The Crimson Claymore

The Crimson Claymore: Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The next two days of travel toward the villages went by swiftly and quietly. Both Starlyn and Andron were silent during their journey as they reminisced about and mourned Erenuyh. The long plains they traveled across were dull and weary without so much as a wanderer to come by. Birds were scarce through the tall tan hay and grass. There weren't many goats or sheep throughout the terrain, and Andron found that odd. Usually, the last few stretches before the villages was covered in sheep, goats, donkey, and several more animals. He hoped the draeyk attacks hadn't scared them off, or that all weren't claimed as food by the creatures.

As they neared the first village from the field, Andron's anticipation grew with excitement at first. He was excited to see the few friends he had in the village, and for a fresh pint of ale. It'd been many long months since he'd set foot in home, and restlessness overcame him. The excitement didn't last long for as they neared closer to the village by a few hundred paces, he noticed all was silent. It was midday as they neared, and the village should have been humming with life. Yet an uneasy dread seemed to douse the village in gloom, as if the entire place was cast in shadow. He began to feel uneasy and slowed down, feeling at the hilt of his sword as they neared.

Starlyn noticed his uneasiness and touched the shaft of her hammer. "Something is wrong."

"Yes, very wrong. This is too quiet."

"These past few days have been too quiet."

The wooden gate was made of tall thin trees held together with metal plate at the top, middle, and bottom. It wasn't closed but pushed a quarter open without any guard to stand before it. A lone sign hung by the opening of carved wood in black letters that read, Gythero. Andron walked up quietly and unsheathed his sword before he entered. The sound of crows was distant but still disturbing. Starlyn trailed him closely and held her hammer in her right hand.

Inside, the streets were bare, without destruction, and without man. The silence was beyond eerie, and it unsettled Andron. He shivered as he inspected each street, yet nothing moved. There was no pattern to the buildings in the village, and most were made of wood with only a few stone. The ones made of stone were the large white-and-black octagon barracks and the rectangular city hall of red and black. Everything else was made from thin trees pressed tightly together in the same fashion as the gate. Some of the doors were open, but nobody was inside.

"No bodies; it seems they fled," Starlyn whispered.

"I hope with whatever came that they made it in time. There is no time to waste; let's leave this place and check on my village."

Dread filled Andron's mind as he lead the way northwest through the next village of Nygenquy. It was a close neighboring village—only a league's march—but they found it quick. Andron was no longer walking since he saw the first village. He nearly tripped over himself as he kept to a full sprint. With each new bit of scenery, he observed his pace only quickened. Nygenquy was as abandoned as Gythero with gate pushed open as well. Still, to his relief, there were no bodies to count along the streets or inside any homes as he could find. There was a defensive plan for the villages in case of great need to hasten to the great city of Wesiet north of his village of Guerettos. He hoped with all this might that his family had made it if there without peril.

The third village of Igurilena was empty of person and animal. It should have brought comfort to him that the three villages before his own were abandoned in the same fashion. However, Andron felt no comfort as he traveled warily. He wanted to travel throughout the night to reach his village, but Starlyn stopped him. She was still hurt and needed rest before going on. It was well past midnight as they camped in Igurilena. He found a familiar pub that he used to come to when he visited, and found it empty of patrons but not ale. Pouring himself a large mug, he made a fire on the outskirts where he and Starlyn rested. He lit his pipe and sat smoking it for a half an hour before he was able to find rest.