Chronicles of Den'dra: A Land Torn: Ancient Powers Awaken (24 page)

“
Can you find him?” Reigns wasn’t placing much value on Crein’s word. He already knew most of what was being disclosed.

“
Allow us, my lord, to present him to you as proof of our loyalty. The Order has eyes in many places and we believe that we may have discovered the boy’s location.” Crein gave another of his bows.

“
Do this and I will consider your offer.” Reigns gave a dismissive wave and sank back in his chair.

“
Of course my lord.” Crein wheeled and disappeared out the door leaving Reigns alone with his thoughts. He still wasn’t sure what to think about this Order that wanted him as their leader. If the source could be trusted then he had learned a considerable more about his father than he already knew. It didn’t matter much now. If Crein and his people could deliver on their promises then they would have been worth the time. If not then Reigns wasn’t sure what to do. On the one hand he could have them declared a seditious cult that needed to be exterminated or he could integrate the order into his already formidable intelligence network.

Also curious was the comment that had been made about people that had been trained in fighting gifted. Reigns didn’t believe in sorceries. Everything had an explanation based in fact. Facts could be controlled. Magics couldn’t be defined and as such couldn’t be controlled. It made sense that the lad who had disappeared into the Draeld had been gifted somehow. Then again the Asgare had been with him wielding an ancient blade imbued with power that Reigns couldn’t explain.

Now that he was thinking about it, Crein had mentioned the Asgare and the lad separately. Perhaps the mysterious black robed cultist knew more than he was telling.

Chapter Twenty

Apparently it was not uncommon for scouting parties to press anyone they happened across into their ranks. It seemed that the army stationed down here was forced to the presence of holding land. This was made easy by the fact that the elves didn’t seem interested in anything other than their forests so holding land beyond that border was relatively effortless. To maintain an excuse for their presence the generals incessantly strategized but only ordered constant patrols lest an insidious elf were to slip past their lines.

When Urake and Emeck returned with their patrol they were met with hardly a glance. Captain Kelhat ordered Urake to take the remainder of the game he had caught to the camp cook when they arrived. Emeck was given the duty of presenting himself to the same. After Urake had discharged his duty he began exploring the camp. It didn’t take long before one of the soldiers he had been on patrol with found him and showed him where they would be spending the night. Urake was relieved to find that canvases had been strung up to provide a semblance of shelter. The friendly soldier also informed him that he should check in with the quartermaster and get a bedroll, armor, weapons and uniform at his first opportunity.

The quartermaster only asked a couple questions of Urake as to Emeck’s general height and size before Urake was returning to the sleeping tent with two sets of equipment. On his way back through the camp he thought about the last few days. Captain Kelhat had not been one to forget a slight and had ordered Urake to take night guard duty for three days straight. It would have probably continued even longer but Urake had redeemed himself in the eyes of the captain and the men by returning from a scouting foray with a boar. The men had enjoyed the fresh meat as Urake had discreetly collapsed in a quiet corner. Since then the men had relied on his skills to keep them from running out of fresh game for the rest of the patrol. Kelhat had not been immune to the value Urake had presented and now ignored him for the most part. It was better this way rather than having to carry out every menial task the man could invent.

Emeck was none the worse for the circumstances. He was however in danger of an early demise from boredom as he evidenced when Urake arrived at the cooking tent. One look around the grease stained, soot covered canvas that sheltered the individuals responsible for feeding the army was enough to convince Urake that the hack that had called himself a cook on the patrol could conceivably have been producing food several orders better than what must issue from this tent. Emeck was seated outside the tent preparing some vegetables for some sort of stew with a couple other assistants.

Urake was only able to converse for a few moments before a lieutenant ordered him to the drill field with the rest of the soldiers. General Balinor, one of the top military officers next to the Chancellor, was present and the soldiers were on display performing their maneuvers. The friendly soldier from earlier spied him and made room for him in their battalion. The advice was to just follow the actions of the soldier ahead of them was given before they began a convoluted series of maneuvers. This not being Urake's first experience with the military he was able to perform decently enough that no one noticed him. Fortunately they were released shortly after the dinner bell was rang.

Urake didn’t bother joining the line that wound its way past the cook tent. Emeck arrived at the sleeping tent a little while later with a couple bowls of hot stew. The temperature was unnecessary and the flavor was not worth complimenting by calling flavor. Random pieces of half cooked vegetables floated in the watery broth. Small puddles of soured fat floated between the vegetables. Pieces of mysterious leather like meat could be dragged from the bottom of the bowl.

“What happened to the game I delivered to the tent?” Urake was sure that the meat in the stew was bordering on mummification.

“
Oseh, he’s the head cook, had them put in the larder. Something about having an important meal to make.” Emeck pondered a chunk of the vegetable that he had been preparing as if to see if he had once been acquainted with this piece.

“
So we get to eat all the worn out boots. I often wondered what an army did with their worn out footwear.” Urake decided after chewing the flavorless chunk of meat for a while that swallowing it whole would save hours of time.

“
Ha, that is what one of the other assistants said about it while he was cutting it.” Emeck giggled for a minute as they finished the stew. He then began listing the many ways that roasted snake meat was superior to the food in the army. Urake handed his empty bowl back to the lad and set about preparing their bedrolls. After that task had been completed he made a circuit through the camp. Urake paused a few moments and looked at the large tent erected for the benefit of the visiting general. He wondered what could have required a visit from such a high ranking individual. Balinor was supposed to be the highest ranking military official below the King. He had fought with Illiad during the clan wars and won his position as the King's advisor.

Emeck arrived at the sleeping quarters about the time the sun set on the horizon. His hands were blue and wrinkled from having spent the last couple hours washing the dishes from the evening meal in the cold water provided for the purpose. They both dropped off to sleep quickly and could only remember just laying their heads down when the morning bugle tore them from sleep’s comforts.

Breakfast was hardly finished when Kelhat passed through and ordered Urake to pack up and prepare for another patrol. Urake noted that Emeck wasn’t included in the order but packed up the lad’s bedroll nonetheless. He hoped that if he insisted Kelhat wouldn’t send Emeck back to the main camp when he discovered his presence.

Emeck was overjoyed and wasted no time escaping Oseh’s watchful eye and joining the departing patrol. Kelhat simply scowled when he caught sight of the boy helping Urake in his new double duties of camp cook and scout. The first day Urake had to make do with the standard patrol rations sent along on the mule. The second day he was able to get permission to range out in in the hopes of getting game. Kelhat gave the permission but demanded that Emeck remain in the column.

Urake tied his army issued armor and uniform to the mule and gave the reins to Emeck. Taking only his cloak, bow and concealed sword he disappeared into the brush alongside the road. The war bow was far more powerful than was required of the task set before him however he knew exactly how the weapon behaved. The army issued bow was not equal to the finely crafted thing he held at the ready. Few humans could craft a weapon this fine.

The seemingly impenetrable wall of brush was riddled by the paths of the creatures that called the area home. Most the paths were made by the smaller denizens but a couple of the larger trails allowed Urake access.

A rustling in the underbrush ahead was the only warning that Urake had before the boar that had made the trail tore out of the obscuring chaparral. Leaping deftly into the air Urake released his readied arrow into the beast as it lunged beneath him. When he landed the bloodied arrow was planted deep in the hardened earth and the boar was standing a few paces away. Another arrow was notched and drawn as Urake waited to see the result of the first. The second proved unnecessary when the boar toppled to the ground dead.

Urake pulled his arrow free of the trail soil and wiped it clean. Returning it to the quiver he set to the task of field dressing the boar. He had almost completed the task when he heard a crash in the underbrush at his back. The bow was out of reach so Ice Heart was summoned from its sheath at his back. The blade was free only just in time to be buried up to the hilt in another boar’s chest. Urake shoved the flailing creature backwards and brought up the sword for another defense. The mortally injured brush pig writhed in its death agonies for a moment before its life blood was drained.

Wiping Ice Heart off on a clump of grass Urake finished dressing the first boar and started on the second. With the bow slung over a shoulder, Ice Heart in its sheath on his back and hidden under the cloak Urake emerged from the brush with a boar under each arm. The first one had been a young boar but the second was an old one defending its turf. The long dangerous tusks could tear a man to ribbons if they got within close proximity. Kelhat merely grunted in approval when Urake caught up an hour later. The mule was obliged to carry the added load until camp was struck that night. Emeck would probably want to make a necklace or something from the tusks later on.

For supper Urake and Emeck skewered the one boar on a sapling and set it to roasting over the fire. The aroma of cooking meat permeated the camp and drew a chorus of grumbling from the soldiers that assembled to watch the meat brown and crisp over the carefully tended bed of coals. When Urake announced that it was finished the men fell to with a will and reduced the hapless beast to a skeleton in a matter of an hour.

That night everyone accept the guard shifts slept soundly with stomachs full. Urake had won the admiration of the men and even Kelhat was obliged to leave off grumbling. When morning came Urake had already been busy drying strips of the remaining boar over the last of the coals. The meat that hadn’t at least been partially cured was cooked for breakfast and the rest was distributed to the soldiers to save the mule. The day went uneventfully accept for the small game birds that Urake was able to bring down. While he was hanging them off the mule’s pack Emeck pulled up beside him.

“
Something is wrong.”

“
What is it? Are you picking up something?” Urake spoke in a low tone to avoid being overheard by the soldiers marching nearby.

“
I can’t tell. I took my helmet off for a minute to wet my hair. I got the feeling that someone is watching us. It isn’t Skeln and I couldn’t figure it out before I had to put the helmet back on. Since then I haven’t been able to shake the feeling that something is wrong.” Emeck sounded worried. Just then the column came to a halt and a break was called down the line. Most of the men took the opportunity to relieve their bladders. While the soldiers were distracted Emeck took the opportunity to remove his helmet. A moment later he replaced it just as the men began returning to the column. Urake noted that Emeck looked shaken by what he had discovered.

“
Don’t leave the road. They are all around us.” Emeck peered furtively into the impenetrable scrub on either side of the road.

“
What are they?” Urake glanced around but didn’t see any signs of life other than the assembling soldiers.

“
I don’t know. I can just tell that something is out there and they are all around us.”

“
Could you be sensing boars? The brush around here is teeming with them.” As if on cue a loud squeal caught everyone’s attention.

“
Boars don’t hide their minds like you do.” Emeck barely whispered.

“
How many?” Urake got the distinct impression that whoever Emeck had sensed had encountered the boar and been forced to silence it.

“
Ten, fifteen? I couldn’t tell. Please don’t leave the road.” Emeck kept glancing at the wall of brush on either side as the column began moving again.

“
Stay close to me and if I tell you to run, I don’t want you looking over your shoulder for me. Run until you can’t any more then hide.” Urake warned Emeck quietly. He refrained from any hunting expeditions and kept an eye on the brush for any signs of danger. The day was spent marching along the road until at last a rise allowed a view of where they were headed. The green giants of the elven Elder Forest could be seen in the distance. A short distance later a halt was called and the order to set up camp was given.

Kelhat criticized Urake’s scanty catch as he passed by into the clearing. Urake shrugged and replied that it was enough to make a good stew. Kelhat appeared mollified and continued on his inspection. After supper had been eaten the captain called everyone together and explained the real reason for the patrol. It seemed that the elves had repulsed every incursion into the forest so the generals back at the main camp had decided on a new tactic after Balinor had left. It seemed that the generals that Reigns had appointed didn't agree with the old guard's advice of caution. Instead of attempting to hunt down the agile elves in their territory, their new directive was to burn them out. The Elder forest should be dry enough this far into the summer to burn. After dismissing the men and assigning a guard schedule he moved off towards his tent.

Urake now wished that he had left Emeck back in the main camp. Up till now excursions into the Elder Forest had been meet with rapid extermination so the patrols had stayed well clear of the forest borders. Since no danger was posed to the elves there had been no incidents since the last party had disappeared into the forest. What had just been proposed was bordering on suicide.

Just then Urake realized that the guard that had been posted by the large thorn bush at the entrance to the clearing had disappeared. A quick glance around informed him that two of the other guards weren’t at their posts either.

“Emeck, come here. Stay beside me.” Urake then abandoned the cookware cleaning and moved to the center of a larger group of the men and struck up a conversation with one of them. He kept an eye out all the while and his bow at his side. The event he had been waiting for was not long in coming. One of the soldiers gave a queer cry and fell to the ground. The soldiers stared in stunned silence at the arrow shaft protruding from between the man’s shoulder blades. Urake didn’t waste the time but had an arrow notched and was searching for a target. He found one in the form of the tall cloaked archer that momentarily appeared from behind the thorn bush at the clearing entrance. The archer released his arrow just as Urake’s bolt found its mark in his shoulder. By now soldiers were dropping all over the camp. The surprise attack was executed with ruthless precision and nary a soldier even had an idea where they were being attacked from before finding an arrow piercing their heart.