Chapter 5: The Silent Fight Deadly

Love looked on, worried, as Simon walked out to meet the soldier. Simon was a little nervous because he did not quite know what to expect from someone other than his father. As for Simon's eyes, they were completely black now, no stars, no little lights, nothing but nothingness. The man smirked as Simon slowly walked towards him.
"So what's an Outcaste doing out of its hole," the man asked as Simon walked out, "That is what you are is it not?" Simon didn't answer or draw his sword. The soldier looked curiously at Simon. "You going to draw that sword?" the man asked pointing to it with his spear, the soldier laughed. "Do you know what to do with it?" he teased. Simon did not unsheeth the sword, yet. Simon only knew how to fight the way his father taught him. One on one combat for Soul Knights was extra slow getting started. Sometimes two combatants would take an hour just measuring each other up and formulating stratgies, if any. They had raised mono a' mono combat to an art form, much of the styles developed in the art were lost, but some had been retained. Simon stopped ten paces away from the man, and was ready to begin studying the man just as Calthes had taught him.
The mountains north and south could be seen above the clear horizons, and grass filled the valley plain making it an ideal battle ground. The clouds had gone somewhere else by now. The sun was well into the sky at this time, and everyone looked on underneath the blue sky.
"What are you doing? Are you frightened?" the man said chuckling. Simon only looked in the man's eyes. Actually, the man looked Simon in the eyes, Simon couldn't see anything, but Simon knew the man was looking in his eyes, so Simon kept his gaze. The took on a grave air toward Simon. "Would you like to know the name of your killer?" The man asked. Simon shook his head. "Not really," he replied. The man's look changed and became intense and he was now intent on humbling such a ignorant and arrogant young man. The man took a step forward and Simon took a step back simultaneously. Love and the rest looked on wondering what Simon was doing now. The man took another step and Simon matched it like a reflection. The man took a step to the east and Simon went the other way to the west simultaneously. Simon kept his gaze fixed on the man as he continued this dance, measuring up his opponent. Simon could only estimate, but, however, Simon saw, so to speak, no reason to unsheath his sword. The man's smirk was completely gone now and all the surrounding soldiers began to feel uneasy with this site. Even the younger daughters, Hope and Charity, who knew nothing of combat, thought something was very curious about the way the two men were moving together.
"Your move," The man said. Simon did not budge; he continued to let the man look into his pitch black eyes. Suddenly this man, who was not an easily moved man, felt slightly unsettled, not much, but more than he was used to feeling. This soldier had been honed in battle and Simon's odd fighting style along with his confident, silent concentration cast a dark feeling over the situation for the soldier.
"Did your tounge fall out?" the man said, "Say something." Simon did not respond, but he did stop matching the man's steps, he had the man as figured out as well he could figure him. The uneasiness of the soldiers around got the best of them.
"Trotes," one said, "let's just take them in. I don't like that guy." Trotes looked back and then to Simon; then he calmly took a step toward Simon, and Simon still did not move. Trotes raised his spear took a deep breath and ran to Simon rearing back to thrust with the spear. He lunged. Simon stepped to the side and let the spearhead miss. When the head streeked past Simon, he grabbed the neck of the weapon with one hand and then with the other and snatched the spear straight out of the war veteran's hands and spun the butt of the spear around sweeping the man to the ground. As Trotes fell, Simon continued spinning all the way around letting the spear slip forward through his hands until he stopped with the spear head right at Trotes's neck. An absolutely anti-climactic fight. Simon wasn't satisfied with this, so he let Trotes bat the spear away. Trotes got up, quickly drew his sword and his shield and turned to attack. Simon still did not draw his sword. Trotes did not know whether to be angry or scared. But Simon now knew almost exactly how much quicker he was than his opponent, and he got ready for an attack. Simon didn't need to ready himself, actually, but he wanted to coax Trotes into attacking, so he pretended as if he were taking the fight seriously. Trotes walked up to Simon cautiously and calmly and lifted his sword quickly to come down on Simon. Simon waited just slightly to let Trotes built momentum on the down swing and then moved to the same side as Trotes's shield. Just as Trotes followed through with the swing, which was certainly not a swing to be trifled with, Simon grabbed the shield and smashed the edge of it against Trotes's arm braking the arm and pushing the bone through the skin. Trotes looked at the red and white that pierced his light brown skin. Then Simon spun the shield, still held by his opponent in the other hand, and spun Trotes around. Simon followed up with a swift kick to the butt to send his defeated opponent stumbling forward to the ground.
The Mayor, Love and the family watched, relieved now at the humorous ease at which Simon handled this warrior of renown. The man turned quickly in case Simon decided to finish the fight. He had seen something move that fast, but it was not human; it was a Reizel, a warrior tribe that lived in a huge forest in Coastshire, a memory he wished to forget. This young thing here was supposedly just a man, yet Simon moved with complete ease and swiftness in his strength. Simon smiled ever so slightly at the whole situation. The man looked stunned in Simon's direction and then at Queen Faith and Love. He looked at Simon again.
"Sieze the queen and her family!" He shouted. Simon's eyes widened as he turned toward Love and those behind him. A soldier immediately struck The Mayor and The Mayor fell off of his horse. The three men with the royal family tried to fight, but the Calton army, though taught to be honorless and merciless were also completely disciplined and team oriented. They immediately attacked the three men one on each side and quickly dispatched them. Simon leaped with his sword drawn and released one soldier's head from his shoulders and the soldier's body fell off the horse. A soldier behind Simon tried to get him from behind but Simon was too quick. Simon dove under the horse of the man cutting a leg of the animal and it fell straight down almost on top of Simon. Simon swiflty cut the man's head off while the animal fell down. Two men swiped at the same time, but Simon ducked down and jumped forward as another soldier took a swing at that time; even for Simon this was pushing it. The man grazed Simon's cheek but didn't cause anything but a scratch. Then another soldier hit Simon with the butt of his sword as Simon paused slightly shocked, but Simon was not that easily put out. The soldiers trying to take Simon out could not hardly believe what they were seeing.
Then Simon heard a yell, which he could barely heed because of all the men trying to kill him.
"Let go of me!" Love shouted. The soldier trying to detain Love could hardly controll her, so he knocked her out. Simon became wrathful. He dove under a horse and immediatly lunged in that direction before any of the other soldiers could do anything. Simon covered quite a few yards in no seconds, leaped and yanked the man who hit Love off of his horse. When Simon dismounted the man, he lifted the man completely off of the ground over his head and slammed the soldier's spine down on his knee. The slam bent the armor of the soldier and broke his back. While he was doing that, however, another soldier had grabbed Love and was off with her. The other soldiers, not really wanting to lose their lives if they did not have to, took off in a hurry to catch up. Faith and the rest had already been carried off. Simon watched in horror as the soldiers sped away with Love and the royal family. He just started to run after them when he heard a voice.
"Sim..on," he heard slightly. He turned to see the Mayor looking at him with eyes half open. He ran to the Mayor and knelt down.
"You...must....s..ave...Love," he said,"get...c..l..oak...from....our..town for disguise.
..take...Six...D..ay..Pas..s..to..ge..t..ahe...." The Mayor lost strength and left that mortal world, but Simon did not have time to mourn. He stood up and saw a horse in the distance toward the east.
Then he heard something else.
"Please, help me," a voice said. Simon turned and saw the man whose back he had broken in his wrath, paralyzed on the ground. Simon had no time for this; he got up and started towards catching the horse.
"I have no honor. I'm dying for Surel?" the man muttured to himself. When Simon heard this, he felt sorry for the helpless man. He turned around and walked quickly over to him.
"What can you move?" Simon asked him.
"Just my upper body," The soldier replied lying his head in the dust. Simon took the torso armor off quickly, straightened the dent and put it back on the man.
"Hold on," Simon told him, "I broke your back." Simon did not know why he was doing this, but he raced to get the horse. Minutes later he came back and picked up the man and set him on the horse.
"You don't want to die for Surel," Simon said to him, "Then I will save you, if you can live long enough for that, but then you will have to die for me if you must die."
"Gladly," The man answered barely able to hold himself on the horse.
"Teach me how to ride this thing," Simon said climbing up on the sattle in front of the man, "Help me catch Love and your comrades."
"They are not my comrades," The soldier replied.
The man instructed Simon on riding the horse, and they took off.

Claude and Price where awkwardly riding their horses who barely cooperated with them as they tried to catch up. The two were more tired than they had ever been before, and could barely keep going. They had ridden through what was left of the night and were barely able to continue now.
"I can't hardly go anymore," Price said to Claude who could only manage a gallop now on his hacked off horse.
"We can't stop," Claude replied barely able to speak.
They had never put so much energy into anything before and they were completely wiped out. Price struggled to keep himself on the horse. Claude then fell off straight down.
"Claude," Price said. Price stopped his horse after much struggle and dismounted. Claude's horse stood still while Price's horse ran away as soon as it was free from it's burden. Price stooped down and wiped the dirt away from Claude's face.
"Here," Price said pulling out Claude's canteen that they had filled at a creek just in the woods outside of the Southern Pass. Claude drank the rest of it and lay his head back down.
"Are you going to be alright?" Price said.
"Don't know," Claude replied, "I've never pushed myself this hard. I can barely move I'm so stiff."
"Strap, where's Salte?" Price said. Price could feel his strength leaving him and he say down beside his brother. They laid there without a word thinking of Simon and not being able to catch them.
"We're useless," Price said. Claude did not answer. "Claude?" Price said. Price got up and looked at Claude. Claude was staring at the sky without a move. "Claude?!" Price said loudly.

Ode on a Cute Librarian

It's actually Valentine's Day today. It just seemed right to post this today, parts of it anyway. Although, I'll still be making changes to it.

This poem, though it is not specifically about them, can include those girls who date guys that they think they can change. Personally, I'm not very attracted to girls who think like that, but it is a sad case. Sure, it works every once in a while even consistantly, but people also survive lighting strikes. That doesn't mean it's worth the risk to play in the storm of that relationship. But what can I say? My relationships are few and far between. My friend Josh says I just got some bad brakes when it comes to those girls I thought I liked.
Song of Solomon is the best example ever of two lovers that completely appreciate and love one another. I'm sorry if "appreciation" is a turn off to anyone, thank your Media gods for that idea. But in Song of Solomon the two are enamored with one another, physically of all things. Poetry was also a way of life for the hebrews; it was their languages, so they could get away with saying "legs like cedar trees" and stuff like that that would be odd to us. The girl Solomon or whoever was talking to knew something about the cedar tree that was obviously a desired trait. Cedars are straight and not crooked, firm and shapely and maybe they even liked hairy legs back then who knows; the definition of a sexy woman and man changes with the times, least one say hairy legs are gross. Although I'm not attracted to hairy legs.
Anyway, as far as this poem goes, I was bored one day, so I went to UWF library to study. While doing so, I noticed an attractive librarian putting up books. I don't like to stare, even though I'm not a gawker I do like looking at pretty things, but she might have though I was gawking. But I definately noticed her. I'm not very presumptuous, maybe too much so, and so I didn't go talk to her or anything. But she was the inspiration for this poem. A poem kind of about how I would have treated her if I had walked up to her and she, not feeling threatened, turned out to be someone I seriously dated and ended up with.
I guess the biggest theme of this poem is appreciation. The ability to appreciate that which is yours is rare. If you watch a movie over and over again and enjoy it, it's because you appreciate it. You read a book or a poem over and over again. You wake up day in and day out to a man or woman you appreciate. The fact of the matter is whether I'm a shallow or deep person, I can't picture myself with a girl that I don't fully appreciate with a desire to spoil her. Almost all guys like aesthetically apealing women, but very few are appreciative of the beautiful woman they may have, and vice versa and that goes for men with virtous wives and vice versa. If I can't look at the girl in her entirety and say she is the most beautiful woman in world to me, then I won't date her, or be anything closer than casual friends. In which case they are not too much a friend, just not my type. It's not that she isn't good enough for me, just not right for me, I feel. There's nothing more annoying than when someone tells me I should like someone because she's a nice girl. How general can you be? I"m a nice guy, that doesn't mean I'm right for just any girl, doesn't mean I'm not right for any. I feel like there has got to be something more that I am contributing to her life. Not just feelings and warm fuzzies; although, those aren't so bad, but they aren't enough for joy or even true happiness for that matter. I don't believe in the whole "the one" deal, other wise when the one died, that would be it. Also there wouldn't be much of a choice in the matter for either side. Talk about popping the romance bubble. I don't think there's any formula on this whole buisness in the end, whether its love at first sight, or friend developed love, or accidental. Anyways, here's what you've been reading for...or not...

Ode on a Cute Librarian

Hello, beautiful librarian girl
reading amongst other books.
All of you together
In a universe
Made of shelves and walls.
All stories written for
Reading.
This has to be you.
You, a book, with your
tightly binded cover and pages holding
thoughts, and words expressing
Your beliefs, feelings, and desires,
Not to be hastely skimmed over,
for a quick entertaining thrill.
Your theme, hidden from simple minds.
They see your cover and presumptiously
assume the actions filling the chapters of your
Life are meaningless unless for gratification.
And so he flatters you for your
cover so that you'll open
your pages up to him and he can rip out
the numbers that please him
while degrading or ignore
those that don't make him your owner.
He can't apprecate the lulls between the action
that complete the whole effect.
Some one whose eyes and flesh inhale you
Into a void mind of "I."
Do you know what a true reader is?
You should be loved,
Every nuance, every irony accepted
With passion and admiration,
You should be firmly worn away with
affection and gentle turning of pages
of your life, as the motions of your body
Embody the story of you; right now,
you are yourself here in this universe,
Assorting books never read,
Views never perceived,
Pages never turned,
Stories never finished.
Complex plots twist and turn,
Out-maneuvering linear, controlling minds.
Themes are to be considered,
Not manipulated, by some award-winner who
keeps you for his collection of fine covered literature.
Don't leave your pages open to be
worn out individually for the pleasure
Of some glutton taking the parts
That please him, while your innocence is ripped
From your soul-like binding that holds your
body and mind together.
Do not be consumed. No,
Appreciation is better,
to be seen completely, heard
completely,
read over and over again,
re-experienced freshly, daily, by
your interested reader
until old age puts
Beautiful ideas to sleep with our mortal closure of death.
Your story should be adored and adorned
by your admirer
with poetic laurels
And caresses over your fine surface.
Because you are a published, completed,
Fully grown woman
Who speaks to influence,
Please and love a reader who
Truly cares to see all of you
Line
By
Line.

If I could define my ideas for a romantic relationship from guy to girl, this would be it.

Chapter 5: The Silent Fight Deadly

The soldiers reached the mountains that divided the cursed SouthLands from the pure NorthLands and set up camp at nightfall, organizing themselves loosely for the invasion of the village. They set up in groups around their superiors marked tents with banners of horses decorated differently: Black horses indicated one rank, Black horses with red flaming eyes and hair indicated a higher status, and red horse indicated the highest of that group of soldiers. The camp was set up in a big circle divided into smaller triangles of three tents. The measurements were always exact and they set up camp quickly and efficiently. This capacity for quick, acurate movement is partly why they were such a match for Coast, who relied more on strength of numbers and men rather than tactics for the most part. Each small group of tents had fires set up to cook meat with a few men keeping watches to protect from petty thieves with enough daring to try to rob a military camp. Surel had actually sent 300 men since he did not know exactly what to expect. Calming the country was very important to him. Without cooperating cities, the war effort would fall apart. What exactly was the fighting all about? Various reasons.


If the reader wishes to skip this part he or she may, this is just history, some of which I may incorporate as needed into the regular story, but if you are interested in specifics this little blurp is for you.

Calton was ignored for many years mainly because of its mountainous terrain. (Only a couple of easily traveled plains are found, everything else is ravines, mountains and platues) Up until about 300 years before now, Calton was nothing but a few city states and many many little villages that dotted the vast maze of mountains. Also, forestry covers much of Calton, even on many mounatinsides and down in many ravines, along with many many rivers, which create many tall water falls and rapids. All in all Calton was exceedingly difficult to travel through. Calton was completely ununified. The biggest cities, if that what one could call them, were not that great. The people were spread out along this hard-to-travel land. The difficult travel of Calton did not stop a young ruler named Sorso of the city of Calton. The young ruler diplomatically staged an imperial takeover of the whole area within the mountains with the help of three other cities: Bassa, Cryassa, Salton (Now Balton or Baltor). All four suceeded with costly victories in bringing Calton into a forced unity. These four were unable to rule diplomatically after the war and began fighting with each other. Calton under the shrewd leadership of Sorso came out on top, but barely still had power. Sorso Vitel died leaving the throne to his eaualy shrewd son Oorsa Vitel, who completely centered the army, naturally, in the mountain buried Calton. The Vitels ruled until the Blease took control, then the Valors, who began introducing education to as much of Calton as possible, then the Valiants came to power, and now the Vakents, albeit dishonorably. But they were not allowed to interact with other northern countries on a comfortable scale. All the north knew of the disaster in the South when it happened and set up watch at the pass to the South for over 2000 years and legends spread about that entire area. The villages from Calton did not let Southlanders pass into their world and the rest of the North did not let people from Calton pass into theirs without much questioning and paying of tribute. When Calton finally came together 300 years prior to this event it was no big deal to any of the other countries, who were much too concerned with each other to worry about some uneducated, secluded hill wanderers. The people who brought Calton together, starting with Sorso, began to build armies and create machines to help fortify their natural fortress of mountains. Calton could only be entered through three narrow passes and the country was completely self-sufficient making it invincible to seige. Invasion would require a massive accumilation of man power, which no one cared to gather until some extremely rare and extremely valuble items were discovered. One was silver. Calton stumbled upon a silver mine, one of two on the whole entire contenent; the other was in Coastshire in the Aljick mountains, but it ran out hundreds of years ago. Silver had become a sign of power and wealth. Only kings could have silver because it was so rare; the king of Coast had a septre made completely of silver with a dimond jewel, another reason for Calton to become a target; they discovered the other rarity in their mountains, dimonds, in the souther part of Calton. Other precious gems were found like rubies and emeralds and other Countries, especially Coast, who had dominated the rest of the North for 150 years now with its massive military, became coveteous. Once Coastshire heard of Calton's value, the king immediately began building his army. The Valiants were in power by now, and they were not fools. They immediately began building their army as well and percieved that force would not be the way to defend or attack Coast, so they built a highly disciplined army. When Love's father became so sick that he could not rule the country, Surel took over and, after promising land and power to inluential wealthy men should they consent to back him, he attacked Coast and went to war determinded to take the giant, partly for power, partly because he wanted Calton to be one of the great countries. There were three other countries in the north of the NorthLands, but they are lower on the food chain, so to speak. Anyway, here we have what is being called at this moment the Silver Calton War by Calthenians. The Coastshires called it the Silver Flea War until Calton suprised them with a few major victories and force Coast to give ground, now Coast is taking the war seriously, but Calton has built an impressive military of elite branches from the hardy mountain folk that fill the ranks. And even if Coast manages to get in a position to invade, if they do not have enough power, they will be wittled away in the passes into the Calton landscape. And there you have it. These men encamped at the ancient pass to the Southern Lands are ready to get back to the war and earn their glory, but, much to their chagrin, they must finish this task of routing the source of the evil omen. Just as a side, iron was plentiful on both continents, if you were wondering what most of their weapons were made of, except for Simon, Salte, and Silas's weapons. Back to the story.

Five men stepped out from the camp under the blue tint of a single full moon night and looked at the pass to invade come morning. The fairly wide pass through the mountains was cut long ago by the SouthLanders. The two walls towered above the encampment and the cool air made the night hazy because of condensation that came from the shores of Sholom. The moonlight shone just inside the hazy pass until shadows from the walls consumed it furthur inside. Trees and woods boardered the mountain pass. Only a small trail was visible, since very few traveled to the SouthLands or to the people who lived at it's mouth.
"Nice night," a soldier said to the man in front.
"Maybe we should invade now," The man in front said.
"Sir, our men are tired from the constant traveling," Another said, "This is such a small task to push them so hard." The man in front turned around with a scolding look on his face. "Do not pretend you care about the condition of your men, Trotes," The man in front said, "The quicker we get this under controll the quicker we can all get back to our first duty."
"And you can get your promotion," Trotes fired back stoicly. The man in front turned with his hand on his sword. "Do you forget I am favored and not you, Trotes?" Trotes backed down glaring and walked back into the camp. The leader turned to look at the pass again.
"This shouldn't be too difficult," Another man said to the leader.
"It better not be, Othes," the leader said, "We better not have trouble routing a village of uncivilized creatures." Othes nodded and turned to go back. As Othes walked into the camp, a man rushed from the camp to meet the leader.
"Master Crusas," He said as he came and saluted by placing his right fist sideways to his shoulder. Crusas turned around to see what was the matter.
"Yes," Crusas acknowleged, "Where is Lsos?"
"He wanted to stay with the party," The man said, "He said he wanted to stay with them until they made camp, so he could find out who it was." Crusas turned back toward the woods and the mountains.
"Why would a group of people leave a cursed place just as we showed up?" Crusas asked aloud, "How would they know and how come only a few? Surely there is more cramped up in there than six or seven people."
"Silas can go down with them for all I care," the scout added, "Why wouldn't he give us any information?" Crusas shook his head. The Saviors were not obligated to communicate with other branches of their military because they took on so many secret duties, though it would have been considered proper here. Silas entered the camp a day earlier and took food which was given begrudgingly.
"Tommorrow we send out 50 riders to catch up with the fleeing group," Crusas said. The scoute nodded and turned to tell the ones to whom it applied. Crusas thought a little with his head bowed and then lifted it. "No, send them out now. I want to know who they are and why they are running." The scoute ran back into the camp. Crusas walked back into the camp and the soldiers around a fire stood and saluted him. He did not acknowlege them, and they stood until he was out of sight and then sat back down murmuring to each other. The night carried on and different watches took turns mopeing around. The Moon moved over until it came right over the top of a mountain range to the slight northeast. It was the deepest hours of night.
Men sat around talking of this and that in the silent night. Price and Claude creeped up to the edge of the woods and scanned the situation.
"They're here already?" Price said.
"The Mayor's timing was off," Claude said. They sat looking until Price had a terrible thought.
"You think The Mayor and all were captured?" He said looking to Claude.
"Strap, I don't know," Claude said with widened eyes. Claude looked at one of the banners that stood in front of a low ranking officer's tent. He smiled at Price and slowly stepped out of the woods and moved toward the light. As he did Claude began to slowly blend in with all that was around him.
They could bend light and create an illusion of invisibility, not a novel concept for us. However, for them, this ability was dependant on how much light was available. In sunlight, they would be completely hidden. In shadows like the shade of a tree, however, less light is available and a very vague silouett would be visible as a slightly darker shadow, if, that is, one happened to catch it by pure chance or if they were looking intently, hence their name, Shadow Wisps, ghosts of the forest seen only in shadows. In moon light with no fire, one could see them as a shadow with features like eyes and mouth, theoretically the less light the easier it is to see one. So one could see a Shadow Wisp if their surroundings were pitch black, not a bad deal for the Wisp. A fact that was not mentioned by the Elder is that unendowed people lived in the SouthernLands too, in small groups; it was they who coined the name for the Shadow Wisps, since they had no explination for what they saw on very rare occasions. Back to the story

The night was breezeless for now as the moon slowly crept down. The riders had been sent out quite a while ago after the fleeing group. The soldiers in the camp talked around fires as two swift breezes wiffed through the camp. Price followed Claude as they ran silently from shadow to shadow in the camp. They could only keep the light bent for short periods of time. Bending the light for them was almost tiring as running; they were in excellent shape, though. They went through the camp careful to avoid being detected by wanderers. Then they met in the woods again.
"You see anything?" Price asked Claude.
"Nothing," he answered.
"Then maybe they got away," Price suggested.
"Either that or they were sent them straight to the capital," Claude replied. They looked at each other. An angry look came over Price's face.
"Their look out is terrible and most of them are asleep," He said. Claude nodded.
"We need to go ahead and take out the superiors," Claude replied drawing his two long daggers. They nodded to each other and then moved into the camp and faded into the light of the camp fires.
The soldiers continued to speak casually in the night, half asleep, but somewhat concerned about the hazy look of a mystic area. The moon and campfires lit the night fairly well as two quick shadows moved through the camp; their traces consisted of moving tent flaps, which looked like they were blown by a slight breeze, and the sand underneath their feet that moved ever so slightly as they seperately entered one officer's tent after another. The men around talked about the stories that surrounded the pass laying before them and the Harcus, not even noticing the little breezes that only blew on the tents of their superiors. Salte came up to the camp stunned that the soldiers arived so quickly. He sat down and waited for daylight when they would mobilize. He wondered where Price and Claude had gone to and why they were not there waiting for him.
Just as Price was moving to were an officer might be sleeping, he heard the men by one camp fire say something that made him stop to listen. They were talking of a party that their scouts had spotted and the fifty men that went after them. He hastened to finish the job, he had undertook, so he could tell Claude, working on the other side. They killed all the officers who were asleep in their tents and finally met near the center of the camp between two tents and both were very tired; sweat was pouring down their faces.
"What's wrong," Claude asked Price.
"They didn't capture Simon and the rest yet," Price said. Claude breathed a sigh of relief.
"But they are going to tonight if they can," Price finished. Claude looked at the ground and then to the tent in front of them. They saw a red horse, which was unlike the rest of the other banners.
"This guy must be the main one. He has the fanciest horse," Claude said nodding toward the center tent. Price got ready. "I'll get him," he said. Price bounced up and down slightly to get the spring back into his legs, took two deep breaths and then rushed into the full light of the camp fire in front of the tent. The camp fire was surrounded by men who did not notice a thing. Except one man who saw the flapps of their leader's tent move as if by the wind.
"Why can't that breeze blow on us?" he said to his friend beside him. His friend shook his head.
Price crept in and as soon as the flaps hid him from the outside, he let go of the light around him. He quickly surrounded himself again because the leader was not asleep. Crusas looked up thinking he saw something and Price slowly moved. Crusas looked intently at Price noy sure what he was looking for. He thought he could barely see a shadow, but it was somewhat faint and hard to make out for sure. Price was begining to tire quickly from fatigue and his hold on the light around him was begining to loosen. Finally, Crusas rationalized it as the camp light playing tricks on him and he lay his head back down, but he did not close his eyes. Price then moved to the head of the bed and readied his dagger which was also covered with bent light. There was no scream or noise, the flaps of the tent brushed out then in and Price and Claude carefully made their way out of the camp and into the woods were they were spotted by Salte.
"Where have you two been?" Salte wispered. Just then they heard a shout.
"Search the camp! There is a murderer in the camp."
"He got Growes."
"And Matis."
"Dano's THROAT has been slit."
In just a little while, the camp went into chaos as what was left of the leadership struggled to bring the men under controll.
"Find Master Crusas."
"He's dead!"
"Dead!"
"It can't be! How could they have gotten our Captain?"
"This place is death!"
"It's cursed."
"Hold your tounge you coward. Someone has come in and killed them."
"Who? What man could make it all the way to the Crusas without us knowing or seeing? And the Crusas never sleeps anyway you know that!" Everyone in the camp drew weapons and looked around intently for enemies.
Salte, Price and Claude listened as the whole camp was thrown into confusion.
"Nice work," Salte said to them smiling at the camp.
"It's not over," Price said.
Salte quickly looked at Price.
"They sent fifty men after Simon and Love," Claude added, "Do you think Simon can take fifty men?"
"No," Salte replied, "I don't know, maybe."
"We have to get to them," Price said, "We can't return to the village right now while they are in danger." Fighting then broke out in the camp.
Salte nodded. "But how can we catch up to them," he asked to himself. Just then he saw five of the hourses cut loose and run. "Let's get a horse," Salte said.
"We don't know how to ride them very well," Price replied.
"You saw how the Mayor and all them did it," Salte said, "Just copy that."
Salte edged out of the woods and slowly walked up to one of the five horses that had run to the woods and stopped. He reassured it for just a little and then jumped on. The horse reared up, but Salte did not let go. The camp was in to much confusion to pay close attention to Salte on the horse, and Price and Claude followed Salte's example. After much neighing and rearing they managed to get the horses under controll, and the horses reluctantly followed their new master's confusing commands.
"Can we just leave this army here?" Claude asked.
"No, we can't," Salte replied.
"What do you sugest we do?" Price asked.
"You two are going after Simon and the group," Salte said, "I'll take care of the rest of this situation."
Salte looked back to make sure it looked chaotic enough. "They're still fighting," he said, "Go!" Price and Claude looked back to see the men arguing and fighting over whether or not to stay and who was in charge and then they sped off to catch up with Simon.
"How do you operate this thing?" Price called while his horse neighed and tried to go everywhere but where he wanted.
"I'm just letting mine go where it wants to," Claude called back, "As long as it doesn't run into anything and its going the general direction I want it to."
Salte looked to the camp which was still in confusion and uncovered his spear which he kept covered in a cloth. The two headed spear was old and was laced with silver, which was abundant in the South Lands in now abandoned mines. The iron and silver spear was covered with a certain wood found only in the Southlands that did not burn for some reason. The Magus found that silver conducted electricity very well, electricity was their favorit for battle. Salte did not know how to invoke electricity just a few small things like light and the force wall.
Salte walked his horse up slowly and flooded his spear with a little energy making the two dimond heads glow and give light. The men at the camp looked one by one with fear at the two lights that approach them. They could barely make out Salte, just the two lights as Salte approached. They looked at one another and called for their remaining superiors. Salte appoached slowly, erect, and motionless in the horse sattle with his eyes fixed on the men. The men then saw the two lights illuminated a man as Salte came even closer. He continued to move closer and made the heads of his spear shine brighter and brighter untill the men of the camp became very afraid. Salte halted and continued to glare at the soldiers.
"Who tresspasses on forbidden lands during the twilight of the Harcus," Salte moaned as if to be half dead. The men did not speak but only glared at the two lights of his spear.
"Death awaits you from your strongest to your weakest," Salte moaned again, "Who will challenge me for the right to enter the Waste Lands, for the right to die." Salte began to slowly make his way forward again and the men began to shrink back.
"You cowards," one man said, "its a trick. Get him." The crowd did not move at first and the man grabbed other men to move with him. "Let's go," he urged. The soldiers started to follow him and the men progressed toward Salte boldly at first, but as they walked closer they found it harder and harder to move forward. The men looked around in confusion for their invisible hindrance and soon the men in the back were pushing against the men in front, who could go no futhur. Salte smiled
"Go back," the ones in the front began to shout, "We can't go any furthur."
"What's stopping us?"
"I don't know. Go back."
"We can't go back there are too many people still pressing forward."
"We're being crushed."
Salte walked up to the men who were now begining to suffocate between the men in the back and his invisible wall.
"Who will fight to die?" Salte asked and then he held up his spear and flushed a massive amount of energy to the dimonds so bright that all the men had to stop and cover their eyes. But Salte was too quick for them.
"I can't see."
"Were is everyone?"
"I'm getting out of here."
"Retreat!"
"I heard 'retreat'"
"I'm with him."
"Don't retreat you cowards." One of the officers tried to continue forward.
Salte then took his spear and drove it into the chest of the officer who wandered close to him. The man let out a yell and the rest of the men panicked, dropped their weapons and ran in every direction, horrified.
"Die!" Salte cried. Men who could see again found the nearest horse, siezed it and fled immediately. Those who found no horses fled on foot and left the camp. After much running and screaming, the whole camp was abandoned except for the dead and some left behind horses who were panicking as well. Salte rode his horse, who had already begun to like her new master, into the camp to see if there were any stragglers, but it was empty. Salte chuckled to himself and patted his horse on the neck. Then he looked in the direction that Price and Claude had gone.
"Are we friends?" Salte asked his horse. The brown horse neighed and spun Salte around in a circle.
"I'll be the best friend you've ever had," Salte told her. Then he yelled, "heya!" The horse took off in the direction of Sholom to help her new friend catch up with his friends.
The Mayor had led his group past Oak in the night and they camped out next to a mountain hidden between two extentions. They had snuffed the fire and fell asleep as soon as they had gotten everything ready, everyone except for Simon. He sat beside Love facing the flat plain of the valley. He had stayed up all night gazing at the stars and the bright moon that he had only seen from his little Outcaste village and from the SouthLand once. The smaller moon had come up now and was racing to catch up with the other moon which was heading toward the east horizon from him. This was about the time Price and Claude began their attack. Crusas had sent out men quite awhile ago and they were approaching Oak at this time. Simon sat enjoying and admiring the different air and the thoughts of new scenery that he had never seen. He wondered what his friends were doing to do about the army, but he was sure that they could handle themselves. He knew even his father could do damage on his one leg. Still, he kind of wished he could help, but he was glad of the chance to protect Love. He looked over to the girl that had completly ignored him for six years and wondered about how quickly every thing had changed and was changing. All his life and those of most of his family had been spent in that forest valley, forbidden by the hate, superstition and elitism of the north to ever venture out safely. Even The Mayor of the educated town of Oak knew little of their way of life and beliefs. 4000 years of seclusion, most of their wisdom came from that one disaster so long ago, and everything was passed down from then. And now information graciously provided by The Mayor, who was now 80 years old, though strikingly healthy, more from positive thinking than from anything else. Simon had no interest in learning much of the north except from what the Elder took in. The Elder had been a pillar for that village, more of a group, until the refugees came. He came back from his disasterous ventures in the NorthLands a sadder and wiser man. The close nitness of a group that knew they were the last was burned despritly in the minds of the last of the SouthLanders. Simon was lost in these thoughts until almost the break of morning when he heard a rumbling. Love woke up when the rumbling became louder. She did not take long to indentify what woke her up.
"What's that rumbling?" She asked. Simon shook his head. He certainly did not know what fifty horses sounded like. He got up and walked along the edge of the east extention (The valley lied east and west). When he came to the tip, he peered around and saw in the distance the fifty horses that had been sent after them. His eyes widened and he ran back.
"Mayor!" he said, "There are fifty horses coming this way." The Mayor had just woken up.
"Fifty!" The Mayor exclaimed, "Can you see them?"
"Yes I can," Simon replied, "And you can too this time."
"Their scouts must have spotted us," The Mayor said to himself, "Hurry and get your things together." By this time Faith and Love's two sisters had woken up.
"What's happening," Faith asked.
"Get your things ready. We're leaving right now," The Mayor replied.
"Can't we hide?" Love asked.
"This is not a good hiding spot if they are actually looking for us," The Mayor replied.
Simon rushed to help the girls get everything ready and the three men with them got on their horses immediatly with their swords ready by their sides. When everything was ready The Mayor mounted his horse and Simon mounted with Love, and they sped off with the persuers right on their tale. The fifty men rushed faster when they saw the group come out from their cover.
"If we make it to Sholom then we should be safe," The Mayor yelled. Simon looked back.
"They're gaining," He called. The Mayor and everyone wipped their horses to stay ahead. They only needed to stay ahead long enough to reach Sholom boarder, or so they thought. The soldiers still continued to gain with their better conditioned and well trained horses. Simon looked back and he could see the men's faces now. Simon's eyes turned black as he drew his sword. Love looked at him.
"What are you doing?" She asked.
"I'm just getting ready," He replied. Simon waited patiently as the men gained on the Mayor and Valiant family. The valley was getting wider and now the sun shown in the horizon in the west since it had no mountains to rise above and Simon could have seen the bright sun shade and whiten parts of rain clouds far in the distance, but his eyes were deep black, and he could not enjoy the sunrise because the soldiers were edging even closer. Closer and closer they came until finally the soldiers caught up and saw that Simon had a sword drawn. The soldier leading smiled and chuckled and moved up to Love and Simon's leftside with the other soldiers straggling behind for now. The soldier gave a few glances to Simon, looked into the black eyes and moved away suprised. After catching his composure he moved closer.
"Do you know how to use that?" The soldier called smiling. Faith and the others gave momentary glances back to see what was going on and Love would motion for them to keep going.
"Let me show you," The Soldier called and he lifted his sword to stirke Simon. Love pulled away before the man could swing. The soldier laughed and then sped up to Hope and Charity who were just in front. Love then swiftly moved over to the soldier and Simon switched his sword to his left hand. When Love was close enough Simon stabbed the man's horse behind and the soldier's horse fell down almost crushing the man underneath the other horsemen. After that the forty-nine other soldiers surrounded them, and they made The Mayor command them to come to a stop just a few miles from Sholom boarder.
The horses of the Mayor and the small group reared in fear of their overtakers, whose horses were completely composed. Simon looked at each man in the group and each man drew back slightly in fear.
"Harcus?" they wispered to one another. Simon glared at each person with anger and they feared to make anything of it. A little while of staring and the man who was knocked off his horse come through the group.
"Knock off your murmuring," he shouted, "He's no harcus."
"Look at his eyes," a man from the group shouted.
"You fool," the man on the ground said, "the harcus don't exist and even if they did, they only destroy, they don't protect as this man seems to be doing for these people. He just has deformed eyes." The man looked around at all of the people in the group with the Mayor. "I recognize your face, your highness," He said to Faith grinning, "And so the other girls." The man smiled maliciously. "This will get me quite the promotion in the army," he said grimmacing.
"Don't do anything," Love wispered back to Simon who edged as if he were about to jump off. He wanted to wipe the man's smirk off of his face. The man looked at Simon.
"So you think you can protect the family of the King? Come down and let me see if you have anything to you."
"Simon, no," Love commanded.
"If I win do they get to go free?" Simon asked.
"Nice dialect," The man said looking curiously at Simon, "I haven't heard that one before."
"Is that the deal?" Simon repeated. The man shook his head.
"Sure," The man said smiling. He nodded to his men that that was to be the case in the off chance, he should loose. The soldiers surrounding the group smiled and chuckled because this man was one of the top warriors in the whole military, much better than the late deceased Crusas. The man sheathed a sword for himself and took a spear and a round shield from a near-bye soldier and walked to the middel of the circle. Simon slid off the horse and Love grabbed him in protest.
"Why are you worrying?" Simon said to her. He turned around and walked casually to the man.

The Writing of Influence

Philosophy would have no context if not for metaphor, which is a poetic expression. At least that's what Sir Philip Sidney said; Percy Shelly ripped his defense of poesy from Sidney. Poetry, contrary to popular belief, is not whatever you make of it. In fact, poetry is just the opposite; it is highly condensed language intended to recreate an experience for the reader without wasting space, what you draw from that experience varies from person to person, but something definate is being relayed by the poem. If one draws something that is not alluded to or presented anywhere in the poem, there is a poetic pharase used to allude to that person:
"Full of crap." Poetry uses things that we identify with or observe every day to convey ideas, feelings, and beliefs about the world. Some people are better at this than others. Whether or not I am a good poet is not an issue for me at this moment, even though I'm a creative writing major, but I like to write anyway. This poem is about a cloudy day. I love over caste days.

Overcaste

A cloud cover slides in cutting off rays of sunlight.
The slight shadows lulling the world into a dull light sleep.
Wavy sheets of flowing threaded grey
seem tossed over the sky
covering weary toiling forests and cities.
Thousands of pillowy clouds laid
together over the sky provid
rest from the hot working sun that
unyeildingly drenches everything in light.
A soft blanket covers life in a slight grey haze to
bid everything just wait under shelter.
A light, cool breath between the earth bed
and the cloud sheets brushes a face to speak in an ear.
'Rest,' wispers the air under the clouds,
'Light will beat on you again for sure,
but rest for now even sleep.
Follow nature's example and
Ease yourself,
your own planet knows to value rest as well as work.'

Chapter 5: The Silent Fight Deadly

A day passed. Love, Faith and the girls got their things together, while Calthes went over some theories in fighting, knowing that Simon was just going to do whatever he did. Calthes had never used a sword in any real combat and his brothers were all dead by now. But everything was so well ingraned, he at least knew the motions and some strategies handed down. Hirst was the first time any of the Outcastes had had real combat. Price and Claude helped the villagers cover and spread the remains of their houses and then they put the important things in the houses that were left.
"There," The Elder said to Salte, "Now when they come they will only see signs of a few. Hopefully they won't go looking through the woods."
"I don't see how they could find us," Salte said, "It's a half day's journey to the old Knight's town and that's if you know the way." The Elder continued to watch the preperations.
"All these centuries of reflection," the Elder said, "Strange these things happen at the end of our races times." Salte and The Elder watched Simon lift Charity, who had always liked his black eyes, to get an apple from a tree near the Elder's house.
"So Simon is going with Love and the royal family," Salte asked.
"Simon will defend Love with his life," The Elder replied, "And he can do it reliably."
"I have no doubt about Simon's affection for Love," Salte replied, "But when did Love start coming around." The Elder shook his head.
"How would I know?," The Elder replied, "You can't win with them. No matter how strong men are, the woman always seems to have some edge."
Salte laughed.
"They're harcus," Salte chuckled. The Elder smiled while watching Simon take a juicy apple over to Love, who recieved it with affection.
"How do we get so powerless?" the Elder said.
"Love," Salte said patting the Elder on the shoulder. Salte turned and walked over to Sara who was walking over to him. The Elder looked at them warmly and then walked over to where Calthes and Claire were talking under an oak tree. The day pressed on and everyone worked hard. Night moved in and The Royal family and Simon were as ready as ever to leave. Everyone went to bed that night sad. No one knew how long the Valiants would be gone. If the Valiant girls were discovered then a major problem would ensue, as one might expect. The night passed quickly and the morning rose too soon for every one.
All of the Southlanders and the Villagers hugged the Valiants and Simon as they prepared to leave early that morning. Claire and Calthes embraced their son. Many tears were shed, of course. This was a decently long journey for Simon and possibly a very long good-bye for the Valiants and the village folk. During the group good-bye's, the Mayor and three other men came to town ready to escort the group. They rode horses, which would make the journey quicker. Their horses differed from our horses somewhat; they were stouter, stronger and had much wider gates, though remarkably smooth and graceful. The Mayor rode to the Elder to speak with him.
"Are they ready?" the Mayor asked him.
"Yes, they are, plus one more," Elder Sel responded. The Mayor looked at him curiously. Simon stepped forth and the Mayor indicated that he understood.
"You are sure of this?" The Mayor said, "You know better than any your reputation exceeds you. And your peculiarities preceed you."
"I'm sure you can handle the politics, Mayor," The Elder said, "Simon will keep your men and the Valiant family safe."
"Just one man huh?" The Mayor replied, "These three have military training."
"You can trust Simon more man than any in Calton," The Elder assured him. The Mayor sighed.
"I did not bring a horse for him," he said.
"He can ride with me," Love said riding on her horse to Simon who was standing next to the Elder. Simon looked with awe on this animal that he had only heard and seen briefly. The Mayor mostly traveled to the village on foot, but sometimes brought a horse. Love lead her horse over to Simon.
"Go ahead, you can touch her. Pet her on the forhead and on the neck," Love said to Simon. Simon meekly did as she suggested and the horse took to the affection.
"See, she likes you." Simon grinned and stroked the horse some more.
"Get on behind me," Love said. Simon walked around and looked around for how to get on. "Use the stirrups," Love said. All watched in humor as Simon awkwardly got up and then held on to the grip in front of Love. He looked around a little nervously at first but soon became used to the feeling. Everyone continued to look on as the villagers surrounding the group moved to make way for the departing party. The Elder walked up to Love and Simon.
"Simon come straight back as soon as you deliver Love safely. If you see a large encampment on your way back, wait until dark to try to get into the pass, if you try at all. Even you are in great danger outside of here." Simon nodded and then looked to his parents, Salte, Price and Claude and their wives as they all stood with tearing eyes. He smiled. "We are ready then," One man said to the Mayor.
"Just a moment," The Mayor said, "I think you must know, Elder Sel. We have gotten word that the war has intensified and panic is growing. The people are begining to see the Great Light as a bad omen for this war on the part of Calton. But the light was even brighter and bigger than we thought; Coast saw it too and believes we may have found something to their disadvantage. Hence, the fighting has become very fierce between two competative countries. People are dying and Surel is looking to squelch the panic over the bad omen and regain some trust. Be careful if you wish to come out unhurt. I don't know how aggresive this little group of soldiers are going to be. But the Calton army is very disciplined in many ways."
"Amazing how Calton has kept up with a military superpower like Coastshire for this long. Thankyou," The Elder said, "Simon, stay alert."
"Yes, let's be on our way," The Mayor replied, "As the old saying goes in Skiit, 'time and the kings are against us'." With that they hastened off on their mighty horses that almost leaped instead of galloped. The village watched the group gallop and Simon who bounced akwardly on the horse until they faded in the trail that led to the mountains. The villagers dispersed and left the core Outcaste still watching. After more minutes of watching Price had to brake the silence. He looked to Salte. "Now what?" He said shrugging.
Salte turned to walk to the Elder's house. "We prepare for battle," he replied. Price looked at his brother who was beside Salte.
"Can we fight a battle?" he asked Claude.
"Sure," Claude said turning and following Salte, "Whether or not we can win one is what's up for debate."
Sara and everyone else followed Salte and Claude while Price walked over to the Elder, Calthes and Clair.
"Time to start preparing," The Elder said sliding his light blue eyes to look at Calthes. Calthes nodded.
"It may take me some time to get used to one leg. But I think I might can manage." The gallantry of the races of the SouthLand was exordinary.
"We had better get ready for something," The Elder said turning toward his house.
Calthes stopped leaning on his wife and hopped toward the Elder's house. "Better start getting good now," he said. The Elder chuckled and every one walked on to the meeting except Calthes who hopped.
Claude was joking around with the ladies about something or other when the rest walked in, including the villagers.
"So there are soldiers on their way here," Colos asked. Colos had a wife, two children, a boy and a girl, and had to flee from Calton for stealing from a treasurey in city of Balton. He had escaped and hid in this village under the condition that he nor his family could leave. A deppression in Colos' town because of the war decreased his own personal resolve, and he resorted to stealing; the Elder, who was afraid for his people's safety, informed Colos his suseptablity to his weakness injured his credibility, and the SouthLanders did not want thieves in their village. Colos initially took offense to this, but he decided the Elder might be right. That is Colos' history briefly.
"Yes, Colos. We are going to hide you all until we either deal with the soldiers or they deal with us," The Elder replied.
"What can you do against two hundred men?" Colos asked.
"I would like to explain it to you, but you are just going to have to trust us. Our chances of winning are not that bad," Elder Sel explained.
Colos put his arms around his wife and children and brought them close.
"Claire and Calthes are going to lead you all to your hiding place," The Elder continued, "It's quite nice for such an abandoned area, but it's a good distance away. That's why you needed to make so many provisions and such."
"How far away is it exactly?" Sets, another villager refugee, asked.
"Enough to where the soldiers won't go there. It's a little over half a day's journey and Claire and Calthes will take you tomorrow. You need to get everything ready." The villagers, about five families, left and got their things ready. Salte, Price, Claude and Calthes gathered in the center room. Sara, Claire and the others left to help the villagers.
"We can't take them head on that's for sure," Price said.
"I think we can stop them at least," Salte said. Price looked at him. "They have to congregate closer to get into the pass. I'll just stop them while the twins do their work. Or maybe just the fact that something they can't see is resisting them will discourage the whole thing."
"I can fight on one leg as well as most fight on two I'm sure," Calthes said.
"Yes, but that would be with practice," Price replied.
"It was just a suggestion to get the juices flowing," Salte added.
"Mine wan't good enough," Price clipped looking at Salte seriously and sarcastically.
"Yours was more like an opinion," Salte replied.
"Calthes' injury is a delima as is Simon going with Love, but both were nessecary since raiders can often be found in valleys, especially ones that boarder other countries, and of course Calthes and Hirst," The Elder replied, "We can handle this situation here with some wisdom and cunning."
"What are we going to do about Hirst once we get this finished," Price asked.
"We'll worry about that later," Calthes answered, "I think he ment it when he said he wasn't doing anything soon. Right now we have to figure out this part."

(I think it marrits some explination as to why exactly the Elder is so intent on having Love retake the throne. Number one because she is the true heir and not having any politics of his own to get involved with until now, he, as well as Salte, would just as soon be involved with Calton's politics. Second, this may be a chance for them to get out of exile, since they do live for quite a while. They can roam somewhat freely see a land forbidden to them for millinia. Even thought the Outcastes are down to a molecular few, the Elder would still like in his last 50 or so years to see other parts and see them with Salte, Calthes and the others if possible. Third and an important fact, Surel is on their case. If some of them can survive or if Surel decides not to kill them, perhaps Love with the help of influential men who despise Surel can help her gain enough influence since people were still loyal to her father. That will save what's left of them from genocide and the few refugees in the village allowing them to return to their orginal homes. Kind of a long shot I think, but you do what you got to do I guess. The war, from our information so far, is decreasing Surel's appeal quickly. Surel suspects the Valiants are not dead, and he looks for them intently when he gets the chance, but he never suspected they would be in the Outcaste village since the distain of that whole area is thorough and complete. He figures that if he can earn support through this war he can completely solidify his power without killing the royal family. If he does not kill the royal family then the nobles will be more willing to support him and secure his throne, though things are not quite going as planned for him so far. The war is of course two months ahead of the information that gets to Oak. Oak's education comes from towns in Sholom just a week away, in case any readers were wondering how a back woods town can be the center of education for a nation. The fourth and the most far fetched reason is that maybe some kind of defense can be made against Hirst if and when he decides to attack, if attack is his plan. And the last and most important reason, because the whole village has grown to love the Valiant family. The loyalty of the village is unwavering and the Outcastes are willing to help the ones they love reclaim their rightful position. Love became a sort of grandaughter to Elder Sel, since his family was taken from him while they curiously traveled the Northlands against caution. There. Now there is less doubt concerning the urgency of the Southlander's participation in Love re-taking the throne for Valiants or someone just as honorable. Back to the story.)

The Southlanders continued their discussion.
"Where will they camp if they decide to do so?" Salte started.
"Not too close I don't think because of the stories that circulate about this pass," Claude answered.
"Yes, but Surel doesn't believe those and likely has influenced his soldiers the same," The Elder replied, "They see us as despecable creatures more than anything else."
"They'll want to keep us from escaping, so no doubt they will camp close if not right up on us," Calthes said, "So we might as well count on that." They all agreed to go with that. They sat in silence waiting for someone to think of the brilliant strategy that would get them out safely. But none came.
"This is pretty much a hit or miss situation," Salte added, "I'm pretty sure we are the only people in this world that would think of actually fighting in this situation. The mark is very small."
"The mark," The Elder said thinking, "Maybe we should just go ahead and go for the center." The others looked at him.
"It's an idea," Salte said, "Target the mainstays of the group."
"I'm sure there are quite a few soldiers who still hold partially to their superstitions," Calthes said, "If we douse the leadership then the whole opertation could go sour for now."
"It's really our only strategy," The Elder said, "I hate for us to be the heroes, but I don't want to get the villagers involved with this. Without leadership they would lack the organization for any advanced tactical movements. You two could take care of quite a few individuals." Price and Claude nodded.
"I can keep them from coming into the pass easily. They aren't boulders," Salte said, "They don't know anything about us other than that they don't want anything to do with us. It shouldn't be hard to throw them into confusion."
"You're right," Calthes continued smiling, "They haven't been trained for this." The group nodded one to the other gravely.
"We can't blow this with foolishness though; we still have to be smart when we act," Salte added. "Price and Claude," The Elder said, "Only you two can get in and out of their ranks without being detected. Identifying the ranking leaders shouldn't be too difficult, you have to get to them as you see them and then move quickly to safety. Salte can provide a safe zone for you in the woods between the pass and Oak."
"Will you be waiting for us?" Salte asked.
"200 men is quite a few against three no matter what you have in your favour," The Elder replied, "One slip and one of you if not all three could end up dead. We have to be ready for the worst case."
"They could still get themselves organized and come in here, even after we take their mainstays out," Claude replied.
"Yes, but at least you'll buy time to make your way back here where we will have the advantage, especially with little or no leadership on their part."
"It's risky," Price said.
"We know," Calthes replied, "We don't have much choice. We have only minor advantages compaired to two hundred. Our only chance is to colapse their will, and we don't know exactly how much time we have."
"We have to take the lenght of the pass into account too," Salte said to Price.
"We need to go ahead and set up a watch at the pass entrance. Go ahead and spend the rest of the day traveling there and maybe you two and Salte can figure something out," The Elder said. Price and Claude nodded. They got up quickly and walked out the door and as soon as they were outside they were off with no trace to the North Land boarders.
"We'll be the first line of defense, if that's what we want to call it. But Price has a point. This is kind of a quick mix," Salte said.
"We don't have machines or numbers, just hiding places," Calthes said, "And if they decide to invade, they most likely will search the forest for any survivors. It's all just kind of a gamble. All or nothing."
"We will be hidden and if they do come here none of us will be taken alive to be publically humiliated for Surel," The Elder replied, "Try to come back safely, Salte. If Calton is still in panic then they will have to find someone to execute because the people will not just take the word of Surel, especially not now. If you do not come back...then we are prepared."
"Take the word of Surel for what?" Salte asked going back to Calton's panic.
"That we are dead and finished," The Elder replied, "I'm not sure revolt is as much of a choice as we would like to believe in the case of Calton at this point. Simon must keep that family safe until an exhange of power becomes immenent."
"You think it will," Caltes said. The Elder nodded.
"Surel's reign is based on a promise of power given to a certain few," The Elder said, "If he can't deliver then he will simply be removed by the people who allow him to be there, even if he gains all the army under his wing, his generals won't respect a man who can't deliver, or they may over throw him themselves. Once disorder starts, even in the smallest of places, the whole system could unravel, and many people can die. A power struggle is bound to happen. Hopefully, the Mayor can find a way to insert The King and his family back in to their place."
"If and when the shift happens," Salte said.
"The generals of Calton probably won't let that happen that easily will they," Caltes asked.
"Nothing is going to be easy," The Elder said, "The times have become very...negative. And we seem to be pushing furthur and furthur in that direction, all for what?"
"Naturally," Salte replied, "Tell our wive...."
"Of course," The Elder replied, "There's no telling how much time we have." Salte nodded and got up to go.
"All of this for political reasons," Calthes said, "Maybe we didn't miss out on too much after all."
"We did," The Elder said, "Surel is causing many to remember."
"No matter what, the only way we stand a chance is with suprise. If we even fight," Salte said, "We'll think of something. Who knows, I may be able to just hold them off myself."
The Elder nodded and looked at the ground thoughtfully. "Salte, it's a wonder how powerful you are when our lineage is so weak," The Elder replied, "I only hope it can serve some purpose here at our end." They were quite for a moment.
"I wish I could go now," Calthes replied.
"You'd probably do more on one leg than most would do with two," The Elder replied.
Salte left to follow Price and Claude. The Elder and Calthes acknowleged him as he left.
Calthes looked to the Elder. "Its happening too fast," He said.
"I know," The Elder said, "I don't know if we can keep up with this."
"What a thing to happen after 4000 years of complacency," Calthe said, "Why not after 2000 or even 3000, when we had more people."
"Time is never on a mortal's side. If it is One's will that this be our end that is fine," The Elder said, "But I should like to go down fighting and free."
"You don't think that fighting will be any kind of give away that more people live here do you?" Calthes asked the Elder.
"Everything's a give away right now," Elder Sel replied, "I just hope The Mayor makes it to Sholom with the Valiants safely."
"There will be good places to hide them?" Calthes asked.
"The Mayor assured me he had it all taken care of," The Elder said.
"Then it is settled. We are now in the hands of One."
Salte ran to find his wife and told her what they were doing. Sara cried and kissed Salte, and Land and Ceyes teared up. Salte did not tell them good-bye and hastened to reach the pass. Along the way though he looked at each tree and rock, and he noticed everything about the forest he had taken for granted for his thirty years. He was very young compaired to the Elder. His mother had died giving birth to him; the damage his birth gave to his mother was too much too quickly and her life was ended. He and Calthes were both born very late compaired to their brothers. Although Calthes was 102 years old. Salte pondered on the final days of a wasted race that had squandered their knowlege, abilities and power and laid waste to their homeland 4000 years ago. The only thing Salte ever knew was decay and death in at least one sense or another. He had only read about heroes, salvation and second chances in the legends and the myths of Northern literature, graciously provided by The Mayor of Oak. The South Landers had never asked their God for redemption or second chances, they accepted their sentence as their just lot. Salte had also accepted it even now, as he rushed to protect his family and the others who had entrusted themselves to his care. He continued to run and ponder his long history without tiring. He couldn't help but feel he was missing something, but since he did not know what it was, he ignored it and focused on the task at hand.
The morning turned to afternoon and then evening. Love and Simon rode behind the group as they sped to the end of the pass. Simon, whose eyes were black, looked to the Northeast for the first time in a while, but not for the view. The Soldiers were coming.
"They're already here?" Simon said.
"What?" Love called back. The Mayor was riding in front of Love and Simon just to their left.
"Mayor," Simon called, "The soldiers are coming from the northeast." The Mayor looked in that direction and saw the smoke and dust from their footsteps.
"I see them," he called.
"They're there," Simon answered, "I thought they were still a ways off."
"They must have traveled through nights," The Mayor said still confused, "We must hasten our pace." The Mayor called to the head rider. All of the horses increased speed and they were all leaping with no jolt or bump added to their gate. Simon would look back periodically wondering if he had made the right descision to go with Love. The Mayor could see the concern on his face.
"There's nothing you can do," The Mayor called back, "What you are doing now is important."
Simon looked ahead as Love looked back and smiled at him. They continued to ride full speed. Oak was now only a few hours away and the Mayor planned to ride in town grab some supplies and leave, since Sholom boarder was not very far past Oak at all.
"We will ride through as much of the night as possible," The Mayor called to them so they would know his plan, and they continued to rush to get out of the way of the soldiers.



And the they're off, now the story will take off from here and the battles begin