Kindred

Prologue

Prologue

After many months of begging and pleading, Elric's father finally agreed to let him tag along with him and his men to attack the Eastern Raiders. His father said that Elric was "old enough to know what a man must do and sacrifice for his family." His mother disagreed. She didn't want him to be traumatized by the terrors of war and violence. Elric tried to reason with her, telling her that he will come back the same, maybe a little older, but it was no use.

Elric had packed his knifes and the smaller sword he had gotten for his birthday. He packed a warm blanket made of wool to keep the frost bite at bay. Elric stuffed a couple of thick shirts and pants to keep warm into his small pack. He then strapped a bedroll onto his pack. He hoped he was prepared enough for this trip. If only he knew he would need his mental strength, too.

Him and his father had practiced fighting techniques on the days leading up to the long trek up the mountain side where the Raiders lived. He had received many cuts and bruises from the fighting sessions but he knew his work would pay off. His parents taught him simple spells, like how to heal a mild wound, keep infections away for the worse cases, and how to start a fire. He enjoyed the lessons about magick, it made him see the potential that he had.

The day came where he would finally venture up into the dangerous mountains and battle the fierce warriors that had caused so much hurt in his country. His mother waved them off with glistening eyes. She made Elric promise to come back in one piece. He followed his father with his head held high, excited to be brought on this adventure. He wanted to prove to his father that he could be an honorable man. He wanted to show him that he could handle the jobs of a respected man. And most of all, that he could become a knight, like his father once was.

The trip took at least three days to reach the Raiders camp. The mountain side was covered in a thin sheet of snow and ice. The tall evergreen trees stretched to the sky, hoping to touch the sun one day. Small forest animals chased each other around, up the trees and into secret hiding places. They would scurry away when they heard the light footfalls of the the thirty or so men walking over their homes. The birds would call across the forest, laughing at how the humans bundled up in cloth to keep warm and healthy.

The first night in the forest, Elric couldn't fall asleep. His bedroll was too hard, he was shivering the entire night, and he could not see a thing, except the orange fire embers that flickered and died out. The next night was better, he had learned that he had to gather leaves, pine needles, and anything that could act as a cushion, under his bedroll. He stuffed furs and his extra clothes into his bedroll to keep him warm. He also positioned himself under the light of the moon so he could see objects around him and kept a small candle near him as he slept.

The walking wasn't all that bad, it was that they were all walking upwards. His thighs ached and his feet were numb from walking in the snow. The pack he was carrying made his back sore, and sweaty. He desperately wished for some of his mother's cooking. He was tired of cool soup, hard bread, and tough meat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In fact, he was altogether tired. The group walked from six in the morning, until eight at night. But Elric never complained to his father or his men. He did everything that was expected of him and more.

They rested for the third day, knowing that the Raider's camp was only and mile or two east. They needed all their energy because they knew the raiders wouldn't go down without a fight. The men sat there and cleaned their weapons, making sure everything was in place. Elric walked around the pre-made camp and explored his surroundings. He was interested in every rock and every animal that he came upon.

He wondered what the Raiders were like. Were they evil and merciless, or did they just learn from the wrong people? Did they grow up in their surroundings of did the choose to become the notorious Raiders? Elric wondered what kind of person you had to be to rape, pillage and kill.