Space of Themes

Chapter 10: Disscussions and Telling Off's

2006-09-14T18:08:00.000-07:00

They rode silently for an hour when they came to a stop. Trotes motioned for Salte to come up to the front. Salte rode up to see what Trotes had to say.
"They're in the clearing right in front of us," Trotes told him, "If you can keep some of them alive, we can get information from them, who they work for and little important stuff like that."
Salte nodded and rode quietly back to the main group. Shortly, Simon, Claude, and Price dismounted and walked up to Trotes.
"Alive?" Price wispered. Trotes nodded. They immediately scampered into the woods, and Trotes simply waited and listened, and it wasn't long before he heard the cries of bewilderment that he knew would momentarily resound in the night. Trotes smiled to himself and rode up to where a trail led into the woods. Salte and the rest followed him to the clearing that Trotes had mentioned, and there Simon, Price and Claude had taken three of the five men and the other two had run away leaving their companions to their fate. Trotes rode into he camp site rather triumphantly smiling at the thieves.
"Nice to have friends you can count on," he said to the theives, who were astonished at the strength of their three captors. Trotes looked at Simon. "Bring that one here," Trotes said to him. Simon brought the man over to Trotes, who jumped off of his horse and squinted some because he jarred his arm a little.
"Who are you?" Trotes asked him plainly.
The man did not answer. Trotes looked into the bandit's eyes intently.
"I chose you because I thought you might be smarter than the others," he said to him, "If you want to live another day, tell us what we want to know."
One of the others being held spoke up, "We are just a small group trying to make a living." Trotes scoffed.
"I thought as much," Trotes replied, "But there are so many ways to make a living. Why would you resort to theivery, espcially when the only travelers alowed on this road for now is for the army."
"We didn't know," he said.
"So what did you do for the past four weeks," Trotes asked. The men remained silent. "You're up to something," Trotes continued, "You're up to something that could affect us and So tell me what it is. There's no reason for you to be keeping an eye on the road right now because no one is traveling on it. And you do know because Surel closed it down until word comes back from me or someone else. It's posted all over the place and it's been carried by many messengers. And you've surely seen or heard of the two or three hundred men that have passed by and asked what was the matter." The men looked fearfully at Trotes. "You tried to divert us when we passed through the town," Trotes continued, "Why would a thief be diverting travelers to make a living? Unless someone was paying them to do it." The men could not conceal their guilt with their faces. "Who?" Trotes asked, "Elestor?"
The man who had spoke before shook his head slightly. "Elestor's dead," he said, "The second in command paid us to do it. He said he wanted you dead or out of the way, divert you so he can hurry up."
"To where?" Trotes asked. The man gulped.
"To meet up with that Alastor, guy," the man said.
"Where?" Trotes asked.
"In Clasea," he replied. Trotes turned his head away.
"Why are they meeting there?" Trotes asked.
"How would I know that?" the man said, "We're just quick help. We'd never join them. All I know now I heard in passing." Trotes eyed the man carefully weighing weather he should just go ahead and kill him or trust him and let him go. All three thieves watched in fear.
Just then Simon turned around to catch the other two thieves trying to sneak behind them.
"And what are you doing?" Simon asked them.
Trotes unsheathed his sword and Salte walked over to them.
"Stay where you are if you want to live," Trotes told them. The Trotes turned to the other three bandits. "Well, they came back after all," he said. Then he walked up to the one that spoke and put his sword to the man's neck. "Are you telling me the truth?" he said to him.
"Yes, sir," the man said.
"Then leave here," Trotes told him, "don't get yourself killed tonight." The three Outcastes let the men go and all five ran into the woods. Trotes turned and walked to his horse without saying a word.
Simon and Price walked over to the girls, while Claude, Salte and Samantha walked over to Trotes.
Samantha spoke first, "So it is Alastor." Trotes did not answer, he simply unsaddled his horse as best he could with one arm. Samantha walked over and helped him. Trotes let her help as he put it on the ground. Then he led his horse to a tree to tie it up.
"What's goin going on?" Claude asked Samantha.
Samantha answered, "The number of gangs has increased over the past six years. Trotes and my father gathered information on their movements and locations, all of which looked organized, so they figured the increase was because of a network infrastructure being built up in our own country." Trotes walked back up.
"It would be easy to do," Trotes said, "Not difficult to do in this country."
Samantha nodded. "My father is councerned about an inssurgency."
Salte looked at Trotes. "What's your concern?"
"Alastor," he replied, "When I looked at what was going on and the dissappearance of Alastor, I figured he must be up to something. He's a mercenary, Hardly law abiding citzens, and they have the ability to do this kind of organization."
Samantha added, "He's the only one with that kind of charisma."
Trotes walked away. "Surel is making a mistake," he said walking to his horse.
"We'll beat Surel to Calton Capital," Samantha said, "Maybe we can warn him."
"Let's get a fire started," Salte said. The men and Samantha gathered some wood and built a fire in the middle of the clearing. They sat for a while letting the quite thoughtfullness of the night seep into their minds. The night was slightly chilly, the first chilly night for a while. Hope and Charity soon fell asleep and the others waited in silence for someone to speak. The fire flickered when wind from the cool mountaintops rushed over it. Every once in a while one of them would get up to get more wood.
Finally, Samantha spoke. "So," she said to Claude and the rest, "You are all from the South."
They looked at each other then at her.
"Yes," Salte said.
"What did you have to do with the Great Light?" she asked.
Salte chuckled slightly.
"Complex question," he said, "But right now the answer you seek is nothing."
"What do you mean complex question?" she asked.
"It's a long story," Simon replied.
"Surel's little expedition is responsible for that," Price added. Samantha looked into the fire.
"What was it?" she asked. The Outcastes looked at each other. Trotes listened intently.
"Long story," Claude said repeating their desire not to talk about it.
"We've got time," Trotes replied. Salte sighed and stirred the fire for a moment.
"Our history is buried and hidden from yours," Salte told them, "before the North even thought to record history, we had made more than our fair share of it. That light, ironically, is a part of our past."
"Do tell," Trotes insisted.
"I just thought you were banished from our lands for some evil," Samantha.
"That's what most people believe," Trotes added, "I must admit I'm curious myself. You actually come from the South?"
"Yes," Salte replied, "But we haven't lived in the actual Southlands for some time." Then Salte gave them a brief overhaul of the story of Hirst and the wars in the South. Samantha, Trotes, Fareh and the girls, who had been talking to Seliah up to that point, now listened attentively to what Salte told them. He did not narrat in the normal way of the Southlander culture. The story was simply told to them. When he came to the part of Mica, Titus and Silas, Trotes became especially intersted. Salte told how they let them go even though they knew it could be disastrous, and how the great light came shortly after. He took the story all the way up until they met with the three hundred men.
When Salte finished the story, silence ensued. And then Salte spoke again. "And that's the main portion of it. This whole land is in danger," Salte said.
Simon spoke, "But Hirst said he wasn't going to do anything now."
"Nothing drastic," Salte replied, "But I'm sure he'll have his hand in as many things as he can to get things in order for himself."
"So even though you know he's strong," Trotes replied, "You're still going to try to do something." Salte nodded his head. "Not a good situation," Trotes said, "Mighty noble of you though. You're going to help the people who denied you."
"So you believe us?" Price said to Trotes.
"Why not?" Trotes replied, "I've seen you, and you don't seem like the kind to make things up. And everyone saw the light, even if it wasn't as visible as what you saw. I have no reason to doubt you."
"So that's your past," Fareh commented, "How sad. Some many people think you committed some crime against us."
"No," Salte replied, "Not directly anyway. We don't hold the discrimination against anyone. We came out partially to see if we could do anything. We have decided to spend our last years looking for Hirst. We decided that its better to die than to stand by let our atrocities turn the world into chaos."
"What can you do?" Trotes asked. Salte chuckled.
"Not sure," Salte said, "but I'd rather do something. Who knows."
"Hmph," Trotes said lying down, "You can always tell everyone to be nice." Everyone was silent again until Simon got up slowly and looked around at the woods around him. His eyes were black as they could possibly be.
"What is it?" Price asked. Trotes lifted himself up.
"Something's in the woods," Simon replied.
"What?" Salte asked. Price and Claude looked around while Fareh huddled the girls close to her.
"You come too," Fareh said to Seliah. Seliah moved over and got in with the girls.
"Simon?" Price asked said.
"I . . . don't know," Simon replied looking around, "It's been coming in and out for some time actually. But I never said anything because I didn't know." Salte grabbed his spear. Price and Claude got up with their pairs of daggar and looked around. Trotes was still seated, but waited for anything to happen. "It's not anything I've ever known," Simon.
"Could it be Hirst?" Price asked.
Trotes muttured under his breath, "Interesting." Simon had unsheathed his sword by now, but he then lowered it.
"It's gone," Simon said.
"You've known about it," Price said.
"I'm sorry," Simon replied, "I've never been outside of our valley. I though maybe it was just something in this land that I've never known. It wasn't until tonight . . . that I noticed malice in it."
Price looked at Salte. "You think he's keeping an eye on us?" he asked Salte. Salte shook his head. And looked at Trotes.
"Who do people think is responsible for the great light?" Salte asked.
"Right now? You." Trotes replied, "Things settled down when our star gazers offered explinations, but Surel had already sent the investigation anyway."
"Will Surel listen to us when we get into the Capital?" Salte asked.
Trotes chuckled looking at the fire. "Surel listens to no one except the people who agree with him," Trotes replied, "Except General Syrathis. Surel listens to him because he must."
Salte looked at Trotes for a moment. "You two are friends," he said to him. Trotes lifted just his eyes to look a Salte and then turned in his spot to lie back down. Trotes squirmed a little to get comfortable and then relaxed.
"Don't wake me if something happens," Trotes said. Samantha shook her head and then laid down herself.
"I'll stay up," Simon told Salte.
"You sure," Salte replied. Simon nodded his head. Salte then lied down and settled in his place. And everyone followed in suite, except Seliah, who waited for when she thought everyone else was asleep. She knew the sound well. She could hear the breathing of each person. Each breathing pattern became rythmic and more relaxed. She listened closer as each became softer and easier. She listened with her eyes facing upward, as the easiness of sleep slowly covered the party like a blanket under the moon, which was just above them. Seliah wondered what the sky looked like. She tried to imagine what it was to see and wondered what it ment to distinguish between a rock and a tree without having to feel or listen, to know without having to come into contact with something. She wondered what it was like to enjoy something from afar. Silence was unknown to her. Her hearing was so keen that even the smallest breath or change in the air pushed and pricked her ears allowing her to moniter her environment, an in that way, she knew more than people who see.
Eventually, she heard everything in its complete sleepy calm and then softly arose. Simon looked over to her. She simply sat facing toward the fire waiting for Simon to see her.
"Can't sleep?" Simon asked.
"Can you teach me to see?" she asked.
Simon did not know how to answer at first. But he decided to be honest.
"No," he said to her. Seliah bowed her head. She did not know what else to say that was all she wanted to know. "I can teach you other things though," Simon told her, "maybe."
"Like what?" Seliah asked.
"I can teach you . . .," Simon hesitated to find the right word. After some thought he completed the thought, " . . . to believe."
"But not to see," Seliah replied. Simon's heart sunk.
"I'm sorry," Simon replied.
"It's okay," Seliah said with tears now sparkling in the moonlight. When she felt the tears on her eyes she cried all the more, but she tried to hold it in. Simon did not know what else to do at this moment, so he let her alone and continued to be attentive for the rest of the night thinking about how he could help Seliah and how it is that he knew what was when he could neither see nor hear.
He got up and walked over to Seliah, who heard every footstep. He reached down and picked her up and brought her to his spot and set her on his knees.
"The first step is knowing your doubt," he said to her, "Do you doubt?"
She nodded her head.
"We all do," Simon replied, "What you have to do is learn to controll them. There are times to doubt and times not to. And you must learn the difference." Seliah nodded. "I can't teach you to see physically," Simon told her, "But I can teach you to know. And that's a different kind of sight, a spiritual sight. A better sight."
"Teach me to know?" Seliah said.
"Yes," Simon replied, "And it starts with belief."
"Belief," Seliah repeated.
"It's a secret that all people know," Simon continued, "But only a Soul Knight has mastered."
"Know?" Seliah asked.
Simon picked her up and set her back in her place.
"Go to sleep now," he told her, "We've got a long day."
Simon kissed her on the head.
"Don't leave," Seliah said to him. Simon waited for a moment.
"Alright," Simon replied, "I'll sit right here."
Seliah smiled and then curled up to go to sleep.
Trotes was awake staring at the moon as it moved across the sky. He had heard the conversation in bits and pieces, but he was deep in his own thought and his own plans. The night passed swiftly for those who were asleep, and the days for them to travel were many. But on the front, the situation for Calton had grown critical very quickly, and the great General Syrathis was about to meet the new uncanny General of Coastshire in a vital battle.

Chapter 10: Discussions and Telling Off's

2006-08-17T22:11:00.000-07:00

The next morning everyone woke up and got straight to work gathering what was left of the food and hunting down some more in the woods that lined the river where the village ended. At about midday, already a late start, they had finished getting people into the pub and were saying goodbye to the women left to care for the injured.
"Thankyou for all you have done," the oldest said to them.
"You are welcome. I'm sorry our journey is so urgent," Salte said to her, "We may be back this way one day. I hope you are doing much better by then."
"We'll recover the best we can," she said. As they spoke Delos stepped out from the group and addressed Salte and Simon.
"I'm feeling much better now," Delos said, "And I've been thinking." Salte nodded.
"You want to stay," Simon said to him.
"They don't have any one to look out for them," Delos said, "and believe it or not, I can be of help to them and protect them." Simon and Salte thought for a moment.
"He's not a bad fighter," Trotes added, "He can be of use to them here, and we can speed our pace since all of you wish to see Love again as soon as possible."
"Don't you have a family?" Price asked. Delos nodded.
"They live in Calton capital," Delos said, "I'll return to them and you as soon as this town recovers. If it does."
"Can't we just send them?" Price asked.
"Too dangerous on these roads," Delos replied.
Salte looked at the women to see what they would think.
"We would appreciate someone to help," the oldest said.
Salte smiled and looked back to Delos and nodded. "Let's go," he said to everyone else. They all turned on their horses and started on their journey. Faith turned as they left and smiled at Delos in approval. Delos knelt down with his head bowed as she rode away.
"A little over a month journey," Trotes said to the Outcastes, "Let's hope nothing goes wrong between now and then."
"Are you sure the men with her can take care of her?" Simon asked.
"I'm never sure of anything," Trotes replied. He sped up to the lead and the rest followed him.
Claude, Samantha, and Seliah had reached the town the night that Salte and the rest were tending to the villagers.
The morning came, and they avoided the villagers while Samantha gathered goods and needed things for the trip to the next town, which was about a three days journey on horse back through a long valley, a short cave and another ravine. Claude and Seliah sat underneath a tree just outside the north part of the village talking when two men walked up. Claude looked up at them, and saw they were dressed raggadly in brown cloaks and they had thick beards. The two men looked at the girl, and then at Claude.
"And where might you two be travel'in" the one man said. Claude nor Seliah answered the man.
"You might want to tell us," the man said, "Because we are unders orders to keep an eye out on this road for anyone suspicious." Claude simply looked at the men without saying a word waiting to see what they would actually do, or might do. One of the men scoffed and walked a little closer.
"Silent ones eh?" the first man said, "Well that's okay. That's suspicious enough for us."
"Yea," the other said, "You might want to find another way besides the way you're look'in to go."
"And why's that?" Samantha asked behind them. The two men turned around.
"Weeeell," the first said, "We've got a right pretty here."
"She is isn't she," the second said, "A sight for eyes sore."
"A lot more than your eyes are going to be sore if you cause problems for us," Samantha replied.
"Oh," the first said, "Fearless pretty."
"Unlike the man behind us," the other said turning around to look at Claude, who was still watching them.
"You two are lucky you aren't dead," Samantha replied.
They two men laughed hard and long. Samantha grew angry at their insolence, but Claude was just ready to get on and leave the men alone.
"Don't come the way you're coming," the first man said.
"And what way would you suggest?" Samantha asked.
"Go that way," the second said pointing to the road that went west.
"That leads into Sholom," Samantha said, "That's way to far out of our way. We'll go straight." She threw a bag to Claude, who took it in one hand and took Seliah's hand in the other and got up. The men back off and watched the three walk off. Claude turned around and stared at them and then smiled a very menacing smile.
"Come and get us," he said to them. He turned around and they continued on.
The two men watched furious.
"Oh, we'll come and get you," the first said, "And we won't kill you right away, we'll make sure you wish you'd never been born first."
Samantha turned to Claude.
"I wasn't looking to pick a fight," Samantha said to Claude.
"They were going to do something no matter what," he replied, "I just wanted to get under their skin."
"Well," Samantha replied, "I think it worked." Seliah tugged on Claude's hand.
"Yes," he said to her.
"Are more people going to get hurt?" she said.
"Unfortunatly, it seems so," Claude replied, "Samantha how many roads to Calton are there besides this one."
"This is the quickest besides the Six Day road," she replied, "The one to the west leads to that and into Solom. There is one to the east that leads to Uriza, one of our cities, but that would increase our journey by a month. It's long no matter which way, and if we keep running into trouble, then this journey is going to be a very long one indeed."
"Well, time to get going," Claude said.
"We can get horses at the next town," Samantha said, "But we have to get there first." Claude nodded.
All the travelers, Salte's group and Claude, Samantha and Seliah were now making their own way toward Calton Capital. Claude, with no idea that his friends were actually behind him, continued on vigorously, while the group behind made their way quickly on horse back. Valley's were abundant in Calton and were going to make the trip longer that it truly had to be, and because of the dangers along the Six Day road, the quickest route was not an option.
Naturally, this world is much bigger than just what's happining with Salte and Claude's groups. Calton at this time is having to face different challenges posed by Coast than when the war began. Solom and Shiit have denied Coast the privilage of taking an army through their lands to invade Calton, which would take every possible resorce in Coast's possession anyway. King Valiant, who was being kept alive by the nobles influence in case Surel could not deliver on the promise of riches from Coast, had established relations with a very large reclusive group of warriors that lived in an area up in and enclosed by mountains. These warriors were called Razel, and they did not like relations with people. King Valiant only, with the help of General Syrathis, had managed to establish a very loose and casual friendship with the Razel. Surel kept that relationship going only by decieving the Razel into thinking that the King was still too sickly to rule, and that he had to recover. The Razel, of course, are not so foolish, but they keep relations for other reasons and the fact that they know the king is still alive.
Such were some of the conditions of the two countries. Syrathis and the two generals under him have their hands full with a new general that has come to command the Military of Coastshire. Though Syrathis had yet to face off with him the general had out manuvered the other two generals of Calton easily heaping two massive defeats that nearly crippled Calton. Surel's once secure rule is not tetering again. Although, by now Calton had caused considerablt damage to the Coast army, Coastshire was still plenty strong, though their strenght to invade Calton was now waning, Calton would not be strong enough to take Coastshire if they continued as they were.
King Surel still had support from the nobles, though somewhat lessened, but Syrathis supported Surel only because King Valiant requested him to. To violate the law and order through anarchy would cause much unrest in Calton and greatly weaken, if not shatter, the fagile unity of the country. The former gerneral Trotes was hard for Surel to controll, and so Surel took measures to take Trotes out of command. But Syrathis threatened to remove his support if Surel ever did away with Trotes. Trotes was not entirely thankful, but he and Syrathis were life long friends, and Trotes understood.
All that being said, Claude, Samantha and Seliah were well into their journey now to the next town; they were two days in a large ravine that led north, a river ran just east of them, and by now Claude was well aware that they were now being tracked by more than two men. He had realized this at the beginning of the second day and said nothing right away because he was not interested in scaring Seliah. He simply listened and caught glances of them with his keen eyes. He could even smell them from time to time when cool breezes from the mountain tops trickled to the bottom bringing the stinch of sweat and blood mingled with sweet polen and fresh leaves to his nostrils. He figured they were waiting for night time when he and his two companions would fall into an unsespecting sleep. He thought constantly about how to get them in suprise, hopefully without any disturbance to Seliah.
They continued on the road all day, when midday came Claude would not let them stop to eat.
"Why aren't we stopping?" Samantha asked.
"Because I don't think it's safe to stop," Claude replied. The he sighed, "I don't want anyone to catch up with us."
"Are you worried about those men?" Samantha asked.
"Yes," Claude replied.
"I don't think they followed us," Samantha relied, "They would have done something by now."
"Still, I don't want to take any chances," Claude said.
"Well, Seliah needs to rest," Samantha added.
"We really shouldn't," Claude replied quickly picking Seliah up, "I'll just carry her." Samantha sighed and shook her head as she followed Claude. She gave Seliah some food, and Seliah ate it thankfully. Claude refused and carried Seliah with no signs of slowing. The day slowly faded and they came to the end of the valley where the road led up into the mountains.
"Great, Okay," Claude said, "We're not going to try to make it up that road today."
"Thank goodness," Samantha said, "We've covered a lot of ground because of your bad feelings. I'm suprised we haven't caught up with your friends by now."
"We probably won't," he said, "They're really far ahead."
"What were they after?" Samantha asked.
"The royal family," Claude replied.
"What!?" Samantha screamed.
"The royal family was hidden with us in the Southlands and your king sent a load of soldiers to flush us out because of the great light, so we had to send them out," Claude told her, "But they were caught anyway."
"You let them get caught!?" Samantha exclaimed stopping.
"No," Claude replied, "They got caught. The Mayor of Oak tried to get them into Solom, but a group of soldiers caught up with them, so my friends went after them."
"They're not in any real danger," Samantha said, "He just wants them in his sights."
"But what if something happens on the way," Claude said just off the road and setting Seliah down. Seliah sat down where she was and patiently listened to the conversation.
"You couldn't stop it before," Samantha replied.
Claude shook his head rather than reply with a full testimonial defense, save to say, "You don't know the situation."
"Do I need to?" Samantha said.
"Yes," Claude replied, "Before you start blaming others." Silence ensued as Claude went to gather some wood for fire. He was attentive to their new camp site and did not go too far yet. He had not heard or identified any trace of anyone for sometime. But he was still cautious. When he had gathered enough wood to start a fire, he walked back to where Samantha and Seliah were sitting. Claude listened intently the whole time and watched to see anyone. He put the sticks down and started the fire with some flint that Samantha had. As he watched it grow, he heard something in the dark. He got up in alarm and looked around.
"What?" Samantha asked.
Seliah replied, "Something's coming."
"You can hear something?" Samantha said, "What is it?"
Claude said, "It sounds like . . . horses."
Samantha put the fire out and scattered the ashes quickly while Claude got Seliah and their things furthur off of the the road. When everyone was settled, they waited in silence for the horses to pass bye them, hopefully. The night was fairly bright. After a few moments, Samantha heard the sounds too.
"They're not merchants," she said, "They're in full gallop."
"There are four or five," Claude said.
"Five," Seliah replied. Claude nodded and smiled looking at Seliah.
"Keen," he said.
"How long have you been speaking our language?" Samantha asked looking at Claude.
Claude ducked down all the way to the ground and brought Seliah down. Samantha followed and the five horses got closer and closer until they passed swiftly.
"Hurry!"
"Who was that!?"
"Hiyahh"
The horses passed by swiftly and those were the only words heard. The the three waited untill they were sure the horses were gone, but just as they got back up, they got right back down.
"I hear more," Claude said.
"What!?" Samantha.
"How many, Seliah," Claude asked.
"They're too far away," she said, "hold on."
"How can you hear them?" Samantha wispered.
"Seven," Seliah replied.
"Those two must have been just part of a group," Samantha said.
"It's going to get smaller if they keep persuing us," Claude replied. Soon Samantha could hear the clops of the horses too, and she got down to the ground.
"Are you going to attack?" Samantha asked.
"No way," Claude replied, "Only if they provoke it."
The gallops got closer and closer until Claude could see them. He jumped up as soon as they passed. He got out and yelled, "HEY!"
Just then, Price turned around to see his brother running to meet them. Price sped forward as fast as he could, very suprised to see his brother there. Soon the others came behind him led by Salte and Simon.
"What in the land are you doing?" Claude exclaimed, "You're supposed to be days ahead of me?"
"We are," Simon replied smiling.
"Well, well," Salte said grinning as well, "You have no fear, Claude. Coming all by yourself with no horse or anything?"
"No horse," he replied. "But I'm not by myself," he added turning to where Samantha and Seliah were hiding. They walked out suprised by the turn of events.
"Who is this?" Salte asked. Just then Samantha walked past them.
"Trotes!?" she said as he rode up to see what the news was.
"So that's Trotes," Claude said.
"Has she said something about me?" Trotes asked Claude.
"Just in passing," Claude replied.
Samantha looked up at Trotes, "What are you doing? You left Calton with 200 men."
"They're dead, gone, or traveling with Princess Lores(Love) to Calton," Trotes replied.
"Samantha!" Fareh(Faith) exclaimed coming upon the scene. Fareh(Faith) slipped off the horse, and Samantha ran to her.
"Queen Faith!" she exclaimed. They embraced as Hope and Charis(Charity) rode up and got off their horse as well.
"Samantha!" they exclaimed running to her. Fareh took a good look at her.
"My you've grown into a beautiful young woman," Fareh said, "How old are you?"
"20," Samantha replied. The two young girls ran to hug Samantha. "Wow, look at you." Samantha said to them, "You're both so beautiful."
Faith looked over at Claude who was watching the scene with his brother and friends.
"I see you've met Claude," Fareh said.
"Yes, he helped me save her," Samantha said pointing to Seliah, who listened carefully to each voice. Fareh walked over to Seliah and knelt down in front of her and saw she was blind. Seliah was aware that she was there.
"Hello," Seliah said to Fareh.
"Hello, there," Fareh said to her, "What's your name?"
"Seliah," she replied and then spoke again, "Are you a queen?" Fareh laughed.
"I used to be," she said, "I'm not much of one right now." Trotes was riding back by on his horse when Faith said this to Seliah.
"Well, Surel certainly isn't the king, " Trotes clipped on his way to the front of the group. Fareh watched Trotes for a moment with sympathetic eyes.
"Who was that?" Seliah asked.
"A sad man," Fareh replied. Seliah looked toward Trotes as if she could see him and pondered. Meanwhile, Claude walked up to Fareh, and she stood up to hug him and said, "I can't believe we ran into you."
"I can't believe you were behind me," Claude said, "How did that happen?"
"Long story," Simon said walking to his horse, "We'll tell you on the way."
Claude looked at all of them. Everyone looked ready to continue on.
"We were going to set up for the night here," he said. Salte walked up with his horse, which nudged him gently in affection.
"Trotes said he knows a safe place to rest not far from here," he said, "Though he says we may have to weed out some bandits."
"Those bandits have been tracking us for a day and a half now," Claude said.
"They were!?" Samantha exclaimed walking up.
"I didn't want to scare Seliah," Claude replied, "But she's safe with all of us now."
Simon walked up to Seliah who was now standing next to Samantha.
"Hello," he said kneeling, "You must be Seliah."
"Hello," she replied, "who are you?"
"I'm Simon," he said, "Did you know that you are a pretty girl?" Seliah smiled and turned red. There was plenty of light from Salte's spear heads to see everyone's face.
"Thankyou, I don't know what pretty looks like," Seliah, "But I know it's good."
"She's a strong girl," Claude said, "She does better than I would if I were blind." Simon looked at Claude and then compassionatly at Seliah.
"It's a shame you can't teach her what you can do, Simon," Price said. Simon bobbed his head up and down slightly in consideration.
"I might can," Simon replied. Seliah gasped.
"Can you teach me to see?" Seliah said.
"Well, no," he said, "Even better. But I don't know if it can really be taught."
"Well . . . I can try," Seliah replied.
"Hmmm, then give me sometime to think about how I can try to teach you, and I will," Simon replied. Simon picked her up and put her on his horse.
Salte looked at Samantha.
"So who is this?" he asked. Fareh introduced her.
"This is the daughter of General Syrathis," she said, "One of my husband's closest friends, along with Trotes."
"Trotes is friends with your husband?" Salte replied, "You never mentioned that."
"That's why he saved Charis," Fareh said, "Their relationship has not been as close ever since Trote's family was killed, but the core love is still there, though it is buried deep inside Trotes."
Faith sighed. "Our kingdom is the stuff of fairytales," Fareh said, "It is rich with the history and drama of a struggling country. And you may get to meet Syrathis himself if he's not at war. He is not bound by predjudice as we once were. You two would get along well." Salte nodded. Samantha looked at Claude who looked at her.
"Come'on Claude," Price said to him, "I've gotten better at riding." Claude followed his brother and got on a horse.
"Can I ride with you, Queen Fareh?" Samanth asked.
"Of course," Fareh replied. Simon got up with Seliah and everyone mounted. Trotes, whom nobody had really missed, rode back to address the group.
"The Place we'll stay is just up ahead," he said, "And there are thieves staying there." They all nodded.
Trotes surveyed the riding arrangements, which he approved of and started off. The group followed, and they all rode slowly to be as quiet as possible.

Chapter 10: Reunions, Discussions, and Telling Offs

2006-07-25T10:52:00.000-07:00

The Outcastes, The Valiants and Trotes rode into the small hame village where Seliah was from. They had seen smoke from afar and wondered what was happening, and when they saw it, they hastened to get there. The smoke was from burning houses and such. The men from the forest had made their way back to the village and where searching for the girl, as well as other things of ill repute.
As they rode in Simon, Salte, and Price looked around to see what was happening.
"What in the world?" Price said hearing screams and yells in every direction. Trotes rode by.
"Someone made someone else mad," he said nonchelantly. They followed Trotes untill they saw a man beating a woman. She screamed for him to stop, and he threw her on the ground. Salte rode quickly to the two and lunged his spear into the back of the man. The man screamed in pain and fell down wounded, and Salte left him there to see what else was going on. The woman was too scared to even look to see what had just happened, while Faith quickly went to the woman to tend her wounds. Simon let Delos down near a large stone.
"I'll be back," Simon said to Delos. "Watch him," he told Hope and Charity, "Call us if anything happens. We'll hear you." Then Price and Simon rode off after Salte. As Faith tended the woman Trotes rode casually by, and Faith looked up at him.
"Trotes, can't you do something?" Faith asked. Trotes looked at her for a moment with very slight conviction in his eyes and then looked straight ahead and continued his slow progress into town.
"Tradgety is something we all must leave room for," he called back to her. After the initial stun, Faith scoffed and continued to calm and comfort the woman.
Simon came upon two men who were busy burning a house. They had wounded a man, and his wife and little girl stood by the man helpless. Simon wasted no time riding up to the two men and cutting both in the back. He then got down to see what he could do for the man. The mother and girl looked with fear at Simon because of his eyes. The mother threw herself on her husband.
She screamed, "Please don't hurt us." Simon stopped after staring and quickly turned away and got on his horse. He looked back at the woman and her girl as they watched him. And he rode off.
Salte was quickly surrounded by five men as he rounded a a hut, but as Price passed by, they were cut down to three. Simon rode up and helped Salte take care of the three that surrouned him, and Price found the core that had regrouped after the devistation in the town.
"What have we here?" he said. The men all looked at him. Price smiled and jumped off his horse. A group of three went to take care of Price, but when Price ceased to be visible the three attackers were baffled. Only for a second though because they did not live long enough to ponder the phenomenon. The other men reared back in fear at the sight and looked at each other. Price did not waste time. He found the best dressed man of the bunch and slit his throat with everyone watching.
They watched the man bleed to death and die. They looked around in panic while backing to get ready to run. Price released the light around him and he startled them. When they saw him they all ran in different directions. Salte and Simon came up just as they ran off.
"Are you alright?" Salte asked him.
"They won't be coming to this town anymore," Price said.
"Did you.."Simon asked him.
"Yea," Price said, "Who are they going to tell besides their thieving friends."
Salte smiled. "We might should catch one and get some information," he said.
"Why?" Price asked.
"Because it's just good to know," Salte replied.
"Are you going to help any?" Simon said to Salte.
Salte sighed deeply. "Only as much as a normal person can," he said, "Let's go. We're not done." The three went into town to see what needed to be done. They went through the town, which was not too big and did a thorough job of cleaning the place of any theives still lingering and causing havoc to people's homes. Faith and her daughters helped put out some fires and carry people away from the heat.
Trotes rode to the pub which was surrounded by Elestor's men. He looked at them intentely, and as he did, his anger rushed to his face. Some of the men recognized him and looked at each other somewhat fearfully. Even with one arm, Trotes was able to do damage to the group, and he had a fearsome look about his solid scared face anyway. They quickly dispatched and left, least they have to pay for their deceased leader's crime against the former gerneral of Calton. Trotes had no desire to follow. He simply sat and surveyed the situation waiting for those who traveled with him to complete their good deeds. He did want to grab one for questioning to see what the man who murdered his family was doing in that village. He figured the three boys with him would not kill everybody. He moved around town observing the situation. People were hurt around him groaning and delerious. Houses were burned or torn down or badly damaged. A few houses were left standing and intact, and some villagers were hurrying about trying to help those who had been seriously wounded. At last Trotes saw a man running from Price. Trotes quickly galloped his horse and got in front of the man. If Trotes's arm had not been injured, then he would have done something like jump off. Price came up.
"Stop," Trotes told Price. Price stopped suprised and somewhat annoyed that Trotes would bark an order to him. Trotes looked at the man.
"Don't try to run and your life will be spared," he said to the pillager.
"What?"Price responded. Trotes only glanced up at Price and then back at the man.
"Why did Elestor send you to pillage this little travel-through town?" he asked, "Or is it his trade now to murder innocent people in back-water villages." Price listened curiously. The man trembled and did not speak.
"Conquor your fear and speak if you want to live, coward," Trotes said.
"W-we're searching for...a girl," the man replied. Price glared. Salte and Simon came up to the situation. Trotes tilted his head slightly in curiosity.
"A girl?" Trotes said.
"Why in this land would he be searching for a little girl?" Price asked Simon.
"What makes you think I would know?" Simon replied.
"S,She's worth quite a bit of money by Elestor's account," the man replied.
"It that all?" Trotes said, "I thought it would be something as trifiling as that. Where is Elestor?"
"...Elestor is dead, sir," the man said finally getting himself under controll. Trotes started somewhat at this news.
"Dead?" Trotes said, "What do you mean dead?"
"We don't know," the man said, "He's no where to be found, and we saw blood in his room."
"Who ordered this raid then?" Trotes asked.
"Kall did," the man answered, "Alastor had sent word and Kall fears both Alastor and Elestor."
"Nothing to fear from Elestor if he's dead," Trotes said.
"Kall's not going to take that chance," the man said. Trotes looked away in deep thought.
"Where is the girl then?" Trotes asked.
"We don't know," the theif said, "We took her away from here and then she dissappeared when Elestor died."
Trotes narrowed his eyes and looked at the theif.
"What, may I ask, is so special about this little girl?" he asked.
"She fits the discription the blind child omen in the Cratle Scriptures," he says, "and I have to say, it seems to be true."
"Ahhhh," Trotes said now understanding, "That's how much she's worth."
"That's all I know," the man said.
"You're free to go," he told him.
"Getting some information?" Salte asked.
"So what's going on?" Price asked.
Trotes looked at Salte and then began to ride away.
"You might want to see to the wounded that you saved," Trotes said. Just then Faith called, "Salte, Simon, Price!" The three sped toward where she was now at the pub. She needed help moving the wounded to that one area.
Close to all day they worked bringing the wounded to the pub where they could be cared for. A few villagers, all women, were left to give the other villagers water and other nessecary aid. After much work, Salte, Simon and Faith walked over to the tree that Claude had rested under to get rest themselves.
"Not many are going to make it," Faith told Salte, "Isn't there something you can do?"
Salte shook his head.
"What do you mean? Yes, you can." she said shocked.
"No," Salte replied, "I can, but I'm not going to give that help."
Faith looked at him appaled. "How could you?" she said.
"Whether I'm right or wrong, I'm not going to give them anymore help than you or Simon could," he said, "To help them would result in other consequences that are not mine to bestow at every turn."
"Salte," Faith said, "That's the most self-righteous thing I've ever head you say. They had no controll over this."
Salte hung his head and walked toward a wounded person. "I know," Salte said.
"Know what?" Faith said getting even more angry.
"What you just said," he replied joining the others in bandaging and getting water to people who were hurting. Hope called to Faith, and Faith turned to go to her with a quick glance back at Salte.
Simon then came to an old man who was not terribly hurt, but he was bruised and could not hardly move. When Simon saw him, the man asked him, "Have you seen a little blind girl?"
"No," Simon replied stooping down to give him some water, "But I'll go look for her."
"She's not here then," the old man said taking a drink, "Those soldiers came looking for her..."
"...because she's a bad omen," Simon said. The man looked up a Simon.
"Bad omen?" the old man said getting upset, "She is no bad omen. *cough* Curse that superstition!" The old man hit the ground with his fist. Simon shook his head.
"That's just what I heard," he replied, "Whether or not it's true, I don't know."
"It's not," he said to him, "She is innocent." he took another drink. "She is innocence," the old man said after his sip. The man lay down in the grass near the front door of the pub.
"Innocence often suffers at the hands of greed," Simon said. The old man nodded and then looked at Simon from his resting position.
"You are a noble man," he said. Simon only returned the man's gaze with his green eyes. Price walked up behind Simon followed by Salte who had his hood off now. Price and Simon both took their hoods off. The old man looked at Salte in wonder.
"You have the hair and eyes of . . ." the old man said.
"A harcus," Salte finished.
Simon turned to look at Salte. Trotes now rode in close out of curiosity. "But I saw you helping and nurturing the people of this village," the old man continued, "You are not evil, if you are, then you have decieved me as you willed."
"I do not deceive," Salte replied. A young woman walked up to the conversation.
"Your speech and your looks are not from anywhere I have ever heard in my own travels," she said. Salte looked at her and then at the old man and then to the south.
"Decendants of the Southlanders," Salte replied, "the harcus of legend, though legend, is actually true in our distant past." The old man stared at each one. Simon's eyes turned their black color. And he looked down on at the ground.
"The violence brought to this village can only mean that the young girl escaped," the old man said, "If you find her, please care for her or take her to a safe place." "Please let her be well," he said praying. Simon, Salte and Price nodded. Trotes now rode away as they continued to talk, deep in thought. He came upon Delos who watched Trotes ride along the edge of the wounded. Trotes happened to glance down and see the soldier watching him, but Trotes looked forward and continued in his thoughts.
Eventually the wounded were set in order and the people who had survived the tradgety of the village were able to care more effectively for the injured, since quite a few had died from severe burns or open bleeding. There were about thirty survivors in all who would live.
Salte had left Simon and Price, who were talking to the old man still. He got up from a woman who had just died in his arms and left her with her eyes closed and her arms folded. He walked to the river to the place where the boys being watched by Claude had caught their fish along the rocky bank. After a little while, Faith walked up behind him.
"She didn't have to die," she said to him. Salte turned around.
"What do you want me to do?" he said.
"Save them!" she replied.
"From what?" Salte replied, "Tradgety? Injustice?"
"From needless sorrow and pain," Faith said, "They are hurting and all you can do is hold on to your stupid ideals, whatever they are. How can you be so cold?"
"Cold?" Salte said, "You think this has no affect on me? You have no idea what you are asking? Who knows what consequence would be later . . ."
"Later!?" she said louder, "These people are hurting . . ."
"How dare you talk to me of pain and hurt!" Salte said now angry, "How dare you come preaching to me of...of tradgety, when you yourself would have had nothing to do with us if your own lives were not in danger. You speak to me of loss, when not just my bloodline, but my race and the race of two other peoples is about to end at the hands of fear, unforgiveness and ignorance." Trotes heard this arguement from a distance in the moist air of the valley in the now waning sunlight. Price and Simon walked up on the conversation along with Hope and Charity. "I'm sorry, but I'm not going to sling the scales the other direction just because some other fools tipped it. What would happen? How would I know if I tipped it at the wrong time and the whole thing fell over? You of all people should know that things are not so simple in fixing, and that healing is more delicate than just righting the wrongs." Salte sighed heavily, and then walked past her. "Tradgic pain is a horrible thing, Faith," he said stopping and hesitating, ". . . To have to endure it is . . . beyond understanding."
Simon, Price and the girls walked over to Faith, who was now crying. Trotes watched Salte walk to people who were hurting stoop to help them. He rode his horse toward Salte looking at the people who were just escaping the pain of their injuries and sorrow through sleep.
"You probably don't care what I say," Trotes said to Salte, who looked up at him, "But we should stay here tonight in case anyone tries for revenge of the sort." Trotes dismounted.
"We were going to do that anyway," Salte said returning to his present task of cleaning a wound.
"I know," Trotes said walking away. Salte shook his head and dismissed any inclination to understand Trotes at the moment. Night came on, and they had finished the work they had to do for the most part. Everyone was now waiting in case any injured developed a need. Some of the towns folk came to Simon, Price and Salte as they sat with Faith and the others. Delos had moved over there where they were and Trotes walked around looking at the damage.
"We wish to thankyou for your aid," a middle aged woman said to them, "if not for you, Outsiders, our village would be destroyed and we would have all died in shame."
Salte shook his head. "Think nothing of it," he said, "I'm sorry this has happened." The middle age woman was accompanied by a four other younger women and a girl of about fourteen.
"You're speech and your appearance are not from here," she asked, "May we asked where you are from?"
"We are from the South," Salte said, "But we mean you no harm." The woman nodded.
"We are taught from an early age to be suspicious of all not from Calton, and to fear any with a strange appearance." The Outcastes smiled. "The teachings of our elders reach far back," she continued, "the south is supposed to be a land of evil."
"It is," Salte said, "But we do not succum to it."
"Then it is true? It is a land of death," she asked.
"It is," Salte said, "We live between that land and this one."
"How long?" she asked.
"A little under 4000 years," Salte said. The woman and those with her gasped.
"So long?" she said.
"Not for much longer," Salte replied, "Soon the world will be rid of us."
"Your people are dying." she said.
"Our people are dead," Salte replied, "We and a few others in our village are all that are left."
The woman fell silent and only the trickle of water was heard amidst camp fires and groans. Trotes had walked up in interest on this little bite of information. The women looked to the side somewhat ashamed to look at the Outcastes. After some time, she looked Salte in the eye.
"Thankyou for your aid, "she said with tears in her eyes, "When we left you to die, you did not leave us. Your race must be noble indeed." Salte smiled.
"No," he said, "Just chastened. But thankyou for your acceptance." The woman nodded. She was curious, but she did not wish to pry. She was simply thankful for what help she could get from Salte and his companions.
"If you need anything that we can provide," she said, "do not hasitate to ask," she said.
"Thankyou," Salte said smiling politely. She smiled and nodded at the Outcastes and walked away to attend the wounded. Faith stared at Salte for a moment and then spoke.
"Salte, I'm sorry for what I said," she said. Salte shook his head.
"You were already forgiven," he said. She nodded her head.
"I've been tempted myself," Salte said, "It would be so easy to just make it right. But itwould only be an illusion of right."
After a short silence, Price spoke, "So are we continuing after this?"
"I don't know," Salte replied, "Will the people who did this come back?"
"There's no telling," Simon said, "I'm not against the fact that we helped these people, but it's still a delima."
"Let's get some sleep now and consider this in the morning," Salte said, "We'll take turns helping the wounded. I'll go first."
Every one nodded in agreement and lied down to sleep, untill they heard a yell at the entrance of the village. The three jumped up to see what it was. They ran to the bridge that was just a few hundred feet away from where they were at the pub. Across the bridge in the moon light they could see a man on a horse, who they gathered to be Trotes, holding a man on foot. They ran to Trotes to see what was the situation. Trotes held the man firmly as he struggled.
"Stop struggling or I'll make you stop forever," Trotes told him. The three came up to the activity.
"What are you doing here," Trotes snarled, "And are there any others?"
"N..n..no," the man replied, "They sent just me to tell any who were still here to come quickly."
"Why?" Trotes asked.
"Because Elestor is dead," he said, "Alastor has been summoned to Calton Capital."
"How did Elestor die?" Trotes asked.
"We don't know," he replied, "Whatever did it, it wasn't a man or woman."
"Oh?" Trotes said, "How did he die?"
"He was strangled in the vines around his room," the man said, "the blind girl and another girl dissappeared at the same time. The whole place is in an uproar and the second man has ordered us to get out of that forest and move base to somewhere else."
"Where?" Trotes said.
"I don't know?" the man said, "and even if I did, I'd never tell you."
Trotes threw the man down.
"Get back to your gang," Trotes told him, "the men you sent here are either dead or on their way back." The man stumbled up and scurried off. Trotes turned to the Outcastes.
"They won't be coming back," he said.
"We leave after we help these people get things in order tomorrow," Salte said, "Let's get some rest."

Chapter 9: Claude's Path

2006-07-06T04:53:00.000-07:00

The girl was about seven or eight years of age. She faced forward without turning. Claude understood, now, why Samantha wanted to help her. She did not look strong enough to handle riding on Claude's back while he jumped around on the roof.
"Maybe I can sneak her out late at night," he thought, "I may have to get Samantha's help after all."
Claude then dropped from the roof and landed quietly on the floor. The girl started when he landed. "Y..Yes?" she asked perking up in fear and listening intently for an answer. Claude paused suprised.
"You heard me?" he asked slowly walking to her.
She nodded. "You talk funny," she replied. Claude smiled.
"I know," he said, "I try not to talk if I can."
"I like it," she said.
"I've come to get you, and take you back to your family," he said.
"You're letting me go?" she asked.
"No," Claude replied, "They don't know I'm here. We have to be careful getting out of here." The girl began to tear up when Claude told her he was going to save her. "Don't worry," he said, "Nothing's going to happen to you."
Claude walked over to the girl, who was now trembling slightly, and gently took her hand, so she would stand up. "Are you ready to get out of here?" Claude said.
"Why...are you helping me?" she said following him meekly.
"You've never helped anyone?" Claude asked her.
"Yes," she said, "But they told me no one would help me. That I'm bad and going make bad things happen."
"Looks like they don't know everything," Claude said, "What's your name?"
"Seliah," she answered.
"Mine's Claude," Claude said slowly opening the door and looking out. No one was there so he opened it, and they walked out. As they did the door down the hall swung open. Claude tried to get back into the room with the Seliah, but it was too late. Samantha came through and spotted Claude and the girl. Claude took a deep breath of relief and lead Seliah down the hall to meet Samantha.
"What's going on?" Claude asked her.
"A messenger from his cousin Alastor is here and they are looking for him," Samantha replied, "When they entered his room and saw everything they immediately started looking. They started checking the roof, and when they finished checking that room I jumped down into it and got on the roof."
"So, we're going to have a hard time getting out of here," Claude said, "Was this part of your plan?"
"Actually, yes," Samantha said smiling, "But I calculated that patience and luck would get us out of here."
"Where would the danger be without a little improvisation?" Claude said. Samantha looked down at Seliah and then knelt down infront of her.
"Hello, little lady," She said to Seliah, "I'm Samantha. What's your name?"
"Seliah," she answered, "Are you here to help me?"
"Yes, I am," Samantha said, "We're going to get you out of here." The little girl teared up again.
"We're not safe talking here. Let's go," Claude said. They ran down the hall to the door leading outside. Claude opened it slowly and looked forward and then down. He then crept out to see men with tourches wandering into the woods while others looked around. Samantha and Seliah followed behind, while Claude walked across the walkway and then turned to look at Samantha.
"Go on up," he wispered. Samantha quietly walked to the other side with Seliah to where Claude was and then jumped up on the rail. She then opened a section of the roof that covered the walk way.
"Smart," Claude said to her.
"Why?" Samantha said, "How did you do it?" Claude shook his head and motioned for her to get going.
"Hurry," he said. She jumped up and grabbed one beam with one hand and the roof with another. Claude was going to help her, but she pulled herself up with little trouble.
"Wow," Claude said. Then he turned and took Seliah by the hand as he knelt down. "I'm going to lift you up to Samantha," he said to her, "Has anyone ever held you up before?" She nodded her head.
"My grandpa has," she said.
"Okay good," Claude said, "Are you ready?"
"Yes," she replied.
"Hold up your hands," Claude told her, and he lifted her up. Samantha grabbed her hands and gently pulled her up onto the roof. Just as Samantha got Seliah on the roof the door infront of them swung open and hit Claude, but Claude quickly shoved the door back to close it. He then jumped up quickly and pulled himself up onto the roof. Moments later three men burst throught the door.
"Get him!" one said as they rushed across the walkway to the south wing.
Claude looked at Samantha and Seliah.
"That was close," he said.
"We're not done yet," she said taking Seliah by the hand and leading her to the place where the grapevines reached the roof. Claude looked up at the moon while walking over to where they were. It was just about to set behind mountains far in the west, which would hide its light.
"Thankyou," Claude prayed.
"Seliah," Samantha said, "You are going to have to hold on to Claude's back. Whatever you do, don't let go."
"Okay," Seliah said holding her arms out. Claude knelt down, and Samantha guided Seliah to his shoulders and placed her hands where she would not choke Claude. Claude stood up with Seliah holding tightly.
"I'll go first," Samantha said. She turned and began to climb down the vines, and Claude followed after her. They went down as quickly as they could without making too much noise. As they got lower they heard shouts that came from within.
"Did you find him?"
"No, but we have intruders."
"What? Where is the General's daughter?"
"We don't know that either."
"How could we have lost them?"
"Maybe he got mad and killed her?"
"Just find them. Anyone who is not familiar dies. And the general's daughter dies. I knew Elestor shouldn't have taken her."
"The girl is gone!"
"What!?"
"We ran into someone, and we ran into the south wing because we thought he ran in there, but no one was there not even the girl."
"Alastor and Elestor will have my head if we don't find that girl! Find them all, or I'll have your heads before they have mine."
"Yes sir."
"Check, everything. Check the roof again."
Finally, Samanth, Claude and Seliah made it to the bottom. They could see men in the vineyard just a little ways away, but the moon was no longer out and the night was dense.
"I can barely see," Samanth said to Claude.
"I can," he said, "follow me."
"What," she said taking his shirt, "How?" He led her through the dark into the forest. Men were in the forest with torches looking for whatever they could find. Claude avoided them and continued to head west.
"Slow down," Samantha wispered to Claude, "I can't walk as fast and as quietly as you."
"Sorry," Claude said. Every once in a while Claude spotted a torch in the forest.
"How many men were in that place?" Claude asked.
"A lot," Samantha replied, "Enough to make up section."
"Section?" Claude said puzzled.
"About 200 soldiers," Samantha replied, "You must be from one of the back water villages in Calton, or you're not from Calton, which would explain why you talk with such an accent."
"How do I talk?" Claude asked. They made their way through the forest around clumps of trees and around rocks. Claude didn't see any more torches, so he decided to slow down.
"It's like you pronounce your words completely or . . . I don't know. You just do," Samantha said.
"You kind of draw some of your sounds our and others you cut off," Seliah wispered.
"I see," Claude replied.
"I like it," Seliah said.
"I never said it sounded bad," Samantha added.
"If we find my friends, you'll have a whole group of us," Claude said.
"You were looking for your friends before you decided to do this. Where were they headed," Samantha asked.
"They were chasing a group of your soldiers who were traveling to Calton," Claude said.
"They could have passed while I was stuck in that place," Samantha replied.
"Why were you in there anyway?" Claude asked.
"I was picked up against my will," she said, "They kept me because they could."
"Did they try anything?" Claude asked.
"They wouldn't dare," Samantha replied, "They're too afraid of my father."
Claude climbed over a log and knelt down.
"Hop off for a second," Claude said. Seliah got off. "You can rest right here," Claude said to her. Seliah knelt down and felt the ground where she was standing and then sat down.
"Claude, can I talk to you for a moment," Samantha said.
"She'll be able to hear us," Claude said, "We might as well talk right here."
Seliah smiled. Her teeth were white and straight.
"Beautiful smile," Samantha said, "I see you take care of your teeth."
"My grandfather would always make us clean them with a potion that he makes," Seliah said.
"Well, it works," Samantha said, "I have to use a brush." Claude knew the solution Seliah talked about was made from string leaf, but he didn't say anything. Samantha turned to Claude. "We can't take her back to her village," she said, "They're going to go straight there in the morning, which isn't too far away." The night was still dark, but the time for it to brighten was fast approaching.
"I can't stop that many men," Claude said.
"Will grandpa be okay?" Seliah asked.
"I don't know," Samantha replied, "But you can't lose hope. You have to be strong."
"What do you suggest we do?" Claude asked.
"We're going to take him to my father's house in the Capital," Samantha said.
"I thought your father wouldn't have you back," Claude replied.
"That was a lie," Samantha said, "I'm on my way to take a message to the Mayor of Oak, remember."
"They didn't know that?" Claude said.
"No," Samantha replied, "I got rid of the message when I discovered I was being followed."
Seliah tightened up with a look of fear, and Claude looked up and around.
"What is it?" Samantha asked.
"Something's out there." Claude said, "I don't think it's human." He got up and looked around and then headed into the forest.
"Where are you going?" Samantha said.
"Stay here with Seliah," Claude said.
Samantha sat next to Seliah and they waited to see what Claude could find out. Moments later Claude came back.
"It's just a wild animal," Claude said, "But we do have company furthur down, we need to move." They got up and began moving through the forest. As they went the night sky started to lessen it's hold on the darkenss.
"How far is the road from here?" Claude asked.
"Just a little ways," Samantha replied, "We go north on it." In a few moments, they were on the road through the great forest valley. They headed north as soon as they were on it, looking back every so often to make sure no one was following them. Claude could see or hear no one in the woods. They had made it safely, but they did not feel safe yet.
"There's a small village along this road that will feed us," Samantha said, "I left our food and stuff at that place."
"I know," Claude said, "You didn't have anything valuable did you?"
"No," Samantha said looking at her sking tight dress skirt, which was torn from all of the activity.
"Nice outfit," Claude said. Samantha looked over to him and then at her dress again.
"I hate dresses," Samanta said.
"Is that what that is?" Claude replied. Samantha looked up in wonder at him.
"Where are you from?" she asked, "Be honest." Claude looked on. After a moment, he sighed and then spoke, "I'm not from any country you've heard of."
"I've heard of seven," she replied.
"I'm not from any of them," Claude said. Samantha thought for a second.
"You have to be," she said. Claude laughed.
"Are you sure you don't know of any more places?" he asked. Seliah piped up, "Are you from there?"
"What do you mean?" he said.
"From the bad place," Seliah said, "My grandfather used to tell me about a place that lead to a very bad place, to Heckros. He said an evil people lived there."
Samantha looked at Claude agast.
"You are from the south?" she said.
"My ansestors are from the South," Claude said, "No one lives there anymore." Samantha could not believe it. "Why so suprised?" Claude said, "You didn't think anyone could come from there?"
"We don't let anyone from the South into our lands," she said.
"Well, in case you haven't noticed," Claude said, "You haven't been guarding the entrance too well."
"What do you want here?" Samantha asked.
"I just want to find my friends," he said, "Nothing more . . . yet."
Samantha stopped and grabbed Seliah backing away from Claude.
"What are you doing?" Claude asked, "We've got to keep moving."
"What are you doing here?" She asked, "Tell me now!"
"I told you," he said.
"What do you mean by 'yet'," she said pulling her daggar from her boots. Claude sighed.
"You don't have to be afraid," he said, "The 'yet' is an important matter, but a long story. Just trust me."
"The South has been forbidden for thousands of years," Samantha said with her daggar still drawn, "Why? What evil did you do?"
"I'm not evil," Claude replied.
"No one has come from that place alive. It's sure not good," she said.
"I'm not that place. I didn't do anything. And if you want to prod someone for doing evil, prod the one who sent three men in there to their doom and the doom of the world," Claude said turning back toward the north, "Are we going or not?"
"Claude," Seliah said pulling from Samantha and taking steps toward him, "My father told me that the peolpe there are bad, but I know what bad people sound like. And you aren't one of them." Claude turned around and let Seliah get closer before picking her up.
"I know what bad people are too," Claude said, "And you're definately not one either."
Samantha watched confused, curious, and somewhat nervous.
"Let's get you somewhere safe," Claude said. Seliah smiled and Claude set her down and led her by the hand to travel to the next town. He looked back. "You coming?" he said. Samantha slowly walked behind the Southlander, watching him.
"Is the world in trouble?" Samantha called.
Claude turned around, "Yes."
"What kind of trouble?" she asked. Claude sighed.
"Grave trouble," he said, "Trouble that waits untill it's too late for anyone. As soon as I find my friends, we're going to figure out how to deal with it."
"You're going to stop the bad men," Seliah asked.
"Yes, but it's just one man," Claude said looking straight forward, "One very, very bad man."

Chapter 9: Claude's Path

2006-06-26T04:46:00.000-07:00

Claude surveyed the situation he was about to get himself into. The house was huge. He saw the lights from windows from each wing. The south wing was closest to them and after that the main part. It went up as high as the maple trees, tulip trees, sycamore and chestnut trees that made up the forest. The buildings were all circular, but the colour was all brown with green roofs. But Claude only could see well enough to know the colour. These men had spent years building this place so far out of the way. Claude sighed.
"Question," Claude asked Samantha.
"Yes?" she answered.
"What if I can't find you?" he asked.
"I'll be in the middle wing," she said, "There are no ceilings. You can hide up there if you can find a way up there. Usually the halls empty when a new woman comes. Or an old favorite."
"How do you know all of this?" he asked.
"I have...friends in low places," she said, "Actually I just escaped."
"Escaped?" Claude asked.
"I might explain it after we do this," she said.
Claude just looked at her for a moment thinking she had to be a little off.
"You really want to save this little girl," Claude said, "Why didnt' you just supply the money?"
"Cause they can get more than their asking that's why. Remember?" she answered, "Are you going to do this or are you getting scared?"
Claude turned to face the mansion.
"You're the one who probably needs to be scared," Claude replied, "All I needed was to get here. I'm ready."
Samantha wondered at Claude for a second, but then shook her head and came out from her hidding place and began walking to the vinyard.
"This can't be a good plan," Claude said to himself, "But here we go."
Samantha walked up to the door of the vineyard. The vineyard was nothing more than a frame of the bottom floor of the huge mansion that was not finished. They allowed grape vines of all sorts to grow. Torches were lit all around inside the large vineyard, but many blind spots were available to hide in. That was good for Claude because he had no advantage anyway in this kind of lighting. When the men in vineyard saw Samantha through a window that they kept clean from vines, they immediately let her in. Claude could see clearly from the hundred or so yards he was hidden and waited untill they were all distracted. Then he immediately shot out from his place to the vine that went up the corner between the vineyard and the mainbuilding to the window way up on the third floor. He made it to the vines quickly and smoothly and didn't see any need to do anything special. The men never imagined that a stranger might know where they were, and Claude easily passed through the dark to his place.
"I hope you know what your doing," he said softly to himself, and he got to climbing. Smoothly and carefully, so as not to make noise, he went up in the shadows. He climbed easily, and he picked a few grapes on the way up to see if they tasted as good as the ones that grew in their forest. They weren't bad. He made his way up and up looking down every once in a while to see how far he was from the ground. He passed the second floor and then finally got near the window. He heard someone in there, and he waited about ten feet below hoping his arms wouldn't give out. He carefully searched for a place to put his feet but he couldn't find any, so he just held on. Claude then heard someone enter the room.
"Sir?"
"What? Why are you disturbing me?"
"We have someone for you."
Claude heard a shuffling and then one of the men mummbled something as the door shut. Claude, thankfull that worked out, carefully and slowly pulled himself up into the window seal and into the room. It was clean, with a desk next to the window and a bed on the middle left side of the room. The door was straight across from the window and a brown wooden dresser was beside it. Five sizable candles were lit around the room to illuminate it. Claude looked up and saw the beams that framed the roof. He decided it would be better to stay out of sight that way, just as Samantha suggested. He took one step, jumped and reached the eleven or so feet needed to grab the cross beam above him. He pulled himself up and began making his way quietly along the wood work. Very little light reached where he was, and so he was safe from visual. He crept along silently over the head man's room looking for clues as to where Samantha might be. When he walked over the wall that seperated the room from the hall he saw two men walk through a door at the end of a long hall. He figured that must be them, so he made his way through the jungle of wood as quickly as possible to keep up with them, knowing that stealth would be harder on the lower floors.
Claude could see well in the dark and had no trouble making his way around up top. The hall was fairly long and he could see a large dinning room to his right and a library to his left.
"An educated bunch huh?" Claude said to himself. He continued on untill he came to the door that they walked through. He went over it and looked down on a large room that had doors on each wall and stairs that went downwards. Where the men down there or did they go into the room? Claude decided it wouln't hurt to check down stairs for a brief time. If he was wrong, hopefully, Samantha could handle herself.
He slowly faded out as much as he could. The candles only provided so much light for him to work with, and so he could be seen a little. He looked like a walking shadow with facial features and clothes. He dropped down the eleven feet, silently landed on the floor and moved slowly down the stairs. He kept watch for places to move to and for people in the room who might be attentive to their surroundings. The second floor was well lit. The stairs widened as he went down and led into a large room. Men were scattered here and there talking and things of that sort, but many of them were looking over to the far left of the large room at the buisness that the head man was dealing with, namely Samantha. Claude saw a large stack of bags that ran along the wall to near where the ordeal was taking place. He quickly ran over to the stack and faded back into view now that he was out of sight and listened.
"Well, well," the man said, "Why in the land did you come back?"
"I didn't have anywhere to go," Samantha replied.
"You don't want to go back to your father?" he said.
"Father wouldn't have me back," she said.
"And so...?" the man said.
"I want to hang out here," she said trying to sound distraught.
"Ha!" he replied, "The great General Syrathis' daughter? Here? With us? That's rich!"
"Then you don't object." she said.
"No, I think it's funny," he said, "But my cousin might."
"Why would Alastor mind?" Samantha asked.
"Because he detests your father," the man said.
"I'm not my father," Samantha said. Claude slipped up and caught a quick view of the situation. The man was thinking now, walking back and forth. He stopped and gave Samantha a grim snide smile.
"I know one way to get me on your side," he said, "if you truly want to join us." Samantha fought hard not to gag, grimmace, or do anything that might give her away. Claude, however, did gag. Some of the men heard it and looked over that way, but he had quickly faded out and ducked down when he realized his mistake. But he couldn't help it. The leader was somewhat fat. He had a thick black beard and bushy eyebrows with a balding head. He wore a dark green over-coat, but at the present he had no undershirt on. He only had his pants made out of leather-like material. He had light, tan skin like all people in Calton.
"Take her to my room," the man said, "We don't let women into this organization, but if we are going to make an exception, it's going to be worth it."
Samantha could not help but slightly let the horror appear on her face. The head man laughed as he followed the men who came to lead her to his room. Claude was now trying to conceal his dry heaves. When he finally recovered, he faded as much as possible and dashed to the stairs. Two men happened to be looking at the stairs at that time, and they saw the slight discoloration that was Claude shoot up the stairs. One of the men squinted while the other remarked, "Did you just see that?"
"What the heck was it?" the other replied fearfully, "A ghost?"
"I don't know," the other said.
"You don't think the stories about the Forest Wisps are true do you?" the other remarked.
"Let's go," the other said, "I'm not going to find out right now."
Claude was already up the stairs and then back up in the roof before the men even got to the head man's door. He finessed himself, silently of course, through the frame so he could be ready to stop anything from happening to Samantha.
"She either had a plan for this, or she's willing to do anything to save that little girl," Claude thought to himself. He made his way until he was above the room right as the men entered with Samantha. The head man grabbed Samantha and threw her to the bed.
"Leave us," the man said. The men sighed with heavy protest, but they left the room regardless. Claude watched them walk down the hall and then proceed down the stairs. The man now grinned and Samantha could no longer conceal her disgust and she was beginning to gag. Claude chuckled to himself. "I'm glad I'm not the only one with a weak stomach," he thought.
"You're going to be incorporated our way," the man said approaching her. If you want to stay here with us, we have to be pleased with you.
"What if I don't really want to stay here with you," Samantha said standing her ground.
He wasn't phazed.
"You don't have a choice now," he said still approaching. When he walked close enough Samantha very quickly pulled a knife from the inside of one of her boots and sliced the fat man's throat before he knew what she was doing. He grabbed his throat looking at Samantha in suprise.
"That was for Trotes," she said before he lost conciousness and fell down dead. Claude could not believe his eyes. She began to go for the door when she looked up
"Oh yeah," Claude said jumping from his place in the roof. Samantha was startled and almost threw the daggar.
"So you did have a plan!" he said, "Impressive." Samantha looked at him and then at the roof.
"Have you been up there the whole time?" she said.
"No," Claude replied walking up to a belt the head man had laying on his desk, "I was down stairs when he gave the command to bring you up here."
"What?" she said.
"Don't worry," Claude said, "It's my little secret." He walked over and put the belt under the man's two arms and tightened it very tight and tied it.
"What are you doing?" Samantha asked.
"I don't feel right leaving him out in the open," Claude replied, "Call it instinct from my days of hunting and such. I learned that the best prey and predators hide their scent and their tracks."
"How are you going to hide that much prey?" she asked.
"Actually, he's predator," he replied, "We're prey. And I'm going to hide him there." He nodded to the vineyard that grew into the room as he drug the carcass to the window. Samantha watched Claude tie a rope that was in the room onto the belt. He jumped onto the vines and then climbed up. Soon the rope tightened and the carcass was pulled out of the window and then up. Moments later Claude came back down and immediately began to snatch the sheets off the bed and wipe the blood with them. Samantha just watched.
"There," Claude said, "Dropping the sheets right out the window. They won't find those or him untill daylight, if they ever find him."
"Not all of the blood is up," Samantha said. Claude was already walking to a rug that set in front of the door. He drug the multi-colored rug over the largest blood spot and looked up at the roof.
"You need to hide up there while I look for the girl," Claude said, "When we get her, we need to get out."
"I know," she said, "They'll be looking for us. And we can't take her back to her village." Claude nodded.
"That's right," he said, "That's the first place they'll go." "Alright," he said turning to her, "Let me toss you up there."
"Toss me?" she said. Claude walked behind her.
"Actually, it will be more of a lift. Jump and I'll get you the rest of the way," he said, "One...two...three!" Samantha jumped and found a grip on a beam. She began to pull herself up with much difficulty while Claude simply jumped back up and then helped her up the rest of the way.
"You can't be over this room," Claude said, "Once they figure out something happened then they'll be looking everywhere. Where is that girl located?"
"She's in the south wing," Samantha replied, "But I'm coming with you."
"That's alright," he said, "I've got it from here." Samantha's countenance dropped somewhat, but Claude reassured her.
"It's not that you can't do it," he said, "But I know I can do this with very little risk to all of us." Samantha reluctantly agreed.
"Wait somewhere in a corner where they can't see you and I'll be back," Claude said, "Do you have an escape plan?" Samantha nodded. Claude dropped down and walked to the window.
"Hey," she called in a loud wisper, "Her room has no light in it." Claude nodded and climbed up the vine to the roof. Samantha crawled over the hall to another room across from the former head man's room. There was no light in that room and she was completely hidden in the roof frame.
Claude carefully climbed past where he had hung the fat man and climbed on top of the roof. He looked up at the bright moon that was now a little past directly above. It lit everything up, and Claude could see almost as well now as in daylight. He was slightly annoyed that the moon should be so bright on this night of all nights. After looking at the moon he determinded from that which way was south and then chose the wing that was closest to that direction.
"Of course," he thought, "the vineyard is on the south side."
He carelfully walked toward that wing. Connecting the south wing to the main building was a covered walkway, since rain was regular in that forest. He approached the walkway and looked down at the three story fall that would ensue if he lost his balance. Each story was about eleven feet.
"Phew," he thought, "I climbed pretty high." He looked around to see that the building was just a little lower than the tops of the trees. He could see the blue tint of the green tops spread out in front of him. The stars domed over the scene tinging their white lights on the view. Claude shook his head to remember that he was here to save someone. He tested the cover of the walkway. It was not sturdy enough. Now he had to find another way. He looked at it from the side and saw that two support beams went out from the main building to the south wing underneath the walkway.
"There," he thought. He stooped down while looking down at the four or so men with tourches that were far below him. They were running around for something, but they looked more like over-sized fireflys than men. He looked at the walkway and jumped without hesitation from his angled spot and caught the rail with his hands and the deck boards with his feet. He made a slight sound when he landed that sounded like something between a tap and a scrape. He looked left and right. He decided to just walk along there unless someone opened a door. No sense going underneath if no one was coming. He edged along and came to the point where he needed to get back up. Here, he just grabbed a beam that held the walkway to the roof, and he climbed back on and sat down for a quick break, not because he was tired, but because he had to figure out what he was going to do when he got the girl.
"She's just going to have to hang on to me," he thought, "She's blind. She's just going to have to trust me in blind faith."
He got up and walked the paremeter of the roof, which was not that steep. He dipped his head down to look for windows. The south wing was large and circlular, and windows were not that many, and all of them had no lights. So Claude found a window and slipped off the roof hanging on by his strong fingers and then swung into the room. He looked around the room. It obviously wasn't used very much. It had weapons and junk covered with dust and most of it was piled in the corners. He just happened to look out side and see someone coming from the main building, since the window he entered through was facing the main building. He looked up and saw that the roof here was a similar build and so he jumped straight up into it again. He then made his way over the entrance and watched. The men walked in and walked straight down the hall past four or five rooms to a room far in the back. Claude moved through the roof to see what they were doing. He could here them talk before he even got there.
"What are we going to do with her?"
"Alastor is still going to use her."
"Is she really a prophet of doom?"
"Who knows? It's not going to be our doom."
"What are we going to get for her?"
"If Elestor and Alastor play their games right, we could all be rich."
"Alastor's got something up his sleeve. He's been gaining deserters from both armies and putting them all over."
"Oh yeah. Whatever he's got, it's big." Claude continued to move closer to see.
"I over heard the cousins talking. General Syrathis and the former General are going to be their biggest obstacles. But with General Syrathis's daughter, we might can get him out of the picture."
"And Trotes?"
"Alastor or his cousin Osis is supposed to be taking care of him."
"Eh? He may actually make this work?" Claude was now looking down on them. He could see in the dark that the girl was sitting in there with them, and she looked very afraid. She sat next to the window in the room, lit by the moon light with tears coming down her face. The men were across the room by the door talking about the grand plans of the mercenary, Alastor. Claude waited. He did not want to frighten the girl any more than she was already. So he just listened to them. They were just dressed in brown garb, not ready for any kind of action. Then Claude and the men down below him heard someone enter the South wing. He came into the room.
"Have you seen Elestor?" he asked.
"He's supposed to be with the General's daughter?"
"He's not in his room. There's someone here to see him, and there's blood on his floor. I think we're going to be in trouble."
The men looked at each other and then hurried out with the man and out of the South wing. Claude watched them untill they exited.
"Samantha, make sure you stay out of sight," Claude said to himself. Then he looked at the frightned girl who only looked straight ahead.

Chapter 9: Claude's Path

2006-05-19T05:01:00.000-07:00

Trotes, and the group had a long journey to make back to the Capital of Calton. Faith and her daughters wanted to see the recently de-throned King of Calton and Love. They traveled slowly on, and that is where we will leave them. Because another character has been active during the detour of his friends and we should not ignore him.
Claude had told the Elder and everyone's family about the decision to go after the Valiants and help them. He also told the Elder of the death of his friend. Elder Sel was sad at this news and was determinded to go find The Mayor's body if Oak had not already picked it up. As far as the chase goes all gave their blessing and gave Claude supplies for getting to Price, Simon and Salte. Claude did not want to rest while he was there, thinking he could get his rest on the way. So he left the night of the day that he arrived. So while his three friends were taking their field trip under the thumb of Trotes, Claude had been traveling to Calton Capital for those nights that Trotes's group made their way into the ravine. Claude had reached the fork in the road at about the time Salte and the group were encamped under the waterfall, but Claude decided to go left because Delos told them the way to the capital was by following the Great Mountain Range. So he did so, not knowing that Trotes had some other idea.
And so he had made his way through the woods where the road was traveled freaquently and it was fairly wide because Rushor and the other city, Iroas, were, of course, major cities, especialy now that war was upon Calton. Claude hurried as best he could, eating only enough to keep himself going. The news of the roads opening back up for normal trade had not reached other towns yet, so the road was empty for now.
His march brought him to a vast ravine that was adjacent to the one Salte, Price and Simon were in at that time. This canyon here twisted and turned and the river in it actually emptied into the Rushor Canyon that his friends were in, hence the great waterfall there.Claude surveyed the big ravine which was a little rockier and less steep than Rushor Canyon. He sighed deeply, walked the winding road down into the canyon and reached the town at the bottom at the same time the others were camping in the first town in Rushor Canyon. The walk took a long time because the road turned this way and that in order to make the decent or acent as gradual as possible. But Claude finally saw a little town after three days and some nights of travel. The town, or village actually, was a small farming village with crops on the mountainsides. The houses looked hastily put together with thatched rooves. He observed the look of the people as he entered from the east side and walked to the west side of town. They were solemn and sad. They looked as if the did not work for better lives, but worked just to work. Their movements were not slow, but no cheerey comments and no hello's between towns folk. Claude wondered how a town that looked so oppressed could survive "What an awful life," he thought to himself. Claude hid his hand from view and walked about town looking for some place to rest briefly. The main road took him into and through town and then along their main water source, which was the main river of the canyon. It was a small river now, but several other rivers flowed into it from other mountains and created the massive waterfall and river of Rushor. The houses of the town were in no real order or configuration. They were just far enough away from each other to allow travel between. Claude saw where some of the houses looked burned. And he saw ashes that looked like they used to be houses before rapid oxidation collapsed them. The town was larger than what Claude was used to. He had to look for quite a while to find a good out-of-the-way place to doze for a few minutes. It was morning time, and the hidden sun left the village in the cool shadow of the mountains for now. Claude tried to avoid places where many people were gathered, like the market that ran perpendicular to the river. He finally found a place next to the town pub. Other travelers and merchants were resting around the establishment. One of them looked up noticing that Claude was not from around there and asked, "Where are you from, traveler?" Claude stopped and looked somewhat nervously at the man who addressed him. Claude did not know how to respond. He knew nothing of merchants or the roads being closed, and he talked funny.
The man spoke again, "Are the roads open for merchants and trade? Come to think of it. You don't seem like your from around here. So that means the roads are open." All of the merchants and travelers stopped and looked at Claude, who was very nervous now. He shook his head and the man snorted in dissappointment.
"Why would Surel close trade along this route of all places?" the merchant said gruffly, "If he wants weapons and taxes, then we've got to earn money and get goods. The good-for-nothing..." Claude slipped away while all the merchants joined in the man's complaint. He shook his head wondering just what the rest of the world was like. He had no desire to listen to such things and eventually found a place a little ways away on the north side of the pub a some ways from the river. An oak tree grew there and Claude took a seat under it and fell asleep almost immediately. No one payed much attention to him. He just looked like a weary traveler and he was left alone in peace and concern.
Claude slept a deep sleep until he was disturbed by something, arguing, going on near the pub. He woke up groggy and sleepy, but the sleep wore off quickly as he realized what was going on. A man dressed in a black sleeved, dark green cloak was talking, or arguing with an old man in front of the pub. Claude sat in his place a little ways away and listened to the arguement with his fine tuned ears.
"You've got five days to come up with the ransom money," the man in black and green said.
"But no one hear has that kind of money," the old man said, "We're already taxed to death by Surel. Why would you think we could afford such a sum?" the old man was dressed in grey garments. He had a white beard and a balding head with white hair on the back of his head. His nose was pointed and his eyes looked straight at the green cloaked man.
"I know you can afford it," the man said, "how much do you love your granddaughter? That's the question."
Everyone in town came to hear the conversation.
"Please," the old man pleaded, "We'll give you what we have, but please just give her back."
The man in black and green looked around at the people around and shouted, "If any of you care about you're own, you'll listen to this man's plea."
"Sir," one of them called, "We have no money! Everything goes to the war."
"Do not raise your voice to him," someone called out hitting the villager that spoke. Claude started at this, but he stopped for just a moment to see what would happen. He forgot momentarily about what he was doing, but then he remembered that he had to catch up with the others. This situation was not easy for him to ignore, though.
"You have the money," the cloaked man said, "Get it to me or that girl will be ours for our pleasure."
Just then the man looked over at Claude, who had a very angry look on his face.
The leader spoke, "You don't look like you're from around here. Who are you?"
Claude did not want to answer for fear of his speech giving him away.
"Yea, you carry yourself differently," he said, "You're too stern to be from this village. You look more like a fighter." Claude just looked at the man waiting for whatever came next. He hoped this would not escilate any furthur and that the man would loose interest and continue with his buisness, sort of. In his mind, Claude did not know whether to continue his journey or offer his help to the villigers when the men left.
"Where are you from?" the green cloaked man asked.
Claude still did not answer, so the man motioned, and two other men dressed in similar garb ran to grab him. Claude let them, and they walked him over to their leader.
"Tough guy huh?" the man said walking up to him with a knife, "You probably better answer me." Claude still did not answer.
The man punched Claude in the stomach.
"You answer me," the man said, "Before I gut you right here in front of all of these people. What are you doing here?" Claude was not expecting the punch and so it angered him a little. The crowd watched wondering what Claude was doing in that little town, and if he was military or a deserter. Claude still did not want to answer, but he decided to go ahead and give the man an answer.
"None of your buisness," he said. The man reared back for another punch, but Claude moved to his side knocking the man to his left down and pulling the other in the way of the punch. Then he then grabbed the leader and spun him around and threw him forward into the dirt. The old man whose granddaughter was kidnapped stepped in.
"Stop!" he said to Claude, "What are you doing? Stop, I beg you."
The two other men ran and tackled Claude while he was distracted and pinned him down. The other man got up, walked over and kicked Claude several times until Claude was coughing.
"I don't know who you think you are, but you are indangering this man's grandaughter," the leader said wipping dirt off of his face, "But I suggest you calm down before you get her killed."
"Don't throw you're guilt on me," Claude said, "I'm not responsible for what you leaf brains do to that innocent girl. Hurting her may be bitting off more than you can chew." The man looked at Claude curiously.
"You don't talk like you're from around this area," the leader said, "maybe I should just kill you. You could be a problem." The man pulled out a knife and went to plung it in Claude's heart, but Claude lifted his own legs as the leader went to stick him and flipped the leader over. Then he flipped over himself out of the grab of the two other men and on top of the leader. The leader tried to stab Claude just as Claude landed, but Claude caught the man's hand. The other two men tackled Claude again and Claude wrestled away since he was obviously stronger and more agile than they were. He went after the main man again who was not ready for the speed and tackled him and sent the green cloaked man down on his face. When Claude got him down Claude took the arm with the knife and bent it backwards until it broke. Just as Claude grabbed the knife, he felt a hard wack to the back of his head that nearly knocked him out, but he was not done.
The people around looked on, anxious and angry, at Claude for risking the old man's grandaughter, but it was too late. Claude pulled his larger dagger from its hold after he managed to get away. The three men were shortly incapacitated either by death or wound, without Claude doing anything special. Claude was always the more athletic of him and his brother. He killed the two underlings and cut the leader in three times in the legs. The man fell down screeming and Claude looked at him breathing hard from the great burst of energy.
"That was pretty hard," Claude said to himself. The people around and the old man looked at him and the men in horror.
"What have you done, stranger?" the old man said. Claude looked up and then realized that the town certainly did not approve of what he had just done. "How are we to answer for this?" the old man continued, "The leader of these men will surely punish us for this." He growled in hatred. Just then it dawned on Claude that maybe he was a little too anxious to put these men in their place, but then again, the man was going to kill Claude. Claude was sorry.
"What are we supposed to do now?" another man said, "What are they going to do to his grandaughter when they find out about this? What are they going to do to us?" Everyone was afraid of Claude after seeing what he could do. The old man's eyes began to tear and some of the towns folk began to weep, and Claude began to feel very, very bad.
"She was do dear to us," the old man said, "How could you just come in and cause such trouble? Are you harcus? Come to destroy our village starting with the most innocent?" Claude stood stunned and guilty for a moment and then spoke, "I . . . can get her," he said. Some looked at him in scorn and others simply turned away.
"Do not try to absolve your guilt with pathetic claims," he said, "you can't and you know it. Turn and leave this town. We will deal with it." Claude knew he could not let it stand. How could they fault him for defending himself?
"I will get her," he said a little more boldly. The old man shook his head.
"You don't even know where to look," he said walking away.
"Do you?" Claude said stepping toward him. Just about everyone had gone back to their huts except a few who looked on.
"What does it matter?" the old man said turning around, "What are you going to do when you get there?"
"Sneak her out," Claude said. The old man turned and walked away.
"We'll find a way to save her," he said, "we don't need you're rash help."
"What do you mean rash help?" Claude said getting irritated.
"What did you think you were doing refusing to answer and trying retain the pride of some warrior? Why didn't you just listen to me and run away. Or sneak away when something that's none of your buisness comes along," the old man said, "Just leave us, traveler. We'll do it somehow." Claude stared at the old man and then looked around at the villagers that were left. Some of them shook their heads with looks of hatred while others just stared. Then everyone began to leave and go back to their buisness. He stood there wondering what he could do next. Soon Claude was standing there by himself, and he began to despair about the situation when he heard a voice behind him.
"Fella," she said, "You look'in for something."
He turned to see a pretty woman with a grey hood and soft brown eyes and black hair studying him.
"Yes," Claude said.
"I can help you find it," she said.
"Do you know what I'm looking for?" Claude asked. She nodded. "And you'll help me?" Claude said. She walked up and put her hand on Claude's chest to stroke it, but Claude grabbed it firmly and gently pushed her back.
"What are you doing?" Claude asked.
"I'm just seeing what you're made of," she said, "if you're going to do what you're saying you want to do, there must be something to you. You sure you're up to this?"
"Yes," he said.
He looked at her suspiciously.
"Why are you wanting to help me?" Claude asked.
"Personall reasons," she said, "But you need my help." Claude thought it through, but he did not have to think for long because she was right. He had no idea where to look and no one in the small village was going to tell him.
Claude said, "How far is it?"
"Pretty far," she said, "It's not on the road."
"I didn't figure so," he said, "When's the best time to get there." The sun was just peaking over over the mountain tops.
"At night, "she said, "If we leave now we should reach it by night time if we use horses."
"You can tell me where it is and I'll find it," Claude said, "You don't have to go with me you know."
"Very funny," she said, "I'll show you. You can't give directions in the forest."
They were now well into the morning. Claude did not want her to go because he did not want to give himself away, and he thought she might slow him down. But, then again, so would getting lost.
"What do you say?" she asked impatiently, "We're burning daylight." Claude remembered his mission now and felt more urgency return, but he did not want to abandon a little girl, especially since he had a part in her danger now. He sighed heavily and said, "Let's go."
The lady smiled and held out her hand.
"I'm Samantha," she said, "I'll take you straight to them."
"You better not betray me," Claude said, "Or you'll regret it....Trust me."
"I saw you take those henchmen down," Samantha replied taking back her hand offended, "I know better." She sighed and shook her head at Claude and turned and walked toward the pub. "Let me get some things first," she said, "Come on in." Claude shook his head.
"No thanks," he said, "I'll just wait here."
"The pub owner here has been all over," she said, "I bet he can identify your dialect."
"Impressive," Claude replied, "But I'll just wait here. I want to get going as soon as we can." Samantha scrunched her face a little in disgust as she walked away.
"Have it your way," she said. She walked into the pub and Claude turned around to look at the town. People were mostly trading foods and animals. Everyonce in a while someone would cast a glance at Claude and then continue with their buisness. The stream on the north side of the village was slow moving at this point and some people were fishing along the banks on the docks near where he was standing. He watched one of the little boys hook a fish and pull it onto shore. The little boy's friends and he gathered around while an older boy helped unhook the fish from the pole. Claude did not have to fish; he was quick enough and stealthy enough to just reach in and grab a fish. He did not understand the excitement, but he watched and was charmed by the joy it brought to the four children who all ran off with their new prize. The older boy watched them, shook his head and then went back to his fishing. Claude shook his head thinking the outsiders a little strange. Samantha called to him as he was pondering.
"Hey, are you ready?" she said.
"Of course," Claude replied not turning around. Samantha watched Claude for a moment.
"What's wrong?" she asked him. Claude shook his head and turned around.
"Nothing," he said, "I'm ready if you are." He fervently hoped that his friends were going to be all right and that they did not need him. But he did feel sorry for the town, and he wanted to rescue the girl. He couldn't just leave knowing that the situation had gotten worse because of him.
Samantha took up a bag on a stick and handed it to Claude.
"Here," she said, "You're the stronger of us. You take this."
"What is this?" Claude said taking it reluctantly.
"Different things that we'll need to get inside the hideout and move around," she replied.
"I see," Claude said, "Whatever you feel we need." Samantha was bewildered at that comment. She looked at him somewhat shocked and annoyed at his arrogance.
"Are we ready?" Claude asked her impatiently.
"Do you want me to help you?" she asked.
"Sorry, yes," he said, "I'm just in a hurry."
"Let's go. We've got to go to the stable and get our horses," she said.
"Horses huh?" Claude said.
"Yea, is that a problem?" Samantha asked.
"You just might need to teach me that's all," Claude said.
"These horses are trained to know the roads," she said, "They won't be difficult." Claude nodded and then said, "Lead on."
She picked up another bag she had brought out and lead the way to the stable in the middle of the village and then to a bridge just a little ways away from the river. Claude followed looking back halfway across the bridge not far from the pub.
The road led straight on through damp woods. Then it lead up the other side of the ravine and up further into where the Great Mountains connected with a mountain range called Backbrace. The road would have been difficult for someone not accustommed to the constant up and down travel. But the people of Calton could travel the roads just fine. These two walked the road for almost the whole day stopping only once for food.
Along the way Samantha could not help trying to get to know her assitant a little better.
"Where did you learn to fight?" she asked him.
"I never learned," he said.
"You must have learned somewhere," she said, "No one takes out three men just out of pure ability."
"No one?" Claude replied. Samantha looked at him briefly.
"Okay, what do you do for a living?" she asked.
"I hunt," Claude replied.
"Is that all?" she said patting her hourse on the neck.
"Yea, so what?" he said.
"You just live on the nessesities huh?" she said.
"Is there anything else you can live on?" Claude asked her. The he asked, "What can you tell me about Calton, aside from the obvious."
Samantha thought this question curious, but she answered it anyway thinking Claude was definatly an outsider.
"We're ruled by a false king right now," she replied, "Almost all of the country is either ravines, forests, or swamp. We're at war with Coastshire and winning for now."
"For now?" Claude said.
"Coast was making blunder after blunder in their battles with us, but as of late their doing better. They are still no match for General Syrathis though."
"Your top man?" Claude asked.
"Actually," she said hanging her head and then looking forward again, "he's my father."
Claude nodded a big nod and replied, "You're father is the top dog."
"Under Surel, yes, but he's nothing like Surel," she replied.
"So tell me," Claude said, "What's the top dog under the top dog's daughter doint this far away from Calton Capital?"
"I told you it's personal," she said, "Perhaps you can tell me why you're so anxious to help a little girl."
"That's not personal," Claude replied, "Because I feel bad for making matters worse." Samantha laughed. "What's so funny?" Claude asked.
"Matters can't get anyworse," she answered, "There's no way they could make the payment in five days, or anydays, not in animals, not in money or land. The sum is outrageous."
"Jerks," Claude said, "I wonder why such an outrageous sum."
"Because they don't plan on giving her back," Samantha told him.
"Do what?" Claude responded.
Samantha then recited some verse,
"'When the sightless recieve what cannot be seen
because the castles of culture refuse their need
then shall the doom of a people be
such is a people who refuse to see."
"Okay," Claude said, "Did you make that up just now?"
"It's a prophecy," Samantha replied, "When doom is upon a people, a child is born blind so that he or she may see the impending doom more clearly." Claude continued to listen.
"The girl we are saving..."
"Was born blind," Claude finished. Samantha nodded. "So she is a potential messenger of doom," Claude asked.
"I don't think she is," Samantha replied, "She can't help it. But most authorities will richly reward anyone who brings them a child born blind. Especially Surel, since he userped the throne."
"Would King Valiant?" Claude said.
"No," Samantha said, "He wouldn't. Children are just born different sometimes. It doesn't mean they are special messengers or anything else. What a stupid prophecy."
"Her grandfather wouldn't turn her in," Claude said.
"I don't know her grandfather or those people that well," Samantha said, "I met the girl while at the village."
"She doesn't seem like a prophet of doom huh?" Claude asked.
"Of course not," Samantha replied.
"So the top dog's top dog is going to save her," Claude stated.
"And you're going to help. Also you can call me Samantha," she said shooting him a look of annoyance.
"What's the fun in that?" Claude said. They kept on moving through the mountains making good time.
Up higher the air was dryer and vegetation was not nearly as prominant. No trees or forest, just shrubs growing out of the multi-shades of grey rock faces on each side of the road. The air was cooler and travel was nice. The scenery was limited though. When the sun began to set wherever it was setting; they couldn't tell, untill they came to a forest that was fairly vast.
The forest was below them and Claude could see where the mountains opened up and ran east and west to escape into the horizon. The sky was pink where the sun began to set and a sheet of trees that spread out to fill in the gap between the mountain sides was a dark green. Stars slowly started coming out. The continued on.
"Are you from Calton?" Samantha asked Claude as they started their way down.
"No," Claude replied.
"Where are you from?" she asked.
"Why do you want to know?" he asked her.
"Touchy," she said riding around some rocks in the road.
"It's not important where I came from," he said.
"It's always important to know where you came from," Samanth replied, "You should cherish your roots."
"Is that so," Claude said chuckling.
"Yea that's so," Samantha said looking at him.
"No matter what?" Claude said. Samantha remained silent looking Claude in the eye. Claude smiled slightly and Samantha turned and kept going. After a moment she spoke again.
"Do you have . . . shady roots?" she said.
"Nothing shady about them," Claude said, "But there are things I'm not proud of, even worried about."
"Well, sometimes we have to face our past," she said.
"If we can find it, we will," Claude replied, "I don't know how much success we'll have." Samantha still could not figure out how to take Claude.
"So I guess you're not going to tell me where you get your dialect," She said.
"Don't worry about it," Claude replied.
"I was just curious," she said.
"I'm curious. What would posses you to help or get help from a perfect stranger?" Claude asked.
"The fact that you're not a threat and the fact that you're strong," Samantha replied.
"So then what is Top Man Syrathis's daughter doing all the way down here," Claude asked, "It wasn't to save a little girl."
Samantha sighed. "I was sent to take a message and get some advice from an older friend of my father. He's the Mayor of Oakshire, a village that boarders Calton and Sholom."
Claude choked a little at the mention of the Mayor. He thought a little on how tell her about his demise. He couldn't think of a way so he just told her.
"Samantha, the Mayor is....dead," Claude said solemly. Samantha turned quickly to Claude.
"Dead!?" she exclaimed, "When? How?"
"He died trying to help the Valiant family escape into Sholom," Claude replied.
"What? The Valiants?" Samantha said very suprised. Claude told her the story of how the Valiants were hiding in that area and how the Mayor tried to help them get out of the way of the soldiers that were coming that way, and how the Mayor and three other men were killed and his friends were in persuite. Samantha began to tear up.
"No one got his body." she said.
"I don't know where he fell. My friends were trying to catch up with the soldiers that took the Valiants, and I'm trying to catch up with them." Samantha thought for a moment.
"Surel wants them alive," Samantha said, "If you want to go help your friends, I don't blame you."
"It's okay," Claude said, "I'll help this girl. My friends can take care of themselves. I hope. I'm sorry about your father's friend. Samantha nodded, and they road furthur in silence.
Claude admired the scene as the sun finished setting. They kept moving down the road. They reached the forest a little later.
"You can find your way at night?" Claude asked her.
"Yes," Samantha said, "It just takes longer." She led the way into the forest which was well lit by moonlight. The trees let patches of light in, but Samantha still had to feel her way through. Claude could see just fine, but he followed silently. As Samantha lead on, she turned around to see if Claude was still behind her. Claude just waited for her to lead on.
"How are you moving so quietly?" she asked.
"Family traits," he said, "It's in our roots." She turned around shaking her head and continued. The trip through the woods was slow and tedious. The patches of light that squeezed into the forest seemed to be what Samantha was using, Claude did not know how she knew the way in the dark. But he followed perfectly quiet hoping to get this over with quickly without any problems. Every once in a while Samantha would look back to see if Claude was actually still there, and he was. And each time he would flash her a slightly mischevious smile as if to say, "wouldn't you like to know."
Then Claude heard something. He silently ran in front of Samantha who started at the sudden movement of Claude. She followed him for a moment wondering what he was doing. When she could hear the noise, she knew they were close. Claude and Samantha stopped in front of a tourch lit house, a huge, tourch-lit house, with many huts and such behind it. The house had walkways going from the middle to four different wings, north, south, east and west. The whole thing was three stories high. Claude was in awe, but Samantha was simply calculating her plan. She looked at Claude.
"Give me your bag," she said. Claude gave her the bag.
"Now what's your plan?" he said.
"Stay here for a second," she said, "I'll be back."
Claude watched her confused as she dissappeared into the forest. Moments later she came dressed in a colourful red, purple and pink skin tight dress.
"Whoa," Claude said.
"You like it?" she asked.
"What excatly are you planning?" Claude asked her.
"There are six entrances to the place. Come with me," she said moving on, "They keep them locked at all times unless someone calls to them. One entrance is a vineyard on the backside where we will go. There I will walk out as a high priced woman and distract the men in the vineyard. There is a vine that goes out of the light and up to the head man's room."
"Right up to his room huh?" Claude said.
"He likes his own grapes I suppose," she replied, "You have to climb up that vine before they take me in and go back to their posts. They'll probably take me to his room."
"What makes you think that?" Claude asked. Samantha was appalled. "So you're sending me straight into the wolves den?"
"No, the head man reviews all the women. He'll leave," she said, "just climb up vines while the men are talking to me and hide in the dark blind spot up there."
"Easy enough," Claude said.
"Just ease you're way up and see if the head guy is gone. Once he's gone put on the clothes in this bag," she said patting the bag she had given him.
"Where did you get all this stuff?" he asked.
"They're the ones you killed," she said, "We took them while you were talking to the villagers."
"We?" Claude asked.
"Me and the pub owner," she said, "he's also a friend of my father."
"You're father has friends around," Claude said turning to study his part. Samantha smiled and asked, "Are you ready?"
Claude nodded, "Let's go."

Loose Cannon

2006-05-19T04:55:00.000-07:00

Spy an object that you like
and take it as your own,
but if you don't repect it
you'll leave it all alone,

And just like a harlots from the street
you keep it in your sight
in case you need a pick up
when things aren't panning out just right.

People are more than toys
One shouldn't forget that
So when you spend your time with one or five
consider how you act

and treat them.
They are more than entertainment
they think, feel and react.
They are more than just a merryment,
Do not forget that.

Chapter 8: Side-tracking

2006-05-18T04:54:00.000-07:00

The sun was setting behind the mountains and nighttime was beginning to settle in, but enough light lingered so that they travl to the next town, albeit, it would be dark by the time they got there but not too late into the night. All three were injured in some way, but Price and Simon rejected any help from Salte. They patched up their wounds, which were not severe, and hurried to catch up with Trotes. After much quick walking the Outcastes and Valiants caught up with Trotes, who walked straight with absolute steadfastness. All were curious as to why Trotes did not want to continue, besides the fact that all of the soldiers were dead. The Outcastes knew that they could have caught the rest and did them in. Why does Trotes want to go back?
"Why aren't we following them?" Simon asked Trotes from behind. He just had to know after all of the effort and anger he put into it.
"We're done," Trotes replied, "It fell through. You kept your word and cooperated, and I'm keeping mine this time."
"So we're going to get to Love in time?" Price asked.
"She's in Calton," Trotes replied.
"Calton!?" Faith and the Outcastes replied. Trotes smiled to himself.
"There was no meeting point or no schedule," Trotes said, "I made it all up." They all turned a little red with anger now.
Simon gritted his teeth, "You..."
"You can kill me if you choose," Trotes said, "It's not like I can stop you, or want to." Faith walked over to Simon and calmed him. Trotes put his hands to his mouth and wistled loudly.
"You lied to us?" Price asked.
"It worked," Trotes said, "You cooperated didn't you? And you were much more intent on getting this thing over with to my satisfaction. You fought much more intensely. Between the three of you, you must have downed fourty of his remaining men.
Simon shook his head.
"Just out of curiosity," Price said, "How did you plan on taking on that many men. You couldn't have know we could take down that many ourselves." Trotes chuckled.
"I didn't plan on taking on all those men," he said, "We were going to ambush them. Those soldiers can do more than they let on. But even if they didn't, I just planned on keeping Alastor's men distracted long enough to get a shot at Alastor. If they hadn't defected, it could have worked and some of them would still be alive. And you would be back to see Love at least one last time." Trotes shook his head and, to himself more than to anyone, he said, "Osis had more pull with the men than I thought he would."
"You were going to sacrifice your men?" Price exlaimed. Trotes wistled loudly again.
"Please," Trotes said, "I sent the soldiers who were worth anything with the Princess to make sure she made it safe and sound. The ones sacrificed today weren't worth the steel that cut them down, as you could tell, so don't get too self-righteous."
"I thought you said Surel wouldn't kill us," Salte said.
"As you can see," Trotes said, "I've been wrong before."
"Great," Price responded.
"You can take off with the Valiants if you want," Trotes told them, "It's not like I can stop you."
"We're going back," Faith said, "I want to see my husband and Love. And you saved Charity despite yourself. Thankyou."
The girls listened to the conversation and finally Charity spoke.
"Mister," She said, "thank you for saving me."
Trotes did not answer.
"She's thanking you," Price said.
"It's okay," Faith said to him.
"I'm sorry I did it," Trotes said.
"Strap," Price replied. After a moment some horses came running toward them. Simon, Salte and Price were wondering why Trotes was wistling, but that was the least of their wonders.
Faith took a deep breath and called to Trotes who was slowly beginning to break away to the horses.
"Trotes, I'm sorry for what happened," she said. Trotes continued toward the horses without answering. Soon they were all mounted with a horse, even Price and they headed for Calton slowly because Salte had to stay with Delos.

Night

2006-05-02T08:28:00.000-07:00

This is the other side to my poem "Dark." "Dark" embodied the advantages of Darkness, while "Night" embodies something less romanticized, but just as real. Everyone goes through dark times like the two characters in this poem. If you don't, then your perception of reality is not as complete. Both "Dark" and "Night" are embodiments of this truth. Just as dark times reveal things that could not be realized other wise, they are also trying times, and fearful times. "Dark" and "Night" are ment to be taken together.

Night

‘It’s so dark in here’
she said
‘Don’t you want to wait for light?’

"Something is chasing us,'
I replied,
'We can't let it get us.'

Everybreath was our last
but we moved on.

The darkness conquered our sight.

We could not see; we could only
Listen and feel around.

Every experience was burned onto our
Finger tips.

Every root that ruffled our hands.

Every snapped twig stole our hearing.

The dryness of the humidity and heat
in our mouths,

The absent taste of webs.
‘Is that a spider on my neck?’

We made our way into the open night.
Not daring to look back into the dark behind.

We gazed upon the starlit night.

The sun began to rise

Relieved to see the day
We never forgot the dark behind
or the dark we would face.

‘I love the light,’
I said to her,
‘But you can’t avoid the night.’

Chapter 8: Side-tracking

2006-04-18T12:49:00.000-07:00

Trotes surveyed the side of the cliff as Price rode behind him.
"He said it was along here?" Trotes asked him.
"That's what I heard," Price replied.
"Funny," Trotes said, "I would think someone would have stumbled on it at sometime or another."
Price shook his head.
"I don't know. That's what the mayor said," he told him.
"It's well hidden," he said to Trotes.
"Once we find it, we'll know exactly where to ambush them," Trotes said.
"If they don't get ambushed first," Price said back.
"They won't be ambushed by anything they can't handle," Trotes replied.
"How do you know?" Price said.
"Don't worry about it. We'll keep looking after we get the report from Osis, though," Trotes said, "They're already in town by now, and the passage must be furthur down the road." They turned and headed to town. They had been traveling up and down the road looking for a den where some of the gang would hide out. When they rode in they went directly to the stables and found Simon and Salte watching and planning what to do.
"Hey," Price called to them.
When Simon turned around and realized who it was, he walked straight up to Trotes.
"You're wonderful gang just took off," he said with clinched teeth ready to spring on Trotes.
"What?!" Price said. Trotes looked in anger toward the direction Osis took the men. Price turned to Trotes.
"Good job with your men," he said as he began to turn red with anger.
"If anything happens," Simon said.
"I heard you the first time," Trotes said, "If I didn't care then I don't care now." That really made Simon's blood boil. Trotes looked on thinking. "Those cowardly, faithless fools," he said to himself.
"They plan to frame you," Salte said urgently.
"I don't care about my honor," Trotes said, "Or what Surel might do to me." Trotes looked back the other way and then back toward the former direction. "Ahhhhh," he growled in frustration, "Get on your horses and follow me."
Trotes took off and Price followed. Simon and Salte got their horses and followed Trotes.
"Trotes," Simon called, "They said if we followed them they would kill the family."
"Stay back a little ways," Trotes replied, "They won't harm them if you're with me, but let me talk to them first." Simon looked at Trotes bewildered. Salte stopped Simon and Price and stayed with them as Trotes rode to catch up with his rebellious men.
"What does he think he's going to do?" Simon asked watching Trotes.
"I don't know," Salte replied, "But, unfortunately he's our only hope now."
"What do you mean?" Price asked.
"What do you mean 'what do I mean'? They know he's not worried about their death," Salte replied, "So threating to kill them won't do any good. Trotes has pretty much made it so we have to depend on him. That's what he's been doing the whole time. That's what he did when he sent Love off."
"And now?" Simon replied, "I still can't figure out how we let this happen?"
"We're human," Salte replied, "And its obvious that Trotes knows how to conquor and controll people."
"Crafty man," Price replied.
Simon and Salte both nodded their heads.
"Let's just trot for now and hope Trotes isn't being rash," Salte said.
"Strap," Simon said, "This can't be happening. We're not going to make it to Trotes's meeting point."
"We will," Salte replied, "Just keep yourself under controll."
Trotes rode hard to catch up with the soldiers that had left. They rode hard to escape any chance of being caught or overtaken or beat on their way to Calton Capital. They rushed on and on. But Trotes eventually caught up with them quite a ways away from the town around mid-day. The sun now beat down in the humid valley.
"OSIS!!" he called. Osis looked back and when he saw it was Trotes and Trotes alone, he stopped the soldiers.
"That old fool," Osis said to himself, "This is the perfect opertunity.
He rode back smiling to see Trotes alone.
"So you came after us," Osis said, "Now that's a suprise." Trotes looked to see if the Royal family had been harmed.
"I'm full of suprises, Osis," Trotes said, "What do you think you are doing?"
"Staying alive," Osis replied, "You can't lead. You were going to get us all killed."
"You fool," Trotes said, "Do you really think I would do open battle against that many men with 27 soliders? I have a plan!"
"That's not good enough for us," Osis said, "You're messed up plans have worked before, but eventually one of them is going to fall through."
"They will if my men don't do as they're instructed," Trotes shot back.
"We're not doing anything you say. We're sick of you winning crazy battles and hogging glory," Osis said.
Trotes laughed. "I see what this is about already; oh, but I knew from the start of this whole campagne you were intent on not doing this part."
"You can't see my point," Osis said, "What do you know?"
"You just can't stand the idea of me succeeding, again can you Osis?" Trotes replied, "It just eats you alive that I can come out on top every time, and you've been writhing in anger ever since I defeated your brother in that battle. You can't stand that I always win."
"Come out on top? You didn't come out on top when your family was murdered," Osis said laughing, "Yea you're on top. You couldn't even save your family. Your pity and mercy got them killed. Yea, Trotes, I would love to be you." The Valiants squirmed with gags in their mouths.
"Oh but you would, Osis," Trotes said smiling maliciously, "When I get done with you, you will." Osis stared at Trotes.
"I know why you are so anxious to avoid this conflict," Trotes said, "You almost had Crusas convinced it was a waste of time. But, then, he never was too bright."
The men looked at Osis.
"Don't look at me fools," Osis said, "You know Trotes is always full of tricks."
"It took me a long time, but I found out who their leader was," Trotes said, "It was just who I thought it was. Someone who more than deserves a good thrust from my spear."
"You'll never find him," Osis said.
"Oh, yes, I will," Trotes replied, "Those Outcastes are very handy. I'm one stepp behind. We could have this whole deal over with if you just cooperate."
"You're insane," Osis replied.
"You're a traitor," Trotes replied, "Even in my most despecable moods I would never stoop as low as you. Covering for a man who indiscriminently raids and piliges women and children for anarchy. Even I don't worm that low."
"With some of the things you have done you're saying you're better?" Osis replied.
"No," Trotes replied, "I'm saying I'm worth more." Osis snatched the spear that was attached to the side of his reddish brown horse and threw it at Trotes. Trotes moved to his left and let himself fall off of his horse landing on his feet. He took care not to jar his broke right arm.
"You always did have pitiful aim," Trotes replied, "Let's settle this if you want to."
"You have a broke arm you fool," Osis said, "Men..."
"You coward," Trotes said before Osis could give the command, "You can't take me with a broken arm? What kind of warrior are you?"
"The kind who will live," Osis said.
"If I was any one of these men, I would have no respect for you and I'd kill you after me," Trotes said. Then Trotes addressed the men. "Is Osis here really any better than me?" he said to him, "Really?" Osis was somewhat fearful now.
"I don't fight unarmed and injured men," Osis said.
"You just try to get them from a distance, or command others to do it," Trotes replied laughing.
"I wasn't trying," Osis replied.
"I would have," Trotes answered smiling, "You look scared. If I'm a fool, then come down here and slay me, and you and the world can be rid of one more burden. No one here will blame you. I'm willing to conjecture all will give credit to whatever story you give to Surel. If they let you live that long." Osis was angry, but he hesitated. Trotes was the better fighter by far.
"Come on," Trotes urged, "This is your chance. Either kill me now like you've always wanted, or receive word in Calton of your cousin's death."
"You may defeat me," Osis said, "But you'll never find my brother, and you'll never defeat my cousin."
Osis dismounted his horse and walked toward his opponent. Trotes tossed Osis his spear, and Osis picked it up. Then Trotes went to grab his sword sheathed on his horse, but Osis didn't wait for Trotes to arm himself. He immediately thrust his spear at Trotes; however, Trotes deflected Osis's attack with his sword straigt out of the sheath. The two fell into a jittery battle. Osis moved and looked for a chance to get a clean thrust on Trotes, but all attempts ended in failure because Trotes was quick with his sword, even with his left hand. Trotes could not move as well with his broke arm, so Osis moved around trying to get Trotes off balance or something, but Trotes had been in far too many fights to fall for anything unusual or to leave his feet, especially to Osis. Osis move to his left and right trying to find his chance. He hoped to tire Trotes since Osis was quite a bit younger than Trotes, but Trotes did not seem to tire. They moved about, especially Osis, while the other men looked on not sure who they wanted to win, except Delos, who was hoping Trotes won for the sake of the Valiants.
Osis tried some more thrusts and Trotes deflected them with perfect grace and quickness. Osis groweled. He was bigger than Trotes, but Trotes was always in the right spot for himself and the wrong spot for Osis. Osis gave a series of thrust and finally caught Trotes on the same shoulder as his broke arm. Now, Osis saw his chance. Trotes had let his guard down in pain, or so Osis thought, Osis gave a huge thrust. Trotes moved to the side dropping his sword and grabbing the spear. Osis lost his balance and fell losing grip on the spear. Trotes spun the spear around with one hand and put it to Osis's neck.
"Who's the foolish one?" Trotes asked him. He lifted the spear and was just about to thrust when an arrown pierced his thigh on the outside part. Trotes dropped the spear with a yell and quickly stooped, broke the arrow and pulled it out. He quickly looked up to see men coming out of the mountain side. He swiftly wrapped his leg with cloth and stood up.
"Osis get up from there," one of the men said. Osis got up and moved away. The man who commanded Osis climbed furthur down on the rocks to where Trotes could see him better.
"Hello, Trotes," the man said, "long time no see."
Trotes said nothing but looked the man in the eyes with all the hatred he had in his sad soul. The man was dressed in crimson armor lined with silver boarders. He had a black beard, short, black hair and brown eyes that boldly looked at Trotes. Trotes returned the gaze with his solid, scarred face.
"I had no idea you were with them," the man said.
"That would have defeated the purpose, Alastor," Trotes replied.
"I thought something was fishy," Alastor said, "I knew something was wrong when fifty men were found dead after a solid fog night." Trotes almost squinted at that. He knew who was responsible for that. "Pretty bold," Alastor commented, "Coming against a hundred and sixty men with less than thirty. However, you did manage to dispatch fifty in the foggy dead of night. So you must have something." Alastor looked at the thief the men had tied up. "Cut him loose," he ordered.
The soldiers quickly cut the prisoner loose and the man ran to the rocks and joined his comrads.
"Trotes, Trotes, Trotes," Alastor said shaking his head, "How you have fallen."
"Funny," Trotes replied, "I was just thinking things were looking up. Now I don't have to look for you."
Alastor climbed down the rocks.
"I'm going to guess you don't have any silver in this caravan," he said walking up to him.
"You're pretty clever," Trotes replied. Alastor was not amused, of course.
"But I do seem some familiar faces in those ladies over there," Alastor continued, "The royal family perhaps?" Trotes only looked at Alastor. "It just so happens I've been summoned to the Capital," Alastor stated, "I think...I'll take the princess. And I'll get the reward from Surel."
"Go ahead," Trotes said smiling to himself and almost laughing. Alastor noticed this and looked at the family, who looked back scared, hot and thirsty. Then he looked back at Trotes, who smiled and remarked, "Missing something?"
"Clever, Trotes," Alastor remarked walking over to Osis and then looking back with a malicious smile, "Clever as ever. Except that one time."
The soldiers looked around at the gang who was now begining to empty out of the rocks and move in.
"What are you going to do with the men?" Trotes asked.
"Which men?" Alastor asked.
"Any of them," Trotes replied. Alastor turned to the soldiers who carried the royal family.
"You have two choices," Alastor called, "Join us and help replace the fifty men you slaughtered in the night; live under the wealth that we can bring, or die." Trotes smiled at Alastor's ignorance. The men did not kill the fifty.
"I will take care of your families if you have them," Alastor said, "You have my word."
The men all shifted nervously in their sattles thinking about what to do. Eventually some of them walked to Alastor's side. Alastor looked around.
"You want to stay with Surel?" he said.
"They don't want to go with you," Trotes said. Just then one of the thieves saw some riders in the distance.
"Sir, somepeople are approaching," he said. Alastor looked out.
"Who could this be?" he said. Trotes smiled. "Take the family," Alastor called to the new recruits.
Those soldiers who joined the thieves went to take the Royal family. Delos drew his sword.
"No!" he shouted. He stabbed one of the men and fought with a two more, but he was stabbed by one from the back. Faith, and the girls looked in horror and sorrow.
"Hurry and get them out of here," Alastor said to them.
The traitorous soldiers took the family and joined sixty or so thieves who were dressed as merchants.
"Kill the ones who approach if they try anything funny," Alastor said. The group with the Valiants went the way to Rushor to take the family back to their hideout.
When the three saw the group progress toward them they slowed their pace. Trotes continued smiling. Alastor looked at Trotes.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
"You," Trotes replied.
"You are a fool," Alastor said.
"That's what they say," Trotes replied, "Better to be a fool than a has-been."
"Is that so former General Trotes?" Alastor replied. Before long Alastor and Trotes turned their heads at the sounds of girls screaming and swords clashing. The theives had attacked the three men not knowing who they were and soldiers and thieves alike were dropping off their horses like flies.
"Looks like you have a problem," Trotes said smiling. Alastor and his men took off toward the fight to see what was the matter and assist in the situation. Trotes looked at the soldiers who had not gone to Alastor's side.
"Stop them," he said to them. They hesitated not wanting to risk their lives for something they new they could get away with not doing, especially since they did consider Surel the king now. Trotes angrily jumped on his horse and rode after Alastor and the men. The soldiers behind followed him reluctantly.
The thieves and the soldiers who were engaged with Simon, Price and Salte were as confused as ever. Between keeping up with a man that was not visible half the time, one that was far too quick and one that couldn't be approached half of the time, they could not figure out what exactly was going on. Salte quickly dispatched three when they were confused by his unseeable shield. Price and Simon immediately went for the ones holding the royal family and secured their release. Simon threw some men back allowing the Valiants to get free and Salte put a shield around them, while working hard to keep from being surrounded. The fight spread out some because of all of the movement, and Price dashed between men taking them down while they were preoccupied with Simon and Salte. Salte had thrust his spear into two horses, one after the other, as he kept his distance from the thieves that surrounded him, but they were too much for him. Simon threw a man into the crowd that closed in on Salte allowing his friend to escape, but a man put a knife into Simon's back just as Simon was about to dodge it. Price cut that man down and Simon picked himself up and continued to fight. They took down quite a few when Alastor joined the battle shortly, but Trotes quickly over took him and began fighting with him. The soldiers behind Trotes cut down quite a few thieves who were not paying attention. But they could not keep up with the number and they began fall. The soldiers who had joined the thieves had changes of heart and joined their fellow soldiers and helped them. The confusion became great, even for the Outcastes. Some robbers attacked Trotes while Trotes was busy with Alastor and stabbed him in the back, but the stab was not direct and Trotes was still able to fight. The battle pressed so hard on Salte that he had his shield to save himself and so took it off the Valiants because they seemed in a safe place. But Alastor went to them while Trotes was distracted with the underlings and grabbed Charity.
Simon, Price and Salte turned at the sound of Charity's scream.
When they did they were each hit and knocked down.
"Very interesting," Alastor said looking at the three Outcastes, "So that's what's been hiding in that cursed mountain range." Trotes managed to finish off the ones who attacked him, and he was done. Everyone had stopped to listen for what happened next. The three Outcastes were all a sword point. Price could have gotten away, but he didn't want to leave or risk getting his friends hurt. They all sat and waited for Alastor to state his terms, which they knew would not be good for them. Faith and Hope looked on in fear as Alastor held Charity's arm tightly with his sword to her throat.
Faith called out to Charity, "Don't move, Charity."
"You little insects," Alastor said, "You've made a mess of everything now. Especially you, Trotes." Trotes nodded his head with a smile, but Salte and the rest were angry at the whole situation. "Here is the deal," Alastor said, "Kill the three animals or the little girl dies."
"Don't be a fool, Alastor," Trotes replied.
"Silence, you has-been," Alastor shot back.
"Or what?" Trotes anwered, "You'll kill the girl?"
"Trotes!!" Simon yelled, but a soldier hit him hard on the head nearly knocking him out. Alastor looked at the hardened Trotes for a moment.
"You truly are different my friend," Alastor.
"'Friend' huh," Trotes answered.
Alastor smiled and commented, "I was right after all." Trotes stopped himself with that slight realization, but he did not let it come out.
"What are you going to do?" Trotes asked.
"I'm going to kill those three because they are a threat to me and then we are killing you because you are a fool," Alastor said, "Then I'm going to answer King Surel's call for aid."
"King Surel doesn't know you are alive," Trotes replied.
"Oh yes he does and he's calling for me," Alastor replied.
"Why?" Trotes asked.
"Why do you care? You're going to die." Alastor said. Then as quick as he could (which was extremely quick) Trotes pulled a knife from his sleeve and threw it at Alastor. Alastor was truly not expecting the knife, and it stuck him before he could move Charity in the way. Alastor dropped Charity who slipped off the edge of a rock and almost fell, but she grabbed on to a stick that was growing out of a crack in the stone. When Simon and the rest saw this they immediately broke loose from their captures and started fighting. But they still had too many to fight with and they could not get to Charity right away. Alastor had jumped to other rocks to get behind the battle and escape and Trotes followed. He managed to climb onto the rocks and he was catching up to Alastor when Charity screamed and Simon called out, "Trotes!"
Trotes ignored him at first, but when Charity screamed again, he stopped. He did not know why, but he stopped unable to move. Alastor was getting away. Trotes knew he could catch Alastor, who was injured just like he was. Then he heard Faith calling, "Trotes, please help my daughter!" He turned to see that Simon, Salte and Price were having too hard of a time. Simon was cut on his sword arm. Salte had taken a stab in the shoulder and Price was bleeding on his forehead. He looked at Charity and then at Alastor who hadn't reached the road yet. He knew he could catch one of the men who murdered his wife and child, who stripped him of his life and his honor and more. He started toward Alastor when he heard Charity scream again, and he looked. She was about to let go. He looked down at the outcastes. They had almost all the robbers dispatched, but they would not make it in time, and all of the Calton soldiers were dead. He hesitated, gritted his teeth and jumped from rock to rock as fast as he could. He refused to look back at the rejection that would seal his character. He stuggled and moved with his broken arm, and just as Charity slipped, he caught her and saved her from a thirty-foot fall. She looked up with tears in her eyes ay Trotes' hard face, and he pulled her up and set her on the rock. Faith sighed with tears in her eyes as and Hope ran to get to her sister. The three Outcastes did not have to finish off the rest because they ran after Alastor when they saw there was no winning. Even the death of Charity would have been a reason to fight, but not any more. Trotes watched his chance to avenge himself run away.
"Good for nothing..." he said as Alastor rounded the corner of the road.
"Charity!" Faith called. Charity made her way down slowly and Trotes just watched with his heavey heart now overflowing with memory and sorrow. Simon, Salte and Price ran to Charity and each gave her a hug. Faith and Hope hugged and kissed her until she had to push them away.
"Thankgoodness you're alright," Faith said holding her close.
"I was so scared," Charity said tearing. Simon looked up at Trotes, who watched the whole affair thoroughly disgusted with what he had done. He climbed down from the rocks and walked in the direction going away from Rushor.
"Where are you going?" Price asked.
"Back to Calton," Trotes replied, "We're finished here." Everyone looked at each other.
"What do you mean finished?" Simon asked. Trotes did not answer; he just kept walking.
They looked at each other and then began walking after him. All of the horses had run away except Salte's horse. She came running to Salte when the battle was over. She trotted up and nugged him.
"Hey, there," he said petting her, "I didn't want you to get hurt."
Simon began looking over the dead bodies for Delos. Price knew what he was looking for.
"Do you see him?" Price asked Simon. Simon shook his head as his eyes turned black, and then he went straight to Delos. He knelt down and lifted Delos's head. He was injured, but not so badly he would not survive.
"He's going to be okay," Simon said, "But he's wounded pretty badly."
Faith ran up took some cloth from her dress and wrapped it around Delos's shoulder where the wound was. Simon picked him up and lifted him on Salte's horse, who reared back when it realized someone other than Salte was on its back.
"Shhhhh," Salte said reassuring it, "It okay. He's injured." Once the horse calmed down they quickened their pace to catch up with Trotes.
"We're going back?" Price asked.
"That's what it looks like," Salte replied, "Looks like we'll make the trip in time after all."
"What changed his mind?" Simon wondered out loud.
"No telling with him," Price replied shaking his head.

Agenda

2006-03-30T11:53:00.001-08:00

Agenda

Two men, like magnets.
North meeting north
or south meeting south.
They can't come together to be united
even though they force and fight
and struggle to
tell themselves it's natural.
The flow of life can never pass
Between them, though they try to insist
that the world can function while they ignore
the fact that nothing really gets done.
The god who justifies them is
some foolish parody of a carpenter. It attempts to put two
homoplugs together, male to male, female to female,
in an effort to give current to tool now useless and neglected.
Just as nothing is created from such stupidity, nothing
will be born from their ideas and passions, save the decay
of an unreplinished society and the memory
of a hazy, fleeting dream that rationalized and described
a fruitless ideology.
Oh...yes...how they long to connect two puzzle pieces that
where most certainly not made for each other.
They fight and force them to make them fit, and not only does the picture
of morality become distorted, but their own members are torn
and abused or left unused.
Like celebic, hermit monks, they'll die out because give give nothing to life and they took nothing from life except the arrogant assumption that they are their own carpenters.
Just as the insistance in the deeds of their desires
does not bleed the blood of a birth,
their lust does not concieve life with happiness,
only the bitterness of lust
and life ceasing. They leave a
womb baren to pursue their own
gratification, so their ability to give birth to happiness, though they are happy now,
will never be concieved.

Chapter 7: De-Touring

2006-03-30T11:53:00.000-08:00

The Valiants had all fallen asleep and the night finally draped itself over the day. The cave was now full of torch lights. Salte lit his two spear heads and soldiers around marveled at the phenomenon. Salte walked over to the soldiers who were reluctantly getting their things in order.
"This whole ordeal is no good." one soldier stated.
"Why are we doing this? I just want to go home," another stated. Salte interupted the murmuring.
"We are not going to have any problem following this mission through are we?" he said looking at each one in the light of the torches and his spear.
Osis stared and sighed heavily. Salte looked at him. Then he looked at all the soldiers who looked tired of everything. They all looked at him.
"Where exactly does your loyalty lie?" Salte asked them, "For Surel? For yourselves?"
They looked on.
"What exactly do you fight for? You caste off any kind of honor or valour so that you can live? What kind of life is that?" he said, "Such cowardice reduses men to tools to be used by others, if not by Surel, then by people like this man." Salte pointed to Osis, "And men like Trotes. Is that the kind of life you want to live? Have you been so conditioned by Surel as to only fight when there is profit? Do you think he can bring you profit? Definately not the kind you want. Not for good anyway. If you don't like Surel or Trotes, then fight so that this town can be rid of these miscreants. Fight so that Coast doesn't over shadow the Northlands with fear and oppression. That is what Coast does does it not? What is this ambition that Surel has infected you with, except a tool for his facade of strength." Salte walked back and forth as he spoke. "It is not real. Those ends can be undone; the means will always be remembered. Did you create glory for yourselves by saving or by conquering? Do you like living a life created by a king who couldn't care less if you live or die? Trotes will live to take us to Love and you will be loyal to your rightful king and family for this time at least, and you will fight for this town harrassed by these robbers. Why not save a town and a life other than your own for once. And then you can live your pathetic lives to be used by Surel or him (he pointed to Osis again) as you wish."
The men looked on at Salte. They had been hardened to anything that Surel thought might cause rebellion in his army. Surel had trained them to be brutal, but most of all, selfishly ambitious and radically patriotic toward Calton's military campagns so to increase the brutality of their warfare. But they could not help but feel somewhat ashamed at the words of the Outcaste. Though, they were mostly just glad when he finished. Salte walked up to the carrage and the Valiants walked behind him now. He and Simon helped them in the carrage and covered them with cloth that kept cargo from the weather.
"Get yourselves ready!" Salte told them. The soldiers reluctantly got into their positions and twenty or so slipped beneath the hay or cloth of the other three wagons and everyone was ready to go. Salt and Simon each climbed onto their horses and other horses where tied behind the wagons with a man or two outside the wagons to calm them should they get uneasy. Osis took the front wagon and wipped the reigns to get the horse to go. The other wagons followed, and they were off to the first town. Simon rode behind the first wagon and Salte rode infront of the first wagon giving plenty of light for Osis to see the road. Naturally, everyone was nervous about what might happen that night. They did not know when they would be attacked, Trotes never told them. Trotes did not know. Simon looked around sensing every little thing that happened around them. Before long they were traveling through woods again that rose beside them on the left and fell below them on the right. The stars could be seen completely, and the moons were both above next to each other in the sky. Delos rode up beside Simon, but said nothing. Through out the night, only soft clip-claps of horses feet could be heard. Everything was still except for the occasional breeze that rustled the green-leaved, brown-barked trees. Tension hung in the air, however, no matter how the wind blew. The silent potential danger was hidden from eveyone save Simon, who calmly waited for the attack, if one was to happen. But nothing stopped the Valiants from falling to sleep in their place in the first wagon. They were so tired because they had not gotten much sleep since they left the village those few days ago. If not for Salte and Simon, they would have dispaired at their situation, but they felt safe with those two with them. Salte looked around and forward with a slight force barrier around him and the front wagon.
As they continued on Salte's mind began wondering to his tribe's decision concerning their talents. How they had let all their knowlege fade leaving him with no way to fight except with his spear. He only had the ability to protect. The Soul Knights had kept as much of their warfar as possible, as did the Shadow Wisps. He wished he knew how to cultivate his power. He was sure the time would come when he wished he could use such knowlege.
"No sense mulling over that," Salte thought to himself, "I just need to do the best with what I've got like the Elder told me." Then his thoughts drifted to the last experience he had with his brothers sisters and mother and father, who were all so much older than he was. He had only spent twenty years of his life with them. His situation was very similar to Sara's, whom he was missing very much by now. One of his brothers had a wife but they could not have children, and so he was left with his two sons. Their abilities could not fix everything.
Simon thought about similar matters as they traveled along all night. Though he thought mostly about Love and the day they spent together just before they left. He wanted more days like that, but these soldiers where keeping things held up. He wondered if his mother and father were doing well and how Claude was doing. He did not give much thought to Hirst, though, Salte still thought about what they must do about that. Salte wondered if and when they would find him. And could they stop him.
Nothing happened and the night was peacefull around. The soldiers were raked with nervousness though. They stopped once to eat and after the brief meal they continued on. The time for day came, and as the sun just barely began to light the day, they reached the town. Osis led the way as people in the town who were up to their activities looked on at the arriving caravan. They traveled through the town, which had houses built all around and some built up along the side of the mountain above and below them. The main road cut through the town with one road going down to the river. Homes were made of the logs of the forest around and looked very sturdy. They could see layers of farm plots that must have taken years to make carved creating diferent levels on the mountain side. The town was big land wise; they traveled quite a while, but houses simply dotted the akward farm community on the mountain side. Simon wanted to know what they were farming, but they had already harvested their crops. They traveled until they came to what looked like a clearing with a stable carved into the mountain side covered with shrubs that grew out of the rock. They pulled in and stopped their wagons and pulled them into the stable so the men could unload. Simon and Salte recieved disgusted looks by some towns folk and scared looks from others. Then Salte turned to see Trotes apporoaching them. He walked up to Salte.
"I see you actually made it," he said to Salte, "Did Osis try to create trouble?"
"Maybe," Salte replied, "Were's Price?" Trotes turned and walked to the stable where Osis seemed suprised to see him.
"He is such a jerk," Simon said to Salte.
"The men don't leave the stable," Trotes said to him, "If you need supplies then send a couple of men. And set a couple out to keep guard. No one will come near the stable, so no one will find us out." Osis looked at Trotes who could see he was not liking the situation. "Do you have a problem?"
"You're a fool," Osis said to him. Trotes laughed.
"A succesful one, though," Trotes said walking away. Simon and Salte sat on their horses being avoided by every person who walked by. "Your friend is on an errand for me," Trotes said to them as he walked by, "I'm on my way to join him. Expect the attack tonight or the next. It's a nights journey to each town." Trotes then sped on out of town as fast as he could.
"I wonder what he has Price doing," Simon said. Salte adjusted him self on his saddle and petted his horse.
"Most likely snooping," Salte said, "That's what I'd be doing with him." They looked at the stable where two soldiers now stood guard while two went to get supplies. They rode their horses into the stable to the Royal family, who sat in their wagon saying nothing with all of the soldiers around.
"Anything?" Faith asked them.
"We must be careful tonight and the next," Salte told them, "But don't worry, no harm will come to you."
"What makes you so sure of that?" Osis said snickering and walking up to them, "How will you protect them if over a hundred thieves bent on obtaining a silver ore sneak out of the woods and slit each person's throat without the knowlege of another." Simon got up.
"Same way I took care of Trotes and five or six of your buddies," Simon told him.
The other soldiers thought about that reply. Osis walked away smirking and giving Salte a glance out of the corner of his eye.
"What can one do?" Simon said walking next Salte, "What can one do against such reckless stupidity?"
"The odds do seem a little stacked," Salte said, "I hope Trotes has truly got this all planned out." "I'm not worried," Simon replied.
"True we'll be fine," Salte said, "But, does Trotes want it that way."
"To my way of thinking, it doesn't matter what he wants," Simon said, "He just better keep his word and this better go off smoothly."
"True," Salte replied, "True."
"After Love is safe," Simon continued, "He may get what he deserves."
"We have to make sure Love is safe," Salte replied, "If he keeps his word, we'll do nothing." Simon could not keep his eyes open and soon he was giving into sleep. Salte nodded and agreed.
They sat in the first wagon and fell asleep. Faith stayed near to make sure none of the soldiers disturbed the two protectors while they slept. They slumbered peacefully in the trying circumstances. They were too strong to let their concern get the better of them and make them over anxious. Faith woke them to give them some food, and they went back to sleep. The day passed on and night came. They were ready to move, and this time, everyone was very alert. After a quick, meal they started up. This night, however, was suffocated in mist. The men could barely see anything even with their tourches lit. They moved very slowly on the road because they were afraid of dropping off of the edge. The valley folk had a center median rail or wall that allowed travelers in the mist to keep to the road, but the travel was still very slow. The wagons hung on to the median and creaked along. They could only creep in this situation, and the men became frustrated and irritated and began to complain to themselves. Osis was vocal, however.
"This is crazy," he said outloud, "We'll fall down the mountain before we even get to die by the thieves. That Trotes has gone off the cliffhead this time." Simon stayed alert for the potential invasion. Salte kept his spears lit as bright as he could, and men in the group still wondered at Salte and his spear and thought about how useful that must be. They taveled along quietly, and
as they did Simon realized that someone was in the woods, many someones. He rode up to Salte.
"We are being watched," he told him, "Or as watched as we can be tonight."
"Tonight?" Salte replied, "How?"
"I'm sure they can hear us," Simon said, "They're not moving though."
"Yea, I guess they couldn't," Salte replied, "I don't think." Osis heard their mumbling.
"What are you two talking about up there?" he called to them. Simon rode back to him.
"Unless you want to give away exactly where you are I suggest you keep it down," Simon told him quietly.
"What?" Osis said, "How can you move so quickly in this mess?"
"Just keep it down," Simon said riding back to Salte.
"What does he mean give away exactly where we are?" Osis said to himself, "No one's going to attack in a night like this."
"I'll take care of them," Simon told Salte. Salte thought for a second.
"That's fine," Salte told him, "Make it as silent as possible." Simon dismounted his horse, moved out of the caravan's way and silently walked into the woods to their left where some of the watchers where hiding. He slowly walked up to one. Simon could not help but make some noise as he approaced. The man thought it was one of his own men.
"What are you doing," the man Simon approached wispered, "We're supposed to wait here."
Simon said nothing but dispatched the man with his sword, which was so sharp the man did not know Simon had done anything. The robber only felt something wet run down his neck as he slowly lost consciousness.
"What's going on?" another man wispered. Simon carefully took him out too. He moved on to other men. Those who had not been taken out were beginning to get nervous with every "Who is it?" that went unanswered. Fear began to fall on each one as they waited for day light. They were sent to spy out the caravan so that they could attack. Many merchants, families and other travelers were being terrorized by these thieves, who possed as ghosts, harcus to be exact, to keep travelers under paralyzing fear. They would dress in black and attack with piercing screams. Any person who survived was mad after encounters with this group. Before people had discovered the attacks were thieves, many believed this road was haunted. Travel through this road was difficult and hard because of these gangs. However, the Soul Knight took care of each man either hidden in a bunker, in a tree, or just behind a tree. Each one was taken out as quietly as Simon possibly could. He had the patience of a farmer and his sense of duty and his knowlege of these men kept him from hesitating. As far as Simon was concerned, they had forfited their rights to life and deserved to die like thieves. The only noises made as Simon continued sounded as if the ones killed were simply adjusting their own position in the leaves. Silently and suddenly the watchers fell one by one. Simon was left behind by the caravan as he did this, but the fog masked him completely, as he continued his work. As Simon finished with ones on one side of the road he moved quietly to the other. On the last one person, he decided to get some information. He grabbed him by the throat and the man gaged.
"Who are you?" Simon asked.
"Who..are..you?" the man gaged back.
"If you don't want to die then answer my question?" Simon replied. For a twenty-one year old, Simon was very deliberate and ready to do what the situation would require.
"You'll never get out," he replied, "There are fifty of us."
"There were fifty of you," Simon told him, "You're the last one. If you want to stay alive, tell me what you are doing here."
Simon felt a struggle and then he grabbed the man's hand before the man could kill himself with a daggar.
"It's not going to be that easy," Simon said to him.
"I'm not telling you anything," The man said shocked at the whole situation.
"Then I'm taking you with me," Simon told him. Simon picked him up, and the man found himself struggling against someone much stronger than he was.
He wondered if Trotes really knew what he was doing. "He couldn't possibly have been counting on us," Simon thought to himself, "He must have been expecting a battle or a delay. Then again maybe this is a quickly formulated plan."
Simon decided not to mull over it, and he found his horse and instead of riding it, he guided it and his prisoner in the dark. He gently assured his horse, since it was a little edgy because of the night, and he kept a firm hold on his prisoner. This little side track took Simon a good bit of time, and he was now well behind the Caravan. He walked steadliy and speedily making sure his prisoner did not do anything or even feel he could do anything. He was hoping he could reach the town before day light to avoid any problems with townsfolk. Soon he noticed the road was going furthur down into the valley. The fog deepened, if that was possible, and he found himself in the midst of the caravan that left him. They had stopped. Simon was soaked in the dense fog and he felt like he was breathing in water almost. He walked quietly and quickly up to Salte. The men around called to Simon asking who he was, but he did not answer.
"Simon, is that you?" Salte asked.
"Yes," Simon answered, "Why are we stopped?"
"Because we can't see anything," Salte said, "Not even my light helps. And we're all breathing water."
"I can't see either," Simon replied smiling. Of course, Salte couldn't see him smile.
"Yes, but not all of us are as intune with the world around as you," Salte replied. Simon chuckled.
"What of the men watching us?" Salte said in a lower voice.
"They were all thieves," Simon replied, "They all bore weapons and were definately waiting, but I think the fog held them back or something else."
"They could have found us if they really wanted to attack," Salte said, "They were waiting for something else, or doing something else."
"You think they were just checking us out?" Simon asked.
"Not sure," Salte replied, "But I'm sure they'll be missed. We need to be extra careful. Not that you didn't already know that."
"Well," Simon said, "We could know if the guy I captured would say something."
"You captured one?" Salte said interested and somewhat suprised.
"Yea," Simon replied, "But we'll wait to try to get any information out of him."
"Sounds good," Salte said. Simon walked to the first wagon and obtained some rope and tied the man's hands with it. Osis heard it.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Nothing," Simon told him, "Go back to sleep." Simon tied the prisoner to the wagon and walked back to Salte.
"I feel like I'm going to drown in this fog," Simon said.
They were a little ways away from the group.
Osis tried to listen to the converstation that carried in the fog, but he could not make out what they were saying. He wanted to know what they were talking about and why it was so secretive. Finally, their converstation was all he could bare.
"What are you talking about up there?" he said to them, "It better not be anything funny."
"Trust me," Salte called back, "We're not in funny moods right now, thanks to you and your wonderful captain."
"He's not our captain," Osis replied. Then he muttered to himself, "I don't even know why Surel lets him stay in the military." The Valiants continued to sleep inside their place in the wagon. The group waited and waited for sunlight. Time seemed to stand still in the quiet of the night. The only thing heard was the sound of water running rapidly at the bottom of the valley. They could do nothing until the fog lifted for them to see.
"I guess this puts a cramp in the plans," Simon said.
"I wouldn't think so," Salte said, "Traveling at night was only to give the story of this caravan more credibility." Simon nodded, "Though, now I can see why it would...so-to-speak."
"Yep," Salte added, "Only to protect silver would a caravan try to travel in this mess."
"I just want this to go smoothly," Simon said.
"Right now we'll just have to wait," Salte replied. And they did just that untill the light barely peaked into the valley, and the fog slowly started to thin. Eventually they could move. Simon walked over and lifted the man he caught onto the wagon with Osis.
"What's this?" Osis said in suprise.
"What's it look like?" Simon responed.
"Where did you find him?" Osis asked.
"Where do you think?" Simon replied thoroughly irritated, "We're getting information from him when we reach town."
"You are not in charge of this group, Reject. I say who we need to take, and I'm not going to carry him. Take him off," Osis said. That was the last straw for Simon. Simon reached up and yanked Osis from the wagon, threw him to the ground, drew his sword and stood over him with eyes as black as death.
"If I have to hear your voice again you better make it good because it'll be the last thing you say," Simon said, "You're worthless. You benefit nothing and I'm sick of listening to you." Osis was not that much older than Simon, maybe about six or so years, so you could say Osis gave into peer pressure. When Simon left, Osis climbed silently back on the wagon. Not everyone could see what had happened because the fog had not completely let up, but they gathered a good general idea. The girls saw everything and had watched wondering if any more violence was going to ensue. Faith drew them back in, and they waited to start. Delos had stayed with the first wagon and saw the whole thing. He shuddered at the though of what Simon could do.
"Alright," Salte called, "Let's go."
The travel was much easier because everyone could at least see the road. They moved along at a medium pace down furthur into the valley. The sound of the river below became louder and louder, though they could not see it for the trees and rocks. They came to a bridge that was over a little pool were much of the fog had settled. The water ran out of the pool and disappeared into the rocks, no doubt emptying into the massive river. They crossed the bridge and continued on the road to the city. The road led into a cliff edge with a way cut into it leading into town, which rested higher up on the mountain side.
"Stay on your toes," Delos said to the soldiers as they all crept on.
They entered the road and walked up for several hours until they finally came to the town as the sun was just coming over the mountainside.
"What is this town's name?" Simon asked. Osis rode by and slipped a quick glare to his side at Simon.
"Welcome to Rushor," a soldier said to Simon.
This town was quite a bit more compact than the first town, though just as large and it had many more wood houses and places cut into the mountain. The town had three large, populated levels with a river running through to a crystal clear pool on each level. The top level was stone houses cut into the mountains, while the middle level was very large flat area that had been cut into the mountain side with stone houses and wood houses and shops all over. The bottom level had more farms cut into the mountain side and they could see them all the way to the river, which was a mile away. They were on the middle level. People on the outer part of the town had small gardens and kept animals, but inside was full of weapon and armor shops as well as storage places for food. People were not socializing but were occupied testing out swords, spears and axes seeing which ones would serve them the best. Rushor was a warrior village, as was the town that was their destination. The first town the they had come to was where much of the food of the valley came from. This town was somewhat crowded but not so much that the caravan could not slip through without any trouble. Simon looked at the buildings carved into the mountain side and smiled with a scoff. They were not as good as his ancestors.
"It's the largest town I've ever seen," Salte said.
"It's the only town I've ever seen outside of our village," Simon replied. His eyes turned black as he looked around at the sword fighters and the men testing their strength and skill. He smiled and shook his head. Salte looked at the buildings that were built of hewn stone on the mountain side. Charity was constantly peeking out of the wagon from underneath the cloth cover, and Faith would bring her back in and scold her.
They rode on till they reached the stable set aside for them. The soldiers that were couped up in their places closed the doors and they all unloaded to stretch their legs.
"I hate wagons," one soldier complained.
"It's my turn to walk now," another one said.
"No, you did last time. I'm walking to the last town."
"You just saw me get out, crazy."
Simon and Salte unloaded the prisoner who was tied up and sat him in a corner.
"We'll get the stuff from him in a moment," Salte said.
The Valiants unloaded and walked around a little, Faith was busy getting some vegitibles ready to eat. Simon and Salte layed up in the hay and fell asleep. They were tired and wanted to be at their best if and when the group was attacked. But as they slept Osis and several of the other men held some sort of council. Faith eyed them, wondering if she should wake Salte and Simon. Delos walked over to Faith.
"Excuse me your majesty," Delos said. Faith gave him her attention.
"You can be sure they're up to no good," he said. She turned to wake Salte and Simon while looking for Charity.
Meanwhile, Charity was petting a horse while she waited for her mother to finish getting food ready. She was quick. She went down the line of the tied up horses trying to pet each one. She carried on gleefully straying until she was around Osis and the other men who took council with one another. When Faith looked over, she dropped her untinsils and gasped. Simon and Salte both started, but they could not do anything. Osis had Charity with a knife to her throat.
"Now we have your attention don't we?" Osis said to them.
"What are you doing?" Simon said to him.
"That's none of your buisness," Osis said, "All you have to do is cooperate so she doesn't get hurt." Salte and Simon were both up with weapons drawn, but nothing could be done. Salte thought about blinding them, but he did not want to risk blinding the Valiants by flooding his spear with a lot of light.
"How quick do you think you are, black eyes," Osis said to Simon, "Can your harcery move you fast enough to save her before I slit her throat?"
"Surel wouldn't like that," Salte said.
"Who says we have to go back to that lunatic," Osis replied, "I'd rather live as a renagade than be killed in this foolish quest, and if we have to live as traitors, we will." Delos watched unable to do anything. He had tried to move closer, but one of the men stopped him. Others in the group rallied behind Osis.
"Trotes is insane," Osis said, "He's driven mad by bitterness and dispair, there's no way we're going to follow the orders of a mad man." Simon and Salte looked on in anger and fear. Osis beckoned for Faith and Hope to make their way over to them. They did so slowly and reluctantly, of course. Osis laughed, "Trotes can have his revenge, but not with us. Don't try to follow us. If we even get a hint of being followed or a scent, we'll kill them and just live the rest of our lives as robbers and murders. We've got a nice story waiting for Surel about our deranged captian; he'll arrest Trotes, and you can rest assured he'll get what's coming to him." The soldiers around threw the Valiants onto a wagon and tied them to it with some rope they had. They got their horses together and slipped out one by one. "We'll take him too," Osis said pointing to the prisoner. The soldier went and grabbed the prisoner and sat him on a wagon.
"Remember," Osis said, "Don't follow us or these girls will not come out of this alive."
"Do we have your word?" Simon called.
"Of course," Osis replied flippantly as he rode off away from town. The soldiers had forced Delos to ride with them. Delos looked back with fear and regret at Simon and Salte. He did not know what to do.
Simon watched in dispair as the men rode out of town knocking villagers out of the way as they went. He took a knee and Salte put a hand on Simon's shoulder.
"What do we do now?" Simon asked.

An End

2006-03-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

I wrote this poem mainly for ironic entertainment's sake, but the more I read it, the more I realized it contained one of my deeper themes.

An End

A pencil stub is lying on a supportive desk.
This writer, once full of stories and ideas,
is stubby and ground away to a few final words.
It cannot draw breath. It lies
motionless, prepared for its last words.
So I pick up the depleted thinker
and try to commit its thoughts to the listening paper
that will retell the sentence of the pencil.
I begin directing its markings in the proper pattern, and
it slips. So I adjust my fingers to keep controll.
Letter by letter, more lead, its life, is left on the paper,
held firm by the desk.
The lead slowly retreats into the wood while the

pencile writes, as if afraid of this last thought. I sharpen
the pencil, careful not to grind away too much,
or it may not finish.
It is sharpened and still has life, and it continues…unwavering.
Finally…the pencil finishes. I set the pencil down to sleep on the restful desk,
And I lift the paper to see what the dead pencil wanted so badly to say…

“The End”

Chapter 7: De-touring

2006-03-28T12:24:00.000-08:00

The next morning came too early for everyone, even though the sky was just turning slightly blue when soldiers woke Salte and the rest. Price was awake already because he took last watch, and he helped everyone get ready. The Outcastes and the Valiants packed what few things they had and Price lifted Hope and Charity onto their horses. Then he waited for Simon to mount before he did. Simon watched Salte mount his beautiful black horse.
"Pretty horse," Simon said to Salte looking at the stout mare. The horse had white spots on its mane and a white chest.
Salte patted the horse gently.
"Yes, she is," Salte said.
"What did you find out about this mission?" Price asked.
"Nothing," Salte said, "We'll find that out soon enough. I asked about other things."
"What about?" Simon asked.
"Our new leader is a sad fellow filled with hatred," Salte replied.
"You walked up there to find that out?" Price said.
"I just chatted as best I could with him," Salte replied, "I didn't find out anything that we didn't know already."
"Why would you even want to chat with him?" Price asked rhetorically.
The line began to move when everyone was ready and they began their slow decent down into the valley. The trail sloped ever so slightly, if at all, but it was wide enough for two carts to travel comfortably. The mist of the night still lingered, but would soon dispel with the light of the sun very slowly intruding into the valley. They could still see stars, many of which were in clusters here and there in their night sky with other stars dotting the space inbetween. Hope and Charity looked up and tried imagine what the clusters looked like. Simon and Price rode silently next to them wondering what they would see on this little de-tour, what was to become of this situation, what Claude could be doing, and how Love was doing, of course. Salte talked with Faith about different things and how they wanted this to work out well, and they continued on. The travel was actually some what pleasant. The trees passed slowly and the mountain sides grew taller as they traveled down. They traveled on attempting to enjoy the pleasantries as best as they could in the current situation. But deep down the hours of travel wore on their care.
Eventually, the trees began to clear, and they could see the waterfall better, though still in the distance. They saw all the way down to the misty bottom. The fall was at the end of the valley and that is where the trail would curve behind the fall around to the other side of the valley. Now they could see that the fall was very big. The approach was ever so slow, but the closer they got, the more they had to look up into the sky to see the top. Simon looked behind him and down into the vally and saw huts far into the distance were the trail ended, but they were not even close to the water fall yet, and so, in turn, where not even close to their first destination. The pool that the waterfall fell into was a large rocky pool that lead by way of a smaller waterfall to another pool were the river began to run. Salte, Simon and Price still could not make out just how big a river it was, but it was becoming evident that none of them could exactly hop across it.
The Outcastes now had nothing to do except travel and wait for Trotes to brief them on what they were going to do, and they hoped they had made a wise choice, mainly because they didn't want to accept the fact that they had been outsmarted with fear. The soldiers all silently followed Trotes now hoping he knew what he was doing. Salte remembered that this was for revenge and hoped that "revenge" wasn't going to be a harming factor for their task of helping the Valiants.
The day waned on and the sun crept over the mountain sides. Hope looked around restlessly somewhat discouraged at the fact that they would spend another day riding. Her buttocks and her legs hurt.
"Are we going to take a break?" Hope asked. Simon sighed knowing that a break would waste precious time.
"I don't know," Simon replied, "We have to try to move as much as we can."
"Why?" She asked somewhat annoyed. Faith turned back to look at Hope.
"This is not a time to be asking for anything," she said, "be still." Hope sat back and the group moved on along the mountain road.
Up front the semi-officers questioned Trotes on the specifics of the mission, hoping maybe to get him to call it off so they could go back or, if nothing else, gain some comfort in the possiblity that their leader had not gone completely insane.
"So what makes you think you can succeed where so many others have failed?" one asked. Trotes sighed rather annoyed.
"You don't have any other choice but to trust me," Trotes replied, "So why bother asking me?"
"Because we don't want to die for some vandetta of yours," the soldier replied, "We know you have something pushing you. We don't know what." The soldier was silent for a moment, and then spoke again.
"Wasn't it you who tried to chide Crusas on pushing the men too hard?" the soldier said.
"Crusas and everyone else who failed before me were arrogant morons," Trotes replied spitefully toward the soldier. "I know something they don't," He continued looking straight forward, "I always know something they don't. I make sure of it." Trotes shot a slight fear into the soldiers around him, like the fear one has when they go into a dark place with little or no light, or the fear of knowing one could be assailed at any time. Sometimes Trotes meticulously cultivated this fear. They never knew exactly what Trotes knew or thought at any given time.
"So how do you plan to take care of this business?" another one asked.
"You're cowardice will be reported after our success, you can be assured of that," Trotes said. That did not reassure them.
"There's no telling how many members are in this gang, but it's estimated to be quite a bit, over a hundred," another man said.
"I know all of that," Trotes replied irritated to his capacity, "If my word that I know what I'm doing is not enough, then maybe a nice honest threat would inspire your cooperation. Surel will not scold me for that and you will not live to see it if he did." The soldiers stopped questioning him and decided to relax, though still quite annoyed, untill he debriefed them. All the soldiers were nervous that they were going on this mission with so few men, but they could not dessert because Trotes was the commanding officer and would brand them all, and the penalty would be very severe. The punishment for mutiny, no matter who was the leading officer, was even worse. Trotes left the group in front and made his way to the back and motioned for Salte to join him in the front. Salte and Trotes rode a good ways ahead of the group. Salte took a good look at the brazen face of Trotes. It looked as if it had seen more in just its life time than all 3000 years of his people's exile. Trotes's almost solid face had scars across the left cheek and one from his temple to the middle of his jaw. He had black hair and brown eyes and tan dark skin, like almost all Northlanders. His nose was pointed and straight but not too narrow and not a defining charateristic. His face was well balanced so that he would blend in a crowd nicely. Considered somwhat handsome, if he wasn't so cold.
"Did you need something," Salte asked. Trotes smiled.
"What can you do?" Trotes asked. Salte looked forward.
"What do you mean?" Salte asked. Trotes scoffed.
"How come a man whose back was broken is riding perfectly healthy in my group?" Trotes asked.
"I suppose a lot of your men are curious about that one," Salte replied.
"Is it really so personal?" Trotes asked.
"Is it?" Salte replied.
"What do you want to know?" Trotes asked.
"I want to know why this little mission is so important. And is it going to be a problem for the Valiants." Salte stated.
"Because innocent villagers are suffering," Trotes replied smiling. Salte nodded.
"Hmmm. Delos's back healed itself," Salte replied. Trotes laughed out loud and shook his head.
"The leader of this gang is a man I hate very much," Trotes said, "I've known about him for some time, but I never told anyone that I knew, and he doesn't know that I know." They were quite a ways in front so that the men behind could not hear. Salte nodded that he understood.
"You knew and let many innocent people die?" Salte said.
"No one is innocent," Trotes replied, "Have you or any one of your clan tried to travel through the Northlands? Your fame is widespread. And even if it isn't, your odd manners and...lookes do not assure you any good treatement, what with the legends and all." Salte could not disagree with this being as how both he and the Elder had traveled some in the Northlands. He changed the subject.
So you're just going to cut off the head?" Salte replied.
"It's not going to be quite so simple, but, yes," Trotes said, "And I know I can use the normal looking one of your group. The one who can...disappear."
"And Simon?" Salte asked.
"I've never seen a man move like he did or fend of my attack as easily as he did," Trotes replied, "Some added fighting prowess is always welcome."
"And me?" Salte said.
"That's what I want to figure out," Trotes said, "If you can contribute to making this a success, everything will happen just the way you planned it, sort of. Once the family is delivered to Surel he'll banish them and then they can just go back to wherever you had them."
"And if Surel doesn't let us go?" Salte asked.
"Can he really keep you?" Trotes replied.
"If he's anything like you I suppose so," Salte replied. Trotes laughed.
"That's a quick give up," Trotes said.
"You put us in quite the bind," Salte said.
"What happens after this is your responsibility and problem," Trotes said, "I'll keep my word for my own sake. But if you have anything useful, by all means let me know."
"Nothing," Salte replied, "Nothing nessecary for you to know right now."
Trotes chuckled.
"Fine," he said, "Have it your way. As long as we get this job done."
"You're bent on this revenge," Salte said.
"I didn't bring you up to lecture me," Trotes replied, "I just wanted to know if I had anything else to consider."
"Then may I go?" Salte said. Trotes nodded and Salte rode to the back. Trotes fell back into line eyeing each of the soldiers as they resentfully eyed him back.
"I thought we were not allowed to talk to them," a soldier asked.
"You're not," Trotes growled harshly.
They continued travel, slowly, of course. But they came to the waterfall at last about mid day. The waterfall was a resting point. When they appoached it, Simon, Price and Salte saw they had to look straight up. It fell from an amazing height and poured an increadible amount of water. It was eight carrage lenghts wide and still pouring a constant stream without misting at the bottom. The noise was very loud. Mist covered the bottom where the water fell on the grey, black and white rocks. It completely covered the rocky bottom so that only glimpses of the bottom could be seen as the mist moved and churned. They looked up and down as the road moved quite a ways away and behind the massive fall. When they rode behind they could see the valley they were to enter, completely green, save for spots of bare rock here and there. They could not see all of it because it ran into a haze far down, even though the sun was shinning as brightly as it could that day. The three Outcastes admired the green valley walled with grey mountain sides.
"Welcome to Iron River Valley," the soldier who had gotten in trouble called back to them.
The falls were so loud that the Outcastes barely heard him. Actually, Salte didn't. When they went behind the waterfall they saw that it had been carved out. People had carved out the whole front so that the cave had no front walls; the trail just led into a slot behind the fall, a vast slot. The cave could have fit at least four hundred men in the back half. Neatly carved pillars with designs carved into them covered the inside ensuring the stability of the area behind the water. The soldiers lit tourches to better illuminate the large cave.
"We rest here until the men return with our materials," Trotes told them, "Relax, but be ready to move." Price looked to Salte.
"What materials?" he asked.
"He hasn't told me," Salte replied, "But he's indicated that he has a use for you."
"Wonderful," Price replied. Delos came up to the Royal family and the three with some food.
"Thankyou," Faith said. Delos nodded and smiled sheepishly. When Delos sat down Salte asked, "Any ideas as to what Trotes means by 'materials'?"
Delos replied, "There's no telling." Simon sat beside the girls and ate with them. Price got up and walked around looking at the surroundings.
"He's bent on this quest that's for sure," Salte remarked.
"He's bent," Delos replied, "He wasn't like this years ago."
"So" Salte asked, "What happened exactly?"
"A series of tradgeties," Delos replied, "I have to admit, if I went through what he's been through I don't know what I would have done. Probably just end it all."
"So he is sad," Salte said looking over to Trotes who was standing far to the other side looking out at the town far at the trail's end.
"Mad, sad, spiteful," Delos said, "Everyone knows to leave him alone. But he's done some amazing things."
"Like what?" Salte inquired.
"He took an entire fortress with only twenty or so men," Delos replied, "A fortress built in mountains that had given Calton many troubles." Salte nodded.
"That sounds like something," Salte remarked, "How did he do it?"
"I dont' know all the details," Delos said, "He somehow spread some kind of rumor and got the fort to all but empty itself for a battle. Once the men were gone to battle he and about twenty men found a way in and tourched everything that was wood or food. There were only a few men left to guard it and Trotes took them out. And then they set about firing the large weapons that were left inside the fort and destroyed much of it. Once destroyed, General Syras sent men who took the fort easily." Salte nodded his head.
"Sounds like a man with different mind set," Salte replied, "A dangerous mindset."
"Surel hates him," Delos said smiling, "Can't stand him hardly."
"So I've heard," Salte replied, "Funny, what's Surel's issue with Trotes."
"He just doesn't like him," Delos said, "He didn't do anything when Trotes's family was murdered or anything, in fact he let the guy off."
"So his family was murdered," Salte muttered to himself, "That is sad."
"He just kind of stopped believing in anything after that event along with others," Delos continued, "Surel keeps him around because he really gets the job done and he knows that Trotes won't betray him."
"The more I hear about Surel the more I dislike him," Salte said, "What's his deal?"
"He's a spoiled brat who never heard 'no'," Delos answered, "Which has come out of Trotes' mouth more than once. No one likes Surel, not even his sister and wife, who is King Valiant's sister."
"I couldn't imagine being hated by my wife like that," Salte replied.
"He wasn't this bad until he found he could be in power," Delos said, "But now that Surel has got what he wanted out of Calton, he wants the whole continent."
"How did he secure his power?" Salte said.
"He won an important battle that has made the people realize we have an extremely good chance to win the war," Delos replied, "Actually, I should say General Syras won it. Surel brought troops home and began to recuruit more soldiers and people have started to rally to the idea of being an empire. Also, an infamous mercenary who was thought to have dissappeared has returned and Surel paid him to take out a few nobles who kept Surel from completely securing his power. No one has proof, but everyone knows that's what happened. The timing is too perfect."
"Sad," Salte said, "The formor king sounded very respectable."
"He was," Delos agreed, "General Syras is the last leader with King Valiant's legacy."
"He's honorable?" Salte said suprised.
"Very," Delos said, "He is the Kings's best friend, and a superb general and warrior."
"Hmmmm," Salte said, "So there is one person there worth meeting after all."
"Looks like you may," Delos said. Salte got up and went to tend his new horse pet her, and Delos stayed and watched the waterfall. Simon sat with Hope and Charity and watched the water fall with them while musing over the situation. The sound of the waterfall was somewhat lessened and allowed some conversation.
"Where are we going, Simon?" Charity asked loudly over the rush of water.
"To a town I hear," Simon answered.
"Why?" she asked.
"Some people need our help," Simon answered again.
"Is anyone else going to get hurt?" she inquired furthur.
"I hope not," he replied. Charity took a bite of a piece of bread given to her by her mother and thought for a minute.
"I"m glad you're hear," she said, "I wish Love was hear." Simon smiled and watched the waterfall. After a few more moments carrages entered the slot.
"All right, everyone up!" Trotes yelled from the entrance leading to the villages, "They're here!" Soon four men each on a wagon rolled under the cave and jumped off. They immediately got clothes and clokes out of the wagons and began distributing them. They were just average clothes, and the men put them on.
"He's dressing us up like average men and merchants," Salte said watching. Trotes walked over with some black clokes.
"You two will dress like deasesed ones," he said to Simon and Salte, "So no one gets too close to you and you don't create some kind of panic or trouble." Salte and Simon took the black clokes given to them and put them on. Price walked up.
"You will get a commoner's clothes," Trotes told him, "But take care who you talk too, your dialect is far too different. You use sounds I don't even understand sometimes."
"How do you know what we're saying then?" Price asked him.
"Context," Trotes replied turning to address everyone. "We travel to the next two towns as merchants," Trotes said, "the soldiers I sent have re-opened the road ways so that merchants can travel again. They've also announced the arrival of a precious cargo to the mines, as well as an ore of silver."
"Don't you think these raiders will be aware of something?" One Soldier asked.
"Possibly," Trotes replied, "But who can pass up just the chance to have silver ore. The rumor is given only to those in charge; it will leak. The hay in the wagon that was with your clothes supposedly covers the precious cargo."
"Surel will be angry with you spreading rumors about silver, Trotes," another man said, "It will cause other caravans to be attacked if it is believed they may be carrying silver." Trotes smiled. "Then after this ordeal we better make sure everyone believes it may be a trick as well," he replied. Soon weapons and armor were concealed under clokes and the men kept their hoods on.
"You will only travel at night," Trotes continued, "That will support the claim that the cargo is important, and it will blind the raiders even more to our true appearance."
"You said 'you', Trotes," a man said, "What do you mean 'you'."
"I have to pay a visit in the main village before you arrive," Trotes replied looking over to Price, "And he's coming with me." Price breathed a heavey breath and looked at Salte. Salte nodded reluctantly and Price got a little food and followed somewhat afraid that he had to ride a horse by himself. Trotes looked around at the men he did not trust as loyal, willing or even all that able. "Osis, you're in charge," Trotes said, "Keep them together and ready when they travel at night. Twenty of them are to hide underneath the hay. Stables have already been prepared for your coming. The men may unload and sneak out while in town but if any are late kill them if you see them again. The Valiants are to be guarded at all times and let them ride on one of the carrages. Is that understood!?" The men all answered "yes" and Trotes continued, "If you fail I will kill you, Osis. You better not provoke an insurrection. That would be fatal to you more than any other." Osis turned in anger and made his way to his own things. Trotes now waited for Price.
Price reluctantly mounted a horse, which immediately began to squirm underneath him.
"Just make sure it knows you're in charge," Trotes said and he rode to the edge of the cave and waited. Price looked at the Simon and Salte and then rode the horse to Trotes.
"Hold on," Trotes told him and wipped Price's horse. Price took off and Trotes behind him. Now was just a time to wait. Simon and Salte stood looking at where Price had left with Trotes wondering what was going to happen.
Once he was sure Trotes was gone, Osis began talking with his men.
"Now that I have you together without Trotes. We can discuss our plans. He's going to get us killed," he said to his fellow officers of which there were five. The other soldiers around listened. An officer shook his head.
"How does he think we can take out over a hundred and fifty armed and fighting thieves?" another soldier asked. None of the soldiers noticed Delos walking up to listen to them.
"He can't," Osis replied, "That's why we are not going."
"What do you mean we're not going," a man said, "Didn't you just hear what Trotes said?"
"We're going to kill him," Osis said, "he can't take all of us."
"He's gone now," another man said, "we don't know what he has planned completely. Let's just finish the mission. We probably won't get a chance to kill him."
"If we see him before we go through with whatever we have to do, we'll never have to know what his plan was," Osis said.
"I thought you were his friend sort of," another soldier said.
"Hmm, only as much of a friend as he is," Osis said, "I'm not getting killed for him. Everyone is expecting something tradgic to happen sooner or later with all the risky things he does. This is our chance to get rid of him." The other soldiers reluctantly agreed. After finishing up with the details Osis looked over to Simon and Salte while they watched the water fall.
"Now we need to make sure our guests go along with the plan," Osis replied.
"Why don't we just ditch them," another soldier replied.
"That might can be arranged," Osis replied.
Overwhere the Outcastes stood Salte walked back to take a nap while Simon continued to watch the falls. Delos walked over to Simon but one of the men stopped him. Salte and Simon watched to make sure nothing was the matter.
"What are you doing here?" he said to Delos. Delos didn't answer.
"You shouldn't even be hear!?" he said startled. Osis walked up to him.
"I saw you down on the battle field," He said to Delos. Delos still did not answer. Salte walked over to the conversation.
"He's with us now," Salte said.
"How? He was dead," Osis said.
"He's fine now, that's all you need to know," Salte said. Osis frowned at the thought of Delos betraying the plan.
"You're a traitor," Osis said to Delos.
"So?" Salte replied.
"They are planning to ditch you and Simon," Delos said eyeing Osis, whom he never liked to begin with.
Osis became wrathful, "You..." Osis said as he lunged, but Salte caught him by the throat.
"Ditch us?" Salte said, "Whatever for?"
Osis struggled for breath, "Trotes is going to get us killed. There's no way we can take on over a hundred theives trained to fight." Salte looked around and looked at Osis and then threw him on the ground.
"Maybe so," Salte replied, "But you're going to continue this mission."
"We're not dying for Trotes," Osis said. Just then Simon's sword was placed on his neck just below the chin.
"Then maybe you'd like to die for nothing at all?" Simon said looking at him darkly. Simon reached down and picked Osis up lifting him in the air, "If I have to choose between Love's life and yours, can you guess who I'm going to choose?"
"I'm not too sure Trotes would mourn your death," Salte said to him. Salte turned to the group. "We continue," he said, "Get some rest. If any of you tries anything, make no mistake, we can and will kill you and finish this deal ourselves."
Simon threw Osis away from him and walked over to the Valiants who were watching the whole deal a little ways away. Salte looked at the officers who looked at him and then he walked away. Osis looked at Delos who followed Salte. The men walked over to Osis who got up still looking at the Outcastes and Delos, who was now an outcaste.
Simon was now standing a little ways off thinking and looking into the water fall. Delos walked up next to him. Simon looked at him and then back to the water fall. Delos sighed heavily.
"I know nothing I say is going to make up for anything," Delos said to him, "But know that I fully realize that I owe you my life. Thankyou for saving me." Simon looked at him for a second and then looked away. Looking at Delos just reminded him of the whole ordeal. He just wanted to get this done and get to her. And he was thankful for Delos's confession, but he was far too frustrated to acknowlege him right at that moment. Simon thought about what might happen and he still couldn't shake some of the guilt he felt for his lack of wisdom, and he felt like a cowardly fool for trusting Trotes a second time. He knew he could not find her in that country with all the winding roads that streamed through and around the mountains. After some time of watching the falls Simon spoke.
"What's your name?" Simon asked.
"Delos," he answered.
"Think nothing of it," Simon replied. Delos nodded and Simon walked to a place next to the Valiants and lay down to sleep.
The day waxed on and the waterfall became imbedded into every person's mind so that they could not forget it for the rest of their lives. Salte and Simon each got their sleep untill some of the soldiers got onto Hope and Charity for playing around, in which case Simon and Salte let them know that talking to the girls would not be good for a soldier's health. Osis scowled at the Outcastes and resented Trotes taking them along. He sat with his fellow officers and stewed about the situation untill night fall when they started to move.

We the Weeds

2006-03-28T12:23:00.000-08:00

We the Weeds

We cover the earth, and we want to live, just like you.
You don't want us on your lawns.
So we impose upon your gardens,
Laying siege to your daylilies whose towers are topped
by a yellow blossom with steaks of red inside,
quite a treasure.

You labor to take us out of your neat, orderly garden, why?
Because we are not as beautiful as your lilies?
See my friend’s blossom?
White petals surrounding a coin of pure gold,
That’s not beauty?
Or my other friend with her many morning-sky blue petals
Lit by many yellow lights,
Like a sunrise hundreds of times
All at once.

You still fight to pull us out, why?
Because you did not plant us. I see.
You pull and tug, displacing earth
Just to destroy us, just because we did not ask your permission to grow.
You place suffocating sheets of brown pine straw or
Brown and grey wood chips.
How many trees were chopped up for those chips?

We know how we can earn your favor.
We’ll die if you do not give us the right amount of water,
Wither without the right depth in soil,
Decay at the first sign of disease.
Fall apart if one stem is cut.
We will repent of our desire to live, or not.

You deem us unworthy simply because you are not
In control of our lives.
Does God pull out every person he does not control,
Does he uproot and deprive you of nutrition and land
That was not initially your own?

Were you not ripped from a garden at one time?
In danger of hurting yourself
And the things around you?
You were weeded out just as you weed us out.
Is it in your nature to be what you hate?

Chapter 7: De-Touring

2006-03-09T14:16:00.000-08:00

Salte and Delos came to the fork in the road and stopped.
"Which way did they go?" Salte asked.
"East more than likely," Delos replied.
"What do you mean more than likely?" Salte asked anxiously.
"These two roads are traveled much more often than the one to Oak as of late." Delos replied, "And they are packed more tightly. I don't know why you needed to know that. I see horse marks going both ways, but the ones going east look heavier like more horses have traveled that direction more recently. Plus, I'm betting Trotes is going to attempt to take care of some buisness that was assigned to us in this area. And with only fifty or so men, it's going to be an extremely dangerous mission." Salte was now very alarmed at the Valiants being thrown into danger's path.
"Why haven't we come across any of the deserters from the camp?" Salte asked.
"Because they are now criminals," Delos said, "They will be killed for abandoning their post. They are hiding most likely. East?"
Salte nodded. They headed east not thinking about food or the like, though they were both getting hungry. They were pushing hard because they felt they were catching up.
The soldiers rode twenty fewer through the forest now with mountain sides towering over their heads. The soldiers rode by two's in their black armor each one spaced a good ways from the ones in front and behind. The forest trees only went up so high before the mountains on each side took over the view. Price and Simon stared at the new mountains and the area around them. They soaked in every moment, but the two, espescially Simon, could not stop worrying about Love. He was so worried; he loved her ever since he first saw her, even though she cringed at his black eyes and avoided him for so many years. He grew angry with the country of Calton and at Surel, but mostly his anger flushed for Trotes who had broken his word after being defeated. As for Faith, she held her head up, but the worry wore on her face. Hope and Charity looked around at their surroundings wondering where they were going. But Simon began to feel even more guilty, but mostly angry that he had let this happen. He also began to feel guilty because he did not send Price to chase after Love. He didn't, and now he was forced to accompany these soldiers on the word of a liar that Love would be safe. Price sensed his friends heaviness and put his hand on Simon's shoulder.
"She'll be alright," he told him, "he may be a bad guy, but he doesn't seem like a fool. He knew this would happen. He was counting on it."
"I guess it's a good thing I couldn't take that pass because I may have never found them," Simon replied, "Then again, surely it couldn't have been that hard to catch up with Love." Faith sighed.
"Unfortunately, it would have," she answered, "After the fork there are many trails going here and there through the mountains. It's a maze. Unless you've live here getting lost is as easy as breathing. I'm afraid now, because when you defeated him is the only time I've ever hear or seen him break his word. I hope he hasn't become treacherous, his word was the last honorable thing about him."
"Mr. Simon," Charity asked. She had a solem joy in her attitude. Her black hair was frizzled over her face and she squinted because of the sunlight that now shown over head.
"Where is Love?" she asked.
"She's on her way to the capital," Simon answered.
"Do they have her?" She asked. Simon nodded.
"She'll be okay, though," he answered smiling to her. Charity nodded.
"When will we see her again?" she asked.
"Soon I hope," Simon answered. Charity leaned over some toward Simon.
"I'm scared. Why do these men want to hurt us?" She wispered.
"Don't worry. They won't hurt you again," Simon said. Charity sat back and leaned on Hope's back.
Faith looked over to Simon and Price and smiled at them. Simon looked down.
"I"m sorry," he said.
"It's not your fault," Faith replied, "You did the best you could."
"It doesn't feel that way," Simon remarked.
"It never does," she answered tearing, "I feel Love will be alright. Don't be discouraged. Above all Simon, don't be afraid if you fail. Don't be afraid because you can fail."
"I know I could have saved her," Simon said.
"She's not gone," Faith said soothingly emphasizing the word "gone," "Yes, we're scared about what may happen, we know she'll make it." Simon nodded and sighed.
The ride from here was fairly quick paced, long and boring. Little was said by anyone since no one truly wanted to be there, includeing Trotes. They moved through the forest along the road and the scenery changed little, except for an occasional water fall here and there coming out of the mountain. The trees moved slowly and the day krept closer toward the end. The sun was still some ways in the sky, but it was visible just looking straight. About this time, the trees ended ahead and Simon, Price and the Family could see a clearing ahead, but the group stopped moving.
"Why are we stopping?" Hope asked.
"Something in the road is my guess," Price answered. The line began to move again but more slowly, and they progressed to the clearing. When they reached it it was evident why they had to slow down.
They came to a large canyon that sloped very far down very quickly. The canyon was vast. And I mean vast! Both sides were covered with green trees all the way down to a large river at the bottom that only looked like a swirving line from where the group was looking. The valley was misty and the other side looked liked a hazy green wall with bumps in it, and a water fall could be seen far, far north. It was higher up than they were, but from where they were, it looked like it was even with them. Far to the south the valley curved to the east so that they could not see the other end, but all was green in the valley. Their road down the side cut through the sloping forest along the side of the mountain gradually... slightly making its way down to the bottom. Simon and Price looked in amazment at the gigantic valley. One of the soldiers saw their attention and commented, "It's going to take us a day or two just to get to the bottom, and three days to reach the place we are traveling to. Calton is like this just about everywhere. This is one of the smaller ravines." Simon and Price looked at the soldier, who was behind them and then looked around some more.
"Do these ravines make it difficult to get around in Calton?" Simon asked the soldier behind.
"If you are not used to them," he replied, "but they do not bother us, we've been dealing with them for thousands of years."
"Is this why communication takes so long in Calton," Price asked him.
"Yes," he said, "If not for these ravines, travel between Calton and, say, Oak would take only a few weeks."
"Where are you from?" Simon asked. Faith, Hope and Charity and the soldiers around just listened to the conversation. The dialect of Simon fasinated them and they were curious about this Outcaste.
"I'm from this ravine actually," the soldier responded, "This ravine shelters three towns, one near the foot of that tall water fall, one straight below us and one built into the cave were this river enters underground."
"Must be a big cave," Simon surmised.
"It is," the soldier replied, "That's my home town and our destination."
"It's the town being raided?" Simon asked.
"No, one of the roads to it is the place raids take place," the soldier replied, "my town is the third producer of iron and has the best metal smiths in Calton."
"It's important," Simon said.
"Very important." The forest trees began to shield their view down the slopes and they could only look straight ahead or up at the mountain side to their left.
"Where are the thieves?" Simon asked. The soldier chuckled along with other soldiers who heard the question.
"No one knows," the soldier replied, "They hide in public and meet sparatically."
"Why is that funny," Simon asked.
"Because this gang has been a problem for decades," the soldier replied, "it's funny to hear someone ask 'where are they'. No one can find out who they are or where they are."
"And what makes your leader think he's so capable?" Price asked.
"I don't know," the soldier replied, "But Trotes has succeeded many times where others have failed. No one doubts his renown or cunning."
"I do," Simon replied.
"He's got you fairly contained doesn't he?" The soldier replied smirking along with several other soldiers around him. Simon had nothing to say to this. They were silent for some time on the road. Then the soldier spoke again.
"Trotes wasn't always so...harsh," the soldier said. Simon and Price turned their heads to listen to this tidbit. Faith already knew of Trotes' past.
"At one time we was one of the most honored of our soldiers, and he still is, but now in an infamous way."
"What happened?" Price asked. The soldier lowered his volume.
"His wife and daughter were murdered," the soldier said. Hope and Charity listened intently
now as well.
"Sad," Simon replied, "That sent him over the edge?"
"He's not quite that weak," the soldier replied, "The man who murdered them was a man whose life he had spared." Simon and Price nodded that they understood.
"He's carried the bitterness ever since," Price replied. The soldier shook his head.
"Well, that's not all," the solder continued...just then Trotes came riding to them and the soldier quickly stopped talking. Trotes rode back and the line stopped. Trotes rode up to the soldier. "You are not to speak with these men," Trotes growled, "Unless you want your tounge cut out." Trotes rode closer to the man and grabbed his neck. "You had also better mind what you talk about," he said. Trotes looked around at all of his men who were now staring at him and let go of the soldier's throat. "No one communicates with these Outcastes," he said loudly. Soldiers scoffed and agreed with Trotes while Trotes looked at Simon and Price menacingly. "You two had better be up to the task when it comes time to work," Trotes said.
"You might wanna tend to your arm," Simon replied non chelaunt. Trotes smiled somewhat entertained and rode back to the lead. Just then they heard a shout from the back.
"Trotes!" a soldier called, we've got company. Trotes turned around and sped to the back.
"Come with me," he said to Simon and Price as he passed them. They rode to the back of the caravan to where the soldier who shouted the message stood. Salte and Delos progressed steadily, though not speedily toward the group of soldiers. Trotes looked at the two men coming towards them.
"I wonder who this could be," Trotes remarked looking to Simon, "Friends of yours maybe?" Simon only looked on as the two approached, he knew it was Salte and the man he saved.
"Are they going to be trouble?" Trotes asked. Simon did not answer. "Good," Trotes said. They waited until Salte and Delos came into speaking distance and Trotes hailed them.
"Who is approaching this band?" Trotes asked. Salte and Delos continued a little and stopped just a couple of horse gallops away. Salte did not answer. He looked at Simon and Price and then at Trotes.
"Who are you?" Salte asked. Trotes looked at Simon.
"Explain the situation to them and then come to me," he said, "We don't have time for this." Trotes rode to the front as the four came together. Soon the line started to move and everyone was on his and her way.
"Glad you're safe," Salte said coming up to Simon.
"We have a problem," Simon told Salte.
"What problem?" Salte said.
"Love's not with us," Simon told him, "the man who just spoke sent her away before we got here." Salte looked to Delos.
"He must have sent her to the capital for leaverage," Delos said. Simon nodded that that was correct. "That sounds like Trotes," Delos remarked, "You have to be careful of him. He's always thinking ahead."
"What can we do?" Price asked.
"Nothing now that he knows you came after us," Simon told Salte and Delos, "He's got her on the edge in case we try to do anything majestic."
"Hmm, There's no way we could have followed her and found her is there," Salte replied.
"No not really," Delos said, "So many paths cut through Calton."
"We made mistakes by showing ourselves," Simon told them, "Price tried to remain hidden."
"You were discovered?" Salte asked.
"I didn't know I was that tired," Price replied shaking his head and shrugging, "We walked into this one. We did one thing and messed up another."
"Three thousand plus years of exile will put one out of practice I suppose," Salte said.
"So? Now what?" Price asked.
"What does he want with us?" Salte asked.
"Favors," Simon replied.
"In exchange for Love and the Royal family?" Salte asked.
"In exhange for not hurting them," Simon replied. Just then Trotes rode to them and came to where they were speaking and rode with them. He looked long and hard at Delos.
"It's quite evident none of you are average people," Trotes remarked smiling, "Let's make a deal."
"A deal?" Price asked, "With you?"
"Yes," Trotes replied smiling. Price opened his mouth to protest. But Salte quickly spoke.
"What is the matter?" Salte asked.
"You have my word that Love and the Royal family will be unharmed. I have nothing to gain from harming any of them," he said looking forward as the caravan continued, "In return, you give me your full cooperation on this mission."
"Can we trust your word?" Salte asked.
"No," Simon replied. Trotes smiled at Simon and then looked at his own broken arm.
"This mission is part of a quest for revenge," Trotes said, "I will not back down on my word here. Besides, if I back out, there's not much to stop any of you from killing me now is there? I didn't send her by the main road. You don't know the country and you could spend months looking for her in this labrynth land. I know if you decided to fight, we would be done with, so we are on a schedule to meet up with the soldiers I sent with the princess. If we don't meet in time, no happy ending for any of us."
"A schedule?" Price exclaimed, "What if something out of our controll happens?"
"Heh, heh, I guess we're both under pressure to make this all work quickly and smoothly," Trotes replied, "Don't worry. You can trust me." He smiled with squinted eyes at Simon. None of them liked it when Trotes said that.
"How long do we have," Salte asked.
"Just do as I say," Trotes said, "And remeber I'm in danger. This is a good deed we are doing. Be content with that. These raiders have been hurting innocent villagers for years."
"Fine," Salte replied, "Let's get this done. The soldiers aren't going to do anything to her."
"They'll swallow my spear if they do, and they know it. The Royal family is safe," Trotes said, "And Surel has no intention of hurting them, other than banishment. Why not take some time off from your laborous mission and worry and help us free a village from raiders." They four looked at Trotes who smiled maliciously. "Here is some insentive," Trotes said. The caravan stopped and the Royal family was brought to them unbound. "They will be free to move around and will be well taken care of. They are free to speak with whom ever they please, including you." The three Outcastes looked hard at Trotes.
"What about your taking us to your capital?" Price asked.
"It's my head if I don't do that," Trotes replied turning and moving back to the front, "But Surel won't kill you. Not when he finds out what you can do."
The three friends looked at each other.
"We'll go with you to the capital," Salte said, "I would like to meet Surel."
"And so you shall," Trotes replied and he rode back to the front and they all continued.
"Once again, what do we do now?" Price asked Salte.
"We go with him," Salte said. Price looked at Salte. Salte moved to where Faith and the two daughters where riding forward. Faith looked at Salte relieved and happy that she could be sure her daughter would be safe, for now. Simon rode his horse next to Hope and Charity and rode next to them and Delos followed behind.
"I think he'll keep his word," Salte told Faith, "He's no fool I can tell already."
"He's also very dangerous," Faith said. Salte nodded.
"It's going to take us a while to get to where we're going," Delos said, "We might want to relax until we get there."
"Salte, I don't want to cooperate with this guy," Price said..
"We don't have much choice. Don't forget that Claude will be on his way to the capital. I'm willing to bet he'll get her to safety if he finds her. Plus, we're all hungry and tired and I can't heal when I'm dying myself. We're on a small high cliff with lots of wind and no edge rails. We've got to play carefully."
"Nice analogy," Price said looking down into the slopping woods.
"I think Trotes knows by now not to mess with us," Simon continued. Salte moved back and put a hand on Simon.
"Everything's going to be fine," Salte said, "I know you hate that this happened just as she finally warmed up to you."
The group continued untill the sun went down behind the mountains and darkenss crept into the massive valley. The tall water fall far away over the tall trees in front had gotten bigger as they had gotten closer, but it was still quite a ways away. A fog began to quickly settle in the valley as the group continued in the bright moon light. The fog settled and their trail a little ways in front looked as if it led straight into a fluffy blanket made slightly blue by the night light. The night sky was crystal clear and Trotes kept the soldiers walking under the stars that dotted the sky, until they came to where the road led into the fog.
"We camp along the road tonight," Trotes ordered, "No one is coming this way." He looked around. "And if they are, they're not anyone we want to leave alive," he added. Salte and the rest got off their horses and walked around glad to be off and stretching their legs. The girls walked next to the woods and lay down. Trotes walked to the back of the line and looked at Salte.
"You are responsible for your own watch," Trotes told them, "I have a feeling you'll be safer than my men." He walked back, and Simon and Price gathered some wood for fires.
"Simon," Charity called to him.
"What," Simon called back from the woods.
"Will you sleep next to us?" She asked.
"If it'll make you feel better," he answered walking from the forest with some wood.
"It will," Charity said smiling and laying down. Faith placed a clothe over her daughters smiling.
"Lay down and go to sleep," she told her. Simon sat down next to Charity and his eyes turned black.
"Your eyes are so cool," Charity said staring up at him from her laying down position. Simon smiled and caressed her head.
"Get some sleep shorty," he told her. Price walked over and sat next to Simon. Salte, however, walked over to the front to talk to Trotes. He reached the place where Trotes sat keeping watch while his officers rested.
"So you're a leader after all," Salte said to Trotes. Trotes looked up at Salte and then back down at a pot in front of him. He was stirring something in the pot.
"Do you have a reason for coming all the way up here?" Trotes asked.
"Chit-chat," Salte replied. Trotes half scoffed and half laughed, but in his heart he secretly welcomed the company of a genuine person instead of the crusty ignorant soldiers around him.
"So chat," Trotes answered, "What do you want to know?"
"First of all were the food is," Salte asked.
"You can have some from any of the men," Trotes replied, "Is that all?"
"No. Tell me about Surel," Salte said. Trotes looked at the blanket of fog down the road.
"Hmm. You want to know about Surel? Well, Surel wants to make Calton a dominate power. Unlike the late King, we wants to do it with military instead of econimics or education because it's more glorious he thinks. He's a jerk who likes to be entertained, but he's not a complete fool making him very hateble."
"You hate him," Salte said. Trotes nodded and chuckled.
"Why," Salte asked.
"None of your buisness," Trotes replied.
"I just want to know what kind of person we're dealing with," Salte replied.
"Me or Surel?" Trotes asked.
"What do you think?" Salte asked.
"I think I don't care," Trotes said, "If Calton succeeds or fails and if we live or die. All things go their way."
"You don't care," Salte replied.
"To believe in one thing is to be undone by its weakness," Trotes said, "The bleakness is ever so inviting."
"Perhaps," Salte replied, "So is redemption."
"We'll see," Trotes said.
"What kind of person is Surel," Salte asked him, "What do you think about that."
"He is a wise fool," Trotes replied, "He can get things done, but whether they should be done is quite another matter. He's a spoiled brat. What do you think?"
"I think all I care about is making sure that the Valiants come out of this alright," Salte replied. Trotes smiled at the simple honor that he had forsaken years ago.
"You remind me of someone I once knew," Trotes told Salte.
"What happen to him," Salte asked.
"He got his family killed," Trotes said. "He got himself killed," Trotes said softer.
"I'm sorry," Salte replied. Trotes continued to look into the darkness and at the road that led into the fog.
"Surel will try to recrute you instead of kill you," Trotes said, "He'll probably put some political prisoners to death in your stead. So don't worry. He's working hard to get the people to forget about the incident in the south."
"What do the people think?" Salte asked. Salte nodded.
"They think the Great Light is a bad omen," Trotes replied, "Some think it is the Harcus displaying their anger because our country is forgetting them. Some think it was a huge fire."
"How did Surel convince the people it was us?" Salte asked.
"People are easy to fool when they are writhing in hate or fear, desprate for an explination," Trotes replied and then chuckled to himself, "How sad. We desrve what we get." Salte looked curiously at Trotes.
"People?" Salte asked.
"All of us," Trotes replied looking into the fog and then down at his wound. He took some liquid with a wooden spoon from a kettle infront of him and let it dripp down into the splint he made for the broke bone. He squinted at the pain and then continued to look into the darkness. Salte nodded and stood there looking at Trotes pitying the sadness and anger he sensed in him.
"The goodness of people turns very sour when you are....an inconveinence....to them," Trotes said.
"You may get your wish," Salte replied. Salte did not wish to speak any more, so he walked away. Trotes continued to look forward wondering what Salte could have ment. Price looked up at Salte as he approached.
"What were you doing?" Price asked.
"Learning a little more about our situation," Salte replied, "Let's get some food and then get some rest. We're going to need it."

My Part.

2006-02-28T12:42:00.000-08:00

My Part

I found the sheet music of his life,

never played, lying on desk covered with

picutres of memories,
The sheet music has no treble clef.

The music on the first page looks simple enough,
Some quarter notes and half notes in a 4/4 time signature.
I see the key of E is his first choice. Quarter notes
run smoothly, evenly, up and then down on the stanza.

At the bottom, some notes change into eighth notes,
And some chords develop as his life becomes slightly more complicated.
The sound is still melodic and rather traditional.
Oh, well, now here is an E flat where an E natural
Should be, but I see he resolves it here at the end of the first movement.

But in his second movement, many notes are out of signature,
What was going on to inspire so much dischord?
At least here on this page, he resolves the issues.
But the piece has grown much more complicated, now. The notes are a stream of sixteenth notes that run into a river of chords and eighth notes. His key signature changes to G.

A crescendo. Slowing down and speeding up. Forte to double forte to triple forte. Softening to piano, and now a bridge to a different key, E-minor, and quarter notes plod down in even rhythmic patterns from high E until it settles on a single idea: E, G, B, A in 4/4. He exploits this idea, jumping it from one octave to another taking the rhythmic idea to G major and then back to E-minor in quick sixteeth notes. I would have a hard time playing this.

But...but, why only a bass part I wonder?
Without treble, this bass is only a base.
What good is the foundation without
Something built on it, some other harmony.

He's careful with all this complexity not to muddy the bottom.

Another bass part would just be disgusting.
but perhaps this piece is complicated to make up for its missing part.

His song just doesn't seem complete.
Will this foundation be like a slab, a rock

beaten and weathered by the elements

until it fades away in a final decrescendo?

Chapter 6: Persuite of Love

2006-02-28T11:55:00.000-08:00

Simon and Price raced on across the plains in the dark night. The soldiers were still quite a ways ahead though Simon was rushing forward as if the night were day. A thin fog began to settle in the cool mountain valleys. Everything was now comletely dark and Simon knew this was his chance to catch up. Price closed his eyes since he saw no reason to keep them open and just let Simon do the thinking. The horse galloped heartily and swiftly, avoiding rocks and idividual trees that dotted the plain. Simon was very worried by now that he had wasted precious time saving Delos, and he was begining to wish he had not shown compassion at the expense of persuite. He was unflinching in the fog, guiding his horse safely with his face fixed forward.
Salte and Delos, however, made their way slowly through the fog. The best Salte could do was create enough light to look at the ground before them. He held his spear in the middle so that each dimond tipped end lit both sides of him and his horse. Delos followed straight behind close enough to see as clearly as he could, but far enough away to keep the horses comfortable. Salte and Delos were falling furthur behind Simon and Price, but Salte could not do anything else to hurry up. They both knew that forty-something soldiers on horses would not be hard to track, so they conversed while they trudged through the night.
"Our culture has been kept secret since we were not allowed to enter these lands," Salte said answering a question from Delos, "It's probably good you did not allow us to enter. We had quite a long time to reflect."
"I see," Delos replied, "And...what about the great light we were sent to accuse you of. You said the three adventurers Surel sent were responsible for that? What did they do?"
"Something very bad," Salte answered, "You'll find out if you live long enough to accompany us when we do something about it."
"You mean to fix it?" Delos asked.
"Even though we are not responsible for what happened then, we are responsible for the fact that it was there for disrupting," Salte replied.
"I'll take it's a long story," Delos said.
"Yes," Salte said.
"How much of a threat is it?" Delos asked.
"None right at this moment, but the generations after will have to deal with evil that they will not be able to recognize and that intends to enslave them, possibly even destroy them completely, although slavery can be a type of death. Ironically, in your case, it's life."
"Do you have family?" Delos asked.
"A wife and two sons. Our people are almost wiped out. A few of us are all that's left," Salte replied.
"How come you're wittled to so few?" Delos asked.
"Because of what happened so long ago and because hope was lost for many of us," Salte answered. Delos bowed his head now and quieted himself. After a moment Salte spoke.
"What about you?" he said staring into the darkness.
"I'm from a town called Jutes," Delos answered, "Beautiful town. It's small looking over the seas and surrounded by water falls. We're the only town on the coast and farming and fishing is mostly what we do. I have a wife and a daughter, even though marriage is discouraged for elite branches."
"You are elite?" Salte asked.
"Yes," Delos said, "I'm not the best of the best, but our division of the calvary is considered elite." Salte nodded. "Silas and Titus, two of the three who ventured into the south are part of the best of our military called the Saviors."
"Why such a high handed name?" Salte asked.
"Because Surel uses them for high risk missions and intense fighting. They are good, no doubt. You have to have something else to be one of them," Delos said, "Although, I think Silas was catered in because of his upbringing."
"He's not what they wanted?" Salte inquired, "I heard he was a good fighter."
"Mmmm, yes" Delos answered, "He has no friends really, so all he does is practice fighting amungst some other things. He picks a lot of fights, which the superiors like that, but they can't stand him."
"Why?" Salte asked.
"Because he has a noble bone in his body, I think," Delos answered, "And he challenges people with it, and I've heard he's got a kind of arrogance about him that doesn't respect anyone no matter how much they degrade or punish him or put him in his place. He won't acknowlege anyone else's accomplishments."
"In other words he has spirit," Salte replied, "with some resent."
"Sometimes it seems like that's all he has," Delos answered, "Why are you so interested in him?" "I'm not," Salte replied, "I'm interested in how they treat good people." Delos chuckled.
"Good people," he said.
"What's so funny about that?" Salte said.
"Surel makes sure that goodness is trained out of the army," Delos said, "He believes it is a weakness that leaves a soldier open to defeat."
Salte turned his head to the side and looked at Delos with the side of his eyes.
"If Surel does anything to Love or threatens to, he'll find out how good people make up for it."
Delos laughed and moved on his sattle to settle himself on his horse some more. Delos's silver chest plate reflected some of the light that Salte put out, but the rest of his clothing was black iron chain mail, in case anyone wanted a discription.
"Ummm," Delos said becoming serious, "Thank you for saving my life after what I did."
"What you did?" Salte asked.
"He didn't tell you?" Delos replied.
"No, but don't worry about it," Salte replied, "If he didn't see fit to tell me, then it means it's not important anymore." Delos bowed his head at the mercy of Simon and his friends and couldn't utter another word. Salte continued to look forward wondering what would happen when Simon and Price caught up with the soldiers.
Love and her family had been gagged to keep them from talking or screaming. They had now entered into a forest that lasted all the way to the Calton Plains of the capital, it was late at night. The forest road was not the widest, but it allowed two or three horses at a time comfortably. The fifty slowly made their way by two's throught the forest as quietly and as carefully as they could with tourches lit to give off some light. Soft clip-claps of horses could be heard along with soft footsteps of soldiers leading their horses, and occasional moans from the royal family gagged and sore from riding the horses. The sounds of the foot steps resonated slightly in the fog dampened forest. Trotes had told them to be alert for the chase that Simon would make after their captives, so the men in the back turned now and then at a supposed sound of possible horse galloping. One of the men in the front finally spoke to Trotes.
"Trotes," he said softly, "Don't we need to take a rest?"
"Where are we going to rest?" he snapped back softly, "We can't rest unless we absolutely have to."
"Doesn't Surel want our prisoners healthy?" The man asked him.
"If they come back at all, yes," Trotes said.
"So why not just ditch them and say bandits got them?" the soldiers told him.
"Because the reward will be well if they come back alive," Trotes answered. The man looked at Trotes confused.
"And healthy," the soldier added.
Trotes wispered clenching his teeth, "Go back to your place in the line, or you will return extremely unhealthy." The man sunk back to his place in the line. Almost immediately another soldier rode up.
"Trotes," the man said.
"What?" Trotes groweled.
"The women are having trouble staying on their horses," he said, "They truly need to rest."
"It won't hurt them to stay awake a full night," Trotes replied, "Keep them awake. Do whatever you have to, but we will keep going untill I find a good place for us to rest."
"Yes sir," the man said. Soon the sound of girls yelping was heard. When Love heard the sound of her sisters she began to move her head to get the gag off of her mouth. Finally, she wiggled it off.
"Keep your hands off my sisters, you pigs!" Love yelled. Trotes and the other soldiers looked in the direction that Love's voice came from. A soldier immediately hit Love and knocked her off her horse and a soldier on the other side caught her.
"Bring her up here," Trotes called back. The soldier gagged Love and stumbled along the line in the tourch lit darkness and took Love to Trotes. The road had begun to widen and Trotes was not about to give up his leaverage on Simon or any others thinking they could rescue this prize.
"Do you know the way from here?" Trotes asked him.
"Yes sir," the soldier said.
"Take twenty other soldiers with you and ride ahead," Trotes commanded.
"In the dark and fog, sir?" the soldier told him, "We're barely able to travel as it is, much less move at any real speed ahead."
Trotes looked back at the tourches that lined the road. He turned and gave some more commands to the soldier and then sent him on his way.
"Halt and set up camp here," he yelled. Metal clinging sounded through the forest as men began to get a small camp ready and tied up horses and put away armor. Soldiers felt their way in the night and found some damp wood that they stripped down into dry wood to start fires. Eventually, the fires could be seen faintly lighting the edge of the road, which was fairly wide now. The soldiers set the rest of the royal family around fires and allowed them to sleep in the dark while they gambled to see who would take watch first. Trotes made his way to the back end of the camp.
"I'll keep look out here," he told the soldiers. The soldiers had no desire to argue with Trotes, one because he scared them, and two because they wanted to sleep. So they nestled in and Trotes listened carefully in the darkness for the sound of footsteps wondering just how far behind Simon was.
The night crept on and the fog began to thin as dryer cool air from the mountains continued to push the fog out of the forest valley. The woods were still almost completely dark and fires had begun to die out and become piles of glowing red on black. The ground was somewhat moist and the air of the woods grew cooler. Some soldiers awoke to rekindle fires so that they could have some warmth. As always, the smaller moon made an appearance since its orbit made it visible almost every night in that part of the world, and, as usual, It shed almost no light. Trotes stared intently down the trail he could not see. Trotes knew the way back would be long and taxing and he did not want to have to deal with a chase the whole way. We waited well into the morning of the night. When he finally heard the galloping of a horse, he stood up in suprise that anyone would be running a horse in this kind of night, but he figured it must be his persuers. When the galloping came close enough Trotes hailed them.
"If you seek the Royal family then stop when you see me or else death awaits them," He said.
Simon and Price both heard him well. Simon slowed his horse.
Price wispered to Simon, "I'll get off and search through the camp while you speak to him." Simon nodded and Price jumped off of the horse. Price could not move freely through the camp like he and Claude did because the fog would give him away around the fires. He went into the woods and made his way to the camp. Simon rode until Trotes spoke.
"There you are," Trotes said, "I was wondering how long it would take you to catch up. I figured you'd do it quicker than a normal person." Trotes looked at Simon blankly. "If you're here for the Royal family they're here," Trotes said. "All of them except the oldest daughter," he chuckled. Simon's eyes fired up.
"Where is she?" Simon asked.
"Safe as long as you don't do anything we don't like," Trotes answered. Simon looked at Trotes and Trotes at Simon. Trotes spoke again, "She was sent to the Capital ahead of us long before you arrived to save her. And, unless I'm mistaken, you don't know this area well enough to just recklessly go tromping through the country to find her." Simon glared at Trotes not knowing what to say.
"If I don't meet with the soldier that took her, then she dies and we blame it on the raiders that we have to go weed out in the west mountain ranges," Trotes continued, "And you are going to help us."
"I'm going to help you?" Simon anwered. Trotes called for a soldier and the soldier brought Charity into view gagged and tied. Trotes put a knife to her throat. "Weren't you listening?" he said through gritted teeth, "If anything happens that I don't like, or if something happens to me, someone gets hurt very badly," Trotes said, "This royal family means nothing to me, and they are just bragging rights for King Surel." Trotes looked at Simon triumphantly and turned to make his way to the front of the camp throwing Charity to the side. Simon dismounted to help Charity. "Follow me," he called back to Simon. Simon only stared as Trotes quickly faded into the fog. "Did you hear me?" Simon heard Trotes say in the darkness. Simon gently lead his horse and followed Trotes to the front of the camp. Price had heard the whole thing but kept himself hidden from the group in case he had to do something drastic, but he didn't know what to do since Trotes had Love somewhere else. He could only silently move near the front of the camp to hear if there was any more dialoge between Simon and Trotes. Along the way, he saw Faith and the girls tied up. He stopped to see if he could do anything. By now light was very slowly illuminating the woods because it was time for day break. Price bent the light and carefully moved and quickly put some cloth lying around over each of the girls and Faith. He did not know what else to do in the current situation and he did not want to risk waking and talking to them. He gently loosened the bands a little and kept moving. Then he moved to the front to listen for anything useful. He sat down and saw that Simon had fallen fast asleep near a campfire. One of the soldiers walked over to wake him, but Trotes stopped him.
"Let him rest," Trotes growled, "He's going to have more than he can handle when we go for those raiders."
"Sir, wasn't that mission optional?" the soldier said.
"Not for you it's not," Trotes shot back, "No wonder you're still at the bottom of the pile." The closest thing to second in command of the group walked beside Trotes and told the soldier talking to Trotes to go away.
"Thankyou, Obes," Trotes said. Obes turned to him.
"You do know when Surel gave us that option we had three hundred men," Obes said.
"That's because Surel knew Crusas was a moron," Trotes replied, "We can pull this off and lighten the load at the same time. I have friends back home that need to move up."
"So you plan on getting men killed?" Obes.
"I'm not trying to," Trotes said, "But it's going to happen. I just need to make sure it's the ones I want dead, if I can manage it." Obes nodded his head.
"Always the schemer. This is going to be a long journey," Obes said shaking his head and walking away. Price listened to all of this and wondered at what to do. He stole a little ways away from the camp and sat down in some bushes to watch for when the camp would begin to move, but he underestimated just how tired he was, and he fell fast asleep.
Salte and Delos did not cover even half the ground that Simon and Price had covered through the foggy night. Once day began to break and the fog began to lighten some more. Delos took the lead and Salte followed. They ran for some time and made it to the forest; that was the half way marker. The forest gradually grew thicker on the sides of the road as they traveled deeper in. The Great Mountains to the west and the east mountain range were far off, but still visible untill they progressed even further into the rocky forest that slowly took them up hill. Brown leaves covered the trail and the forest floor along with occasional ferns growing around the occasional grey and green, algea-covered boulders that rested amongst the trees. Birds began to chirp and sing, but the two had no time to enjoy the scenery. Salte reached down and put his hand on his horse's neck to give her an extra boost.
Back at the camp the men pack their things and got the horses ready. They mounted the girls and woke Simon, who immediately looked for Price, who was fast asleep in the woods.
"Strap," Simon thought to himself. Then he heard one of the soldiers shout.
"Trotes!"
Trotes looked in the direction of the shout. "What?" he shouted back. The soldier came running up. "There's some one else," he said somewhat shaken.
"Then get him," Trotes said.
"Well, the problem is he just vanished," the soldier replied.
"What?" Trotes said. Simon smiled while getting on his horse and looked away; he knew Price was hiding nearby. Trotes looked at Simon.
"Tell your friend to show himself," he told him walking up to the front of Simon's horse. Simon turned his head to Trotes.
"Now," Trotes growled. Simon took a deep breath.
"Price, come out, you're busted," he called still looking at Trotes. Trotes scowled, then smiled at Simon and walked to converse with his inferiors. Price came out of the woods with an angry look on his face and walked up next to Simon. The soldiers coveresed about he plan and when they finished they all looked at Simon and Price. Trotes walked up to them.
"You shouldn't have left your pin in the mountains," he said, "Remember, if something happens that I don't like or I don't return at all, then Love dies."
Simon looked hard at Trotes. Trotes looked into Simon's eyes. Simon replied, "If you do anything to Love because you got skittish, you'll wish you had never taken one step toward the Southlands." Trotes looked in Simon's eyes a little longer and then walked over to his horse.
"We ride east from here!" Trotes called, "We've got work to do."
"They have some raiders they feel they need to weed out," Price answered, "And it looks like we are going to help."
"Get on your horses," Trotes said to them a little ways off. Price got on Simon's horse.
"I hate these things," Price said. The group began to march and Simon and Price lagged back until they were riding next to the Royal family, who was grateful for their presence.
Salte and Delos rode hard to catch up with the soldiers. Salte was sorry he had to pass up all of the scenery that they sped through, but he was much more concerned with rescuing the King's family and Simon and Price if they needed it. Salte thought hard on formulating a plan to take on the forty-something soldiers. The sun was just starting to creep above the mountain tops far to the west. To the east the mountains were starting to get closer as they continued on the trail.
"Salte," Delos called back. Salte looked at him. "I'm sorry, but my horse needs a rest," he told him.
Salte slowed his horse to a stop and Delos stopped with him. "They'll fall down dead if you run them too hard and long," Delos explained. Salte looked at Delos's horse and dismounted his. He walked over to the grey coloured horse and put his hand on the neck of the animal. In a few minutes Salte took his hand off and walked back to his horse.
"He'll be alright," Salte said and took off. Delos was still puzzled as to exactly what Salte was doing when he did things like that, but he did not question him. He kicked his horse and sped after Salte. They rode hard until a little later in the morning they reached the place were the soldiers had camped. Delos looked around and shouted to Salte, "We are still some ways behind them, but we are catching up now." Salte pushed his horse harder, "Come on girl. I have to catch up with my family." They continued to speed through the forest as the day grew brighter and slightly hotter.
Meanwhile, Love was quickly being carried straight to the capital now. Twenty soldiers had been put in charge of her, including one who was an honorable man in general. He was entrusted with making sure none of the other soldiers did anything foolish. They had her hands and her arms tied to her horse's reigns, so all she could do is steer her horse and watch the trees move by as they rushed throught the forest. She had a very long trip and didn't know if she was going to be able to handle it, but luckily for her Trotes had threatened them not to harm her, or he would make sure they ate his spear. Love will have a month and a half of hard traveling now.
In the group of soldiers Price and Simon spoke with the Royal family about what had happened. The group moved at a good clip until they came to a fork in the woods; they took the road heading east.
"How are you doing?" Simon asked Faith who rode silently on her horse. Faith shook her head with tears.
"Where's Love?" Hope asked Simon in her soft slightly high voice. Simon choked a little.
"She's heading to the Capital."
Hope looked down and pushed back her black hair, which was dirty and frizily from all the running. Charity was falling asleep behind Hope.
"Don't let her fall off the horse," Price told Hope. Hope took hold of Charity's hands and Charity woke and looked around groggy. Faith was still silent and tearing she wanted assurance that her daughter would be alright, but didn't know how to get it.
"I want to know if my daughter is safe," Faith told Simon and Price. Simon nodded and made his way up to the front of the ranks were Trotes and Obes were conversing. Simon rode directly beside Trotes, who looked over resentfully. They held eye contact and then Simon spoke. "The queen wants to know if her daughter is going to be safe," Simon asked.
"I told you if you didn't do anything stupid she would," Trotes replied, "Tell her that."
"She has your word?" Simon replied.
"No," Trotes answered, "She has your word and your threat to me." Simon glared and Price looked at Trotes and then Obes.
"I deliver on my word," Simon said.
"I do to," Trotes anwered.
Simon turned his horse around, "For your sake you better hope so. I know I'm going to survive. You better make sure Love does to."
"Why not just give us the command and we'll take him?" Obes asked.
"Because he's an advantage, and Surel would like to see them," Trotes said, "Look beyond yourself Obes and you'll be alot wiser. Why get however many men killed trying to kill him now, when we can just exchange his life and the life of his friend's for Love's? Why not just let Surel take care of it while we get honored. Put your pride on hold and you'll have a better chance at the last laugh."
"His threats are insolent," Obes said.
"He's not going to do anything if we keep our word," Trotes replied, "Just let me do the thinking, Obes, it's obvious you are not capable of doing it competently." Obes was silent.
Simon rode back glaring with black eyes at each and every soldier that had the courage to make eye contact with him. Price leaned and spoke to Simon, "Something tells me this going to turn into an adventure." Simon nodded and fell in line with the Royal family. "Strap," he said.

The Pitted Piper

2006-02-20T12:40:00.000-08:00

This poem only has one theme that I care to mention. It's a dark poem, yes, and I don't always enjoy the dark, but I refuse to be repulsed by it. Everyone has to endure darkness, so why be turned off by it. I've said this before, but there are things that one can only see at night or in the dark that can't be seen in light as well: stars, galaxies, glow sticks. In the dark is when you might realize that there is more going on than you thought, more hidden behind our own superficial veils of light. Think about all the star systems that could be out there. All the stars that die without us ever knowing. Nebulas are the coolest to me. The glowing algea in Port St. Joe, can only be seen at night over the darkness of shark infested water. In darkness you have a time to reflect on yourself. "Dark" is not just a time for fear of the unknown. David actually says to lay still on your bed and search your heart. When's the best time to do that? A night when all the distractions are done for the day, unless you have to work the night shift. In which case, it's your job to deal with darkness. A walk on our beaches at night is one of my favorite activities. My poem "Dark" is about this exact issue. This poem here has a truly dark theme, however. It's about how people refuse to acknowlege that there's more going on than they realize and they shield themselves from the spiritual darkness by closing their eyes physically. They shut out the reality of the Piper because this dark piper pipes exactly for them. Knowing evil is part of the responsibity we took on when we ate of the fruit. Not always knowing as in experiencing, knowing as in being able to recognize it, decern it. Instead of learning what is evil and what's not, many people have just decided to change the definition of evil or portray evil as just "missunderstood." This poem is about those people. While somethings are missunderstood as evil. Evil is not a missunderstood subject. One thing to remember about evil is it's seductive, or else you wouldn't pay attention to it otherwise.

I took the idea behind this poem from the tale of the Pied Piper. Some high class literature there, but something about the Piper when he piped away the rats and then the little children made me think of our generation. Flattering huh? The rhyme scheme and the rhythym are wacky; try to read it like prose. It's not my best by far, but it's my first attempt using other literature in my own. Anyway, here it is.

The Pitted Piper

The Piper pipes his songs, and
His audience follows and shuts their eyes.
They marvel at this wonderous song.
And they dance ever pleasantly to
His lead.

How cunningly he pipes.
It's just want they want to hear.
The music has captured their affections
And now they’re dancing to the cliffs to
make payment to the Piper's fee.

Dancing on in mirth, following
the music that's played to make them pleased,
leaping up and down in joy,
but they never try to see their pleaser.
They close their eyes and imagine what they wish for him to be.

The music is their guide, they say.
The unmistakeable joy of a pleasing melody.
They let the melody fill their minds
stealing every movemnt to it's cause with
notes as pleasing as roses smell.

The Piper pipes his melodies
Sechronizing just right.
So cunningly he pipes that
None can speak against the quality of the music
that they chose to heed. It works so perfectly.

The Piper’s piping is so soothing to their minds.
“How can anything that makes us feel so good
Be wrong,” each follower cries.
And so the Piper pipes his music
To lead them to the sea.

He pipes less cunningly
as he did with those angels of God.
That third or so that knew what
the Piper piped to plea. They willingly
offered themselves, but these people...

“Piper lead us to your sea,” they cry,
“If it fills us like your melody.”
And so the Pit Fated Piper pipes to lead
these children to the sea, like those rats of old
he leads them coldly because "rats" are all he sees.

So over plains of greenery with their eyes shut
they dance to this music they feel is so much better
than the towering water falls and the crytal
streams that flow for refreshement and peace.
They never want to rest in greenery or poverty of nature.

They dance in the richness of the
music and listen for every note
over the noise of the birds and the
gentle beat of water. They drink the song
like their thirst cannot be quinched untill the cliffs come into sight.

They do not see the vast ocean
and they begin to fall in, like they are falling
into a dark gulf that will seperate
them from the fresh water given
by the one who warned them of the Piper.

But one by one with their eyes
all shut, they fall happily off the cliff.
And not until they loose their step do their
eyes open to the Pitted Piper's mischief
Some look back just as they fall,

And the Pitted Piper stands behind
smiling in purple and dark blue royal clothes
"This is the payment I exact from you," he says,
"For taking part of my wealth and best.
Never I nor you will know the pleasure of a rest."

Satan plays many of us like wooden pipes because we only care about number one; if we have time, other people, and, if we're in deep crap, God. I don't think the Pied Piper piped the children into the sea, but Satan is all too happy to do so himself.

Chapter 6: Persuite of Love

2006-02-17T12:35:00.000-08:00

"I'm hungry," Claude said softly to Price.
"You jerk," Price answered flopping back down, "What are we going to do now?"
"Rest and then keep going," Claude replied. The weakness was very evident in his voice.
"I can barely move," Price said, "I didn't know fighting took this much out of you."
"I hope Salte decided to follow us," Claude replied still staring now with eyes half open strait up, watching two short, thin-threaded clouds slowly make their way east. The day was mild in temperature.
"I hope so too." Price sat up and look up over Claude to the east to see Salte coming way in the distance. "There he is," he said, "he's a little ways off." Claude slowly turned his head over to the east to look, but the grass of the valley blocked his view.
"I don't see him," Claude answered and then he coughed. Price shook his head at Claude and dropped back down from exhuastion.
"I guess we just wait," Price said.
"I'm not doing anything else," Claude responded weakly. The two brothers lay there waiting for Salte to come, so they could continue. Salte rode up and trotted to them. He looked at both of them and shook his head.
"Nice day to take a brake," Salte clipped.
"We've never pushed outselves so hard in our lives," Price said. Salte dismounted and knelt down. When he touched them on the chest he raised his eye brows. "Wow, you two really did expend yourselves," he said. Salte flooded them with energy. As he did so a rumbling noise grew from the west. Oak could barely be seen from were they were, and the fifty horsemen, minus a few, were coming that way. Salte looked on as he continued to rejuvenate them.
"Strap," Salte said.
"Is that the party they sent after Simon and them," Price asked.
"You can see better than I can," Salte responed, "Lift your lazy head up."
"What if they captured or killed everyone," Price said.
"Just look," Salte said.
Price lifted his head as the horsemen made their way toward them. He squinted his eyes and looked intently as the soldiers headed north of them to the north east.
"I see the royal family," Price said, "But not Simon or The Mayor or any one else!" Price tried to get up, but Salte pushed him back down.
"Calm down until I finish," Salte said.
"Hurry," Price urged.
"What did you just say?" Salte said.
"Strap, what are we going to do if Simon is hurt?" Claude said.
"I may have just missed them in the group," Price said, "That was quite bunch."
Salte knew that leaving warriors alive didn't make any sense, but he said nothing. As Salte was just finishing up he turned to see three of those soldiers galloping towards them. Price and Claude both lifted their heads and when they saw the greeting party they pulled themselves up on their knees. They were still hungry, but they could manage now. The three soldiers came up to them and eyed them carefully.
"What are you doing to these men," the one in front asked Salte, "Who are you and state your purpose."
"Look at his hair and eyes," another soldier said, "he must be another one of those things."
Price and Claud looked at each other and got up to take care of buisness, but Salte held out his arms and held them back.
"State your buisness," Salte said. The soldier looked at Salte befuddled.
"You think he's as dangerous as that other freak," one soldier said quietly to the man in front.
"Much more dangerous," Price replied. The soldiers turned their heads suprised at the three men.
"All three are freaks," The soldier in front said. The other two quickly retreated and sped back to the group, but the man in front stayed.
"Cowards," he said, "I'll prove myself here." Salte, Price, and Claude looked at the man as if he were a child threatening a man.
"Are you crazy," Salte said to him pulling out his spear.
"Nice dialect," the soldier replied, "Nice spear too." The man looked at the three men and began to feel that maybe this was not such a good idea.
"This is you're lucky day," The man said turning around.
"But not yours," Claude said tossing one of his knives into the hide of the man's horse. The horse fell to the ground, but the man jumped off. Salte ran with his spear and thrust toward the man, but the man stepped aside. Salte the reached up and grabbed the top back part of the soldier's armor and flung him around backwards to the ground and stepped on the man's right hand, his weapon hand. Salte put one of the dimonds on the soldiers neck.
"Where are they taking Love and the family?" he asked. The man swallowed.
"None of your buisness," he replied.
"Wrong," Salte replied. Salte took his spear and thrust it into the right wrist of the soldier. The man let out a scream. Price and Claude walked up and put their knives to different locations on the man's body. "Let's try again," Salte said, "Where is the blacked eyed man?"
"We left him beyond Oak," The man screamed."
"Is he still alive?" Price asked.
"Yes, yes," he said. The three breathed a sigh of relief for their friend.
"Where are you taking the Royal family?" Claude asked.
"Back to the camp and then back to Calton capital," he said tearing up, "Surel does not need to kill them anymore, his power is secure. So he ordered them to be brought to the Capital if we ever stumbled on them, so he could banish the whole formal royal family together."
"Oh strap," Price said.
"At least their lives are not in danger," Salte replied.
"If they die on the way," the soldier said, "Or anything happens, Surel won't care."
The three looked up at each other, and Salte pulled his spear out of the man's hand.
"Let's go," Salte said. Price and Claude both got up on Claude's horse, which reluctantly took the load, and Salte mounted his horse and looked at the man.
"Wait," the man said holding his wrist, "What can I do now? I've betrayed the army; they'll kill me if they find me."
"Go back to were your camp was," Salte told him, "There's no one there now, but you'll see the road into the Southlands. Go there if you want the best hiding place, but keep in mind that no matter where you go, your imprudence and your cowardice will enslave you to others, no matter how many times you earn your freedom with them. You are enslaved to us if you go there."
Price got Salte's attention. "What do we do for Simon?" Price asked.
"I've got to go for Simon. Hopefully he's not hurt," Salte replied, "You two follow that group back to the camp, steal something to eat, and don't let them do anything to Love and the family. Hurry."
Price and Claude took off after the group. Salte looked at the man, who by now had passed out due to lack of blood. Salte got down and bound the man's wound.
"I can't help you if you lack blood," Salt told him, "I'm sorry, wretched man." Salte mounted his horse.
"Let's go, friend," he told her. They took off towards Oak.

Simon was just coming past Oak and the day by now was getting closer toward the end. The sun was some ways away from the east horizon, which Simon had never seen. He looked at the straight line dividing the blue sky from the green grassy valley plain.
"You doing alright back there?" Simon asked.
The man groaned. "If you want to live you need to hang on," Simon told him. They continued untill Simon saw something in the distance. When his eyes turned black he knew it was Salte. "Your salvation is near," Simon called back to the soldier, "I only hope this riding hasn't caused irrepairable damage." When Salte saw it was Simon coming toward him he increased his speed to meet him. They met with joy and concern.
"Thank One your still alive," Salte said.
"I have an injured man, and I gave him my word I would save him," Simon said. Salte nodded. Simon got down and carefully took the man off of the horse and laid him on the ground.
"What's wrong with him," Salte asked getting off his horse.
"His back is broken. Did you see Love and the rest?" Simon asked.
"Love is in the hands of the soldiers that took her. I sent Price and Claude after them, but I don't know how much longer they can hold out. None of us are used to battle." Salte carefully rolled the man over and laid his hands on his back. Simon got up and looked in the east.
"What possessed you to save one of them," Salte asked looking up. Simon shook his head.
"I don't know," he said, "the man owes us his life now since he didn't want to give it up for Surel." Salte nodded his head, "Not a bad choice." Simon continued to look to the east; there was no time.
"I'm going after Love," Simon said, "And to make sure that Price and Claude are alright."
"Go ahead," Salte said, "Hurry, the soldiers will only stop long enough to see their camp has been abandoned and then they will continue." Simon nodded and mounted his horse and took off.
"You're banged up pretty bad," Salte told the man who was in too much pain to speak, "You're lucky Simon didn't slam you as hard as he could have or there would be no saving you." The man groaned and tried not to move under the immense energy that was being flooded through him. Minutes later Salte was done and the man felt his strength quickly come back. Salte got up and the man turned and looked up at him in wonder.
"You're fine now, better than you know," Salte said, "But you owe your death to us, now."
The man nodded. "What's your name," Salte asked him extending his hand.
"Delos," he replied taking it.
"We need to catch up with the rest," Salte said. Salte mounted his horse, "Come on." Delos got on, and they road off. The sun began to slip behind the mountains. The soldiers came to the camp and rode through.
"What has happened here?" one soldier asked. Trotes had gotten on a horse with one of the men when they took off and he managed to somewhat bind his wound after setting the bone with much pain.
"Were is everyone?" Trotes said to himself, "Where is C.."
"Sir! our head man is dead," A soldier said. Trotes got off the horse he was on and ran to the main tent. When Trotes saw the leader's pile of blood as he lay in bed, Trotes laughed to himself. "You're not favored anymore," he said to himself, "I'll take this as payment for putting up with you." Trotes reached down and took off a very expensive scarf that Crusas had kept from a raiding expedition that had put him in favor with Surel.
"Sir!"
Trotes quickly left the tent to see what was the matter.
"What?" he said sharply.
"Almost all of the cammanding officers are dead in their tents," a soldier told him. Trotes turned away looking at the ground trying to figure out what might have happened. The soldier watched him waiting for a command.
"Sir?"
"Get the men together with as many supplies as we can get," Trotes said, "We're riding through the night. We're getting away from here."
"Yes, sir," the soldier said happily, "But what of our mission?"
"We haven't seen the last of that boy," Trotes said, "When he catches up with us, he'll have to follow us to his death to save hers. We'll tell Surel that the rest of the Outcaste died in the skirmish."
"Understood," the soldier said, and he rode off to get the band together. Trotes found a horse still tied off and got on. Tortes looked around at the dark setting and then to the pass that towered ominously in the darkness of the no-moon night.
"Surel shouldn't have messed with that place," Trotes said. Then he turned his horse and sped to where the group had gathered and they galloped for Calton Capital. The night deepend and Simon, Price and Claude arrived at the same time. The soldiers had been gone for a while and Price and Claude were feeling their hunger now.
"I thought we'd have some time to get food before all this started happening," Price said. Claude nodded.
"I'll find you some food," Simon said jumping off of his horse. Simon searched quickly for anything he could find. He found plenty. He brought bread and some meat with some vegtables; he was getting hungry too. They sat down at the west edge of the empty came and ate their food rather swiftly, but they still could not go yet; Claude and Price had to rest. Claude looked at Price and then at Simon.
"One of us has to tell the Elder what happened and what we are doing," Claude said, "We're in deep now." The three sat in agreement. They had never had to undertake anything this delicate.
"We may not come back from this," Price said, "Saving royalty can't be an easy job."
"I don't care; I'm going," Simon replied. Claude nodded.
"I'll tell the Elder," he said, "Then I'll catch up with you two."
"Alright," Simon agreed, "I'm ready to go when you are Price."
"Hold on. What are we going to do about Salte," Price asked, "He sticks out as badly as you do."
"He's got a guide with him," Simon replied, "The soldier I helped will be able to guide him and get him through the tough spots."
"Okay. Is the Mayor all right?" Price asked. Simon shook his head.
"I see." Price said turning to Claude, "The Elder will be sorry to hear that."
"You two should leave as soon as you can," Claude said, "I'm leaving after Salte gets here."
The three rested a little longer and nibbled on some more food. The twins were full now and they could now conentrate enough to be stealthy again.
"I'll see you in three or four days," Claude said to Simon and his brother.
Simon and Price got up and mounted Simon's horse. Claude got up and patted the horse, and Simon and Price started on their chase. Claude watched them as far as he could in the night and then waited on that west side of the empty camp. Moments later, he saw Salte coming on his horse with his spear lit. Claude walked out and waved his hands to get Salte's attention. When Salte saw him he rode over too him.
"Simon and Price went after the men just a little before you arrived," Claude said.
"I thought he would," Salte said, "What are you doing?"
"I'm going to tell the Elder. And then I"m coming after you."
"Delos, how do you get to Calton Capital?" Salte asked.
"Just follow this North Mountain range. They're called the Great Mountains," Delos replied, "I'll find us some more horses." He dismounted and hurried into the camp where they would keep the horses.
"I can find my way. I'll hide my hand," Claude said.
"Our dialect is what gives us away," Salte said.
"Only to the learned," Claude replied, "I'll choose my conversations wisely."
"Okay, are you feeling healthy," Salte asked him.
"No, but I don't want any more help," Claude said. Delos came back with two horses.
"Here, these are two of my former officer's horses. They're quite fast. But I noticed you got the best one," Delos said to Salte. Salte smiled and patted his horse on the neck. Claude got on one of the horses.
"Any tips for riding this thing," Claude asked Delos. Delos mounted his horse and gave some riding tips to Claude.
"Just remember they have personalities," Delos said, "So treat HER well."
"Since you put it that way," Claude said patting his horse. Salte turned to go. "Come as soon as you can," Salte told him and he rode off. Delos nodded and Claude nodded back. And each went their way.

A Story of Signifigance

2006-02-01T13:07:00.000-08:00

The point has been brought to my attention by myself that the story I have been writing may seem like some sort of wishfulfillment, childhood dreamcaste, or escapist fantasy. While all of that does ting the whole thing a lot, these are not the main reasons for writing this story, or any story in particular. Any time someone tells a story, it is because he or she has observed some aspect of life and wants to re-create it, either in the context in which he oberved it (realism) or some other context exagerated to make it interesting or understated to make it thought provoking. All stories have some meaning and a good story, I've been told, is not born out of ease and swiftness. William Faulkner once said, "Kill your darlings" or something like that. He was talking to writers who needed to revise their work. What he was jabbing at was that one has to be ready to scratch their favorite part of a story or any other writing if it does not work for the rest of the story, hence Legend of Myth would probably go through many changes before I even take the work seriously as a finished publishable product. Any way I look at it, I want this to be more than just a neat story. However, Legend of Myth is a fantasy, which means it is almost completely furnished from only my understanding of how an existance exists with ideas added and tweaked, and as we all know with algebra, you can't add something somewhere unless you subtract something from somewhere else, unless there are some things we don't know. (I don't remember why I put that algebra statement in there, but I hate math, so if I mention it in an arguement, then the point must have been important, so I'm leaving it in here. It'll come to me) Anyway, what things that I deem important and what things I deem trivial and just a matter of situational nessecity, such as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west on earth, but in Legend of Myth it rises in the west and sets in the east. That was purposeful, one, because it gives this planet an identity apart from ours. If every aspect of the planet was just like ours, then it would be our planet, except on the other side of the galaxy, where this one is imagined to be located. How monotonous would that be. Two, I want to eliminate any monolithic ideas of the west as a progress toward heaven or betterment in this story. Three, because I want the reader to be shaken on the idea of normal. Is something normal because we deem it normal or because it is normal. What does normal mean and is it as important as so many people think it is? It is if you're weak and naive. "Normal" changes as a person grows in knowlege. If there is another world were the sun rises in the west and sets in the east then our idea of a "normal" sunset is simply egocentric, like "up" and "down" and therefore, possibly tainted with some sort of arrogance. Of course, I don't need to change the setting of the sun to prove our arrogance.
My story is a story of people in an existance. However, I love exploration, history, literature, and abnormal events and I like to know why and how some things come to be. (If I can understand.) And I like some things to be a mystery. (In a story this is good, but liking people to be a mystery is rather...um...what's a good word...foolish...jerk...wrong...degrading...uncaring, despitefull, that's the word I'm looking for, despitefull.) Anywho, In this world I can create all of this, in which case if one has knowlege of these in real life they can judge just how much I know of reality and my ideal of reality just by reading Legend of Myth.
In other words, I am creating a world in which I can exspress a reality and not be judged for it as anything but a good or bad writer, the later being the greater possibility. In this world are values, abilities to percieve formal reality, and wishes for reality come through, with some twists and turns thrown in to make things interesting, idealistically. The funny thing about changing the physical aspects, you can't ever change the moral or the ethical or the other important intangible aspects of reality. Fascinating, because if you do, then all you have is justified crime.
This is no defense of my writing or my story, this is what Legend of Myth means to me. It will get pretty wild later on. I'm not THAT interested in reality.

The Setting

A wise man once told me the test of who you are is what comes out under pressure, and what comes out when someone tells you 'no' in answer to your ambitions. The setting begins with the Outcaste who were told 'no' for 4000 years (a bit of a long time, if I were to revise this story that would probably change) by me and by the Northlands. They are under tremendous strain for survival because of a situation they opened up to themselves. The setting is what I use to give context to the strength of the SouthLanders. How would you react if people ostrasized you for your sins or your mistakes? How would a strong person act? What if the ones who ostrisized you were just as bad, they just happened to have the upper hand at the time? What exactly determines the strength of an individual? Without the setting, my definition of strength would just be some abstract term that any reader could just blow off. But if I give a context, even if it is just my understanding, one still has to consider my definition of strenght, in the case of the Outcaste, strength of character, which according to this story is the only thing that allows this world to be saved. There is nothing any person can put in a story that did not have some base in reality. A mermaid is made of woman and fish, both of which exist, albeit independantly. If the outcastes are this strong of heart, then this strength existed or exists. I can only present something that has been observed. We do not have the ability to create perfectly new basic ideas. We can only piece together existing ideas to creat compounded ideas.

Jesus Christ, according the New Testiment, had the ultimate setting for the context of strength. Even if you don't believe in the New Testiment, you have to consider that definition of strength as compared to...say...your own, in which case you would then have to consider were you lacked Jesus's strength, how much and why. In his case, He is God and all the things that encompass God, and we are not. As much as we would like to believe we are, we will never move past our pride, arrogance, selfishness and greed, least any think we are progressing in society.
However, Jesus was also man which means God was tempted at the same level that we are tempted, and by not surrendering, he proved his godhood and defeated the Accuser, Hillary Clinton, or Satan, which ever name you prefer..

The function of the Southlanders, the reader will find out later in the story, was to be a type of Christ, all together, the Magus, the Soul Knights and the Shadow Wisps, but they, even with all of their marvelous abilities, failed because they were human. I'll write more about this when it comes time for me to discuss my characters.

The Language

I suppose an explination concerning why all my characters speak English is in order. It's truly quite simple. I translate. Creating a language is actually simple, but time consuming. It's much easier for me to just say every thing is translated. This is, after all, an entire planet I'm going to be dealing with. That means I've got to create it's sciences, it's histories, it's literature, it's philosophies, it's religions. Who wants to deal with something as tedious as a language? As far as names go, most, as the reader can tell, are not very similar to ours, but some of the pronunciation of the names in the story are so close to names or even words here that I just go ahead and translate them that way. However, the meaning of the names are completely different from what the names would mean here, naturally. Whatever the name Simon means here, the chances are it means something totally different there because I just gave it our spelling. Simon in the language of the Southlanders, which is it's origin, means peaceful warrior. Each letter in the their language means something by itself, once paired it can take a phonetical sound, though sometimes it retains its meaning if the context calls for it. The letter translated "S" actually is a blend between "s" and "z" sounds and means "calm" sometimes "passive." The letter translated "I" means "complete" or sometimes "best." and the spelling "mon" is a case when two letters keep their definition while the "o" turns phonetical. The one translated "M" means something along the lines of "strong" or "steady" while "N" which in their language is not next to "M" means agressor. See now why I just went a ahead and translated. The name "Love," does not mean "love" like the word I translate "love." The name Love that I gave to that character means "true companion," a fall out of love. Although, I do like to play around with the sounds, like in chapter six. The names of the family, Faith, Hope, and Charity, sound nothing like their original words, I just gave the translation for what they ment instead of giving their actual phonetical sounds. Plus, they pronounce many of the letters similarly but with slight differences. Phew, anyway, just trust me on the language deal, you don't want none of it. Just leave it to me.

Chapter 5: The Silent Fight Deadly

2006-01-25T05:25:00.000-08:00

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

2006-01-22T12:28:00.000-08:00

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

2006-01-17T11:27:00.000-08:00

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

2006-01-15T17:10:00.000-08:00

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

2006-01-10T13:14:00.000-08:00

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

Chapter 4: Friends with the Unkown

2005-12-22T05:53:00.000-08:00

The sun had not yet risin above the west mountain range, although the sky was begining to turn blue. Simon just finished packing a little food for the small journey. As he was putting the finishing touches thinking about what they would do today, he felt a thump on his back. He turned to see Love smiling and walking into their little stable next to the house. She was dressed in a brown leather like top that was resistant to tear and pants also leather but slightly loose. Simon had a shirt woven from the sheep wool raised on Price's farm. A slit on each shoulder and one on the back kept the shirt from becoming too warm. This leather like stuff they wore was actually made from an animal that does not exist on earth, what they call a razal.
"Everything ready?" Love asked.
"Yea," Simon replied, "You have everything you need?"
"Yep," She said turning her shoulder to show her bow and her full quiver of arrows.
"You know how to use that thing?" Simon asked turning to pick up his supplies.
"Better than you do," she said.
"I'm not denying that," He said smiling and shaking his head. Simon threw the small sack of bread and meat and his sword over his shoulder.
"Do you know how to use that?" She replied. Simon nodded.
"You stick it in your mouth and chew. I've been eating bread my whole life," he replied. Love glared at him somwhat humorously.
"Let's go," Simon said turning and walking. Love followed.
They headed west, and the sun was just now reaching over the west mountains and the smaller, less reflective of the two moons could be seen a ways up racing to make it across the sky before the sun took that part of the world with it's full light.
Back at the main part of the village, Silas got up and slipped on the clothes that had graciously been made for him by the village folk. He stood tall in them and took up his sword. It gleamed with what little light was in the room. The sword was a rather basic but well made design except for the handle. The sword had a blade, and gold coloured hilt made of some other metal and a handle grip covered with a very expesive black clothe, it was rediculously resistant to wear. Silas would wash it every chance he got to make sure he kept it clean, though dirt could hardly get rubbed in. At the end of the bottom part of the hilt was a round ball of highly tempered glass set inside a golden cresent moon. The glass ball had a star made of a shinny, extremely rare metal on that planet, silver. Silas sheathed his most valuble possesion in his worn brown sheath and quietly made his way down stairs and exited the house.
The Elder was standing outside a little ways from his door, which faced west. He watched the sunrise with out wavering. Silas walked up beside him and watched the sun rise with him.
"So your mind is made up?" the Elder said to him.
"It is," Silas replied, "There are two orphans that I need to hunt down in that city and see how they are doing. And I have a promise to keep for a friend. I think I'll follow the path before me." Silas took a deep breath. "And thankyou for all you've done for me. You're going to be alright?"
"Take care," The Elder said to him, "And thankyou for all you have done for us. And yes we'll be just fine."
There was a breef pause, and Silas turned and walked the north trail, to go through the pass and spend the day traveling to Oak where he would get supplies then continue the long journey back home, if that's what he would call it.
Simon and Love traveled through the forest along trails barely left alive by the slow strangling grip of growth and time. The tall cedar trees where here and there with oaks as well leaving small slivers and sizable patches of showers of light inbeween their braches. Some trees were covered by cudzu vines which were infested with beetles. Thick bushes here and thin there lay on the forest floor. Simon had to cut through the trail at times with his sword, which cut through the brush like he was swiping at air. Even the fairly thick trees were cut without trouble. Sometimes they would take a detour to look at some stream or some oak tree that had grown sideways and grafted itself into another tree. Every once in a while a deer would flee from their path to escape. Love had just brought her bow and arrow just incase, but she had no intention of hunting today. The many little creeks kept the soil that collected in the valley well watered. They found a small clearing with a group of fallen cedar trees, and they raced through to see who could make it through the obstacles first. Simon won naturally, but Love made him race again four or five times to make sure before conceding, all the time watching Simon and all his movments. He was so sure of himself in every task, but it was so natural he never thought of it.
The day plugged along as the sun crawled up. And they talked about different things, and Simon told her stories of when his father and he would walk in the woods and the things they had seen. He even told her of what he had seen when he had traveled in the Southern Lands. They goofed around in the woods and climbed some trees while sitting to admire some. After some tiring stunts they calmed down and just walked.
"So what's this special place of your ancestors your taking me to," Love asked.
"You'll see. I don't want to ruine the suprise," Simon replied, smiling at his pun. He was taking her to a ruin just about.
"How long has your family lived in our village," She asked.
"I'm not sure. I've lived in the village ever since I could remember. This placed was a long time before I was born. We're almost to the pass, though." Simon nodded over to his left There was a big stone large and much taller than they were.
"My parents said it used to be a statue of a man, but weather, mainly the rain, has worn it down," Simon explained.
"Looks like just a rock now," Love replied, "Kind of symbolic of your tribes. How sad."
"Yea," Simon said touching to rock.
They felt the rock and looked all around before they turned and continued. They walked until they came to the mountain side or within a half a mile of it anyway and then turned south.
"I thought this mountain was all that was over here," Love said.
"It is for the most part. Except for a path somewhere around the south part. I believe you hunt mostly in the north part?"
Love squinted her eyes at Simon behind his back and kept following. They walked on admiring the dark grey, black and white moutain side that shot almost straight up at least a thousand feet coming to a peek with another taller ridge behind it. Both ridges were covered with green shrubery and plants sticking from the edges, leaving spaces of gray, white virticle striped rock to be seen, but the taller ridge was hazy because even though it could be seen clearly it was still aways away.
They walked and talked about the scenery and the two ridges until they came to a stream that flowed from under the mountain from a clearly visible cave a little up river. Simon and Love looked up through a opening in the tree tops and could see a water fall futhur up that fell from a big hole, dissapearing into the rocks and coming out where they stood now.
"The path is somewhere around here," Simon remarked. He walked furthur west up the bank to a collection of rocks beside the swiftly moving stream. "This is were the bridge used to be," He said, "But it has long since collapsed and worn away." The stones sticking out of the brown, leaf covered ground were covered in green algea. "It's a good thing you dressed appropriatly," Simon said stepping in slightly.
"I don't dress any other way out here," Love said. Then she rushed forward to give Simon a hard shove, but just as Love was about to push him he turned let her fall into the water. He stood and laughed at her as she sturggled to grab a stone jetting out. Her blond and brown hair was strung all over her smooth face; she glared at Simon. The black had subsided and he laughed at her with his emerald eyes.
"That stream will sweep you off your feet," He said still chuckling and stepping back to jump in. His eyes turned black again and he ran and jumped into the middle of the stream with his sword and supplies held up. The water swept him down a little as he held their food above water. He got out on the other side and and sat down to watch Love make it across. She struggled some to get across and ended up a little farthur down stream from Simon because the current was so strong. He walked over to were she was and held out his hand to help her up. She took hold and got out of the stream, sopping wet of course.
"Notice anything different about the water?" Simon asked her as he pulled her up.
"Why is it so warm?" She asked.
"You don't want to know," Simon replied. Love hit him. "What?" He said.
"What kind of hunter are you?" Simon said, "It's fed from a hotspring." Simon pointed. Love looked at the stream that was crystal clear with just a little steam coming up.
"It's beautiful," Love said.
"You haven't seen it all yet," Simon said picking up his things and continuing on.
Love checked to make sure she hadn't lost any arrows. "Great now it's all wet. She thought."
Simon stopped and waited on her. When Love slowly caught up, he lead the way to a path that cut into the mountain. Love saw that it looked like a straight path that gradually went up. They walked up the path, which was cut in between two smooth walls of solid rock. The walls were a good one hundred feet up, and the path slowly moved to meet the top of the walls. Love looked around wondering what they would see up top. She remebered the Elder telling her of cities carved out of stone, but she had no idea what to expect here. She had never noticed anything on the mountain side out of the ordinary. They walked and walked up for what seemed like quite a while and then they eventually came to a cave.
"This is were we kept the animals," Simon told her. She looked at the cave that was cut perfectly into a semi-circle out of the grey stone. It had some elements of wear but she could tell that at one time it was very nice. "Do you want to look inside," Simon asked her. She nodded. "We'll walk inside until you can't see," he said.
"Until I can't see?" She said.
He took her inside and she could noticed the old stables. They walked through until the light faded completely and then they walked back out. Love marveled at the scene.
"Pretty cool huh?" Simon said. Love could see they had walked a long path far up. But the path went up so slightly that she did not know how far up they were and she didn't think to look back. The path was perfectly straight the whole way and she could see a strip of the forest far away with it's spikes of cedar and bulbs of oak trees and the other mountain side far away to the other side of the vally. The path was fairly wide and the sun crept eastward right between the two walls. They weren't quite to the top.
"I've never seen the sun this perfectly between the walls," Simon said.
"It's perfect." Love remarked holding her hands up to the sun. They stood and admired the scene and then Love turned to Simon. "Okay show me more," She said.
"Yes, your highness," Simon replied. He turned to his left, or the north, whichever helps the picture for the reader, and walked up some wide steps. The walls had carvings of knights with swords some of which had, of course worn away. "These are your ancestors?" Love asked.
"No just statues," Simon said, "My ancestors are all dead. That's why they're my ancestors."
"Ha..Ha," Love jeered while Simon laughed.
"Yea, these are my ancestors," Simon replied, "This whole place is so old. The only reason it has survived is because this place is so mild. Cool wind tumbles in from the lower parts of the South and North corners of the mountains and keeps the place cool. But as you can tell, it doesn't get much hotter or colder than this. The cool streams and the cool air from the mountain tops keeps the place quiet nice and calm. Even though it's hot in other places in the north and the south."
"I like it here," Love remarked, "I wish I didn't have to leave and go to some boring old town. I want to go home." Simon looked sympathetically ahead.
The stone steps turned to the west and they reached the top. Love looked at the stone-carved ghosttown that overlooked the valley. The door ways and the streets were still visible, but vines covered some. Apartments were carved out of the stone one on top of another with square doorways. It looked as if it were built on the mountain, and not carved.
"They don't look like they were carved at all, but they had to be because they're so neatly organized," Love remarked.
"We were once very skilled scupltors," Simon answered, "They could make it look as if the mountain just formed that way or like they haulded brick up there themeselves, but it's all solid."
"How did they do it?" She asked.
"The art was lost 1000 years ago," Simon replied walking up to a near-by light-grey door way.
Love saw that trees had grown out of controll in special rectangle gardens carved long ago. Naturally the trees had broken some of the stone and disturbed the smoothness of the street once used. On top of the first set of apartments were more out of controll trees that lined the walk way infront of the second story apartments. Some leaned over off the side and others stood straight. The town was four stories high and the upper stories looked somewhat bigger. The town made of stone had some how been slightly whitened and the town was lighter grey than the rest of the grey mountain. Simon smiled as Love turned around and gasped. The whole valley was laid out like a green sheet with holes in the tree cover where clearings were and tares where rivers or streams were. They were so far up they could see the clearing were they searched for the string leaf. She could see shades from clouds far above covering plots of the land, and she saw the smoke from little fires and the village houses, but it was so far away she could barely make out the houses, at least that's what she thought.
"I wonder what they are doing," Love said. Simon became meloncholy.
"Going about daily buisness like we've done for thousands of years," Simon replied, "But not for long." He sat down on an edge and looked at his village sadly and intently. Love walked over and sat down beside him.
"We're all that's left," Simon said staring out across the valley. "This abandoned town has been over looking this valley for thousands of years," he said still looking at the stillness, "And somehow our family ended up the last one."
"You don't have any brothers, relatives or anything," Love asked.
"My father did. He had three brothers, but the gap between him and the youngest of those was 80 years. It's hard to keep your race alive when you have mostly boys. Now we're it. We don't know our lineage or anything. A fire a very long time ago destroyed many records that we had kept. Only the most important lines were maintained because those are the ones that everyone remembered, but ours wasn't one of them." Simon picked up a near-bye stone and threw it several hundred yards without hardly trying. "I don't know how my family survived; we're nothing." Love stared at Simon sympatheticly. She didn't want him to feel insignifigant.
"That's not true," Love said, "You are something."
"What?" Simon asked. Love thought a little and looked at him smiling.
"My bodyguard," She said.
"Bodyguard?"
"Yes, someone who is supposed to keep me safe. You are going to make sure I make it to that other town safely," She said.
"What?" Simon asked not following Love's logic.
"I'll talk to the Elder and ask if he can let you come with us. I'd make me feel better if someone from this village taveled with me. And you've been trained to fight."
"I'm not sure the Elder will approve of that, especially not with the coming delimma."
"He might," She said. Simon was charmed, but aprehensive about leaving the village at this time.
"Come on," Simon said getting up and grabbing her hand. Love followed wondering what he was doing.
"Do you trust me?" He said to her.
"Yes," she said. He took her to the north part of the village to a nicely carved tunnel on the edge of the apartments. They could see into it until it turned left a little ways away. It was now past noon and they still had quite a few hours, since they ran much of the way there trying to out run one another. Simon's eyes turned black as he looked from her forward. Love's curiosity had now gotten the best of her.
"Wait," Love said stopping him. Simon turned around. Love looked intently into his dark vision. "What...does everything look like when your eyes turn...," She asked. Simon looked at her with his eyes.
"Nothing," He said.
"What do you see?" She asked.
"I don't see anything," He said. Love looked at him suprised and confused.
"How do you know what's there then?" She asked. Simon shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know. I just know. I know more about what's happening around me when my eyes are like this than when I can see."
Love looked at him with curiosity. Simon smiled. "I know how fast the sun is moving how hot it is," He said, "I know when you blink and when your eyes are softly, barely moving when you are trying to keep them still. I know when you are about to do something and when you are doing it. I know if there is something in front of me. I know you feel pain even if you don't say it, I can sense it. I can't explain it, but I don't need to see." Simon's eyes turned green again as he looked up. "Although, I like to see the sun, the green valley, and...other things....," he said looking straight into her eyes.
Love nodded gazing back into his.
"Lead on," she said. Simon held her hand gently and firmly and took her into the dark tunnel. They walked a decent pace, not too fast and not too slow and then Simon told her to duck. As they walked and sometimes crawled, she felt him gently pull her this way and that. When they came to an obstacle, he told her exactly when to step over and when to duck and when she was alright to get up. Simon had no problems leading her through the cavern. They continued to go up, though Love didn't exactly know it. They went up stairs and down some and then up some more. Love did not flinch once as Simon helped her through the pitch black tunnel, slowly, and then quickly they moved. Simon could feel Love's hold tighten and he felt her squeeze as she stepped over rocks. He could sense her heart was beating faster and faster though he could only guess why. They made their way without much talk, except when Simon was telling her where the rocks were.
"We're almost there," Simon told her, "You can see your hands now." She looked down and saw her hands slightly in the dim light. The light grew brighter and brighter and they turned a corner. A smile grew on Love's face as she came out of the cave. In front of them was a lake, crystal clear, and deep. The pool walls near the top were medium type grey, but near the bottom were pink, light brown, red and green strips going all the way around, down to the very bottom. Some stripes were very thick and some were thin and not straight at all.
"It's all natural," Simon explained, "We didn't do any of this. Feel the water." Love stooped down and felt the water. It was very warm.
"It's a hot pool. It's a pretty decent ways from its sorce so it's not boiling. See the water fall?"
Love looked across to see the waterfall that poured into the hot pool. It fell from about ten feet and dumped a good volume of water.
"Come on," Simon urged putting down his things. He started to walk the edge of the pool and she followed after putting down her things. They made their way slowly around the pool looking at the colours that lay beneath the surface near the bottom. Simon pointed. "See that hole. This where the spring you fell in comes from." At the mention of her fall, Love looked and saw that his eyes weren't black. She smiled impishly and took her chance pushing him in. Simon's eyes widened as he tried to catch his balance, but it was to late and Love had put everything she had into throwing him in this time. He fell in after a few swips with his arms, but Love had lost her balance because of the awkward footing and she followed after. They came up and looked at each other with glaring eyes. Simon cracked a smile and turned and swam to where the water fall entered the pool and let the warm water fall down on his head. He watched Love who was following with fixed eyes. After another gazing contest under the water fall, they gave in and slowly moved closer and gently put their lips together. When they pulled away they gazed again with smiles looking at each other through spaces in the falling water. They stayed like that under the water fall for a while longer letting the warm water flow over their heads in the cool mountain air. They hung on the rocks looking at each other and then at the bottom. Finally, Simon pulled himself out and then helped Love out. "We better eat something," He said. They turned and made their way around now teasing and trying to push each other in, but they made it to the food without any incident and Simon picked up his bag. Love sat down next to Simon as he pulled out the food. Some bread and a piece of cooked meat marinated in string leaf juice. Simon divided it and they ate facing the pool with their feet dipped into the water. They didn't wear shoes that often, by the way. They enjoyed the meal without saying a word, and Love sat leaning against Simon's shoulder. They finished and watched the pool as the sun slowly sunk down on the other side of the east mountains.
"I'm sorry, I ignored you all this time," Love said looking at him.
"You're forgiven," He said looking into her eyes. Simon's eyes turned black again and Love looked deeply into them. She could see the little stars that dotted the inside of his eyes, some brighter than others. It was like looking into a marble of space, two night skys right infront of her.
"What are those dots in your eyes," Love asked.
"No idea," Simon replied.
"Hmmmm," She said staring intently. Simon did not take his eyes off of her and they kissed again. Simon briefly broke it off.
"The first moon is already out," He said still looking at her. She looked and saw the smaller of the two moons, full, and vaguely penatrating the top of the evening sky. It looked like a few blue bumps far away. Then she kissed him. More kissing ensued and then they sat and looked at the water and the pool and its many colours.
"How deep is it?" Love asked.
"How long can you hold your breath?" Simon asked. Love looked at him while getting up to anwer his challenge. Simon got up and Love took a deep breath and dove in. Simon quickly followed. They both went down. Simon then remembered the hole that let the water out of the pool. Love shot back up and Simon quickly followed.
"That was close," Love said.
"I completely forgot about that. Did you feel it?" He asked. Love nodded.
"That's why I came up," She replied. She looked up and studied the sky.
"I guess the sun is getting close to the eastern mountains," Love said.
"Yea, we probably should be getting back," he said.
"I don't really want to right now. I want to stay here for a little while longer." Simon looked at her and then around. They got out and sat just enjoying the seclusive scene without any talk until the other brighter moon finally edged its way over the waterfall and the cliff in front of them. The white moon barely lit the darkening sky and the waterfall began scattering dimonds of moonlight all along the surface of the pool. The stars also began pricking the sky with their twinkles. When they saw the moon completely, they both got up, gathered their things, and left the pool.
Simon guided Love through the cave and back out to the other side where the sun just finished hiding its light in the horizon behind the east mountain ridge. The mountain shadows slowly began to cover the valley and Simon and Love could see the line between the sinking sunlight and the shadow line of the mountains stretch across the valley moving toward them as if the last bit of light were being chased back to the west from where it rose. They stood and admired the view for a little while and then made their way in the night down the steps and to the path out of the abandoned town. The sun was completly out of the picture as they walked down the path and all was dark as they struck out in the woods. They crossed the stream with no problems this time and made their way through the cut path. The two moons showered enough light so that they could see without any problem. They exchanged glances as they walked through the forest, smiling. Love reached and slid her hand in Simon's and they walked that way past Simon's house and into the village later that night. When they came into the village, Price approached them somewhat stunned.
"Where have you two been?" Price said.
"A trip, why what's going on?" Simon replied.
"You mean besides the fact that you two of all people went missing all day and came back holding hands? This." Price turned and pointed to the burned houses and the furniture that was being moved into the Elder's house.
"What are you doing?" Love asked in suprise.
"Those soldiers are on their way in case you two forgot," Price said, "And if they find refugees mixing in with Outcaste then there's going to be more trouble than there already is. We're going to hide the refugees in the abandoned Knight's Town in case those soldiers come into the village."
"They probably won't though; they want nothing to do with us," Simon replied.
"That's true, but The Elder doesn't want to take any chances," Price said.
"Sorry," Simon said. Price shook his head to let him know it was no big deal.
"We just wondered where you two went. The real work begins tomorrow, we've got to cover up the remains of the houses and think of what we are going to do for ourselves. Love, your house was taken down too. You're leaving tomorrow or the the next day." Love nodded and then looked at Simon. She let go of his hand and hurried to the Elder's house. Price looked at Simon. "Well, well," He said.
"I'm just as suprised as you are," Simon replied.
"Women," Price said and then took Simon to where Salte and Claude were dumping sand on the ashes of the last house.
"Where have you been?" Salte said to Simon, "You and Love have been gone all day. Have you seen her?" Price gave Simon a pat on the back and walked to help put the fire out for the night.
"Supposedly they are about a week away," Salte told him, "But we don't know for sure. We have to send Love and her family away very soon." Simon nodded. "Sorry, man." Simon shook his head. When they finished covering the doused ashes, Simon walked to the Elder's house and walked in. Love was talking to The Elder at his desk; she looked at Simon entering and smiled. Simon smiled back and continued up stairs. This exchange did not escape The Elder; his heart was cheered while he talked to Love. When Elder Sel finished explaining the situation to Love she nodded that she understood. Then she took a deep breath to ask him.
"Can I take a body guard from the village?" She asked a little nervously.
"A bodyguard?" The Elder asked curiously, "What do you mean a bodyguard?"
"I mean someone to help us stay safe on the way to the next village," She said. Elder Sel looked at her even more curiously with a slight smile cracked on his blonde bearded face.
"I see. You would feel safer if you had a bodyguard you say. Well then, may I ask who you wish to appoint for this special honor, this...bodyguard?" Elder Sel asked her. Love turned beat red and hesitated. The Elder was enjoying every minute of her embarassement.
"Simon," She squeaked.
"Ahhhh," Elder Sel responded, "Hmmmm." The Elder thought hard about her request, which thrilled him, but at the same time he did not know if he could spare Simon with Calthes in his condition, but he decided that this was at least as important and that Price, Claude, and Salte could handle things with their skills. He raised his head, "I think he would do you good, better than you know, but he could only help you to the town. Even he's not safe in Calton or anywhere on the North Continent. And neither are you, if they know you associate with him, wether you are the princess or not. Also, most towns people will not recognize you. So be careful."
"Why should they care who I associate with?" She exclaimed.
"Because the predjudice against us is that strong and that enduring, we are celebrated as hacrus in most cultures away from Calton," The Elder responded ("Hacrus" would be the equivelant of a "Devil"), "Go upstairs and tell Simon I need to speak with him." Love rushed upstairs and retrieved Simon. Simon walked down stairs and to the Elder.
"Let me speak with him alone, Love," The Elder told her. Love looked at the Elder and then left the house. The Elder looked at Simon.
"I'm going to let you go with her to Pes should you so desire," the Elder told him, "It's a small town on the coast of the North Continent behind some mountains in Sholom. You'll have to travel through some valleys and across another town after Oak. It's a pretty good distance away and Love may be able to come back after this is over, but you will be needed as soon as you can come back."
"I thought she was going to hide somewhere in Calton," Simon replied.
"We were going to do that. But I like this plan better," The Elder replied. Simon nodded with eyes intent on Elder Sel. "I'm letting you go because I wouldn't want to deprive you of this oppertunity to earn furthur favor in Love's eyes. And I would feel better sending her if you were with them. You must guard that family with your life. This is a dangerous task. Understand?" Simon nodded again. "You know as well as I do that these women are very important to a healthy development of Calton, it's people and, possibly, to our release from exile, as late as it is in our existance. This is not a light task to undertake, as I'm sure you well know, even more so now."
"Will everyone be alright here?" Simon asked.
"Yes," Elder Sel reassured him, "But they leave tomorrow morning or the next. It's good she brought this up because I was considering sending someone with her. But I wasn't sure. Go tell your parents your decision and come back down." Simon went up to tell his parents and moments later came back down with his mother.
"Elder? Are you sending our only son on this dangerous journey?" Claire said walking over to him.
"I want to go mother," Simon replied, "Remember?"
"I'm not sending him, Claire. You know I wouldn't presume to send your son without your consent. I have given them my consent to decide to go and am giving him my blessing because he choses to go. I would have asked Salte, or one of the brothers, but Love requested Simon and Simon wants to go."
"Love requesed?" Claire said looking to Simon. Simon smiled slightly.
"Indeed she did," Elder Sel said, "I sent him up to inform you, so he could have your blessing on this trip. I have faith in your son and I think he'll be alright. The Mayor of Oak is sending three of his friends who actually have combat training with the family to make passage smooth as far as the politics go, but Simon could add a touch of physical safety."
"I'm not too sure..."
"It's all right, Claire," Calthes said from the stair case, "You believe in Simon, let him have this opportunity. Let him get out of this cramped village and see something else and persue other interests. He's only twenty. I would feel terrible if he spent all 300 years of his life here when he could have done something noble and heroic." Calthes limped with one leg using a crutch. We walked to where they were talking, and Claire leaned on to Calthes who held her even on one leg.
Claire sighed. The Elder shook his head. "I had no intention of sending him behind your back. He's a grown man now and he's intelligent. There's no need to shelter him," The Elder said. Calthes kissed his wife on the side of her head she leaned her head on his.
"I'm sure one of the villagers will help me out with the farm," Calthes said to Simon. Simon nodded and went to get ready. Calthes and Claire watched their son walk out. Outside, Love was waiting for Simon to hear the news. Simon smiled and Love walked up. "So, what's going on?" Love asked.
"He was just giving me some pointers about traveling and how important you are," Simon replied, "But I already knew that."
Simon offered his hand and Love took it. "I'll walk you home," He said, "You can never be too careful out here." They walked slowly to Love's house. When they got there Simon scratched his head. "I forgot," he said looking on the heap of ashes that was once her house, "Who is your family supposed to be staying with?" Love shrugged. "Well, let's look around," Simon suggested. They went to Salte's house first and that was all it took. Faith, Hope and Sara were sitting at the table while Charity, Land and Ceyes were running around tagging each other. Salte was across the room from the table sitting on a rug reading some book he had recieved from The Mayor sometime back. Simon and Love walked over.
"What are you reading?" Love asked Salte. Salte looked up.
"It's a history of this continent," He replied turning it over and showing them the cover, "but later in the book it seems to be concerned mostly with Calton. It dates all the way up to your father's asention to the throne and back about 3000 years ago, roughly."
"What kind of history does the North have?" Simon asked. Salte looked gravely.
"Our kind," he said.
"Violent," Simon replied.
"The most interesting part to me though is the part on hacrus," Salte continued.
"What does it say," Love asked.
"Well, according to this hacrus are manifestations of a malicious negativity. Evil so concentrated it takes physical form," Salte explained, "According to legend, hacrus appeared when the void of virtue filled with malicious intent in a city actually festered too much resulting in this type of evil residue in the spirit of the town. Eventually, the residue would become so strong and so potent, it would take physical form, usually of a person. The hacrus, who were powerfully charged with hate and destruction, where beyond human power to conquer and control, would destroy that city or country and leave the area a wasteland for 1000 years." Simon and Love stared at Salte who was smiling.
"So we should learn to control ourselves before we are destroyed by our sins," Simon replied.
"If nothing else that's the moral of the legend," Salte said, "But people will never head the ideals of a legend."
"What would happen to the hacrus after that? Would they terrorize other cities," Love asked.
"No, this book says that according to Sholomian doctrine, which is were the word 'hacrus' originated, the hacrus could not live outside of the void that helped spawn them, they are the final result of a culture of decay. But that's not the interesting part. The harcus have markings that give away their origin."
Simon and Love gave Salte their complete attention.
"They are characterized as having a discoloured hands, necks and eyes. Anything out of the normal, pretty much," Salte said.
"I bet alot of misfortunate births were killed because of that legend," Simon added.
"Indeed, people didn't start acknowleging birth defects until about 500 years ago. So many infants were killed for birth marks on their hands, or just having hazel eyes. But I'm willing to theorize," Salte continued, "That we were not allowed to enter the North because of something that happen to us.
"Us?"
"I'm sure we somehow got mixed up with the hacrus of their legends; the great evil of the Southlands might have had a great impact on the development of the harcus legend or in solidifing it in their beliefs. Now they don't know exactly why we are cast out, but many attribute us to the harcus of legend especially those outside of Calton, but most just think we are trash and that's why we are not aloud to enter the North."
"They've hated us for so long," Simon deduced.
"Some cultures see this pass to our village as the gate way to ultimate decay called Hecros even," Salte said flipping through the book, "And Calton was considered a wasteland, except by people who dot the mountain sides of its borders, but they have lived here for thousands of years ever in fear of harcus and Hecros."
"Is this belief common to all the Northland cultures?" Simon asked.
"Yes," Love said, "I've heard the terms used by people from every culture, but I never knew what they meant."
"The religions of the Northland all differ, and use different words to speak of this land of final decay, but they all believe in it, except in educated circles. Sholom is the unified language of the continent and Hecros is a word everyone knows though they all believe in variants of it."
"So the hacrus carry cities off into Hecros," Simon said.
"No, Hecros is more of a poetic embodyment of the ultimate death," Salte said, "The hacrus are responsible for manefesting Hecros conditions to the already decayed or something like that. It's more like a state of being." Simon and Love gave Salte a 'what-the-heck' look. Salte nodded his head with a smile.
"It gets deep and the book just briefly skims it," he said, "Ask the Elder if you want to know more."
"I'll pass," Simon replied, "Are there any other good legends."
"Yes, there is one that's pretty interesting, if not romantic. Sara likes it," Salte said, "It's of a man named Aljick, who had a birth defect on his left hand. His father could not bring himself to kill the boy and said he would rather see his kingdom destroyed than to be the death of his own son. Durning the time when the North Lands were begining to decide it was wiser to ally themelves with each other or just plain take over, the boy grew into a well known warrior named Aljick. We he would go out he would wear a glove and he was therefore a left-handed warrior. Once upon a time he requested the hand of a princes named Selea. The father of the princess had userped the throne from a more nobler king and did not wish to have any heir, so he banished his wife and never saw her. Then he killed the first man to request the hand of his daughter. Aljick was from another rival country and had loved Selea the first time he set eyes on her and so worked hard to earn her attention and then love. He made unsteady peace with the king whose name was Cotsheere of Grenabve, though Aljick was only a prince at this time, he was a very shrewd man, but honorable. After years of friendship, he won Selea's affection and the two fell in love. But Cotsheere would not have it. Aljick offered all of his inheritance to convince Cotsheere to allow them to be together, but The King still would not budge and Aljick's father was not happy. Aljick assured his father that should he give the foolish king of Grenabve his whole domain he could get it back again, but even if not, Selea would be worth it. Aljick's father told him that he would rather send his son to Hecros than see the kingdom in the hands of Cotsheere and that he was blinded by love, how ironic. All that because of the hate of another person. The king had other heirs and so banished Aljick from their kingdom, Cotsheere would have nothing to do with Aljick after that.
Aljick made a life for himself building boats, fishing, even fighting and became the leader of a town between the sea and what is now the Aljick Mountains. The town was out side what was most coveted at that time and so was ignored by his father, and it was way out of the way of Cotsheere. Aljick made a name for himself as a fisherman, hunter and warrior and had gained much wealth again and had actually built a small empire of his own. He was very smart. After many secret visits to Selea while still poor, Aljick, now wealthy, asked for the hand of Selea again from Cotsheere and Cotsheere of course denied him saying that only if Aljick sailed around the world in the treacherous open waters, then he would grant Selea his daughter's hand in marriage. Aljick took him up on his offer and began studying with his best seamen, the seas to build a ship that could withstand the might of the violent waves of the open waters. When he was satisfied, he sent word to the King of Grenabve and set sail to make it around the world.
The king of course was furious that Aljick had the courage and possibly the ability to take him up on his offer and so gave Selea to another wealthy warrior in marriage while Aljick was gone. But Selea never stopped hoping for Aljick to return victorious and safe. Grenabve and Coastshire began to battle over some territory while Aljick was gone. During this fight the King of Coast missed his son who was very cunning and valiant in battle, and good with the soldiers, and he cursed the day Aljick ever met Selea. Aljick remained gone for many years and the King of Coast lost the war with Grenabve giving Grenabve almost all of the continent. Selea had two children who grew to be teenagers.
Then one day on the coast of what is now Sholom a man appeared out of the sea with a crew of men on a great ship. The ship could not come into the harbor and they deployed other ships smaller but still almost as large as a normal ship. The people were shocked when he told them his name was Aljick because he was well known for his foolish and great feats. He told them he was planning to claim his future wife's hand in marriage and they informed him that she had already been given away and had born two sons to a murderous man." Salte took a deep breath and then continued.
"Well, needless to say Aljick was furious and he immediately set plans to hold the King to his word, even if it ment murder. But a wise man stopped him and told him that the way back to his love was not through murder, but justice. Aljick traveled to Grenabve with many servants whom he had trained exhaustively in battle and who were completely loyal to him and presented himself to the King who was now getting old. All were shocked even Selea who had almost given up on him. He challenged Selea's husband to a duel by the laws of Grenabve, by challenging his honor as a warrior. He knew that Stectem, the man Selea was married too, was a lover of bloodshed as were his sons. Aljick was now 40. Stectem had to accept the challenge or be shamed as a warrior of renown. He arranged for Aljick to be killed by his two sons before making it to the duel."
Love lifted her hand for him to stop. "Does he die?" She asked.
"I don't want to know until the end," Simon clipped, "Keep going, Salte."
"Selea found out and slipped out during the night to tell Aljick. After informing him, he dressed his servants who were formally hunters and fishers before they were warriors and sent them out through the town to keep a lookout. Aljick went through the town unharmed and arrived for the duel while the two sons of Stectem and any other men sent out to kill Aljick did not. Aljick drew his sword and Stectem his ax and a very hard fought battle ensued that lasted almost all day in the town square. Finally, Aljick managed to deliver a fatal blow to Stectem after cutting Stectem's ax in half. No one mourned the death of Stectem or as it turns out the death of his two sons. The King ordered the death of Aljick right there, but Selea rushed out and clung to Aljick. The king then ordered that both of them be put to death, but the sevents of Aljick who were loyal to the death came to his rescue in the town and fought their way to Aljick and then to the king before the king could mass enough protection. Aljick then took controll of Genabve and almost all of the Northland except Calton because it was considered a wasteland of sorts. He married Selea and they had three sons who divided the kingdoms into three sections when their father died: Sholom, Coast, and Skiit, and though these kingdoms faded in and out of existance during the time between then and now, these are the enduring kingdoms now, in honor of a civilization founded on love, though it hardly seems so now."
"Awww," Love said.
"Sailed acround the world?" Simon replied.
"Yea that's what got me too," Salte said. Sara got up after Faith went to bed and walked over to the three.
"I hate to interrupt story time," Sara said softly and tearing, "But Love has an early long day tomorrow if not the day after." Love got up from her chair.
"And so do you," She said to Simon smiling as he smiled at her.
Simon got up and gave a quick glance to Salte who had noticed a difference in the way they were treating each other since they came into the cabin. Salte nodded his head with a slight smile and got up to get ready for bed. The night was actually well past midnight, but no one could really sleep anyway. Simon and Love walked outside the front door. They faced each other staring like lovers do. They kissed and Simon looked at her smooth brown eyed face.
"I'll protect you my queen," He said. She gave him a quick kiss and he left for the Elder's house. Simon gave a quick look back and she watched him all the way until he dissappeared in the darkness, and then she walked inside. She walked inside slightly stunned and somewhat flustered. And so the night passed quickly.

Chapter 3: Confrontation with Hirst

2005-12-15T05:28:00.000-08:00

"What trouble?" Price said, "Why would Surel care anything about us?"
"Because he can use us to gain power and ease the nerves of a panicked nation," The Elder said.
"The bright light," Salte responded. The Elder nodded.
"How long?" Claude asked.
"Two or three weeks now," The Elder said.
The group sat stewing over this news. Price got up and walked outside and Love followed him.
"What kind of trouble are we talking about," Salte said.
"Military trouble," The Elder replied.
"They're not going be easy on us or our wifes way out here," Claude said.
"I'm sure we can handle it," The Elder replied, "My main concern is Faith and her daughters. If Surel can, he'll have your daughters killed, Faith, and you so you can't pin it on him. We have to get you out of here."
Faith nodded. "The Mayor of Oak has arranged to have you taken to a very remote town were you won't be recognized; you should be safe. It's quite out of the way for all of us, including Surel," The Elder said. The Elder finished recounting the details to the group and they took it in. Silas pondered the matter on the steps, revolted at what he was going back to.
"We'll talk more of this tomorrow," The Elder said, "Faith get your things together, please."
Faith nodded, got up and left the house.
"I don't understand," Claude said, "If the king is left alive then why is his family in such danger."
"I don't understand that kingdom either," Salte said.
The Elder replied, "I've encountered more than a few senseless rules in my travels there. They are only just now developing a culture of their own. They are still in a transition stage in their culture. Unlike Skiit, Coastshire, and Solom Calton has been more concerned with keeping their country united. Their education, if any other than their history, comes from other cultures. Not until the Valiants took power did the country really start experiencing unity. They haven't sorted out all of their laws."
"They're blind, just like we were," Salte said, "And many are desprite to justify themselves. That's why they don't make any sense." Salte got up and bekoned his wife to walk over to him. She walked over to him and he got up and kissed her.
"I'm going to get our children," Salte said. Salte and Sara exited the house. Simon went upstairs to check on his father. The Elder and then Claude looked over to where Silas was sitting, but he had gone to his room.
Claude looked to the Elder. "I'm not letting those men come within twenty feet of this village," Claude said, "I'll show them what kind of soldiers they are."
"I agree," The Elder replied, "We'll formulate some sort of strategy tomorrow."
"Are you sure they are only a few weeks off?"
"No, it's an estimate."
Claude nodded and then walked over to see if any food had been prepared in the Elder's kitchen. He found some bread and cut himself a slice.
"I'm sure not going peacefully."
"We're not. But I hate to endanger the village folk."
"We can't hide them somewhere?" Claude said.
"We can. I've thought of that. As long as they think they have gotten all of us, they shouldn't be looking for anyone else."
"What about their homes," Claude said.
"We'll have to destroy them incase the soldiers decided to try to come in and take us directly from the village. They can stay in our homes. We need to get started on all of this as soon as possible."
Claude finished his bread. "Is Kera on her way back?" Claude asked.
"Word was sent right away when you got home," The Elder replied.
"I was only gone a week or two and I missed her," Claude said.
The Elder smiled. "You should go home and wait for her, Claude. Get some rest," he said.
"I think I will. Let me know how Calthes is doing."
"Of course," Elder Sel replied.
Claude left and the Elder went to the kitchen to get food for Calthes. He walked up stairs with some bread and soup. Silas was asleep on his bed facing the wall, so Elder Sel did not disturb him. When he walked in Calthes's room Simon and Claire were talking to him.
"I've got some soup," he told them, "I figured you two were able bodied enough to get your own, but I brought Calthes some myself."
They smiled and The Elder left the room to go to his room downstairs. Simon looked at each of his parents. Claire reached up and caressed her son's cheek tearing. These tribes had a history of bearing more sons than daughters, hence they died out. They only believed in taking one wife at a time, which was more than a man could handle most of the time, that was their belief anyway. Many men were forced to die single, though a woman was never pressured into marrying, much less marrying a spacific person. So entire familes ended abruplty, though with no complaints. The whole ordeal of exile and genocide had curbed many impulses like pressuring young ones to marry. They saw life a little differently, after that. The long life of the tribes accounted for their existance this long, but their time was coming to an end.
"We didn't have any others," Calthes said, "We wanted just one boy or girl."
"I wouldn't mind having a brother or even a sister," Simon said, "I do have 300 years to live."
"We may have another," Claire said, "But it'll be decades before we decide to have another."
Calthes said, "I'm sorry that I'm losing my leg. I'd hoped me an you could work hard together for a long time."
"I'll take care of everything, father," Simon replied.
"I know you will." Calthes looked over to his right to the sword standing in the corner. "You see my sword over there," Calthes said nodding in the corner across the room. Simon nodded. "I'm going to go ahead and give that to you," he said smiling.
Simon looked back at his father.
"Go ahead and pick it up," Calthes urged. Simon got up and slowly walked over to the sword. It was sheethed in a dark green and grey sheeth. The dark green and the dark grey swirled about all around. The part where the hilt met the sheeth was a brown band of animal fur. Simon picked up the weapon and drew the sword. The dragon eye glittered and Simon could see his black eyed reflection tainted gold in the dragon's cheek just beside the eye. The sword was actually a little heavey for the average man, but to Simon it was just right.
A streak of light cut up the blade in the middle. "There is nothing else to it, Calthes said, "It's just a very strong sword, beautifully crafted. Possibly indestructable, though not likely."
"It's geogeous," Simon replied staring and turning the blade this way and that.
"Passed down from generation to generation," Calthes said, "The only treasure left of an unmerciful race. How ironic." Calthes looked at the blade with pride and sorrow.
"Why did you wait so long to show me this sword?" Simon asked.
"So long?" Claire said, "We normally don't reveal its existance until the father dies."
"The only reason we have it is because we are the last family left," Calthes explained, "It was not ours by birth right. But somehow our family has remained after all others."
Simon thought of how their family was the last left of thousands of years of others. Only they lived to see these times of danger."
They stayed and talked until night came. Simon said good-bye for the night and got up to leave the house. Claire stayed with her husband, while Simon stepped outside to go home. He exited late in the evening when someone called to him in a wisper, "Hey."
Simon turned, it was Love. His eyes turned black without him even thinking about it.
"How is he?" She asked.
"He's....gonna loose his leg. But other than that he's going to make it."
"Oh." The both of them stood looking at the ground in silence for a moment, for respect out of Calthes or something, I don't know. Then Love looked up. "Where are you going now?"
"Home back to the farm. My father and my mother are staying in The Elder's house tonight."
"So you're staying by yourself." Simon nodded.
"Can...I walk with you to your house," She asked. Simon nodded a little suprised. And they started.
"How long have you lived here," Love started.
"All my life. 21 years."
"Do you ever wish you could leave?"
Simon nodded.
"Alot of times I wish I could leave," He said, "I don't hate this place and I would come back after journeying, but I would like to see what else is out there. Just to know."
"I wish I could go back to Calton Capital and see my father and the city again."
"What do you remember about your father?" Simon asked.
"He was tall, but I guess everyone is tall at the age that I remember him. He had a black beard because our Kings are expected to have beards, but it wasn't thick; he kept it trimmed and he had dark brown eyes. He was strong because I remember him picking up logs that other people couldn't pick up. On his days off, he would work with the people in the city. He didn't have all the glit and glamor like the other kings you hear about." Love looked to the ground. "He liked to go into the town and help. I remember people greeted him like they would greet a friend on the street. That's why everyone loved him, I guess. Because he didn't hold anyone above another. He tried to understand everyone and didn't judge, that's what people and my mother tell me. And everyone was important to him."
"Sounds like a king from a fairytale," Simon replied.
"Yea, He said it isn't easy, but he always told me, 'You can live a hard life the easy way or live an easy life the hard way, but either way life is going to be hard. I never understood what that ment untill recently. I can spend my life content happy with good health and provided needs, or I can spend my life stressing and working hard to make things easy on myself worrying about my ambitions. I learned to be content living in this place. Not that this is a bad place, it just gets kind of trying."
"I kind of understand. What I don't understand is how come your lives are still in danger even with a king like your father."
"Not everyone agreed with my father."
"Like your uncle." Love nodded.
"The masters and nobles don't either, but they still hailed my father as a good man who kept the Kingom united and the powerful people in power, so they won't hurt him directly. They would not want us dead, but Surel has got them so wrapped up that they wouldn't seriously challenge him if he creatively moved us out of the picture."
"Pretty stupid. So, he sent you here?"
"No, we made our way here after the only decent Noble, Master Casse, a man from Oak, told us that this would be the best place to hide. So our father told him to escort us here."
"I see. So, what's Calton Capital like?"
"Crowded. Everyone's always working. The Walls outside the city are made out of white granite that took years to hew out of our mountains. The castle is made out of different rocks, grey and black, white and brown layed in all different patterns. Gems, emeralds, rubies and dimonds are layed out on the ivory doors made from elephants that roam in Skiit. Precious gems are abundant in Calton because we are a mountainous country. Money isn't that big of a deal." Love continued and Simon listened with wonder as Love discribed this city that he would never get to see. He wished so much that he could travel there.
"Do you know anything about your cities?" Love asked.
Simon turned to her. "Yep, I can show you." Love looked at him and tilted her head as she stopped. Simon was smiling, his black eyes gleamed in the nightlights. (There are two moons remember)
"What do you mean?"
"Sometime I will when I don't have to work."
"You can take a day off." Simon looked at her still smiling.
"Meet me at my house tommorow morning."
"Why in the morning?"
"Because it's a long way west of our house."
"I've been that way, there's nothing over there."
"There is were we'll be going," He said. Love looked at him curiously.
"Okay." They continued on, talking here and there about things. Love made sure to get to know the boy she had ignored for this long and was somewhat charmed by his sarcasm and his smart aleck remarks. Then he would talk of what little he knew inside the boundries of their forest and she would listen until they finally reached his house. Simon turned to Love "I'll see you tommorrow," Simon said, "We have to start early if we want to comeback before nightfall tommorrow." Love nodded and turned to walk back home. Simon watched with black eyes until she was out of his range, which was far; then he went inside fairly confused, but happy.

Chapter 3: Confrontation Continued

2005-12-06T08:03:00.000-08:00

The Outcastes' form of story telling was unique. Since they all had good memories they could accuratly recount a story and would assign parts. They told stories in play form, sometimes they would act it out, sometimes just speak. Sometimes retelling a story would take days because they put so much time into the whole process. They used this form because they wanted to recreate the experience as completely as possible. They were never insensitive to the fact that this stuff actually happened, but it was a form of entertainment for them. Also, like any form of entertainment some stories were rather boring. Not this one though. I will have to interject so that the experience can be recreated as much as possible as they tell it. Salte took the role as narrator.

Narration: The Four travelers make it through the pass in two days, safely, no trouble with mud slides or falling rocks that are so dangerous to traveling through the Passageway Shut. (The name of the passage to the Southern Lands) When they come out, they see SouthLand looks the same as it has for thousands of years, with that misty look covering the sun turning everything to a pale hazey yellow and grey, and everything scraping, barely hanging on to its life. They continue along the mountain untill they find the trail, or what's left of it anyway. It's getting about dark now so they set up camp, spend the night, and arise the next morning to begin re-cutting the trail that leads down into the valley plains behind the tower. Blazing the trail took them five days to do instead of the four that it normally takes to just walk it. When they reached the valley plain, they evidently intrude on the privacy of a heard of deformed deer, because the deer charge the group as soon as they see them. The deer thunder toward the four like many tumbling stones.

Price: There's got to be fifty of them of them. Watch out!

(Price changed his voice slightly and spoke for Calthes's slightly deep rough voice)

Calthes: Salte!

Narration: The young Magus immediatly puts up a force guard and the deer stuggle to run through. He holds it until they become too tired to push against it. The deer still have not developed any endurance in their decayed state. When the animals colapse from exhuastion, The Magus releases the force wall and they hurry on before the deer get rested. It takes two days to reach the tower and when they do, they examine were the three men had cut their way into the massive tower.

(Silas stared into space as Salte talked about their arrival and experience at the tower.)

Narration: They decide to go in immediately. The Magus pulls out his spear (which had dimond heads on each end by the way) and walks behind Price, Claude and Calthes filling the entire huge room with light from his spearheads. The room is still as they left it 20 years ago, the Southlanders make their way to the center staircase and walk up.

(Usually if one remembered a conversation, the others could recall their part with little problem)

Price: This place is still in such good shape even after all this time.

Calthes: We have no record if this is Hirst's doing or ours. But what a tower.

Salte: It is magnificent. I'm not sure Magus were capable of this kind of work, though the Knights may have been.

Price: Well, either way this is a huge tower for just storing something away.

Calthe: Funny, it's not big enough if you ask me.

Price: We could fit the whole village in here.

Narration: They continue up the staircase until they finally reach the top and halte as they come through the top floor. Price sees the broken door.

Price: Yep, they made it through the door.

Calthes: Were is Hirst?

(Claude took Hirst's part. He tried to mimic Hirst's deep full growl, like a lion with vocal inflection and phonetical skill. Hirst had already figured out the languages of the times in that short time. His power has grown.)

Hirst: Here.

Narration: The unsealed room begins to glow and Hirst comes out of the room.

Calthes: So you are Hirst.

Hirst: I can't believe you actually came back here, you fools. Your fate will be the same as the other three men.

Salte: What are you doing, Hirst?

Hirst: Same thing you were doing once, gaing power.

Narration: Hirst looks around.

Hirst: 4000 years huh? You were more stout than I anticipated. Not that it matters now.

Narration: They prepare in case of a battle.

(Claude cleared his throat)

Hirst: You fools. What do you think you can do should I actually decide to do something.

Narration: They stand motionless and watching him. Calthes takes a breath to speak.

Calthes: We don't know, Hirst, but we're going to do something.

Salte: Hirst's eyes became white and he started to glow slightly crimson.

Hirst: My power is growing. If I were you I would just stop worrying and keep out of this. I've wittled your weak tribes down to almost nothing. The wise thing for you would be to go back and allow your races to wither away with what dignity you have left, if any.

Price: I'll just as soon die with you.

Narration: Hirst laughes hard at Price's comment.

Hirst: Do as I say! I'm not going to do anything yet, not drastic anyway. By the time I'm ready to act all of you will have died happy, in old age and the rest of your race will have drawn their last harvest, so get out if you want to live!

Calthes: What are you planning?

Narration: Hirst turns at first as if not to say anything, but then he turns back.

Hirst: You really don't have any dignity do you? Are you asking out of curiostiy? How do I plan to bring about your doom? Pathetic. The Three Anomilies.

Narration: Claude turns to The Magus.

Claude: What's he talking about?

Hirst: Don't fret about it Claude. Just know that I don't plan on finding them myself. I plan on letting your pathetic species do it for me.

Calthes: They would never do such a thing for you. And you look human just as we are.

Hirst: I am above human now. And who said they would do it willingly? They're just like you.

Narrator: Hirst walks closer to them and they back up.

Hirst: They never learn until it's too late. They're all too willing to make progress in every field except character, patience...forbearance......contentment. You're race is never content. I'm counting on their progress, as you call it, as a civilization.

Narration: Hirst continues to walk toward them, but they stop backing up.

Hirst: (Hirst's voice slowly increased in volume as he said these things) I'm counting on their ambition. (Slightly louder) I'm counting on their obsessive desire for comfort. Their weakness in tolerating and identifying nessecary pain and discomfort. I'm counting on their prideful rejection of wisdom and their desprite cunning in the justification of their desires, which feed all of the above and drives their reckless advancement in machinery and philisophy! There is more knowlege than you could ever know than they can ever know, And I know what man is capapble of. Yes, they'll do it for me just like you did, and they'll be powerless to stop me, because all I have to do, is keep them ignorant of my presence and bickering with themselves. War and lust for power will sling-shot them to the knowlege that I will simply walk in and take. They won't stop me, they won't even know I exist, and by then my power and knowlege will be more than they can oppose, not that I'll even need it I'll just slip in and take it. If I were you I wouldn't heap an early death on yourselves and your family. I would let these self-willed insects reap the consequences of their own blind pride, weakness and stupidity. (Hirst calmed back down) Look how they treated you. They sealed you away in their ignorance, in their pride they forced you to stay, in their fear they murdered your dwindiling civilazation and for what? No reason at all, because you would have thrown a wedge in their power base, because they just didn't want to accept anything new, because they thought you should have died out with your foolish disaster, because exile is where you should be, if not then you wouldn't be there in the first place. I've done a little traveling in these few short days. You can go home free of guilt, you did all you could; it just wasn't enough. I fully plan to help these arrogant worms get along nicely (Hirst smiled at his play on words) and be civilized people who revel in their own accomplishments while encouraging individuals to completely ignore their own flaws so they can use them to gain power and luxury, just like I plan to use them.

Narrator: Hirst laughes at his ironic plan.

Calthes: Nice speech, Hirst. Here's mine, we're hear because we chose to be. Honor does not belong to you, neither does guilt, or wisdom and neither do our own lives. Another One and not you will not tell us what we should do or shouldn't do. You do not, nor will you ever have that kind of authority, no matter how powerfull you grow. And we will not let you take advantage of human weakness no matter what it may have done to others.

Narration: Hirst yells and Price and Claude immediatly fade and try to get behind him, one on each side. But Hirst can see them and he sends them both against a wall, blue like Calthes's leg. The Magus holds his guard but he can't hold forever. Hirst continually works on it with his power.

Calthes: Let your force down, Salte.

Narrator: The Magus does as Calthes says and as soon as he does he dives away. Calthes lunges faster than anything The Magus has seen and strikes Hirst on the shoulder. Hirst lets out a massive cry of pain that shakes the whole tower.

(The Soul Knight's ability to harm Hirst is a mystery, like so many aspects of the Southern Races. But I might as well say, the sword has nothing to do with it. It's something else. Salte now spoke for Hirst because Price nor Claude had no recolection of this event)

Hirst: Insignifigant worm!

Narrator: Hirst directes something toward Calthes, a crimson ray of light with white streaks in it. The Magus puts his guard up around Calthes and stops the crimson spear, but that makes Hirst even more angry. He immediately directes it to to the Magus again and he puts his guard around himself. Hirst focuses all of his energey on The Magus. And he almost gave in. Price and Claude remain out. Calthes stabbes Hirst through the heart while Hirst is focused on The Magus. Hirst then strikes Calthes and sends him to the wall just like Price and Claude. Then he turns back to the last person standing. He smiles and then turns crimson and then white and disapears. The Magus lookes all around and in the unsealed room and cannot find him. Then the whole tower then begins to shake violently. So he immediately tends to Claude. He managed to restore Claude enough for him to help carry the other two. One carries Calthes and the other carries Price. They carrfully make their way down the long stair case, and the tower shakes harder and harder as they climbed down. When they come to the opening in the ceiling of the vast chamber they could see that the tower was holding up but not for long. The pillar of stairs shake hard nearly throwing them down, once, then twice and again, but they make it out side and get far away into the planes behind the tower. The tower then crumbles all at once and sends boulders rolling everywhere through the woods crushing trees and throwing dirt everywhere. The Magus puts up a shield with all of his might and many large boulders come their way. Many smaller boulders the size of a man roll blazing toward them and he stops them, but then huge boulders come charging at them. He struggles with all his might to stop them as sweat pours down his face, they stop. Three of the rocks come within a foot of me. Once the whole situation dies down, he rests before tending Calthes and Price and Claude. He finally attends each in turn. He tires but does not stop. He finishes with Claude and Price, but does not have much strenth left for Calthes, but he does the best he can. He did him last because he was the strongest of them, but he does not completely save him. So he brings him back tending him as he can along the way. And so...here they are.

(They would not need much narration if they were acting the story out, and it would be told much better, but they did not have enough time to assign parts and coreograph the whole thing. Plus, they were tired and decided to just tell the story)

Back to my narration...

The Elder sat staring at the ground thinking.
"So what are we going to do?" Sara asked.
"Unfortunately, nothing at this moment," The Elder replied, "We have another more immediate issue to resolve."
"What do you mean more immediate?" Salte said.
"We have trouble from Surel coming our way," The Elder replied.

Chapter 3: Confrontation with Hirst

2005-11-22T08:21:00.000-08:00

The Elder walked outside to see Salte, Price, Claude, and Calthes resting under the big tree next to the Elder's house infront of the village party space. Calthes sat with a look of pain on his face as he held his leg and Salte looked at it. "Calthes are you alright?" The Elder asked anxiously.
"I should be alright since we made it back," Calthes said grunting at the pain.
"What happened?" The Elder asked.
"We'll tell you tonight," Salte replied, "Right now it's going to take Sara, you and me to purg Calthes' leg.
Simon watched worried and tearing at seeing his father in so much pain. His eyes were black of course, but there was nothing he could do. Love walked up with a wash rag and gave it to Salte.
"What did he do?" Love asked.
"It's getting a little of its real color back," Salte said.
Love looked at the leg. It was a dark blue from the knee down.
"Elder I need you to take my place," Salte said, "I'm completely wiped out."
The Elder rushed to take Salte's place and put his hands on Calthe's head and heart. Simon looked on in fear. Clair soon arrived and rushed to Calthe's side.
"O honey!" She cried taking his hand.
"I'm going to be fine," Calthes replied. He grunted again as the rush of invisible energy flooded his body and reached his leg. Clair began to wipe the blue part of his leg with a wash cloth. Price and Claude walked up to Simon.
"He'll make it," Claude said.
"What happened?" Simon asked.
"Hirst," Price replied.
Everyone looked up at them.
"You saw Hirst!?" The Elder said.
"We'll tell you all about it as soon as we finish helping Calthes," Salte said.
The Elder continued to give energy to Calthes. Simon walked away and sat down and Price, Claude and Love joined him.
"So?" Simon asked.
"It was bad," Price replied.
"Hirst is definatly a massive threat," Claude continued, "More so than we thought."
"How so?" Simon asked.
"It will take a while to explain," Claude answered, "But I'll say he's not going to do anything direct right now. He's got all the power he needs and he's waiting for the right time to use it."
Love looked at the three men. "What are we going to do?" Love asked them.
"We don't know yet," Price replied, "It was all we could do to make it back here alive. If not for Salte, all three of us would be dead."
Love turned away and looked into the woods.
"It's okay, Simon," Price reassured, "Your father is not going to die."
Simon nodded his head.
"Okay move him into my house," The Elder said, "Into the room next to Silas'.
"Silas?" Salte and Calthes said together.
"You'll meet him. He's one of the three that went into the Southern Land.
"Hirst spoke of them," Salte said.
The Elder looked at Salte with intense worry.
Silas sat up in bed when the big rustle came up the stairs. He watched Salte carry Calthes to the room next to him followed by The Elder, Simon, then Price, then Claude.
"Hey," Silas said to Love when she came to the door.
Love stopped. "What's going on?" Silas asked.
"A hurt man," Love said walking into the room, "I guess there's not much I can do." Moments later Faith and Sara rushed past Silas's room.
"Who was hurt?" Silas asked.
"Simon, the guy who found your sword, his father."
"He found my sword?"
"Yes," Love answered," Does it mean a lot to you?"
"Well, yes, kind of," Silas said, "It was my guardian's or my mentor, whatever. It's the only thing I've ever owned for myself."
Love nodded in understanding.
"Is his father going to be alright?" Silas asked.
"They all say he is. But he's in a lot of pain right now."
"How was he hurt?" Silas asked.
"Something to do with Hirst," Love replied.
"Hirst?" Silas said, "Oh no." He flopped his head back on his pillow."
"They're not going to blame you," Love said.
"I know, but I still feel responsible," Silas said.
Calthes groaned in the next room. "I'm gonna go over and see him," Love said.
"Okay," Silas said. He layed his head down to go back to sleep.
Silas couldn't sleep though. He thought about what had happened and how he should have done more to stop Titus, one of his few true friends. He wished he had stayed to help Mica, even though it would have ment his life. He lay there staring at the ceiling without moving. The talking in the other room could be heard in Silas's room. He listened to the murmur of voices discussing whatever. Eventually, the voices stopped and people began to walk past Silas's room. Then the Elder came into his room. "How are you feeling," He asked Silas.
"Better," Silas said, "Much better."
"You should be ready to go anytime you wish after today," The Elder said.
Silas nodded. "Thankyou very much," Silas answered.
"There is something I need to tell you," The Elder said.
Silas looked at the Elder curious at his statement. "What?" He asked.
The Elder walked into the room and sat down in a chair in the corner oposite of the side Silas was on. "The treatment we gave you has sideeffects besides healing," The Elder told him.
Silas looked at the Elder seriously. "They are not physically harmful, but they can damage you in other ways if you are not careful," The Elder continued.
"Okay," Silas said waiting for the Elder to continue.
"When we treat illness, we treat more than just the illness. We treat everything. Every weakness your body has, every flaw."
"What do you mean," Silas asked.
"You are going to live for a long time, Silas," The Elder said, "You are going to live for a long time with very few illnesses. Your senses have been enhanced slightly, and your body is more effecient at healing itself. Not as much as us, but somewhat more than a normal person. You're not any stronger or quicker, you're still normal as far as that goes."
Silas sat shocked at the news. He looked down at the cover over his legs and took the information in.
"Sara was very gratefull, for you saving her child. She did not know how else to repay you. To her, it was the least she could do. We have never treated a foriegner before, not even those in this village."
Silas remained silent. He thought of what this could mean and tried to decide if living for a long time was a good thing or a bad thing. Enhanced healing sounded nice.
"What is the disadvantage?" Silas asked him.
"None physically," The Elder said, "But how you chose to live the life you've just been given can be a great disadvantage to others and to yourself." Silas nodded.
"If I were you, I'd settle down, and start a family, because you will be able to experience the joy of fatherhood, grandfatherhood, great grandfatherhood, great great grandfatherhood, and possibly a little longer."
"What the heck would I do if I had a family," Silas said laying back down.
"The same thing everyone else does," The Elder said getting up. Silas looked up at him waiting for him to finish.
"Learn to deal with it." Silas looked at the Elder thoughfully and then looked at the wall still thinking. The Elder walked out and walked down stairs to speak with Salte, Price and Claude.
They were in the living room of The Elder talking with Simon, Love, Faith and Sara. The Elder made his way down the wooden stairs and walked over to join the group in the center of the room.
"Regardless," Salte said as the Elder approached, "I'm not sure we can heal his leg. He won't die thankfully, but I'm sorry Simon." The Elder stepped beside Simon and put his hand on Simon's shoulder. Everyone looked at the Elder gravely.
"This is sad indeed," The Elder said, "I'm very sorry Simon." The Elder looked at everyone. "Calthes is in his room with Claire. They wanted to be alone. I suppose now would be a good time to recount your story."
Salte, Price and Claude nodded and they all found chairs to sit in. They heard a creak on the stairs and turned to see Silas walking down.
"May I listen," Silas asked. They all nodded and Silas sat down on the steps.
"Okay, Salte go ahead," the Elder said nodding.

Dark

2005-11-08T05:52:00.000-08:00

I was told by a personality test that I was suseptible to easthetics. I suppose that is why this is one of my favorite poems, if easthetics is what I think it is.

Dark

"You're dark and mysterious,"

She said, "You need to be brighter."

Those words clouded his mind

for the rest of the sunny day.

He walked home

wondering what she ment.

What made brightness so much better?

It was easier to see in daylight for sure.

He could see a long sliver of light streak down a silver,

newly polished hand rail on some steps.

He watched flames of shade and flames of light

wrestle in the swaying sycamore trees tossed

back and forth by the wind. He looked both ways before

crossing the road to get to his street.

He turned a corner and walked by crowded woods.

Some of the trees were bent and twisted

trying to receive the sunlight, which,

by now, was fading with the setting sun.

He remembered the sunrise that morning,

when the clear red and orange woke the day.

The sun began to set,

and he let his search for her meaning set with it.

And he walked to the beach to reflect further

on his disrespectable feature. The boy

sat down in the white shadow-spotted sand

to watched the darkness

he embodied slowly put the day to sleep.

As he watched the sun set, stars caught his attention.

One by one, they each appeared like shiny pins far away

stuck in the darkening red and blue sky.

When the sky turned black, it became a sea of little

sparkles watching the earth. Beyond the black sky

were millions of galaxies each standing alone,

swirling like cosmic hurricanes made of swirls

of white, yellow, and blue light. The shiny pins that

filled the sky were connected by beams of gravity

constructing their own galaxy.

He thought of the nebulae, illuminated by stars,

painting volumes of space with blends of

soft red, blue, and yellow.

He looked to his left to see a casual astronomer,

who had waited for night when the sun was not

forcing the sky into a monotone of blue.

The boy admired the stars until he caught the moon

modestly peeking a quarter of her face from

behind the earth's dark veil to shower her

white-blue light on the water and white sand around him.

The splashes of light flickered on the water

as drops of moon rays pelted the gulf.

He focused his attention on the waves,

each a long splash of brush strokes parallel to the shore.

Each wave charged onto the beach to capture

its portion of sand and carry it into the gulf.

When the waves washed up, emerald lights of

plankton appeared and faded in the sheet of

water over the sand.

Then he jumped at thunder from a coming storm.

He looked to see complete darkness sliding

in with lighting that danced on the sea

illuminating the dark with bright blue light

for moments at a time. Each tounge of light took its turn

and tasted the gulf. He smiled, and let the wind of the coming storm

blew her remark away. The breeze stroked

his face and hair, and he lay down to rest for just a minute

before getting up to escape the storm.