The sandy haired elf shook his head. “I’ve personally checked the woodlands, but saw nothing. It looks like the Morthi have fled.”
“You see the smoke… the blush of it suggests they are still here. The fires have only just stopped.” Hadrian pointed at the village atop the hill. “Be vigilant; I don’t believe they have gone anywhere. We are to go in waves. I want those from Rank Falmia to take the skies, circle the surrounding areas and signal the moment you see any sign of life. The rest of us will each go in from different directions to cover more ground. I will enter from behind, through the woods. Zacriah, you are to follow me.” A rush of relief stilled my worried mind. I knew Hadrian was the safest person to stay with. “I want the rest of you to separate into two groups, one taking the left and the other from the right side which is just north of here. If the Morthi are still here, they will show themselves when it is to their benefit. Just be certain you beat them to it. I know King Dalior has commanded we kill them, but I need them alive…” Hadrian’s words dripped with hatred.
Hadrian clapped his hands together, guards and shifters alike nodded and called in agreement. All but me.
“Now, go. Any survivors are to be brought back here. You and you will stay back and wait, just in case.” The two guards Hadrian pointed to bowed and stepped back, preparing themselves to wait with the elks.
“Go.”
With Hadrian’s final word, everyone moved off. Shifters changed around us, until animals filled the space. Birds shot into the sky and a white lion, Illera, pounced off into the distance. Hadrian moved to the left, the opposite direction than the others and began trudging towards the shadows of trees in the distance.
I followed, wasting no time to catch up. If the Morthi were still wandering around, there was no way I was going to be caught alone.
With every step closer to Nasamel’s border, my anxiety brushed its fingers against my magick. To distract myself, I unclipped my clawed gloves from my belt and put them on my hands. I flicked the claws out of their clasps. Hadrian had his long sword out, held before him poised and ready. Grey clouds hung above us and as I glanced up. I took comfort in seeing the shapes of birds scanning the skies. They would keep us alert.
It was only when we reached the boundaries to the forest that I understood just how monstrous it was. A wall of dense oak trees shadowed the surrounding area before us. It was ominous, staring into its pitch-black underbelly. Gnarled roots reached from the ground like desperate hands. I had to be careful not to trip over them.
I strained my eyes, but all I saw was darkness. I listened, using all my senses available to search for life, but heard nothing. Not a sound.
Hadrian paced beside me, looking between the forest and the village. When I looked to Nasamel, I could see the movements of guards and shifters prowling over the remains. I almost expected to hear the shout that they had found a survivor. But it didn’t come.
“Would you stop that? It’s putting me on edge,” I said, but Hadrian ignored me and kept up his pacing.
“Something does not seem right about this; do you see the smoke over there?” He pointed to the village, “It is recent, and it has not been long since the fire was lit.”
“I’m not sure what you mean?” I followed his gesture, glancing in the direction.
“From when news reached us this morning, the smoke should have burned out by now, but it has not.”
“Where would they be, though? The shifters would have spotted them.”
“The Morthi are masters of the darkness. Their very magick comes from it. I am almost certain they are watching us right now.” Shivers crawled across the back of my neck. I looked back into the forest, an unsettling feeling falling over me.
Hadrian voice dropped to a whisper, “I can feel their retched breath lingering in the air.”
A cry sounded from the village, making me gasp in shock.
Hadrian was running, leaving me rooted to the spot. He vaulted over broken brick walls to reach the village. My clawed hand moved for my bow as I turned, an overwhelming feeling of being watched prickled down my neck.
I started running when the next shout sounded from the village.
***
THE SURVIVOR WAS a mass of deep, oozing wounds and burned skin.
I was unable to tell if they were male or female until the swollen stomach gave me the answer I needed. She shook, sprawled on the ground within a circle of guards. Her bloodied palm left red prints across her exposed belly as she grasped at it. She was trying to speak, her cracked lips trembling, yet not an audible sound coming out of them.
Hadrian dropped to his knees before her, scanning her body with his piercing eyes.
“Can you hear me?” His voice trembled. His normally strong, commanding voice was weak, terrified.
She didn’t respond. Her wide eyes only staring to the sky, her bloodied, cracked lips trembling and her hands rubbing her belly. Hadrian ripped at the clasp of his cloak and covered her exposed body.
“You,” he shouted, pointing at the guard that had found her, “take her directly back to Olderim, do not stop until you reach its walls.” The guard moved forward, scooped the woman into his arms. He carried her through the crowd that had doubled in size since I had arrived, each looking in horror at the survivor. As she was carried past me I noticed a single tear escape and trail down her dirtied cheek. She was smiling.
“What the FUCK are you all doing standing around watching?” Hadrian screamed at the group, the whites of his eyes red. “Find more, NOW!”
No one stopped Hadrian when he stormed off. They only stepped out of his way before resuming their searches. I followed him, pulled by the tether of sympathy that tugged at my heart. Hadrian picked up his pace as he moved back towards the forest. I expected him to stop before it, but he didn’t.
My heart jumped when he entered its border, disappearing into its waiting darkness. I was still a few steps behind him, but the second he vanished I picked up my pace.
With each foot fall I thought back to the survivor. She was with child, I knew it the moment I laid eyes on her stomach. The bubble of ignorance I’d lived in had burst the moment I have arrived in Olderim, popped by the lurking evil that dwelled around us.
Branches scratched at me as I ran through the dark underbelly of the forest’s trees.
A glint of silver armour flashed ahead.
Hadrian.
I was gaining on him. Rays of light that had seeped through the thick foliage above caused beams to illuminate Hadrian as he ran past beneath them.
Hadrian stopped at a clearing ahead. I slowed down, stopping a few paces behind him. He kept his back to me, but I knew he was aware of my presence.
His fist slammed into the tree closest to him, repeatedly. He was shouting, hitting it without stopping. I moved for him and grabbed onto his arm before he could strike again, his knuckles dripped with blood.
“Calm down.” There was a smell that surrounded him, a burning scent.