When they reached the bay, Devarius found several ships docked on the water. After talking with a few of the captains, he found one willing to move his entire party across the bay for a fee they could afford. Devarius paid the captain half, with a promise to pay the remainder once arriving. He hoped their party wouldn’t draw the captain’s attention, but he imagined they didn’t look like normal travelers.
The waters at Cephrae Bay were calm, and their crossing easy. After crossing, Devarius paid the captain and led his party north into the small forest. Devarius and Paedyn set up camp south of Ceydar in the small forest. More than a week had gone by since they’d left the island, an island Paedyn had named Adeth Peak Isle, which Devarius deemed a good name since he believed it was an island of death. He had imagined his death there several times in his dreams.
Once the camp was set up, Devarius strode over to Paedyn. “Are you ready to find this contact in Ceydar?”
“Why? So he can tell us where to go next? Can’t we just stay here in camp for a few days before we’re told that we’re still more than halfway from our destination?”
Devarius snorted. “I know you’re tired. I’m tired as well. But they are more tired than us.” Devarius nodded to their twenty-seven companions in the camp.
“Then let them rest,” Paedyn said.
“To what end? The longer we stay in one place, the greater chance the dragonriders have of finding us. What if they find the captain who helped us across the bay tomorrow, or the day after? Do you think he’ll stay quiet about leading a party of nearly thirty across? Do you think the dragonriders won’t fly over here after hearing about it?”
Paedyn gritted his teeth and exhaled loudly out his nose.
“The faster we reach the Resistance, the faster we all get a much needed rest.”
“Fine. Let’s get this over with.”
Devarius nodded. He told Aquila to stay at the camp and watch over everyone. Then, he and Paedyn traveled north to Ceydar.
The gates at Ceydar were massive. The guards at the entrance looked at them circumspectly, and after a short interrogation, they allowed them inside.
“Where to again?” Paedyn whispered.
“The Blind Mule.”
Paedyn nodded, and the two of them continued walking through the streets. Compared to any other village in Kaeldroga, Ceydar was massive. It was the size of a city rather than a village, but it wasn’t as developed. It took them over an hour before they found the small tavern. It was hidden in the back of a small alley, with a worn sign showing an eyeless mule.
Devarius paused on the outside of the tavern for a moment. He took a deep breath and stepped inside. Paedyn followed at his heels. Unlike the tavern in Vaereal, the Blind Mule was crowded with people. They walked over to the bar and sat.
“What’ll it be for you?” the barkeep asked.
“A room.” Devarius slid two coins on the bar. One, a gold dragon, the other a gold crown.
“Fine.” The barkeep studied the coins closely before sliding over a key and pointing to the stairs.
Devarius grabbed the key and headed to the stairs. Paedyn followed him. The room was at the end of the hall upstairs. Devarius glanced around before using the key to open the door. Once inside, Devarius sat on a rocking chair. He sighed. Paedyn strolled over to the bed, collapsing onto it face-first.
Devarius tilted his head back and yawned.
Paedyn rolled onto his back on the bed. “What now?”
“We wait.”
The two of them waited in silence for over an hour. Neither spoke. They were exhausted from their journey and had little to say. Paedyn snored on the bed as Devarius closed his eyes.
A knock at the door startled them. Devarius’s hand dropped to his dagger. Paedyn sat up in the bed, eyes alert. Devarius stood and opened the door.
A young woman leaned against the door frame on the other side. She looked to be in her early twenties, with tight-fitting leather armor and a scabbard at her side. Devarius pressed his lips together and raised an eyebrow.
She raised both of her brows. “Well? Are you going to invite me in?”
“Umm? Sure. Come in.” Devarius stepped aside and gestured with his hand. “I’m sorry, it’s not often a woman shows up to invite herself into my room.”
She raised a brow, studying him up and down. “I don’t see why not.”
“Excuse me?” he asked.
She shrugged, stepping past him. “Nothing.”
Devarius closed the door. When he turned around, he found her sitting in the rocking chair. He scratched his stubble.
“What can I do for you?” Devarius asked.
“Are you the one they’re after?”
“Excuse me?”
“Are you searching for someone?” she asked.
“We are.”
“Let us quit skirting around the truth. What are you here for?” she asked.
“It is a delicate matter … not something easily divulged in the open,” Devarius said.
“We’re not in the open. You can be frank with me.”
“Oh, can I?” Paedyn spoke up from the bed.
Devarius turned to him, shaking his head.
The woman’s lips turned upwards as she turned to study Paedyn. “And what would you like to be frank about?”
Paedyn grinned. “There was a reason we came, but I forgot all about it when you stepped in this room. Would you care for a drink?”
She raised a brow as she huffed a laugh.
“We are searching for the Resistance,” Devarius said.
She faced Devarius. “Good. I’m in the right room then.”
“Are you with the Resistance?”
“I cannot say.”
“Of course you can’t. What about a name? What is your name?”
“Lilianya.”
“Such a beautiful name,” Paedyn said.
Devarius glared at Paedyn.
“What?” Paedyn asked.
“Where can we find the Resistance?” Devarius asked.
“You know I can’t tell you that,” Lilianya said.
Devarius growled. “Listen, I’m tired of being sent on this wild goose chase—”
“He doesn’t even like geese,” Paedyn whispered.
Devarius clenched his teeth. “We have twenty-seven others in our party outside of this village. We are tired. We are hungry. We’ve been traveling a long way, and we’ve been chasing riddles to find the Resistance. Dragonriders have been chasing us most of the way. Please, do me a favor and just tell me where to go to find the Resistance.”
Lilianya tilted her head. “I still can’t tell you where they are.” She paused. “But I can tell you where to go.”
“Where?” Devarius asked through clenched teeth.
“You’re headed in the right direction. You are close now. Continue east, through the forest, past the destroyed villages and to the Trekkium Mountains. They will find you there.”
Devarius exhaled. “Is our journey almost over? Our party deserves a rest.”
She smiled. “Yes. Soon, you shall all have your rest. But don’t get comfortable. The Resistance isn’t a refuge. They expect work.”
Devarius’s lips turned upward. “I wouldn’t expect it any other way. The empire isn’t going to defeat itself.”
Lilianya turned around and walked to the door. She paused with her hand on the doorknob. “Be safe.”
“You too,” Devarius said.
21
Two days passed as Devarius led his party toward the mountains. They were all tired, but none of them gave up hope. Without hope, they were nothing. As they neared the mountains, they saw the ruins of a few villages. Rumors had spread through Kaeldroga about the destroyed villages, but no one knew for sure what had happened. As they passed through them, Devarius understood. Many of the buildings were charred or burned into ashes. It was clear to Devarius that dragonriders had been behind the destruction. He wondered what had happened. Had these villages opposed the Dra
gonia Empire years ago? Was this their punishment?
“How much longer?” Aquila asked.
Devarius spun to face her. She stood straight, but he could tell by her expression that she was exhausted. A gentle wind blew her black hair into her face, and she brushed it out of the way with her hand. She shivered from the wind. Winter grew near, and Devarius hoped they’d find the safety of the Resistance before the snow arrived.
“I don’t know. We were told to reach the mountains … and that they would find us.”
“Encouraging,” Aquila responded.
Devarius glanced to the mountains in the distance. They were close now. He looked behind them to the west at the two setting suns, one red and slightly larger halfway below the horizon, and the other a light orange. Devarius sighed.
“Let’s reach the base of the mountains and camp. If we have to travel any further into the mountains, we’ll wait until morning.”
They reached the base of the mountain range after another hour. Devarius and Paedyn made camp. They roasted a few pheasants they had found at the edge of the forest. Once their meals were finished, they decided to rest.
Devarius took first watch, but before he could take a step, he paused, his hand dropping to the dagger at his belt. A warrior stood outside their camp circle, a hand on the pommel of his sword. Devarius clutched the hilt of his dagger tight. He noticed another warrior standing more than ten feet to the first man’s left. He glanced around and noticed their entire camp surrounded by warriors, each wearing heavy plate armor and scabbards.
Paedyn stepped by Devarius’s side, his short sword unsheathed.
“What is your business here?” the warrior in front demanded.
Devarius bit his lip. He studied all the warriors. “Are you dragonriders?”
“No. I ask again, what is your business here?”
“We’re searching for the Resistance.”
“Why?”
“The dragonriders have destroyed everything we know. Our village is gone. They murdered everyone in it, except us. We escaped, and have been running from them ever since. Our friends, our family … they are all gone. All we have is each other, and no purpose. We want to stop the empire from doing the same to others.”
“So you wish to join the Resistance?”
“Yes,” Devarius said.
“Pack up camp. You’re coming with us.”
“We’re tired. We’ve traveled all day. Can we wait until morning?” Paedyn asked.
“No,” the warrior responded.
“Very well,” Devarius said. He turned to look at his companions. “Everyone pack up. I know you’re all tired, but it looks like we’ve finally reached the Resistance. Soon, everyone will get to rest.”
“The Resistance does not rest,” the warrior said.
“Surely you can give my companions one day. We’ve traveled for weeks to reach you. Besides, not traveling every day is a rest for us.”
The warrior nodded. “Follow me.”
Devarius trailed the warrior closely, with Paedyn by his side. The others traveled behind them, with warriors surrounding their entire group. It looked more like an escort to the gallows than the Resistance leading them to their hidden camp.
The warrior led them into the mountains, winding through hidden paths. Devarius focused hard on their direction, and the ground, trying to learn the path. He saw tracks on the ground, but they were faint, like they’d been made years earlier. But he was sure that was the direction they traveled. He wondered if the Resistance did something to help hide their tracks, or if the dust from the mountains in the breeze kept the old tracks covered.
Wherever they traveled, it wasn’t nearby. Hours of silence passed before they stepped around a curve and a city appeared. Devarius stopped in his tracks. Several of his companions bumped into him from behind. His jaw dropped as he stared at the city. It was definitely a city, not a village. A large stone gate protected it, with ten guards standing outside of it, and inside all the buildings were stone.
“How have you hidden a city in the mountains?”
“Come on, don’t linger,” the lead warrior said.
Devarius flexed his fists as he caught up with the warrior. He shook his head in wonder, wishing the warrior was a bit more social.
They followed the warriors into the city. Hundreds of people in the streets stared at them as they entered. A grin split Devarius’s face. If there were hundreds of people in the streets, how many were in the houses, or the rest of the city?
He’d made it. They’d found the Resistance.
“Welcome to Saefron. Wipe that grin off your face. You will be meeting with the captain and the leader.”
Devarius’s smile didn’t fade, but his lips closed to cover his teeth. He nodded and followed the warrior. Paedyn walked beside him.
“Alone,” the warrior said.
Devarius tilted his head. “Where will they be?”
“They will be safe. A dinner has been prepared where they will be able to feast, and be watched.”
“Watched? They are under my protection. I did not lead them all the way across this land to be watched. I brought them here to help. We want to make the Resistance stronger.”
“The leader will decide. For now, they are being watched,” the warrior snarled.
Devarius gritted his teeth. “Lead the way.”
The warrior led Devarius further into the city. He noticed only two guards following behind. They strode along several alleys, turning left and right a few times, until they approached a barracks. The warrior led him inside, and to a room on the side. He stripped Devarius of his weapons and nodded. Devarius exhaled through his nose as he opened the door. Inside, two men sat in chairs on the other side of a rectangular table. A single chair stood in front of them. Devarius crept to the table as he studied the two men. One had white hair, a mustache, beige platemail, and a cape; the other was younger, with black hair, a neatly trimmed goatee, and muscles bulging from his tan leather armor.
“We hear you’ve been searching for us,” the man with the white hair said.
“For some time. You’re not easy to find.”
The old man smiled. “I’m glad to hear that.”
“Who are you?”
“I am Ellisar. Most call me the leader of the Resistance.”
Devarius nodded and looked to the other man.
“I am Tynaer, the captain of the Resistance.”
“Tell us, who are you?” Ellisar asked.
“My name is Devarius.”
“That is a name, but who are you? Why are you here? Why do you seek the Resistance?” Ellisar asked.
“My companions and I come from a village in the northwest. It wasn’t large enough to be on the map yet—it hadn’t even been named yet. I was helping them build the village. It was becoming home. Dragonriders came.” Devarius took a deep breath. “They heard a rumor there were people with the Resistance with us. They interrogated us, and began hanging us one by one, demanding we confess or expose the traitors. There were no traitors, at least, none that any of us knew. They decided to kill the rest of us. No witnesses, you know?” Devarius shrugged. “I decided I didn’t want to die. A friend and I distracted the dragonriders as we led a party of villagers away. We hid in the forest. Then, we traveled all over Kaeldroga trying to find your hidden city.”
“Quite a story.” Ellisar paused. “One I’d like to hear in more detail, but I’d still like to hear more about you.”
“Me?” Devarius asked.
“Instead of running, or pleading that you’ve done nothing wrong, you decided to find us instead. Clearly you’ve heard of us. If you knew we were real, then you must have had an encounter with us before. Most people don’t believe there’s a Resistance who wants to stop the Dragonia Empire.”
“That’s changing,” Devarius said.
“Perhaps so.” Ellisar crossed his fingers on the table in front of him. “But there’s more to you than that. I can feel it. You’ve had your pro
blems with the Dragonia Empire. Tell me about it.”
Devarius inhaled. “I was a boy.” He rubbed his eyes. “We had little food. There was only enough to feed us. I don’t even think my mother and father ate. There was a bad drought, then a bad freeze during the winter. My parents didn’t pay their taxes to the Dragonia Empire. They couldn’t afford to. We hadn’t sold any of our crops that year. Two dragonriders came. They … they …” Devarius wiped a tear threatening to fall from his eye. “They demanded the taxes, the rightful taxes of the Dragonia Empire as they called it. My parents didn’t have it. They took my parents, and my older brother, and hung them in our front yard. They made my sister and me watch.” Tears streamed down Devarius’s face. “They made crude jokes about the color of our skin, about us being less human than them. Then … then, they took my sister. One of the riders took her onto his saddle and said she would be his. She was a couple years older than me.” He wiped his tears. “They took her and flew off into the distance. I was alone, and without hope. We lived on a farm, and our closest neighbors were leagues away. It was only me, and I had no idea what to do.”
A long moment of silence followed his confession.
“That is quite a story,” Ellisar said.
Devarius looked into the leader’s eyes. “So, if you’re curious if my intentions are sincere, let me assure you, I am here to join you. I am here to help build the Resistance. I am here to make sure the Dragonia Empire pays for what they’ve done, not only for what they’ve done to me, but also for all the things they’ve done against hundreds of other families in Kaeldroga.”
“I believe you,” Ellisar said.
Devarius wiped away the rest of his tears and hardened his face. “What can I do?”
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