by Toni Cox
“How long will you be gone?”
“I think just over a fortnight. Three Quarters at the most.”
Maia tried to keep her tone neutral, but it required all her concentration. She itched to move over to break the contact, but she thought it would seem rude. He acted as if he was completely unaware of the contact, or her discomfort.
“It will take us five days to get there, then three or four days of meetings and another five days to get home.”
“Mmm.” Aaron reached over to grab a piece of straw and proceeded to break it into small bits.
“The house might be finished by the time you get back. We’ve made a lot of progress.”
Maia was aware of how the house was progressing. She spoke to them about it every night. So why was he mentioning it now? Suspicion dawned on her and she dreaded what he would say next.
“I have been thinking about what Jasmin said.” Aaron scratched the back of his head, seemingly unsure of how to continue.
Maia waited, holding her breath.
“We would really like it if you came to live with us when the house is finished.”
Maia closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. She had been dreading this moment.
“Aaron, I…”
“No, I don’t need an answer right now. You have some time to think about it. And I don’t mean that you have to…” he coughed “...sleep in my room. You can share with Jasmin, if it makes you more comfortable. It would just be nice to have you with us, you know, as a family.”
Their eyes met briefly and Maia’s stomach lurched. She didn’t know what to say.
“Just…just think about it. Even if it is not straight away, I can wait.” Aaron looked down and picked up another piece of straw and proceeded to break it into small bits. They were silent for a moment.
“I miss you,” he finally said softly, then leaned over and kissed her on her cheek before getting up and walking out of the stable.
Maia sat for a long time, thinking about what happened, but she only felt pity for Aaron.
The next morning was a bustle of activity. The horses were brought up from the stables and the pack horses received their burdens. Almost everyone gathered around to wish the travellers farewell. Luke and Jasmin helped Maia carry her things to the waiting horses, but Aaron was nowhere to be seen.
Fire pranced and snorted, eager to leave. Maia felt the same and was only too happy when it was time to depart. Silas came up to her just before they left.
“Be safe, Maia.” He patted Fire’s neck, making the horse prance around nervously. “I think it will be good for you to be away for a little while. Use the time well. Remember, you don’t have to do anything you are not comfortable with.”
Maia nodded, a lump in her throat. She knew he wasn’t talking about Braérn and was glad that he was aware of what was going on. She had confided in her mother as well and she had said much the same.
Jaik rode up and took Silas’ arm to wish him farewell.
“I will look after her, Silas, do not worry.” He smiled at the old man, then turned to Maia. “Are you ready?”
“Let’s go.” She smiled back at him.
They rode along The Axis and past the Silver Forest, then turned slightly easterly when they reached the far end of the city. The terrain sloped gently downward, still interspersed with some rocky outcrops, although the mountain proper ended at Shadow Hall. They followed the Odal River until, about half a day’s ride from the city, it joined the Oakin River. The Oakin River traversed the Yllitar Plains, and then spilled into Nithril Deep at Braérn. The landscape was lush and green, with little forests dotting the countryside. They would have plenty shelter and water along the way, as well as fresh grass for the horses. The fresh grass would supplement the grain they had taken for them.
It was a beautiful morning and for a while Maia simply enjoyed the sun on her face and the wind in her hair. Every now and again she glanced up to see Midnight circling high overhead. He would accompany them almost all the way to Braérn. Jagaer had deemed it necessary in light of all the attacks, but Maia would not have travelled without him anyway.
They travelled in silence for a while, but then Jaik and Jadae started discussing the attacks and Maia rode closer to hear.
“…examined the corpses. From the type of injuries and the lack of blood, we now have a suspicion it might be Vampyres.”
Jaik looked at Jadae in surprise, but then shook his head. “We have been suspecting something sinister, but I would not have come to that conclusion. When did the Elders discuss this; I was unaware of it.” He shook his head again. “Vampyres. They have not set foot on Elveron in years. I thought they had forgotten how to use the Channel, why come through now and attack us?”
“We re-looked at all the evidence again last night. The signs are there, if one cares to look. The teeth marks are distinct and the victim’s pale bodies speak of much blood loss.” Jadae held up a placating hand, forestalling Jaik’s reply. “But no-one has actually seen a Vampyre yet, so these are just suspicions. Until such can be confirmed, it would be wise not to spread this information. There is no need to unsettle the people unnecessarily. We are hoping to gather more conclusive evidence in Braérn and we plan on discussing our findings at the meetings. They have had the same reports of attacks and have lost people. We are certain that they have their own assumptions to add to ours. We will be meeting with the Elders and Guard of Thala Yll, Alea Yll and Braérn, as well as, of course, Tarron Heights, to discuss the situation. We believe that all the attacks are linked. We can only hope that our assumptions are wrong.”
“Let us hope then that your suspicions are unfounded and there is some other explanation for this. Do you know how many attacks there have been in total?” Jaik enquired.
“No, we’re not sure. That is another reason for the gathering. We know of four different cities that have reported attacks, but there might be more. We will know more after the meeting, until then it is no use speculating.”
Jaik nodded his acknowledgment to Jadae and then reined in his horse to fall back to ride next to Maia.
“You heard?” Jaik asked.
Maia nodded. She was too shocked to speak.
“Vampyres, who would have thought?” Jaik mused. “You remember I told you about the death of Tila’s parents?”
Maia frowned. “Yes, you told me they died in a rock slide.”
“Yes, that is how we assume they died. There is more to the story though. The people that survived the rock slide went to get help to free the ones trapped under the rock. When they returned, they discovered that someone had already dug them out, but then left them behind. Their personal possessions had been taken, including their clothes. They had multiple wounds, which looked like bite marks, but strangely little blood.
At first, we assumed animals had been at them and someone had come after to steal the clothes. Tila doesn’t know these details. We did not want to upset her.” Jaik’s eyebrows furrowed. “Now, with what Jadae said about the last attack and the types of wounds these people suffered, it does seem to make sense. Vampyres would take the meat and drink the blood.”
He shuddered. It was too horrible to bear thinking about.
They rode on in silence for the rest of the day, and as the sun sank down behind the mountains they stopped to make camp in a small stand of trees by the river. They unsaddled, then hobbled the horses and left them to graze. The three Elders from Shadow Hall would share one of the tents, which they erected first. It was one large sheet of green cloth sewn together, lashed to light and flexible willow branches. The cloth had been treated with birch sap to make it water proof and also kept the warmth in during colder nights.
Archer and Boron would share another tent, while Jaik and Maia shared a third. The people of Tarron Heights had brought their own tent, which they shared.
Once the tents were all erected, forming a semi-circle, Boron gathered some river stones and built a fire pit in the centre. Jaik, Archer and the two other Guar
d busied themselves with collecting firewood. They had travel food with them and would not need to cook, but a fire at night was welcome, not only for comfort, but also to keep wild animals away.
Plains wolves were frequently spotted in this area, as were wild cats. It was one of the reasons they had not brought Wolf.
They unpacked their sweet travel bread, dried nuts and fruit, smoked meats and sausages, as well as cheese and a sack of goat’s milk. They sat around the fire until the moons rose, and then settled down for the night.
Just as Maia was about to fall asleep, she felt Midnight touch her consciousness. He had followed at a distance during the day, but had now landed on the opposite side of the little forest, so as not to disturb the horses. He just wanted to let her know that he was here, watching over her.
Maia tossed and turned for a while, unable to find sleep. She was disturbed by what she had learned today. Could it really be Vampyres that were attacking her people? The people of Naylera had once been a great nation, but had been in decline for centuries. Although all people shared a similar form, Vampyres and Elves were the closest. They resembled each other in so many ways, except the ears, but the Vampyres had undergone some transformation during the last millennium that now set them apart from the Elves in ways Maia did not like to think about. They used to be tall and handsome; a beautiful people. Trade between Elveron and Naylera had once flourished, although Maia was too young to have seen those days. She would ask Silas what he knew of them. Maybe he had met one before.
She lay there, thinking for a while, but once Jaik’s breaths came deep and even, she extricated herself from her blankets and quietly crept out of the tent. The night was mild and the sky was strewn with stars. She sat by the fire for a while, watching the heavens. She could hear the horses nearby, and in the distance, she heard an owl hoot.
After a little while, she felt Midnight inquire why she was up. On a whim, she decided that she might as well fly with him for a while. Maybe it would ease her troubled thoughts. She grabbed her bow and headed through the trees towards the clearing where he waited for her.
It was dark in the little forest and she went slowly, picking her way through the brambles. She paid attention to the little sounds of the night, aware that she was in predator territory.
She was almost at the edge of the forest when she felt a shiver down her back. She stopped and strained her ears, but heard nothing out of the ordinary. She carefully opened her mind, scanning the Life-Forces around her, but besides the little rodents and insects around her and the owl she had heard earlier a little further away, she sensed nothing. She walked another few steps, but the feeling that she was being watched intensified. She took her bow from her shoulder and notched an arrow. She cursed herself for not having thought to bring her hunting knife. A bow was not a good weapon to use in such close quarters.
Slowly, she turned in a circle, imagining things in the shadows that weren’t there. Her heart was racing. Thoughts of Vampyres made her shake with fear. She was about to turn and flee, when she noticed movement to her right. She quickly turned and let her arrow fly. It glanced off a tree and then sailed on into the underbrush. She stared after it, looking for what had caught her attention and made her loose her arrow.
As she stared into the darkness, as strange calm settled over her. She stood up straighter, ready to face what was coming for her. When she eventually saw it, however, she was not prepared.
Death emerged from the shadows and walked towards her at a measured pace. His wolf form was as huge and shaggy as she remembered it. His black eyes glistened in the sparse moonlight shining through the tree and they never left hers. She felt trapped under his gaze, unable to move.
The urge to run away was so strong, it made her heart flutter and her legs tremble. She was utterly terrified. Surely he had finally come to take her life. Then, as he drew closer, something stirred within her. Unbidden emotions threatened to overwhelm her. Feelings she had no name for. She felt vulnerable and desirable at the same time. The wolf was now so close, she could smell him. He smelled of forest and earth and pine needles, with a certain muskiness that bespoke his masculinity and made him absolutely irresistible. She closed her eyes and leaned towards him, not caring what he would do to her.
She startled as the quiet of the night was split by an ear shattering roar. She blinked a few times, trying to shake off the trance she had been in. She took a few steps back and watched as the wolf looked up through the trees, growling a challenge to the circling dragon. Midnight roared again and then came crashing through the branches of the trees. Maia ducked as a branch whistled over her head. She heard the trees break and then crash to the ground, but she was already running. She ran back the way she had come, hoping the wolf would be too preoccupied with the dragon to follow her. Halfway back to the tents she rounded a tree and crashed into Jaik. She clung to him, shaking. In the distance they could still hear Midnights roaring and thrashing.
“What were you thinking?” Jaik admonished her for the third time, while she tended to the cuts on Midnight’s wings. Although the forest here was dense, the trees were small and thin and the damage was minimal. Still, healing that many small wounds sapped her strength.
“I couldn’t sleep. I wanted to see Midnight. I’m sorry I worried you, Jaik.”
“You could have been hurt. Why did you not wake me, we could have gone together?”
“It was just a wolf, Midnight chased it away.”
When she was done healing Midnight, she let Jaik lead her back to the tent. They lay down together and she finally fell asleep with her back pressed to her bother and his arms around her.
He had always felt protective of his sister. If asked, he would have been unable to put into the words the love he had for her. He held her now, waiting for her tremors to stop. He knew it had not just been a wolf. A wolf would not have been able to frighten her so and even Midnight would not say what the animal had been. Maia was strong and capable and as able a fighter as any of the Guard he served with. Maybe it is because of the talk about Vampyres, he thought, but then dismissed it.
He was sure that whatever was troubling her had its roots with the Humans that she had brought back home with her. He had come to like Luke and Jasmin, but he did not like the way Aaron looked at his sister. The hunger in his eyes was plain to see and he often wondered how Maia did not notice. His sister was usually very perceptive, but when it came to Aaron, she was completely closed off.
Silas had said that she must have loved the man very much for her to have brought him back with her, but somehow he could not imagine his sister being with a man like that. She was wild and beautiful, extraordinarily powerful and yet the gentlest person he knew. Aaron was…..well, he was a Human. He had a non-descriptive face with a pallid complexion. Although he was tall like an Elf, he was lanky and awkward. He appeared smart, but otherwise had no powers. He did not even know what magic was to be used for the tress to accept the house they were building for him.
Jaik resolved to speak to his father, and maybe even Silas, about Aaron. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that he was the root of Maia’s troubles. He knew her well and he was certain that what troubled her, were matters of the heart. He was sure that if it would make her Human family feel better, she would move in with them, if they asked her, even if it were to make her unhappy. It was in her nature, to protect and to serve, to heal and prevent pain in others, even if she had to take on the pain herself.
It had always been like that. Even when they were still children had she helped those in need. He remembered once, before their tenth birthday, he had been clumsy and had fallen out of a tree. He had sprained his ankle. Maia had been there and, instead of running home to get Silas, had held him while he cried. Not even Silas had been able to explain it afterward, but while she had held him and hummed him a tune of comfort, his ankle had mended. It was Maia that had walked with a limp for a full Moon afterwards.
Jaik shifted slightly to relieve his ar
m, which had fallen asleep. Maia stirred, but didn’t wake. He reached down with his free arm and pulled the blanket over her shoulder. No, he thought, I won’t let anything happen to you. Now it is my turn to look after you.
The next four days passed uneventfully. The days were pleasantly warm, but with a steady, gentle wind that kept the insects at bay. The landscape slowly changed, growing flatter and with less trees. Now in summer, the grasses were lush and green and all along the river flowers were in bloom.
Once, they encountered a herd of deer grazing towards the south, but as Midnight now followed within sight of the little group, the deer soon bolted, frightened by the large predator.
Maia was quiet and sullen while they rode, Fire snorted often, aware of her mood. Although Jaik did not press her for information, she knew he was aware of her distress. She did not want to discuss it though. The thought that Death was stalking her frightened her. What worried her even more, was the effect he had on her. The terror she could understand, anyone would be afraid of him, but…she shivered, closed her eyes for a moment and remembered the feelings the wolf had stirred deep inside of her. Fire pranced nervously. Disgusted, she snapped her eyes open again. How could he make her feel like this even though he wasn’t here? He was Death and an animal. She should not be feeling like this.
When they reached Braérn during the afternoon of the fifth day, she was relieved. Midnight had left them earlier, so as not to alarm the people of Braérn. He had assured Maia he would not go far, for in case she needed him. She let him go with a heavy heart, but knew he could not come with. Braérn did not have dragons of their own, like Thala Yll. The people of Thala Yll would often bring their dragons on their travels, so the people of Braérn were used to those dragons.
A Soul Dragon, however, was a completely different matter. Not only was he almost four times as large as a Plains Dragon, also called Dragono Captivaris, but also looked much more fearsome. A Soul Dragon, also known as the Dragono Vitandalis, was armoured for battle. Viciously sharp spikes ran from his head, all the way down his back and onto his tail. The tail was tipped by a caudal spade, a spearhead shaped bony extension with razor sharp edges that could move individually. Midnight had smaller spikes on all four legs, his skin was thick and tough like armour. The talons were as long as a mans arm and his teeth the length of a forearm. His head was crowned with a set of long horns that curved backwards and smaller horns sprouted from his face. Besides his red eyes, Midnight was entirely black and Maia thought he was the most beautiful creature in the world. Others did not share this view.
