Chapter V

Edenclad

            Zarr was still asleep when the sun had already risen past the horizon and blazed the sky in brilliant crimson and orange. Silnis, on the other hand, had woken up two hours before due to being unable to sleep. Losing his home, his family, and witnessing the cruel deaths of innocent Tel’bestrans had brought upon a cloud of unrest in his mind and he could not dispel it no matter what he tried. Rather than sit and brood on his thoughts and feelings, Silnis decided to busy himself by gathering some herbs he found growing nearby and making a salve that would heal up Zarr’s facial wound. It had been left untreated for quite a while that he feared infection was already on its way. Nonetheless, Silnis was determined to help the wolf as an act of kindness and repayment for everything he had done. Zarr had saved his life and made a promise to Alec to protect him, and for that Silnis couldn’t help but be grateful.

            While the wolf slept, Silnis gingerly cleaned the wound with a wet cloth until it was suitable enough for the salve to penetrate through and take effect. With the green, gooey substance in one hand, Silnis applied the salve to the wound without Zarr moving an inch in his sleep.

            “He must have tired himself out quicker than he was willing to let on…,” Silnis thought, wiping his hands after applying a good amount of the salve on Zarr’s wound. He didn’t know what drove him to do it, but he reached out with his clean hand and lightly stroked the top of Zarr’s head like he was a dog. As a response, the Frosen stirred in his sleep with a slight wag of his tail and a smile.

            “Thank you…,” Silnis whispered to Zarr, knowing the wolf couldn’t hear him, but wanting to express his gratitude.

            It was two hours before noon and Zarr and Silnis had set out from their shelter and were making their way to Edenclad. The two had talked beforehand on their course of action and decided that they would have to seek shelter in the equine kingdom. The obvious path would be through the Deepwoods using the main trading routes, but Zarr pointed out that Silnis was a wanted man by their unknown attackers and the main route would be carefully watched for any signs of him. He also stated that anyone who managed to escape from Tel’bestra would be using the route as well and Zarr could not be certain who to trust if they encountered anyone, recalling the house servant who made an attempt to kill Silnis yesterday. With that in mind, Silnis proposed using an old trading route that cut through the Sacred Peaks from the northeastern side of Lake Tel’bestra. It had been abandoned almost a hundred years ago when bandits rampantly ravaged the caravans that passed through and the new route through the Deepwoods had been established as a solution. The old trading route would be faster, but Silnis had no doubts that a few bandits would still be lurking around.

            “Bandits aren’t too much of a problem for me. I’ve dealt with them many times in my career as a mercenary. And if the trading route you speak of is abandoned, I doubt that there will be many of them still there,” Zarr commented, assuring Silnis that he could get the two of them safely through the Sacred Peaks unharmed. With no objections, Silnis and Zarr now walked alongside the shore of Lake Tel’bestra towards its northeastern reaches. While they walked, the two conversed in small talk in an attempt to take their minds off of things.

            “I thank you for treating my wound, though I’m curious as to what you used to make the salve,” Zarr inquired, reaching up with a finger to poke the gooey substance that covered his face. It didn’t smell disgusting like most medicines he had used to treat wounds. There was an almost pleasant, sweet odor that was familiar to him.

            “Oh, nothing too special. I found some common medicinal herbs like quell root and bane leaf, but I added in some mint so the smell wouldn’t be too horrible since the salve is so close to your nose,” Silnis explained to Zarr, digging out a handful of mint leaves from a pocket in his bag to show to the wolf. When he found the plant, Silnis made sure to strip every leaf for future uses. Not only were the leaves good for soothing pain, but they were a rare plant to find in the grassy plains of Tel’bestra. The herb mostly grew in the more fertile climate of Edenclad, as did most plants, so this discovery would be a boon should Silnis and Zarr need their properties any time soon.

            The pair traveled for many more miles, allowing only a few small breaks in between to rest for Silnis’ sake, until the elevation shifted into the foothills before the Sacred Peaks. With his sharp vision, Zarr could see the faint remnants of a road that traveled along the foothills and led straight into the mountains. Night had fallen over the land as the two had closed the distance between them and the mountains quite considerably. Taking shelter under a large boulder, the two settled in for the night with a fire to keep them warm. Zarr watched with interest and amusement as Silnis prepared salves and poultices from various he had collected on their way here. Watching the human work with the ingredients with masterful hands impressed him the way watching a warrior and his swordsmanship would. Yet it also amused him whenever Silnis would talk to himself with mental notes spoken aloud or exclamations of glee. Zarr mostly smirked and chuckled to himself at the human’s work, but it wasn’t until he heard an audible grumble from Silnis’ stomach that he burst out laughing.

            “All that work make you hungry?”

            “Heh, I sometimes concentrate too much on my work that I sometimes forgot to eat or take a break. Alec always used to scold me for doing that…,” Silnis said, his expression turning forlorn as soon as he mentioned his brother. His parents were dead, and he knew that he couldn’t change that, but there was still a hope that Alec could still be alive. He had to be…. Despite the recent tensions in their relationship, Silnis still loved his older brother dearly and wished with all his heart that he would come back to him. Zarr took note of Silnis’ sudden shift in emotion and decided a hearty meal would lighten his mood.

            “I’m going to go hunting for dinner. I won’t be gone for too long and I’ll be nearby. If anything happens, just call for me, okay?” Silnis replied with a simple nod of his head before Zarr bounded off into the darkness in search of food. He wasn’t knowledgeable about the wildlife in these foothills, but there had to be some smaller prey at least. His nose led him to a burrow nestled under an outcrop of small rocks that smelled strongly of hare. Listening at first, Zarr heard soft, rhythmic breathing that signaled that the hare was peacefully asleep and had not caught wind of his presence. This would be easy. Crouching near the entrance to the burrow, Zarr bared his claws and reached into the tunnel gently at first, but as soon as he touched the hare he dug his hands into the animal and pulled it out with speed. The hare struggled in his hands, but its efforts were futile. With his other hand, he slit the hare’s throat with his claws and the animal slowly went lifeless as a stream of blood trickled from its neck and down Zarr’s fingers. He glanced over his kill and was happy to see that it was quite plump with meat and fat, perfect for what he was searching for.

            “I’m surprised you managed to hunt down a hare of that size in these foothills. They’re notoriously known for baring slim, meatless prey. That hare must have gorged itself on whatever feast of food it managed to find,” Silnis commented when he saw Zarr return with the fat hare in his hands. The wolf quickly went to work skinning the hare and soon had it propped above the fire tied to a stick. Zarr was concerned the meat would be tasteless without any seasoning, especially salt, but Silnis put his fears to rest. The human had poured some oil over the cooking hare that sizzled and popped when it dripped into the fire below. The scent that followed from the burned oil instantly had Zarr’s mouth salivating like a waterfall. Silnis noticed the wolf licking his muzzle in eagerness and couldn’t contain a chuckle.

            “Enticing isn’t it, the smell? I figured that we would be eating bland meat when you were out hunting and thought that a small mixture of herbs and olive oil would help to flavor it somewhat. I regret that I don’t have some salt on me.”

            “I wasn’t expecting you to be so prepared. You surprise me when I least expect it,” Zarr complimented. The meat did not take long to cook and soon the two were eagerly eating away at their tasty meal, the flavor multiplied two-fold thanks to Silnis’ marinade. Sleep came swiftly to Zarr and Silnis as they would need every minute if they were to further close the distance between Edenclad and themselves.

            At the exit to the secret passageway that Silnis and Zarr had used to escape Tel’bestra, two figures studied the escape route itself and the surrounding environment. Both of them were large and stocky, one an equine and the other a wolf. The wolf was using his nose to track the scent trail of Silnis, and the equine studied the land for traces of footprints. The equine grumbled to himself before turning to his partner, who had an equally dissatisfied expression.

            “He’s not alone,” the wolf said, having smelled the scent of another Frosen with the human they were after. The scent was masked with a myriad of other aromas from different parts of Omnis and thus made it difficult for the wolf to pinpoint which clan the Frosen belonged to.

            “It would make sense that he would have someone to protect him. I doubt a frail human like him could have snapped the spine of one of our men,” the equine commented, referring to the broken body of the traitorous servant who Zarr quickly dispatched of, “What do you make of our target’s protector?”

            “He is a Frosen, but his tainted scent makes it impossible to know to which clan he hails from. However, based on the damage that he did to our fellow, I would wager he knows the art of battle quite well.” The equine huffed a breath of air before staring out towards the direction Silnis and Zarr had gone, knowing quite well what their destination was.

            “They are making their way towards Edenclad through the old trading route that cut through the southwestern portion of the Sacred Peaks. They should be making their way through the pass as we speak,” the equine spoke, using his knowledge of the land to their advantage. The wolf needed no further words as he took the lead and continued on their pursuit of the Mistress’ target. The human needed to die if the Mistress’ plan was to be fully complete, but for now everything would proceed as scheduled.

            Silnis and Zarr had traveled most of the morning to finally make it into the Sacred Peaks. The road of the old trading route had been withered away and reclaimed by the mountain, but some remnants of it still remained for the two to follow. Fortunately, the road rarely ascended in elevation, having been constructed to allow stable travel without risky climbs or descents. Despite how well the journey was turning out so far, Zarr never let his guard down. His ears were constantly listening for even the slightest sounds of a possible ambush by bandits, and his eyes scanned every nook and cranny of the mountainside for hidden threats. Silnis, aware of the dangers, decided to gather some more herbs along the way in case he or Zarr were injured in an attack. He had no means of defending himself out here and was solely reliant on Zarr for protection. In his mind, the least he could do in this partnership was to provide aid when needed.

            It had been a good three hours before the two stopped for a rest and nestled themselves underneath a lone pine tree that still stood strong against the mountainous landscape. Silnis breathed a sigh of relief when he sat down and allowed his feet a moment of rest. Never before did he have to walk so far in one day! He had been keeping his complaints to himself so as to not annoy or appear as a whiny brat to Zarr. Besides, after what happened to Tel’bestra, he hardly found it appropriate to complain about his feet hurting when his people and home had been utterly destroyed. Who could have done this, and why? That was the question that constantly revolved in his thoughts. Tel’bestra was known to be the most peaceful of all the kingdoms, having only participated in two wars when necessity called for it. The humans of Tel’bestra knew that they lacked strength and numbers in comparison to the other kingdoms so instead they turned to bolstering their greatest asset—intelligence. In time did the other kingdoms come to recognize that the knowledge that Tel’bestra wielded was a force to be reckoned on its own and thus sent their brightest minds to be schooled there. The Enlightened Kingdom was seen as a friend to all and it would baffle anyone as to why it had been attacked and its people slaughtered.

            “Your fortitude is strong. Most people would bury themselves in despair or wander in confusion after seeing their home being destroyed and losing loved ones as a result,” Zarr commented, sensing that Silnis had been deep in thought about his lost home.

            “I sometimes think I’m inhuman for not expressing my emotions as easily as others do…. I wanted to cry after it had all happened, having to leave Alec behind and learning that my parents were murdered. Even now…I wish that this was all a nightmare…a terrible nightmare. Yet I know that this is reality and that everything I had witnessed would not simply disappear. No amount of tears or screams of despair will reverse what had transpired…,” Silnis replied, bringing his knees to his chest and hugging it to steady himself. He could feel his voice trembling at the last words and didn’t want his emotions to suddenly break open and be let loose.

            “There is no shame in crying. I will not think badly of you if you chose to cry now,” Zarr comforted, resting a hand on Silnis’ shoulder and offering a soft smile.

            “Thank you…. I know I’ll cry someday, but not today,” Silnis said, returning Zarr’s smile with his own before standing and brushing off dirt and pine needles from his bottom, “Let’s continue on. At the rate we’re traveling we should reach Edenclad in about a day and a half.”

            After another day’s worth of traveling, Zarr and Silnis had almost reached the main road. The pinnacle of the Sacred Peak, the holiest mountain to the equines of Edenclad, was within view and signaled that the main road was not too far from where they were. Seeing this sight renewed Silnis’ strength and helped to ease the ache in his legs, having hope that they would reach Edenclad in little time. When night fell once more, the two took shelter in a nearby cave and celebrated in their progress with a hearty meal that Zarr hunted and Silnis seasoned. With their stomach’s full, and the night still young, Silnis thought it’d be interesting to get to know more about his wolf companion. It wasn’t every day that he got to talk to a Frosen. They rarely traveled down to Tel’bestra unless they were of nobility or merchants. He asked Zarr very simple questions at first just to delve more into the wolf’s personality and interests. Through his questions he learned that Zarr enjoyed traveling and hunting. He used to be a soldier, but resigned after two years of service after he had discovered that he disliked being so constrained. Zarr loved nothing more than being free to make his own decisions and explore the world. It was eventually why he took up the title and profession of mercenary with enthusiasm for both fulfilled the previously mentioned criteria. When asked about his family, Zarr simply stated that he was the oldest of his four siblings and that his parents made him join the military in the first place. Other than that, he remained silent about them. Silnis knew then it was best not to press any more questions about Zarr’s family.

            “I may not have known your family that well in the short time we talked in your home, but I have never felt so welcomed by any other people in my travels through Omnis. Your brother, Alec, stubborn and annoying he may be, was a good man as well. I could tell that he truly loved you as your older brother. It’s not often that I see the eldest in the family being that dedicated to their younger siblings,” Zarr complimented, hoping it would turn the topic away from his own family. Silnis was fortunate that his family appreciated one another, unlike Zarr’s. He’d rather not divulge too much into it or else risk losing his temper having to talk about his family.

            “I’m glad my parents made you feel welcomed. They loved having guests from the different kingdoms come over and talk about anything really. And I know Alec can be a bit tough to get through when you first talk to him. It’s a shame I had to part ways with my family on a depressing note…,” Silnis mused.

            “Let us get some sleep,” suggested Zarr, deciding that Silnis had had enough depressing thoughts for tonight, “tomorrow we will need all of our strength if we want to break even more distance between Edenclad and us.” Silnis didn’t complain and quickly laid down to sleep while Zarr stood up for a good hour to keep watch until he felt it was safe enough to rest himself. Despite thinking it safe, Zarr failed to notice the equine and wolf pair staring up at them from the shadows. They had traveled all this way with little to no rest and now their target was within reach. Their only obstacle was Zarr who they determined to be a formidable guardian to the human they were seeking.

            “Shall we strike now while they are asleep?” the equine asked in an almost silent whisper.

            “No, the wolf has just fallen asleep. Let us wait until the peak of night when he has fallen deep into slumber. Then we can grab the human and make our way back to Tel’bestra,” the wolf advised, wanting to play it safe than risky.

            Three hours had passed since Zarr and Silnis had fallen asleep and now was the opportune time to initiate their plan. The wolf and equine quietly crept up to the cave’s mouth and peeked inside to see Silnis sleeping not too far from Zarr, but further within. The wolf, being the most agile of the two, silently agreed with his equine partner that he would fetch the human and that the equine would hold down Zarr should he awaken. No doubt the human would wake up upon being lifted and carried, the wolf regretting that he had not brought a sedative to knock the human out. If it came down to it, he could always physically knock the human unconscious and make a mad dash for it while the equine distracted Zarr. With careful steps, the wolf stepped over Zarr’s sleeping form and gently slipped his hands under Silnis’ body. So far, Silnis made no indication that the wolf’s touch had awoken him and that was good news. However, as soon as the wolf had his hands buried all the way under Silnis’ body, he made the mistake of digging his clawed fingers into the human’s ribs too firmly and causing a loud shriek from him.

            “Aah!” Silnis exclaimed, having been abruptly woken up from having his most ticklish spot poked at. The wolf hadn’t been expecting Silnis to scream and jumped back to trip over Zarr, who had immediately woken up from hearing the sudden commotion.

            “Who are you?!” Zarr questioned, grabbing his sword.

            “Take him down! I’ll grab the human!” the wolf shouted to the equine, lunging at Silnis with outstretched arms. Zarr went to intercept the wolf, but was tackled to the ground by the larger equine. “Get off of me!”

            Silnis, on the other hand, quickly jumped out of the way from being grabbed and frantically dug through his pack for anything he could use to defend himself with. His hand found an empty glass vial and he didn’t have much time to think before the wolf was upon him. He felt his body go flat against the ground as the wolf’s body pressed itself down on him to prevent movement. The wolf released his weight on Silnis for only a moment to wrap his arms around him, but that gave Silnis enough time to shatter the vial against the ground and stab a shard into the side of the wolf’s abdomen.

            “Agh!” the wolf cried out, pressing a hand against the wound. The weight of the wolf’s body was lifted from Silnis and he needed to think fast or else he’d be trapped again. He couldn’t fight the wolf, he wasn’t strong enough and he had no weapon! Anything he learned from the academy was useless in this situation…wait! There was something he learned that he could use now! Silnis mentally recalled images of Frosen anatomy and pinpointed all the nerves on the wolf’s body that would partially paralyze him. He had to be fast! With only his fingers, Silnis sharply pinched a specific point on the wolf’s body that sent each limb falling limp at his sides. The wolf barely had any time to react before his body fell over and he was left neutralized, though alive.

            “W-What did you do to me?!” the wolf demanded, trying to force his limbs to move but unable to feel any movement. Silnis didn’t answer and quickly went to Zarr’s aid, jumping onto the distracted equine’s back and slamming his palm on a specific point on his neck. The equine’s body went just as limp as the wolf and he fell over onto his side, his eyes in shock at what just happened.

            “Are you all right?!” Zarr asked, reaching for Silnis and looking for any wounds. He smelled blood and saw a small trail of the red liquid flow from Silnis’ hand.

            “I-I cut myself using a glass vial to stab the wolf, but I’m fine! What about you?” Silnis explained, not noticing any wounds on Zarr.

            “No, just a bit shaken up is all,” Zarr said, turning to take a good look at their attackers, “What did you do to them?”

            “I incapacitated them by pinching specific nerves on their bodies. I’ve studied anatomy and I knew that I could partially paralyze them if I hit them in the right spot,” Silnis explained. Zarr recognized that it was the same technique Alec had used when he had been arrested back in Tel’bestra. He had felt a sharp pinch on his arm before they were rendered useless. He wondered if this was common knowledge among all Tel’bestrans if they were all schooled in the same way, “What should we do with them?”

            “Let’s get some answers out of them first, then we’ll see what should do….”

            Zarr’s interrogation of their two attackers revealed no information as the wolf and equine refused to utter even a word. However, using past events and knowledge, Zarr could only assume that the two were sent to recover Silnis and bring him back to the people responsible for the brutal siege on Tel’bestra. He still recalled the servant’s words about Silnis needing to die if the Enlightened Kingdom was to truly fall, the Diamond Spire still standing tall and proud amongst its slaughtered people and ruined buildings. With nothing more to gain from the wolf and equine, Zarr thought it would be best to kill them as to prevent them from following, but Silnis wouldn’t have it.

            “Can’t you just knock them out…,” Silnis asked, not wanting to witness any more bloodshed.

            “I guess I could, but then we wouldn’t know when they would come to and track us down again,” Zarr reasoned, knowing that the human wanted to spare them. As much as he admired Silnis wishing mercy upon his enemies, Zarr couldn’t afford the risk of them being attacked when they were the most vulnerable again. Silnis looked like he was about to say something, but shut his mouth and turned to leave the cave.

            “Just do it quickly…,” he said. Zarr nodded, waiting until Silnis was out of sight, before drawing his sword and stepping towards the wolf and equine, both of them without fear in their eyes and accepting their fate.