Shadows of Honor: The Arcane Warrior

Chapter 15: Departures and Destinies

Sir Richard pulled the heavy wool cloak tighter around his shoulders, the wind cutting the exposed skin like blades of ice. The night was unforgiving, and the air carried a biting chill that seemed to seep into his very bones. The towering trees of Eldergloom Forest loomed around them, their branches clawing at the sky like skeletal fingers. Rosaline had arrived early yesterday morning with the terrible news that the rest of her team was waiting at a pass between Devil's Scar and the Eldergloom Forest. He and the small team, consisting of a ranger and two squires, had been riding ever since, stopping only briefly to rest their horses before continuing through the forest.

Rosaline's story wasn't the first he had heard; nearly all the other students reported getting lost before even crossing the chasm. Emile's team had gotten the furthest but unfortunately had suffered the most. Sir Richard was devastated to hear of Braddick's passing and made it a point to retrieve the remaining students himself.

"The location should be up ahead," the ranger called out from the front, his voice barely audible over the howling wind.

Sir Richard urged his horse, Stomper, up ahead, the hooves crackling through the snow effortlessly. The forest thinned as they approached the tree line, the snow-covered branches giving way to the northern tip of Devil's Scar. Before them lay a narrow land bridge that connected one end of the chasm to the other. Sir Richard took a moment to take in the scene; had the circumstances been different, he would have taken joy in looking at something so breathtaking. The moon cast a silvery glow over the snow, creating a surreal and almost serene landscape.

"Let's move, men," Sir Richard commanded, his voice echoing through the chasm. "Those boys need us."

The others nodded in agreement, dismounting from their horses and cautiously beginning their traverse through the snow towards the pass. The ranger took point, his cloak flickering in the wind and camouflaging himself against the white environment. The only thing visible was the dark brown coloring of the longbow strung around his shoulders.

Nearly an hour passed as the sun began its descent from its highest point, signaling that their daylight was running thin. The sky turned a deep orange, casting long shadows over the landscape, and the cold grew even more intense.

"We need to hurry!" Sir Richard called out. "We're not sure how much food those boys have left!"

The ranger up ahead held up his hand in a stopping motion. "Someone's coming!"

Sir Richard stood upright, using his hands to shield his eyes from the sun. He saw shadowy movement approaching.

As his eyes adjusted, he saw Emile dragging what appeared to be a body on a makeshift sleigh made of pieced-together wood and rope.

"Emile!" Sir Richard called out. "Emile! We're here!"

Emile's head snapped up at the sound of his name, and his face, gaunt and pale from exhaustion and cold, broke into a relieved smile. He stumbled forward, his legs barely holding him up, as he dragged the makeshift stretcher with trembling hands.

Sir Richard and the others rushed forward, their boots crunching through the snow, leaving deep imprints. The ranger was the first to reach Emile, gently taking the burden from him and inspecting the makeshift stretcher. Sir Richard clasped Emile's shoulders, feeling the boy's icy skin even through his gloves.

"Emile, where are the others?" Sir Richard asked, his voice steady but urgent.

Emile weakly looked at the stretcher, "Braddick...is there," pointing at the lifeless body.

He glanced back at the chasm before swallowing hard fighting the tears, "Gareth..." he shook his head, tears flowing down as he fell to his knees.

Sir Richard followed Emile's gaze towards the pass before understanding what had happened.