"No tents?" I can't believe what I am hearing. Did this rube expect for us to sleep outside?
"No tents," he reaffirms, unrolling his bedroll on the ground. "We travel light. Tents are too cumbersome for rangers." He looks up at me, and I can see his white teeth as he smiles at me in the darkness.
He seems to be enjoying this.
"I'm not a ranger," I say, stubbornly crossing my arms. "What about the elements? What about animals?"
I can practically feel him rolling his eyes. "We'll be alright. I promise."
Huffing, I open my pack and take out the bedroll I borrowed from the governor's manor. It is a plush thing, probably very expensive, and I cringe as I spread it out on the dirt.
Owyn hands me a hunk of bread and a water skin. "Here," he says. "Eat this and then try to get some sleep. I'll take first watch, and then I'll wake you so that you can watch while I sleep. Fair?"
I take the food and reluctantly agree. "Fair."
"Good." He picks up his bow and draws an arrow. "I'm going to scout around a bit, but I won't be far. If you need an extra blanket, you can take one from my pack."
And with that, he disappears into the woods with hardly a sound.
Nibbling on the bread, I try to make myself as comfortable as possible in my makeshift bed. The ground is hard and lumpy beneath my mat, but my training exercises from the day have made me surprisingly tired. I take a final sip of water and then lie down, staring up at the stars from my back.
The sounds of the forest wash over me, making it hard for me to fall asleep. I hear leaves rustling in the wind, and every so often the noise of a branch snapping or a twig popping reaches my ears, making me wonder what sort of creatures are lurking just out of sight.
What are you doing, Zara? What have you gotten yourself into? It is not the first time I have asked myself that question. My heart tells me that I am making the right choice, but my mind is not shy about reminding me what this little stunt could cost me.
Becoming a mage is all I've ever wanted. Is it really worth throwing all of it away by following my conscience?
Yes, I conclude after a moment of reflection. I would never be able to forgive myself if I let this opportunity slip away. Even if it does turn out to be nothing.
I turn my head and look through the darkness at Owyn. He is standing a little way off with his back to me, looking out at the forest with that bow in his hand.
Suddenly, I become keenly aware that this is the first time I have ever been alone with a boy, traveling and sleeping in the same place. The dormitories at the Academy were separated by sex, and boys and girls intermingling with each other was strongly discouraged by the Conclave. Oh, how the rumors would fly if my classmates could see me now!
Owyn is a handsome one, but he also seems aloof. He's not much of a conversationalist, and the way he clings to the old ways of doing things, to the ways of a woodsman, is maddening. He seems better suited to the life of a hermit than to life in civilized society.
Still, I think to myself, settling down onto my back. Being with him is better than being out here alone, I suppose.
My thoughts are a jumbled mess, but eventually I start to drift off. The last thing I picture before I fall asleep is the stern visage of Elva, shaking her head in disappointment.
Chapter Nineteen
Owyn
It seems that I have only closed my eyes for a few short minutes when Zara kicks me awake.
Kicks me.
I open my eyes and glare up at her, finding her smiling innocently down at me beneath the hood of her cloak. "Rise and shine," she says in a sing-song voice. "It's time to get up!"
Grunting, I pull myself out of my warm bedroll and attempt to rub the sleep from my eyes. I have the sinking feeling that it is going to be a very long day. Pulling my own cloak around me to ward off the morning chill, I look around while waiting for my head to clear.
The purple hue of dawn is brightening the sky, and I can hear birds chirping the trees around us. We are a several leagues away from Forest Hill, in a dense thicket far from any town home or farmstead. If we start riding soon we should be able to reach the clearing with the dead deer before sundown. I don't remember exactly where it is, but I know the general area. From there, it shouldn't be too difficult to find.
Clearing my throat, I begin rummaging through my pack, pulling out a wax-covered block of cheese, a heel of bread and a pouch full of dried grapes. Dividing up my share, I shove some of the bread into my mouth and hand the rest over to Zara, who is looking at me distastefully like I am some kind of barbarian.
Right now, it is difficult for me to summon the will to care.
She's got a nice figure, I think to myself as I eat. But damn if she isn't annoying.
She looks down at the meager portion as if uncertain about what to do. "Eat," I urge, taking another bite. "We have a long day of riding ahead of us, and judging by your riding abilities, you are going to need all the energy you can get." I resist the urge to laugh at the withering look she gives me.
"I think I'll get along just fine, thank you."
She breaks off a piece of cheese and begins delicately nibbling on it, reminding me of a squirrel eating a nut.
I take a swig of water, then decide to break the uncomfortable silence that has settled between us. "If we keep a good pace, we should arrive sometime this afternoon."
"Good," she replies simply, before popping a grape into her mouth.
I swiftly finish my meal and begin packing up our things, stuffing the bedroll into my pack and securing it to the saddle of my mare. As I work, I speak without looking at her. "What do you expect to find out there, anyway? It seems like an awful lot of trouble sneaking away like this, looking for something that might not even be there at all."
"I can ask you the same question," she replies without missing a beat. "Why leave your master in the middle of the night to help some mage girl that you don't even know?"
I shrug, pulling the leather straps tight on my saddle. "You are the only one who believes my story. It wasn't like I had many options to choose from."
She is silent for a long moment before responding. "My colleagues' reaction astounded me. I've been studying demons for some time, and your description matched them perfectly. If they are not going to anything about it, then it is up to me to investigate."
Turning around, I regard her for a moment. She is sitting on a rock looking down at a piece of bread, brow furrowed as if trying to convince herself that she made the right choice.
Hells, I think to myself. She looks as uncertain as I do about all of this. How on earth did we get thrown into this together?
"Let me help you with your things," I say gruffly, making my way to her neatly packed bags. I hoist them up and begin strapping them onto her horse.
"Thank you," she mumbles before taking another bite. I nod but do not reply.
In a matter of minutes, she is done eating as well, and we mount up and begin leaving behind our little campsite, making our way deeper into the Emberwood. I take the lead, keeping my mare at a decent pace so that we make good time, though I also look behind myself every so often to make sure that she hasn't fallen behind.
The weight of responsibility begins to settle down on my shoulders. Light, is this what Elias feels like every time we go out to make our rounds? Without me, I know that Zara would be hopelessly lost in this forest. It is a sobering thought indeed, taking leadership over someone else.
We travel in silence for the better part of the morning, the sky growing brighter and the air growing warmer around us as we ride. The very forest seems to come alive with the rising sun. I spot a doe and some fawns drinking water from a stream while birds sing and insects buzz in the green, leafy boughs. The sounds of the woodlands are soothing to me, reminding me of simpler times, when the most pressing issue used to be learning from my master how to properly trap a rabbit.
How quickly things have changed, I muse silently.
Around midday, we b
egin eating lunch in the saddle. Zara pulls her horse up next to mine and regards me with a curious look on her face. This section of the forest is less dense, so we can easily ride side by side without the fear of running into a tree.
"Why did you decide to join the rangers?" Her question takes me completely off-guard. I'm not sure how to respond.
Taking my lack of an answer as sign that I am upset, she tries to rephrase it. "I don't mean to offend you or anything. I'm genuinely curious. I mean, of all the things in the world to be, why be a ranger?"
I shrug my shoulders. "The rangers are the protectors of the realm," I find myself saying. "They guard the borders of the land so that everyone else can live comfortable lives. I am honored to stand among them."
She rolls her eyes. "Yes, yes, and the mages safeguard the Heart of Light and all of that rubbish. I mean really, what made you want to join? And don't give me any of that nonsense you're supposed to say."
I frown. "What, is my answer not good enough?"
"Your answer is all well and good, but it's not the truth. For example, I didn't join the Conclave because I wanted to guard some giant crystal in the Pillar of Radiance. I joined because I wanted to become the greatest mage Tarsynium has ever seen."
I give her a sidelong glance. "That's quite the goal you have there. And how's that working out for you?"
She crinkles her nose at me. "It was going fine until you got me wrapped up in all of this talk about demons. But don't change the subject. Why did you want to join the rangers?"
Sighing, I decide to give her just a fraction of the truth. "My father was a ranger. One of the best, or so I have been told. It has always been a dream of mine to follow in his footsteps. I wanted to live up to his example."
Zara's face softens. "You never knew your father?"
"No," I reply, shaking my head. "He died before I was born. I was raised by my mother in a town called Edenshire, on the other side of the kingdom. After she passed away, I made for the Grand Lodge in the Ashwood and joined up as soon as I could."
"Owyn," she says softly, "I'm so sorry. I had no idea."
"It's nothing." I look away from her and study the path ahead of us. "Don't worry about it."
For a moment there is only the sound of our horse’s hooves clopping on the forest floor, then Zara speaks up again.
"My mother passed away too," she says. "Years ago, when I first entered the Academy. A fever took her in the night. New initiates are not allowed to leave the city, and so I could not go and visit my family. It was a... difficult time for me."
Again, a grim silence settles between us. This time, however, I break the silence by clearing my throat. "So, did you become a great magic user?"
"What do you mean?"
"Your quest. Are you on your way to becoming the greatest mage in Tarsynium?"
She laughs, and I find myself smiling. "Well, considering I am not yet a full mage, no. But I am at the top of my class, so the future looks promising. That is why Arch-Magister Tyrande invited me to come along on this mission, to be her ward."
"What does a ward do?"
"It is similar to being an apprentice," she explains while gazing out at a meadow full of wildflowers to our left. "I am here to learn, and to aid the Arch-magister with whatever she needs help with. Most of my duties are quite dull, I assure you."
"Being a mage doesn't seem dull to me," I reply. "Though, I'll admit, I understand little about your kind."
"Your kind?" She repeats, raising an eyebrow at me. "Light, I'm not some forest animal. Have you even met a mage before?"
I shake my head, slightly abashed. "Never."
"Well, consider this your introduction to magecraft." She turns toward me and pulls off a small chain from around her neck. On it hangs a blue crystal about the length of her forefinger. "Do you know what this is?"
I shake my head again.
"This is called a talisman. All mages have one, and it is required for using magic."
"What is it made out of?"
"Source crystal," she says matter-of-factly, though I've never heard of it before. "It is a gem that used to grow naturally on our world, before the Doom. Now, the remaining shards are owned by the Conclave and loaned to initiates for the duration of their life."
She closes her fingers around the crystal and closes her eyes. Then, opening her other hand, a ball of blue flame appears, burning in the air a few inches above her skin.
"Impressive," I say, genuinely surprised. From what little I know about mages, even creating a small amount of fire takes a considerable amount of skill.
Zara opens her eyes and the ball of fire vanishes. "Source energy, drawn through the source crystal, is the basis for all radiant magic. With it, mages can do some pretty incredible things. They can cast spells, conjuring magefyre, shields, missiles, and even artifices like the Arc of Radiance itself."
"I had no idea," I reply, though I try not to let the awe show on my face. In truth, my own skills seem a little pathetic compared to what she can do. I knew that mages could summon fire – I had witnessed it firsthand back at the inn. But I never fully comprehended the extent of what they were capable of. "How long have you been in training?"
"About five years. But don't let my little show fool you. Most of a mage's time is spent studying, practicing and doing research. I've spent more time in the library poring over dusty old books than I have out in the field making fireballs."
I chuckle. "Honestly, I can't remember the last time I read a book." Then my smile turns to a frown. "I can't remember spending much time indoors, either."
She laughs as well, and continue on our way, chatting off and on for the next several hours. She asks me about being a ranger, and I try to learn more about mages. Overall, the conversation is quite pleasant, which is a surprise to both of us.
It is midafternoon by the time we finally reach the clearing.
Surprisingly enough, I have little trouble finding it. It lies in a region called the Silver Vale in the eastern reaches of the Emberwood. The cursed place, so close to Haven, has been forever burned into my memory.
As we approach, I pull my horse to a stop and dismount, unslinging my bow and tying the reins to a nearby tree. A quick look around reveals that Zara is doing the same, clutching her talisman firmly in her right hand.
"Up here," I say in a low voice, leading the way into the clearing.
The corpses of the deer have decomposed even more than they had a week ago, flesh wilting like dead moss into the ground only to be reabsorbed by nature. Unlike the day I found it, the place is buzzing with flies. Carrion eaters look as if to have picked most of the bodies clean, and little white maggots can be seen worming their way through the remains.
The demon must be long gone by now.
Zara lets out a small gasp as she sees the carnage, but I do not pause to regard her. Instead, I scan the tree line for any signs of the demon.
"It’s so much worse than I imagined," she whispers as we make our way into the center of the clearing.
"The work of the darkhound," I reply solemnly. Fortunately, there does not seem to be any sign of the creature in the clearing. "Consider yourself lucky. When I was here before, the stench was much worse."
Still, she wrinkles her nose at the foul smell. "I can see why you and your master were concerned," she says. "What happened here was... brutal. Most of the meat was left behind to rot. It's as if whatever did this was only interested in killing, not in feeding."
We spend a few minutes walking around the clearing, but there really isn't much to see. After walking around for a second time, I turn to Zara and gesture to the horses. "Are you ready to go back now?"
She shakes her head. "Not quite yet. There is something I want to try." From out of the folds of her robes she produces a small notebook, which she flips through until she finds a certain page. "Remember that old book I told you about? The one on demonology? Well, there is an incantation that ancient mages used to track demons during the Great War
. Where exactly did you see this demon standing?"
I point to a spot on the edge of the clearing.
Stepping over the mangled bodies of rotting deer, Zara makes her way to the position. "Here?" She asks.
I nod.
Holding her talisman in one hand and the notebook in the other, she begins speaking words in a language that I cannot understand. It sounds like she is casting some sort of spell. A few seconds later, a globe of white light appears in the air in front of her, suspended at eye level and glowing with a soft, humming energy.
I approach her warily, bow held at the ready.
"Fascinating," she mutters, looking from the globe, back down to her notebook. "Give me just one more minute."
She crouches down and touches the point of the crystalline talisman into the dirt, holding it there for several seconds before standing back up and regarding the globe.
At first, nothing happens, and I hear her grunt in disappointment. Then, the globe begins to shimmer, the light changing from a pure white to an angry, deep red.
She takes a step back and puts a hand up to cover her mouth, then turns to look at me. Her face has become as white as a sheet. "The spell worked," she says in a quietly, eyes wide with fear. "And you were right, Owyn."
"Right?" I ask, confused. "Right about what?"
"Demons leave behind a latent energy wherever they go," she says, waving a hand and causing the crimson globe to dissipate. "It is invisible to our eyes, but radiant magic can reveal it."
The meaning behind her words dawns on me, and I feel the blood drain from my face as well.
"Owyn," she whispers, "there was a demon here. Recently."
Just then, we hear a shrill, bone-chilling howl emit from the woods nearby. It sounds like it is no more than a mile away. From experience, I know that it is not a wolf, cougar, or any kind of animal native to the Emberwood.
It is something else entirely.
Chapter Twenty
Zara
"C'mon!" Owyn urges, grabbing me by my sleeve. "We need to leave here. Now!"
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