It was raining, torrential rain sweeping down, blanketing the land. It washed through forests, causing rivers to swell past their banks, flooding small villages and destroying farms. It rained and it rained. I found the Tears of Havarius agreed with my mood.
I was on the edge of the forest, beyond me was the open field that extended for a quarter mile, right up to the city I was watching. Its name was Alfarok, corruption had long since taken the hearts and minds of its leadership and rumors abounded that the Vrokandin Varr had strong holds here which considering the corruption made sense but it boded badly for me. None of this had even warranted the attention of the Order. It was when rumors abounded of Dark Kyn activity in this area that the Order's attention came into focus here and so I had been dispatched to investigate by Aluri, the leading Moor of the Ashikan and representative on the Order's Council. I knew in part that he was testing me, he had seen my abilities on and off the field many times but that had almost always been in groups, this was to be my first time going completely alone on an assignment and I knew that if I did well I could very well end up joining the Ashikan as a Parashi Moor.
"Find if there is any truth to the rumors coming from Alfarok, the reports we have are sketchy at best but they cannot be ignored." He had given me a brief rundown of all the information we had on Alfarok's current affairs, including political and even ancient. "In times long before these Kovorran, that city was once a beautiful thing but the Del'Tua took it from us during a time of great strife. It had been meant to be a border fortress, a place to guard against further incursions into our lands from the Del'Tua since they took the lands of our birthright from us but instead we handed it right to them and it is to our sad luck that most of it was destroyed in the process. Had they captured it intact they would have had a real fortress with which to defend but now they've built a sad mimicry of that ancient place and you'll find it much easier to infiltrate."
It had been at this point he walked with me till we were alone before adding something away from the prying ears of others. "I need not remind you, Kovorran, that you will be alone on this mission. Use all of your Ashikan training, you are not acting as a Kor soldier on this assignment, nor even as a Warrior, you are Ashikan on this mission, forgetting that for even a moment can get you killed in a heartbeat." I had soberly nodded my understanding and he had firmly grasped my left shoulder pauldron in a sign of kynship before turning from and returning to his duties. I'd also known he'd been telling me to do more than survive, if I executed this well I could not only become an Ashikan, but a Moor as well.
The possibility of becoming a Moor reminded me of Kishta and her own rise through the Faariashta, her training coming to fruition she was nearly ready to ascend to a Miri and once that happened she'd be ready to begin her official training to become a Parashi.
I stared at Alfarok from a distance, staying close to the edge of the forest near the road. Guards patrolled the walls every few minutes; watch towers posted along around every fifty feet had good views and killing fields of fire. The walls were made of thick white bricks that I imagined wouldn't take a pounding from a trakti's firepower.
The fortress itself beyond I saw only glimpses of, it had some towering spires that lacked tactical placement, it was as if someone had just haphazardly placed them around the fortress proper with no real idea where their enhanced height would offer the best coverage on foes who reached the walls, leaving numerous blind spots, the walls themselves lacked any kind of meticulations, leaving those on the walls no way to fire down on foes without completely exposing themselves to enemy fire. Typical Del'Tua design, they lacked knowledge in the craft of fortress building as they had long deigned to become a raiding people who had to take from others what they could, or in reality would not make themselves.
-----From what I had been told the standing military at Alfarok had been sliding into corruption along with its leaders but as I observed the guards atop the walls they had a strange vital energy that belied that statement. They seemed alert, focused, strangely so. They had a vital energy about them that didn't seem right. I took out a device out of its pouch at my belt, the Energetic Crystalis, an ocular device that allowed me to peer through it and observe the world with the energies of it laid out over my normal vision. Unclasping my helmet and latching it onto my belt I peered through the Crystalis at the distant walls. The grounds between me and them teemed with life and the vital energy that comes with it, but strangely the walls themselves were dark, the figures upon them more so. Scowling I replaced the Crystalis and then put my helmet back in place, now staring at the walls through the acute vision of my calydris crystal eyepieces which brought the normal world into greater detail.
I'd been waiting here for the better part of the day before and tonight. I knew the guards would do more then question me if I were to enter as I was and my cloak, packed safely away at my belt would allow me to get to the walls but getting to the other side of them was another matter and the cloak did not offer complete invisibility, a distinct shimmer when I moved could give me away, especially since the guards were indeed observant. So I waited and watched, looking for a flaw I could exploit to get inside, maybe have a hot meal, a real place to lay my head while I investigated the dark kyn activity we'd heard about. A man who been touring with a trade caravans guard had sighted what he'd believed to be things completely unnatural here, darkness creeping in at the corners of his vision, strange whispers just beyond understanding. He was a weathered man, campaigner of many battles and a trusted informant of the Order.
I leaned back behind the tree I was using for cover; my armor didn't make a noise as I did, the inter-meshed weave between joints as soundless as the plate armor itself, finely crafted and perfectly molded. My joint armor, the weakest point, had interlocking plates that flexed as I did and even lent me great strength, offering me physical power many times over what I would normally have. Underlying that was the weave of sariash cloth that protected my body from blows that would otherwise have left it bruised, even beneath my armor. It also absorbed sweat and kept my body clean effectively for months on end before it would need to be cleaned itself.
I clenched my gauntlet in front of my eyes, watching the fingers curl into a closed fist and then rolled it open again. This mind numbing wait was starting to get to me.
Hours continued to roll by and still nothing, no flaw in the guards patrols, nothing I could use to get through unseen. The guards never showed the slightest misstep, eyes always scanning, searching for possible intruders. I sighed in frustration. The sound of the rain hitting the leaves above me began to be hypnotic, occasional droplets disturbed me as they fell against my armor. My mind was losing focus, I was becoming weary and I knew it. I cursed the necessity that caused me to hide like this. I started to debate as to whether I should cycle sleep and try better luck later but dismissed that notion. Nightfall was by far the best time to try and get inside.
That was when I heard the distant sound of an eshiri behind me, an indistinguishable voice. My head spun around so fast I felt something pop. I stood up and crept through the trees, slowly, quietly, keeping the road in sight to my left. And then the confirmation, the sound of slowly grinding wagon wheels slurping through the muddy mess the roads had become. I could barely suppress a smile.
I found a tree I could shield myself behind while still having a good view of the road and I watched as the wagon turned a corner in the road. An ox, a large beast with horns that could skewer an eshiri protruded from its head. It pulled the wagon with no apparent effort which was a feat as the wagon itself was large, it had lanterns hanging from all four corners, it's dark steel shape reminded me of a piece of an ancient cathedral that had just broken off and made its way of its own accord. The driver himself sat on the front; he held no reigns to the ox that pulled the wagon, content to sit back and watch from under a voluminous black cloak that shielded him from what rain that managed to get at him from under an overhang meant to protect him from the worst of the elements. I didn't recognize who might actually be using this wagon from its make, but nonetheless it struck a chord in me, realizing that this probably belonged to someone with a great deal of power, but what kind was the question. Suffice it to say the idea did not deter me.
I waited until the wagon was passing me; the rear lanterns pool of light was just beginning to illuminate me. I stooped and picked up a pebble from among the loam at my feet and crouched.
Waiting, the pool of light just began to fade from around my hiding place when I sprang. I was now out in the open, sprinting for the wagon, armored boots splashing with barely any sound through the mud, pebble flying from my outstretched hand. It impacted the rear lantern to my right, the one opposite to where I'd been hiding and the light was snuffed from existence with a slight hiss and the sound of breaking glass. The cart came to a sudden stop with surprising swiftness and without thinking I dove to the ground and underneath, finding the axle I grabbed onto it and pulled myself up and held there, barely daring to think let alone breathe.
I heard the creak of a door opening, and then boots hitting the ground. "Naran? Naran what happened now?" Someone called.
"Cavat!" A man with a very deep and guttural voice called. "Something's broken ma lantern!" There was the sound of more creaking as someone stepped out of the wagon.
"Broken the lantern? Broken how?"
"The glass is broken, I don't ken how this happened. There is nothing out here that would just do that."
"Repair it. Then let us be on our way. The city isn't too much further out."
The second man who had been issuing instructions to Naran walked back to where he'd come from and there was another creak as the door closed again. Naran stayed outside for some time longer, working on the broken lantern, then there was the sound of flint and tinder being struck and a pool of light once again engulfed that corner of the wagon.
Still grumbling under his breath about ill fate and someone called Murk he made his way back to the front of the cart and climbed back aboard. Within moments the cart was once again on its way.
I counted the minutes as they ticked by and estimated by this time Naran would be able to see the lights of the city. A moment later my belief was confirmed
"Sire. Sire!" Naran called in his guttural voice.
"Yes Naran." The other man called back.
"I see it sire, the city, looks as though you were right. What's its name?"
"Alfarok, under Lord Dernithkar."
"Alright, we'll be there in just a few minutes."
Moments later the wagon began to enter a much larger pool of light and another voice hailed them.
"Who goes there?"
"My name is Naran, herald of his Sire Orlian of the Fifth Trade District. Do you still have inns that accept patrons at this hour?"
"That we do Naran; I am Orthuk, Captain of the Night Watch. I am however afraid that I must do a small routine examination of your Sire's wagon before I can let you pass, otherwise I must refuse you entry, orders from General Alenza Snowstrider himself."
There was a pause and the sound of a wooden shutter being drawn back and a whispered conversation being made. The sound of the wooden shutter being drawn back again reached me moments later.
"My Sire says he has no choice but to refuse you entry within the wagon itself, though you are free to look upon the outside of it all you wish. He gives you his personal guarantee that he and I are the only occupants you will find of it, his word as a member of the Fifth Trade District."
"If that be the case then I must see proof, which his seal as a member will prove, no exception." Orthuk responded.
"One moment please." Naran said. The wooden shutter sounded again. "Does this satisfy you?"
There was the sound of boots squelching through mud than nothing for a moment. "Yes, I am content, I will now inspect the outside of your wagon then permit you to pass."
A moment later the wooden shutter sounded again and what I assumed was the boots of Orthuk and that of his guards began walking around the wagon. I cursed under my breath as I heard them passing by me.
One of the pairs of boots stopped at the end of the wagon and I heard the sound of armor clinking against armor as the man stooped down to look under the wagon. I held my breath and wished I'd drawn my cloak about myself before hitching this ride, but in truth it would have been hanging down and likely would simply draw more attention to me.
The man stayed there, stooped for one moment longer, before standing back up. "Looks clear sir."
All of the boots retreated back towards the gate until only one pair remained close to the front. "You're clear to go Naran. Good luck be to you and your Sire. Go to the Dancing Sword and tell them Orthuk sent you, you'll find the Patron to be a fair minded man who'll set you up with decent rates for your stay."
"Thanks to you Orthuk and may the Nightlord watch over you swiftly."
And with that the sound of great gates being drawn back reached me, their creaking mass grinding on old hinges sounded all around, then the wagon was on the move again. I smiled deeply. I had made it inside of Alfarok without tripping one alarm and no one was the wiser.148Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPXEPswiZq
