“Okay, so when the king says, ‘here Sir Ti, have this impossible mission’ YOU SAY, ‘sorry, I don’t recall all the sticks being short – let me pick again!’ For me Ti! Just for me!”
I smiled at Killian, pulling him back to the barracks. One of the few downsides to my second, he could never hold his drink. The moment I saw his eyes losing focus I pulled him out of the Silver Saddle, farewelling the rest of the Silver Swans before dragging him away. Usually tight lipped, give him a few drinks and he would tell me exactly what he thought. Sometimes in song form.
“Sure Killi, I’ll do that next time.”
He nodded with his whole head, patting me on the shoulder, “good-good.” Killian glanced around at the empty street, the white light hovering in the streetlights doing nothing to lighten his mood.
“Look at our capital Ti,” he sighed into my shoulder, “what am I protecting? What are we doing?”
“Not this again.”
He looked up at me, a drunken frown meeting his deep brown eyes. Killi motioned to the world around us, crossing the bridge leading down Soldier’s Way and towards home.
“There are more children sleeping under the bridge Ti, I saw them. Street rats and street kids sleeping side by side.”
“There is a shortage.”
“Of empathy.” He muttered.
“If we win this war, we’ll have food and resources – and a way into the other lands.”
Killi burped, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand, “Access to what? A desert land, a jungle filled with monsters and a trading port? One we had been trading with until this whole thing started.”
“You’re drunk Killi.” I said softly.
He shrugged, “and you’re not. You never drink Ti. Why is that?”
I swung him through the Barracks door, nodding to the sentry and hauling him towards our wing. “Because I don’t,” I grunted, pulling him towards his bed. Though we were knights, only the commander or war chief had a separate room to the rest of his knights. Richer nobles often paid to live in inns rather than share with his fellows. But not the Silver Swans.
Killian removed his weapons and pulled off his boots as I went to get him some water. Killi took it and smiled up at me, such an open smile it took me back.
“Remember when I hated you?” He asked me casually, moving to lean against the wall across his bed. He pressed the wooden cup against his forehead as though it cooled him.
I smiled, moving to sit beside him. “Of course – my early court days of trying to beat you at everything.”
“You succeeded.” Killian replied wryly, “though I made you work for it.”
I nodded my head, remembering. Two boys fighting in every competition, every tournament to prove who was the better. Though I won most, if not all – I was often pushed to the greatest limit to achieve it. Bruised and battered from Killian’s mastership of swordplay and critical thinking. It had taken the shared loathing of one king’s knight to make us join forces.
“But that all changed with-”
“Kain.” Killi agreed, his face darkening.
Though unspoken, we both knew how corrupt the knight system was. How easily a crooked king’s reign tilts morality until it slips from the upper class completely. Kain was such a one. Power hungry, unnecessarily cruel and found joy in the pain of others. He had attempted to pit us further against each other, almost dragging Killian down a darkened path. But Kain had underestimated Killian’s love of children. Considered a weakness, I saw his love of people his greatest strength.
Killian looked at me in all his drunk honesty, his cup hanging empty in his fingers. “I’m glad Tirowen Elwood. I’m glad that Kain exists so we could work together.”
“Kain is....”
He turned so we were facing eachother, “I know how evil he is Ti. Why do you think I came to you? But Ti… you’re my best friend. Kain is why you are.”
“Where is this coming from?” I asked, uncomfortable, “the past is the past. I would never abandon you.”
I could see him slowly sobering as he looked at me, “This quest deep into enemy lands… no one comes out Ti. We all know this. But I want you to know that I don’t care. I’ll go with you anyway.”
I breathed through my nose, unsure what he wanted me to say. “Why?”
He smiled then, yawning, “because – I know you follow the king for us Ti. For your family. I know you do. You are probably the only war chief not corrupted. Ironically, that’s why the king trusts you.”
He closed his eyes, leaning his head against the wall, “my family are dead – they supported the rebellion you know. You’re all I have left.”
“I know,” I whispered, “brothers.”
“Till the end.” He sighed, slipping into sleep.
“Till the end.” I whispered, pushing him down unto his bed and turning for the door. The other Silver Swans stumbled into the room, glancing at the second sleeping. Conversation was stifled and weapons placed in respective places. Galahad picked up Felix and without a word dropped the lad onto the bunk above Killian as he walked to his own ramshackle bed. It stuck out into the middle of room because it had been altered for his size. By the time I had shut the door to my own room, it was quiet but for murmurings.
Lighting my candle, I pulled out some parchment, a quill twirling in my fingers. Best write to my father now before I lost the chance. Killian’s words tumbled round and round inside my mind like a cartwheel down a hill. You’re all I have left.
o.O.o
I moved a hairs breath from the padded arrow that had shot past my shoulder, leaving Felix stunned. He struggled to knock another to his bow as I sprinted to him, running in a zig-zag formation to confuse and frighten him. I raised my weapon from below my hips, moving to strike him. Instinct flared and I jumped back, just as another arrow shot straight for where my stomach had been. Even padded and slightly weighted, these arrows could cause serious bruising. I sprinted to Felix’s left, again raising my blade. But he was ready thanks to the second arrow shot by Rogan in the trees, Felix’s eyes never leaving mine as he drew and held it level with my throat. I smiled and kept running anyway, fear clouding his eyes as he struggled.
“SHOOT FELIX!” Rogan roared from the trees, his commanding tone loosening the boy’s arrow. I cut it from the air, whipping my sword tip against his throat. I locked eyes with him, his fear now turning to anguish.
I sheathed my weapon and gripped Felix’s shoulder, not saying a word. His head bowed at the touch, though I could sense he was not scared, rather ashamed.
“It’s hard isn’t it, to shoot a man on dead point range. But sometimes you have to lad.”
He nodded, turning to Rogan who had appeared behind us. The man’s silent movement had always been uncanny.
“Do some more aim practise and I’ll come back.” I said, turning to go. “I’ll be back in an hour.”
Rogan nodded, crossing his arms. Though I sensed no ill will for the boy from the archer, I knew how strongly the sense of disappointing someone could motivate you into being better. On Felix’s part, he simply took up his bow and moved to practise. He had been with the Silver Swans for almost three years, his eighteenth birthday being a few months away. Rogan looked upon the boy with a sense of pride, training him from fifteen to now. As was tradition, Felix was to officially become knighted on his eighteenth year, however it had been brought forward due to our quest.
Tomorrow he would be tested before the King, his skills shown off and approved for knighthood. We were running through possible scenarios he may be tested in. Because Kain was picking.
“Listen Felix,” I said, turning back. He stopped at his name, waiting.
“When you are knighted, they will offer you a chance to leave us and join another faction. I suggest you take it. Where we are going… we will not return.”
To my surprise Felix looked up at me and smiled, saying nothing but nodding his head and turning away. I watched him, his assortment of black beads and the like swaying with the movement. We knew the moment we were up close to the lad his hair was a dark red, red enough for him to lose his head over it. It represented ancient bloodlines, legendary knights, and magic power the king loathed. Because he could not control it. Now Felix’s locks were hidden in a mass of hair decoration and clever braiding. I remembered the day he had come, his hair shorter, his face frightened. He had been small, smaller than any other noble sons who had come that year. Or the year before. Rogan had taken an instant interest in him – which for him meant he learnt the boy’s name. The choice to make him a master archer had been a stroke of insight, one which I knew neither boy nor archer regretted.
I shrugged the boy out of my thoughts, walking back to the barracks where Killian was working out accounts. His drunken talking was never spoken of, though I knew he remembered it. The rest of my knights were out getting supplies, mending armour and weaponry, training, and the like.
Killian looked up from my desk when I opened the door, a quill hovering over parchment.
“Ah, Ti – I need you to get these to the chamberlain. He likes you.”
“How would you know Nathan likes me?” I asked, “he has enough problems without us.”
“Because you know him by his given name.” Kili said wryly, passing me the accounts.
“But I have-”
“I’ll go help out Rogan with Felix.” Killian smiled, standing, and stretching, “after all, I am the one who has been overseeing the boys training with Rogan.”
“I have been helping!” I said, crossing my arms.
“No, you have been throwing him in and out of danger since he got here!” he laughed, “though I suppose you and your pretty words and actions have kept him from the king’s watchful eye.”
I frowned, while we both knew it was in jest. It was true it had been Killian who was testing the boy’s skills against others. Taught him better horsemanship, along with continuing the training of the others. He had a knack for it. I was the one who put them in life risking situations and sat in war council meetings.
I leafed through the accounts before rolling them up and putting them in their protective container.
“I’ll take my leave then,” I grumbled, “you get to have all the fun!”
He grinned again, following me out the door, “not my fault what station in life you find yourself in Ti – just be grateful I’m your second.”
We locked hands and went our separate ways, “you know I am.” I said over my shoulder.
o.O.o
“Ah, Sir Tirowen! What brings you to my chaos?” Nathan asked, the kitchen buzzing with cooks and apprentices.
“I suppose you’ve heard we’re leaving for a quest?” I asked, wincing at the sound of a ladle smacking the back of an apprentice’s hands.
“Yes.” Nathan said, “and brought forward your young Felix’s knighting. Very frustrating. I hear his father is ecstatic and riding as fast as he can to the capital. Apparently, he was given warning a week ago, so he should be here by then.”
“Kind of the King.” I said, swallowing my annoyance at the lack of information I was given.
“I think it’s more about tradition.” Nathan said, taking my accounts. “The King is still trying to crack…” He looked around the kitchen, at the many people eager for a story to gossip. “Well, no matter.”
The chamberlain walked out of the kitchen, beckoning me with him. I followed, staying away from the white lights glowing along the walls. Nathan too seemed to shrink beside them, the howling of the Guard Dog never far away.
“I thought to bring you to the war chamber, I know of a journal that may be useful to you.” He said, “It’s old – but I assume not much has changed.”
“Do you know anything on the sentinels?” I asked.
He shook his head, “but I know there may be war entries on what the ‘Lost Company’ faced.”
I felt hope gently bubble within me, wanting any information to get my knights in and out alive. “Much appreciated Nathan.” I said, “you are a great help.”
He turned to smile at me, a slight pulling of his mouth so I could see how rat-like his teeth were. “Anytime, Sir Tirowen.”
We entered the large room, the large meeting table taking up most of the room. Maps and representative pieces lined the walls, depictions of the creatures from Mechroria’s inventions were drawn up and labelled. I had fought enough of them in my life to know weak spots and clever manoeuvring. Formidable, but creatures that felt no pain or suffering. Somehow, it made it easier to fight them.
Nathan flicked through the keys at his hip, opening a draw that held stacks of paper. Expensive notebooks rested inside, one battered and torn. He pulled it out and held it out to me, accepting my thanks as I took it. I turned it over, finding burn marks and writing scrawled across it.
“This is all that’s left?” I asked, looking at it.
“Of them?” He asked, “yes. Every one of them was wiped out. All ten knights, four monsters and a sorcerer two years ago.”
“They had a sorcerer?” I asked, “I had no idea we had them enlisted.”
“Enlisted yes,” Nathan said uncomfortably, “but rarely on the front lines.”
“Will one be coming with us?” I asked.
He shook his head, “though I hear the King will be providing you with magic tools.”
I nodded at the thought, “thankyou Nathan.”
He took that as his leave, bowing slightly to me. “All the best with your young one Sir, I hope he succeeds in his knighthood.”
I nodded as he slipped through the door.
Opening the cover of the book, I found scrawled writing, dried blood encrusted into the page. Sitting down, I turned to the last few pages and scanned. What I read, sent shivers up my spine.
We now know why it was so simple to enter the mountains. Our maps are safely stored and ready to be sent by the birds we have brought along. But the moment we stepped out back towards our side of the Dragon-Back Mountains the stone statues we assumed to be art rose from their mossy banks. Creatures with flaking reddish substances over their bodies, vegetation covering their limbs. They silently rose from the earth like muted earthquakes. A reddish light beam from their eyes and land on moving creatures. We lost two knights to those eyes. Shields could not hold back the scorching light it blasted, arms that crushed bodies and threw boulders the size of men.
Still it hunts us. We flee but we find ourselves in the territory of other waking metal beings. Each are different, but they all have a red beam of light. Once the beam finds its way to you nothing will stop it from finishing you. Nothing fills the body with dread more than towering creatures that blend into the mountain side. Monsters of hardened flesh to find you and finish your party.
I am the last of us. I send this notebook with the last of our birds and knowledge of the sentinels’ locations. No magic stays the red beam, no clever move or weapon can kill them. You may find a way inside their territory.
But you will not come back out.
ns 15.158.61.17da2
