Searon slid off his mount and watched as the draeyks across the river scurried around its back farther away from them. They did not seem to want to risk a crossing but instead traveled alongside the river, hoping to find a path across. The bloodlust had not settled in them, and they were determined to reach them.
“They will not stop until they cross and find us,” Searon whispered.
“Or until they find someone to fight,” Karceoles grinned.
The sun was rising now in the horizon, and Searon yawned loudly. Tiredness could not be afforded, though, and he had to press Stripes forward. Soon, they would be in the cover of the forest where they could hide until the draeyks passed by. After they were clear of the creatures, they would be able to take a much needed rest, but not before. Searon’s eyes burned red with bloodshot, but he urged Stripes forward. Starlyn seemed to be the only one unaffected by fatigue, but even she didn’t hold onto Searon’s waist as tightly as before.
Rain began to crackle in the sky, and it first came in small drops that felt soothing in the morning sun. Soon, the rain picked up, and it began to pour frantically and with such ferocity that it was hard for them to see clearly. Searon, however, was still able to see quite far through the rain and spotted a cavern. He kicked the side of Stripes with his left foot, causing the horse to steer east. Stripes soon caught on when he saw the cave and fixed to a trot until they were safely inside.
It was dark but did not look very deep. There was a scarred area on the ground where another had used for a campfire. Searon and Starlyn slid off Stripes and unsaddled the horse. After several minutes, they had everything organized against the wall when Searon frowned to look around.
“Where did that bloody wizard go?”
“Try looking a little harder,” came a voice that echoed through the cavern.
Searon stared deeper into the cavern where the wizard appeared in complete serenity. His body was dry without a drop of rain covering him. He held his zylek tight and limped forward unsteadily. Andron appeared at his side as well as their horse.
“What took you?” Andron smirked.
Searon shook his head and stared Karceoles with anger swelling in his eyes. “If you ever do that again, old man…I will kill you myself.
The wizard’s grin only broadened.
Chapter 13
A chilling breeze swept the cavern followed by thunder that shook the ground. Small pebbles broke and collapsed from the top of the cavern that brought chills to even Searon. Starlyn kicked rocks as she huddled over to a corner to shiver. She seemed to be trying to find warmth where there was none. Andron quickly followed her removing his thick, plain brown leather embroidered jacket to cover her. She looked up to him and smiled with gratitude. Each had taken their heavy armor off now to be rid of the metal that might attract the storm. Instead, they wore leather armor of lighter weight and greater warmth that Searon kept in his saddlebags.
Searon stood his ground, still staring at the wizard without a flinch. “I mean it, Karceoles.”
“What ever do you mean?”
“Don’t you ever do anything like that again.”
“What was it that I did?”
A vein appeared on Searon’s temple that trembled fiercely, to match his green eyes, colder than ice. He rubbed his partially overgrown goatee with frustration as he nearly snarled openly. Brushing his tangled shoulder-length brown hair from his face, he tugged at it tightly, biting his teeth.
“Don’t you ever do something stupid like that again. There is no use endangering all of our lives. Next time, I will take that zylek from you and whack you in the head with it. We will make a plan that is agreed upon; then, and only then, will we proceed.”
“Now where is the fun in that?” the wizard asked with a crooked grin.
Andron croaked a laugh, brushing his long black hair from his eyes, “This man is something else.”
Searon eyed Andron harshly, causing the other man to quickly close his mouth and continue brushing his hair. Of all the things he kept in his sash, a brush seemed to be his most important. His hair was looking rather better than it had since waking from the coma, and his brush was to thank for that. It was a span long with a thick wooden handle that had three distinct chips in it on the bottom, and it was crafted from stained cherry wood. He hadn’t stopped brushing his hair for the past few hours, and instead of a mess of tangles it was very nearly straight once again.
“Just you wait, I am full of surprises,” Karceoles winked with a smirk.
“That is exactly what I’m afraid of. One of your thick-skulled surprises is going to get us all killed.”
“Before you met me, you seemed to embrace death.”
“Death will come whether we want it to or not, and I chose to face it head on.”
“Why do you choose differently now?”
Searon turned around and stared at the ground, “Now…there is a chance. Finally, a chance has arisen to strike the heart of the draeyks.” He turned back to face Karceoles dead in the eyes. “I fully intend to ensure the draeyks are no more.”
“As do I,” Starlyn said, standing up.
The black leather armor that she wore was tight on her skin, showing her cleavage. It clung skintight to her. Her blonde hair was tangled, and she often glanced toward Andron’s brush as if she wished she had one to tame her own hair. She shifted slightly before glaring at the wizard with clear distaste.
“I stand with you as well. I swear to fight alongside you until we have vanquished these creatures from the land and bring peace once again throughout the kingdoms.”
It was Searon’s turn to shift uneasily now. “I do not know about bringing peace between the kingdoms. They have always seemed at each other’s throats, with clashes and raids. My only wish is to destroy the draeyks.”
“And how do you propose to do this without uniting the nations?” asked the wizard.
Searon shifted uneasily, again staring at the ground to kick a pebble. He watched as it rolled unevenly until a thin foot stomped on it. Looking up, he saw Starlyn with a serious expression on her face. She glowed of beauty that was undefined, past any human he’d seen. Yet he knew that she was not for him.
“I may regret to say, but the wizard is correct. The only way to wash the land of draeyks and…” she paused, and her eyes shifted. “The only way to destroy all the draeyks will be to unite everyone together, or most, and march upon them. Humans will have to be a part of this as well as the kheshlars. How it will be possible, I do not yet know. But I stand with you.”
Searon nodded and pulled out his long-stem pipe along with his tobacco, which he proceeded to pack into it. The aroma that let off when he lit it with a branch was intoxicating, of maple and cinnamon. He sat down against the wall of the cavern to ponder how he would do just that. The storm outside was still at its peak with lightning filling the entire cavern from time to time. He pulled out his claymore and began to polish it with silver shine from his saddlebags.
Andron lingered over to sit down next to Searon. He watched Searon with interest as he sharpened his blade. His hand seemed to play at his now-straight hair that draped past his shoulders. He twirled it around his right index finger and pulled from time to time.
“That is a nice sword. I quite like the rubies in the hilt.” Andron’s eyes sparkled with delight as red rubies shone back in them.
Searon looked at his hilt in admiration. The crossguards were a crimson silver metal and slanted toward the blade slightly. Both ends extended to a diamond where a large encrusted ruby rested an inch in diameter. The grip was made of crimson-stained shagreen with darker spots scattered throughout. There were dozens of small rubies encrusted in the pommel that glittered whenever light touched them.
“I have held my claymore for a long time now. The blacksmith was a friend of the family and made it special for me.”
“Is that why it glows when wielded?”
“No…that another did for me, as a gift. So I would never forget, as though
I ever would.”
Andron nodded with obvious question lingering in his eyes. He pulled his own sword from its scabbard to study it. His sword was plain with a much smaller hilt than Searon’s and very little color to it. The grip was black leather, and the blade was black steel rather than silver. It was a great sword and a well-balanced weapon that would be easier to wield with one hand than Searon’s claymore. His crossguards had a few encrusted diamonds that sparkled, and they appeared as if they had been added after the initial forging of the sword.
“My sword is so plain. I never achieved any high rank, so I still hold my first sword.” Andron rubbed his fingers on the diamonds. “The diamonds I put in myself from those I found from my journey, to distinguish it a bit.”
“Diamonds are strong, yet they aren’t worth much because there are so many. It almost seems wasteful to have a colorless gem, but you’re right. You probably have the only sword with diamonds encrusted in it.”
“Do not give gems disrespect. You never know where they might be of use. These diamonds may be worth something somewhere,” Karceoles said, laughing slightly.
The two men cackled loudly before shoving their swords back in their scabbards. Searon proceeded to fondle a bottle from his saddlebags and poured himself half a cup in a steel container.
“What do you have there?” Andron asked.
“Bourbon, to warm the mind. Would you care for a cup?”
“Please,” Andron smiled.
* * *
Searon rode his steed ahead to gain himself some fresh air and some time to think. They had rested well in the cavern, but it was time to go. It was uneasy to rest during the day after having traveled all night. Searon found rest hard to come by once the light was out. That was part of the reason he opened his treasured bottle of bourbon. Either bourbon or another type of whiskey would settle his thoughts enough to gain some rest. He knew they couldn’t rest too hard with the draeyks still scurrying about. They still had to be cautious in case the wizard’s foolish plan was to fail. Searon suggested they take turns resting while one watched the entrance. Karceoles agreed to take upon the first watch, and he cast a globe of shadow within the cavern with magic. The darkness made it easier to sleep, and Searon was the first to pass out, with bottle still in hand.
It was morning now of the next day, and Searon considered plans to continue. He wasn’t sure how far he would be able to take his quest or where to go next. It was obvious that they should find these homelands of Andron, but after that where should they travel? They might not yet find a direction until they saw how many Andron could rally. He didn’t seem to be a general, or noble, of any kind, and so his ties might not stretch far. Men of Calthoria were divided, with several different lords or kings. He knew in order to defeat the draeyks, to truly defeat them all, the nations would have to unite under one banner. Searon did not wish to hold that banner, but if he could find another that would unite them...All he wanted to do was lead the attack as general. There were no designs on leadership from him.
“What burdens you?” a sweet, calming voice asked as smooth as wind chimes.
The voice came from behind him, and it was familiar. Starlyn sat on the saddle behind him, and he almost forgot she was there. He turned to look at her calmly. She was beautiful, with straight glistening blonde hair that hung well past her shoulders to match the stars. Her eyes were shimmering pools of silvery blue that looked electric, like sparks of fierce lightning. Light leather armor, black in color, now covered her instead of the heavy plate mail as she had worn before. Riding would be much easier with such items packed away. Searon himself kept most of his underarmor on but kept his heavier plate mail packed away in saddlebags. Chain mail, boots, and gloves that all glittered with a faint crimson to match his glowing sword. The claymore only shone with color when he wielded it in combat.
Starlyn’s cheekbones were higher than any human. Her lips were small but puffed red without any hint of lip gloss. Kheshlars didn’t use fruit and plants to enhance their features like some human women, but they didn’t have to, for their faces seemed perfect in definition of color. She had rosy cheeks, golden eyelids, and a pointed jaw. In every human’s eyes, she was absolute perfection, except for Searon. She was too perfect in appearance for him. Besides that, he felt more drawn to brunettes rather than blondes. It was an oddity when compared to most men, who seemed to flock to blondes like pigeons to bread.
“I do not hold the burden on my shoulders, but I often wonder how we can unite the nations. Humans aren’t as tightly held as your king keeps your kheshlars. We’re divided across the country, and I feel we will have to bring unity to destroy these evil creatures.”
Starlyn didn’t speak, but she nodded with understanding. Finally after a moment of thought, she said lightly, “The kheshlars aren’t as tightly woven as you would believe. I nearly stood alone in my journey against the draeyks. It was with great struggle that I was able to convince aid against them.”
Searon fished around at a pouch at his sash until he came across his worn pipe and lifted it to his face. He inspected it carefully before packing it with Goldwater tobacco. It was well-flavored tobacco with a hint of clove, cinnamon, and mint. The flavor was relaxing when smoked, and he hastily pulled his flint and steel to light a small twig. He pressed the lit twig to the tobacco in his pipe and inhaled deeply, letting the soothing mixture calm his nerves.
“It seems we have quite the journey ahead,” he whispered.
Karceoles caught up now with his horse and looked questionably at Searon. Andron sat behind the wizard, his young face looking hopeful at the surroundings. The sequoia trees were growing less and less the farther they traveled from Sudegam. They were replaced with smaller pine and even a few oaks.
The chilling wind came to an end, giving the air a warmer embrace around them. Searon sighed heavily, still considering everything that there was yet to do. It would not come easy, but given the help of his allies he was sure they could formulate a plan. So long as they disregarded any of the wizard’s advice.
They traveled hard and steady throughout the day, with little talk, although Karceoles could be heard bickering now and again. He seemed to be much like a child, complaining about the length of a journey, with little patience. Searon hoped there was only one wizard in Calthoria because if there was another like him wandering around, he was sure he would go insane.
When the sun settled below the trees at the brink of the horizon, leaving only a glaze of orange light for travel, Searon frowned. He looked ahead with questioning eyes, but they were naught for the fading sunlight. His eyes were good enough to see at dark nearly as well as traveling at day. There was something odd in the air, a smell that wasn’t full of evergreen leaves, pine, and sap. The air smelled and tasted like stone, not just of boulders and rocks, but of granite and marble. He knew there shouldn’t be such a large amount of such stones in the middle of the forest with no civilization around. Bewildered, he shifted his steed south rather than east and kicked at the horse’s back. Stripes paced forward abruptly, and Searon began to notice slight changes in the forest.
Trees and bushes grew slightly closer together as if they were planted by man rather than Mother Nature. Searon studied the forest with suspecting eyes, noticing animals were scarce around that particular part of the forest. There was an unsettling calmness to the air that surprised him. It seemed as if all the animals were missing from the area; their sounds and calls could not be heard. Searon pulled the reins, causing Stripes to come to an abrupt stop.
“What is it?” Starlyn whispered.
“Something is not right about this place…It seems too calm. Even a pond has a ripple within it.”
“Yes, I was thinking the same.”
Searon edged Stripes on but at a much slower pace. Even Karceoles had stopped bickering to Andron and had grown silent. If the wizard was quiet, then something was definitely wrong. That man never seemed to shut up. Through the tightly compacted bushes and trees, Searon saw
a stone shape that had the appearance of a building. It intrigued him enough to continue forward, but with caution. It was still too quiet; this time at dusk even crickets should be heard, but the area was completely deprived of animal sounds. The only sound that could be heard was the horse hooves from the wizard’s mare pressing against the ground. Stripes couldn’t be heard over that loud horse, as Searon had trained the animal in the art of stealth.
Suddenly, Searon burst through a clearing to a city of stone. Buildings were everywhere, packed close together and covered in the wilderness. There were hundreds of them organized with careful skill. Each one seemed covered in its entirety with moss. They weren’t maintained in the slightest, and it seemed that nature had taken them over. A total of seven rows of roads stacked south in perfect alignment with each other, which left eight perfect rows of buildings on each side of the roads. The buildings seemed to be organized from smallest to largest in every row, starting with homes and ending with businesses. Each road forked into one main one that led to an immaculate stone palace that seemed to touch the clouds. At the top were three golden globes with spikes traveling into the darkness of night. Besides the three sphere cylinders that led up to the globes, the rest seemed to be rectangular with dozens of windows covered in cobwebs.
Starlyn gasped, “What is this place?”
Chapter 14
Karceoles pushed his horse to gallop alongside Searon and studied the city with intensity. He removed his pipe from his top pocket of his dusty brown robes and tapped his zylek to it, causing it to go alight. A pleasant honey-cinnamon aroma filled the air in puffs of smoke around them. Searon pulled out his pipe next and tipped it toward the wizard. Karceoles rolled his eyes lazily before tapping Searon’s pipe, which he hastily began puffing on.
The Crimson Claymore Page 10
