by Chris Ward
‘And without the Shamyn, there is no sacrifice?’ Rema asked quietly.
‘Is right,’ Kiaman replied.
‘You are a most important man then,’ Rema said in a whisper to finish and Sylvion watched him closely sensing something on the edge of her intuition. Shamyn nodded and the others too.
‘We thank you for coming,’ Reigin said suddenly and stood up and so too did Sylvion and Rema and the other two. They nodded and shook hands and both groups parted somewhat relieved that it had come to an end without further tension.
‘Well done Reigin,’ Sylvion said as they sat once more by the fire. ‘I was about to take the Shadow Blade and do something I am sure I would have regretted.’ They sat in silence for a time staring sadly into the coals before she continued once more.
‘We cannot take the child with us, and even if we did within a short time they would chose another. This ritual is not new to them, you heard him say that others of their people do it, but not all.’
‘This is the story of my people,’ Orcxyl interrupted then with great feeling. ‘You cannot change them. If they believe, they will do it. I know this way. It is impossible to stop. It can only be changed by the heart. When people know what is right they will do it, but they believe a lie.’ He shook his head and shed a tear then, and they waited for his next words. ‘She is like my Freya that child. She will die at the hands of the Shamyn, and her people will say it is right.’ He continued to shake his head in grief, then looked at Sylvion. ‘This is why you must find the source of the evil My Lady. We start there and then we change what people believe.’
They all agreed but went to their hard beds around the fire with sad hearts and great frustration, for they knew they could not stop what would come to pass for one poor child the next morning.
Rema did not sleep. He could not. He lay back and looked up at the beauty of the night sky. A half moon lit the land all around with a wonderful glow. Twice he rose, once to stand by the dying embers of their own fire and once to stand on the edge of the escarpment and look down upon the simple camp below. The fire still burned there, but all was quiet. He wondered which tent gave shelter to the doomed child and what she even knew of the evil matter. Poor child he thought. Who will look out for you?’ Thereafter it was a long night and he thought the others too did not sleep well, but he found himself consumed with a desire to do something, and by the time the early dawn showed its hand in the east he had made up his mind what this would be. He rose before the others and sat on a rock overlooking the plain and watched. He had taken the King’s Eye from the leather scabbard in which it was kept with Sylvion’s saddle, and with the greatest care he examined the plain all about the camp. He discovered the altar, a small cairn of rock some leagues distant out onto the plain, and two figures by it. One was Shamyn, the other might have been Kiaman, but it did not matter.
‘A long shot but I will not miss this day,’ Rema vowed quietly and calmed himself, and continued to watch. As the sun rose the people of the camp came forth and walked together in a sombre procession out into the tussock grass. To the west the grazing herd of Mamyths seemed to sense something and they too wandered slowly as if curious toward the meeting point which was the altar where Shamyn waited. With the King’s Eye Rema saw the child in a small and purplish robe walking innocently hand in hand with one who was perhaps her kindpa.
A quick death and you will be set free, Rema thought. And then he took his bow and readied an arrow and then he waited. The child was brought before the people and was lifted by the one who had led her forth, up onto the altar where she lay without protest. Rema drew his bow and waited till his breath was calm, and his mind clear. At the point of release he was aware of Orcxyl standing by his side, but they did not speak.
The arrow flew high and truly in the clear morning air. Rema travelled with it, and saw below the tussocks and the Mamyths, but only fleetingly, for he shaped the arrow’s path and within but a few heart beats it was falling down upon the altar, toward the child whose throat was back as Shamyn readied his deadly knife. The arrow arrived without a sound and passed clear through Shamyn’s throat; it broke his neck and killed him without pain and hardly any blood. He fell, and his knife too, and the stunned people before him saw the arrow in his body and understood. They turned as one and saw Rema standing clear against the sky.
‘I shall call you Great Hunter now,’ Orcxyl said in a voice full of the deepest emotion, ‘for that I could not do; but I willed it all the night.’
And then Rema turned and saw them all with him and without a word they took his hand and affirmed the awful deed he had done, and then they heard the angry crowd begin to charge toward them.
‘Come,’ said Sylvion, ‘we cannot shed further blood. At least with Rema’s arrow they have no Shamyn, so perhaps a few lives are spared for the time to come. We must leave these people to work out their fate. A statement has been made. Perhaps they will think upon it.’ And she went to Rema and kissed him softly on the cheek and said. ‘Well done Rema. It was the right thing to do.’
When the angry crowd of plains people reached the top of the escarpment bearing swords and spears, and bows and arrows, ready to do battle with a new enemy they found nothing but the warm embers of the campfire and a single arrow which Rema had shot into a log upon which some of their number had sat the night before.
Far off they saw the five riders heading west and knew that they would have no revenge that day.
Three leagues to the west the path suddenly turned south away from the escarpment and within half a league it disappeared into the Great Forest. The five riders halted there before they entered and took breath for they had ridden hard to put awful things behind them. And now they looked upon a forest like no other. The trees were tall and grew close together, such that it seemed the path they must take entered a tunnel. They sat for a while trying to make out why this new place caused within them such strange emotions.
‘It is a place where magic lingers,’ Orcxyl whispered finally. ‘I sense it clear enough. We are watched from this moment on...’
‘By what?’ Sylvion asked but Orcxyl only shrugged for he could not say.
‘Well we have no choice,’ Reigin said as his mount suddenly reared and pranced about as if in fear. He took a moment to calm the beast and then continued. ‘As Orcxyl said last night, we must seek out the evil which had so turned our lands away from truth and what is right. If this road leads us there, then let us enter this forest and see what comes to pass.’
As they spoke, high up in a mighty tree some few hundred cubits south and by the edge of the forest a watcher sat motionless in his hidden post. He noted the riders, their number and what they wore, their weapons and their mounts; his skill was like the eagle and he missed nothing. Forgot nothing.
Sylvion led them into the forest and immediately the five knew they had entered an ancient world and it took some time for them to relax and begin to see in a different way, for all about were trees and the sounds of living creatures. Suddenly there was life, small animals flitted in the branches and birds swooped and called. To one side a crashing was heard as a large creature ran off, charging in panic through the undergrowth, but they all felt the strange feeling of being watched and of enchantments waiting to capture any who might linger too long without reason. Their steeds were greatly agitated and needed calming and careful handling, but they rode on and came to no immediate harm, but all realised that they needed to be watchful, for who knew what beasts would stalk them and pounce and kill without warning.
When he could no longer see them, the watcher in his tree house took a hooded falcon from a hutch and attached a small capsule to its leg, a vial in which the information he had gleaned was written in a tiny script. He took the bird to a platform at the top of the lookout which stood perhaps ten cubits above all other trees close by. He removed the falcon’s hood and with a word of instruction breathed into the bird’s ear, he tossed it high and in a moment it had circled once with a single
cry, and then it climbed high upon its powerful wings, and having decided upon its path, flew fast into the south. The watcher went down to the place from where he could see the path into the forest and was soon standing again as if he was but another branch in the forest, impossible to discern, but with eyes which would not allow a single change in the world below to go unnoticed, unrecorded, or indeed unreported.
They rode more slowly now and listened to the forest and its sounds. Rema was reminded of his travels down from the Highlands and thought any minute to see Andes swing down from a tree to surprise him, or the mysterious El-Arathor appear to give some timely advice. Sylvion thought of the Wildwood forest where she had spent so many happy times as a child with the Equin. Reigin thought of the majestic forests of AlGiron and mourned once more for his people and wondered further upon what was to be their fate. Gravyn and Orcxyl thought of hunting and saw many opportunities pass by, but consoled themselves that in such a huge forest they would have their chance. And to them all, the trees were a sight to behold for they were mighty indeed. They halted near noon for food and rested under the canopy of the largest oak any had ever seen, indeed Rema climbed far up into its upper branches and had no trouble walking along them for they were as wide as a path and easily managed. He saw across the treetops far to the south and all he could see was more trees and rolling hills, unbroken to the horizon.
Well before sunset they came upon a ruin. It was a large elevated building, walled on all sides but these had long since fallen into disrepair. Why it was there entangled in the trees and of such size none could guess, and there seemed to be no other buildings nearby. Having spent a span exploring the ruin, Sylvion wanted to keep on until the dark prevented any further travel, but Reigin wisely counselled against it.
‘We must assume that in the night there will be creatures about which hunt for meat.’ He said. ‘We can defend ourselves here, and secure the horses. If we sleep rough then we may find what little time we gain is hardly worth the cost.’ Sylvion thought upon his words and reluctantly agreed, but her desire to keep on the path was clear to all.
They found an inner courtyard in the ruin which had walls remaining and in this they stabled the horses, and by chance there was close by, a higher level which allowed them good sighting of the forest in all directions, and so this was chosen for a place to sleep. They collected some of the abundant timber which lay strewn about and made a large fire in the centre of the platform and as night fell it was lit and kept fuelled. Once the sun had set the temperature dropped so that soon each breath brought a misty cloud before their faces; below them the horses stood close together for warmth, and it soon became apparent that Reigin’s advice to halt and camp in the ruin was wise indeed.
Orcxyl heard it first for his ears were the best.
‘There are wolves about,’ he said. The others strained to hear but heard nothing. Orcxyl tilted his head about as if to get some direction to the distant wolves, and then nodded.
‘At least three, maybe more, and each howl is different.’ The others marvelled at his skill for they heard nothing. ‘They come this way. They are closer now,’ Orcxyl added still listening hard. ‘They have taken the scent of the horses for they are downwind.’ He pointed west into the dark where mighty shadows from the fire danced upon the trees. And then the others heard them too. The howl was wolf, no doubt, and such cries as to make the blood run cold. Suddenly the horses began to snort and move about in agitation, for now they too sensed the danger.
‘We must not let the wolves harm the horses.’ Rema said. ‘Come Gravyn, Orcxyl; we must do what we can despite the dark. The three archers quickly readied their weapons and stood looking west upon the edge of the platform whilst Reigin and Sylvion found the best places they could to detect an attack from any other direction. Within a short time the howling became very loud and Reigin muttered,
‘These are big wolves. I have never heard such howls,’ and Sylvion wondered if she might use her Shadow Blade, but in truth she knew its great power lay with attack upon evil, in the world of men, and was likely no more effective then Reigin’s sword should she fight a wolf.
‘There!’ Orcxyl said calmly pointing to a faint shadow standing still beneath an oak some distance off to the west. The other archers saw it, but waited to see what might happen. Its eyes glowed eerily in the firelight and only slowly were they able to make out that it was huge indeed.
‘It is three cubits to the shoulder alone,’ Gravyn whispered in awe, ‘I have never known any so large.’ No one replied but they all realised that such beasts, hunting in a pack would be deadly indeed. As they watched the wolf raised its mighty head and howled, and the ground seemed to shake. It looked left and right and gave a low howl each time and Orcxyl realised immediately what it was doing.
‘It is telling the others which way to go,’ he said in awe. ‘It is the leader and the others follow. It is positioning them.’
‘Surely a wolf cannot do that,’ Gravyn growled in disbelief.
‘I see another,’ Reigin called from the opposite side of their platform.
‘I too,’ Sylvion added quickly. Rema drew his bow and was utterly amazed when the wolf leader drew back as he did so and was lost in the shadows. ‘It saw me draw,’ he muttered. ‘These are no normal wolves.’
‘They attack,’ Sylvion called, only a little louder than the sudden panicked cries from the horses that sensed great danger close upon them.
Gravyn loosed his arrow first. He swung left to where he thought Sylvion pointed and in the firelight saw a huge wolf leap toward the courtyard where the horses now reared and snorted ever louder. He judged the angle and the moment when it would momentarily rest upon the top of the wall, and within an instant at such close range the arrow found its mark deep in the wolf’s flank. It howled and fell back, bleeding badly. The pack leader suddenly howled again and two more wolves darted in from the shadows and leapt together from different directions onto the walls. Rema’s arrow passed clean through one and shattered on a stone column beyond. The wolf fell without a sound and did not move. Orcxyl took the other. His arrow was shorter but just as accurately sent on its way. The poison tip found its mark in the haunch and the wolf instantly howled and twisted back to bite the shaft, and amazingly was successful in grabbing it with its teeth and pulling the arrow clean out. But the poison did its work quickly; immediately the huge beast staggered and fell, rising twice more and turning in erratic circles before falling and quivering strangely for a moment. And then it too was dead. Gravyn’s wolf died last, giving a most miserable howl, which caused the leader to respond. The great wolf continued to howl for some time, but mournfully now, for it knew it had lost three companions and with them, the opportunity to feast upon such inviting flesh.
But I think it exhibits true grief, Rema thought somewhat amazed, sadness that it has lost good companions. He shook his head in wonder. This forest perhaps has many surprises yet for us to stumble upon.
There was no further threat throughout the night, but a guard was set and the fire kept well fuelled. The wolf leader did not leave, but sat in the deep shadows unseen. It gazed long upon those that slept upon the platform and considered the deadly death they had served to its companions. It learnt from what had come to pass, with a cunning that only a wolf might claim, and only when the sky lightened did it stand and give a final mighty howl, which woke the sleepers with a jolt and then they watched as the wolf gave them a fleeting final view of its proud power and deadly might before vanishing in a single bound back into the forest which was its home.
The road continued on but now more to the south west, and the travelling was easy. With the sun overhead the forest was no longer the sinister place it had been during the night. It is like two places Sylvion thought, by day so wonderful...by night... what yet will stalk us?’ It was on all their minds that the ancient ruin had allowed them to survive the night, but that such provisions could not be counted upon, and Reigin gave voice to all their fear when they ha
lted for food and a well earned rest just after the noon.
‘If such wolves exist, they will be throughout forest, ‘he said soberly. ‘And if there are wolves, I would expect bear, and always sabrecat.’ He paused before continuing even more grimly, ‘and I know that in ancient times the Scythercat came from the north; there is no reason to think they are no longer hereabouts...’
The thought of such creatures roaming the night gave all much to think upon.
‘What then should we do about making ourselves secure this night?’ Rema asked, but no one had an answer, although it gave them all something to think upon as they rode on into the mid noon. Gravyn took a large deer with a single shot as they rode and was most disappointed with the ease of the kill, for the beast ran out of the forest ahead of them and stood looking about no more than twenty paces distant.
‘No challenge in that then,’ he muttered as the poor creature fell dead, but the food was welcome and they all looked forward to good venison that evening. As the sun sank further their minds turned to finding a safe place to spend the night, but nothing in the least manner offered itself. The huge trees offered some safety but the horse required better shelter and the thought of building a big enough fire on the forest floor to deter wolves of the size they had seen, seemed impossible.
‘This is not looking good,’ Reigin said when the shadows had reached a length which told of nightfall within a very short time. ‘I do not know what we shall do, but at least we must make fire...’
‘There is a track over here,’ Orcxyl said and pointed to their right, and some distance on. Sure enough a faint path led off into the forest.
‘Another ruin?’ Rema said giving voice to all their hopes.
‘Unlikely,’ Sylvion replied, ‘but perhaps it is worth a quick look, since nothing else offers.’
Rema was chosen to follow the path to see if it led anywhere useful whilst the others stayed back on the main road and looked to make camp under the biggest oak they could find, one where the branches hung low to the ground all around like a tent, and there were several to choose from. Rema meanwhile followed the path some distance into the dense forest, and soon lost all sound of the others behind him. The day creatures of the forest were still about, and the air was full of chirping and calling and wings upon the air as birds looked to their roosts. He found himself lulled into a peaceful mood and thought how strange that the night could be so different. Suddenly the path turned sharply and he stumbled out into an open place where the trees stood close around a small lake of the stillest, clearest water Rema thought he had ever seen. It was a picture of peace and beauty, and since the forest canopy was reduced the last of the sunlight found its way more easily down giving all about the most glowing hues.
