The Wrath

by D Glenn Casey

  Losing the healers was not an option.

  Chapter 30 ~ Fleeing To Safety

  It was dark and the night was beginning to get cold when the band of men and women crossed over the mountain and into the land of Terranasia. They had been traveling for three days and this was a trip that ordinarily would have only taken one day. Having to travel only at night and hiding during the day had slowed them down.

  Jarell walked at the front of the group, flanked on both sides by swordsmen and followed by a couple of bowmaidens. The rest of the group was spread out down the mountain path, with swordsmen and bowmaidens watching over the rest of the group.

  The three apprentices had spread themselves throughout the group to offer as much protection as their meager skills would give. Brinn and Millicent walked hand-in-hand and Sean and Marissa walked next to each other.

  Blair walked next to Lissette, more to make sure she was okay because he wasn’t convinced she was quite as healed as she claimed to be. She still hadn’t told anyone why she reacted the way she did when she first met him and it worried him. He could feel she knew a lot more than she was letting on, but she wasn’t about to let it out.

  All of the healers had made it out of the camp at Rosemoor before the final attack came, though they had become split into two groups. The larger group of healers went with the royals, into the forest southwest of Rosemoor and that was the last they had seen of them.

  The smaller group found themselves cut off from the others and ended up moving straight west out of Rosemoor with Jarell and then on the trail that went up and over the mountain to Terranasia.

  Now the healers moved up and down the line of troops, making sure all those that had been injured in some way were taken care of.

  Cryssn worked as hard as anyone, but everyone could tell she was lost in her own fears about her husband. The last they had seen of Captain Jong, he was battling against two ogres and trying to get to the dragon riders. He had bellowed at the healers to get out of the camp and into the wilderness and that was the last thing they knew of him.

  As they reached the top of the mountain, they began to move down the other side and Jarell stepped off to one side of the trail and offered words of encouragement to all that walked past him. He told the leaders of the swordsmen and bowmaidens to seek a place to set up camp. They needed a place that would offer them cover from the sky and also away from the path, in case the enemy sent any troops down the path looking for them.

  After about thirty minutes, the group scattered off the path and found places to hide before the sun came up. Jarell took the three apprentices with him and they brought their favorite healers along with them. Jarell didn’t have the heart to try to separate them as Pendivall would have liked. He appreciated how a good woman can give a man the strength he needs to go on when all seems lost. He only hoped his own good woman was safe and that he would see her again.

  As they settled into a small hollow that was protected by brush and trees, they pulled some meats and fruits from their bags and began sharing all around.

  “Master,” asked Lissette quietly, “it’s been three days now and you haven’t said much to us. How do you think our world is going to look from this day forward?”

  Jarell looked at her, wanting to be anyplace, but right there, right now.

  “Sweetheart, I see some very dark days ahead of us. It is not going to be easy and there will come many times when all of us, myself included, will begin to think that it is all over for us.”

  He looked around the group sitting before him. Six pairs of eyes from the young men and women and a few more pairs of the swordsmen and bowmaidens that had taken up the task of guarding this group.

  “But let me tell you this right now. Four hundred years ago, when we fought against Magrum the Dark, we saw days just like this. We suffered tremendous losses and at times, even the strongest among us felt that all was lost.”

  He stopped and gathered his thoughts.

  “But, you didn’t give up,” remarked Sean.

  He looked at the young apprentice and shook his head.

  “No, Sean. We never gave up and I will never give up this time either. We will defeat Kerrick. It may not be tomorrow, it may not be next week or even next year. But, we will defeat him.”

  “Right now it appears you may be the only wizard left, master.”

  “We don’t know that, Brinn,” said Jarell looking right at him. “We don’t know the fate of Claudious or Pendivall. Those two old men have quite a few tricks left and I’m sure we’ll be seeing them work their magic before this war is over.”

  “And Garlan?”

  Jarell looked at Millicent.

  “Garlan? I have no idea what to tell you there. We know he went to Kerrick’s camp, but we don’t know what happened after that. But, the feeling I get is that it wasn’t good. We may have to carry on without Garlan’s help. Or Marnell’s for that matter.”

  Then he stood up and walked around for a moment. Turning back, he looked at everyone, but at the three apprentices specifically.

  “As for me being the last wizard, no, that isn’t true. There are still wizards in the remote, southern part of Wyndweir and even some in Gallyneer.”

  “Why have they not come to our aid, master?” asked Blair.

  “I suppose it’s because they remember what it was like four hundred years ago. Though they have dispatched troops to join with us, they themselves are trying to stay out of the war. They will find out that their desires are about to come crashing down around their heads.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t think Kerrick is going to stop at Guilden and Bridgehaven. I think he intends to take his army right to the edge of the sea in the south. If he does that, they will have no choice, but to fight him.”

  “So, right now, we’re still left with only you,” said Blair. “I can’t think of any other wizard I’d like to have protecting us, but you are just one wizard.”

  “Well, right now, it’s only me. But, we have you three. Are you apprentices? Yes. But, we are going to change that. When we find somewhere safe, where we can begin training again, I am going to work you three harder than you ever thought possible. When I am finished with you, you will be full master wizards.”

  Sean looked at him and asked, “You mean we won’t have to take the journey into the Land of the Dragons?”

  “Sean, I can tell you right now, finishing your training in the Land of the Dragons would be no easy feat. Apprentices have died during that phase of training. Garlan almost lost his life there. Even Marnell came close to being killed.”

  They all looked at him, not having heard about apprentices dying before.

  “Make no mistake about it, though. I am going to push you and do everything I can to break you. All three of you. Before I am finished with you, you’re all going to wish you could just face a few dragons to pass your final tests.”

  The three of them looked at each other and an unspoken pact passed between them that they would be there to help each other. From this moment forward they were going to be three brothers working toward the same goal.

  Jarell looked at the three ladies sitting next to each apprentice.

  “You three might want to make sure your healing skills are up to snuff, because these three young men are going to need your help.”

  All three of the healers nodded their agreement with him.

  “As for your relationships, ladies I must ask that you respect the wishes of Masters Claudious and Pendivall. No joining with any of these young men until they finish their training.”

  “Absolutely,” said Millicent as she looked at the other two healers. “Nothing is more important right now than to help them become who they are meant to become.”

  Lissette and Marissa both agreed with what she had said and the three young apprentices knew they weren’t going to find it easy to slack off anytime soon. Much as the three young men wanted to join with these women and spend the rest of their lives with them,
becoming full wizards was much more important right now.

  “Alright, we need to get some sleep,” said Jarell. “I want to be on the road just before dark this evening.”

  “Any idea as to where we are going?” asked Blair.

  “I have an idea,” said Jarell. “There is a place on the far western border of Terranasia, near the mountains that separate this land from the Northern Lands. If it is still as I recall it from years ago, it will be a good place for us to gather ourselves and catch our breath.”

  “How many years ago?”

  ‘Excuse me?” asked Jarell, looking at Lissette.

  “How many years ago were you in that land?”

  “It’s been about five hundred years, give or take a few.”

  “Five hundred years?” said Brinn. “So, before the last war.”

  Jarell laughed and looked at him.

  “Yes, master Brinn. Before the last war. Back then, I was a brand new master wizard and I had the urge to travel and see the sights before settling down to the life of a wizard.”

  They were all looking at him, wondering what kind of place it could be after five hundred years.

  “Trust me, people. It’s going to be a nice place.”

  ~~~~

  Five days later, the group stood at the crest of a mountain pass and looked down on a quiet valley. On the far side of the valley was the border to the Northern Lands, with its snow and ice. But, the valley below was green and picturesque. There appeared to be plenty of water and game. There was an abundance of food for them to eat and keep them alive.

  Blair stood next to his master, looking down on the sight.

  “I’ve never imagined a place so beautiful,” he said. “I mean, Wyndweir is beautiful, but this puts our homeland to shame.”

  Lissette was standing next to Blair and without thinking, she reached over and took his hand. The beauty of the land before them made her forget how she was trying to avoid getting close to him.

  Blair had no such misgivings as he squeezed her hand.

  “How is it that this land appears to be so empty of people, master?” asked the young apprentice.

  Jarell smiled and asked, “See any easy way down to the valley?”

  The whole group spent the next couple of minutes looking down at the valley and all possible ways to get down the valley floor. After a short time, they gave up looking.

  Jarell addressed the entire group.

  “People, there is no easy way down. This valley is ringed by sheer cliffs, all the way around to where it borders with the Northern Lands. It is at least a three hundred foot drop to the floor below.”

  “How are we going to get down there?” asked Sean.

  Jarell smiled again and pointed to the sky behind them. They all turned around and started laughing and cheering at the sight of a dragon descending toward them. As it drew closer they saw it was Golrath and Lianna coming toward them. The red dragon set down on a ledge just a few yards away from the group and nodded to Jarell.

  “M’lady,” said Jarell, “it is good to see you back on the back of a dragon.”

  Lianna looked at him and nodded as she jumped down.

  “This is Garlan’s dragon. I would much rather he be on his back.”

  “Well, not to put too fine a point on it,” said Jarell, “but Golrath is nobody’s dragon. None of the dragons are. They allow us to ride on them because we are their friends.”

  Golrath leaned down and nudged Lianna’s shoulder, “Don’t listen to him. Until Garlan returns, I am your dragon.”

  Lianna leaned over and kissed him on the nose and said, “I only hope that Keeleth can forgive me for surrendering my seat on her.”

  “That reminds me,” spoke Jarell, “any word from the other dragons and riders?”

  Golrath shook his head, “No sire. Last I heard, Captain Jong had given Caroline and Emmilyn a mission and Morgath and Sophia are now flying them away from here. To where, I do not know.”

  “And Keeleth and ...”

  The words stuck in his throat, not wanting to ask it.

  “Keeleth and Sarabel are still flying cover over the troops at Keirdon, watching over their retreat to this place. As for Venia and Hilde, I am grieved to say I do not know of their whereabouts.”

  Jarell went silent for a moment and then turned to the others.

  “Master Golrath has agreed to help us in getting down to the bottom of this valley. Within an hour or so I expect we will all be in our new home.”

  Then he looked over at the dragon and said, “I suppose ladies first?”

  Golrath nodded and moved to a spot a little closer. Lianna helped half a dozen of the healers climb up and get situated on the back of the dragon, sitting in between the spines on his back.

  “Just sit still and relax,” she said. “Before you know it, you’ll be at the bottom of this valley.”

  In just a few seconds, Golrath launched himself off the edge of the cliff, eliciting a couple of squeals from a couple of the healers, Cryssn being the loudest among them. Jarell laughed and even Lianna had to laugh at that.

  Over the following hour, Golrath made trip after trip, ferrying the men and women to the bottom of the valley, along with all their supplies. As they gathered around the tall wizard, Golrath took off, going to see what the hunting was like in the woods around there.

  “I think we should be safe here,” said Jarell. “We have a lot of time. We need to train our three young wizards here and to also bring in new people and grow our numbers.”

  “Where will we find those numbers, master?” asked Brinn.

  “We weren’t the only ones to escape after Rosemoor. There are plenty of others. They shall find their way here and we will be ready to receive them.”

  “And how will they even know where we went?”

  He looked over the group and at the gathered swordsmen and bowmaidens. They looked back at him and nodded.

  “You’re not sending them back out there!” said Cryssn.

  “Madam, I will not send any one of them that doesn’t want to go,” said Jarell. “But, the sad fact is that we need to find those that escaped and bring them here. This will be the one place they will find safety.”

  One of the swordsmen spoke up, “Madam Cryssn. He won’t have to tell us to go. He will only have to tell us when. Our brothers and sisters are out there, hiding and hoping to live another day. That we have found a place for them to do that, well, we can’t keep it a secret from them.”

  “I’m not worried about keeping this place a secret,” she said, standing there with her hands on her hips. “I’m worried about sending any of you back over that mountain and into the clutches of that madman.”

  “I think we’ll be fine,” declared the swordsman.

  Jarell broke in and said, “I’m not planning on sending anyone just yet. We need to spend a little time here, by ourselves, getting this place set up as a place to live. But we can never hope to go against the dark wizard with so few in numbers.”

  Cryssn looked at him and then looked down.

  “I apologize, Master Jarell. I’m just worried about my husband.”

  “As I am my wife.”

  He looked around and then said, “Alright. Let’s take a few minutes break and then we need to start planning how to set up our little village here and get started on that.”

  The little gathering broke up into smaller groups and they began to find places to relax and grab a bit of sleep. The next few weeks were going to be a whirlwind of activity as they made this valley their home.

  Jarell slipped away from the group and found a quiet place in the trees. He sat down on a rock and closed his eyes and quieted his mind. Stretching out his mind sight, he sought a certain green dragon and a redheaded warrior. But no matter how deep he went into his mind, he couldn’t find even a spark of recognition from either of them.

  For the first time in over five hundred years he felt a tear run down his face. Ever since the death of his friend, Tren,
he had become known as the warrior wizard. At that moment he didn’t feel too much like a warrior.

  “Please be safe, sweets.”

  Chapter 31 ~ After The Battle, The Heartache

  Hilde looked down at the devastation she saw. For as far as her gaze reached, the wreckage of burned out homes and buildings sent pillars of black smoke into the air. She could see the bodies of the fallen troops and the dead dragons.

  Venia was unusually silent as they surveyed the landscape below. Hilde had patched up her wounds as best she could, but she was no healer and without one, Venia was going to have to mend the old-fashioned way. With time and rest.

  Venia looked down and saw the remains of the dragons and felt a knot of rage build within her body. She had known most of these dragons all her life. Some were cousins, but all were friends. The rage she felt at their loss was more than she could bear.

  As they flew over the center of what used to be the village, they could see the remains of Toddie’s pub. Hilde took it especially hard, thinking back to just a few months before, when she and Jarell had become husband and wife and spent their first night together in one of the rooms at the back of the pub. Before meeting Jarell, she had never considered finding love in her life. Now, she had no idea where he was or if he was even alive.

  Passing over the village, they flew to the fields just west of the village, where the army had set up its camp a year ago. She saw the area where she had first learned to use a bow and arrow, with the help of Marnell, Lissette and Millicent. She didn’t even know where they were. She knew Marnell was in the Land of the Dragons, but that was just her body. Where her soul was, nobody knew. And Lissette and Millicent were missing, along with the rest of the healers and the three apprentices.

  It was as if they had been wiped from existence.

  Circling over the fields, she saw some movement and realized there were people down there. As she and Venia flew lower, she could see it was the residents of the village, moving through the fields, seeking survivors of the battle.