The Blaze Ignites (26 page)

Finally he took me to where the food was. I
saw a familiar figure standing by conversing with a few riders.
“Reese,” I said in relief.

He turned, smiling that heart-palpitating
smile. “Azrel,” he said, also relieved, and closed the few steps
between us. He embraced me fully, even picking me up off my feet
for a moment. He put me down and looked at my face, particularly my
two injuries, his smile fading. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you
properly,” he said softly. “I hope you can forgive me.”

I grinned in disbelief. “Reese, you jumped on
top of me and took an arrow for me. There’s nothing to
forgive.”

He smiled appreciatively. “Well, at least I
can repair the damage done to your beauty.” He dragged his
fingertips down my entire face. I closed my eyes and felt the
tingle of his magic on my lip and the gash on my forehead. By the
time he reached my chin, the lingering pain was gone and so were my
cuts.

My eyes opened and I smiled at him. “Thank
you.”

“My pleasure,” he said, his grey eyes
twinkling.

“Alright, let’s eat. We have to get going. We
are so far behind.” Reese nodded and both of us sat down around a
small table. A Gleo`gwyn in cream colored armor set a bowl down in
front of each of us. I looked up at him and smiled my thanks. He
replied with a smile of his own and a wink.

“Tell me, what’s your hurry, my lady?” Yarin
asked as he sat down across from us.

I looked in his eyes as I chewed, wondering
silently how much I should tell him. He seemed trustworthy and the
way he was looking at me now made me want to tell him my whole life
story if he wanted to know it. There was something magical about
the leader of the Metallic Riders. The things I was feeling for him
weren’t natural. They
couldn’t
be natural, could they?

I swallowed my food. “I left something of
great value with a friend of mine and I need to get it back.” I
quickly realized he could ask about the valuable thing, and I
wasn’t so sure I could lie to him if he asked me right now. It was
like my entire soul was bare to his eyes and I couldn’t hide
anything even if I wanted to. So I changed the subject. “You know
him actually.”

“Who?”

“My friend.”

“I do?”

“His name is Ortheldo. You found him once in
winter, nine years ago, probably close to the bank of the Ambuel
River. More recently you saved him from two Legan’dirs in the far
west.”

He looked perplexed for a moment, then smiled
at me. “We save many beings my lady. I’m sorry, but Ortheldo
doesn’t stand out in my memory.”

I nodded and went back to eating, though I
thought that was a little odd. Ortheldo said that he had spent some
time with the Gleo’gwyns when they first found him. I supposed,
though, that they did save a lot of people, and that was nine years
ago after all. Nine years was probably an eternity to this
group.

“Can I ask you something?” Yarin asked. I
nodded. “If Ortheldo is such a dear friend, where is he? Why isn’t
he with you and Reese?”

I gave him a soft smile. “It’s a long
story.”

“One that we can’t make time for,” Reese said
beside me. I nodded my agreement.

A few minutes later, Reese and I finished the
last of our stew and rose from the table. “Thank you for
everything. I’m sorry I can’t explain right now, but we really have
to go. My friends are in danger.” With a smile I turned and started
walking away towards Forfirith.

“From what?” Yarin called from behind me.

I looked at him over my shoulder, “Everything
Evil.”

Yarin then stood, too, and jogged to my side.
He gently took my arm to stop my retreat. “What valuable item is he
bearing?”

I pressed my lips together not wanting to say
anything. “Something I never should have given him. It was my
responsibility.”

A look of genuine concern came over his face.
“Azrel, if your friends were in danger we would know about it.” He
looked at some of his men nearby who nodded their agreement.
“Please take that to heart. Our point of
existence
is to
know these things. Your friends are safe. Please sit and finish
eating with us.”

“I can’t. I’m sorry.” I gently pulled away
from his grasp. “I need to find him before danger does. I couldn’t
live with myself if something happen to him. I thank you all very
much for helping us and I’m sure we’ll meet again. Goodbye.”

As Reese and I started off again, Yarin’s
high-pitched whistle from behind made us stop and spin around.
Suddenly the entire camp was in commotion all around us! Some men
attached bags to horses, others packed dishes, some ran to horses
and mounted calling out commands, a few put out fires, some pulled
down and packed up tents, others collapsed tables and packed them
up as well. In the time it would have taken Reese and I to get to
our horses and mount, all one hundred Gleo’gwyns were packed up and
mounted waiting to depart.

“Light Gods Almighty!” I cried, my jaw
practically touching the grass.

“Did that really just happen?” Reese chimed
in.

Both of us turned to face Yarin, whose hands
were clasped behind his back. A smug smile on his lips said it
all.

Reese and I looked at each other and then
started laughing. Yarin even joined in as he walked up to us. “I
hope you won’t mind us tagging along, my lady.” He bowed at the
waist to me.

“Not at all!” I laughed. “Just don’t keep me
waiting so long next time.”

All of us laughed again. I was having a
genuinely good time with the Gleo’gwyns. I couldn’t remember the
last time I had fun like this.

We walked over to our horses and mounted.
“Lead the way,” Yarin said from behind as he mounted his horse.

I looked over my shoulder at him. “What kind
of riding conditions are you and your men accustomed to?”

“What do you mean?”

“When we left Rocksheloc our party had a day
lead on us. By now they have two days’ lead. We’re going to have to
ride through the night with no sleep and little rest. I’ve had to
ride like that three times in the mere weeks since I left the west.
Can your riders manage that kind of abuse?”

Yarin smiled. “Azrel, there are times we must
go days without even rest. We could be on one side of Casdanarus
one day, then find out we’re needed on the other side in a short
period of time.” He winked. “We can manage.”

I smiled and even felt myself turn a little
red, then faced forward. “Ya!” I called and kicked Forfirith into a
full gallop. We were off, and I was very happy for the company of
the Gleo’gwyns.

“Stay quiet,” Reese whispered a little
harshly to me as he focused through the bushes we crouched behind.
We had abandoned the road about fifteen minutes earlier. Yarin said
he felt something wrong, so he ordered everyone, save for two
scouts, into the woods that lined each side of the road.

I smiled at Reese, finding his harshness a
little humorous. “Who are
you
to order me around?”

He looked at me with a firm, determined
expression. “I failed to protect you once. I won’t make the same
mistake twice.”

I smiled despite his tone and rubbed his back
comfortingly. “Don’t worry so much.”

He managed to look at me with a smile, though
his eyes were red and glassy from exhaustion. I seemed to be the
only one in good spirits after a nonstop night and half a day’s
ride. I was only vaguely weary. Reese and the Gleo’gwyns, on the
other hand, looked about ready to fall over on their feet. Yarin
was an exception. He looked about as alert as I was. I wondered
though, as I looked at the state his men were in, if he’d told me
the truth about riding with no rest for days and days. His riders
seemed far too exhausted after only twenty hours to convince me
that they were used to such hard driving. Now that a battle could
be on the brink, I wondered if they’d be able to fight
properly.

Finally I heard galloping hooves as the
scouts returned to report on the disturbance up ahead. “It’s a host
of Gorkors, Yarin,” one said frantically, “only a mile away!”

“How many?”

“At least three hundred.”

My eyes went wide. A host of three hundred
Gorkors? Reese and I exchanged worried glances. Beldorn wasn’t
joking that things had gotten bad out here. Shadow creatures
gathering in such a large host was not a good thing.

I looked over my shoulder at Yarin. He stood
away from the bushes looking at his scouts. “Hide your horses down
the road with the others and take cover. Quickly!” The two men rode
out of sight and then returned, taking cover in the bushes with the
rest of us. Yarin crouched down to hide once more.

“Did you know these Gorkors were coming at
us?” I asked.

He shook his head. “We’re only told of danger
that threatens other people, never ourselves.”

Only a few moments passed before I heard
heavy footsteps coming up the dirt road. I drew my bowstring
towards my cheek and took aim at the sound.

I felt Reese and Yarin’s eyes on me. “They
aren’t even close enough to
hear
. Why are you taking aim?”
Yarin whispered.

“I hear them,” I said in a low voice, keeping
my eyes on the road.

From the corner of my eye I saw Reese’s
eyebrows drop curiously at me, and then from behind I heard Yarin
make a whistling, chirping sound like a bird. There was a faint
rustle in the bushes as his Gleo’gwyns pulled back their bowstrings
and we waited. The tips of the pointy, bat-like ears finally
appeared over the hill as the Gorkors marched up the road towards
us. Soon a dozen brown and grey, pressed-in faces crested the hill
of the road.

As I waited for the right moment to fire, a
disturbing thought occurred to me; they were heading in the wrong
direction. The necklace was with Ortheldo who was farther south.
Why were these creatures of Evil heading north and not going for
the necklace?

Thwip! My arrow was launched and a Gorkor
went down with a roar of agony.

Before the others realized what was
happening, a chorus of singing bowstrings and flying arrows erupted
all around me as the Gleo’gwyns fired. Gorkor roars filled the sky
and dull thumps were heard as many of them fell dead to the ground.
It took another volley of arrows to kill all that had shown
themselves. A distant grumble that came to my ears, however, made
me shiver.

While the Gleo’gwyns began cheering and
congratulating each other, I darted from the bushes and went out
onto the road to the edge of the steep hill. I nearly swallowed my
tongue! An
army
of Gorkors, numbering about 500, was
marching up the hill straight towards us!

I stared in disbelief. Why didn’t the scouts
see
them?
A disturbing realization crossed my mind; this
could be a hunting party for me. They were heading in the opposite
direction of the necklace, and someone powerful hid these Gorkors
from the scout’s eyes.

“Light Gods save us,” I breathed. It wasn’t
loud, but it was enough to have the entire first line of Gorkors
look up at me. I choked for a moment, wondering what to do. The
Gorkors’ hideous expressions turned lethal as they started running
up the hill in a full charge.

Should I tell the Gleo’gwyns to arm?

No. That’s Yarin’s job.

But I can’t just stand here!

What was I supposed to do?

I was paralyzed in shock, but luckily Reese
and Yarin appeared by my side and saw what I was looking at. Both
of them turned and ran back to the others, shouting out orders.
“Form ranks! Arrows in front, swords behind! Move!”

I still stood frozen in shock at the edge of
that hill. The monsters stood over eight feet tall, with brute
strength that could tear a man in two without exerting any effort.
I’d never fought a Gorkor before!

“Azrel!” Yarin was yelling my name. “What are
you doing?”

I supposed there was a first time for
everything. I pulled out my sword and slashed at the first one as
it got in front of me, completely separating its torso into two
pieces.

“Azrel!” Yarin screamed as another Gorkor
came at me. “Get out of the way of my archers!”

Oops! I hadn’t realized I was in their way. I
spun myself out of the way, cutting a Gorkor in half while doing
so, and moved myself to the edge of the road to allow the
Gleo’gwyns a clear path to launch arrows.

More and more Gorkors came up the hill and a
battle erupted. We were all under complete siege by these monsters.
For every one I managed to kill, two more would take its place.

I was backhanded by a massive claw, which
sent me reeling. I put my hands out in front of me just before my
forehead could smack into a tree trunk. I turned around and saw a
long, boney hand coming at me. I brought my sword up and sliced it
off before those razor sharp claws got too close. Undaunted, the
creature reached for me with its other claw. I sliced that one off
too, then thrust my sword forward, stabbing it in the heart. Four
more claws were at me even as that one fell dead. Apparently my
sword skills weren’t going to be enough for this fight. I glanced
towards the road where the battle was thickest to see if anyone was
looking in my direction. No one was.

After slicing a Gorkor across the ribs, I
spun around behind a tree. It was time to use other fighting means.
I put my sword away and looked at my fists, which were spotted with
black blood, and summoned my magic. White fire erupted and took the
shape of the white fingerless gloves, with three claw-like knives
jutting out from the knuckles. I touched my toes, sending white
fire out the tips of my boots to take the shape of a blade. I
lifted each foot in turn and touched my heel, making three more
knives jut out the back of my boots.

Three Gorkors came around to each side of the
tree. I took a deep breath in order to focus my energy into what my
body was about to do. Slowly, a Gorkor arm reached for me, and I
released my breath.