CHAPTER FOUR ~ JOINING WON’T HELP

FOUR MONTHS AFTER (Eleven after banishment)

I was in an awful mood when I finally reached the end of the enormous mountain range. I had been traveling over the god forsaken landscape of gray rocks for well seven or eight months, or at least it felt like that. In reality it had to be no more than half of that time frame, but I was in no mood to give time the benefit of the doubt. I hated mountains for a good reason. The meat was few and far between and the stuff you did find was too tough to eat. And no human alive, except for Duard, though he wasn’t human, should have to stare at gray rocks and rubble for days and nights on end.

I had followed a river that cut through the mountains until it had the gall to disappear below ground. Then I had been forced to climb up the mountain side. I was definitely a forest person. The forest was dark, silent, and enclosed. The rocks I had traveled forced me to stay out in the heated sun and it was far to open.

From my vantage point, I could see an open range of land before me. I couldn’t see its end on my north and east ends, but on the west side, I could see something at least. What it was I couldn’t be sure. But whatever it was, would mean cover, and I had more than enough of the open sky. I traveled quickly to the floor of the mountain range and then followed along its bottom edge. It would be quite a while before I would see a distinctive line of trees. Trees meant forest and that meant no more mountain range. I didn’t reach the tree line until well into the next day. At that point, I decided the next time I needed to go over a mountain range, I was using my knife on my own throat first.

The next morning I woke up to the smell of trees, old leaves, and an overly cooked squirrel. I had fallen asleep before I ate it and it was far to over done now. I scowled at it. That meant I was looking for a new breakfast. I quickly packed up my small camp I and set off.

Whatever part of the woods I was in had an abundant supply of red berries. They were tart, yet they took the edge off the hunger. Animals, so far were scarce, but I had a mountain scent on me and it would take a while for the forest smell to cling to my clothing again. A rustling in the leaves alerted me to another’s presence and I stood still for a moment. It was quite a while later before I saw the squirrel clinging to a tree branch. Without a bow and arrow, I would have to throw a knife at it. I was close enough to hit it, but it would take a whole lot of precision.

Carefully, I flicked my wrist dagger into my hand. I raced my arm slowly to strike. Just as I was about to release the weapon, I loud crash off to the right shattered the silence of the forest and the peacefulness of my supper. The squire was up the tree quicker than a panicked rabbit into his close hole. I swore loudly and glared at the empty spot on the tree first and then in the direction of the sound. Whoever had made me lose my breakfast was about to lose their need for food forever. This was one kill I was really going to enjoy.

I stalked in the direction of the offending noise. A line of trees hid whatever the object of my hate was from my view, but it wouldn’t for long. I pushed a branch out of my way and stopped short at the sight before me.

A solider was on the ground looking up disgruntled at his horse, who was prancing out of the way. A snake was coiled was off to the side of the horse, chopped in half by a sword, still embedded in the ground. Laughter was coming from about ten to fifteen soldiers standing around or sitting on their own horses. In the center of the scene was an obviously higher ranking solider, due to the thick silver band around his upper arm and his magnificent black war horse, who obviously a much higher breed above all the others. He had dark brown hair, with a bit of gray, that went down to his shoulders, but his hazel brown eyes were furious.

“Get up, you idiot. Control your mount,” his voice was cold and demeaning.

The solider scrambled back from his still pawing horse, but he couldn’t stand up from his position. This just caused the soldiers laughed more.

“Imbeciles. Shut your traps. Silence is key, morons. We need the element of surprise and your fool hardy amusement will lose us that. Help the idiot up and calm the animal. We are moving out.” He glanced at the soldier still on the ground, “Get on the horse and at the back of the troop.”

At his harsh words the soldiers immediately quieted and two quickly stepped forward, hauling the ashamed soldier up, while a third man quieted the horse. The leader urged his horse forward and out of the pack. Within minutes, the whole troop had remounted.

“Carn, you’re an idiot!” one solider called out.

“Oh, shut your trap. I didn’t see a snake leap in front of your horse!” The one who had been on the ground called back.

“Do snakes leap?” another solider asked, laughing.

“Yeah, like little bunny rabbits,” a third voice joined in.

That set everybody off again. I shook my head, thoroughly disgusted with the whole lot. Their leader, whoever he was, ought to come back and beat each one of them. Unfortunately, I forgot I was holding back a branch to watch the scene in front of me and it chose that moment to whip itself back into its proper place. Within seconds, I had far too many swords pointing in my direction. For all their blundering ways, they were fast with their weapons. I didn’t have a chance to reach for my own dagger or sword, not that they would help me much right now anyway.

“Halt! Don’t move. Who are you?” one soldier asked, forcing his horse to move forward.

“Not someone you want to point that sword at,” I answered calmly.

“Oh! We have a smooth talker!” Another one commented.

I wasn’t about to reply to that comment. I stood still, staring down the one who seemed to think he was in charge.

“You step out here, where I can get a good look at you,” the first commanded.

“Does anyone ever follow your commands?” I asked smoothly. It was darkly amusing watching the fool’s face color a deep red.

Some of the other soldiers looked to be about ready to answer for him, when a black horse galloped into the middle of the scene. The leader was back. This might make things more interesting. He took in the scene at a glance.

“Who are you?” He asked coldly, focusing finally on me.

“Someone who refuses to have swords pointed at him by fools,” I replied, matching his tone.

The man looked at me silently for a moment, then barked out a laugh. “Drop your weapons,” he ordered the others.

Their shocked looks, did not slow their reaction time. All lowered their swords, though few put them away. I glanced at them all, before focusing back on the leader.

“What is your name?” He asked.

“Aiden,” I replied.

“Is that all?”

“Do you need more?” I was not inclined to give any information to this guy.

“Watch it, fool. Your attitude may saved your life, but your tone will end it just as quickly,” he spoke harshly now.

“Do you intend to make me prove my worth?” I questioned. I needed to find out what was happening, but it would take forever if he kept up his own attitude.

He smiled slowly. His eyes held the same glint that Wren’s flacons did when they swept in on prey. I had seen it often, when they attacked me for no reason. “Excellent idea. Fastron, take him down.”

It was one who had originally challenged me that swung of his horse. He was grinning when he turned to me. Finally, a fight that would be a challenge. He walked towards me sword drawn and I quickly drew my own. We circled each other for a moment, just long enough for me to get bored. But I held out and waited for him to make the first move.

He finally did, making a poorly executed lung. I side stepped him easily and swept my sword down and back, barely blocking the swing he had swung back around at me. He was fast and not as stupid as he looked. We circled around each other a few times and the clashed swords again. Suddenly, we were fighting fast and hard.

If I had not been in many fights before this between all the bandits and peace enforcers I had crossed, I wouldn’t have been prepared for this one. However, my training of old served me well. I was on the offensive as often as defensive, but more than that, I was slowly gaining control of the fight. My opponent was sweating under his armor and his grip on his handle was not quite steady enough. He was also tiring. I took the defensive once more , allowing him to push me back and gain confidence. I was almost up against a tree and knew I would have to make a drastic move soon, when he raised his sword higher over his shoulder to deliver what he must have though would be a killing blow. He never made it.

I seized his sword arm in my free hand with one quick move and slashed my sword into towards the side of his abdomen. The chain mail stopped my blow, but not before it doubled him over. I yanked hard on his arm and he fell to the ground. Quickly, I stepped hard onto his still very tender stomach. I brought my sword back around and laid it against his neck. One stroke and it would all be over.

“Beaten like a pure pup,” the silver banded man spoke disgustedly. “Will you finish him off?”

“Gladly,” I replied, letting my sword sink into his skin. I watched as his eyes grew wide with the terror of death.

Suddenly, Zoe stood before me, hovering just above the ground and in my line of sight, her young eyes questioning my every move. “Why, Aiden, why?” She asked in a voice cracked with sorrow.

She had been plaguing me ever since I had first seen her, too many months ago. And no matter how much I argued or ignored her, she always came back. I wanted her gone! But she refused, always looking at me with those same sad green eyes and always asking me the same disturbing question.

“No,” the leader said slowly, but it was enough to break the vision of Zoe. “You’ve bested him and he is demoted to a dog. But you…. Follow me.” With that, he turned his black horse out of the ranks of soldiers and took off down the forest path.

I looked back at my vanquished enemy. It would have been better to just kill him. Instead, I only sneered, sheathed my sword, and followed the black horse. Behind, me, I could hear some of the soldiers helping their comrade up. The questions and comments were too low for me to hear, but they were surprised that I had won. I wasn’t.

***

I followed the black warhorse into a small camp. Tents were set up in a circle and contained fires blazed in the middle. Men of all ages were scattered about the camp, each one busy. Some were cleaning armor or weapons, some cooked food, and others tended to the horses. A soldier ran up and took the reigns that the leader of the group tossed to him. Once he had dismounted he motioned for me to follow him into the largest tent, while the soldier led the horse away.

We entered a tent that looked more like the room in a wealthy house. A table occupied most of the center, with a single chair at its head. Banners hung all around, the silver and dark blue cast an eerie hue around the dark brown hippogryph, who was standing on his hind legs above a sword which lay on he ground. A section of the tent was roped off, where I assume he slept and did his business.

“I am Captain Ricald of Elangsa,” he said sitting on his chair in a manner that made him act more like the king of Elangsa, then its captain. He placed his finger tips together and stared at him over the tips of them. “You have impressed me.”

I wasn’t sure if I should find this a good thing or not. I didn’t trust the man and that made me leery of anything he said.

“That is not an easy thing to do. You would have killed Fastron if I had not stopped you. I think you would even have enjoyed it.”

Again, I stayed silent. He was right. He did not ever need to know about Zoe.

“I have jobs for such ruthless men.” His hazel eyes watched me carefully, as if he was trying to discern something I had not yet given away. But what?

“What types of jobs?” I finally asked.

A small, cruel smile finally cracked on his face. “Jobs that will need your expert fighting and your killing nature.”

That wasn’t much of an answer. I had figured out that much already. Whatever he wanted me to do, he was playing it close to his chest. Since I couldn’t answer, I stayed silent, watching him steadily instead.

“You will work exclusively for me. I will give you whatever job I want and you will carry it out without any questions. Occasionally, you will be fighting with the main body of the army as well.” He spoke as if I had already agreed, which I hadn’t.

“Why should I agree?” I wasn’t hearing a whole lot if incentive.

Captain Ricald surprised me when he barked out a laugh. “Because you are a killer and you will not be happy unless you can feed your need.”

I am? Had I really become so blood thirsty? When had that happened? But I wasn’t , not really. I had my reasons and I had not deviated from them.

As if on cue, Zoe appeared right behind the Captain’s shoulder. I waited silently for her question. It was barely a half second later, that she spoke. “Why, Adien, why?”

Because I have to fight Duard. I have to be ready and skilled enough to bring him down forever. You should understand that Zoe! He split us up! I had argued the same exact thing over and over with her. But still, she appeared to ask me the same question.

“You will, of course, be under a contact with me. That will protect you from anyone who would deem your services, underhanded, shall we say?” Ricald smiled in his cruel way.

“And you from me?” I asked, not missing the irony.

He gave an ever so slight nod, “I would not want you to try to backstab me, my friend. The contract will protect us both.”

“You don’t even know who I am,” I pointed out.

“I know all I need too. You are a ruthless killer who has no morals or scruples about killing. That is the type of man I need,” he stated confidently.

Had I really sunk to the level of heartless mercenary? But if I wanted to succeed in my mission, I would have to become all I had not been. Sacrifices had to be made. I was ready to make them.

Ricald had pulled out a sheet of parchment and a piece of sharpened charcoal and was making notes on it. Zoe appeared to be reading over his shoulder. She was becoming more animated. She looked up at me eventually, her green eyes piercing my own, but for once she did not ask her question.

Maybe, then this was the answer. If I was under a contract I had a binding duty to perform. It was not my fault that duty would require me to kill certain people. I would at least know who I was killing and why. It would make sense again. I could kill with confidence. The fight earlier had proven that there was still much I needed to learn in fighting a person or more than one person. This would be the perfect way to accomplish my purpose. Perhaps best of all, Zoe could say nothing. Then the visions of Firebrand would disappear forever.

When Ricald turned the sheet around to me, I barely glanced at it before I signed. Ricald seized the paper and locked it in a chest I had failed to notice before. It was official, I was a member of Captain Ricald’s army. It was only then that I realized I had no idea what army that was or what their mission was.

I shook my head at the stupidity of my actions. But the worst was that as Ricald turned back from the locked chest, Zoe looked from the locked chest straight into my eyes and asked, “Why, Aiden, why?”

***

Over the next few days I became accustomed with the camp. It was small enough to disassemble quickly, yet obviously had been there for a while. The horses were quite comfortable in the pen, which was made up of downed trees between trees still standing. They were out of it as much as they were in it. Tents had obviously been standing for weeks, maybe months, judging by the debris that lay on the sides and the water marks that had edged up about a foot or two from the bottom of the cloth. The soldiers also were familiar with the area, in many circumstances, lax in their guarding duties. I would often stroll out of the camp only to come back in later completely unchallenged.

More than that, I listened to their discussion. They drank some type of strong ale very freely. And each night I was able to grasp more of the situation I now found myself in. They were in a war that had been going on for years, if the soldiers would be believed, it had been going on forever. The country they fought against was called Alerilya, while I had enlisted on Elangsia’s side. The opposing country was weak and should have been under the serving power of Elangsia’s rule. It was unclear why the war had really started. I received many different answer, from rebellion, to assassination, to famine. Whatever the reason, it had long been forgotten, the objective now was to bring the rebellions and warring Alerilya back under control.

I sat down at one of the fires late one night and just listened to the conversation. Four soldiers lounged around, weapons far out of their reach. I shook my head disgusted, but said nothing. There was no point in ticking off drunk soldiers.

“Took em out quick, we did!” One of them crowed.

“Ya did not! Ya too weak, Hitz,” another mocked.

“Wanna say that ‘gain?” Hitz rose completely unsteadily. It was a wonder he didn’t collapse.

“Nah, he don’t,” a third spoke now. I knew this fellow. His name was Jaton. He had slightly more sense than the others, but only slightly. “”Sit, Hitz, ‘for you fall down ‘ard.”

“They here?” the fourth one finally spoke.

Hitz collapsed to the ground, though whether it was because his legs gave out or he was commanded, I couldn’t tell. “Nah, Captain send them back fast. Can’t keep stupid slaves ‘ere.”

“How many?” Jaton asked, seemingly bored with the conversation now.

“I don’t know,” Hitz complained. “There were lots.”

“Sartan said twelve,” the fourth soldier commented.

“Sartan can’t count,” the second complained.

Sartan could count better than any of them, I thought, but said nothing. Why were twelve slaves so interesting to this group? I had gotten the impression that they often trafficked slaves through the camp.

“You got the jump on that many?” Jaton questioned suspicious.

“Yep,” Hitz pushed his chest out, obviously pleased to be the center of attention.

“Ya did not. He wasn’t there then,” number four was on a roll.

“Was too!” Hitz seemed very upset now that he wasn’t being believed.

“He?” Jaton questioned, obviously I wasn’t the only one who wanted too know ‘who’ that was.

If possible, Hitz chest went out even further. He looked positively ridicules now. “The Hunter.”

Jaton sat straight up. “He was there?”

Who was the Hunter?

“Yep,” Hitz said proudly.

“No,” Jaton was resolute and suddenly he seemed completely sober. “There is no way you beat the Hunter. He’s nefarious.”

How did Jotan know a word like nefarious? That was a word a former sibling of mine would have used, Taerith, I think. Who was this person that created such a strong knee jerk reaction?

“The Hunter is not so hard to take down,” I commented causally.

All four men turned on me. They all started talking at once, vigorously denying that the Hunter was an easy catch.

“He steals our slaves back from their rightful masters!”

“He kills anyone he spits on!”

“He disappears without a trace!”

“Tired to kill our king once!”

And the comments continued, some more helpful than others. One fact came through crystal clear, this Hunter was one hated man. He freed the slaves that rightfully belonged to the Elangsians. Of course, the underlining factor was that the Elangsians had stolen the slaves in the first place. Whichever the truth was, the Hunter’s sole purpose was to free them and mock the Elangsian. The primary goal of this company might be to win the war, but the secondary was to bring down this Hunter and stop his freeing of slaves. It was my first exposure to the Hunter, but I had the strange feeling it would not be my last.

***