Soul Fire

Soul Fire - Chapter 35

Sleep came easily that night. Dathion's wounds barely troubled him under the anesthetic herbs and poultices the Swiftriders had applied. Even Shanisha slept, or so Dathion assumed, the monk cross-legged with eyes closed, hands in restful repose against knees. A hundred Cerds and Swiftriders guarded them, while a hundred more still searched for their foes. Over the course of the night some returned, to lay claim to the capture or killing of their enemies who had fled.

Dathion's age did not command respect, but his station did. When he was awoken with polite reports, he asked if anyone had seen the man formed from writhing shadows, or the tattooed men who had been with him. Dathion assumed these to be the leaders of their adversaries. Most looked to Malithas for guidance at the boy's questions. His mentor remained silent, directing their attentions back to Dathion. When the responses were given, none could claim having seen them. Frustration blunted Dathion's curiosity. When he drifted back to sleep, his dreams remained thankfully free of horrors and nightmares, instead providing visions of Ellishan and Shanisha fighting for his attention. His stomach eventually growled him awake. Shanisha greeted him with tea.

"Drink this, Dathion. It will help you to recover your strength."

Sipping the finely-scented, green tea did little to sate an appetite longing for lard-fried bacon and eggs, though it did much to relax him. However, the warm liquid swishing against the walls of his empty stomach proved somehow nauseating. His anticipation of a substantial lunch probably spared him from vomiting.

Morning brought the time of their departure for the southern settlements. Dathion offered a place on his mount to Shanisha, but the monk politely refused, choosing to travel by foot. As they settled the horses into a trot, Dathion's initial suggestions that Shanisha would regret the decision were quickly silenced by his amazement. Easy strides by the Masan kept pace with their mounts, to Dathion's enduring disbelief. No strain twisted Shanisha's face, nor could Dathion see any sign of sweat moistening the monk's brow.

Beside Gergan - who now accompanied Dathion - the other Cerds remained, offering to scour the surrounding farms for any lingering enemies, or surviving Erynyans. The eyes of the Cerds were sharp, from seeking shapes through constant drifts of white. The sense of smell of their wolf companions was even sharper. The giant men of the north owed much to the farmers of these lands, for food traded to the barbarians. Their race was otherwise deprived of bountiful produce by their hostile homeland.

Meanwhile, to the south, hunted the Swiftriders, seeking to provide safety to the valley folk still untouched by their enemies. No sign of further danger was reported by the Swiftriders who they met as they rode.

Well before the sun rose to its highest point in the sky, they reached the largest community in the sprawling valley of farms. Several longhouses, more like halls from their length, formed a triangle of impressive structures in the middle of a cleared meeting area. The skeletons of bonfires, bordered by charred rocks, marked the epicenter of the clearing. Salidon took the opportunity to explain the customs of the Erynyans, to prepare Dathion in how to make a good impression. Mainly, the villagers still followed the tradition of elders borrowed from much earlier times, their ways considered primitive in comparison to places such as Asillia or Cretia. The main changes over the years, had come in their way of governance. Where the village head had previously made all important decisions and laws, they now deferred to the opinions of a larger assembly, to temper their individual ideas with the wisdom of many.

Appreciating the urgency of the visit by the Asillians, the Erynyans abandoned the main part of the ceremonies that usually accompanied occasions such as these. Regardless, the notable men and women of the valley had chosen to dress in formal clothes depicting their station, waiting as a small gathering to greet the dignitaries from Asillia.