Arakim's Legacy(#Wattys2015)

Chapter 24

It took the better part of the day to travel across the desert, with its dry heat, hills and rocks to get within a league of the high mud walls of Kadunani Tribe. They could go no further without being seen by the sentries on the ramparts, because there was an open space between the boulders where they were and the walls that allowed any incoming visitor to the village to be seen and eliminated if deemed an enemy.

There was little natural light to see with at that time of the night but the soldiers took care of that problem by strategically placing bonfires around to illuminate every hidden shadows. And Arakim knew that there was no postern way to gain entrance into the village except this one as the other sides were protected by mountain ranges that were both inaccessible and dangerous.

Huddling close together, the group was thinking on the perfect way to gain entry into the walled village with the little information from Gaddoni and the soldiers.

"The best option is to locate the exact house the minions are in,'' said Talor, 'before they could do more harm.''

Edum nodded. "We can't walk across to the gate, so maybe we should fly across,'' looking expectantly at Gnar, whose expression showed his mind was elsewhere until he was prodded by Mena.

"Ow!' he screeched, only to be hushed by everyone, 'I thought we were done with the hitting,'' he whispered, rubbing his arms while glaring at Mena. She stared back at him until he shifted his eyes away only to find the others looking at him.

"What?'' he demanded cautiously, suspecting he wasn't going to like whatever they were planning and cursed his wandering mind that missed the conversation up until when the menace nearly broke his delicate arm. He thought that now she had found her mate, she would be less violent but that was just wishful thinking and all that talk of strategy and breaching the walls was just boring. And not to mention he was near exhausted after run, not used to that much running in his life before unlike the others that had gone through the juvenile training.

"Can you fly over the wall without being seen by the soldiers on the ramparts?' asked Talor, gently.

"Aye.'' Gnar answered warily, brows wrinkled in a frown, not sure where this was going.

But before Talor could explain further, Arakim spoke. "It's alright. I will do it,'' looking at them. He added when he saw their questioning looks, 'I will fly over and see what is what there.''

"That might actually be best since you had been here before,'' said Talor, cutting off whatever Myra was going to say, staring her down when she would have protested.

"I will be in contact with Mena,'' Arakim told them before getting up from his crouched position and walked farther back into the darkened desert. A few seconds later they saw a bigger than the average raven flying silently over their heads, heading to the village.

"Whoa,' whispered Gnar in awe, and thanked the stars that Arakim was on their sides. He knew there was no reason to be scared of the wizard but, every day he kept displaying one awesome feat or another.

"What are you not telling us?'' asked Myra suspiciously, watching the closed expressions on their faces; Talor, Edum and Mena. "Cousin?'' she prodded when no one answered her.

"Let it go, Myra,'' Talor advised, 'it's not our secret to tell.'' Staring at her until she backed down.

Myra knew that Talor might seem easy going most of the time but could turn deadly at any time. You did not survive almost three centuries in their world as a top dog without being dangerous and this was not the time to pursue this. When things settled down a bit she was going to bombard her cousin until she revealed all.