by Garry Spoor
“The information you have, is it accurate?” Tullner asked.
“Colonel Barshed gave it to me. I really don’t believe he’d try to mislead us.”
“Yeah, but where did he get the information?”
“Guild Master Latherby, more than likely. He would have been the one who set up the rendezvous points in the first place,” she explained.
Of course she left out the fact that Guild Master Latherby and Colonel Barshed were one and the same.
Mounting up, they headed west, following the road out of town. It didn’t actually go into the wastelands. Why would it? It rounded back and turned south, but they continued west, leaving the road behind and heading toward the setting sun.
There were no signs posted, marking the edge of Aru, warning travelers, they were entering the wastelands, there didn’t have to be. There was a visible edge. From the lush green fields to the cracked, dried soil, one could actually step back and forth between the two worlds.
“What could have caused this?” Larks asked, as he followed behind.
“You could say it was a curse, or just uncontrollable magic. Take your pick,” Alex replied. “It’s the reason the mystics don’t get involved in conflicts. They don’t want to repeat the mistakes which were made.”
“Who made the mistake?” Tullner asked.
“Well, that’s the big question,” Alex said. “Nobody really knows. All this land used to be lush and green, as far as the eye could see, from the mountains all the way down to the ocean. This was where the Alva lived long before the coming of the Aruvians, before even the great castle of Windfoil was constructed.”
All eyes were on Alex, listening as though he was telling one of his stories on stage.
“In the beginning, the Alva welcomed the Aruvians, and even helped them tame the lands which we now know as Aru, and the two races lived side by side. They even formed an alliance against the Uhyre, during the first mountain conflicts, but as time wore on, they became distrustful of one another. There were huge cultural differences between the two races. They could never see eye to eye on anything. Each side claimed the other was trying to drive them from their land, which, in a matter of speaking, was true. That’s when it happened.”
“What happened?”
“All the lands were poisoned, and left for dead. Some say the Aruvians started it, with the aid of mystics, launching a surprise attack against the Alva. Others say the Alva were tampering with wild magic they couldn’t control, and it got out of hand. The remaining Alva were forced to leave. A few tried to live among the Aruvians, but most left the shores, seeking a new beginning.”
“Where did you learn all that?” Daniel asked.
“I’m a bard. We’re supposed to know the history of any place we visit.” Alex replied with a grin. “And of course, dating a mystic has its advantage. Emara allowed me to explore the mystic’s library. They have a lot of interesting historical books.”
“Imagine you remembering all that, when you couldn’t even get Quaineess Nyn’s name right back at the Academy.” Daniel laughed.
“Who, or what, is a Quaineess Nyn?” Tullner asked.
“He was a Hunter from way back,” Alex replied. “He was known as something of a dragon slayer.”
“And how is this relevant to what happened here?”
“It’s not.” Alex said with a shrug.
“Back when we were still at the Academy, one of the cadets broke into his exhibit and stole a few of his artifacts,” Kile explained. “It was quite a big deal at the time, although it never amounted to much.”
“He was never caught?”
“Not exactly,” she replied. “He was eventually discovered when he tried to steal objects from another exhibit, but he managed to get away in the end.”
“Where is he now?” Tullner asked.
Kile laughed. “Actually, he’s somewhere out here.”
They traveled the wastelands through the night and reached their destination by the first light of day. The sun seemed less hospitable on this side of the border as it beat down on them the very moment it was visible in the sky. Even the cold winds from the north, which they had encountered in Aru, seemed to die somewhere deep in the wastelands. Kile thought back to what Alex said about the lands being poisoned and left for dead. She didn’t realize it the first time she had the misfortune of traveling these paths, but she felt it now. There was nothing left. The land was not only parched and dry, but it was void of any life, or even the ability to sustain life.
When Bakara returned, he landed on Kile’s head, and showed her the surrounding area, but she already knew what she would see. There was nothing. There were no signs of the Valgar, no signs of the Uhyre, but most importantly, no signs of Carter.
“We still have time,” Daniel told her. “Carter isn’t supposed to be here until tonight. He’s a survivor. He knows not to travel during the day, and he knows how to stay hidden.”
“We’ll set up here,” Tullner announced. “We can erect one of the tents to keep the sun off the back of our necks while we wait.”
“I don’t like it.” Kile said, staring out across the barren stretch of land. Carter could hide, the Valgar could hide, was it possible they were both out there but Bakara couldn’t see them? It was the nothingness, which didn’t make any sense. They were just over the border and there was no Uhyre forces to be seen. Technically, these lands should be teaming with valrik soldiers as they continued their assault all up and down the front line, and yet she and a hand full of men were able to infiltrate the enemy territory without incident.
“What’s there to like?” Tullner asked. “The only thing we can do at the moment is wait.”
They set up the tents to shield them from the sun and sat around doing whatever they could to kill time. They sharpened their weapons, mended their armor and told embarrassing stories about when they were young. All the while, Kile sat, staring out into the wastelands. She knew she was missing something. She had an uneasy feeling, and she wasn’t the only one. Both Lore and Nova were finding it hard to settle down. When asked, they couldn’t put it into words, only that something was wrong.
Daniel came over and handed her an apple.
“You should eat,” he said, sitting down beside her.
She took the apple and bit into it. “I’m not seeing it,” she said.
“That’s because there’s nothing out there.”
“But that’s the problem. There should be.”
“Well, what did Bakara show you?” Daniel asked.
“Nothing,” she replied.
He shrugged. “Well, there you go.”
“You don’t understand. I can feel something. I just don’t know what it is.”
“Did you ever think it might just be your imagination?”
“I’m not the only one. Lore and Nova feel it too, even Vesper senses something.”
“Well, what do you see?” Daniel asked. “I mean, when you use your Edge, what do you see?”
“I haven’t tried to use my Edge.”
“Why not?”
“Because, if there is something out there, and I touch it, I might not be able to come back from it.”
“Well, here comes your scout now,” Daniel said, pointing to the north.
Bakara flew into the campsite, landing on Kile’s hat. He walked to the brim and looked over it at her.
“Show me,” she told him, and closed her eyes.
They connected, and once again, she was given the opportunity to fly. It was the one sensation she never grew tired of. Souring over the wastelands she could see for miles in all directions and the wastelands were empty, or so she thought. This time she did spot something, far to the west. There were small specks in the sky, just on the horizon, and they were circling something on the ground. She knew what those specks were before Bakara got any closer. She met those specks before.
Kile opened her eyes, giving up her flight and crash landing back into her body. The sensation of being gro
unded left her dazed for a few moments, but she was getting better at recovering from it. She stumbled to her feet.
“What is it?” Daniel asked.
“I think I may have spotted a few… acquaintances,” she said. She couldn’t really call the vultures friends. They wanted to eat her the last time she met up with them. But, if the vultures were circling, then they found something.
“Wait, where are you going?” he asked following her to where Grim was standing off by himself.
“Hopefully, I’m going to get some information.” She said, pulling herself up onto the pony’s back. “Lore, Nova, stay here and protect the camp, I’ll be back.”
“You’re not going alone,” Daniel shouted.
“Who’s going where alone?” Tullner asked.
“Kile saw something out in the wastelands and is going to investigate.”
“Not alone.” Tullner added. “We’ll all go.”
“Out of the questions,” she told them. “If we all go, they’ll just fly off and we’ll lose any chance of getting any information. If I go alone, they’ll stay to speak with me.”
“I don’t like it.” Tullner replied.
“You don’t have much of a choice. The horses have agreed to stay, so if you want to follow, you’ll have to do it on foot.”
“I’m coming with you.” Daniel told her.
She knew how stubborn he could be, and if the vultures were circling something, or someone, his skills could come in handy.
“Miliea, if you’re up to it,” she said, calling to Daniel’s horse.
The dapple gray mare stepped away from the others and approached.
“Fine,” Tullner said, conceding defeat. “But be careful.”
“Just, be ready for anything. Something’s not right here, and I don’t want us to be caught off guard.”
She rode off, across the wastelands, heading north to where the vultures circled, Daniel was close behind her. The longer she was out in the open, the longer she was in the wastelands, the more uneasy she felt. It was almost as if someone, or something, was running alongside them, keeping up with them stride for stride. It only stopped when she reached the area where the vultures gathered. The birds didn’t even fly away when they approached, they just casually stepped aside as Kile rode among them. They crooked their heads up and watched her while she passed. They were not evil, but they were not the friendliest of birds either.
When Kile dismounted, Daniel protested.
“Do you really think that’s wise?” he asked.
“We’re safe here,” she assured him. “Just stay where you are and keep quiet. These birds have no interest in us.”
Unless, of course, we drop dead in the middle of the wastelands, then they’ll show some interest, she thought as she moved among them.
“Why have you gathered here?” she asked.
She could hear them speaking, not to her, but to one another, and their topic of conversation wasn’t very pleasant. They spoke of blood, death, and dying, but what they showed her was nothing.
“Who is dying?” she asked.
The vultures ignored her. They didn’t want to talk to her. They were rather preoccupied with their own problems. Although, like any riddle, the answer was simple once you understood the question.
“Where is he?” she demanded.
The birds craned their necks to look at her.
“Is Carter here?” Daniel asked.
“I think he is.” she replied.
It only made sense, who else could it be, who else would be roaming the wastelands all the way out here? It was too much of a coincidence not to be Carter.
“So, where is he? What did they say?” Daniel asked.
“They’re not saying anything.”
“Why not, don’t they want to help us?”
“Not particularly.”
“Maybe they don’t understand you.”
“Oh, they understand me. They just don’t want to help us.”
“But why not?”
“Because they don’t want us stealing their food.”
There was an audible gasp from Daniel, but she couldn’t blame him. Nobody wants to think of their friend as a food source, but that’s how the vultures saw him. It wasn’t evil. It was just the nature of things.
If the vultures weren’t going to help her find Carter, then she would have to find him on her own. Sniffing him out wasn’t going to be easy. The foul smell of the carrion birds was a bit intense, especially when there were so many of them in one place. She would have to concentrate on another scent, one that was stronger, one that was overpowering. The smell of blood.
Closing her eyes she lifted her nose in the air. Breathing deeply, she separated the odors in her mind and focused on the one she knew. It was also the one she feared, because it was the one she savored. It was intoxicating. The feral side of her fed off the scent, and the hunt was on. She opened her eyes and saw the world through a golden hue.
The vultures suddenly took flight, abandoning their dinner to the arrival of this new predator. Kile ignored them as she followed the scent of her prey. She tracked him into the ravine, among the rocks. The closer she got, the more powerful the smell, the more she craved it. It took a force of will to pull herself back when she found her quarry.
“Danny, over here,” she shouted.
When Daniel arrived, he could see anyone, even though Kile was kneeling on the ground, holding something.
“He’s hurt badly,” she said, when he approached.
“I can’t help him if I can’t see him.” Daniel said, falling to his knees. He reached out and felt a solid body. At least it proved someone was there.
“Come on Carter, you have to let go of your Edge.” Kile whispered to the void between them.
“Kile?”
It was a weak voice that replied, but it was one they both knew.
“Come on, Carter! Help me out here, will you? Show yourself!” Daniel demanded.
It was like watching one of Alex’s illusions. Where there was nothing, a body slowly appeared. It took a considerable amount of concentration to maintain his invisibility as wounded as he was.
He was a bit shabbier than Kile remembered. For someone who had taken so much pride in his appearance back at the Academy, he really let himself go. His short cropped hair had grown out to a ragged blonde mop, and his shaggy beard made Kile think of a deranged mountain man. He held her hand tightly. Looking up at her, he smiled.
“I’m dead… aren’t I?” he whispered.
“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Daniel said.
Placing his hands upon Carter’s chest, he fell into his edge. Kile watched as the bright blue tendrils of light flowed their way through Carter’s body. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and let go of her hand.
Kile looked up at Daniel.
The young man sat back, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
“He’ll live. He just needs rest,” he assured her.
It was about an hour before Carter finally regained consciousness. He looked over to where Daniel was sitting.
“You’re not really here, are you?” he asked in a weak voice. “I’m hallucinating again.”
“For what we had to go through to find you, we better not be hallucinations.” Daniel replied. He poured something into one of the canteens. Swirling it about a bit, before handing it to Carter, who was struggling to sit up.
“Here, drink this,” he instructed his friend. “It’s going to taste bad, but it will help you regain your strength a bit faster.”
Carefully taking the canteen from Daniel, Carter drank it in three gulps, and then wished he hadn’t.
“Taste bad? Bad doesn’t even come close,” he grimaced, handing it back.
“I did warn you.” Daniel laughed. He put the cap back on the canteen and stored it in his satchel, then gave Carter a thorough going over. “Well, you’re gonna make it,” he told him.
“That’s always good to know,” Carter r
eplied.
“So, how could you miss all three rendezvous points?”
“Oh, I was there, and so were these… these creatures. I don’t know what they are or where they came from, but they’ve been hounding me for the last week. I only just managed to lose them.”
“They’re known as the Valgar, and you haven’t lost them, which is why we have to go.”
“Who’s there?” Carter asked, turning to where the voice came from.
Kile stepped from the shadows. “Take it easy, it’s just me,” she replied.
“Who else do you think could find you when you’re pulling that invisibility stunt?” Daniel asked. But Carter wasn’t listening, he was staring at Kile.
“What happened to you?” he asked her.
“It’s nothing,” she replied, looking away.
“But, your eyes.”
“It comes and goes, but you’ll get used to it.” Daniel replied.
“Yeah, but…”
Daniel placed his hand on his friend's shoulder and shook his head, stopping him from going any farther with is observation. “Drop it,” he whispered, and then turned to where Kile was standing a fair distance away from them. “What do you mean, he hasn’t lost them.”
“He hasn’t, they’re here,” she replied.
“Are you sure? How did they find us?”
“They’ve been hiding under our very noses. I don’t know how they’re doing it, but they’ve been here all along. They may have lost track of Carter for a while, but now that he’s visible, and now that we’re here…”
“We found Carter for them.” Daniel finished.
“I’m afraid so.”
Daniel quickly collected his stuff, shoving it into his satchel. “We need to get back to others, quick.” He said, helping Carter to his feet.
“It may not be that easy.” Kile replied. “I think they’ve been watching the campsite all this time, waiting for Carter to show up. That’s why Lore and Nova haven’t been able to settle. They sense the Valgar, they just can’t see them.”
