Blood-Born

Chapter V - Part 3

The cemetery ring proved the widest by far given that the road head had split, twisted and split off yet again on more than one occasion, while Sven directed their path one way or the other each time.

Even the trees would have looked black and dead if it were not for the scant leaves that refused to let go and fall as if they too were afraid of what they would find when they landed.

"Doesn't this ever get old?" Poe suggested, having noticed that Sven seemed to enjoy the view as they passed.

"Actually no, the routes that we follow change every so often, as does the view." Sven replied with a sigh. "Keeps it somewhat fresh and allows others to get lost if they tried to follow the same route behind us long after we had passed."

With the reins secured to the pole at their feet, Poe reached for his pipe with one hand and sucked on it as he re-lit the contents and gently tapped them tight and down.

Once again he found the first pipe of the day was often the best, as taste of the old aged over night to blend with the new.

"I'll bite, so how would it be that you always seem to know which way to go if they change."

He put his boot up and sat back while he waited for an answer.

The horses were not a challenge as they simply seemed to stay in the middle of the road and did not appear to wander as they moved along.

"There are signs, if you know what to look for ... subtle but they are there to be found."

"Signs that only someone like you can see, you mean." Poe countered, as he saw etchings on some stones while worn words appeared on yet others as they passed.

Oddly enough, he found that when he blinked he could swear the statues seemed to have turned with them when they passed, as if they were actually following their progress.

"Oh no, I'm sure that if we showed you what to look for that you'd clearly see them as well."

Poe raised a brow and turned to him.

"Okay, if that were actually the case then tell me what on earth do we need you for, the conversation?"

"I'm not here to just read road signs Poe ... I'm here so that the locals see me with you and leave you alone."

Sven smiled and nodded toward a split ahead.

"Go right, it's smoother and probably shorter."

Poe picked up the reigns and did as he had been directed, although he wondered if the horses would have gone that way even without his efforts.

"When they designed the farms, they knew that they'd need very good defenses ..." Sven mused, "... along with ways to safely get people or things through easily and without much effort."

"Like a few morphs." Poe offered over his pipe.

"Yes, us ..." Sven agreed, "... they found we have a rather unique ... aura that can be sensed easily by those who'd know if we were to be off limits or found to be on the menu."

Poe sighed as he realized his education was not yet as complete as he may have otherwise preferred.

"Pretend that I have no idea about what you just said ... better yet, don't bother to pretend."

Sven laughed.

"I can see why they like you, Poe. You are a funny man."

He remained silent through several turns where they rose over small hills and down through several valleys; the head stones and statues seemed to go on forever around them.

"This is the second to last ring, but also the widest." Sven informed him. "Auras are what people who see with different sight such as vampires or lycans can see."

"Like the smell of food or type of animal, you mean."

Sven seemed to think about it.

"More like food ... definitely food."

He pointed left for the next junction.

"What you saw as empty lands or the vacant town behind us, are fairly well populated by things that have been well trained to keep others out."

"You're like a beacon or lamp then, meant to keep the boogeymen away from us."

"Bravo, you've managed to catch on Poe."

He pointed out the gargoyles as they passed.

"They are particularly nasty to deal with. I've seen what they can do and hope you won't ever have to. Witness it directly I mean."

"How often have people actually tried to get in here?" Poe asked with some surprise at his comment.

"This ring is not for those that are trying to get in ..." Sven replied with that irritatingly thin lipped smile that bordered on a smirk, "... this ring is for those who are trying to get out, but never will."

"I was given the impression these places were not used much anymore." Poe observed as he enjoyed his pipe. "Since whatever wars were long over that we mortals apparently knew nothing about."

"They're not really." Sven indicated another split and which path to take. "However, there are some that still have managed to find their way here when their crimes call for it ... and others that have never left once they got here."

Poe didn't try to hide his confusion. "When the war was over, don't they just let them go?"

"Part of the ... treaty process often ensures that they would not be allowed to return for any number of reasons."

Sven pointed at the next turn.

"Each farm has always been considered neutral ground and all prisoners are sent there for ... processing. At the next branch head left, please."

With his free hand, Poe set his pipe down as he thought about what he'd just been told. "In your wars there're aren't any prisoners, are there."

"No, just casualties of war ..." Sven replied evenly. "The refresh station before the last leg of our journey will be just short of the other side of this ring."

"Resting in a cemetery was not something that I'd ever have thought of doing on purpose ..." Poe mused, "... as a last resort, maybe ... but not on purpose."

"I'm sure that many of those under those stones would not disagree with you." Sven mused as they rolled through having left silence to descend like a fog upon their trail.

Behind them winged statues slowly turned back to watch the road for anything that might have tried to follow them.