonous and all that,” Rose said, snorting.

  The girl hissed, baring her teeth.

  Raven stepped between the two women, moments before they went for each other’s throats. “Now, now, girls. There is no need for that.” Raven’s eyes widened as he thought something apparently clever. “And you, Rose, I expect those in my company to mi
nd their manners. Just because you’re no longer the only woman in our merry group, it doesn’t mean we appreciate you any less. In fact—.”

  Rose’s fist hit Raven’s stomach faster than he had time to finish the sentence.

  “Ow, what was that for?” Raven asked, lungs wheezing. He held his stomach, eyes bulging.

  “You know well enough.”

  “Enough,” Rust said, placing his hand on Rose’s shoulder. Ronan noticed the woman didn’t flinch. “I know we’re all cold and tired, but that’s no reason to be at each other’s throats. Save your strength for the beast.”

  “Excellent words, my friend,” Raven said, holding his stomach. “You’ll make a fine leader one day.”

  They climbed down the hill, following the river as it curved around and around, trying to avoid the muddy traps that seemed to be hidden all around the bank. A moment later, they came across the bandits’ camp. And just as Ivy had claimed, the camp proved all but abandoned. Ronan begun to relax as he realized no one would ambush them. The voice in his head stayed dormant, too.

  “Did you hear that?” Rust called out, voice lowered.

  “This better not be a trap, girl,” Rose hissed at Ivy.

  “Listen,” Ronan whispered, pointing at the bushes ahead of them. “Something’s heading our way.”

  They remained frozen in place, anxiously waiting for something. Rose notched an arrow, ready to fire it at a moment’s notice. The bushes shook violently, and a dog—no, a wolf, jumped at them, fangs bared, growling.

  “No, wait,” Ivy shouted in panic, trying to shake her arms lose, but Rust’s grip on her arms proved too strong.

  An arrow flew past her head, striking the animal head-on. The beast fell on the ground, unmoving.

  “Well, well” Raven chuckled, “I don’t think this is the wolf we’ve been looking for.”

  “No,” Ivy whimpered, shaking off Rust’s hold. She ran for the animal, taking it into a deep embrace. “It’s okay. You’re going be okay,” she whispered, softly caressing the animal’s head. Its breathing was ragged; the arrow had pierced its lungs. “Why would you do that?” She shouted, tears flowing down her cheeks.

  “She’s yours?” Ronan said gently.

  “Aye. I’ve known her since she was a pup.”

  “Who keeps a pet wolf?” Rose snorted. She looked away when Rust looked at her with distaste.

  “It’s a half-breed, I reckon. Part dog, part wolf,” Ronan added, understanding. Those things were feral—but loyal if one could master them. A companion for life. Just like the one I promised for Keran.

  Ivy shot a murderous look at her. “You’ll pay for this.”

  Rose shrugged. “How was I supposed to know? You didn’t tell us you had a bloody wolf as a pet.”

  The wolf’s breathing grew more and more uneven, and the group stood watching in silence. Ivy kept gently caressing the animal’s head, lulling it a song Ronan had never heard before. Eventually the wolf’s breathing stopped, and Ivy let out a wail.

  “We will camp here for the night,” Raven said, voice gentle. “Rust. Ronan. Help her bury the poor animal.”

  Both men nodded and went about their task. They dug a hole by a nearby tree. Afterwards, they stood in silence, watching Ivy bury her companion. They spent the rest of the evening sitting around the campfire in silence. Ronan stayed quiet, too. He knew no words from him could comfort the girl. He knew she had only just tried to kill them, but he felt for the woman still—loss was painful, no matter who the victim was.

  “How’d you meet her, your wolf?” Rust asked a moment later as the fire danced merrily before the them. The man might look hardened, but there was gentleness inside of him. Much to Ronan’s surprise, Ivy answered.

  “We met years ago, back when she was but a pup. You see, her mother had just been killed—by some hunters no doubt. I found her whimpering by her mother, hungry, confused. If I hadn’t taken her and cared for her, she would’ve died back then. I raised her like my own child. Feeding her. Teaching her how to hunt. She was my best friend.”

  “I’m sorry, truly,” Rust said. “I had a dog once, too. I know how it feels like.”

  “Was it killed, too?” the woman asked.

  “Nah,” Rust shook his head, “but that’s not my point. Everything dies, you know. That’s life. It’s all a cycle. You live, and then you die. That’s the end of it. It’s what you do in between that counts. That damn pup made me happy for a long time, and I’m forever grateful for that. You should do the same, you know, cherish the time you had together.”

  “I know,” the woman muttered. “But it would help if the one that killed her wasn’t sitting by the same fire.” She looked at Rose, who in turn turned her gaze away.

  That woman, Rose, was a piece of work. Still, Ronan had no doubt he wouldn’t have done the same. After all, the wolf had tried to attack them. She was trying to protect its mother, aye, but when it came to his own hide or an animal’s, he would always choose himself; there was no other choice but to put it down. Ronan couldn’t help but feel sorry for Ivy, but in the end, she hadn’t warned them that she had a wolfhound nearby. He had enough to worry about already, and what could he do? Ronan dragged his body closer to the bonfire, feeling his skin shiver with cold. The nights were getting cold.

  Early next morning, the group gathered up their things, dousing the bonfire that had miraculously survived the night. Their mood had been soured by the constant, quiet weeping in the night. Yet, moods soured or not, they pressed onwards. Their destination was clear; the mountain grew larger and larger by the hour.

  The beast’s tracks were leading straight towards it.

  “By the gods, how tall is that?” Ronan said with awe, gazing up, almost straining his neck by doing so. He had heard of the mountain, aye, but the stories didn’t do it justice.

  “The Forbidden Mountain,” Rust answered, sounding less enthusiastic than him. “It is said it was once the cradle of society in the north. Some historians say was it built by the acolytes of Erebus himself to honor their lord. They say ghosts roam those halls now.”

  “An old wives tale,” Rose snorted.

  “I hear giants live there now,” Ivy added, shivering. Her voice was quiet still, but she seemed to have masked her grief well.

  “While I appreciate a ghost story, I’m sorry to say that I have it on good authority that the halls are abandoned. Still, you’re not wrong Rust. Men have lived there. Hundreds of years ago,” Raven laughed.

  “So, nothing but skeletons left, eh?” Ronan asked.

  “Perhaps,” the man muttered. He seemed lost in thought.

  “But why would someone live atop mountain? Ain’t it cold up there?” Ronan mumbled to himself.

  Raven raised an eyebrow before bursting out laughing. “Oh, no, no, no, my friend. I assure you, no one lived up there. They lived below the mountain. Look over there.” Raven pointed at the ravine ahead of them.

  Ronan squinted, trying to see whatever the man was pointing at. Then he gasped. “Is that a gate? But it’s huge.”

  “Aye, huge. And it looks like that’s where your boss is taking you,” Ivy added. “Right into the beast’s den.”

  “Inside the ruins?” Ronan swallowed. All that talk of ghosts had made him nervous. He considered himself a rational man. But he had seen many things in his youth that couldn’t explain. And there was the voice.

  “Aye. I think its den is right next to it.” She turned towards the rest of the group. “I hope ya’ll have your weapons ready. Mark my words, the beast will attack if you come any closer to its den. Wolves are protective animals. I should know; I raised one.”

  “You heard the lady.” Raven grinned. “It’s time to get to work, gentlemen. Oh, and women, too, of course. Onwards we march!”

  Ronan’s awe of seeing this majestic structure faded quickly, as it took them hours still to reach the base of the mountain. It took him a while to notice how barren the fields around the mountain were. Where dense forests surro
unded most of the Northern Islands, the area around the mountain was barren, lifeless. And most of all, it all felt so very wrong to him. It took him even longer to realize that the air around them was devoid of sound, too. This was not natural. Then again, the beast they were hunting was a Daemoni, wasn’t it? Ronan swallowed nervously; helping Raven hunt this thing might have been a terrible, terrible mistake on his part. What was he thinking, coming this far inland, into a place foreign to him, seeking death?

  Do I care so little for my child as to risk making him an orphan when he needs his father the most?

  A sudden foreboding filled Ronan’s mind; something was watching them. He felt his palms start to sweat.

  “Do you see that?” Raven said with a lowered tone.

  “How the air grows thicker? Aye, I see it too,” Rust answered.

  A thick blanket of mist slowly approached them from all directions. Ronan took a deep breath and nearly gagged. “This is not natural,” he nervously said, holding his axe tightly. He smelled rotten eggs—and this meant the Daemoni were near.

  “Aye, it knows we’re here.” Rose added. “The cunning bastard probably smelled us quite a while ago.”

  “How do we approach this? Ronan asked, looking at Raven. “What’s the plan?”

  Raven stared at him, confused. “Why, we kill it, of course. What else?”

  “Aye, we kill it. But how? If the beast is as big as they say, we need a plan. You have one, I reckon?”

  The man shrugged. “What’s there to plan? We fight. We win.”

  “Are you serious? You—.”

  A loud, screeching howl came out of nowhere. It felt like Ronan’s eardrums were pounded by a thousand blacksmiths hammering their anvils. It made his face lose all color; terror filled his every limb, every organ. His body shouted at him to either fight or to flee. Everywhere he looked, he saw only mist. Where was the beast?

  “It’s here,” Raven whispered.

  A pair of red, glowing eyes appeared in the mist, followed by inhuman growling. Ronan nearly soiled himself. No one in the group dared to speak.

  “I should not be here. Why did you have to bring me with you? You’ve doomed us all.” Ivy whispered to herself.