Sword of Kings
Chapter 55– Fleeing Treblanc.

by Bill W

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Legal Notice:
The following story contains descriptions of graphic sexual acts. 
The story is a work of fiction and has no basis in reality.
Don’t read this story if:
**You’re not 18 or over,    
**If it is illegal to read this type of material where you live,
**Or if you don’t want to read about gay/bi people in love or having sex.

The author retains copyright to this story.  Placing this story on a website or reproducing this story for distribution without the author’s permission is a violation of that copyright.  Legal action will be taken against violators.

I wish to extend my thank you to Emoe57 for his editorial assistance with this chapter.

E-mail responses to the stories, story suggestions, or other ‘constructive’ comments or advice may be sent to: bwstories8@aol.com.

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Kieren and his companions stood dumbfounded - completely confused by what had just happened. Some of them began to search the area for Madumda, thinking he had used his magic to hide or flee, although no one could explain why he would have done something like that when he seemed to have the clear advantage. Others believed he had been destroyed, but had no rational explanation for how it could have happened. They were still searching for an answer, when Kieren finally spoke up.

“I cannot explain what just took place,” the bewildered young man stated, “but for some strange reason I suddenly feel this struggle is finally over.”

“But what was that flash?” asked a stunned Garreth, finally able to find his tongue again.

“At first I thought the Dark Lord had used his magic to destroy me,” Kieren admitted, “but I am still here, so it couldn’t have been that. Then I thought he had used his powers to flee, but why would he disappear when he was ready to finish me off?” Kieren swallowed hard after saying this, as he realized just how close he had come to dying.

“Nothing in the area posed a threat to him, once I was down,” the teen continued, “and the Sword had been knocked from my grasp. I am still totally baffled as to whom he was talking to or what he was talking about, just before he disappeared. At first I thought he was speaking to someone else, even though we were the only ones in the room, but then he accused me of playing some sort of trick and making him hear voices. No matter how confused I still am; I now sense an inner peace. I am convinced he is now gone forever.”

There was another lengthy period of silence before Rhys spoke up. “I certainly have no explanation for what happened either, but I may be able to support Kieren’s intuition. I think the Dark Lord must have been destroyed, for why else would he have left his staff of power behind? Yet, there it lies, on the floor.” All heads jerked toward the spot where Rhys was pointing and all eyes focused on the necromancer’s staff. It was still resting beside the wall, in the exact spot Madumda had dropped it when he removed the sword from where it hung. Suddenly remembering the sword, the companions noticed it was lying on the floor as well.

A myriad of questions raced through their minds, as they pondered the situation. If the Dark Lord had been destroyed, how was he killed and who was he talking to just before he disappeared? If he wasn’t dead, then where was he and might he be planning another attack against Kieren? Although no one could say for certain, Kieren remained steadfast about his own beliefs.

In response to the lingering skepticism, he suggested there was only one way they would be able to answer this question, once and for all. They would have to seek out Beraut and utilized his keen insights about matters such as this. As he started to propose it was time for them to leave and find the wizard, Kieren came face to face with Jana. He was still so rattled about his confrontation with the Dark Lord that he’d almost forgotten whom she was and why she was there.

“I thought he was going to kill you,” she told him, between sobs. She was trembling and deeply troubled by everything she had just witnessed. Without explanation, she threw her arms around Kieren’s neck and embraced him tightly. “I’m so glad you are all right,” she sighed.

At first, Kieren wasn’t sure how he should react, but eventually he hugged her in return, trying to provide her with some comfort. Although the embrace didn’t last for very long, it did seem to mean a great deal to Jana. Suddenly remembering about the others, Kieren looked toward them and spoke again.

“I suggest we take this symbol of Madumda’s power and go to find Beraut. If the armies are still fighting, maybe we can end it before more blood is spilt.” Everyone agreed with his statement and seemed anxious to leave the Dark Lord’s fortress.

“Jana, would you show us the way out?” Rhys requested. She nodded her consent, but before she moved to the front of the group to lead them, Jana gave her hero one more loving stare. Kieren didn’t seem to notice what she was doing, but it was something that Garreth picked up on immediately.

As she took her place at the front of the group, Turquinine and Rhys moved alongside her, as they made their way to the doors leading out of the foyer. Just as she reached for the doorknob and prepared to lead them into the hallway beyond, Kieren ran over and retrieved Madumda’s staff, which had remained lying on the floor. At first, he was a bit leery about touching it, but he knew this would be the proof Beraut would require of him, before he’d accept his story about what had transpired. Now that it was in his possession, he moved back to rejoin the others.

The warriors had also reacted to Jana’s move and forced her to let them open the door instead. Slowly, they pulled on the handle, until the gap had widened enough for them to see if anyone was on the other side. They were fairly confident there wouldn’t be, because if any guards or passersby had been there during the encounter, the shouting and clatter of weapons would have drawn them inside or caused them to raise an alarm. They figured either Madumda had taken the majority of his guards with his army or had placed them at the main gate, to prevent further intrusion. However, since they preferred to err on the side of caution, they slowly peered into the openness beyond. To their delight, they discovered nothing but an empty corridor beyond, so they hurriedly exited the foyer.

As quickly as they could, the small group passed through the large, wooden double-doors that separated the two areas, and scurried down the hallway that would lead them out of the fortress. Each of the companions allowed only a short gap between themselves and the person ahead of them, as the close proximity also gave them a much-needed sense of security. It didn’t long take them long to reach the elaborate archway containing the portal exiting the main building, but they halted there. After doing a quick visual scan of the courtyard that lay beyond, they deemed it was safe enough to continue. With utmost caution, they slunk along the most obscure and least traveled pathway they could devise, as they sought to flee the necromancer’s citadel.

As they glided past one recessed area, the boys and Qaim were mildly shocked to discover the dangling remains of some poor creature, possibly one of Madumda’s servants. They could see his arms still fastened in the manacles, which were attached to the large, upright post, and the victim’s skull, with bits of hair still attached to it, was dangling in between. They managed not to scream or draw any unwanted attention to themselves, but the sight of it was extremely disturbing.

As they left that area and approached the main gate to the fortress, they stopped to determine how many guards were posted there. After a hasty conference, Alaric slid forward, alone, having volunteered for this particular duty. Using his elfin skills to move about undetected, he slithered from one vantage point to another, until he was sure he had observed everything there was to see. He had been gone for only a few minutes, before he returned to report what he had learned.

“I’ve counted seven guards,” he informed the others. “There are two inside the entranceway, two others just outside the gate, and three more about ten meters farther out.”

“They shouldn’t be that hard to dispose of, then,” Quintain suggested, drawing the warriors into a discussion about the best way to carry this out. Kieren, Garreth, Jana and Qaim were temporarily left with nothing to do, since they were not part of the planning, so they merely fidgeted nervously in place. Jana took this opportunity to move closer to the person she credited for having rescued her and whispered softly to him.

“That was a very brave thing you did back there,” she offered, her face radiating the admiration she felt because of his courageous act. “I’m sure you destroyed Madumda earlier and I just want to thank you for keeping your promise.”

“I didn’t do it just for you,” he replied, looking mildly surprised. “I did it mostly for my family. You must have heard him brag about murdering a whole bunch of my ancestors, so I did it for them too. Anyway, I don’t think you should thank me quite yet. Not until Beraut can confirm Madumda is actually dead. Besides, we need to escape from this place before any of us can feel free to celebrate.”

“Although I’d prefer to get out of here alive,” Jana admitted, “the most important thing is that monster has finally paid for all the evil things he did to everyone else. I am positive you have done that much.”

“Well, I won’t be happy until we all escape from here, with our skin still intact,” Kieren explained. “Beside, I am dying to learn the details about what really happened from Beraut.” Kieren thought about his choice of words and shuddered when he realized what he’d said. If he had to do it over again, he wouldn’t say he was ‘dying’ to do anything. Shaking it off, he continued.

“You know, I won’t be satisfied until the mage tells me the Dark Lord has been truly destroyed,” he added.

“Don’t worry about that, Kieren,” interrupted Garreth. The elf was feeling somewhat neglected by his friend. It was easy to tell by his attitude and posture that he seemed to resent the fact that Kieren was paying so much attention to Jana, especially since he thought his friend should have been seeking him out instead. “The hardest part is now behind you and Beraut will confirm the fact that Madumda is gone forever. Our brave friends will get us out of here and safely back to Beraut, and it won’t be long after that before we are on our way back to our families.”

“I hope you’re right about that,” Kieren told him, while placing an arm around his friend’s shoulder, “but I prefer to reserve my judgment about what took place until Beraut confirms our suspicions and we are safely home.”

“Qaim think…” but the aignx’s statement was cut short as Rhys approached them. He was about to advise them as to what was going to happen next.

“Come quickly,” the Akiktite told them. “We have a devised a strategy to escape from here, but we will need your help,” he added, while eyeing Kieren and Garreth. Both boys beamed, upon hearing they were needed.

“We want each of you to stay close to us and keep your weapons ready,” Rhys continued. “We may still have to fight our way out of this place, although I hope it doesn’t come to that. Kieren, use your cloak to conceal yourself; for we don’t want to lose you after all we’ve been through. We still need to get you back to Leander, so you can be crowned the next king.”

Kieren had nearly forgotten about that, but it made another marked impression upon Jana. After hearing Rhys’ comment, she looked lost in a daze, as she dreamily eyed her hero. Garreth, on the other hand, had already come to grips with the reality that his friend would one day become king. Although it threw him at first, he had finally come to accept it by the time they had left Thorold, even though he was saddened to think that, from here on out, Kieren might not have very much time to spend with him any longer. With all the duties he’d have as king, Garreth anticipated he’d be pushed into the background and remembered only during feast days or other occasions when Kieren might finally have a bit of free time. However, Rhys’ comments now put these thoughts back in both boys’ minds, until they saw the warriors begin to make their move.

Garreth and Kieren grasped their weapons more tightly now, as they wanted to be prepared for whatever they might be called upon to do next. Neither young man wished to be surprised by any unusual situation, not that anything they had gone through up to this point could ever be considered normal. Kieren fondled the handle of the Sword of Kings, which he had tried to keep a tight grip on since he’d recovered it, but he also held the Dark Lord’s staff in his other hand. Slowly, he shifted the Sword into the same hand that was holding the staff, while he used his right hand to retrieve something else from his person. Once he located the item, he held it out to Jana, urging her to take it. It was the dagger he had carried with him during the entire trip, but he now offered it to her, hilt first.

“Here, use this to protect yourself, but please be very careful with it,” he told her. “The blade is very sharp.” The servant girl smiled coyly, before accepting his gift, and it was obvious to Garreth that she made sure to touch Kieren’s hand as she took the weapon from him. Holding the dagger, point downward, along her side; she glided gracefully in behind the others, as they prepared to make their way toward the portal and the freedom that lay beyond. The party moved, with cat-like stealth, toward the main gate, until Alaric signaled them to halt.

“Rhys and I shall move up behind the first two guards and dispose of them,” he announced. “They are focusing their attention on the area outside of the fortress, so we should be able to do this fairly easily. I want the dwarfs to have their crossbows ready, just in case someone else shows up and witnesses our deed. You will need to take care of any other interlopers, before they are able to attack or cry out a warning.”

The dwarfs nodded and then the first pair slipped off to do their dirty work. Alaric slid in behind the first sentry and placed his hand over the trooper’s mouth, to prevent him from making any sounds. The elf then drove his short sword through the victim’s side, rupturing his vital organs and killing him almost instantly. The guard’s body collapsed and Alaric eased it to the ground, before he looked over to see how Rhys was doing.

The Akiktite had slipped up and grasped his guard’s head with both of his hands. He then gave it a quick twist, snapping his neck. He, too, helped the body fall noiselessly to the ground, before he and Alaric furtively returned to join the others.

“Here’s what we shall do next,” Rhys told them. “Seeing Alaric and I are the two closest in size to the guards we just killed, we shall don their helmets and cloaks and go through the gate posing as them. Hopefully, if any of the other guards look up at all, they’ll just think we are two of their comrades and pay us little heed. If that is the case, we shall be able to eliminate them quickly and without any problems. After that is done, the dwarfs shall fire through the gate at two of the guards, the ones on either side. Kieren and Garreth, are either of you any good with a bow?”

“We’ve both had lessons as part of our training,” Garreth told him, “but Kieren is better with a bow than I am.”

“Okay, here’s what we’ll do,” Rhys explained. “Kieren, you will take Alaric’s bow and Garreth you will use mine. Both of you will take aim at the guard in the middle. Alaric and I will be ready to finish off any sentries, who are not killed immediately, just to be prudent. Turquinine, you are to protect the others, and our backsides, just in case we are unsuccessful or someone comes out of the fortress and moves toward the gate.”

Everyone acknowledged his assignment and then took up an appropriate position. Rhys and Alaric donned the dead guards’ helmets and capes, although Alaric did have to try to conceal the bloodstain that had soaked into the garment, after he had stabbed that trooper.

While the others were getting ready, Garreth and Kieren whispered excitedly about how thrilled they were to actually be assigned an important role in this scheme. They vowed to do their best and not mess up the opportunity. Their conversation ended when they saw Rhys and Alaric, dressed in the guards’ uniforms, set their plan into motion.

Rhys passed through the gate first, his sword hidden under his cloak, as he made his way toward the guard he was to deal with. Slowly, he sauntered in the man’s direction, and even though the guard glanced briefly over his shoulder and noticed the Akiktite’s approach, the sentry seemed unfazed. The black clad warrior never turned to face Rhys or even attempted to defend himself, before the mighty northern warrior ran him through with his blade.

Alaric had moved through the gate right behind the Akiktite, with his sword also at his side, and was able to run his guard through from behind as well. That soldier, however, had never even seen or heard the elf coming, as Alaric’s skills were exceptional. It didn’t appear as if either sentry knew anything was amiss, before they died.

The others had moved up, to provide them with better angles and a shorter distance to their targets, as Alaric and Rhys went out. Just as the pair was eliminating their two guards, two quarrels and two arrows were released, almost simultaneously, at the three others still standing at their posts. All four missiles found their mark, but only one of the guards fell dead upon impact, the one hit by the two arrows. The other pair staggered about, with one less severely wounded than the other. Alaric was quick to pounce upon the guard that had been injured more severely and finished him off with his sword. In the interim, the other guard managed to lift his battle horn and blow a brief alarm, just before Rhys reached his side and slit his throat.

Knowing someone must have heard the warning signal, the two warriors quickly motioned the others to follow them and they raced away from the fortress. They had no guide to lead the way, since Jana had never been outside the complex before and had no idea what existed beyond its walls. None of the others had ever been inside the Devil’s Horseshoe before either, so they would have to rely solely upon their instincts.

Realizing this, Alaric raced ahead and selected the course they would follow, as they began their desperate flight from Madumda’s stronghold. The companions sped along the route he selected, as rapidly as they could, hoping to distance themselves from the ancient citadel and those who defended it. All the while, they kept alert and ready for any danger that might suddenly emerge, since they were still deep in hostile territory. They were concerned an enemy warrior might pop up in front of them at any second or that Madumda might have utilized other defenses to protect his home, like the magically enhanced creatures they had already encountered or other contraptions he had devised for that purpose. In addition to all of that, they also had to keep glancing over their shoulders, to see if anyone from Treblanc was pursuing them. Fortunately, luck was still on their side.

Kieren choose not to run as fast as he could, but for a reason the others had not foreseen. He wished to remain by Jana’s side and offer her at least a little personal protection from any dangers they might have yet to face. Since she wasn’t able to travel as quickly as the others, because she had no footwear and the uneven terrain hobbled her slightly.

As he ran beside Jana, Kieren watched her and thought about how helpless she was and how much she had endured in the Dark Lord’s service. Not only had she toiled endlessly for a harsh master, she was dirty, poorly fed, dressed in rags and barefoot. He was so totally wrapped up in these thoughts that he almost failed to notice a commotion rising behind them.

When he finally became attuned to this new disturbance, the young man turned his head slightly, so he could determine what was causing it. That’s when he saw a party of warriors sprinting after them and quickly closing the gap. These troopers had obviously heard the signal from their fallen comrade, discovered the corpses and now sought to deal with those who had murdered their brethren.

As he continued moving forward, Kieren kept glancing over his shoulder, to see if the pursuit was getting closer. Each time he checked, it appeared as if the enemy was drawing nearer. The teen was in the process of glancing back, yet again, when Jana unintentionally cut in front of him and tripped him up. He tried to keep his balance, but found it impossible on the uneven terrain, so he fell, face down in the dirt.

Jana screamed, when she saw Kieren hit the ground, and that caused the others to pull up abruptly, to see what was wrong. As they spun around to investigate the disturbance, they saw the warriors bearing down on their position and then discovered Kieren struggling to regain his footing. They had no idea what had happened, but feared their pursuers might have brought him down with an arrow. Instinctively, they bolted back to his defense, hoping to form a protective barrier between him and their pursuers. This would give them time to discover if the lad was injured or give him a chance to regain his footing and be off again. Just as his friends reached his side, however, Kieren got back to his feet and spun around, to face the onrushing hoard. As everyone else lifted their weapons and prepared to fight, Kieren merely hoisted Madumda’s staff above his head, where the attacking warriors wouldn’t be able to miss it.

Seeing their master’s symbol of power, the warriors pulled up short, beset with confusion. Most of them had been in Madumda’s service for a number of years, because no one ever got promoted to his personal guard until they’d proven their worth and loyalty, and were certain he would never voluntarily relinquish his staff. The only way that token of authority would be out of his possession were if he had been defeated. Understanding this, they eyed Kieren suspiciously, wondering how a youth could have accomplished such a feat. They also calculated that if this mere boy was powerful enough to destroy the Dark Lord, then there was nothing they could do to harm him in return.

While they stood debating their next move, the others coaxed Kieren into continuing their escape. In an effort to keep Madumda’s henchmen from thinking they were reacting out of fear, they did not turn and run, but merely walked briskly away. The Dark Lord’s henchmen stood transfixed, cautiously eying the small band, as it moved off. Even though they wanted to pay them back for what they had done, the guards were more concerned about what this young wizard might do, if they made a move toward him. It was obvious he had been ready to use their master’s staff against them a moment ago, and if he truly controlled all of that power, he could destroy any, or all of them, whenever he wished. That’s when they decided it best to just let them go, while they made their way back to Treblanc.

Once the companions had placed a little distance between themselves and their former pursuers, they stopped to catch their breath and discuss what was on their minds. “Why didn’t they come after us?” Garreth asked.

“I believe they saw that Kieren had Madumda’s staff and feared his potential,” Alaric responded.

“You mean they thought Kieren controlled Madumda’s powers, because he had his staff?” Garreth persisted.

“That’s how it would appear,” the elf followed. Feeling uncomfortable about this topic of discussion, Kieren quickly asked a question of his own.

“How far do you think we have to travel before we reach Beraut?” Kieren asked, refocusing the discussion.

“I’m not sure, but I would say at least half a day,” Rhys responded, “but that would depend upon where the battle took place and if we’re able to follow the shortest route to get there. However, seeing there most likely will be plenty of Madumda’s warriors still roaming about, I think it’s best we take a path less traveled and not concern ourselves with how long it might take.” Kieren merely nodded his understanding.

“Why do we have to go around everyone?” Garreth wanted to know. “Don’t you think Madumda’s army will be just as scared of Kieren holding the Dark Lord’s staff as those guards were?”

“I doubt many of his other fighting men would be as familiar with Madumda’s symbol of power, as those who were around him almost daily,” Rhys countered. “No, I think they would view us as spies or assassins and try to kill us outright.”

The boys certainly weren’t thrilled with that news, seeing they were hoping the worst was over now. “What are we going to do then?” Garreth pressed on.

“I think it best if we stay along the fringes of the mountains and then make our way to the river,” Rhys advised them. “I think that is where we will find the least resistance and encounter the fewest problems.”

“But it will take us much longer,” Garreth whined, as he was in a hurry to get back to his homeland.

“We needeth not rush,” Turquinine countered. “Tarrying a day or two longer will matter little. The safety of our Liege Lord is what counteth the most now.”

The others quickly concurred, although most of this conversation had been lost on Jana. She was too busy watching Kieren and nearly swooning over his every move.

“What if we encounter the enemy and they initiate a fight?” Garreth wondered aloud, concerned about how they planned to respond, before it happened.

“Then fight we must,” Quintain responded, succinctly.

“And if we’re outnumbered or overmatched,” Kieren added, “then I will use my medallion and give them a taste of its power.” The others now stared at the pendant he wore about his neck, as they recalled the awesome power he unleashed with it, in the tunnels beneath Treblanc.

“Wouldst that be wise?” Turquinine pondered.

“Why not?” Kieren quipped. “I don’t have to worry about Madumda finding out about me any longer and only Beraut would know that anything happened, except for the poor unfortunate devils who got in our way.”

The warriors smirked, once they acknowledged his observations were correct, until Rhys urged them to continue.

“It’s best if we get moving then,” the Akiktite suggested. “We might even be able to reach Tunstan and sleep in a bed tonight.” This caused the others to focus on this simple pleasure they had long been denied, so they did not hesitate to get underway again.

They chose to keep close to the inner, western rim of the Devil’s Horseshoe, until they reached its mouth. Once they reach that point, there was a little unwelcome activity in the vicinity, but they were able to crouch low and keep moving, until they were safely clear of that opening and the enemy forces located there. Fortunately, the lengthening shadows from the growing darkness offered them some protection, as they stayed along the slopes. Besides, those posted at that location were worried about those who might be trying to sneak in and not looking for others attempting to break out

Once the companions were away from the area, they headed toward the river and Tunstan. It was now dark, but the thought of actually sleeping in a bed spurred them on, making them travel faster and with a little added bounce to their gait than they had enjoyed for quite some time. Although there was no chatter, their hearts were light and they carried themselves in an almost nonchalant manner, as they continued on. They did continue to keep a close eye out for any signs of danger, but they were less troubled now, than before this adventure had begun.

Due to the darkness, they didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary, until they arrived at the edge of the city. They were immediately stunned and depressed by the devastation they discovered there. “What is this place?” Jana asked, not realizing this was what was left of a once bustling village.

“It WAS our destination,” Sedain offered, somberly.

“Why would you want to bring us here?” the kitchen maid followed, innocently.

“Not long ago,” Rhys explained, “this was a community that would have welcomed us for the evening.”

“Then what happened to it?” she persisted.

“What happened,” Kieren snapped, “was I took too long to complete my mission.” He was angry with himself for not making better time and, thus, being indirectly responsible for this devastation.

“Thou art not responsible for this, Master Kieren,” Turquinine scolded. “But thou didst make the one who was guilty pay for this deed.” Although it was meant to take the blame away from the teen and make him feel better, it did little to relieve his melancholy.

“What do you think happened here,” Jana asked, not understanding.

“I would guess that your former master had this place destroyed, for aligning against him,” Alaric suggested. This caused Jana to gasp, as she suddenly realized this had been just another of Madumda’s cruel deeds.

They thought about moving on, but decided it best to just spend the night there. Crushed by not being able to enjoy the soft bed they were so looking forward to, they reluctantly found spots upon the hard ground, curled up in their bedding and settled down, without saying another word. They did post a guard, just to be safe, but no one slept well. At best, they merely caught a series of little naps, but that would have to do, because morning was quickly upon them.

Instead of bringing comfort and lifting their spirits, the daylight merely emphasized the destruction they had not fully observed the night before. Since they had no food and wanted to distance themselves from this nightmare, they were quickly on their way. During that whole leg of the journey, no one spoke and their mood was extremely somber, quite the opposite of the previous afternoon.

From that moment forward, the small group relied heavily upon Alaric and Garreth’s keen elfin eyesight to spot any signs of either the ally or enemy forces. Being a half-elf, Kieren’s vision was good, but could not fully equal the range and clarity of the true elves. The elfin duo continually reported on extensive troop movements in the distance, noting that the majority of the activity was heading north, toward Treblanc. The earliest sightings were of Madumda’s warriors, as they made their way back toward their master’s fortress, and this puzzled some of them.

“Do you think the fighting is over?” Sedain asked the others.

“Maybe they already lost to our army!” Garreth suggested, eagerly.

“I suppose that is possible,” the dwarf replied, “or they might just be pulling back, to regroup closer to their master’s lair.”

“Do you think they could possibly know Madumda has been destroyed and are giving up?” Alaric asked, his eyes wide with wonder.

“That is also possible,” Rhys confirmed, “although I’m not sure how they would have found that out. There was no body and no one but us witnessed the deed.”

“Couldn’t one of the guards that got scared off when Kieren showed them Madumda’s staff have spread the word,” Garreth speculated. “Maybe they sent a messenger to tell their officers what they suspected, especially if they couldn’t find the Dark Lord when they got back.”

“You have a point,” Quintain conceded. “A messenger could have been sent out and traveled though the night to get to their encampment, so it is possible they could have heard speculation about their master’s fate.”

“Methinks, they are most likely just retreating,” Turquinine observed. “They moveth far too chaotic to be an organized military maneuver.”

“Yes,” replied Alaric, “they do seem to be very disorganized. I have also not seen any officers or anyone taking charge and giving orders, so that is quite plausible.”

“Well, the only way we’ll find out for sure,” Rhys added, “is to get to our troops and see what they can tell us.”

Everyone agreed and started off again. It wasn’t long before they began to see the first signs of allied warriors, moving in the same direction as the others. Now that they weren’t totally alone, they decided it was time to swerve eastward, aiming slightly behind the front of the Tarolian lines.

As they made this change in direction, Jana began to tire and slowed down considerably. She hadn’t slept a wink the previous evening, since she was too wound up with her feelings about Kieren, the excitement of being free and the fear that it was all too good to be true. When Kieren noticed her starting to lag behind, he did the same, since he didn’t want her to be alone. Once the others noticed they weren’t keeping up, they also slowed their pace considerably.

Garreth was quite attuned to Kieren’s attraction to Jana and how the two of them always seemed to be together and thought it was time to clarify a few points. Skillfully, he managed to move behind Kieren, grasp him by the sleeve and hold him back, as Jana continued moving forward.

“Is something wrong?” Kieren asked, puzzled by his friend’s behavior.

“I just thought it was time WE spent some time together,” Garreth explained, his eyes pleading with Kieren. “You know, like we used to.”

“That’s a good idea,” Kieren responded, surprising Garreth a little with his quick turnabout. “Why don’t you come walk beside Jana and me, and it will be like old times again.” Garreth’s pleased expression quickly faded and was replace by one of anger.

“No it won’t,” he spat back. “Before it was you, me and Romaric, and we all knew how much we cared about each other, but now there’s Jana, and suddenly she seems more important to you than anyone else.”

Without waiting for a response, Garreth unexpectedly rushed off, surprising Kieren. The elf passed Jana as he went, but didn’t even give her a second glance. Kieren contemplated going after him, but thought it best to give his friend an opportunity to cool down, before trying to rationalize with him. The only problem with that was, they seemed to be running out of time.

As the group moved closer to the outer fringes of the allied army, Alaric announced a rider was rapidly heading in their direction. The warriors immediately drew their weapons, just to be safe, even though it was a solitary figure approaching. After carefully studying the horseman, the elf soon announced to the others that it was Beraut. Expectantly, everyone watched as the mounted mage sped toward them, excited that they would soon be together again.

Just as the wizard began to rein in his steed, the ageless magic man leaped from his horse, before it had an opportunity to come to a complete halt. Without hesitating, he raced over, wrapped his arms around Kieren and lifted him off of the ground.