The Song and the Serpent

“We need to decide where to go,” Adan said.

He and Kian sat with their backs to a log by the stream. They had passed another night of sleep in the campsite and awakened early to the third morning after Farel.

“And we’re out of food, so it should be somewhere close by,” Adan continued.

“I want to ride to Allgor and warn them,” Kian said, referring to the port city that lay in the south. “But that’s a several day trip, and our horses will never outrun Hugo’s ships.”

“You think Hugo will continue south to the next city?”

”If he is as cunning as he seems, then yes. He will take advantage of his forward momentum and the element of surprise, and he will take all of Esta if he can.”

”Then we should go to Threcalax,” Adan said. “It’s much further, but Hugo’s army will have to march there on foot if they take Allgor.”

Kian nodded slowly. “We could go to the capital. We might reach Threcalax before Hugo does, especially on horseback…”

Adan heard reluctance in Kian’s voice. ”You don’t sound convinced.”

Kian stopped nodding and his eyebrows furrowed. ”Something’s been bothering me. Do you remember that village in the mountains, the first abandoned one we saw after escaping?”

Adan nodded. “Where we got the boats.”

“Exactly. Where did they go?

”Who, the villagers?”

“Yes, where did they all go?”

Adan wracked his brain and realized he didn’t know. They couldn’t have gone to Farel for two reasons: They were too far away to receive warning of Hugo’s attack, and they had left their boats behind.

“Maybe they were kidnapped and taken to Undelma before us.”

Kian shook his head. “No signs of violence. Even their livestock and belongings were gone and there was no sign of them being taken by force. They clearly packed up and left. It’s the most likely explanation. But where to?”

“What are you thinking?” Adan asked.

“I think someone may have warned them not to go to Farel.”

Adan considered the possibility. “You think someone may have known what was going to happen and they fled elsewhere?”

“Maybe. It would explain what we found.”

Adan tried to think of any other explanation, but most of his theories were even less likely.

“So what do you propose to do?”

“Do you remember where Cellion is?”

Adan reflected. “I know if it lies east here, on the border of the Tosken Forrest.”

“Right beside the Tosken river, yes. I think we should go there.”

Now Adan’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Why there?”

”Because it’s where I would flee to safety if Allgor and Threcalax were too far, and Farel was about to be destroyed. On horseback, we could reach it in a day or two. The road to Threcalax would lead us very near there anyway. We can confirm if there are any survivors or refugees and regroup from there.”

“And if no one is there?” Adan asked.

“Then we make for the capital. But if there’s any chance that some of our people survived, we are duty bound to find them.

Adan sat in silent contemplation, weighing the possible outcomes.

Centuries before, raiders and thieves from Alvaro would cross the desert between the two kingdoms and make their way through the mountains. Then they would descend upon the unsuspecting Estans and pillage and plunder their farmlands. To stay this threat, the lords of Esta agreed to construct a tower fortress on the far border of Esta. A garrison of warriors would watch and guard against the villainous outsiders. After decades of peace and tranquility, the lords agreed to abandon the tower Cellion. As far as Adan knew, the old structure stood alone and empty on the eastern border, a remnant of a time gone by

After deliberating for a few heartbeats Adan nodded. “You’re right. We should at least consider the possibility that some of them may have escaped.”

Kian stood up, retrieving his belt from where he had set it the night before. ”Then I see no reason why we should tarry here.”

Adan grunted and rose to his feet as well.

They refilled their water bottles, not knowing when they would find another stream on the journey. They would be crossing into unfamiliar territory today. After gathering their few belongings, they went to the place where they had tethered their horses the previous night. The animals snorted and reared, ready to run after grazing and resting the day before. Adan and Kian rebuckled the saddles in place and mounted up.

”If we make due east, we’ll hit the Tosken river after some time,” Kian said. ”Then we’ll follow it north until we come to Cellion.”

Adan nodded, turning his mount into the light of the rising sun and digging his heels into the mare’s flanks.

They made their way to a familiar track that they knew would take them east and urged their horses into a gallop. Adan looked over his shoulder, just catching a glimpse of the cairn they had built on the hill behind them. He fought back the feelings of loss and despair that bubbled up at the sight of the monument. He turned and faced the road ahead of them, forcing himself to concentrate on the task at hand.

The wooded hills rolled by as the sun climbed into the sky. They rested their horses after the road crossed a stream two hours later and allowed them to drink from its clean water. They continued at a trot for the rest of the morning, not wanting to push their new mounts beyond their limit.

As the midday sun reached its highest point in the heavens, they arrived at a familiar site.

The trees ended for a brief space, and the track led into a clearing five hundred paces wide. A ring of logs lay in the clearing to their right, limbed, tied together, and stuck upright into the ground, forming a circular wall of timber. A wooden gate sat open facing the road, revealing the inside of the small fort. An empty grass yard lay inside the ring, dotted with old fire pits.

The sight of this campsite brought many memories to Adan’s mind, memories of hunting in the forests nearby and spending the night feasting with friends.

As they rode past the familiar site, Adan watched Kian from behind. Kian never once turned to look at the place where they had spent many happy days. He kept his eyes ahead, trained on the road.

Well, that’s that, Adan thought once they had crossed the clearing and entered the trees on the other side. We’ve never been this far East before.

They did not stop for a midday meal.

The road meandered through the hills and trees in an eastward direction.

Other trails forked and branched off of the track they followed on either side, but their road continued eastward. Adan hoped the path would continue in the same direction until they reached the Tosken River. He didn’t relish the thought of leaving the track and plunging through the forest underbrush.

By the time the sun had begun its descent, the trees ended again and they found themselves riding in an open field that stretched out beside them for thousands of paces. Ahead of them, a wooded hill rose gradually above the pastureland much higher than any of the other surrounding hills. Perhaps not a mountain, but certainly the highest hill for miles around.

“Let’s make up some time,” Kian said, kicking his heels. The stallion responded by leaping forward and galloping across the field. Adan and his mare were close behind.

Tall grass flowed by them like a flowing river of green as they tore across the field.

They soon reached the base of the great hill and entered the treeline. They kept their steeds at a gallop as the road began to climb steadily upward, leading them up the slope.

After they had made it more than halfway up the slope, they came to a brook that crossed the road ahead of them. Kian reigned in his horse and Adan followed suit.

They both dismounted, giving their horses a chance to rest and drink from the stream. The trees had opened up enough for them to turn and look back on the green field below and admire the lower hills that stretched out behind them.

They sat quietly for a moment, enjoying the view.

“What’s that?” Kian’s voice was quick and grave.

Adan snapped out of his revelry. “What’s what?”

Kian pointed at the field below. “That.”

Adan looked down at the plain below and his gut twisted in fear.

A thin line of dark figures was snaking through the pasture below, following the path they had ridden a few moments before. Even at this distance, Adan could make out the bright colors of their robes and the glint of sunlight on their armor.

”Bast it!” Adan cursed. ”Are they tracking us?”

”Possibly,” KIan said. “They’re moving fast. Too fast to be on foot.”

They both swung into their saddles and took one more look.

“Whether they’ve been tracking us or not,” Kian said, “They’re following the same road. They’ll be here soon.”

“Do you think they can see us?” Adan asked.

“I doubt it,” Kian replied. “We’re harder to spot up here than they are. But we shouldn’t take the chance.”

He turned and urged his horse forward.

They set off at a gallop, eager to put as much distance between them and their pursuers as they could.

Adan knew the uphill ride could be difficult for their horses, but this was no time to rest. Hopefully their pursuers wouldn’t push their steeds to a gallop as they ascended the gradual slope.

Within a short time, they had crested the great hill. Adan looked back on the landscape behind them. The foothills and pastures they had traversed through the day stretched out far behind them into the haze. The sun had already begun its descent behind them and lit the thick air with a bright whiteness.

But even through the evening haze, Adan caught a glimpse of a black plume of smoke on the horizon, rising above the hills. His grip tightened on the reins as he peeled his eyes away from the sight.

They rode through the evening, down the opposite slope of the hill. The land beyond was flatter, a grassy plain that spread as far as they could see. Patches of forest sprang up like islands in a green ocean, and outcroppings of rocks and boulders as large as a house peppered the landscape. They were drawing near the eastern mountains.

The track they had been following had all but disappeared, but they had no difficulty in finding their way east with the sun at their backs and the open plain before them. They glanced over their shoulders many times, but they caught no glimpse of their pursuers.

The sky turned orange, then red, then purple. Darkness was drawing near, but still they rode on.

Finally, Kian pulled his horse up short and held a hand in the air. Adan stopped behind him.

“Listen!” Kian said.

Adan glanced back and trained his ears. Had Kian heard their pursuers?

But when he listened, he heard only the sound of running water ahead of them, a great body of water rushing loudly from the sound of it.

“The Tosken!” Adan exclaimed.

Kian nodded and spurred his horse onward.

Within moments, they came to the bank of a river, about fifty paces wide, flowing quickly south.

“We certainly made good time,” Kian said, dismounting his stallion and leading him carefully down the bank.

They allowed their horses to drink from the river. Sweat poured down the beasts flanks and their muscles twitched with spasms of fatigue. Adan spoke gently to his mare, praising her as she lapped at the cool water.

“We probably ought to name these,” he said as he stroked the mare’s shoulder. “I don’t plan to give them back to their original owners.”

Kian looked at his stallion. “Nor do I. But if we name them, we should give them proper names. Names that will strike fear into the servants of Sithril.”

“Like what?” Adan asked.

“I don’t know. Just don’t name yours Daisy or Lightning or something like that.”

Adan looked at his mount and ran through a few names in his head.

What about Fleet Foot? No. Deliverance? No. Wyrm Crusher?

“What about Wyrm Crusher?” He asked.

Kian frowned. “A bit on the nose.”

He looked down at his stallion as the animal quenched its thirst. “Arrow?”

Adan considered the name. “Arrow’s now bad. Not sure if it will strike fear in the servants of Sithril.”

The stallion stopped drinking and stood upright. Kian stroked the animal’s forehead. “Arrow it is.”

“What about Havoc for my mare?” Adan said.

“Havoc?’

”As in wreaking havoc on Sithril’s army?”

Kian considered. “Not very feminine, but it’s better than Wyrm Crusher.”

Adan nodded. “Havoc then.”

Not the best name, he knew, but they were short on time.

After allowing Arrow and Havoc to drink, they mounted up and began the ride north through the deepening evening. Once the light of the setting sun had vanished, the waning moon reflected off the rippling water beside them, illuminating their way.

The uneven ground along the riverbank combined with the dark of night prevented them from galloping. No path or track lay by the river, only boulders and crags, interspersed with small gorges and ravines.

After descending into a particularly steep ravine and ascending the opposite side, Adan reigned Havoc to a stop.

“We shouldn’t continue like this,” he said. “One misstep could break the horse’s legs. The warriors behind us are less likely to try and track us at night, and they’ll have the same difficulty as us coming this way.”

Kian tugged his reins until Arrow stopped. “Agreed.”

They dismounted and led their horses to a fallen tree nearby. After tying the reins to the tree, they each found a large maple to lean up against.

“I’ll take the first watch,” Kian said. “I’m not sleepy. Just sore.”

Adan groaned as he sat down with his back to the tree. He had pushed himself to the edge of his physical abilities while dragging and hauling stones for the death mound, and spending a day in the saddle had not eased the pain in his muscles. The emptiness in his stomach didn’t help.

“We may need to hunt for food soon,” he said as he settled in place.

“Our pursuers may not allow us time to hunt,” Kian said. “But I would be willing to wager that they’re carrying food for themselves.”

“What do you mean?”

”Well, if they follow us to Cellion, and we don’t find anyone else there, we may be forced to turn and deal with them ourselves. Then”

“Maybe,” Adan grunted. “But right now I just want to rest and tackle that problem in the morning. Wake me in a few hours.”

Kian nodded and they both fell silent, as Adan allowed his eyelids to close. Within moments, the dark peace of sleep closed around him.