Chapter 3: Precipice of Destruction
The path through the long tunnel wrapped and curved for over a mile. Raunst and Psydra exited into the afternoon sun. Raunst was saitsfied when he emerged to see the two heavy horses that had been prepared for them. He looked over his shoulder but could see nothing of the stronghold or Xero's army.
They rode out without a word. Psydra pushed her horse hard. She wanted to gain more distance from Xero. A part of her wanted to leave Raunst behind as well. Over and over she played out the scene of intruding into the room and finding Raunst's blade at her father's neck. It was only when the late afternoon came that her thoughts turned to Xero's assault. Had they managed to fight him off? Did they escape as had been the plan? Was her father still alive?
As the afternoon extended, Psydra eased down their pace. The pair now traveled on along a sandy road and Psydra's horse's canter kicked up more and more sand and dust into Raunst’s face. Raunst nudged the reigns. Chalice, his horse, quickened. The rider and his horse pulled up aside Psydra. The lady did not take her eyes from the path ahead.
“How long until we get there?” Raunst asked.
“We can’t ride the whole way. I will arrange for a ship in Feltin." Psydra tightened her legs around her horse's sides. "It will take us several days to get where we are going." Psydra pulled ahead.
Raunst supressed the agitation in his response as he moved to keep up. “Is there another way? Talin doesn’t have several days for us to get back. ”
“Don’t you think I know that?” Her scornful look said the rest.
“I’m sorry.”
A sudden, deep grunt from behind grabbed Raunst’s attention. He jerked his head around and was confronted by a slobbering bear-like creature. It had massive claws and long gnarled teeth. A loud roar erupted. The startled horses kicked and bucked, sloughing both riders into the forgiving soft sand. The monster moved in.
Raunst stood quickly, but struggled to regain his breath. Psydra was knelt over on the ground in front of Raunst. The beast stood behind her, stalking closer.
The creature was more than twice their size. Its tongue slapped against its slimy teeth as its maw gaped. Raunst drew his sword and charged. Psydra rose up as Raunst darted past. Her fingers gripped the leather wrapping of her hilt and yanked her crystal blade free. Raunst danced in a circle with the monster as Psydra flanked from the left.
Psydra, seeing an opening, dove in and swung. The monster’s reflexes and senses were on full alert. His large paw batted away at her blade. It followed through and struck Psydra across her armored chest. She fell to the ground on her back. Psydra scurried away as the beast rushed to overtake her. Raunst leapt in slashing. His strike knocked the beast off its attack course and drew a line of purple blood across thd beast's side. The two crashed into the sandy ground. The beast lashed out from the ground. Raunst sprang to his feet. His sword lost on the ground behind the monster. The beast lunged, its massive claws thrashing.
Raunst dodged the first blow. The other claw came towards him from the other side, then stopped. An arrow shaft extended from the monster's side. Another whilstleing missile flew by Raunst's ears. He identified the wisp of its path. The beast retracted as the second bolt pierced its chest. Raunst hurried at the opportunity and collected his sword. He struck with full fury penetrating the side of the giant’s ribs. The giant fell.
Raunst's eyes caught Psydra just coming to her feet. Beyond her, at the edge of the wood crouched a young boy. Jake stood with his longbow bow in hand. The weapon towered over him. The dark skinned boy pulled free the loaded arrow from the drawstring and returned it to his quiver. Jake stood and gave a friendly nod as he approached the travelers.
"Thank you," Raunst called to the stranger as wiped his sword clean on the brown fur of the carcass.
"No need, I deal with 'em a lot," Jake returned.
"Thank you, anyway," Raunst repeated. He moved over to Psydra.
She stood favoring her left leg. Her pants were ripped below the knee. Raunst put his arm out to her. Psydra hesitated to accept his assistance. "I'm fine." She said pushing him away.
As she took the first step her lips drew in bearing her teeth. It was worse than she wanted it to be.
"Need some help?" Jake asked.
"Yes." Raunst stepped in and tossed Psydra's right arm around his neck.
Jake took the other side. He and Raunst aided Psydra to a rock. Psydra sat and put her right leg out straight to get a look at it, rolling it side to side. The tear in her pants below the knee revealed a gash in her leg. The cuts were long and shallow. Raunst tore off the bottom of her pant leg and tied it around her wound.
"How's that?" Raunst asked.
"Not gonna last half a mile." Jake quickly undid the knot. He reached into a small pouch at his side. He withdrew three rolls of white cloth and a small vial of olive colored liquid. The boy uncorked the vial and dapped a tiny bit of liquid on one of the cloth rolls. Jake proceeded to wipe away at the blood of the wounds. His hands moved about the gash with a confident proficiency and he had it cleaned in moments. The boy pulled out a yellow leaf and placed it gently on the wound, and then he wrapped it with the unused cloth.
"Better, but soar," Psydra answered. "The horses?"
"They ran off ahead, I hope we can catch them." Raunst said.
"I can help you get where you want to go," Jake offered.
"Who are you?" inquired Raunst.
"Jake Stokes." He answered.
"The, Jake Stokes?" Psydra looked surprised.
"At your service." The boy said giving a bow.
"I thought you were older," Raunst uttered slowly.
"I'm eighteen, just a bit small," said Jake, looking just above half his age.
"If you help us get us to Feltin, you can stay around as long as you like." Raunst concluded.
Jake helped them gather the horses. Then they were off through the woods on a shortcut Jake knew of. The famous archer regaled them with many tales of his exploits as they marched on through the wooded path. The three companions traveled west through Scarlet Pass. They set up camp for the night at the base of the Red Mountains. The open plains ahead led to the inland sea. By tomorrow they would be at Feltin and one step closer to Enfirus.
Late in the night, Psydra awoke to find Raunst missing. She caught sight of his silhouette against the black sky looking away over the open prairie away from their camp. She escaped her sleeping roll and went to meet him. He heard Psydra approach but didn’t turn around.
"This has been a strange day. I expected a very different ending." Raunst said.
"My father says: it’s not about the days we see, but the days we live." Psydra said.
"You knew my father?"
Psydra nodded. It had been a long time since she had been around Chris.
“They were good friends, our fathers?” Raust asked.
"Inseparable. They spent many days and nights together. I enjoyed their interactions much as a child," said Psydra.
"It feels odd to have been left out for so long."
"Everyone wanted you safe, especially your parents. We all hoped that it would never come to this; Xero should have died that first night. My life began with the same pain, from the same person. I know you are confused Raunst Baltir, but we need you. Tonight, at this moment my father is likely in the fight of his life if not already slain. It cannot be for nothing. All of them will be avenged.”
“But how do you know it should be me?” His eyes were clear and calm in the moonlight, the color washed out to a plain silver hue. A silent connection between them existed for moment. It was an understanding unique to those who share such parallel experiences. “I wish I had known more of them, maybe then I would see it as you do.”
The chirp of insects rose as the breeze subsided. The melody masked the absence of their words for a lingering moment. “You should get to sleep,” Raunst said at last. <
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“You better get some sleep, too."
Raunst didn't answer. Psydra’s steps trailed off behind him. His mind was in utter chaos with all he had been told. What was true? He didn't know. His mind churned constantly, trying to reason. After a long hour he finally came to one thing, sleep.
The Demon Legacy Page 3
