Iorrjaer

Chapter 16

The walls of Ockburg were sturdy, thick timbers and logs of oak and maple reinforced with stone pillars and facings that made for a hardy defense against the war-parties of Wildling bandits. The guards that patrolled the walls were clad in assorted armour and weapons, ranging from glaives, halberds, bills, longbows, and crossbows. Their movements were laboured and awkward and they held their weapons loosely but kept to their positions and watched the new party approaching their main gate.

Sorâth stood just before the path that turned to lead to the gate that would allow them entry into Ockburg. The rest of the party were with the wagon and the mule. Yophiel was making her way to the gate as per the agreement of her duty. She had failed in her attempts to assert herself as the leader of the group and in her attempts to convince everyone that she was a Paladin and in charge. After the attack on the group by the Wildlings and then her attempt to attack Häsmæl out of her desperation for recognition, she had agreed to fulfill this part of her mission and then stay out of the way.

The guards at the gate were stalwart, like they were there and had forgotten that they were supposed to do anything other than stand at their post. Yophiel stood for a few seconds before she attempted to get their attention by coughing, but when they did not respond, she waited for a few more minutes before looking back at Sorâth and shrugging. She called out to them, and then banged on the iron bars of the gate. No response. She shouted for someone to come to her, she called out, asked for attention, and then turned to go up to one of the guards.

Sorâth watched her from a few paces back and took careful note of everything that was happening. All around him, things were not as they seemed. He kept a careful eye on the Tengu that were sometimes seen circling the peak of the ziggurat and had instructed Kârael to be diligent in his observations of them. It was strange to him that the guards were unmoving. They had even failed to respond to the Wildling attack, which was strange. To have no movement from the two posted outside, and not responding to Yophiel's presence was strange. He had gotten lost in his own observations and had not noticed her moving towards one of the guards. He moved with haste.

Yophiel was near one of the guards and could now see that he was in some sort of trance. His eyes were white from being rolled back into his head and his head was arched back and he was hacking, like he was choking on something. She reached out to grab his arm but was stopped by Sorâth suddenly appearing and grabbing her arm.

"This is not right." He said.

His grip on her arm was strong and she was surprised that someone as lean as he could possess such hidden strength. She quickly wondered if his skin was as tough as Häsmæl's, and she had a surface impulse to test it but knew that the hole she was in was deep enough. She further recalled his instant reaction to her attempt to draw her sword in his presence. Ever since her open attack on Häsmæl, Chami's faint whisperings were returning. She wanted to keep that the spores were failing a secret, so she did her best to act the part that Sorâth was expecting.

"What's going on? Is he alright?"

"Unlikely."

"What ho? Who are you lot? Who goes there? I said, I asked ye: who the hell are you?" Captain Alan's voice sounded from the other side of the gate and in what seemed like a flash, Sorâth had whipped around and was now facing him. Yophiel looked around before realizing that it had been the captain that had spoken and Sorâth had reacted to him.

"Captain Alan?" She asked, taking her spot in front, and much to her surprise, Sorâth had stepped back to allow her the space. She felt her confidence returning and she wanted to show everyone that she knew what she was doing. "We are here from Ockburt to deliver a wagon of ale and provisions. We come under the order of General Tapht of the Inglegaard."