The Golden Rider Book 1: The Golden Traitor

Chapter 3.10

Chapter 3.10

Tay was wrapped tightly in a blanket and sipping on a mug of something warm and brown by the Michael had arrived back to our camp to listen to what Tay had to say. Petra brought out a chair for the poor guy as he looked like he was about to collapse from exhaustion. I doubt he had slept very much since the battle at the first Academy. I caught him staring at my wrapped up arm, probably wondering how much it had healed even more since this morning.

"Sorry to make you do this after rushing back, but please tell us everything that you've seen," Bates told Tay as he sat down next to her. He pulled out a map of the Lands and laid it in front of her. "You were heading toward the Second Academy, correct?"

"Yes sir."

"For those of you geographically challenged, we are here," he said circling an area to the far northwest of the map. The First Academy was situated in the furthest north and west area of the lands. Bates traced his finger south across the map, passing through the area known simply as the Plains. Outside of the mountains surrounding our Academy was a sea of open grass and not much else. Most of the Lands were covered by the Plains. At the very center of the Lands was a large desert, not as large as the Plains, but it still was difficult to cross. Most people trying to get from one end of the Lands to the other simply went around the desert and stuck to the Plains were the weather much more favorable. Very few people lived in the desert which made going through it difficult. Bates continued to draw a path south through the Plains until he circled an area to the southernmost tip of the Lands. "The Second Academy is down here."

"We all had to take geography at the Academy. We know where the Second Academy is," Petra scoffed.

"We all know where the Second Academy is," Bates mimicked. He looked back up to Tay. "How far did you get?"

"I made it all the way to Port of Aerith," she said as she reached over and pointed of a town a little bit away from the Second Academy. The Port of Aerith was a large trading city where there were tons of ships coming and going with goods from all the different corners of the Lands. This made the city the richest in all of the Lands. The students at the Second Academy were the guards who were normally in charge of protecting this city.

"Aerith is dying because of the New Order," Tay explained. "They aren't letting any ships enter or leave the harbor. From what I can tell, all sea travel has been banned. Any trading going on has to be over land."

"Makes it easier to track who is going where probably," Bates muttered. "The New Order doesn't want people sneaking around in ships, going far out of their way not to be seen."

"They've also brought everyone from the neighboring towns into Aerith. I guess unlike the First Academy which is located in a valley and would be hard to overtake from the outside, the Second Academy is not located in such a prime location. Whoever is in charge of the Second Academy can't control the masses like Grace did here, so they want everyone in one location. Because of this, the people are starving, cramped in the city. Crime and disease are everywhere. It's not as nice as it used to be."

"What about the towns in between? The ones far enough from the Academy that they wouldn't move?"

"Some of the larger towns have a few foot guards and an occasional Rider or two waiting on standby. Some of the smaller towns remain untouched."

"And the others?" Liam asked.

"Burned to the ground, destroyed, wiped off the map. The New Order is so brutal." Bates handed Tay a pencil.

"Can you circle all of the towns you remember that were destroyed?" Tay nodded and started to work. Bates turned to his attention to us.

"Grace was at the First Academy, so I think it's safe to assume that the others are controlling the remaining Academies. Who do you think is at the Second?" Bates asked.