Post by Kaisar on Nov 16, 2005 18:52:54 GMT -6
Chapter 15
[/u][/center][/color]Traveling across the plains of Arka proved less perilous and more tedious as Neros, Ashen and Shuric made their way towards Spry. They had spent two days already following the roads and already the faint smell of sea salt touched the air. So far the company had encounters very few guards, it was almost as if the Triad had felt their control on the land was so complete that the idea of rebellion had been snuffed from the minds of the people they now dominated. While this was good fortune it was also a depressing sight.
Three hundred years of domination by the Triad had seen a people once peaceful and content become shadows, fearful of even the slightest word against what was now considered the Gods. Only a few remained who still told the old stories and believed in the old Gods, the Triad had tried to remove them from history but still their memory survived in the hearts and minds of those who believed.
Looking not for the first time to their feline friends Neros struggled with himself as to whether or not he should ask. Ashen had been all but silent since joining them saying scant a word. It was almost like his mind was divided, like the cat had other matters going on rather then just their pursuit of forsaken and it’s captors. They all know that forsaken was in Spry by now, playing guest to the dungeons of The Temple of Barrabus.
Again his mind over came his curiosity and Neros remained silent. He could not ask the werecat about Forsaken. The creature was better known to the cat and he dare not believe that it would betray the location of the stones. Ashen might have been the keeper of the locations but he told them all where they were and if Forsaken told the priests of the Triad that information they would swoop down upon the stones and dispose of them.
Yet if Forsaken refused to tell they would devise some vile way to pry the information from it. Forsaken was immortal, it could not die but it could feel pain and enough pain applied to a worn or broken spirit could make even the sturdiest of men tell all. He shuddered at the possibilities that assailed Forsaken and regretted not for the first time his reluctance to give forsaken the benefit of the doubt. Had he listened it might still be with them.
“Neros….” He looked up and met the orange-red eyes of Ashen his own feline face showing strain and concern. “I feel what you want of me and you also understand that I cannot say, but what I can say is that we will get Forsaken back…” He saw the pain redouble in Ashen’s gaze and then he looked away head bowed.
Get it back we might, but will Forsaken be as we remember it? Is that why you suffer werecat because of the pain and suffering your precious friend will endure. Or do you fear that it will not be as you remember it. He turned away from such dark thoughts and gazed one more to the horizon, small mountains could be seen to the west and a few small hills to the east. Arka was primarily open plain but unlike Sayavaha which was just endless open grassland it had some high ground and even a few mountains. It was also the only province that dealt primarily in fishing and farming. Arka was a land of merchants, thieves and sailors. It was even rumored Arka dealt with slavers from across the sea which was where they got their labor force.
When night fell Neros called a halt and they made camp. There was little point pitching tents as they would just slow them down when they set off at dawn. Instead they slept under the stars, rain fell only in the wet season and Ashen had remarked casually that it wasn’t going to rain for another three days. Neros however found it difficult to sleep.
Slipping form the folds of his bedding Neros moved about camp with a practiced stealth checking the horses and their supplies. When at last he’d finished Neros again returned to where his bedding was. Staring at it he sighed and picked up the blanket draping the bedding around his shoulders moving away once more.
Forsaken, its appearance and all the vents that ad occurred were like an old nightmare rising once more from the depths. All brought up memories of a past life he long thought was put behind him, it seemed fate wished to remind him.
Your eyes remind me of her Forsaken… silver like the moon and kind but she was killed long ago by the Triad… He gazed skywards and focused on the moon, a think sliver in a black, star studded sky. The night was clear and perfect with barely a touch of wind. Nights like this were what she called Ghost nights, so still spirits can walk the world without fear of the slightest breeze blowing them away. He smiled at the memory of when she told him of their many superstitions in her home town.
Still nights were the time of ghosts, to keep them at bay she’d once said ‘Deny them, belief is a strong thing and spirits feed on belief. The stronger you fear them the stronger you believe they can harm you and thus you open the path to harm.’ He sighed deeply again and closed his eyes banishing the sorry that sought to overwhelm his heart. He turned and wandered back to camp burying his memories of his past once more.Best to sleep and forget the past, it has come and gone… Neros lay down once more and closed his eyes drifting at last into some semblance of sleep and dreamed.
*
Unsure if he was alive or dead Neros lay where he was, eyes closed and listened, too afraid to open his eyes and believe that he still lived.
“I swear Kas you have a knack for finding lost things…” an amused male voice whispered.
“Yeah,” a second more gruff voice replied, “Not to mention weather and your skill with animals.”
A soft, disgusted snort too close for comfort made Neros twitch, gingerly he opened one eye a sliver and looked up at a ceiling he knew well. Looking to the side he saw a figure cast into shadows by the deep hood of a kind of woolen grey coat.
“Well you were the one who told us where to find him Kas…” the first voice remarked. “You have a gift for finding and knowing.”
“What I have is exceptionally good luck, and I pay attention to the world around me unlike some…” the hooded figure beside him remarked and Neros realized with a shock that it was a woman underneath those grey cloths. “I saw tracks and a dark human-shaped patch on the ground being fast covered in snow… Why don’t you two go dish yourselves up some food, I’ll keep watch…”
“Alright Kas we’re going,” the second voice replied as the sound of retreating footsteps left the room. When all was quiet the woman looked down at him her face still lost in shadows.
“They’re gone now if you care to open your eyes, I know your awake I felt you stir.” She murmured rising from her seat to give him a little space. Keeping within his sight she moved several things off the side table near his bed and placed them into a pack at its base. Neros opened both eyes and blinked as he adjusted to the dimness of the room.
More aware then he had been moments before Neros heard the high wail of the wind outside and realized the blizzard that had hit was still going. The storm was a bitter cold one, so cold it had nearly ripped the life from him, an unnatural storm for the time of year.
“Who are you?” he asked sitting up in bed and realized two things simultaneously. One was the room was pleasantly warm, the other was he wore no clothing. Keeping the covers pulled up he eyed the woman carefully, she wasn’t the one who had striped him down he hoped.
“Me?” she watched him from the shadows of her hood and then raised her arms with a fluid grace that seemed a little too uncanny and lowered the hood. “I’m Kassada Skyborne, my friends call me Kas…”
*
When dawn came they packed their gear up and continued across the open farm land of Arka. Halfway through the day’s journey he called for a short break. Tired from his restless sleep Neros sat at the base of an old tree, one of a few found beyond the dense forests of Vale. Shuric sat beside him while Ashen lay on the soft grass sunning himself with much enthusiasm. Twisting himself in the grass for the fifth time he gaze at the sullen pair and sighed.
“We can’t go straight to Spry you both realize don’t you?” Ashen remarked casually. “That place is swarming with soldiers and people looking for a chance to gain favor with the Temple of Barrabus and… I hate ot tell you but a healer, a mercenary and a werecat aren’t going to be much help to our dark friend… put simply gentlemen we need help.”
Neros looked up and rubbed his face adjusting the long sword at his back to a more comfortable position. “A situation I’m well aware of Ashen and have been thinking on which is why we are going to Tarmasen to see two friends of mine.” He nibbled on a piece of dried jerky and met the werecat’s level gaze. “From there we are going to travel by river across Arka to Pearl Bay and then enter Spry via its dock.”
“Ah,” Ashen replied as he stood and wandered over to them. “Well then we might as well get traveling. Tarmasen is still a good four days solid ride and the longer we take the more our apprehension for our friend grows.”
Nodding Neros finished the jerky he held in is hand. Shuric sighed and stood away but not before looking at Ashen the tone he used was nothing short of accusing, “I can understand why you’re so anxious to have your friend back Ashen, but I can’t help but feel your motives are two sided…” Neros paused midway through checking his horses gear to listen, never in all his life had Neros heard Shuric speak to anyone.
“What do you know my friend,” he implored.
Ashen bowed his head and looked away from Shuric, He said nothing for a time and then slowly began to speak. “Forsaken… Forsaken knows the locations deep within its subconscious. I wasn’t the one who found the knowledge, it was Forsaken’s given to it by the guardians of Starlight Temple. I don’t know why they gave Forsaken the information but they did and now the true information lies within our captured friend. Also if anything I’ve heard is true about what happens to prisoners in the Temple of Barrabus Forsaken is running out of time fast.”
Neros turned slowly to regarded the werecat, a few things were starting to become clear in his mind. Whatever Forsaken’s allegiance it would not give up information of such a kind willingly and its reluctance to tell them forsaken was the one who had the knowledge was at the time a god decision. He would have discounted it then and there. “Then we’d best get moving little werecat for indeed time is running short.” He finished saddling his horse and then mounted it.
Shuric too rose and finished saddling his own horse, ashen followed and transformed gazing up at the two men. “Lets move fast… I can lead us a shorter path to the city you spoke of it will take up two days rather then four… just do not question my method it is important…”
They both exchanged glances and then nodded. Ashen smiled and took the lead moving at a pace htat kept him ahead of the horses as they ran. Neros couldn’t be sure but he swore the world felt strange as they rode. It was as if reality had been bent somehow. Shaking his head he turned his thoughts away, Ashen asked they not question and he would respect that werecat’s wishes.