Knights: Legends of Ollanhar (8 page)

"I think we should avoid that town," said Lannon,
"and stay on this trail." He was tired of combat and had a strong
feeling they would find trouble in Malva. "We're on a long journey. And
what's so special about Malva? There will be other places where mercenaries can
be found, including Wolfbine Kingdom."

"Malva is unique," said Saranna. "You want
the best warriors you can hire, and such warriors are not easily found. But
they are found in Malva, thanks to Fodan and his reputation."

"Saranna speaks true," said Galandra. "We
could visit a thousand towns and come away with nothing. And although Wolfbine
is indeed full of great warriors, Bellis has a strong presence there and could
make the hiring process a huge challenge. I don't want to go to Malva either,
but if you want elite mercenaries that are easy to obtain, that's the place to
go."

"Do we need a vote?" asked Aldreya.

No one answered. Lannon shook his head, not caring to
challenge her on the issue, as he was uncertain of his own opinion.

"Then we ride for Malva," she said.

Brakthas rubbed his hands together. "Mud belt, here we
come!"

"Why it is called the Mud Belt?" asked Lannon.

"Because it's muddy," Brakthas replied.
"What did you expect?"

"But why is it so muddy there?" asked Lannon.

"I don't know," said Brakthas.

"The soil was cursed by evil spirits," said Jace.
"At least, that's my theory. And I think it's a thoughtful and intelligent
one."

"Maybe it's just a stretch of boggy land," said
Bekka. "Swamps and bogs contain a lot of mud, right? Simple answer."

"I'm sticking with evil spirits," said Jace.

Bekka sighed. "If you say so."

"Me too," said Brakthas. "I like that
explanation. Only evil spirits could mess up the ground like that." He
laughed, then extended his hand to Jace. "You're the size of a dumb Ogre,
yet as wise as a seer."

Jace shook it. "Now that we appear to be friends,
could you spare me a bit of pipe tobacco?"

"Forget to buy some in Red Barrel?" asked
Brakthas.

"Unfortunately, yes," Jace muttered. "I was
too distracted with food and other things. My mind has been quite cluttered
lately."

"I don't have any," said Brakthas. "I rarely
smoke. I have some wintergreen leaf, though. Good for chewing."

"I'll pass," said Jace, looking glum.

***

As the afternoon slipped by, the friendly farmlands gave
way to large stretches of swamp and boggy fields where dead trees lay. The road
split in two, with the Aktos Trail leading one way and Mugvos Trail leading
another. They took the Mugvos route, and the land turned even more swampy.
Mosquitoes became such an issue that Lannon went to the extreme of blocking
their attacks with his power. Only Vorden was unaffected, as the bugs didn't
seem to want to go near him--perhaps reacting to the aura of the Deep Shadow
that always surrounded him. Everyone else was busy slapping at bugs, scratching
at bites, and muttering.

"I once had a technique," said Jace, "to
make mosquitoes avoid me. I could alter my very smell to ward them off."
He scratched his neck and arms, groaning. "Sadly, I seem to have forgotten
it."

"This is madness," said Jerret, swatting a huge
mosquito on his arm and leaving a splash of blood. "I'm ready to hide in
my tent."

The Rangers chuckled. They handled the swarms quite well
and seemed a bit perplexed by all the fuss.

"What's your secret?" Daledus asked Brakthas.
"Why don't these bloodsucking devils bother you?"

Brakthas shrugged. "I'm used to them. Maybe I've been
bitten so many times I no longer notice it. Or maybe they don't like my
smell."

"Apparently they
love
my smell," said
Jerret, who was taking the worst beating of the bunch. Dried blood was crusted
to his ears and forehead.

Bekka grinned at Jerret. "I thought you lived for
bloodshed. Don't you relish this fight?"

"This isn't a fight," said Jerret. "I'm
being eaten alive. My skin is on fire. Aldreya, can't you do anything?"

The Green Knight shook her head. "I fear it's going to
get worse toward evening, especially if this breeze lets up. But we can afford
no delays if we want to make Malva by nightfall."

Dallsa groaned. "Surely this Mud Belt is cursed by the
Deep Shadow. It's not natural for mosquitoes to be this large and aggressive.
I'm beginning to think Jace is right--this is the work of evil."

"Evil spirits," said Jace, nodding.

As they traveled deeper into the swampland, they
encountered broken glass from dishes and wagon parts. The wagon and everything
in it seemed to have been torn apart, with pieces scattered along the road. At
last they found the wagon's owners: a family of four lying dead in the
undergrowth beside the trail--father, mother, son, and daughter. They had been
killed by blows to the head.

Overwhelmed with disgust, Lannon longed to see justice
done. The murders seemed so brutal and pointless. "We must find whoever
did this."

Aldreya nodded, her green eyes smoldering with anger.
"Indeed, this evil should not go unpunished. If only we had time to hunt
for the killers. But sadly we do not. Our mission is too important."

Brakthas knelt and examined the bodies. He pointed to blue
paint on the backs of their hands. "The work of the Blue Vultures. This
poor family never stood a chance against those savages."

"A bad sign for Malva," said Saranna. "We're
very close to town. For the Blue Vultures to murder this family here is a bold
act."

"Perhaps we should turn back," said Galandra.

Dallsa looked away, wiping her eyes. "Unbelievably
awful. My heart aches for this family." Still not used to such sights, her
face had gone pale and she looked ill. Dallsa had not yet learned to deal with
death, and it left her frustrated. Death closed the door on healing, and that
door could never be opened again. On the ground before her were people bearing
terrible wounds--yet she could do nothing for them, and it gnawed at her soul.
Not even the most powerful healers could help the dead. She had no choice but
to leave them to the earth and move on.

"Awful indeed," said Jace, shaking his head.
"It is always disheartening to see the work of savages, how they ransack
and destroy anything wholesome. Just a peaceful, honest family on a
journey--perhaps off to meet with relatives or what have you. But the savages
couldn't let them be."

"It's the way of the world," said Galandra.
"The innocent suffer at the hands of greedy, evil bullies, and rarely is
justice done. Look at all the misery Bellis has caused, yet Verlamer still
rules his kingdom."

"Justice always prevails," said Aldreya.
"Eventually."

Galandra shook her head. "I can't agree with you. I've
seen a lot of injustice over the years--evil deeds that went unpunished. I've
seen thieves and murderers do nothing but prosper at the expense of their
victims. Where do get that crazy idea? Is that a Birlote thing?"

"Evil consumes itself," said Aldreya. "It is
a devouring beast that spares nothing. It is a trap that offers its own
punishment."

"Aldreya speaks true," said Prince Vannas.

"Without a doubt," said Lothrin. "Those who
embrace evil embrace their own doom. They are to be pitied."

"Okay, so it is a Birlote thing," said Galandra.

But oh so true in way,
Lannon thought. If he
couldn't find a way to resist the Deep Shadow, it would indeed doom him. It
was
a trap--and one that countless people had not managed to escape. You could
prosper for a while, but eventually the beast would turn on you and drag your
soul into despair.

"I'm not going to sit here," said Dallsa,
"and feel pity for the killers because they have tainted souls or
whatever. I feel pity for this family, who were terrorized and murdered. And
right now, someone is getting away with it."

"I agree," said Lannon, sighing.

"We should seek vengeance," said Jerret.
"Surely the killers couldn't have gotten too far. Let's track them
down."

"Exactly," Daledus agreed. "Let's take some
heads!"

No one answered. Although the desire for vengeance had
already gotten Jerret expelled from the Divine Order, no one felt like
reminding him of that. They were too angry to dispute his words. They too
wanted vengeance. Lannon told himself it was justice he sought, but his hand
had tightened around his sword hilt and a dangerous mood had overtaken him.

Prince Vannas held up the White Flamestone. "By the
Divine Essence, I swear the killers will burn in white fire!"

"So much for pitying them," said Galandra,
looking amused.

"Put that away," said Lothrin. "It isn't
needed right now."

The prince glared at Lothrin. "Make me."

"We need to calm ourselves," said Aldreya,
"and focus on our mission. We're Divine Knights, remember?"

"Not all of us," said Jerret.

"Incorrect," said Aldreya. "You're being
employed by Dremlock and Ollanhar, and you're required to obey the Sacred Laws
and behave like a Knight. Otherwise you will be in breech of your contract.
Jerret, you are what is called an
Acting
Knight
and must uphold
the duties of the Order."

"We get it," said Brakthas. "We're all
Knights, for now. So therefore my opinion must hold some weight. And my opinion
is that we should turn back. Otherwise things are probably going to get very
bloody in Malva."

"That's cowardly," said Jerret. "These Blue
Vultures need to be dealt with. Don't you feel sorrow for this family?"

"Sure I do," said Brakthas. "I have a soul, don't
I? I feel terrible about it. I wish they had never come here. I would feel the
same way if bears or wolves had done this. Or Goblins. These Blue Vultures are
like animals. They don't fear anything and don't know the meaning of pity or
mercy. If we go up against them, some of us are going to die. At least one or
two of us. Maybe all of us."

"Not necessarily," said Lannon.

Brakthas shook his head. "You don't get it. You don't
understand the Blue Vultures. There's no way to explain it to you. Once we get
in a fight with them, they'll never let us rest. They don't know how to let go
of a grudge. And considering the mission we're facing, we don't need
this."

"I'm with Brakthas," said Galandra. "I say
we turn back."

"We're going ahead," Lannon commanded. In spite
of Brakthas' dire warning, he wasn't backing down from a potential
confrontation with the Blue Vultures. Someone had to take a stand against this
evil. The dead family in the mud could not be ignored. They were Divine
Knights, and their sworn duty was to protect the innocent and punish the
guilty, even if strange lands. It was a complicated situation, but Lannon was
going with a simple solution--do what he felt was right and hope for the best.

"Are you sure this is wise?" asked Brakthas, his
face tense.

"No, I'm not sure," said Lannon. "It might
be a big mistake. But I'm not letting this go. If I have to, I will go to Malva
myself."

"But what about your mission?" asked Galandra.
"Shouldn't that come first, with so much at stake? Are you going to risk it
all in search of justice? And what will you do if you find the savages? Will
you kill them all? You may be a powerful swordsman, but you're not invincible,
right?"

Lannon nodded. "Just flesh and blood like you,
Galandra. But I risk my life constantly as a Divine Knight. It's what I do. And
this isn't merely about justice. The townsfolk could be in grave danger."

"If the Blue Vultures took Malva," said Brakthas,
"the townsfolk are probably already dead. What then is the town
worth?"

Lannon had no answer for that. "I'm going to
Malva--with or without the rest of you. Aldreya, if you disagree, feel free to
ride on without me. I'll catch up with the rest of you later, if
possible."

"We ride together," Aldreya said. "To Malva.
We will not abandon our High Watchman. But first these people need a proper
burial."

***

It was late in the afternoon when they reached the
outskirts of Malva. The first few houses they encountered stood dark and
silent, windows broken and doors wide open. Blue symbols were painted on these
homes. In one of the houses they found more dead bodies. The homes had been
altered in strange ways, with dummies made of straw, sticks, and random objects
erected in the yard. Targets had been painted on walls and doors and bore holes
from throwing weapons.

"So Malva has fallen," said Brakthas, his eyes
wide. "Fodan and his warriors must have lost the fight. We can still turn
back."

No one answered. With grim faces, they rode on into town.
Malva was larger than Red Barrel, with several muddy streets lined with houses
and businesses. It looked like it had been through a war, with battered and
burned buildings, and debris scattered everywhere. More dummies had been
erected--including a large and elaborate one made out of wooden buckets, ropes,
and stove pipes. Some were nailed to walls or lay atop roofs. It was as if the
townsfolk had been replaced by large dolls. It sent chills down the spines of
the Knights, to see all the colorful eyes gazing at them from cloth and straw
faces.

Here and there lay the dead, victims of the Blue Vultures,
being mocked by the dolls. Bodies lay in the mud, on porches, or in flower
beds--townsfolk who had failed to escape when the savages attacked.

Yet the worst fate of all had been given to Fodan, the
legendary grey-haired old Ranger, and his elite warriors. Their severed heads
had been placed on stakes in the street for all to see, blue symbols painted on
their foreheads.

For a while the Knights sat in silence, gazing at the
grisly sight. They were used to combat and bloodshed, but they found the
brutality of this scene shocking. It was not just the slayings that disturbed
them, but the way the whole town seemed to be mocked by the presence of the odd
dummies. Malva had become a pit of terror and doom.