Pandora's Box: Land of Strife: Pandora's Box Series, Book 1

by S. Y. Lee

Ilena hugged him and his eyes started to tear up with emotion. He had felt out of place since waking up in the inn yesterday, but now he knew for sure that he wasn’t a slave or a servant. Now he understood why he felt such warmth from two people he had never met before, but he was still confused about his memories of Johannesburg, of his sister and mother, and of the library.

  His adoptive mother let go of him when they both heard the front door of the inn open. John was back.

  Chapter 25

  Fresh blood marred his rugged clothes and boots. More trickled down the edge of his axe. Leo wasn’t sure how long John had been gone but it was still dark outside.

  The innkeeper took one last look outside before shutting the door behind him. Everyone in the inn, except for Genfrey who was still standing guard upstairs with a crossbow, huddled around John in a small circle. Even Karine had gotten off her seat and put her swords away.

  Ilena was the first to speak. “John, what did you see out there? Did you find your brother?”

  The big man shook his head. “Sam was nowhere to be found. I’m not worried. He can take care of himself, that I know. The invaders, they’re everywhere. They’re concentrated around the Square and killing townsfolk indiscriminately in the streets. They also vastly outnumber the city’s guards. It’s only a matter of time before they come here.”

  John looked at the faces around him before turning his attention to Eva. “My lady, you’re not safe here. Not for long. The walls to the west are completely destroyed and unguarded. You must leave right now.”

  “But where will we go?” Eva asked.

  “To the north. Thermine. Relations between Silverbrick and Thermine have not always been good, but it’s the only place where you’ll find refuge. You need to tell the Lord of Thermine what has happened here. Ask him to come to our aid. I’ll stay here. Sam will return eventually and when he does, we’ll follow. But now, you need to leave. Leo, protect her.”

  Leo nodded. He wasn’t going to let himself get separated from Eva again.

  “Genfrey and I will stay too,” Ilena said. John looked like he was about to voice his objections, but the resolute expression on his wife’s face stopped him. He kept his mouth shut and exhaled loudly through his nose. “Mistress,” Ilena bowed her head to Karine, “will you accompany them?”

  The elf stared at Ilena. “I will,” she simply said after a long suspenseful pause. That was all she would say on the matter.

  “Themba, go with them too. We’ll see you again soon,” John said. Themba readily agreed. While he liked the comfort and security of the inn, he understood that it was only temporary and sooner or later they would have to evacuate. News of the invaders terrified him and he wanted to get out of the city as quickly as possible. He was relieved to hear John ordering him to go.

  With that settled, Karine nodded in acknowledgment to Ilena, who took Eva upstairs to find more suitable clothes for travel. Themba went to get the supplies he had set aside for the journey. Shortly after that, the party of four was ready to depart, and they bid their farewells to John and Ilena, promising to see them again soon.

  Chapter 26

  Through the dense forestry, the first rays of sunlight could be seen to the group’s right. The monotonous sounds of crickets were interrupted intermittently by twigs snapping under the pressure of the boots of Eva, Leo, or Themba. Karine led the quartet at a moderate pace and made no sound as she moved. After a while, Leo had begun to notice the steps the elf took and he tried to emulate her movements. Her eyes were always on the horizon, yet she knew precisely where she was stepping and what she was stepping on.

  John had been correct about the western boundary of the city, which was near the inn. It had been utterly obliterated by the attackers. Rubble and a few stray bodies of the city’s guards lay where a proud wall once stood. The group had headed north on the road, where many other people were already bound. It seemed that the attackers weren’t too concerned about people fleeing the city.

  Karine led the way as nobody else was familiar with the land, or even what direction was north in the darkness. There hadn’t been a star in the sky and the moon was waning, so they had to stay close to the elf, who navigated the dark with relative ease.

  A few miles later, Karine stopped in her tracks for the first time since they had departed the sacked city. Being the least athletic of the four, Themba hunched over, holding his knees as he panted while Leo and Eva each took a sip out of their waterskins. Leo offered his to Themba, who took it gratefully. His head was spinning so much that he could barely stand.

  The elf looked behind them. Silverbrick was a faint glow in the distance as the fires throughout the city continued to burn. Leo saw Karine’s ears twitch, just like they had earlier in the inn when they were talking about her, and he turned to look behind them too. All he saw were some people trudging along on the dirt road.

  “We must get off the road now,” Karine said and she headed into the trees to the side of the road. When she saw her human companions were slow to follow, she hissed, “Now!”

  As they hurried after their guide and de facto leader, Leo walked with Themba to make sure that the latter wouldn’t fall behind. Although they had barely spoken since meeting yesterday, Leo felt a sense of obligation towards Themba. John and Ilena had treated Themba like family, and by that logic, he was part of Leo’s extended family in this world. His thoughts had drifted several times to Sam during the journey, but there was nothing he could do now but hope to see him again in Thermine.

  Once they were a good distance into the mucky woods, Karine made a sharp turn and they resumed their travel north, parallel to the dirt road but out of sight.

  “Karine, why can’t we walk on the road? Surely it would get us to Thermine much faster,” Eva said. The air around the trees was heavy and caused the party to exert more effort into each step forward. It didn’t help that the ground was damp and their boots constantly sank down into the mud.

  “Horses,” Karine said, without elaborating. Eva looked at Leo, who shrugged at her.

  “Ask her. She’s your friend, isn’t she?” Eva whispered. The moment those words left her mouth, Leo knew that the elf had heard her.

  “I’m not his friend,” Karine said aloud without looking back or stopping. “Horses. There are many horses coming this direction from the city. If they are friendly, they’re riding in the wrong direction. If they’re not friendly, we don’t stand a chance.”

  “Then we have to warn everybody on the road! There are families with children!” Eva exclaimed. Her outburst caused Karine to stop. The elf sighed as she turned to her companions.

  “If we do, they will panic and if the horsemen are our enemies, they will pursue us into the trees. They will cut us down where we stand.” For the first time, Leo could hear true emotion in the elf’s voice. There was a slight tremble as she explained her decision to leave the road, and Eva picked up on it too.

  “Isn’t there anything we could—” Eva stopped mid-sentence as they heard the galloping of horses. The four of them stood in silence as the sound of hoofs hitting the road became louder and closer.

  Karine’s expression turned to one of anguish and Leo soon knew why. As the horses neared, they heard the wails of men, women, and children in pain. Eva grabbed Leo’s arm and looked towards the direction of the road. All they could see from where they were, were the shadows of the horses running past. The entire ordeal lasted a few minutes before the thunderous gallops started to peter out.

  “They’re gone,” Themba said softly. He too was stunned. The violence and death was getting closer to him. It was becoming a reality.

  “About fifty riders. We must continue, but if they’re headed for Thermine, who knows what we’ll find there,” Karine said.

  “Can we go check on the people on the road? See if they need help?” Eva asked hopefully.

  Karine avoided looking at Eva and resumed walking. “We can’t,” she said, just loud enough for them to hear.

 
Chapter 27

  It was a rhythmic and almost calming sound. Metal clanging against metal repeatedly. Anybody who had ever been by this street was familiar with the sound. The blacksmith’s shop was tucked away in a back alley of the local marketplace and even when the coals weren’t burning, it was still consistently hot and humid in the back of the shop where the weapons were cast and shaped.

  In the forge at the back of the shop, a young man wielded a hammer with precision on top the anvil and struck on the red-hot blade until he was satisfied. He brought the blade up with the large pair of iron tongs up to his eyes and inspected it to make sure it was straight, then dipped it into the vat of water beside him. The water let out a loud hiss and he shielded his eyes from the resulting steam, before withdrawing the hardened blade.

  The young man held it up in the sunlight, pleased with his work.

  “Boy!” the blacksmith called for him from outside the shop. “Come help me with this!”

  David inspected the new blade once more before setting it down and wiping his sweaty hands on his dirty shirt. When he went out, he saw the blacksmith dragging a pile of old swords and spears behind him, all bound together by a piece of rope.

  “There you are. Take these back there and see what you can do to salvage them. I got them on the cheap from some traveling merchant who was looking to get rid of them. I reckon we can make a good profit if we fix up these blades. How’s the order for Mister Perchart coming along?”

  “Nearly done,” David replied. “Just need to set the blade and it’s ready.”

  “Good. Make sure it looks good. Doesn’t have to be balanced. He’s just going to wear that sword by his side for show. I don’t think he even knows how to use one,” the blacksmith chuckled.

  The pile of rusty weapons was heavy and David was surprised the blacksmith had managed to haul it all the way back to the shop. Ernus, the blacksmith, was a short man who cut a lean figure, though if you looked closely, there was not an ounce of fat to be found on him. Years of working the forge had honed his muscles, much like the blades he wrought.

  When he finally managed to bring the old scraps back to the forge, David looked around at the variety of weapons that could be seen lying around everywhere or hanging on the walls. He felt a comforting sense of accomplishment even under the undesirable circumstances. His clothes smelled and he was constantly drenched in warm sweat, but working with his hands was deeply rewarding.

  David had woken up three days ago in a hut where Ernus was standing over him. The blonde Englishman was confused at first when Ernus pulled him out of bed and said he was late for work. The last thing David remembered about working was at the restaurant before he quit.

  That first day, as they walked through the dirty streets, David realized that he was no longer in Greece, or London, for that matter. It felt like he had been sent back in time, to a period so simple that children didn’t stare at glowing screens and adults weren’t walking around in suits or rushing to their next meeting. By the time he stepped into the blacksmith’s shop behind Ernus, he was sure that it wasn’t a dream. He couldn’t explain it, but it felt like he had made that same groggy walk to the shop hundreds of times. When Ernus put him to work, he did as he was instructed and found himself rather adept at blacksmithing, even though he wasn’t sure if he had ever been in a forge before.

  After they closed the shop in the evening, Ernus brought David to a tavern. It looked like that something out of a movie set. David studied the people around him while Ernus ordered a hearty meal of goat’s meat and ale for them. They ate in silence and Ernus paid the bill when they were done. Then, the blacksmith bid him goodnight and David made his way through the dark streets, which were only illuminated by the faint moonlight, back to the hut where his day had begun. There were a few bends and turns along the way, yet somehow David instinctively knew where to go. He couldn’t explain why or how, as he laid down on the tiny bed inside the minimalistic hut. He was tired after a long day of honest and hard work.

  David had surmised that he was the blacksmith’s apprentice, but he had no idea where his sister was. He wasn’t quite sure if Sarah had ever existed, though he had such vivid memories of her and their childhood together. As he started to drift off to sleep, he thought about the many times when one of them would get sick and, because they were inseparable, cause the other to fall ill as well, resulting in a fun day spent at home on the couch watching television and eating junk food. It felt strange that Sarah wasn’t here.

  Chapter 28

  It had been three days since the attack on Silverbrick and the trees seemed never-ending. If it weren’t for Karine, Leo might have assumed that they were lost in a mystical forest, damned to walk through the thick foliage for the rest of their lives.

  After the first stampede, they had heard horses galloping past numerous times in both directions. It wasn’t safe to go back to the road. They consumed their bread and water conservatively, and Karine would often go off on her own right before dusk to gather fruits for them. Leo didn’t recognize any of the fruits she brought back, but they were succulent and delicious. One even tasted like a pineapple, although it came in the form of a red, oval fruit.

  They walked all day, often in silence, and rested at night. Themba, the weakest of the four, was gradually becoming more accustomed to the rigors of the trek as each day went by. Karine refused to let them start a fire after darkness set in, so they took particular care to find a good sleeping spot every night, usually under a big tree when they slept with their backs against the trunk.

  After dusk, the moonlight was barely visible through the tall canopy high up above them and while it seemed like a fire wouldn’t be seen from the main road, nobody dared to object to Karine. So far, her experience and instincts had kept them alive. It didn’t help that she always put her hands on the handles of her swords whenever she spoke, whether it was out of habit or a conscious way to reinforce her words.

  At night, while Themba wrapped himself in as many layers as possible, Leo and Eva huddled together for warmth. Karine would lie down to rest, but Leo wasn’t sure if she actually slept. He had woken up in the middle of the morning on the second night, roused from his sleep by a snapping branch. He couldn’t see anything in front of him, nor could he move without disturbing Eva, who was hugging his left arm as she slept soundly.

  Karine had been leaning against the tree to his right and she rose quietly. “Be still,” she whispered. Leo wasn’t sure how she knew he was awake. She stepped forward into the darkness and Leo listened for any sounds. He could faintly hear a blade being drawn, then returned to its sheath moments later. The next thing he knew, Karine was sitting back down next to him. “It’s taken care of,” the elf said. Leo wasn’t sure what to make of it, so he closed his eyes and slowly drifted back to sleep.

  When morning came, Leo was woken by an aroma that filled his nostrils. He smelled roasted meat. He opened his eyes and saw Eva and Karine holding sticks of red meat over a fire. The day was bright and Karine must have let him and Themba sleep in. For the past two days, she had made them get up at the earliest sign of light and would have them on their way moments after that.

  About ten feet behind Eva, Leo saw the carcass of a large feline animal. It was about the size of a tiger or panther, but its fur was dark emerald and blended in with the greenery. Even in broad daylight, it would have been difficult to spot among the trees. There were no signs of drag marks on the ground, which meant that it had been killed where it laid, within pouncing distance of the group.

  Karine acknowledged Leo’s wide-eyed look with a slight smile and she offered him a stick with a lump of cooked meat at the end.

  The meat was much needed nourishment and gave them all a little bounce in their steps when they continued on their journey. Leo thought that it had been a waste to leave the dead animal’s remains behind, but there was no way for them to bring it with them. Carrying around rotting meat in the wild wouldn’t have been pleasant.

  Sometim
e around the middle of the day, Karine stopped.

  “There’s something nearby. The sound of people and smell of food,” Karine said. She looked upwards into the sky and Leo wondered what she was looking for until he saw it too. A faint plume of smoke.

  “Is it coming from the road?” Eva asked.

  “No, it’s deeper inside the trees.”

  “Why would there be people deeper inside? Maybe it’s a village?”

  “Maybe.” Karine looked towards the direction of the road then back. “We’ll walk around it but close enough to see what it is. Be careful. And ready.” Her hands were on her blades and her last two words were directed at Leo. He put his hand on Sparrow’s hilt to show that he understood.

  It didn’t take long before they came upon what Karine had detected. It was a giant tree, one so humongous that Leo couldn’t even fathom. It was so wide and tall that he initially thought it was a building. Leo craned his neck and looked up. The plume of smoke was emerging from the top of the tree. There was a small clearing and footpath that led to a side of the colossal tree, to a blue wooden door.

  *

  Up close, the blue door was bigger than Leo had thought from afar. It was almost twice his height and four times as wide as him. There was an iron handle that was shaped like a key being inserted into the door. Eva and Themba were right behind Leo, with Karine holding up the rear. She surveyed their surroundings and was poised to draw her swords should the occasion call for it. After three days of traveling together, Leo thought that she was being overly cautious. If there were any enemies lying in wait nearby, the elf’s superior senses would have already picked up on their presences.

  Wrapping his fingers around the key-shaped handle, Leo looked at Eva for assurance and she nodded. He tightened his grip and pulled. At first, the door only budged slightly, though the sounds coming from inside instantly amplified. Flutes were playing. People were laughing. Mugs were being slammed down onto tables.