Ruin Mist Chronicles Bundle

by Robert Stanek

  A second week passed, and still they had received no signs of supplies or the coming reinforcements. This morning was an especially cold one; Keeper Martin paced back and forth in the command tent nervously. Father Jacob was also slightly vexed, but he hid it better. He sat quietly staring into a map spread fully across the table next to him. They both awaited word from Lieutenant Danyel’s scouting party, which should have arrived back at the camp at sunrise.

  This day the rains did not relent. They carried over into the afternoon, bringing a chilling northerly wind with them. The rain turned to an icy sheet descending upon them. The camp began to appear dead, as all huddled in the safety of their tents. The only source of warmth was the mass of tightly packed bodies jammed into the relatively small number of dwellings.

  Keeper Martin stared out into the sleet. Again he thought that spring in the Reaches was more like winter in the kingdoms. He hoped their idea of cold weather and Seth’s were similar, or they would not survive. He also wondered whether their mental stamina somehow shielded them from the chill, and they didn’t realize the harshness of it. He evaded any further thoughts on that subject by closing the outer flap and sitting back down upon his chair.

  Father Jacob smiled at his old friend. The two had known each other for so long that at time conversation was unnecessary. Each knew what the other was thinking by the way he acted. He knew what the keeper was pondering, and the prospect of the cold settling in did not excite him either.

  With the coming of darkness, the last vestiges of warmth disappeared. The sleet turned to hail and slowly to a light snow. The clouds above shrouded the entire sky to form a blanket of early dusk. The only light on this night would be the light from their dwindling fires, which were very few in number, as wood was scarce. Now both Keeper Martin and Father Jacob were extremely worried. The scouts still had not returned, and they could only assume the worst.

  Captain Mikhal joined Martin and Jacob after he finished the last of his duties. The three sat wordlessly asking themselves questions with their expressions that none knew the answers to. Mikhal broke out his flask and poured them all a strong-scented ale to keep the chill away; even Jacob partook of it.

  “We brought the last of the supplies from the ships today. Good thing. We need to decide what to do with the ships. These storms will soon destroy those in the open. There are some small coves to the west where we could moor the ones that aren’t in full cover here,” expressed Captain Mikhal, shattering the silence.

  “Yes, yes, see that it is done in the morning,” answered Keeper Martin distantly. After that, Captain Mikhal kept his thoughts to himself for the remainder of the evening. He knew the keeper well enough to know that he hadn’t meant to offend him, though he had.

  The group was mounted, traveling down the road just after sunset. Adrina rode comfortably in a richly decorated carriage. Nijal drove the four-horse team splendidly along the sometimes-rough path. Xith and Noman had purchased it from the town’s livery owner. He had been building it for his bride, but the sparkle of gold was the miser’s real love.

  The carriage nicely enhanced their change of guise. They were a group of mercenaries escorting an upper-class lady. With Adrina riding inside the carriage, the illusions really weren’t necessary. It had only been necessary to adjust their clothing and armor to fit the image better. From a distance, they were indeed mercenaries.

  Noman left the final decision of the direction of their journey up to Xith. The two concluded it was best this way. It kept Noman’s mind free for the task that lay ahead. Xith, on the other hand, was left to brood over the choice for hours though he eventually narrowed it down to two routes. They could continue east to Jrenn, on to Eragol Bay and take passage on a ship destined for High Province or they could make their way to the territories, on to Krepost’ and then travel to the far north by horse.

  Late into the night Nijal was feeling the effects of the day. His eyes began to close and his head to bob, waking him up with a start. Several times, the carriage would veer to the side causing the horses to prance wildly.

  When Xith finally saw what was occurring, he called a halt for a few moments’ rest. He tied his horse to the rear of the carriage and took Nijal’s place at the reins of the coach. “You go crawl back inside and get some sleep. I am sure Adrina could use some company about now,” said Xith, in a fatherly tone, his mind still preoccupied.

  Nijal didn’t argue with Xith. He was tired. He knocked lightly on the carriage door then opened it. Adrina was huddled, frightened, on one side as he climbed in. “It is okay. It is just me, Nijal.” Adrina sighed and relaxed slightly.

  Nijal had just seated himself across from Adrina when the carriage began to move speedily down the road again. He was surprised at how smooth it seemed to ride from inside. It gave him an interesting sensation. He had only traveled by ship once long ago, so he really didn’t remember it, but he likened the movement of the buggy to floating across the water.

  He relaxed against the softness of the interior and closed his eyes. It was so warm and soothing. Quickly he began to drift off to sleep.

  Xith shifted his thoughts rapidly back to the questions in his mind. He was sure of one thing. Time was the major factor he was concerned about. He mused over which route would be the shortest overall, yet both would take quite some time, more time than he wished to allow.

  The storm season was rapidly approaching; by ship they would have to survive the straits, and by horse they would have to traverse the mountains. Both paths were equally treacherous and both had their pleasant sides and downfalls. His ultimate decision was the long trek through the territories; perhaps they would meet the old master, if indeed he yet dwelled in Krepost’.

  A large bump caused the buggy to jar suddenly. Adrina awoke again and peered about the cabin. Nijal was still across from her; she wondered if he were asleep. She really needed someone to talk to; her thoughts were in disarray. She just wanted to go home or wake up and find that it was all a bad dream.

  “Nijal?” came the whisper from a distance, “Nijal, are you awake?”

  “Huh? What? Yeah—I guess so.”

  “Good.”

  “Good?”

  “You were so quiet I thought you might be sleeping.”

  “Oh, no, not me. I don’t sleep.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—I didn’t mean to—” said Adrina as she burst into tears. “Adrina? I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m not tired anyway—really.”

  The sounds of Adrina’s sobs did not fade. She tried to hold them back, but each time she did, they only increased. Nijal moved to the other side of the coach beside her. Adrina perceived his warmth and moved up against him, ending up with her face buried in his shoulder, her tears falling onto his shirt.

  Nijal was unsure how to deal with such emotion. He just let her lie against him until her tears slowed, instinctively caressing her face with his hand. “Sshh, everything will turn out for the best.”

  Adrina stopped crying and Nijal wiped the tears from her eyes. The inside of the carriage was pitch black, but both pictured an image of the other in their minds. Nijal pressed his hands warmly against Adrina’s wet cheeks, soaking up the pain from within her.

  She reached up and touched her hands to his. An emotion began to flow through Nijal that he had never felt before; something strange was happening inside him. His heart began to beat faster and his palms began to sweat. He began to breathe deeper and harder. He felt a shiver come over him, and a knot welled up in his stomach to match the lump in his throat.

  They moved closer to each other until they could feel the heat of each other’s breath fall upon their faces. As their lips came together, Nijal moved away and just held Adrina tightly in his arms. A tiny voice within his mind told him that was all Adrina really desired from him, someone to comfort her pain.

  Besides, he would not have known what else to do. He had never felt emotions like the ones he was feeling. He enjoyed them immensely, but he knew Adr
ina felt different. They had shared something special, together, as friends.

  Nijal’s arm was around Adrina and she rested her head on his shoulder. His other arm near her stomach felt the nervous rumbling of her belly and instinctively he moved his hand away.

  Adrina released a short girlish laugh, and said, “Oh, Nijal.” Teasingly, she grasped his hands and pulled them to her belly. “Not what you think,” she said in a hushed tone. “A secret.” She lifted up her shirt and moved his hand to the mark and though he could not see it, he could feel the outline of it on her skin.

  To Nijal, the mark felt like a terrible scar. “How did it happen?” he asked.

  “Not what you think,” Adrina repeated. “Tnavres,” she said in a clear powerful voice, “Show yourself.”

  Life grew beneath Nijal’s hands and he watched in stunned horror and silence as a dark form emerged from Adrina’s belly. In the deep shadows of the coach it was difficult to see but the creature clearly had wings and fangs and then to Nijal’s horror the creature turned. His hands wanted to find his sword but Adrina locked her hands around his wrists.

  “It is the secret I carry,” she told him plainly. “You must not tell the others.” She locked her fingers tighter around his wrists. “Promise?” Nijal stared at her blankly. She dug her fingers into his wrists. “Promise?”

  As the tiny dragon turned about to face him in the darkness, Nijal said softly, “I will not tell a soul. You have my word.”

  “Tnavres,” Adrina commanded, “return,” and so saying the dragon faded into her, leaving only his mark upon her skin.

  Unnerved, unsure what to do Nijal tucked his arm around Adrina. Adrina cuddled close to him. The gentle swaying of the carriage acted like a cradle, holding them both safe and secure. They slowly drifted away to the realm of dreams.

  The sun was high on the horizon when the group made their final stop. They would stay the rest of the day in a small grove of pines just far enough from the trail to be relatively safe. The coach rocked roughly through the grasses off the road. The first several jolts went unnoticed, but when they continued, Nijal sprang awake. His thoughts were wild with could have only been a dark dream.

  He drew his long dagger and popped the door open. The light of the dawning day blinded him for several heartbeats before he could focus. When he did, he found Xith staring back at him. Nijal sheathed his blade and climbed out the door back up to the top of the carriage. He hopped across the short distance to the front and plopped down next to Noman, who was controlling the reins. Noman smiled and passed them to Nijal.

  The group set up camp inside the concealment of the trees. Xith told Nijal he had first watch, because he had already had a good night’s sleep. Nijal didn’t mind keeping guard. He had slept well and wasn’t tired in the least, so he offered no objection.

  After he made sure the horses were well provided for and everyone was asleep, he went to search their tiny domain. The grove of trees was small and sparsely packed. He skirted the perimeter of their camp, circling outward. He wasn’t surprised when he found nothing unusual.

  He reached the open ground near the road after completing a couple of spirals. He sat there for a time staring into the dust blowing off the road to the west. He started the walk back to the camp and climbed on top of the carriage. He looked back to the dust pouring off the road, and it dawned on him. “Dust—horses—a lot of horses,” spun the thoughts in his consciousness.

  He almost fell over backward as he stumbled off the carriage. He turned around and ran back to the road to take another closer look. Astounded, he ran back to the camp. He woke Xith first by shaking him violently. Xith was not pleased to be wakened after such a long night and with so little sleep. He groggily yelled, “What?”

  “Horses—lots of horses.”

  Xith perked up and asked, “Where?”

  “Coming toward us down the road from the west.”

  “Quick, help me cover the carriage!”

  “I did that earlier.”

  “Good thinking. Let’s go have a look,” Xith said.

  The two didn’t have to wake up the rest of the camp. Noman and Amir were already fully awake and tending to the horses to keep them quiet. Xith and Nijal crouched in the last tree line, staring down the road at the oncoming riders.

  The thunder of hooves echoed closer and closer. “How many do you think there are?” asked Nijal.

  “Enough. From the amount of dust they raise and the noise at this distance, there may be several hundred.”

  “Hundreds?” said Nijal amazed.

  “More like thousands,” whispered Noman, walking up from behind them.

  They watched as the horde grew into a mob of trotting horses. In silence, they watched them pass by. Nijal opened his mouth to say something, but both Noman and Xith quickly clamped their hands over it. Nijal closed his mouth and stared rapidly back and forth along the length of the line of troops.

  A full hour passed before the last horses galloped by. Only then did the trio dare to move from their concealment. Nijal didn’t understand why Xith and Noman were so calm. He had seen three banners move past and none of them belonged to the kingdom. He decided that if they would not worry, he would worry enough for both of them.

  Adrina was also awakened by the noise. She stood next to Amir, looking extremely frightened. “Everything is fine; there is nothing to worry about. Let’s get back to sleep. We need to be rested for tonight.”

  “What?” yelled Nijal.

  “Shh!” said Xith, pointing to Adrina. Adrina hadn’t heard Nijal’s outburst and was heading back into the comfort of the carriage. Amir made sure she was properly tucked in and asleep before he allowed anyone to begin talking.

  “Sorry,” said Nijal, “I didn’t realize—”

  “It’s okay. She just doesn’t need anything further to disturb her right now.”

  “The banners, whose were they?”

  “The banners of the south. King Jarom, King Peter, and King Alexas.”

  “All three together?” asked Amir.

  “Yes, all three, together. I estimated around 5,000 riders.”

  “As did I. We must reach the territories soon, before it is too late.”

  “Too late?”

  “Do not fret so much, friend Nijal. Had you seen the City of the Sky crumble around you, you would know what is ahead, but the end is also the beginning.”

  “What are you saying? I don’t understand your riddles.”

  “You understand, but your mind rejects the thought. If you wish, you may return to the Free City. You have no obligation to us.”

  “No, you are correct. I understand. I have chosen my path, and it is with you, not without you.”

  Nijal offered to remain on watch throughout the day. No one refused his offer. He watched as they all returned to their sleep. Quietly, he opened the door to the carriage to check on Adrina. He was happy to find her sleeping soundly.

  The day turned into night without incident, and the group returned to the road again. Adrina begged Nijal to ride with her inside the carriage so she would have some company. Nijal was hesitant though—afraid in a way. He looked to Xith for advice. Xith didn’t offer an argument so he went.

  He was tired after the long day though he hid it well from Adrina. When she asked him if he was sleepy, this time he lied and said simply, “No.” He enjoyed being with her immensely and didn’t want to ruin it. He was also very worried about her. “Sleep is a state of mind,” he whispered to himself to stay awake.

  Adrina released a tiny cry of pain and then laughed aloud. “What is it?” asked Nijal concerned. “Nothing. Here, feel,” she said reaching for his hand.

  “He’s moving.”

  “Yes, sometimes he does. Did you feel that?” she giggled. Repulsed, Nijal pulled his hand away. The look in his eye nearly brought tears to her eyes. “You fear me, hate me.”

  “I fear for you,” Nijal said taking her hand in his. “I—I—”

  He cut off th
e rest of his sentence.

  “Whaat?” asked Adrina as the coach veered sharply and stopped.

  “Shh—listen.”

  “What is it?”

  Nijal didn’t have to answer her. The sound became stronger, even as she talked. Nijal peered out through the carriage door. In the darkness it was hard for him to see, but he knew they were moving off the road because of the tall grass striking the sides of the carriage.

  All movement ceased again, and Xith jumped down from the coach in front of Nijal. “Stay in there with her. Remain quiet,” Xith whispered. Nijal closed the door and latched it. He moved beside Adrina and drew his dagger.

  The long wait began. They could hear the sound of voices yelling an alarm. Flickers of light swallowed the darkness as many torches were lit. The trot of horses began anew as riders plunged into the field.

  The door to the carriage ripped open; Nijal lunged with his dagger. The man on the other side was much quicker. He snatched the blade from Nijal’s hand and pulled him out. It was then that Nijal realized it was Amir. “Come on!” he yelled to Adrina.

  Amir grabbed her and readily mounted, fleeing through the fields. Nijal looked around, momentarily disoriented. He saw his escape, and jumped on the horse that was tied to the rear of the coach, but it was too late. He would not reach the other side of the clearing. He made the only choice he could. He decided to hold his ground and give his companions more time. He turned to look at the retreating shadows of his friends one last time, and then released a blood-curdling cry. With his long sword in one hand and his dagger in the other, carefully he maneuvered his mount toward the attack, and charged at the lead rider.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Keeper Q’yer and Father Joshua, thank you for coming so quickly. We have much to discuss,” said Lord Serant, as he began to fill them in on the words of the three kings of the South.