They Were Born Upon Ashes (16 page)

“If we sent you to Terrel City what would be the outcome?” asked Jeffrey.

“One of two things,” said Thomas. “One is that he greets me and tells me to leave right after I bring up what is going on there. The other is that he complies and lets our camp into his city. There is more than enough space for us. The city is incredibly big. There are giant spaces of flat land where we could make camp that is far from the heart of the city and away from their doings. Warmth, food, and decent shelter would be in abundance.”

The group waited for Jeffrey to think and respond. He had the final say on any matter and on important matters such as this he was always the first to respond.

“We just met you,” said Jeffrey.

“Yes,” replied Thomas.

“Why are you so willing to help us?” asked Jeffrey.

“Because a few days ago I saw Hentrio and everything it stood for burn to the ground,” said Thomas. “I want to help this camp and build our strength so that we can take back what is rightfully ours when winter subsides. I think the amount of time of you all knowing me is irrelevant at this point.”

“Do you conspire with the enemy?” asked David.

“No,” said Thomas.

“Will you when you’re there?” asked David.

“They are not our enemies,” said Thomas. “Our enemies are the ones who claim Hentrio as their own now while spreading hatred and evil into its heart.”

“Everyone is our enemy unless they have the same goal and mindset as we do,” said David. “Everyone outside of this camp is an enemy of mine. I don’t like the idea.”

“Don’t listen to him,” said Tyler. “He is a neurotic old man with trust issues. You get used to it. He doesn’t talk for years but when he does it’s about his trust issues and paranoia.

David grunted at Tyler and gave him a look as if he wanted to place his hands around his neck so that he would never speak again.

“I would go with him,” said Nick. “Maybe a Hetha that is also a supreme Reza could demonstrate the power that we are dealing with. It is something they should be aware of and even fear.”

“You are both too young to convince Lord Senvot,” said Andrew. “I would go as well to provide wise and well thought out council to their lord. With my old age I have been through and seen far too many things. A man like him would appreciate such qualities.”

There were long moments of silence after they had all spoken their words. Everyone was deep in thought but no one seemed to be on the same level that Jeffrey was at. He looked down at his feet as he paced back and forth. He shook his head in every direction as if he was having an elaborate conversation in his head. He finally came to and looked at Nick, then at Thomas, and finally at Andrew.

“You have my consent,” said Jeffrey. “It will be at least a week’s ride so you will take the strongest of our horses. Do not put your lives in danger. If they act with hostility do not engage them unless you have to. Do your best to keep the peace while pleading our case.”

“What shall we tell him?” asked Nick.

“Tell him and his council that we need help,” said Jeffrey. “Tell him of the thousands of lives that are being lost everyday in Hentrio. Tell him your stories of what you have been through. Do everything you can. We have four weeks until the most brutal phase of winter is upon us. If they allow us in then we will be able to make it there battling the snow and cold for about one week. We have no time to spare. You leave in the morning.”

Nick and Thomas agreed to the plan. David looked at the three of them with such hatred it was almost unbearable to see. He felt that even his own brother was acting as a traitor. The rest of the king’s men agreed to the plan. They agreed that there was no sense in not trying.

“I have one more thing to say while we are all gathered around here,” said Thomas. “A battle followed by a war is inevitable. We are going to need to train the able bodies that are with us. We all stand united in our goals and intentions, now we must lead them with sword, arrow, and spear. We will be a united army. The king’s men will lead training five nights out of the week. Agreed?”

“Agreed,” said the group.

Nick and Thomas walked off and immediately started to gather supplies for the trip. Their food supply was already dwindling. They could only take so much from the camp. They knew that they would have to seriously ration their food to make it last for the week. All they could really gather in low quantities was fruit, nuts, bread, and dried meat.

They were ready to ride out come morning. Thomas went to his bag and pulled out a wool blanket he had brought with him from Vincot and went to sleep. Nick stayed up and had to break the news of his travels to Penny before he could attempt to sleep.

Penny was already sleeping. Nick looked down at her face. She looked so calm and peaceful in her sleep. The day was already a harsh one for Penny and he was dreading what he was about to tell her. However, he knew it had to be done at that moment.

Nick placed his hand on her shoulder and gently shook her and said, “Penny. Penny, wake up.”

She rolled over onto her back and her eyes slowly opened to the sight of Nick crouching above her.

He told her the news. She did not react in a way that Nick expected. She was very nonchalant and appeared to be numb. He told her once again that he would do what he could when the time came in regards to her parents. She closed her eyes and rolled away from him. It broke his heart to see his girlfriend in the state that she was. The news only made her heart ache even more. She did not even have to say a word. Nick could feel the pain that she was going through.

He lay next to her and looked up at the stars. He felt weak and he felt terrible. Love was something that hurt him like he had never encountered before. He wanted to do what was best for the whole group. He also wanted to do what was best for Penny. He could not do both at the same time. He closed his eyes and controlled his breathing. He meditated as he rolled over on his back. He had to clear his mind and the best way was always through his meditation. In his mind, he sat on the grassy hill and looked down upon the flowing river while the warming sun wrapped around his skin. He knew then that he was making the best decision he possibly could.

***

Daylight came in spurts throughout the early morning. The sun’s rays had a hard time penetrating the dark grey clouds up above the north bend. It was as if the sun was at war with the seasons. However, the sun finally made its way onto the top of the tall walls of the north bend.

Nick, Thomas, and Andrew had said their good byes to the camp. Nick walked over and kissed Penny one last time and reassured her of his safety and of his return. The three men walked away from the camp. Some people had no clue what they were embarking on while others had heard whispers in the night of their mission. Thousands looked upon them as they made their way to the north wall of the camp. Every eye was on them. Nick looked back once again at Penny. He saw a shadow with his peripheral vision move quickly along the top of the tall walls of the north bend. He looked up and saw a detath.

The detath were the beasts of the north that childhood nightmares were made of. They were an average of ten feet in length with a six foot wide shoulder spans. They had four massive legs with claws on their feet, black fur, red eyes, a mouth that stretched from cheek to their front teeth the size of a human arm, and forty razor sharp teeth each the size of a human hand.

“Look out!” yelled Nick. He pointed his hand quickly up towards the beast. Everyone turned their heads and looked up.

The detath jumped from the top of the wall and landed on the camp ground and it aimed its mouth at a Paplon male who narrowly escaped his grasp.

While everyone reacted to the detath landing on the ground, a second one jumped down from the top of the mountain before anyone could realize it. The second detath landed directly behind Reed. The massive beast stood five feet over Reed and bit down on him. Its mouth consumed all but a quarter of Reed. Nick could hear his bones being crushed by the beast’s teeth. The detath twisted its neck and threw Reed’s battered and lifeless body against the wall.

It all happened so fast, too fast for anyone to even draw their weapon. A third detath jumped from the top of the mountain and landed in the camp.

The detath were hunting. They would go into hibernation soon and they needed a big meal before winter. Detath were fierce and intelligent hunters that would only do their hunting in groups of three to ten. The only thing that the group could be thankful for was that detath always went after what was threatening them first. The innocent members of the camp ran fast and far away to safety while every courageous and able bodied man or woman stood their ground with a weapon of their choice.

The beasts all growled simultaneously. All of the supreme Rezas and Rezas began to use their destructive magic at the beasts. The detath were too quick. Their claws allowed them to dig into the wall and run along it dodging almost every attack.

Nick sent out his dark wave attack, fire, and ice and failed to connect a single blast.

Finally someone landed a fire attack on one of the detath. It did not so much as flinch as the fire quickly burnt out on its fur. The king’s men began to work together as they shouted out commands to one another.

“Supremes, hold the north!” shouted Jeffrey. “Everyone else, make a line, direct fire from the south, and make the detath run at us!”

Nick stood next to Ron as the first detath made its way to the Reza and Paplon on the south side of camp. They sent out ice, fire, and arrows at it. A few blasts of ice and fire landed near its face and made the beast turn around and charge the opposite way. The next two detath were on their way charging at the southern side at the same time.

The detath came sprinting at the supreme Reza lined up. They all conjured and sent out their dark wave attack at the same time. Every single blast landed on its mark. The detath fell to the floor and its body continued to slide from its momentum.

Nick looked up and saw the two detath charge the other end. They were able to do the same to one of the detath and made it turn around by landing enough attacks. The other detath was unharmed. It continued to charge and it grabbed ahold of three Reza who were on the furthest left hand side with its massive mouth. The detath continued to run and smashed the Reza to death. It ran into the wall the camp had created before spitting out the bodies. It got up and began a full on sprint.

The other detath had already made its way to the supremes’ optimal firing range. Once again they conjured up the same attack and simultaneously landed a massive and deadly attack. The body of the detath landed next to the first one.

Finally, the third detath was on its mindless sprint and almost within firing range. Nick took a couple steps backwards. He closed his eyes and felt the power of the attack flow through him like he had never felt before.

Suddenly the detath stopped in its tracks. It stood still for a moment before climbing the side of wall up to the top of the mountain.

They were all perplexed but felt victorious.

Nick heard the loud sound of something exhaling behind him. Ron, Jeffrey, and Andrew heard it as well. The four men turned around to see a massive green dragon standing above them. Its wings were to its side and it lowered its head to be level with the men. Nick was the closest to its scaly green face and gigantic razor sharp teeth. He was staring death in the face.

“Aim for the head!” yelled Jeffrey.

Chapter Twelve

Nick stood just five feet away from the massive green dragon. Its scales glistened by the morning light. Its eyes dark as night and teeth sharp as razors. A slight vibration of its throat could be heard with each inhalation and exhalation of oxygen. Its wings were to its side, his head lowered and staring right at Nick. The beast had to be at least thirty feet in length.

“Aim for the head!,” yelled Jeffrey.

Ron, Jeffrey, Andrew, and Nick all conjured up their dark wave attack within two seconds and sent it at the beast’s head. The attacks landed perfectly. The dragon turned its head up towards the sky then calmly looked back at the men. The attack had inflicted no damage to the dragon’s thick green armored scales.

The dragon let out its breath of fire directly over the head of the four men. They were lucky.

“Run…Run!” yelled Andrew.

Ron, Jeffrey, and Andrew turned around and began to run for their lives.

Nick stood still. The dragon was still looking him in the eyes. He looked right back into the dragon’s eyes. Nick felt a calming sensation throughout his body. It was as if the dragon’s eyes could tell him not to be afraid.

The dragon completely lowered its head to the ground, and it’s body followed suit. The dragon laid on the rocky ground and flared its nostrils at Nick as it exhaled. It then flicked it’s head sideways signaling Nick to come closer.

Nick was calm and he was no longer afraid. He knew then that the dragon did not mean any harm. Nick walked over to the dragon. It took him five steps to get in front of its giant face. Each step he took the dragon’s eyes grew fuller. Nick slowly placed his hand on the dragon’s nose. The dragon blinked at him and exhaled deeply as if it were expressing that it was pleased.

Ron, Jeffrey, and Andrew had stopped running before they went past what remained of the man made wall of camp.

“I don’t believe it,” said Andrew.

“How is this possible?” asked Ron.

Nick had seen the six ride on the backs of dragons. Instinct took control of him. He took his hand off of the dragon’s nose and walked to the front of its wings. Sharp tooth like tips were on the end of its wings. Its wings were still folded to its side so the tips were all in a slightly curved line. The height of the side of the dragon’s body from the ground to the floor was around six feet. Nick could not even see the back of the dragon, only the tips of the spikes that ran across the length of its back.

He placed his right hand on one of the spikes and grabbed hold. He put his foot on the side of the dragon to add traction as he hoisted himself up. His left hand grabbed hold of a spike next to the one his right hand was on. One last push and he was on top of the dragon. The long spikes on its back made it impossible for him to try to sit down. However he then turned around and noticed there was a four foot gap of no spikes on the dragon a bit further up towards the base of its neck. He tip toed his way around the array of sharp spikes and sat down in the gap.