by Pedro Urvi
Lasgol could not believe what his friend was telling him. “What if you’re discovered? Or if you find a group on this side?”
“Then there’s bloodshed.”
Lasgol put his hand to his forehead. “You leave me dumbfounded.”
“Yeah… it’s hard to believe. I went through the same feeling during my first days on the border. Now it seems quite normal.”
“But I’m afraid of setting foot in Zangria.”
“That’s because you respect the border and the law. Let me tell you, that doesn’t count for much here. What happens at the border stays at the border. On both sides.”
“Even when there’s bloodshed?”
“Especially then. They call them ‘border skirmishes’ and don’t attach too much importance to them. A few dead soldiers don’t rate as important for either of the kingdoms. It’s something that’s accepted as normal.”
“And here I was thinking there might be a diplomatic incident…”
Gerd burst out laughing. “That’s because you’re a goody-goody and a newbie.”
Lasgol looked at his friend, who was smiling from ear to ear. “And you’re a know-it-all frontier giant!” They both laughed as they stared across at the other side of the river.
“Things are a bit different here at the border. You’ll get used to it. Plenty of things go unnoticed, or else people turn a blind eye to them.”
“I see…” Lasgol said in surprise. He had always thought that people needed to be very careful at borders and avoid causing conflict. It seemed that he had been mistaken. Or else that he himself was distinctly innocent.
Gerd was scanning the whole width of the stream, as well as the forest around them. “There’s no danger. Come on, let’s cross.”
“You sure?”
“Don’t worry, you’re with me. It’s time you visited Zangria.”
“I’m not so sure about that…”
“In any case, the Zangrians haven’t got any Rangers like ours for us to worry about. Their soldiers are noisy and clumsy. We’d hear them from a league away.”
“I like the sound of that better.”
“Although they do have some pretty good explorers – not as good as us Rangers, but they’re not bad.”
“Okay, understood.”
“Ready to cross?”
“Hmm… I don’t really know…”
“Come on! Don’t chicken out!” Gerd said. He waded into the river with his bow above his head so that the water, which came up to his chest, would not reach it.
Lasgol could not believe that of the two of them, he was the one who was chicken. How things changed. He raised his own bow above his head and waded into the river after Gerd. Zangria was waiting for him.
Chapter 30
Gerd and Lasgol spent the next few days leading various patrols along the border river under orders of Commander Emarson, some by day and others by night. The Commander had been told that several enemy explorers had crossed over to the Norghanian side, and was not at all pleased.
That morning, Gerd arrived with his patrol and reported that he had found the trail of two Zangrian agents who had crossed the river. Emarson was furious and sent more patrols. Lasgol’s task was to lead them and follow the trail Gerd had found. In the forest the soldiers were like moles in daylight, unable to find and then follow the most obvious trail. This particular one, however, was not so obvious. Lasgol was having trouble following it, which told him that the agents had hidden it well. It was that of two men whom Gerd had identified as agents, which meant they were very likely to be spies. They would have to be careful. Ona went ahead, tracking.
The soldiers accompanying Lasgol were veterans. In a battle he would have been delighted to be able to rely on them, but in a man-hunt they were far from ideal company. Their quarry was going to be able to hear them coming from a league away, but the Commander’s orders had to be followed. After following the trail for half the morning, Lasgol realized that they were circling around the fort at a safe distance. Then the trail turned north, toward the village of Norwestal. When they reached this, the trail vanished when it reached the stables. They had taken horses. Where they had gone on to from there was a mystery, since there were hundreds of tracks at the stables, both of men and horses. The village was crowded with soldiers, and messengers were arriving and setting off all the time.
Unable to follow the trail any more, Lasgol went back to report to Commander Emarson.
“They must be spies,” the Commander concluded. “They’ll have orders from someone inside.”
“Inside, sir?”
“The capital, probably.”
Lasgol looked at him in surprise. “The capital’s under close observation, and there are thousands of soldiers in it.”
“There are also Zangrian spies and agents.”
The Commander spoke with such conviction that Lasgol had no choice but to believe him.
“There’s nothing else we can do. I’ll report to the capital so that they strengthen the checkpoints at the entrance to the city.”
At that moment Gerd came into the fort with a group of soldiers and strode toward them. His face was very serious. “Commander, there’s a lot of activity in the enemy camp.”
“Has he arrived?”
“I think so.”
“That’s not good news.”
Lasgol guessed they were talking about the Zangrian war camp not far away on the other side of the river, where an army had slowly been building up. He did not know who had arrived, but it must be someone important.
“Right. We need to be sure of what happens in that cursed camp. I want you to take two groups, cross to the other side and bring me a report on what they’re up to.”
“Commander… it might be better if we went on our own,” Gerd said casually. And he jabbed his thumb at Lasgol.
Emarson looked at the two for a moment, then at several of his men. “Yes, for this mission you’d better go alone.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“No risks. Go, spy and come back alive.”
“No problem,” Gerd assured him.
“If you’re captured, I won’t be able to do anything for you, you know that.”
Gerd nodded forcefully. “Yes, sir.”
“Get ready and leave at nightfall,” the Commander ordered, then went back to his tasks.
Lasgol looked at Gerd with a question in his mind. “Won’t he help us?”
Gerd shook his head. “That’s the way things work on the border. They deny the evidence. If we’re captured, the Commander will act as if it had never happened.”
“But we might be tortured… murdered…”
“That’s how things are here. The same goes for the Zangrian side.”
Lasgol was thoughtful. He believed in not abandoning a comrade, least of all in enemy hands. The Commander had explicitly told them that he would not come to their aid, and he had a feeling of intense unease.
“I know what you’re thinking, pal. I feel the same. We don’t leave anybody behind, but here people don’t see things our way.”
“Well, they ought to. I’m not saying he ought to launch a full-fledged attack on the Zangrians, but at the least he ought to try a rescue if it’s at all possible.”
Gerd shook his head again. “What happens at the border stays at the border. Remember that.”
“I don’t like that saying at all.”
Gerd smiled and shrugged. “That’s how things are. We have to accept it. But don’t worry, I’ll never leave you stranded.”
“Neither will I, my friend, whatever the situation,” Lasgol said confidently.
Gerd gave him a massive slap on the back. “Well spoken, pal! I wasn’t expecting any less!”
Lasgol was knocked two paces aside from the blow and left breathless for a moment. “Have you… realized… you’re getting stronger… by the day?”
Gerd blushed and shrugged. “Oops, sorry, sometimes I can’t control my strength.”
“Oh, sure…” said Lasgol, moving his shoulders back and forth, trying to recover from the slap. He was not exactly strong, and his friend’s affectionate gesture had left his head ringing.
“Come on, let’s get ready for the mission.”
“Tell me something: aren’t you worried? Aren’t you afraid?”
Gerd thought for a moment. “No. Not at all.”
“But we’re going to infiltrate ourselves into enemy territory and spy on a war camp…”
“Hmm, no, no fear at all. I know it’s very dangerous, don’t get me wrong, but I’m not afraid. I’ve crossed over a number of times before, and it doesn’t scare me. It’ll be more dangerous, but it’s a danger I can see, hear and feel. That eliminates the factor that really terrifies me sometimes.”
“Oh, fine.”
“Thanks for your concern.”
“You’re welcome, big guy. Now explain everything I need to know for the mission.”
“No problem,” Gerd said with a smile.
They left the fort at midnight, reached the river and crossed it, accompanied by Ona and Camu. Once in Zangrian territory, they made their way to the enemy camp. Like four shadows that had come to life they crossed the forest, with Gerd leading the way and setting both pace and direction. Lasgol was impressed by his friend’s new experience and self-assurance. They had learnt many things at the Shelter this past year, but Gerd had learnt more, through real experience, on the border.
Suddenly he stopped with his fist raised in a signal. Curiously enough, Ona and Camu understood the gesture even though he had not taught it to them, or perhaps they had interpreted his body language. Whichever the case, they knew they had to stop and keep absolutely silent. They were very clever. Gerd turned his head toward Lasgol and pointed to the east, using three fingers. Lasgol understood that they had company. Gerd went westward, and they went on until he signaled them to stop again, this time with four fingers pointing to the west. Lasgol deduced that they were Zangrian night patrols, combing the forests in search of enemies. In search of them.
Danger, Lasgol warned Camu and Ona.
I see. Four soldiers.
Lasgol was surprised. They were inside a very dense forest, and it was nighttime. He himself could not see the patrol.
You see them?
West. Four soldiers. Ugly.
Its nighttime. You can’t see their faces from here.
I see.
How?
Good eye?
Lasgol did not know what to think. Is that a new skill?
Not yet.
What do you mean, not yet?
I try to improve eye. Not do.
You’re trying to improve your night vision with a new skill?
Night vision.
But you can already see better than we do.
See more.
Lasgol had to admit that he was right. If he succeeded, it would be a skill that would come in very handy in situations like the present one.
Good. Try to do it. When you succeed, tell me.
I do. I tell.
Out of curiosity, why do you want to improve your night vision?
To catch bats.
Lasgol put his hand to his face. You’re impossible.
I possible.
Lasgol dropped the subject. Gerd signaled to them that they could set off again.
With dawn beginning to break, they came to the enemy camp and looked for a good spot to hide and spy. Lasgol sent Camu to watch the east and Ona the west. That way he and Gerd would be better covered. Lying on the ground behind some boulders on a rise, he took a good look at the Zangrian war camp. Gerd was lying beside him, narrowing his eyes to get a better view of what was happening.
Lasgol was taken aback by its size. “Wow, it’s big. How many, would you say?”
“I can count thousands of tents. The Zangrians usually have five people to a tent, so I think there could be five thousand soldiers in this camp.”
“Bad business. This is already a complete invasion force.”
“They must be waiting for reinforcements so that they can enter our territory.”
“You think so?”
“Since I’ve been watching them, more and more soldiers have been arriving at the camp. A couple of weeks ago there were less than half as many. They keep on the move so that they’re not surprised, every few days they change the camp site, and every day more men arrive. Why do you think all they’re doing is bringing in more soldiers?”
Lasgol shrugged uneasily, and Gerd nodded.
Soldiers many, came Camu’s message.
Yeah. You’d better be careful, there are watch patrols.
I careful. Soldiers no see.
Don’t be overconfident…
Soldiers no Rangers. No smart.
Lasgol smiled. Camu was right, but he did not want his little friend to get too cocky. He called upon his Hawk’s Sight and Owl’s Hearing skills to get a better view of what was going on.
“The three large tents in the middle must be for officers,” he commented. “They’re a lot bigger than the rest.”
Gerd’s gaze sought them, and he nodded. “From what the Commander told me, the spies report that General Ganzor himself is in command of this army.”
“The name doesn’t ring a bell. Is he someone important in Zangria?”
Gerd nodded. “They say he’s the best general in the realm, and that the King gave him this appointment because he’s very astute. They call him ‘The Fox’.”
“If a highly-regarded general is here leading this army, I very much fear it’s not just for maneuvers.”
“I agree. In addition to that, the Zangrians are in an undeclared war with the kingdom of Erenal. They’re vying for the Thousand Lakes, which is a wide stretch of territory between the two kingdoms. They’ve been disputing that land for over a hundred years.”
“And they still haven’t settled the dispute?”
“Nope. From what I’ve heard, Erenal is a very advanced kingdom in art, culture and science, and very rich thanks to trade. Zangria is a very much a military kingdom and isn’t as rich. It looks as though Erenal’s keeping Zangria at bay, so now they’re looking to expand northwards, into our own kingdom.”
“You’re making it sound worse and worse…”
“Yeah. Everything points to an imminent invasion. The arrival of General Ganzor seems to indicate that.”
“Has he arrived?”
“Yeah, that’s why I warned the Commander, and that’s why we’re here.”
“Are you sure it’s General Ganzor? Couldn’t it be someone else?”
Gerd shook his head. “I saw him arrive myself, with an escort of a hundred men. He fits the description they gave me: tall, strong, with short black hair and long beard down to his waist, dressed like a Zangrian officer. I could see his general’s stripes.”
“You must have had to get really close to take in so much detail.”
“Yeah, and it wasn’t easy. They have patrols covering the surroundings all the time, but I managed to dodge them and get close enough.”
“You’re very brave,” Lasgol said, smiling.
“I wouldn’t say that much. It’s just that the Zangrians don’t scare me. I’m afraid of them, don’t get me wrong. I know that if I’m found out and caught, I can expect torture and death. But I’m not afraid of the missions I’m entrusted with. I’ve realized that what I really fear are things I can’t see or touch. Situations my mind can’t understand – like Camu’s magic, for instance.”
“Camu’s magic is harmless for us,” Lasgol assured him.
“Yeah, that’s what I try to tell myself, that the little one’s magic can’t hurt me.”
“Hmph, little one is precisely what he’s beginning not to be.”
“He’ll always be the little one for me,” the giant said with a smile.
“Well, compared with you he is.”
“For now,” Gerd chuckled.
“Yeah, right, for now. In the future, we’l
l see.”
Suddenly they heard full-throated shouts coming from the middle of the camp.
“There’s something bad going on,” Gerd said, suddenly tense.
Lasgol looked closely at the camp. The shouts grew more intense. Now there were a number of voices yelling. They were sounding the alarm, and the soldiers were rushing out of their tents and arming themselves. The officers were ordering them to regroup while they themselves tried to understand what was happening.
Lasgol sharpened both his hearing and his vision.
“Can you understand what they’re shouting?” Gerd asked.
“I don’t know any Zangrian.”
“I’ve learnt a few words. Try telling me what you hear, and we’ll see if we can work out what’s going on.”
Lasgol concentrated, and the words reached him. One was very clear. He repeated it to Gerd, trying to make it sound like the original.
“That’s Emergency.”
Lasgol said something else.
“Not a clue.”
He repeated the next words very slowly.
“I can recognize two words: General and death.”
The sentence was being repeated, more loudly.
“I think they’re shouting that they’ve murdered the general,” Gerd said.
“You sure? Are you translating it correctly?”
“Let’s see, say it again.”
Lasgol listened carefully to the shouting and repeated the words to Gerd.
“They’ve murdered the General.”
“It sounds pretty unlikely to me.”
“Judging by how excited they are, I’d say I’m right.”
Lasgol saw that the command tent was now surrounded by officers. Several of them, who seemed to be the senior ones, were barking orders. One of them was shaking his head, and on his face was an expression of utter disbelief. Lasgol focused on him and sent more of his inner energy to increase his Owl’s Hearing skill. He was speaking to one of his fellow-officers.
Lasgol shook his head. “I can’t believe he’s been murdered in the middle of the camp. It must be something else.”
“It’s pretty unlikely, that’s true.”
Lasgol was not at all sure that Gerd had translated correctly. “How could anyone get to the General’s tent in the middle of the night, avoiding all the scouts patrolling in the forest and the camp, and murder him?”
