Martin the Last Necron

Chapter 45 (Relentless Mountains)

Martin was shocked at how many broken down wagons he saw that were left to rot on the side of the road.  Some he saw had broken wheels. He saw others that had broken axles. He even spotted a few that had both broken wheels and axles. When they had first got on the road he had witnessed a family of five lose their wagon to the rough terrain. They just grabbed what they could carry unhitched their horses and continued their journey on foot. He couldn't believe it. Then moments after they had left a group of looters swooped in and cleaned out the remains of their belongings. Martin just shook his head. 

Adal had said the pass was a rough ride for most travelers but they had no choice but to attempt it. It is the safest way to cross through the Relentless Mountains. You would either take the pass or stay where you were because it would be suicide to try and tackle the mountains themselves. Still the pass was no picnic. When the road was first carved out many centuries ago, it wasn't that bad. Now over the years and countless travelers it has become rough and ragged.  

"We're almost there." Said Adal.

"We're almost where?" Asked Martin.

"To the spot where traveling merchants set up shop for the day." Replied Adal. "We can stop there and rest our horses and grab a few rations."

"Oh, okay. Sounds good." Martin said, adjusting himself on his horse. "I could use a break from riding."

When they arrived Martin saw all kinds of merchants lined along both sides of the road for a few hundred yards. The road itself was actually twice as wide as the rest of the road they had been traveling on. He thought it was pretty convenient. Adal directed them to where they could stable their horses for the time being. After he paid the stable hand to watch over their horses, water and feed them they headed to a small tent where they were serving food. 

They entered the small tent that had three small tables with four chairs around each table. When they sat down a man came to take their order.

"What can I get you lads today?" Asked the old chubby man wearing a dirty apron that he was wiping his hands on. 

"Three bowls of soup, three loaves of bread and three pints of milk thank you." Replied Adal. 

"Excellent choice." Said the man. "Right away."

"Excellent choice." Mumbled Adal. "It's the only choice."

"Say again?" Asked the old man.

"Oh, nothing." Replied Adal.

Martin couldn't help but to giggle at Adal's remark. Azura smiled.

After getting their fill of bread and soup they paid the man and were about to leave the tent when they spotted a group of sentinels outside. 

"What do we do?" Asked Azura.

"Stay inside and act casual." Replied Adal motioning them to sit back down.

When they sat back down the man asked if they needed anything else.

"Another round of milks, please." Replied Martin.

"Sure thing." Said the man before turning to go get three more pints of milk.

They sat there sipping their milk when two of the sentinels entered the tent and sat at one of the other tables. 

"Shit." Cursed Martin under his breath.

It wasn't long till the old man had served the two sentinels, their bowls of soup. Martin was doing his best to not look their way when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Panic started to take over and he began to conjure a small ball of air in the palm of his hand. He was prepared to do whatever was necessary to evade the possible capture of him and his friends. When he turned around to look at whoever it was that tapped him on the shoulder.