Sirus VanTeel

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

            The air was beginning to cool, and land was showing the signs of the changing seasons.  As the sun set, Sirus shivered while the cool wind whipped across his face making the scar on his cheek begin to numb.  Ivan Hayes gave the hand signal to let Sirus know it was time to slow their horses to a trot giving them their much-needed rest.  When it was dark enough to see the stars, they would find a place to camp.  That’s how it had been for the past several days.  They would ride hard with the rising of the sun, on till the sunset, only slowing to rest their mounts.  They traveled along the foothills of the MidLand Mountains, and in the twilight, Sirus could discern the northeastern borders of the Low Land Desert, which brought back memories of the blistering heat and bitter cold.

            Sirus and Ivan Hayes had been riding hard, and Sirus knew it would only be a few more days of riding till they reached Aklinon’s regiment.  Aklinon’s regiment defended the largest region just below the point of the MidLand Mountains, which allowed the easiest access between the disputed Bentakis and Shamel boarders.  Aklinon commanded the largest of the three regiments.  Even with all of the soldiers under his command, small groups of men could still slip across the borders without detection, making a Scout such a crucial position of duty.  It was these men who could be trusted to report quickly if there were any groups large enough to cause harm.

            Sirus searched for a good place to set up camp for the night, as their horses began to trot a little slower.  He was glad to have Ivan Hayes along, not just because he was good company, but also because he was always coming up with little tricks to make life a little more comfortable.  Ivan seemed to have an endless supply of gadgets about his person and would use them in order to adapt to any situation they were in.  He was also a good cook and seemed to enjoy preparing their meals.  A hot meal of freshly bowed hare that Sirus had killed earlier that evening would hit the spot, and a good night’s rest wouldn’t hurt either.

            “Thwisp!”  The sound startled Sirus from his thoughts, and he recognized it instantly.

            “Ivan?”  Sirus yelled frantically “…arrows!”  But as he yelled he could see he was too late.  Ivan who was just in front of him, had an arrow protruding most of the way through his lower abdomen, but the arrow had been stopped from going all the way through by the arrows fletching.  Seeing the arrow protruding from Ivan Hayes side, with blood beginning to flow, sent a shiver of panic through Sirus.  He could tell the arrow was shot approximately somewhere from ahead and to the left of them.

            “Sirus, follow me!” yelled Ivan in a commanding voice.  Ivan Hayes, being one to quickly react. kicked his horse to a fast run, while at the same time hanging his body off to the right side of his mount, in order to avoid any more incoming arrows.  Sirus understood and quickly did the same.

            Brush ripped along Sirus’s face leaving hot welts, as they tried to escape harm from their unseen attackers.  Sirus’s body and mind rushed with adrenaline sending sharp pains to his head. But as quickly as the pain came it subsided, placing him in another state of mind, where his conscious was no longer in full control.

            As they sped through the brush, Sirus lost all sense of time.  He watched in slow motion, as Ivan’s body hit a large branch from the brush, and was violently dislodged from his mount.  Ivan Hayes body flew through the air, and landed with what Sirus knew to be a devastating loud thud next to his horse as he galloped past him.  Without thought, Sirus slowed and turned his mount.  Ivan lay in a tumbled mass of unconsciousness.  Seeing two men approaching on foot in his direction, Sirus quickly dismounted.  With a surreal calm, Sirus notched his bow with an arrow that he always kept readily available, and let loose with a shot that pierced one of the pursuing foes through his heart, dropping the man instantly dead.