I had to admit, that one caught me unawares. Draitain Woodgaard had always seemed invincible, an unwitting parallel to Tir Locke itself. During the Great Conflict, he had been a force to be reckoned with, goblins, trolls, ogres, humans, Hell, even dragons fell under his mighty axe. And he was a cunning warrior, brilliant strategist, charismatic leader and genuinely cared for the well-being of his troops as well as the fate of the people of Corivaan. He was the definition of the word “hero.” I found myself wishing I were standing so that I could sit down. Daryn ducked out of the cave, and we could hear him moving into the woods. Blake and Cor were both silent, Cor looking shocked and drawn, Blake looking his usual indifferent self. Caitlyn drew her knees to her chest and hugged them close. I moved over to her. “Is Daryn all right?” I asked by way of excuse. She nodded. “He’ll deal with his rage... He’s got a temper but he’s not stupid,” she stated softly. Her eyes were wet with tears. I decided to ask. “This may seem a little crazy... When I first met you, I got the impression that you weren’t from around here...” I started, knowing it did indeed sound crazy and more than a little inane. She nodded. “I am originally from Xranthas,” she informed me, but that was a lie. She struggled with the city name just a little too much for someone who grew up there. “And before that?” I prompted, looking at her. She blinked and met my gaze, and suddenly knew. “You mean...” she trailed off as I nodded. She gripped her knees tighter. “What were you?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly. “A student,” I murmured. “You?” “Nothing... I was only ten when I... Came here... Fifteen years ago.” I nodded. I wasn’t surprised that our time increments varied: That put her only three years younger than me. No doubt we came from the same time back home, but were placed in different times on the journey here. “What are we going to do?” The question left me off balance. She was looking at me with incredibly luminous eyes, haunted in some way. I let it sit for a moment, let it fester... Truth was, I wasn’t entirely sure. I knew what ought to be done, and I knew what I wanted to do, but those two never seemed to coincide. After a long moment, I spoke, and when I did, I was addressing everybody present. “The caravan...” I started, then hesitated. The information I was about to divulge was privileged, given to me only because I was in charge of the caravan’s security... But now... “The caravan contains a very precious cargo... Tomas Drakystor’s orphaned son.” Everyone stared at me. Even Rathimander hadn’t known, and faeries seem to know everything. “You’ve all heard tales of Drakystor’s uncanny abilities... Well they’re all true. And it’s possible they’ve passed to his son. And now, this... Linthar Torrek... Is about to deliver him right into the dragon’s clutches.” I stared at them. “Our best chance of defeating Talizar and Tyran is that child.” Blake was already shaking his head. “No, you said it’s possible those abilities were passed on. You don’t know that,” he protested. “True,” I acknowledged, “but it doesn’t change the fact that the kid needs rescuing.” “Forget it!” Blake growled. “By now they’re in Talizar’s territory. They’re expecting us to come, dammit, that’s why they took the caravan in the first place! And I for one do not want to engage in pitched battle against a bunch of trained Legionnaires in Talizar’s stomping grounds! Let’s cut our losses, go and rescue Draitan and break off from behind.” Put that way, I was inclined to agree. But something within wouldn’t let me get away with that. “Blake, he’s a five-year-old child!” I snarled. “And what do dragons care for elven children? They’ll kill him slowly and painfully. You mean to tell me that you can just let him die?” He met my gaze and I knew in that moment that he could, and would. Silence ensued. A rustling at the cave door shattered the moment as Daryn entered. It was clear from the look on his face that he had been listening. “Blake, you take the boy and faery and rescue Draitan,” I growled. “I go for the child.” “I’ll go with you,” Daryn rumbled. I nodded, not trusting my voice at that moment in time. The little speech I had given took a lot out of me when I thought about exactly how much trouble I was in. Part of me was glad that Daryn was willing, but the rest of me loathed his company. “And I too,” Caitlyn stated. Daryn started to protest, but she silenced him with a look that could have frozen the sun. Blake glared at the three of us for a long moment, grabbed his sword, buckled it to his belt and stormed out of the cave. Rathimander followed, uncharacteristically silent for a faery. Cor approached me. “I want to go with you,” he said softly. Shock, frustration had taken it’s toll on the young man. All pretense was stripped away, and he was the most humble I’d ever seen him. “No, Cor...” I stated, “I need you to go with Blake and make certain he does as he says he will.” If I had expected argument, I was disappointed. He nodded and was gone without another word. I turned to Daryn and Caitlyn. They were standing close, whispering, and hushed up as they felt my gaze fall upon them. They looked at me. “They’ll have to head toward Taerr Rocskull’s slave compound,” I stated wearily. “It’s the only safe haven for miles, and Taerr is well known for taking in refugees headed to Tir Locke from Xranthas. And, he is sympathetic to the Legion.” “What do you propose we do?” Daryn asked. I knew it killed him to have to defer to me for strategy, but he was warrior, not an officer. “Cut them off at the Vanitis River crossing. A quick raid, rescue the child and head to the compound ourselves. Taerr... Well, he knows me. He’ll help us.” I hope, I added to myself.* * * Night fell, and still we traveled. In order to make it in time, we had to travel day and night with minimal rest, and even then, by my best estimate, we would just barely make it. As we traveled, I noticed that Daryn doted on Caitlyn, far more than a normal husband would... Something... Day came, and finally exhaustion took it’s toll on Caitlyn. She collapsed and would go no further without rest. In a matter of moments, she was asleep. Okay, so I’ll admit, I was more than a little sleepy myself, but Daryn stayed up, so I made myself stay awake too. He plopped down on a nearby rock, and I sat across from him on a fallen log. “She’s normally stronger than this,” he stated by way of explanation, and I waved him off. “All this travel is no good for a woman in her condition,” I murmured. He stared at me. “How did...” What do you know, I was right. Question was, what exactly her condition consisted of. “I have a knack for these things,” I replied vaguely. He nodded and ran his thick fingers through his dark brown hair. “We only found out a week ago...” he stated absently, “the midwife says she’s only a few weeks along...” I thought so. I nodded sagely, pretending that I knew what the Hell he was talking about. We sat in silence for a long moment. “Look, Wolfein, I didn’t thank you for trying to save her-” “Shut up, McKaine,” I growled. I didn’t need that just then. I was tired, too tired to think, too tired to be gracious. I yawned and idly fingered the talisman around my neck. He stared at it. “Where did you get that?” he inquired. I was about to bite his head off again, thinking he was feebly attempting conversation again, when I met his gaze. I could see that he, though tired, was seriously interested. “My father,” I stated softly. Half-truth. It had been my father’s. I inherited it when he died. “Why?” “Well, I only ask because...” he paused as he reached inside his tabard to pull out a chain that hung around his neck... Bearing a suspiciously familiar pendant. Unlike mine, it was red, striking red, crimson even. But it had the same silver gryffin talon, the same flawless shape... “But... That’s impossible,” I stammered, dumbfounded. “How...?” “‘Twas a gift from my father,” Daryn stated grimly. “He disappeared shortly afterward, and no one has heard from him since. But he told me that anybody wearing this pendant’s brother could be trusted. Had to be trusted.” I stared at him, not believing his words. “You think I would hand leadership to you without a damn good reason?” he inquired, his words light, but his eyes clouded. He clapped me on the shoulder. “Sleep, Reinter. I’ll keep watch.” And that was the end of it.* * * “I don’t like it.” Daryn spoke for me as well. Our plan had been to arrive at the Vanitis River crossing ahead of the caravan, stake out the best place for an ambush, rescue the child and break for the compound. Things changed when we got to the river at the same time as the caravan was about to cross it. What Daryn (and vicariously myself) did not like was the fact that I suggested we go ahead as planned. “I’m willing to entertain options,” I growled. He stared at the caravan as it moved slowly across the wide, shallow river. We managed to have the intelligence to approach the crossing from the opposite bank of the river, so as to have a clear path when we retreated and made for the compound. He sighed, removed his tabard, pulled out two small hand crossbows and handed them to his wife. “Take a position near the road. When we begin the attack, take two shots, no more, then break and run. With luck, we’ll be behind you.” Caitlyn took the crossbows, nodded, and disappeared into the foliage. He turned to me. He pulled his baldric of throwing knives and that held his sheath over his head, drew his massive sword and handed the baldric to me. I accepted it without argument, and unbuckled the empty sheath, tossing it aside. I drew the baldric over my own shoulder, then took the shortsword he offered to me from his belt. “Ready?” he asked. “Nope,” I answered, and burst forth from our hiding spot. I rushed forward, crying my most frightening battlecry, water spraying all around me. I could hear Daryn fall in beside me. He was silent, but no less terrifying, swinging that giant sword with ease and grace. The Legionnaires stared at us in shock for a long moment, and their indecision cost them two lives as Caitlyn’s crossbow bolts felled a footsoldier, and the horse that presumably belonged to Linthar Torrek. He shouted as he went down, and the rest of the guards were shaken into action. Of course, by this time, we’d reached them. Daryn swung with precision and skill, swiping down at a horse, then taking the rider on the upswing as the horse fell. I drove forward and flung a dagger at the nearest guard, but misjudged the distance, so the dagger took him between the eyes, but with the hilt-end. It was a small matter, though, for in the time it took him to realize that he wasn’t dead yet, I’d slashed him open from collarbone to navel with the shortsword. There was a yell behind me, and I whirled to see a guard, axe raised, presumably about to bring it down on my defenseless back, falling into the water with a bolt protruding from his left eye, and another in his chest. Four shots. Caitlyn hadn’t run yet. I looked around wildly for Daryn, and saw him otherwise occupied with three Legionnaires. He hadn’t seen. Though apparently Linthar Torrek had. He had blundered to his feet in time to see the bolts cut my would-be murderer down, and was running toward Caitlyn’s position. There was no way she’d reload in time. I yelled to Daryn and rushed after the man, knowing damn well that I wouldn’t make it. Daryn must have heard me, for I saw him glance in Linthar’s direction. He roared with fury, brought his sword straight down on one man so hard that it cleaved him clean in half, punched the second man with such force that the guard’s helmet caved in, causing copious amounts of blood to spout from the eye slit, and then flung the third man out of his way. He charged after Linthar, and knowing that he was more likely to make it in time, I changed my direction and wheeled toward the wagon. There were still eight armed guards and two archers to deal with, but the archers shooting at... Dammit! Daryn cried out, and I cast a look in his direction. He had almost caught up to Linthar, but an arrow had taken him high in the back. Linthar turned to face him, and over their shoulders, I could see Caitlyn start to charge into the fray. I grimaced, lowered my head, and charged. Swords slashed around me, but miraculously, none caused any more damage than a few scratches. I flung open the door to the caravan and peered inside. The elf Elysa Blacksbane would not have been allowed to come with them, but the old nursemaid caring for the child would have to have been. And there she was, curled over the child, blood congealing around a wound from her neck. The bastards had killed her. The child, however, was still alive, and sobbing heartily. I grabbed him from the old woman’s death grip. “Come on,” I said as soothingly as urgency would allow. “But what about Marna?” he protested. “She’s dead, and you will be too unless you come with me right now,” I snapped, picking him up and flinging him over my shoulder. I turned to exit to find the door filled with an alarming amount of guard. Without a word, I swung, opening his throat, and kicked his gurgling corpse aside. “Shut your eyes, kid,” I growled and burst out of the wagon. One other guard stood outside, surprised by his partners sudden death, so surprised that his own happened without his knowledge. The others were battling a sorely wounded Daryn. As I rounded the caravan, I could see Linthar’s body floating near where Daryn was fighting the other six guards, a bolt protruding from his back. One of the archers had fallen, another one of Caitlyn’s bolts in his heart, and the other was busy looking for a clear shot at Daryn. I stabbed the sword into the swirling muck, drew another knife and this time managed to fell the remaining archer with a well-aimed throw. I gathered my sword and ran for the road. I could see Caitlyn on the shoreline, reloading the crossbows. “Daryn!” I shouted as I made shore. I risked a glance over my shoulder to see him take a mighty sweep with his sword, driving five men back (carving the hapless sixth), and then running after us. We dashed up the road, the five men in pursuit. A little way up the road, I suddenly heard the splash of many hooves entering the river, and cursed loudly. “Rear guard!” I shouted. The others made no attempt to speak. They both knew that probably meant we were dead. We dashed around a bend in the road, when Daryn came up behind me, plucked the child from my shoulder, grabbed me and dove into the foliage. Apparently Caitlyn knew what we were doing, for she followed. In a matter of moments, we came out onto the road, having lost the five guards and gaining several moments of rest. Daryn set the child down, and knelt in front of him. “What’s your name?” he asked. The child looked up at him with dry, solemn eyes. “Lukas,” he replied, his voice calm. “Well, Lukas, you’re going to have to go with Caitlyn here to see a dwarf named Taerr Rocskull. He’ll take care of you and make certain you get to Xranthas safely,” Daryn stated, his voice soft and soothing. Caitlyn stepped forward to protest, but he silenced her by standing and covering her mouth with a swift, passionate kiss. “No other choice,” he whispered, looking into her eyes. “I love you.” She stared at him for a long moment, kissed him again, and took the child’s hand. She started away, but I stopped her. “Here,” I said, pulling the chain with the pendant from around my neck, and handed it to her. “Give this to Taerr Rocskull.” She nodded, took the pendant, and disappeared up the road. Daryn turned to me. “You know what we’re going to do?” he inquired, straightening his chainmail and wiping the blood from his sword as best he could. “Run off and become savages?” I asked, wiping the shortsword on the hem of my tunic. “No,” he stated, pulling the arrow from his shoulder. “Learn to dance, sing, and act and become the only triple-threat in the business, then dazzle them with our brilliance?” I asked, stretching my muscles. “Nope,” he murmured, taking a few practice swings with his sword. “Stand and fight to buy some time so Caitlyn can get to the slave compound with the kid alive?” “Indeed.” We took positions on either side of the road, blocking passage. The sounds of hoofbeats were growing closer. “Wolf?” he asked, not looking at me. “Yeah?” I replied, staring at the road ahead of us, waiting. “You have any regrets?” “Not really. Only that I wasn’t the hero that everybody thought I was. You?” “I wish I could have seen my child grow up,” he murmured. Closer. They had to be just around the bend by now. “Rumors about you are true, Wolf,” he stated, “you are brave.” The first horses rounded the bend and barrelled toward us. “Nope,” I murmured, knowing that by now, he couldn’t hear me. “Just stupid.” Daryn let loose a battlecry that stirred my blood, and I found myself joining in. We two rushed forward, blades ready, and Gods, we must have been a sight to see. My final thoughts, before the lust of battle settled in, were upon my home. You know, I didn’t miss it. This was my life, and while it had it’s rough points, it was a damn good one. A song rose to my lips as I descended into that blood-red haze. A song from my homeland, about fate. About freedom. About all that is good. And when I finally fell, bleeding from many grievous wounds, the song still on my lips, and when the horses passed me in pursuit of the child, I knew that Caitlyn would make it. I don’t know how I knew, but I did. And that, to me, justified every evil in the world. I died with a smile on my lips and a song in my heart.