Sol's Valor

Chapter VII - Fate's Cold Embrace (Part 2)

Time had no meaning inside Lork Cave. The only source of light was the spelled, burning torches that sat forever in the cave walls watching the occasional traveler pass through. The path the cave took was entangled with that of a small, frozen creek which would pour out into the small lake on the Projechon side.

The cave walls outside the warmth of each torch were frosted in white ice. Every feature in the cave was smooth, as if someone had spent years polishing every inch until it was rounded. Next to the brilliant white of the frosted cave floor, a line of clear ice slithered throughout the cave. Underneath the thick ice was the flowing water of the stream. The two warriors took caution every time they needed to cross over it. It followed them, weaving back and forth across their path for an hour before the cave began to change.

Lork Cave began to take on more jagged features as the walls thawed, browning and moistening. The jagged features seemed to be welded together, as if once liquid rock, everything a muddy brown color. Some areas were lighter than others, usually those nearest the torches. Stalactites dripped from the ceiling of the cave, creating stalagmites below. Many of them looked sharp enough to pierce even the strongest of armors.

The babbling of the stream echoed throughout the dark cavern as the thawed water continued its journey. Every so often Pyro and Cade needed to leap over the creek to continue down their path. The cool mist of the stream kept the two warriors pushing forward.

After walking for another hour, the emptiness of the tunnel began to fill with light, igniting hope. Two more bends and the two were out of the cave, back to where they had been only several days before. They took a seat next to the small pond the snaking creek poured into.

“I never thought my life would take this turn.” Pyro said as he skipped a smooth stone across the water. “Everything was always so simple back at home. Just going about my life, learning every day, helping my parents when they needed it.” He chuckled then shrugged his shoulders as he let out a deep breath.

“Fate works in interesting ways, doesn’t it?” Cade stared at the separating ripples. Cade tossed another rock into the water and watched as the small waves interfered with one another—some rising and others sinking. “We’re just along for the ride. Through fate’s random ups and downs. We never really know what is going to come next.”

Pyro nodded in agreement, falling back to the ground to stare up at the sky. The sky was clearer than he could remember it being. The sun stood tall over everything, splashing its warm rays of light down upon the world. “Whatever fate has in store for you, you have to make the best of it. You can’t resist it; you have to live with it.” Pyro put a hand over both his eyes to shield the sunlight. The sun was on its way down from its throne, moving so the moon may take its place.

Cade turned from the pond to Pyro, “We should make out way to Projechon before nightfall. I’ve seen enough agkors to last me a while now. It should only be another three hours before we can have a nice cooked meal.”

Pyro sat up, setting his palms on the ground behind him for support and agreed with Cade. Both standing up, they left Lork Cave behind and headed toward the eastern grassland of Sodinaca.

The grasslands were vast, but Projechon was a big enough town to be seen from a distance. The structures of the town slowly, but steadily, grew larger as the two warriors pressed onward. Projechon, although nowhere near as big as a castle town such as Ryona to the south, was the biggest town in the northern part of Sodinaca. Once there, Pyro and Cade would be able to throw down their heavy gear, eat a well cooked meal, and recover for the night.

Just thinking about their journey was taxing enough, let along completing it. The northern grasslands were vast and seemed to stretch on forever. Bounded by the thick Kyper Forest to the south and the Lork Mountains to the north, the grassland stretched east to west. The two walked onward to the click of their gear, one foot after the next, with the vision of a soft bed just within reach.

After several hours Projechon was finally before them. The sun was just beginning to dip below the skyline toward the west. The two warriors strode past the closed market stands with a new sense of fortitude. They walked down a path to their right, past the lone tree where the two had sparred almost a week before. They continued, finally reaching the inn and entered without hesitation.

Panic struck each warrior.

The inn was completely destroyed. The tables and chairs that flooded the main floor were all upturned; some were splintered into several pieces. Across from the entrance was a wall that had an enormous hole in it.

Pyro and Cade crept silently into the inn, heading toward the first floor bedrooms. Looking down the hallway hid no secrets. Everything was destroyed. Doors were torn off hinges and thrown about the hallway. Inside the rooms was no different. Beds were torn to shreds, dressers toppled over, and washtubs tossed aside with old water seeping into the wooden floorboards.

After checking each room, the two returned to the main area of the inn with no more information than they had when they entered. Both with a loss of words, they headed upstairs to the second story which housed more bedrooms and the master suite. The main hallway upstairs was no different from the one on the first story. Doors that had been split into several pieces littered the smooth oak hallways.

The two turned down another hallway toward the master suite. This one appeared to be untouched. The two boys crept toward the closed doorway, making sure to remain absolutely silent.

“This is all he had?” a voice said from the opposite side of the door. It was a man. The voice was deep and stern. Cade, leading in front of Pyro, came to a stop and he held up a hand to stop Pyro from advancing.

It was followed by another voice, this time a woman, “Yes, apparently he keeps everything in a safe. He happily told me where to find it after I cut off one of his fingers.”

Cade cringed at the thought. He needed to hear more. He needed to get closer. Carefully, Cade placed another foot forward, easing it down as to not make a sound.

The man came back, “No matter…did he say anything of the two boys?”

“No, he said they were here not even a week ago. He claimed they went off north.”

Cade could just make out what they were saying, something about Pyro and him. Another step closer.

“We were too late.” The man cursed under his breath. “We need to go after them.”

Another step. Cade could feel the perspiration dripping down his forehead. He clenched his jaw shut tight. Every muscle in his body was flexed as he stood poised behind the door. The slightest mistake and they would be found. But he needed to know what they were talking about.

“Shall I gather the others?”

Another step, his face was almost pressed up against the door. Pyro was no more than three paces behind him.

“Our mission to this waste of a town will be for nothing unless we find them. And you are well aware of what will happen if we fail our mission.”

“Yes, sir.”

Cade eased his foot down to the floor.

Squeak.

Then silence.

Cade muttered a curse under his breath.

Pyro stood, wide eyed at his partner.

More silence.

Then the world exploded.

Cade was blown backward off his feet, slamming into Pyro. The two went flying back down the hallway and into the far wall at the entrance to the adjacent hallway. Boards splintered underneath the force of the two boys. It was bone crushing; Cade thought he may have just crushed his friend.

After the daze cleared he didn’t hear a word from Pyro who was still pinned between him and the wall. Cade looked up through spinning vision to see a large man, wearing iron-cast body armor standing before him. There was a broadsword across his back and his right hand, extended forward, was glowing an intense blue. The large soldier reached down with his left hand and picked Cade up by the collar of his light armor. The last thing Cade saw before drifting off was the overwhelming anger in the man’s eyes.