Another excerpt of many others from this story

Pressing forward through jagged rock formations uphill, following the road, sometimes two hundred paces away from the rough hewn stone path, Fenryr's rag-tag group, licking cracked lips and wiping sweat from scarred and rough faces, moved in an eerie rhythmic silence between the blunt thumps of leather boots…

 

Silence draped over the landscape between the distant, gray-blue mountains, the absence of the Earth dwelling creatures boded ill for the future. Unspoken but almost electric, the anxiety waved the fabric of heavy anticipation, anticipation of battle. 

 

*

‘Hope is like the sun to our right, setting, sinking..’

“Hey, old man,” Hyram called from behind, jolting Fenryr's wandering thoughts. Halting, Fenryr's coarse, dry lips put on a shadow of a smile as he glanced at Hyram's bright chestnut colored, sweaty face. The man's vivid green eyes glimmered under his open helmet, his dark brown hair hung in moist knots, clinging to his neck. 

“How's that injury?” Hyram pointed with his steel gloved hand at Fenryr's cloth wrapped midsection, gaze fixed on it. Fenryr's lapis eyes glanced down as his left hand trailed over the black fabric which hosted a deep, velvet circular stain and mixed the rusted stench up with sweat. 

‘Still leaking’ his lips eased back into a neutral line. 

 

*

 

Hyram's aura left the scent of ozone in the air as his healing spell faded, the blue glowing mass of ethereal substance fading from between Fenryr's closed, white scarred injury and Hyram's right hand. 

 

“We'll camp here for the evening.” the captain's strained voice announced from the front of the group, the officer himself leaned against a large outcropping of rock that resembled a crumbling fence shielding the group from view and the deep orange of the setting sun. 

 

“I'll take first watch.” Fenryr announced before the officer would say anything more, then meeting the captain's weary gaze, 

“I've been treated already.” he indicated Hyram's wiry form to his left, “Hyram should have last watch.”

 

Several soldiers, some seated against the rock, others still looking for a place to rest between the jagged rocks, murmured agreement whilst the captain and lieutenant exchanged a silent look underscored by their panting. 

 

“Very well,” the captain started, motioning Fenryr over, 

“Come on, use this rock as a vantage point…”

 

Fenryr nodded, undoing the leather strap of his unwieldy broadsword, that held the weapon secure against his back. 

 

*

 

Fenryr's chest burst with a strange, soothing sensation, like the smooth kiss of silk bed sheets on a spring morning back home. ‘Back home in bed, by Eilidh's side…’  he exhaled deeply, shaking off the creeping homesickness.

 

 The road winded past their shelter, curving away from it in a wide arc, the other side also lined by tall, impassable rocks towering above a sudden drop beyond. Fenryr's gaze trailed the stone path, it seemed to disappear from view a hundred paces back north. 

Looking ahead, to the south, he spotted their objective. 

 The hills, selected by the captain for the ambush, loomed above thin groves of pine trees, some four hundred strides further south, framing the road like stone ledges surrounding a waterfall. 

 

*

 

As sunlight peeled away from the face of the Earth, Fenryr's senses sharpened, the absence of even insects growing more apparent while his energy slowly replenished. 

‘Hyram's work is dragging out.. We might be discovered…’

 

The captain's pain filled hiss drew Fenryr's gaze back at Hyram's hunched form. His hands looming above the captain's injured leg, the chunk of steel now removed, Hyram worked away at re-sealing the gaping wound.. The blue glowing, transparent sphere of energy barely touched the officer's exposed flesh, yet bleeding halted and flesh mended as though sewn shut by an invisible needle and thread. 

 

*

 

“If only you weren't so reckless with healing magic…” Hyram spoke in a low, smooth voice, helping the captain to his feet. 

 

***

 

Fenryr's senses, taking in his environment, alerted him of the movement from behind. A pricking sensation on the back of his neck persisted.. 

 

“All quiet, sir..” he murmured, clearing his throat at the end, “I don't like it.”

Fenryr finished as the clanking of the captain's armor halted just under his vantage point. 

 

“I know what you're thinking,” the officer responded. 

 

‘That'd be a first..’ Fenryr straightened his torso a moment before backing up from his seat atop the rock, stretching his left leg down, looking for purchase in the rock face. 

 

“You're concerned that we have all the signs except for the things these signs warn us about..”

The captain summarized as Fenryr thumped down from the rock, landing on his feet. 

 

Turning to face his officer properly, Fenryr nodded, “Right. I don't think it's a coincidence.” he added, helping the officer up to the rock, 

“Whatever it is, we need to stay on top of the situation.. I request permission to take one man and scout our objective” 

Fenryr finished as the captain slowly straightened up the better to take in the surrounding landscape in all its desolate glory. 

The moonlight flickered on his blackened shoulder and breastplate as he turned around, gaze fixed on Fenryr's softly glowing lapis eyes, 

“Granted. If you find anything, report back immediately. Do not use magic communication. Above all, do not attack the enemy.”

 

Fenryr spun around and took one step toward the pair of troops still awake, restless.. 

 

“What is that..” the captain almost whispered. 

 

*

 

The darkness had settled in some hours ago, like a raven sitting down in its nest, the moon already a third of the way up on the black, star embroidered canvas overhead, a pronounced contrast to the crimson rays illuminating the southernmost part of the road. 

 

*