The Outrider Legion: Book One

by Christopher Pepper

  Jonvar stood there, unsure of what to do. He sat back down unsteadily, placing his helmet on the table.

  “That was a…test? Of what?”

  “There are dark times coming for your city. Perhaps for us all. I wished to know if it would be faced by men of resolve and courage. I see now that if others follow your example, there may yet be…hope.”

  The Akvan’s voice had changed slightly saying that last word, Jonvar noticed. As if he was saying an unfamiliar word.

  “So…there is no threat to my brother? It was part of your bullshit character test?”

  “Oh no, Captain, the threat is very real. However, it is not from me. This time. There has already been a number of attempts on the lives of your brother and his men.”

  “What!? By who?”

  “At this time, I do not know. Some have occurred in the field. My agents also uncovered a plot this very evening within the city itself. They were able to stymie the efforts of this unknown party. Since the attempts continue, we must assume that your brother was successful in his mission, and that he is returning from Oberon as we speak.”

  Jonvar’s eyes narrowed. The Akvan knew much.

  “What, exactly, do you know about his mission?”

  “There are some things you need not concern yourself with. Secret missions rarely stay secret once they are underway. Send word to your gate captains to look for him upon his return. Ensure that he is informed of the situation. The city will be no safe refuge for him now. And I have information that he will certainly require.”

  “Is that why he is on your list?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why not tell me what you know, and I will relay the information to him?”

  “No. Consider this, Captain. Who will he take more seriously? His brother, or the Akvan?”

  “I…see your point. But he won’t…” Jonvar trailed off, unsure of how to continue.

  “Speak,” the Akvan commanded sternly.

  “I don’t think Johan will consider you anything other than a monster, no matter how much you try and help.”

  “That is a common reaction to my presence,” the Akvan said, as close to making a joke as Jonvar would believe.

  “It’s only because of one thing in your past that has probably turned him against you forever. Sir Aldir.”

  At the mention of Sir Aldir, the room grew colder. Jonvar had a feeling he crossed a line, but he pressed on.

  “He was Johan’s hero. Hells, hero is perhaps too light. Johan worshipped Aldir, as only a young boy could. Stories of Aldir inspired Johan to enlist far more than me or my father. And all those stories end with…”

  “I slew him,” rumbled the Akvan. The simple statement was almost a declaration.

  “Yes.”

  “Your brother will need to learn to adapt. You all will. Pass on my command to him. Let him confront me and show his anger, if he will. That is all, Captain.”

  Jonvar rose, knowing a dismissal when he heard one. Before turning towards the door, he bowed his head slightly.

  “Thank you. It…it would seem that perhaps I’m wrong about you.”

  The Akvan looked up sharply, faint light glowing through the eye slit. The light chilled Jonvar to the bone.

  “No. You aren’t.”

  The Outriders’ spirits were high. They were close to The City now, and had an entire day of riding behind them. It was a day with no pitched battle, no attack by shadowy assassins, and no chases. The biggest danger they encountered was getting fleeced by merchants, as they had found themselves riding behind a large trade caravan from the south. Johan and Ryker had agreed that following the caravan was safer than riding ahead of it. If they were being followed, perhaps blending in with other people would buy them time.

  The caravan members were pleasant enough, even if their hired blades eyed the Outriders warily. Vegard had spoken to the caravan leader a few times, and had been able to purchase replacement strings and arrows, whetstones, and other sundries that the Outriders found they had not included in their lists. The sorts of things they did not realize they needed until they were afield. He had even gotten them a pig to roast for dinner the previous night.

  Nerthus, after some prodding from Johan and Leonid, prepared the meal for them. At first she was hostile to the idea.

  “You want me to cook for you because I’m the only woman here, is that it?”

  “That’s not it at all,” Johan said, doing his best to placate her. “You forget, Leo and I had been inside your shop. You may have been merely play-acting a butcher, but you know what you’re doing. More than any of us at the very least. Vegard would be crushed if, after getting us that pig, we had Ryker cook it and ruin it.”

  The two-pronged attack of appealing to her pride and insulting Ryker worked, and the spy gave in. She agreed on the condition that she merely cook and not serve, with that honor going to Johan. That night they ate good food, swapped stories with the hired blades, and slept soundly.

  The following day, just before noon, Leonid halted the Outriders on a hill, letting the caravan pull away slightly. He sat on his horse with his eyes closed, and smelled the cool fall air. The other riders rode up next to him, all of them curious.

  “What is it?” Johan asked.

  “Smell that air,” he said, opening his eyes. “Do you feel the change in the wind?”

  Ryker stared flatly at the Weaver.

  “If you say ‘storm’s coming’, I may kick you off your horse.”

  Leonid’s laughter boomed around them, and he pointed into the sky.

  “Look!”

  They all looked to where he was pointing. They were all silent for a moment, not knowing what they were looking for. The clouds parted, and Toma let out a long appreciative whistle.

  One of The City’s skyships cut through the sky, diving low through the cloud cover. The other Outriders could feel the change in wind as it passed overhead, a faint hum touching their ears. It pulled up from its dive and arced back up in the sky, cruising underneath the low hanging clouds. Puffs of moisture trailed off the bow of the flying vessel, giving the appearance of spray off of an ocean-going ship.

  “Someday,” Johan found himself saying out loud. Something almost like longing was in his voice.

  “’Someday’ what?” Nerthus asked him.

  Toma spoke up before Johan.

  “The commander here wants to be on one of those contraptions someday.”

  “Really?” Nerthus asked, curious.

  Johan, aware now that everyone was staring at him, felt his cheeks coloring.

  “Yeah, it’s always been a dream of mine. But it’s a ways off. Besides, I just became an Outrider. I intend to stay here for awhile.”

  “Then off to the Tenth Legion with you?” Garm asked.

  Johan turned, expecting to see a joking expression on the older man’s face. But instead there was an earnestness there he hadn’t expected. He nodded at Garm.

  “That’s the plan.”

  “I’ll make a deal with you, sir,” Garm continued. “If that’s what you want to do, and I’m still alive when you do it, take me with you. We can go be sky pirates together.”

  “Me too,” Toma said. “Putting up with you clowns a few more years would be worth it to fly.”

  “Don’t leave me behind,” Vegard said from the wagon.

  Johan couldn’t help but smile. He never expected them to want to follow him.

  “Let’s stop the attempt to get on the Commander’s good side, shall we? I won’t hold any of you to this. We’ve only been on one mission together so far, and we still haven’t actually finished it. You may change your minds about me soon enough.”

  “Well well well,” Leonid said. “Looks like our little commander has some high aspirations after all. I never would have seen this coming. And here I was, assuming you’d use your position as an Outrider to scour the continent for Aldir’s Sword of Glass.” He winked at Johan, the expression friendly but disconcerting on the Weaver’s pi
nched and shrunken face.

  “Oh, I plan on doing that too,” Johan said, smiling. “Feel free to tag along, if you’d like. I couldn’t be Aldir without a Ilarion.”

  “Okay kids,” Ryker broke in. “I don’t know about you all, but I’m ready to sleep in a bed. We can make the city by nightfall if we ride hard.”

  “He’s right,” Johan agreed. “Our glory and heroism can wait a bit. We still have a package to deliver, and a new friend to drop off at the Citadel. Let’s ride.”

  True to Ryker’s word, the Outriders reached The City just after nightfall. Leaving the caravan to enter via the Trader’s gate, they entered the city using the same side gate they had left it. The gate captain, upon learning their identities, waved Johan over for a private word.

  “Sir, Captain Else came by this morning, said it was urgent. Before you report in at the Citadel he wants you to meet him at your barracks. I’ll send a runner to let him know. But he was very serious about it.”

  “Do you know what it was about?” Johan asked.

  “I didn’t pry, sir, but he said it was family business, and not to tell your father.”

  Johan thanked the captain, who dispatched a runner immediately. He suddenly became nervous. ‘Not to tell father’ was a little family expression that Johan and Jonvar had with their mother. They only used it when something needed to be a secret. Ryker looked at him quizzically.

  “Something’s wrong,” he told Ryker. “Jon wants us to go to the barracks before we report in.”

  “Uh oh,” Ryker said. He suddenly looked worried. “Could it have something to do with the guest we left in the basement?”

  “Gods I hope not. Our situation is bad enough as it is. Okay, let’s head home. Jon will meet us there.” He looked quickly at Nerthus and Leonid, who were eyeing them curiously.

  Ryker had a similar train of thought.

  “They may not understand the need for the delay in delivering our cargo, boss.”

  Johan was already trotting his horse over to them.

  “We need to make a slight detour before we head to the Citadel.”

  Nerthus’s expression changed from curiosity to suspicion.

  “Do you really think that’s wise, Joh? It seems the longer we keep this thing and our prisoner, the longer we are targets.”

  “I have to agree with her, Joh,” Leonid said. “The sooner we get the package within the Citadel the safer we all will be. And Kinnese needs to be put under lock and key as soon as possible.”

  Johan put up a hand and nodded.

  “I understand completely, believe me. And you’re both right. But I received a message from my brother as soon as we passed through the gate. Something is very wrong. He’s the adjunct to the Praetorian Militant himself, and he knows the nature of our mission. If he’s trying to tell us something, we need to meet with him.” He saw the lingering doubt in Nerthus’s face. “Look, if I haven’t proven my loyalty to you by now, it’s never going to happen. We’re still going to the Citadel. It’s just going to take a little longer getting there. I also want to drop off Vegard. No sense dragging him all over The City when he needs to recover more than any of us.”

  The spy and the Weaver were both silent for a moment. Then they both nodded, as if reaching agreement with each other.

  “We will meet your brother,” Leonid said. “But that is the only diversion I will allow. After that, we go to the Citadel.”

  “Thank you, both of you,” Johan said, relief evident in his voice. “Come on, follow me. Newcomb Square isn’t that far from here.”

  Every step of the way, from the gate to the Square, the Outriders were tensed for some new assault, some new subterfuge. But none came. As they reached Newcomb Square, and saw the turret of their barracks looming above them, they allowed themselves to relax.

  “It’s funny,” Ryker said, to no one in particular. “We’ve only spent a few hours in this dump, but it still feels like we’re coming home.”

  “Aye it does,” Vegard said from the wagon. “I just wish we had had time to set up our rooms before we left.”

  The Outriders slowly rode through the Square. As they passed the golem, it made a low whirring noise as it slowly tracked them. Nearing the barracks, some locals waved and called out greetings. Exchanging looks, they dismounted and tied their horses to the front posts. Garm drove the wagon with the injured men along the side of the house, not wanting to leave their prisoner slumbering in the open.

  Johan and Ryker walked up the front steps. As Johan fumbled in his pockets looking for the key to the doors, he froze. Ryker did as well. Something was definitely happening inside. They could hear floorboards creak even through the door. Ryker made a series of hand gestures, and Toma went silent, drew his weapons, and stood to one side of the stairs. Nerthus and Leonid also prepared themselves, taking up position at the bottom of the stairs. Johan found the key and flashed a “get ready” signal. Slowly and silently, Johan inserted the key and turned it, never making a sound. Stepping back, he drew his own gladius, did a three count, and kicked the double doors in.

  Johan, Ryker, and Toma were not two steps inside when they heard a woman’s startled squeal. There was a rustling sound and a flurry of movement and they saw the naked backside of a tall brunette as she ran down the hall and disappear into a room. They all got a fleeting glimpse of a large bird-shaped tattoo on her right shoulder blade before she was gone. Stalking into the main room from the doors, they stood there, disbelief on their faces. The rest of the Outriders silently filled in behind them, unsure of what was ahead of them.

  Aleksander lay partially naked on a couch, struggling to pull on pants. He looked at them upside down from the couch, an embarrassed grin on his face.

  “Oh, hey fellas! You’re, ah, back! Well that’s great!”

  Despite finding him basically squatting in their barracks, the Outriders found themselves extremely glad to see Aleksander. Each one took his hand in greeting, as if meeting an old friend. Aleksander, for his part, couldn’t help but be happy that the Outriders had returned. Every one of them could not stop apologizing for leaving him there.

  Leonid and Nerthus watched this reunion of sorts with amusement. When the greetings had died down, Alek saw the two new additions and went to introduce himself. He shook Leonid’s hand vigorously, and bowed slightly to Nerthus.

  “Pleased to meet you both. Name’s Aleksander. And a friend of these poor bums is a friend of mine! I wasn’t aware that they had earned the right to travel with so pretty a lady. Or so learned a gentleman.” He smiled broadly at them both. Leonid seemed quite taken with his warm greeting, and bowed. Nerthus still wasn’t sure, and regarded him from a distance.

  “And who’s the charming girl here with you,” she asked, an eyebrow cocked up.

  Alek’s cheeks flushed slightly, which did a great deal to humanize him in Nerthus’s eyes.

  “Ahhh that lass is…Edda. She’s a, ah, friend of mine.”

  “That she certainly is,” Nerthus said with a wry grin. She patted Aleksander on the shoulder as Johan walked over.

  “Planes, Alek, I love what you’ve done with the place. But…just why did you stay here after my brother released you?”

  “Brother…? Sorry Joh, but I let myself out a few days ago. No one came to get me.”

  “Let yourself out? Of what?” Nerthus asked.

  Now it was Johan’s turn to look embarrassed.

  “The night before we were dispatched on our mission, we met this big oaf out in the Keg. When we came to the following morning, he was locked in our basement cell. And we…kind of forgot he was there.” Johan shot an apologetic look at Alek as he continued. “We received our dispatch orders early, and had to leave immediately. That, coupled with just getting assigned to a new barracks, sorting through the requisitions, the rush of our first mission, and the massive hangovers all kind of made certain things slip our minds as we left. But I sent a message here as soon as we reached Oberon to have someone come let you out, Ale
k. No one showed up at all?”

  Guiltily, Alek shot a look over his shoulder before answering. Edda, now wearing some of the clothes she wore when she attacked Alek, reappeared in the room amidst the commotion. There was a nervous look in her eyes as she stood there.

  “Well, yes, actually. It’s one of the reasons that I stuck around a little longer. Let me start from the beginning. See, I’m kinda new at the whole ‘getting locked up’ thing. Add to that, when I came to I was abandoned. No offense meant,” he added hastily, looking around at the Outriders. “But since I still don’t remember why I was locked up in there, I didn’t want to become a fugitive from justice. So I waited for you all to return. Sorted the place out a bit for you, walked around a bit,” he reached out an arm and Edda walked over to them timidly, “and met some people. Which brings me to-“

  “Joh!”

  As one, everyone in the room looked at the hallway. Jonvar was standing there, resplendent in his armor. He walked over and embraced his brother. The Outriders all welcomed him as well, and after letting go of Johan he shook hands with them all. He paused when he saw the others standing there. Ryker was quick to introduce them all.

  “Jonvar, this is the Weaver Leonid, this is Nerthus, our contact from Oberon, and this is Alek and Edda. They were our…caretakers for the place while we were gone. And everyone else, this is Captain Jonvar Else, adjunct of the Praetorian Militant.”

  Jonvar shook each of their hands respectfully as they were introduced, and then he turned back to the Outriders.

  “Okay, we are all in a hurry so I’m going to get started now. You have all missed some extremely interesting times. Melcara is beginning to fortify its borders. I guess your little mission caused some waves. Because of this, the King has ordered the raising of a new Legion, which is causing an uproar among the Century, who is being given the bill. And to top it all off, there is a...guest of honor at the Halls of Law.”

  “Who, sir?” Asked Toma

  “The Akvan himself is here.”

  The Outriders were stunned into silence. Leonid’s face became one of weariness and worry. Aleksander’s twisted into a scowl of rage.