NOVEL NEXT Chapter 19: A Turning Point
Chapter 19: A Turning Point
“Getting knocked down in life is a given. Getting up and moving forward is a choice,”
-Old proverb.
Kortan Blodhund stood unshakeable over a rocky ledge, watching the unending sea as furious waves mercilessly battered Nordland's frozen shores. He remained stoic, withstanding the wrath of a snowstorm that had halted the otherwise alive and crowded piers below. The wind howled powerfully, threatening to blow away tents and boats’ covers.
But something was off. He could feel it. This was his favorite spot, a lonely cliff at the island's far side that overlooked the piers. He had come to this same spot for decades and it never felt this way. This whole experience felt surreal as if he had been through this before. Was it a dream? Perhaps a distant memory? He recalled being rammed by a raging war bull just minutes ago and his body still felt sore. He couldn’t be dead.
He walked down the cliffs through a narrow, treacherous path that only he knew, soon reaching the icy shores below. He walked over the frozen foam without crushing it as if he weighed nothing; feeling oddly detached from the world, watching in disbelief the waves bashing the beach around him ignoring his presence as if he wasn’t even there.
-“It isn’t the mighty Kortan Blodhund from the legends?” a soft voice said from behind, interrupting his thoughts.
He recognized that voice instantly. He turned immediately, finding the same lean man dressed in long, dark robes that he recalled from a recent past, uttering the exact same words he said back then. Just like then, a pointy hood concealed his eyes and the upper half of his face yet revealing just enough to identify him for what he was.
An imperial.
-“Seems you have seen better days,” he added, grinning perfect pearl-white teeth that irritated him even more than the fact he already had this conversation before. -“You might be wondering who I am and why I’m here,”
-“I know who you are, imperial! I saw you the other day!” Kortan said just as he did months ago, seemingly helpless to say something different this time. What is this?! -“I might be past my prime, but I can still tear your head off with my bare hands!”
-“I’m here in good faith,” the man said as Kortan already expected. -“There is no need for violence… not yet,”
His aching body and the drenched feeling of mud against his face reminded him that this was but a dream. Perhaps a punishment by the Gods? It bothered him immensely, but if something bothered him even more was that he knew every word about to leave the man’s mouth. He might have believed he was in Hell if his body didn’t remind him he was still breathing. -“Then stop rambling around and state your business, ‘imp’! I have not the entire day!” he roared impatiently, knowing exactly what his response would be, resigning to relive that fateful day.
-“Very well,” the man replied, gazing at the violent sea. -“My masters have chosen you, Kortan Blodhund. There is a matter of utmost importance that needs to be taken care of,”
-“Have not your masters chosen a fool already?!” he countered, annoyed. -“You just gifted a small fleet full of ‘gifts’ to Svenn just a few days ago,”
-“Indeed, I have,” the man said collectedly. -“But my masters are interested in someone more… experienced,”
That made him laugh.
Kortan recalled bursting into laughter at how shameless his attempt at indulging sounded. So more experienced, huh? It just irritated him even more.
-“Do not take me for a fool, ‘Imp’!” Kortan growled viciously, closing his face to the man’s and staring down at him. The imperial, however, remained stalwart. -“Svenn might be an idiot but he's a seasoned warrior still in his prime! Why in hell would your masters choose me over him?!”
The man just smiled in return, a hint of arrogance appearing in his slips. Kortan frowned even more. There were very few things that he hated more than the smug smile of an imperial but allowed him to speak. There wasn’t much he could do anyway, being forced to watch and repeat this memory. -“He is set to wreak havoc in Clan lands, and for that, he has been given the means,” the man replied calmly. -“But this task is far more… important... than any spoils he might bring,”
-“What task?!”
-“Have I finally earned your attention, Kortan Blodhund?”
-“Entertain me, imperial,”
-“Very well,” the man said, finally turning to face him, taking his time to remove his hood and reveal his lean, beardless face under it. He looked pale, and his neatly-combed grey hair clashed with his youthful appearance. His emerald green eyes glow through the snowstorm, recalling the sight striking him just as hard as the sting of his scent. -“Lord Burgan the ‘Fearless’ of Clan Irfis has just passed away,” he said calmly. -“And the Clan hasn’t chosen a new Lord just yet. They will delay the funeral a few weeks while they gather the Lords from the remaining clans, to give it a sort of… legitimacy, and they all will gather in a small village at the crossroads. The birthplace of the late Lord, a little more than a day away from the nearest shores,”
-“You are forgetting something, imperial,”
-“What could that be?” he asked.
-“Clan Irfis pushed back an entire Imperial Army. Alone. They are not to be underestimated,”
-“It was that exact event that also decimated their ranks,”
-“They make with skill what they lack in numbers, and yet your masters wish to strike while they are hosting all the other Clans in their lands?!” Kortan growled, yet the man remained impassive. It couldn’t be. Is he… serious?!
Kortan had the habit of laughing when he was angry. It made his enemies all the more nervous, and now he was laughing his hardest. -“You find my proposition amusing, I reckon,” the man interrupted.
“Madness! Absolute madness!” he said, his face twisting again into a menacing frown.
-“Svenn will strike exactly after the other Clans’ entourage has departed,” the man continued as if nothing happened. -“He will face an inexperienced Lord and a dwindling army,”
-“He will need a larger army if you wish him to succeed,”
-“It matters little if he succeeds,” the man said as his lips moved into a twisted smile, shocking him. -“The real prize is the one you’ll bring, Kortan Blodhund,”
Kortan recalled vividly a lump forming in his throat, impeding him from speaking. A mixture of anger and dread twisted his insides. He could feel it now just as intensely as then. They are willing to sacrifice an entire army… to get what?! Back then he didn’t know, but now… he knew exactly what was coming. -“Now you have my attention,”
-“There is a girl that my masters are looking for,”
-“A girl?!” Kortan said, baffled. -“And how exactly am I supposed to find some girl in the middle of Klanland, imperial?!”
-“She’ll remain in Clan Irfis lands after the funeral,” the man said collectedly. -“In a small farming village called ‘Repose’ at the edge of the mountains, near the forest,”
-“For the looks of it, your masters already know everything about her,” Kortan countered. -“They need spies to learn all that. Would not be easier if one of their spies just took her away?”
-“You are familiar with the court’s ways, it seems,” the man said, smiling. -“But it is of utmost importance that her taking isn’t seen as the works of the Empire. And it’s in my master’s best interests that their spies remain… in secrecy,”
-“I just cannot see how some girl might be of any importance! At all! Clanners do not have royalty!”
-“This has nothing to do with the clansmen,”
-“What?!”
-“Actually, the girl we are looking for happens to be a Nord too,”
-“A Nord girl?!”
-“Half-Nord to be precise, a priestess,” the man clarified. -“She will stand out among the clansmen. You’ll recognize her instantly,”
-“You have some nerve to come here, I’ll give you that, but I do not plan to become a glorified babysitter, imperial,” Kortan said, turning and walking away. -“Good luck finding a fool,”
-“As you already know, King Agmar is called ‘The Usurper’ for a reason. Am I right?” the man said.
Kortan stopped in his tracks.
-“He was King Lothar’s half-brother and the rightful Lord of the Frozen Islands,” the man continued, looking away. Kortan turned slowly, his face now twisted with rage. -“He became High King after murdering his brother and took Skyfall’s throne for himself. ‘You keep what you take’ as you say, right?”
Kortan approached the man again unhurriedly, his massive frame towering over the imperial, listening to his words closely.
-“But his legitimacy came into question after some grave robbers discovered King Lothar’s body… stabbed in the back. Not very honorable if you ask me,”
-“Mind your words, you little ‘Imp’!” Kortan growled, grabbing him by the clothes and pulling him close. -“You are walking over mighty thin ice!”
-“Am I?”
-“Explain yourself!”
-“My masters have big plans for Nordland, Kortan Blodhund. And that girl is the key to those plans,”
-“What plans?!”
-“Of that, I know little. But I know this; they will reward their allies handsomely,”
-“What could they possibly grant me that I have not already?!”
-“Skyfall,”
-“WHAT?!”
-“You heard it right, the throne of Skyfall,” the man said, grinning. -“My masters have big plans for Nordland, Warrior Prince, and who better than King Lothar’s rightful heir to set things right?”
Impossible! The words echoed through his mind, turning his world upside down with nothing but that annoying, arrogant tongue. Kortan didn’t believe any of it, he refused to trust an imperial but a part of him couldn’t help but wonder what if. What if only. What if he was telling the truth?
The snowstorm suddenly increased in intensity, quickly engulfing them with a thick, icy whirlwind. The man soon vanished, leaving him alone with his thoughts. The storm then faded into a dark void, reminding him that this was nothing but a dream.
-“Is something troubling you, Kortan?” a tender voice interrupted.
He would have kept torturing himself with his thoughts if it wasn’t for that warm, motherly voice filled with concern. He promptly found himself enjoying the warmth of a small, luxurious log cabin, watching the storm rage outside through the window.
He recognized the voice immediately, turning to find Ebe, his heavily pregnant wife sitting comfortably by the fire. His heart always stirred up at the sight. Her eyes were fixed on him, a pair of beautiful silvery eyes befitting royalty. He gulped. No other woman was able to amaze and terrify him at the same time. That was why he married her in the first place. -“It is nothing, my love,” he said with a smile.
-“It is unlike you to lie,” she countered instantly as if a supernatural power allowed her to sense his uneasiness. -“You cannot fool me, Kortan Blodhund. You have not been yourself for days,”
-“I have just been pondering, my love, that’s all,”
-“I thought you decided to stay,”
-“I-I have changed my mind,” Kortan stuttered, nervously. He never stuttered, no one ever made him stutter. Only she made him stutter. To everyone else, he was ‘The Scourge’ from Nordland. -“I… I-I have been thinking… maybe one more trip should not be difficult,”
-“It is a raid, Kortan. Is not a simple ‘trip’,” she corrected. -“You do not believe anything of what that imperial said, do you?”
-“Of course not! That is why I consulted it with the Seer first,”
-“And do you trust that witch?”
-“That ‘witch’ is your aunt, remember?” he countered. -“And she has never been wrong before,”
-“I know. That is exactly why I worry,”
-“Worry not, my love,”
-“You should be more apprehensive about someone who deals with spirits and reads fates,” Ebe said. -“The Gods are not fond of fortune tellers,”
-“Gods old or new, it matters little,” Kortan said. -“I have done this before. It is nothing new. It may take only a few weeks at best. A month at worst,”
She turned away, anxiously watching the fire cracking beside her. Kortan walked to her and kneeled beside her, sandwiching her hand between his. -“I cannot let pass a chance like this. You and our baby will be safe, I promise. Torr will take care of both of you,”
-“I worry not about me, Kortan. But about you,” she countered, placing her other hand on top of both of his. -“You promised no more raids,”
-“I promised never to leave you alone. I will return before you give birth,” he reassured. -“I would never leave any of you, never!”
-“I know… but… just look around you!” she said, pointing at the window. -“We have so much already! A prosperous estate, loyal servants that look after us, and enough sheep to feed an army. That is not enough for you?!”
-“I am a Warrior Prince, Ebe, not a shepherd,”
-“I know. But I did not marry you for your lineage,”
-“This is something I must do. It is fated,”
-“I fear your ‘fate’ will take you away from us, like your brother,”
-“Konner found his fate in Klanland, and I too shall find mine,” he said stoically, standing suddenly and looking away, taking her aback. Anything concerning his estranged younger brother always upset him and she knew that, but Kortan couldn’t find in his heart to scold her. She had a rightful reason to worry. -“I will return with the key to a new kingdom. A new kingdom for us,”
He sensed her mood taking a nosedive, immediately regretting his outburst, changing his tone to a tenderer one. -“Nothing will keep us apart. I promise,”
-“I just hope you return at all,”
That seemed to appease her. He looked at the window, watching his reflection staring deep into his soul. Was this the punishment for a life of violence? He couldn’t help but wonder.
-“And who will accompany my husband in this important quest?” Ebe said, again interrupting his thoughts.
-“I will take Finn with me,”
-“Finn? Our foreman?”
-“Yes,” he recalled his past self said, feeling relieved after she finally yielded. -“He is a warrior like me, and I need a lieutenant. He has been my friend through many dangers and saved my life more than once. He deserves a break from the farm life,”
-“Torr will stay,” she demanded.
-“Torr will stay,” he replied, decidedly. -“Your brother will stay out of this. He never showed an interest in violence, anyway. I plan to leave him in charge of the estate instead,”
-“Good. And your nephew?”
-“Wulfeinn wishes to go too, so I will let him,” Kortan said, cautiously. -“The Seer said that going against my blood would mean my doom. He is strong, and brash, and could use some action. Worry not; I will take good care of him. My late sister would never forgive me if I let any harm befall him,”
-“What about the rest? You will need a war band,”
-“I shall go to the village tomorrow to look for some volunteers. There are too many idle whalers and fishermen eager to become warriors,” Kortan replied, now at ease. -“The imperial promised a boat full of supplies by tomorrow. Men will be eager for a place,”
His surroundings began to fade away; being taken over by a powerful yellow light growing in intensity every second. What is this? He wondered, as the light now completely engulfed him. -“I just hope you are alright,” he heard his wife say one last time.
Reinn raced through the dark, narrow hallway, promptly reaching the badly battered wooden door at its end, finding it firmly locked. She took a deep breath, raising an armored fist to knock on the door but couldn’t bring herself to do it, leaning against it instead at a complete loss of what to say. She took a full minute to catch her breath, looking down to find her knees shaking, and her fist hovering in front of the door, still finding it difficult to believe they were alive and well.
But what is with all this hesitation anyway? She came to bring the good news. Reinn shook her head and steeled herself, knocking on the wooden door at last. -“Lady Nana?!” she yelled, knocking repeatedly. -“Lady Nana! It’s me, Reinn! Please, open up!”
-“Reinn?!” a kind, quivering voice echoed inside the room. Reinn heard someone rushing at the door, stumbling with objects on its way, finally unlocking the door and swinging it open. -“Are you hurt too?!” Lily asked, staring at her blood-stained mail hauberk. -“W-we’ve heard a commotion outside and we…”
-“Lily! The battle is over! We’ve won!”
Lily immediately broke down in tears as relief overwhelmed her, dropping the short knife she kept away from Nana, and wrapping her arms around Reinn. -“Thanks the Gods!”
-“I-I still can’t believe it either!”
The rest of the girls quickly followed suit, hugging each other tightly as their weeping instantly filled the room. Even Nana couldn’t help but shed some tears, remaining stoically seated on her wooden chair with her eyes closed and her head held high.
-“How is everyone?” Kastus reached out to her from the corner of the room.
-“We’re battered but alive. I’ve come to check on you,”
-“We are all fine… except Raznak,” Nana said unexpectedly as the cries gradually died down to allow her to speak. -“I don’t think he’s going to make it. And Nina…” she paused, turning towards her with her jaw quivering. -“We didn’t win. We just survived. The poor girl is still out there…”
Rudo raced over the gravel road, tearing through the dark, matted forest as if the devil himself chased after them. His heart thumped and his lungs pumped, battling pain and exhaustion, pushing his body far beyond his limits. His legs kicked the gravel under him, making entire miles in mere seconds, and even though it was pitch black, his large bird eyes allowed him to see through the dark like it was broad daylight. He tried to keep his focus on the road ahead but his heart inevitably went with the terrified girl in his arms.
He looked down at her just briefly, watching Nina clinging to him for dear life, her face twisted with concern if not for them but for the people at the outpost. He lost himself in her eyes just briefly when he suddenly no longer felt solid ground under him, his feet kicking the air instead. Shet! Shet! Shet! He looked around desperately, finding himself airborne, tearing through the woods, having completely overshot a curve.
He dodged several trees, kicking logs and branches in his way to correct his trajectory mid-air until landing again several hundred yards from the road. His nose then caught a whiff of sulfur and decided to follow it, quickly reaching the grassy riverbank, and racing alongside it, figuring it would be easier to just follow the river until reaching the bridge instead of wasting priceless time trying to get back to the road. Dat was close!
Nina couldn’t do anything but hang on tightly and watch, having by now grown somewhat accustomed to the thrill. It never occurred to her that that previous leap wasn’t what Rudo had intended, believing it was just him taking a shortcut. She trusted him with her life but was strung up on how long he could keep this insane pace.
-“There’s the bridge!” Nina yelled, pointing at the colossal stone bridge just a few miles ahead. Rudo increased the pace. He knew the bridge could blow up at any moment and his instincts screamed they should rush away instead of towards it, but kept on nonetheless. He had no choice but to hurry up if they wished to cross the river.
Kuro rode through the gravel road with his heart in his mouth, he tried to focus on his mission but concern clouded his mind. He led an impromptu yet outstanding crew: beside him rode his childhood friend Ekto, followed closely by Varr, leader of the Northwind Highlanders mercenary company, his scout Farkas, and Mist, his hunting hound, to whom now they owed their lives.
-“You think we can catch up with them?!” Ekto reached out to Kuro, earning his attention.
-“I don’t know! We have to try! I’m just hoping that Rudo has!”
-“What the hell are you two talking about?!” Varr barged in. -“The hound has her scent! We’ll find her if she’s where you said she’ll be!”
-“Not if the bridge’s destroyed!” Kuro countered.
-“Bullshit!” Varr replied, incredulously. - We fought the Northmen! There aren’t enough of them to bring down a bridge!”
-“Forget the Northmen! A fucking mage is with them!” Kuro said. -“He already blew up the other bridges! This one is the last!”
Varr always doubted unreliable information but it only took him an instant to realize that Kuro was telling the truth. Damn it! -“You forgot to mention that tiny little detail, you imbecile! I would’ve brought more men then!”
-“There was no time! I’m not sure if we’ll even catch them in the first place!”
-“Then why are we scrambling after them like fools?!”
-“Because we’re adventures, goddamnit!” Kuro roared, turning to look at him just briefly. -“We don’t turn back! We pull each other up! We will die if we have to but no one is left behind!” he yelled, citing the adventurer’s credo, leaving Varr momentarily speechless. I see… so there is more to this than just money.
Sudden barking interrupted their exchange. Farkas looked in the direction the hound pointed, reining his furry friend that nearly jumped from his handler’s seat. He scanned the horizon, spotting a pallid blur speeding over the riverbank on the opposite side, promptly leaving them behind. -“There they are!” he said, pointing in their direction. -“Damn, the fucker is fast!”
-“Thank the Gods they made it!” Ekto said.
-“It isn’t over until they cross that bridge!” Kuro yelled, briefly catching sight of the hasty pair before disappearing behind the woods. -“We must hurry!”
Rudo knew about blast powder very well, having spent his entire life in the mines, and he knew fuses’ stung the most when they were just about to go off, and right now it was hurting his nostrils. The bridge lay just seconds away but his body was on the verge of giving up on him. He might have just pushed on as he has always done but the thought of Nina being caught in the explosion made him recoil. Being stranded on the wrong side of the river wasn’t an option either. He looked at the water and came up with one last desperate idea.
Kuro had just reached the crossroads leading to the bridge when a blazing, blinding light suddenly engulfed it, briefly turning the night into day. An ear-splitting crack followed almost instantly, knocking to the ground men and mounts alike with a powerful shockwave, rocking the entire forest in its wake. -“NO!”
-“Nononono! Please, Gods, no!” Ekto said, despairing, watching as a thick cloud of dust and smoke engulfed them, and a massive pillar of grey smoke erected where the bridge stood. By the Gods! The smoke took just a few minutes to dissipate courtesy of the wind, and after it cleared he couldn’t believe his eyes.
The bridge had just disappeared.
-“Take cover!” Varr commanded as the head-sized remnants of the bridge began raining down, ripping off tree branches before smashing against the ground.
-“Shit! Not again!” Kuro cursed, standing up and shaking his head, scanning his surroundings only to find that his mount had already made a run on its own. Damn it! He raced to the others, finding Ekto staring blankly in complete shock, dragging him out of the open just as boulders fell all around them.
Kuro dragged his friend towards the forest with dread twisting his insides and his heart in his mouth. He soon reached the spot where Varr, Farkas, and a terrified Mist were hiding. He left Ekto with them, and slowly ventured to the river, dodging some of the smaller rocks that were still falling. All he could think about was poor Nina and Rudo, fearing they might have been caught in the explosion. -“Come on, buddy! Come on!”
Smoke began to disperse just enough to allow seeing when Kuro glimpsed something over the water’s surface. He tried to look closer, wondering if his eyes were deceiving him. It can’t be!
He wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes. He saw Rudo emerging from the smoke with Nina in his arms, tearing across the river, kicking the water so fast that he ran over the surface, raising large pillars of water with each step, and leaving a trail behind him. Kuro laughed. He couldn’t help but shed some tears, the angst that previously reined in his heart fading instantly. -“YOU FUCKING LEGEND!”
The waters gradually slowed Rudo down, finally sinking waist-deep in them just as he reached the river bank. He lifted Nina over his head to prevent her from getting drenched, walking the remaining distance until stepping on the grassy bank, carefully dropping her on her feet before falling on his knees.
-“Dat... was… close,” Rudo said, looking at her, panting heavily almost out of breath. Nina didn’t reply. It was evident that the previous stunt took a massive toll on him. She knelt beside him. -“Ya don’t seem… scared,”
-“No,” Nina said calmly, shaking her head, looking at him with big watery eyes and a tender smile. -“I knew you’d come. You always do,” she said, pausing to also catch her breath. -“Seems YOU were the scared one,” she teased.
-“HELL I WAS!” Rudo countered instantly. The sheer fear in his words gave her pause. Rudo! -“I thought you’d-”
Nina suddenly threw her arms around him, interrupting Rudo mid-sentence, and taking him completely off-guard. She smothered him with a tight embrace and planted a soft peck on his cheek without a second thought… which she instantly regretted after tasting his sour, oily skin. Ugh!
-“Y-yo-yo-yo-you c-ca-ca-can le-le-let go of me now,” Rudo barely managed to say. He was shaking powerfully. If earlier he was scared about the thought of Nina being hurt; now he was terrified. It was odd. His mind raced, and his heart pounded so hard that he feared it might rip through his chest but his tail wagged. His arms awkwardly hovered around her waist, and his giant hands floated behind her but he didn’t dare to touch her.
-“Just a little longer,” she said, snuggling deeper into his shoulders. Rudo finally found the courage to return the embrace and gently pressed her body against his.
He recognized this ‘hug-ging’ gesture from previous times, but this was new. He still felt the soft trace her lips left on his cheek, feeling it each time she breathed. Wat the hell is dis fee-ling?! Rudo didn’t have the slightest clue. All he knew was that those mysterious powers were indeed incredibly powerful. A part of him was terrified of them, but deep in his heart; another part couldn’t wait to find out more about them.
-“NINA!” they heard a familiar voice shouting in the distance, instantly letting go of each other. Nina stood up, turning to find a battered Kuro racing to meet her, followed closely by Ekto.
-“Kuro! Ekto!” she rushed to meet them, tackling Kuro with a powerful embrace. -“I’m so glad to see you two!” Nina said, finally breaking down in tears. -“I was so worried!”
-“There, there… easy,” Kuro said, returning the embrace. -“We were worried about you too, little pumpkin,”
Ekto soon caught up with them and she jumped to hug him as well. -“Nina! Thanks the Gods you’re ok!”
-“If you two are here, that means… the Northmen…”
-“We won’t have to worry about them anymore,” Kuro said, patting her head and messing with her hair.
Nina couldn’t help herself any longer, crying her heart out as relief washed over her. At last! Thanks the Gods! Ekto just kept patting her back, shedding some tears as well, overwhelmed by sheer relief. Kuro couldn’t help but be robbed of a smile, noticing the absence of a certain dragon. -“Where is our ‘legendary hero’?”
Rudo had just barely stood up when he spotted Nina with the pair a few yards away. He sighed powerfully, glad to see friendly faces finally then collapsed face-first to the ground to the shock of everyone.
-“Rudo!” Nina yelled, her face turning dead white. She rushed to him with her heart in her mouth, diving beside him, followed soon by Kuro and Ekto. Nononono! -“Rudo?! Rudo, are you ok?!”
-“What happened to him?!” Ekto asked, just as concerned.
-“I… I don’t know! He was fine just a minute ago!”
-“I’m... fine…” Rudo mumbled, instantly easing the trio. -“I’m just… so tired…”
Nina let out a sigh, relief again washing over her. -“I’m so glad!”
-“Easy, buddy,” Kuro said, stroking his head. -“You did great. We’ll take good care of Nina. You just rest, ok?”
-“Yeah, Imma rest some,” Rudo said, closing his eyes and instantly passing out of exhaustion.
-“I feared he couldn’t make it,” Ekto admitted.
-“He always finds new ways to amaze you,” Kuro said. -“I knew he was fast, but running over water? That’s straight out of legends!”
-“That’s Rudo for you!” Nina said, smiling.
They heard grass being stepped. They turned, finding Varr standing tall behind them while Farkas reined their mounts near the road at the forest's edge. -“Who would have thought it?! The dragon is real after all! I thought the clansmen had lost their minds!”
Nina stared at the imposing; seasoned-looking man clad in a long coat of plates and recognized him instantly. You! -“So… we finally meet, miss,”
She gulped. Her heart skipped a beat. -“You’re the mercenary from last night!” Nina countered. She looked around frantically. Both Kuro and Ekto seemed at ease, unaware. This has to happen just now that Rudo passed out?! -“W-what do you want?” she dared to ask.
-“He’s the one who saved us,” Ekto said, still oblivious. -“He’s with us… I think…”
-“Yeah, we had no time to catch up earlier!” Kuro said, sensing her uneasiness. He knew Varr was after the bounty, having talked about it at the guild. He covertly moved his hand behind his body, gripping his scimitar in dreadful anticipation. -“What are you up to exactly, Varr?”
Varr instantly noticed Kuro’s alertness and grinned. Ready as always, huh? -“I could ask you the same, you know. It seems there is more than just money involved,”
Only then Ekto noticed something was wrong, and quickly took a firm grip on his khalet. Varr just laughed. His hand slowly drifted to his side, hovering over his sword for what seemed an eternity. But instead of drawing his sword, he inserted his hand in his pouch to their relief. He produced a folded letter and handed it to Nina. -“A letter?” she asked cautiously, unfolding the envelope.
-“Lord Nero sends his regards,” he said, smirking. -“We’re here to protect you on his behalf,”
-“You could’ve just said that from the beginning!” Kuro countered; letting out a loud sigh, finally resting easy. -“Seriously, Varr! What’s with all the secrecy?! That’s not your style!”
-“First, I had to make sure you could be trusted,” he pointed out. -“Everyone’s willing to go to extreme lengths for her! Lord Nero! The Northmen! The Guild! Hell, even you! She seems damn too important for a simple ‘rescue mission’ and I want to know why! You dragged me to the forest alone so you could get rid of me if things didn’t go your way, didn’t you?!”
-“Well, only if it came to that!” Kuro answered. -“But knowing you, you saw it from a mile away, didn’t you?!”
-“Why do you think I left Farkas guarding the mounts?!”
-“Wait a second,” Ekto said, still confused. -“What’s going on?”
-“I believe he’s really on our side,” Nina said, taking a closer look at the letter.
-“What does the letter say?” Ekto asked.
-“Dearest Lady Nina,” she said aloud, instantly earning the smirks of both Kuro and Ekto. -“What?! THAT’S WHAT THE LETTER SAYS!”
-“Just keep reading,” Kuro said.
-“Ok,” she cleared her throat. -“It is my dearest wish that this letter finds you well. Farlay informed me about your predicament, his instructions about leaving our lands, and the reasons behind it. I offer my sincere apologies for having failed to protect you.”
-“Sending my warriors into lands of other Clans is something I just cannot do so I sought the services of the man carrying this letter. He and his mercenary company have proven trustworthy and served our Clan well. Unfortunately, it is the only way I can help in the current circumstances, and I sincerely hope they can aid you in your journey. Eternally in your debt, Nero Irfis, Lord of Clan Irfis,”
Nina pressed the letter against her chest, closing her eyes. Thank you, Lord Nero.
-“Isn’t he the sweetest?!” Kuro quipped. -“But that still leaves the bounty’s issue,”
-“Lord Nero signed a long-term contract with the company far more profitable than the bounty for her,” Varr said. -“The Church is due to lift the reward anyway so we might as well remain in his good graces,”
-“He said you served them well,” Kuro pointed out.
-“We helped his warriors defeat the Nord war band. Actually, we met just by mere chance. Lucky thing the villagers sent us in the wrong direction. Our current mission is to escort Lady Nana’s caravan and make sure everyone makes it safely to Dawnfall. So, yeah, we’re on the same side now,”
-“That’s good to hear,” Ekto said.
-“You’re one elusive girl,” Varr said, turning to Nina. -“That stunt with the clansmen cost me an entire day! I guess I should thank you, I wouldn’t have found Lord Nero otherwise,”
-“You threatened the villagers!” Nina countered fiercely.
-“And now I’m saving everyone! I’m a mercenary, miss! The best you’ll find!”
-“Adventurer,” Kuro corrected. -“And our only help in miles. We’re lucky he showed up when he did or we wouldn’t be having this conversation,”
-“I see,” Nina said, turning to Var. -“Thank you,”
-“I know we are getting acquainted and all, but wouldn’t it be better if we continue this at the outpost?” Ekto interrupted.
-“Yeah,” Kuro said, scooping a passed-out Rudo in his arms, amazed by just how light he was. -“Lead the way, Varr,”
They walked to the edge of the forest where a Farkas waited for them, a few hundred yards away. Nina mounted with Ekto in the same bull, watching Kuro securing poor Rudo to the saddle before leaping into his seat too. She gazed at them one last time before they took off, sighing powerfully. She rested against Ekto’s back and shut her eyes, finally able to set her mind at rest. Soon they also hit the road; setting course back to the outpost, this time without a hurry for what was the first time in a long while.
Everyone at the outpost felt the shockwave from the blast despite the distance. Reinn couldn’t help but wonder what was transpiring out there, having seen the bright flash illuminate the horizon earlier. She kept dragging Nord's corpses absentmindedly, adding one more body to the pile formed just outside the walls as if the previous battle hadn’t exhausted her at all. Her body hurt intensely as the thrill of the fight slowly faded away, and she hadn’t stopped to treat her numerous wounds.
But her thoughts weren’t on the current task at all, instead being with the girl and the dragon she now dared to call friends. Nana’s girls were picking up the cargo scattered in the fight. Even Kastus came to help them, not letting his broken arm slow him down. Luggage, silverware, and leftover ingredients from the banquet a few nights ago littered the muddy courtyard. They wouldn’t let any of it go to waste.
She kept gazing anxiously at the road from time to time. Kuro and the others scrambled less than an hour ago and she couldn’t help but hope them to emerge from the forest at any moment, fearing they may never do it. Still, she carried on; set on helping the Clan warriors clean the mess while Varr’s mercenaries hunted down stragglers and kept a vigilant watch.
Soon a small mountain of corpses rose, some of them mangled so badly that they could be easily mistaken as not human, just adding to the already macabre scenery. Reinn recognized a handful that less than an hour ago had just tried to kill her. Goddamned bastards.
-“That’s a rather large pile,” she heard a familiar voice ask.
Reinn turned immediately, finding a battered ‘Tracker’ limping his way to her. -“Just a big pile of shit,” she said, turning to face the pile again. -“Not any different from manure,”
-“But just as valuable,” ‘Track’ countered. -“I mean, look at all that loot,”
-“Only if they let us keep any of it,”
-“How are you holding up?”
-“I’ll live,” she replied, turning to him again. -“You don’t look so bad either,”
-“Just a few broken ribs,” he said, soothing his side. -“Could have been a lot worse,”
-“I see,” she said, changing the subject. -“How’s Boss?”
-“I don’t think he’s going to make it,”
-“Damn it!” Reinn cursed, confirming what she already feared. -“Any news of Kuro and the others?”
Perhaps it was just incredibly good timing, or it could be that the Gods themselves decided to give her an answer but Kuro emerged from the forest that instant, coming hard toward the outpost. She turned to ‘Tracker’ to check if her eyes didn’t deceive her. -“Speaking of the devil!” he said.
Soon the others followed. Now every single head turned in their direction. Reinn raced to the wall, instantly followed by everyone in the courtyard. Even ‘Tracker’ ignored the pain and promptly joined them. It’s him! The entire outpost erupted in blaring cheering. She would’ve shed some tears if she hadn’t run out of them earlier.
-“Reinn!” Nina yelled, waving from behind Ekto’s back.
-“NINA!” Reinn cried out at the top of her lungs, racing to the ramp to meet her.
They had barely stopped when Nina jumped out of the bull’s back into Reinn’s arms, smothering her with a thigh hug. -“I’m so glad you are alive!” Nina said, snuggling into Reinn’s chest.
-“Oww!” Reinn growled. Now her body hurt even more but she swallowed the pain for her sake. She couldn’t help but be robbed of a smile since Nina didn’t mind huddling up against her blood-splattered armor. -“I’m glad you made it too!”
-“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Rudo!”
-“That crazy son of a bitch!”
-“Our little green friend saved the day again,” she heard someone say. Reinn turned immediately to find Kuro with an unconscious Rudo in his arms, and her joy instantly turned to dread upon laying his eyes on him. -“Relax! He’s just asleep!”
Although both Nina and Rudo were finally out of harm’s way, her mood still took a deep nosedive. What troubled her now was Raznak’s health. He had been gravely wounded during the battle, and ‘Tracker’ just confirmed what she already suspected. There was little they could do about it. It was just a matter of time.
Kuro noticed her gloomy mood, already suspecting the most likely cause. -“How’s Boss?” he asked, dreading the response. Reinn just closed her eyes and shook her head. -“Fuck,”
But they weren’t the only downcast ones. Ekto slowly dismounted and collectedly handed the bull back to his handler. He took a deep breath and dragged his feet to the stables where the Clan warriors had gathered around Denai’s body and knelt among them in silence.
Varr and Farkas arrived shortly after, being promptly greeted by his deputy Skall who stood at attention. -“Inform!” Varr demanded as he dismounted.
-“Sir! We’ve secured the area!” the man replied. -“The clansmen piled up the bodies and gathered the weapons,”
-“Good,”
-“We’ve also captured a pair. They seem important. I think one of them is their leader. I kept quiet about it in case the clansmen wanted to exact revenge,”
-“Show me,”
Kuro overheard their exchange and quickly handed a passed-out Rudo to Reinn to walk up to Varr. -“What are you going to do?” he asked.
-“First, I’m going to find out who the hell this guy is. Second, I’ll ask why the girl is so important. After that, we’ll see if he’s worth something. Care to join us?”
-“If you don’t mind,”
Reinn took Rudo to the armory, laying him down on the floor over Nina’s furry cloak that remained there. Nina sat beside him, stroking the fleshy comb on his head. -“Thank you, Reinn,” she said.
-“I have to check on ‘Boss’,” Reinn said dejectedly. -“He’s in the barracks with Lady Nana. Maybe… you could come and say a prayer or something… he’s not going to make it,”
-“Ok,” Nina said.
Reinn sighed. She stood up and went on her way, gently closing the door behind her. Poor Raznak. Nina thought, also standing up but not before stroking Rudo’s head one last time before leaving too. But instead of going to the barracks after Reinn she sneaked behind the armory to spy on Kuro and Varr.
They walked outside, turning to the far side of the walls to find Kortan Blodhund and the drakenirr on their knees just out of sight from the courtyard. Kuro recognized them immediately. Kortan stared back daggers, barely restrained by half a dozen mercenaries while the drakenirr kept his eyes shut. -“He’s their leader,” Kuro said, pointing at Kortan.
Although Kuro identified him as the leader during the battle, he had no idea who he was. Varr on the other hand, absolutely did. -“He’s Kortan Blodhund! ‘The Scourge’ from Nordland!” Varr said, shocked.
-“Seems he’s pretty famous,” Kuro quipped.
-“Famous?! I haven’t met a single Nord who doesn’t know him. The man is a living legend! What the hell is he doing here?!”
-“I guess we’ll find out soon enough,”
-“Sir! We found this under his cloak!” Skall said, producing a golden medallion with the Clan crest engraved on its face, and handing it to them.
-“What’s this?”
-“That's a Clan seal!” Kuro said. -“Now it gets interesting,”
-“That’s why we kept him hidden from the clansmen,” Skall said.
-“Well done, Skall,” Varr replied. -“This is serious! If the Clan is compromised then they can’t be trusted!”
-“These guys fought just as much as we did, Varr. They have my complete trust,”
-“Yeah, but what about the others?! Or their Lord?! Can you trust them too?!”
-“I… I don’t know. But Ekto and Arkan need to see this too,”
-“Skall! Go get those two! We need to have a serious talk,”
-“Yes, sir!” Skall said, immediately rushing to the outpost.
-“I’ll go for Nina too! This is about her after all,”
Varr nodded in return. Nina gasped. The Clan... compromised?!!! This is bad! Just when she thought the Northmen’s threat was finally over now they had to be wary of the clansmen too?! Her conversation with Overseer Farlay promptly came to mind and she felt her heart clenching. She sat on the ground and leaned against the stone wall, dejectedly staring at the cloudy night sky when Kuro burst from behind the armory.
Kuro panted heavily, already knowing she overheard everything. They just stared at each other for what seemed an eternity; teary sky-blue eyes begging hazel ones mercy.
As everyone slowly gathered at the ramp outside the outpost, a single question clouded her mind. When will this end?!
She was about to find out.