Warlocks Index – Previous Chapter
Berlinia took over meal preparation after bringing their horses into the barn, while Graciul checked his traps and surrounds. He returned just as Berlinia was serving. Brethna had maintained a stream of dialogue describing the recent exploits of her bond mate, diverging occasionally with recollections of past events, but never once mentioned the claims of her daughter, but then neither did I have the heart to ask. I feared it would only upset her more, and I wasn’t sure I really wanted to know for myself. She fell silent as Graciul joined us.
“It’s all quiet out there. We should be safe for now.”
Berlinia passed a mug of broth to him. “I did everything you taught me. I hope it was enough.”
Graciul placed a comforting hand over her wrist. “I know.” Their affection for each other was a welcome sensation after the events of the past few days. Berlinia smiled, then returned to serving the rest of us.
“I don’t think Brethna should return home just yet.” I said taking a second mug from Berlinia. “Maybe they should stay here for a while.”
Graciul shook his head as he blew across his broth. “There’s a chance someone followed them. I have another safe place. It’s a little further down from here, but it’s better stocked and a stream runs nearby.” He looked to Belinia. “You know the way?”
She nodded as she took a seat next to Brethna. “I remember.”
“Good. You two take the cart and make your way there this evening, as long as things remain quiet.” He looked to me. “We’ll swap our packs over and take the horses. We can move quicker that way.” His eyes narrowed slightly. “Together, we can travel off the road and circle back. You are intending on finding this mystic aren’t you?”
His penetrating stare left me feeling utterly exposed and ashamed. I coughed slightly on my broth. “Um… yes.” I wanted to say more but found I had no words to say.
“Good. Not alone.” And he took a long sip from his broth.
To my left, in the corner of my eye, I saw Brethna look questioningly at Berlinia, who in turn just smiled, sipping from her mug. I felt chastised, but in a good way. I felt supported.
*****
The afternoon was mostly restful. Plans were made and packs were prepared, but mostly it was waiting and idle talk. Berlinia and Graciul spent much time in each other’s company, and Brethna was proving very industrious with setting up the cart. I spent much of my time checking my packs and revising my horse-riding lessons. I was confident in my ability, but it had been some time since I had last ridden. Mounting and taking a slow walk around the barn was enough to refresh my body’s memory.
Then the evening was upon us. We shared one more meal together, revised our separate plans, packed final items, and went our separate ways under a red sunset sky. The clouds caught the deep red glow giving the night air a rather ominous chill. I felt a little grateful that I had changed my mind about leaving Graciul behind. He clearly wasn’t about to let that happen, and he had made me realise that company would only be to our advantage.
The night was dark. The stars filled the sky, with a hole where the hidden moon was, it’s light absent tonight. I followed close to Graciul fearful of losing him in the darkness, the sound of his horse’s hooves my main guide. Off in the distance to my left I could see a soft glow which would be the lights of the village. My thoughts turned briefly to Brethna and Berlinia, and I whispered a hope for their safety.
With no reference points, time passed with a strange duality, at once both long and quick. Either way, without a word spoken, we approached the tree line and dismounted. Based on our previous encounters, we thought it was most likely that wherever the Dream Maker was based, it was on the far side of the forest to where we entered. The main road to Haven cut through between us and our destination. A destination which we still had yet to the determine.
We removed our packs and set the horses free. They would return to their stables in the village. Someone might be able to track them, but they would only be led to this edge of the forest giving both ourselves and the women a small safety margin. I stood listening to the fading sounds of their slow gallop, second thoughts flashing through my mind, before turning to follow Graciul into the darker than dark tree line.
*****
Keeping up with Graciul was more challenging in the shadow of the forest. Even with eyes adjusted to the darkness, there was little light to see by. We had discussed and practiced sounds and whispers we would use to keep track of each other, sounds of animals and wind. Even so, I did my best to keep close and not lose my way, and remaining a silent as possible while lumbered with a carefully packed sack on my back.
I felt for the crystal in my robes. Graciul had suggested it be stitched into the material, along with other similar sized stones, which Berlinia had assisted with. He had done something similar with his own saying that in doing so, it would weight down and be less likely to catch on brambles and bushes. He had insisted that it would help with being hidden. I started to see what he had meant, even though it added extra weight.
At a crack of branches, I caught my breath and dropped to a crouch. The weighted cloak fell silently to the ground without billowing. It instead enveloped and collapsed in around me, tight and contained. I remained frozen and silent for what felt ages, before I heard Graciul, slightly ahead, huff an all clear. He made it sound like a soft breeze. I rose and crept in his direction.
We continued like this for some time, and the weight was wearing me down, when we reached a small clearing. I crept up next to Graciul barely visible to my eye.
“Wait here.” He whispered into my ear, and then he moved away from me. I carefully sat down and let the sack slip to the ground. The sounds of night, insects, leaves on the breeze, soft cracking of bark and trees, became the only things I could hear. I marvelled at the ability of one’s senses to adapt in such circumstances. I recalled playing as a child in the fields near Haven, staying out beyond curfew with Billtak and others. Hide and seek in the dark.
Smiling at these fond memories, I focussed my thoughts and listened with all my mind. I felt a shift in my mind, like a ripple in a pond expanding out beyond myself, and I became aware of new details. It was a sense of knowing. I knew the positions of nearby trees, a night hawk resting in the canopy, a fallen trunk some distance from me, Graciul part way up a tree, and on the other side of the clearing, not much further, the road to Haven. Shocked by this experience, I opened my eyes, and this sense evaporated back to darkness. All that remained was the soft noises of night and a warmth on my chest.
The Master Crystal was radiating a soft warmth as it had before.
I clutched at it through the cloth, feeling its fading warmth. I was struck by a strange drive, and I closed my eyes, focussing once again on the sounds of the night, trying to recreate the sensations of before. Almost immediately, I felt my awareness flow beyond me. I pushed beyond what I had felt before, and sure enough, I could almost see in my mind the forest beyond. Sleeping creatures, and nocturnal hunters, Graciul now returned to the forest floor making his way back to me, the road to Haven, and a small group of sleeping individuals, watched by another, on the far side of the road. I also sensed a large man approaching Graciul, armed with a crude mechanical device.
Before I could move or make a noise, I sensed something bright. Not in the sense of light, but in a way I had not the words for. It came from deeper in the forest, and from it came tendrils of… something. The all went to the large man as he raised his strange device.
Without thinking, I heaved a whispered warning, and Graciul dropped to the ground as whatever the man shot flew overhead. Suddenly anxious, I found it hard to focus and the sensations faded. My breath caught as I quickly reoriented myself. Hearing heavy movement across from me, I rolled to my side onto my feet. My hand fell on something hard, a fallen branch, which I clutched tight. Fading impressions of my trance, showing me the direction Graicul was, guided my feet as I ran with a certainty I didn’t relate to. As I rushed past trees and outreaching branches, I am still surprised that I did not get so much as a scratch.
Then I raised my makeshift club, charging into darkness, and struck out into the emptiness. The loud crack and shocked exclamation, followed by a heavy thump to the ground were quickly behind me as I stumbled to a halt. I tried hard to hold my breath even though I felt I was suffocating. The branch in my hand felt lighter than before, and something was swinging on it, it’s swaying movement both felt and heard with a soft clicking. I let it fall as I dropped to my knees.
Seconds seemed like years before Graciul hushed his approach, and I felt his hand on my shoulder, then his head next to mine.
“We must move from here and, thank you.”
It was only then that I opened my eyes.
Reflection of a Ham 