The Fires of Cerran

Chapter Thirty-Seven

The still smoking ruins were less than a few miles from them now. A line of husky redwoods flanked either side of the dirt road, and a thin layer of ash had settled atop the higher canopies. The day was clear, bright skies overhead with the sun burning high. These were quiet parts, and they met no one on the ride which would eventually lead them to Cerran. To the East, like a distant vision, stood the spiralling towers of Tharandal's keep, watching over the valleys. Ahead of them, forking West and East, the road came to a stop as a thin line of redwoods forked the road. Lenren halted the company here, and beside the road an ancient well sat with a bucket to draw fresh water. These were plentiful lands no matter of the time of year, and the Elder folk had dug away at the lands that led to the first settlements and had found more marvellous things than I can possibly recount. They watered the mares quickly, and it seemed that even Lenren was stalling them now as the distant spires of grey lifted into the clear air.

Having taken the West road, the familiar road that Melran had taken with Benji soon came upon them. The girl remained quiet, though she felt the burning glare of Ramon on her neck as they rode towards the old town. To the right of them, where open fields now lay untended and the last withering roots lay stay, were makeshift tents. At first glance you would think them perhaps tradesmen or merchant tents, ones which would have once held sprawling lines of bowls, weapons, or charms. But a quicker inspection showed tables that were soaked in blood, now dried and staining the surfaces. There were six of these tents, all with upwards of ten or so tables. Some still had buckets and blades stashed in the corners, whilst others bore nothing more than pilled boots and armour. Astriel dismounted and, upon entering of the tents, looked about the place. A bucket beside one table made her eyes water, the decaying foot and the charred remains of a hand were swarmed by flies. She spat at the ground as she felt the sickness in her stomach rise.

'This is the work of the Sisters.' She said as she returned to the roadside, mounting again.

'Aye, always the first to arrive.' Lenren responded in a mumbled, half-caring tone. Looking at her companion, she saw his eyes fixed upon the road ahead, and she sighed heavily as she realised that this would only be the beginning of the horrors they would encounter today.

Atop a hillock they came to another stop, looking down they saw the devastation the beast of Cerran had caused. At the bottom of the valley, leading towards the old stronghold, sat the ruins of the place Lenren had called home. A dark mist seemed to hang over the place, like a fog, and the air was harder to breath as they came down the ashen sprinkled slopes to the outer buildings of the place.

They were met with crumbled spires and broken glass that sprinkled the dirt road.

'We should walk from here.' Lenren mumbled as he looked about him.

'Aye, tie the horses here.' Ramon agreed, dismounting, and leading his mare towards a post which held some hay and grain. The others soon followed and came back to the entrance on foot. Ramon drew his blade and kicked at the glass as he took the lead. They entered a main street and were flanked by the crumbling ruins of both stone and wooden buildings. Doors, cracked and hanging limply, opened onto bare exteriors that were scorched and blackened. The street itself was marked in soot, and the exterior of the building held scars of claws and the vicious flames that had engulfed them. Smears of blood gave way to imprints of hands and doomed footsteps which led into imploded taverns and houses. Looking around, they saw not a single house left untouched by the evil of the dragon. Melran came to a doorway, the top of which had crumbled away and now lay half blocking the entrance way to the building. Pushing a stone away, a limp charred hand became exposed. Lenren came beside her and pulled away another stone, the corpse was unrecognisable.

'These people, they did not deserve this.' He said, his voice cracking as he placed the stone back over what remained of his kin. Melran did not reply, her eyes fell to the floor as the true extent of the devastation came upon her.