Champions of Serenity :Gathering the Circle

Chapter 40

When Airidon, Fini, Tyra, Shrina, and Jehro made it to the surface, the sounds of battle penetrated the thick stone walls of the temple. Without having to say a word, all five pulled their weapons and readied themselves. They looked through the darkness within the temple to the red tinged village street as sunset was just beginning and saw familiar uniforms of Handsome’s Elite patrols fighting with the local farmers.

Airidon looked at the others and then with a war cry charged from the temple and into the fray. A silver streak flew past Airidon’s shoulder and touched one of the surprised mercenaries; a moment later, the wounded patrolman fell to his knees and then onto his face, the hilt of one of Shrina’s throwing daggers buried in his left eye.

The whole group then engaged the patrol doing their best to protect the innocent villagers from the brutality of Handsome’s men. The blood red of the setting sun added a touch of gruesome desperation to the scene as the experienced blades struck down old men and young boys who held simple hoes and picks. Silence descended as the last of Handsome’s men fell to the thrust of Airidon’s sword.

Moans of the wounded filled the silence and then dropping of weapons from inexperienced hands added a dark descant to the scene. Fini moved forward and started to treat the wounded with healing herbs and wraps. Jehro helped where he could, going into the minds of the dying and bringing them peace and bringing the same peace to their families. Airidon and Tyra cleaned their weapons and took up a defensive posture around the make-shift camp in the center of town.

“Tyra, why don’t you see if you can use your magic to help those who might die otherwise.” Davis said softly to his niece.

Shaking her head, Tyra kept scanning the horizon for another patrol. “I accept that I must learn to use a heritage I didn’t know I had, but I won’t do it on the dying. They deserve more honor than that for taking up arms to defend their homes. I am sorry that Tris isn’t here to use her healing on those who need it. For the moment, I am doing what I am best able to at this place and time.”

Davis nodded and returned to helping the fallen. Shrina stepped up by Tyra, also looking along the horizon. “I can take this position, if you want to try, Tyra.” Shrina offered. Tyra just shook her head and continued her vigilance. “I understand. I was that way when I learned how to use my sight. I don’t like it so I don’t use it often.”

“Sight? What are you talking about, Shrina?” Tyra asked, risking a quick glance at her friend.

Shrina shrugged and sat on an overturned cart so she could talk to Tyra and still keep an eye open for any more surprises. “It’s a Siblen trait and one that only a few have; those in the royal lines and their advisers are the only ones who even know about it anymore. I have a third eye and when I use it, I can see things. Sometimes it’s the future, sometimes the past, and sometimes a person or a place. I can direct it to a certain point, but it’s mostly at the whims of Shægnek and what she wants me to know. It’s funny, I haven’t thought about it since the visions of Tris started.”

Tyra nodded. “I understand how that can happen. I am still trying to get used to the idea that I’m not just a warrior.” Tyra shook her head.

Torches filled the village square as night fell. Those who were helping the wounded were still working. Those who were unharmed worked at a community pit, cooking a meal for everyone. Several of the able-bodied were standing with picks, hoes, slings, and bows and arrows with Airidon, Tyra, or Shrina directing them. Children ran from the large kettles to both the healers and the defenders giving them large mugs of steaming hot koa.

Just before moonrise, another patrol of Handsome’s men were seen heading toward Neasah, the village where the temple of Serenity stood. Tyra was the first to see them and she alerted the others and her approach bore the brunt of the fighting.

As the moon reached its zenith, a mist rose around the village and made it impossible to see beyond the borders of Neasah. The stars themselves seemed to blur in the mist and then as the moon began its descent, the mist drifted away.

“Fini, is it just me, or have the stars changed position?” Jehro asked as the two had paused their healing to eat a small bowl of vegetable soup and a thick slice of a dark, crusty bread slathered with fresh made butter and a soft white cheese.

Fini looked up and frowned. He set down his empty bowl on the stack from the other healers. “You are not mistaken. According to the stars, we should be less than a day from Saldowns rather than the four days it took to get here. I don’t understand it; perhaps if we get time we can ask Davis.” Fini then returned to rows of makeshift palates and the wounded. He was working on bringing down the wound fevers that many of them had.

Jehro thoughtfully chewed the last of his bread as he placed his bowl with Fini’s. He couldn’t help but think that the reason for the attacks were because they were in this village. Unable to do more at this time with the wounded, Jehro went in search of Davis for an answer, if he could get one.

“You are correct, Jehro, on both counts. Handsome’s men are drawn here because of you and we have changed our location. It was the only way to protect Serenity’s temple from discovery and defilement. Now that you have the prophecy, we can speak of it openly, but we must have even more care because the forces of the Emperor are arranged against us.”

Nodding, Jehro went to speak with Airidon. It was quickly agreed that they would leave with first light and give Neasah the added protection of not having them physically there to draw the troops.

The sun rose staining the pale sky with pinks, purples, blues, and silver. Thin rays of watery yellow and orange threaded through the clouds and promised another hot day for Saldowns and the surrounding area. In Neasah, Airidon and the others prepared to leave. Davis pressed a plain leather bag into Airidon’s hands as he sent them off. “Do not open this; give it to Tris when you find her. She will know what to do with it. The harder path lies before your feet, fear not and press on and you will achieve your goals.”

Taking a deep breath, Airidon nodded to Fini and he led them to the city they could see in the distance on its bluff. They climbed the plains in a slow, steady slope and Shrina voiced her surprise when they were no longer on the floor of the plains but on equal footing with the city. Tyra only shrugged and guided them through the stalls to the docks.

“It appears that Handsome has decided to extend his holdings from Nasinih to Catira.” Jehro said as they watched ship after ship being searched before it could leave or enter the docks.

“My people here won’t stand for it long. But we are a little more subtle about our resistance.” Tyra replied with a touch of pride in her voice.

“Look, it’s our friend, Captain Behem. If we could get down there, I’m sure he would hide us on his ship and take us to Nasinih.” Jehro said, pointing out the blue and yellow sails of the ship they traveled on to get to Catira a week ago.

“Would you like to try your hand at a distraction, Tyra?” Airidon asked.

Taking a deep breath, Tyra quieted her mind. She had no idea what to do or what to expect. She thought about Tris and the magic she had seen her do. Tyra also thought about the small magicks that her uncle had shown her when she was just a child. Looking out over the cliffs and down into the harbor, Tyra took another breath and nodded. “I’ll do what I can, but I don’t know what to expect. So be ready to run if I give the signal.”

Tyra rubbed her hands together and blew on them a couple of times to focus her thoughts. Then she pictured one of the giant cranes falling from its foundation at the top of the cliff down onto Handsome’s patrol shack. Whispering the words that seemed to flow in her mind, Tyra closed her eyes to keep the image strong. “I call upon the winds to give me power, I call upon the earth to give me strength, I call upon the fires to give me direction, and I call upon the water to give me courage. Fall, fall, fall, fall.”

A loud groan filled the air and someone screamed. The rock was falling away from the foundation of the crane and it rocked on the edge of the cliff for a few seconds before plummeting to the docks below and then into the dark waters of the sea. Shouts and screams sounded like several flocks of birds arguing over a single slice of moldy bread.

Someone was tugging at her and Tyra opened her eyes. Fini was grinning at her and picked her up, racing down the face of the cliff like so many others. They easily blended into the crowds and were able to make contact with Behem and board his ship without notice. He set sail before the remaining patrolmen could stop him and they were free at sea.

“Well, that was a spectacular way to begin using magic. Did she use her full strength?” Chaos queried as he chuckled over the chaotic mess a single spell had caused in a once orderly city.

Na smiled and toyed with a ring on his finger. The blood red stone caught the light and spilt fire on the stones around the window. “No, she barely tapped her potential. Once she comes into full power, she will be extremely formidable. But that will take time and training.”

“Don’t worry; she will have plenty of both.” Perlish said as she twisted a ring around her finger, adding a sickly green to the garish red. “This is truly the greatest of all companies.”

“Don’t get cocky.” Chaos grumbled and headed off to see what his servant was doing.

The very sea seemed to boil around them as the lightning played tag with the walls of water and black-grey clouds. Behem had been glad to have the five of them back on his ship, but now he wasn’t so sure. His first mate had a touch of the sight from a distant wizard relative and he had said that this storm was magical in nature. It was sent after the five, to stop them before they could complete the prophecy.

Finally the shore of Nasinih came into view and the storm seemed to abate. The banks of the Favie were lined with armed soldiers wearing Handsome’s colors. Every ship was stopped at port and searched, the crews questioned.

As the guards came aboard Behem’s ship Jehro led the others out of a porthole and into the water. Shrina had barely managed to get into the water before one of the patrols could see her. The water ripple was enough to make the ship subject to a magical search. Since Airidon and his group were gone and hadn’t used any magic on the ship, it passed and was allowed to continue its trade.

Fini led them from the river into the forest at the base of the Shadow-Dream Mountains. They found the site where they had hidden most of their gear while they had been on Catira. They also found the signs that someone had been camping there, acting as a guard. But when they searched for further signs, none could be found.

“Is it just me or has Handsome doubled his troops?” Shrina asked as she speared a piece of rabbit on the tip of her blade.

“It isn’t just you, Shrina. I was listening to some of the thoughts of the sailors in Tealshire. The guards have been tripled there and they are all looking for the same thing: us.” Jehro said as he drank some of the fresh water from the river.

“Then it will be up to Fini to find us the safest path to Handsome’s lands so we can find Tris. Davis said she would be near his stronghold, so that is where we must go. Do you think you can do it, Fini?” Airidon stated simply after he had thought about what Jehro had said.

“Yes.” Fini didn’t say more and banked the fire, rolling into his blanket and falling asleep.

“A man of few words.” Jehro chuckled and joined his friend by the fire for a night’s rest.

Shrina sat the first watch and was careful to be aware of anything out of place. She blinked twice and rubbed her eyes when she saw some of the left over rabbit stew vanish into thin air.

“Airidon……Airidon!” Shrina whispered at first and then shouted as a wineskin lifted and emptied in mid-air.

The entire group was up with weapons drawn with Shrina’s shout, looking around for the enemy. Not seeing anything, they all turned on her, growling for having their sleep interrupted.

“I swear that wine skin just floated into the air and then went limp. And half of the left over stew is gone, just vanished. I am not making this up.” She demanded.

“She’s right.” Fini said after looking around the fire and at his cooking supplies. “Someone has been here and is still here. I can hear the sound of stifled breathing. Whoever it is isn’t a threat to us or it wouldn’t have just taken food and wine.” Fini looked around and although he couldn’t see who it was, he looked in the direction his hearing told him the man was standing. “You are welcome to share with us, just next time, please ask and do it when we're not trying to get some sleep.” Fini then lay back down and rolled into his blanket.

After a few more grumbles on behalf of the companions, the camp again settled down to sleep. Shrina kept even more vigilant watch and turned it over to Jehro with little comment.

A large rock flew into the camp and hit Airidon in the middle of his back. He sat up suddenly, sword in hand as he looked around. Fini was stirring the breakfast pot and Tyra was sitting next to him, talking softly.

“What is it, Airidon?” Tyra asked, her own sword coming easily to her hand. Airidon picked up the rock and looked at it. Scratched onto the flat underside was “Heads up!” in char from a burnt end of a stick.

“Surprise attack, warning from our invisible friend.” Airidon said simply and drew out his second sword and stood ready. Within a moment, twenty of Handsome’s Elite raced into the camp hoping to catch them all off guard. They were rather distressed to find the five not only awake, alert, and ready, but angry as well.

With wolverine-like ferocity and fearless nature, the five struck out at the twenty. A mist had risen with the morning and as false dawn was approaching, it began to thicken. Some of the Elite remembered tales of this group attacking close to three hundred mercenaries using fog to hide their positions so they could take out the greater numbers.

Jehro pulled his poisoned blade, he called it a fang, from the chest cavity of one of the Elite and turned to face the river. His eyes narrowed and he began a soft chant in a fluid but guttural language. When he stopped talking, he listened and heard someone answering him.

The remaining elite screamed and started running away from the river. Jehro called out and quickly the companions gathered close around him, facing the river. A giant shadow lifted its head and as the mists burned off, the shadow became one of the very rare red-gold-blue dragons. The coruscating colors shifted from a pale red to bloody gold to bronze to azure and gray. Its eyes glittered deep crimson and saliva fell from ragged orange teeth. Where the droplets fell, fire sprang up and caused more mist. Its head snaked in great sweeping movements, scanning the situation. Then it sent several bursts of a gaseous flame after the Elite. With a loud roar, the dragon lifted i head in a draconic laughter.

Jehro said something else in the hypnotic language. After a few minutes, the dragon reached down and touched Jehro’s head and then vanished again into the river. Jehro relaxed and then chuckled softly. “I don’t think we’ll be bothered again for a day or so. We should probably use this time to put as much distance between us and Tealshire as possible.”

“Jehro, what was all that about?” Shrina asked in a soft, reverent voice. She didn’t want to admit it, but that huge dragon had frightened her as nothing else she had met had.

“My people have pacts with all the dragon kind. He was just stopping by to say good morning.” Jehro answered with a shrug, still a little confused himself.

“Ah, well, that makes me feel so much better.” Shrina rolled her eyes as she spoke. When he refused to say anymore, they picked up their things and looked to Fini to lead them away.

An invisible sigh of relief came from near Tyra’s shoulder and she looked around and decided their invisible friend was still with them, whoever it was. She kept it to herself as there had already been too much mystery this morning to add to it.

EAleons grinned at Sheagnek and shared a laugh with her. “That was fun, thank you for asking me to help you.”

“Yes, it was and in about two seconds Chaos will charge in here and demand to know what is going on. Want to see some fireworks?”

The god laughed and shook his head, waving as he left to return to his home. Sheagnek waited and counted silently in her head. When Chaos didn’t appear, she walked to her window to know where the god was. She quickly turned away when she found him busy with some entertainment. His laughter followed her but she left him alone after that unless he came to her library.