Rune of Oldfyre

Chapter Thirty

A week passed before we made the arduous trip up the northern glacier wall. The only access to this section of the northern passage was a solitary stairwell carved into the side of the frozen wall. When up top Allister, designated "the navigator", looked at the map and told us that the closest village was two days east.

One of the big purchases I made, and the reason we had to start a week later, was the construction of a large led that could be tethered to Molly. The sled was built like a covered wagon and could fit a group larger than ours comfortably. Molly, at first, hated the harness. But once he began to run there was almost no stopping him. The dry flat surface of the ice made a great track for him to sprint.

May and I say on his back observing the scene ahead, it was ice. Al, Anya, and Phil (Who I only remembered was with us the day previously) sat in the sled with the supplies. Layer, though there was light remaining (there would be for at least a few more "days"), we decided to call it a night. People arranged themselves comfortably in the sled while one person stood watch for the first half of the night.

I was picked to do first watch. Nothing eventful happened. All I needed to do was cast a ball lightning spell and the entire place was lit. No animals came to steal our food, no raiders came to steal our supplies and women. An uneventful evening.

The next day went smoothly. Up at "dawn" and race across the ice sheet until "dusk". Smoothly, I should say, until we discovered that an armed rebellion was in progress within this small kingdom. The first village we came across had recently been put put the torch. The fires burned visibly for miles for miles in the odd twilight ambience. We raced past without even looking, we didn't have cause to join in. Allister informed us that Rolenov, a small manor, was located thirty miles south within the tundra.

The tundra was more heavily wooded than the ice sheet. We had to slow down immensely to avoid slamming into trees. Luckily Rolenov was politically neutral and permitted room and board for a short while. The living attachments were spartan and uncomfortable. But what do you expect on short notice? We settled for the night.

I was awoken in the middle of the night by a knife to my throat. A man with a tattoo of a dragon on his face was holding a small crystal knife to my jugular. He motioned his index finger over his mouth, signifying he kindly wishes for my silence. I obliged this simple wish. He pulled me, knife athroat, into the court courtyard. The others were there as well. A man in formal looking military attire and a similar servant tattoo on his face spoke.

"I am Black Snake Thal, you're all now free citizens of the Kurrosk Empire. You will submit willingly or be killed." The man said. I raised my hand as far as I could without the knife gaining pressure on my throat. "Yes you, citizen." He said gesturing to me.

"Did, you say Black Snake Thal?" I asked, improvising an escape.

"Why yes, I did." He said, a bit egotistically, "Legionnaire of the Storm Legion and one of only three to receive title of Black Snake."

"Oh, I can't believe it's really you. May I shake your hand? You're one of my greatest heroes."

"Of course, citizen." He said, beginning to walk towards me.

As he approached I began whispering the spell for the ball of ethereal blinding. When he grasped my hand, in frankly the weakest handshake I've ever participated in, I grabbed the knee of my captor and yelled the final portion of the spell. The two of them released the respective grips, crotches stained with urine, and a blinding light formed within the center of the circle of people. I covered my eyes.

When I looked out, all the soldiers were grasping their eyes. My friends were released. I quickly ran, shocking each soldier as I went. In no time, there was circle of urine stained soldiers laying on the ground, knives removed from their persons.

"Show off." Anya said.

"Man, legionnaires have egos." May said.

"What's with the tattoos on their faces?" I asked the lord of the manor after the soldiers had been tied up in the basement.

"It signifies rank." He said. "Recruits receive a hydra, and as they increase in status, the tattoo is slowly removed from hydra to dragon to raptor to lizard, and so on until all that's left is a serpent."

"Sounds painful." Allister commented.

"It's a way of ensuring you can handle the rank." The lord said.

"Why are they arming a rebellion?" I asked.

"Dental." He said, opening the jaw of one of the soldiers. It was filled with jagged and blackening teeth.

"Ew." The group said In unison.