Evmor: The Calling

Chapter 8

Since I took so long I'm uploading two chapters at once just to make up for it :)

**There's been small edits to this chapter regarding the details of the palace but it won't have a huge impact the story.

Chapter 8

Anticipation thrummed through my veins as we neared the town. The possibility that the ring was hidden somewhere so close continued to raise my hopes up, despite my useless attempts at subduing it. I was afraid to be let down.

Killian had let me know that the town was only an hour’s ride away, and we both spurred our horses on faster. I could smell the salty tang in the air that was carried on the wind that whipped by my face and already the trees were starting to thin out, ready to open up into the beach.

A few moments more and the rushing of the waves filled my ears. Despite the constant hooves pounding into the earth, I could still hear the crash as the waves reached the shore and its sigh as if reluctant to leave. I pushed myself higher up from the saddle and breathed in the scent of the ocean and felt the cold breeze rushed by my cheeks. It was already warmer in this part of the land.

“It’s the sea!” I shouted in delight as I caught sight of the endless water that stretched out before us. The water was much like the sea that I’ve seen back in the human world, and I could see small swells out in the water, that grew to become waves and crash into the shore. The ceaseless pounding of the hooves on the hard packed earth was soon exchanged for the muffled thud on the soft sand. We continued to ride hard with the sea stretching out to our left, and I looked over to see Killian grinning from ear to ear. I returned his smile and admired the view of the ocean. The last time I had been to the beach was when I was only eight, and my family—the full family including my parents—had taken a week off to go to the beach. I remembered the endless laughter and how we had buried each other neck deep in the sand, the hot sun and the warm breeze that weaved its way through the parasols, and sitting by the water in the evening watching the sunset.

The ocean was dyed a deep red as the sun set over the horizon. I had never had the time to appreciate the sun in this world, and it seemed unchanged from what I was accustomed to. As the mass of light started to retreat further into the horizon, something in the sky caught my eye. I frowned at it in confusion as it swirled higher and higher still into the sky, like a dark snake that slithered its way up. 

“No.” I heard Killian mutter under his breath and looked over to see what was wrong. Worry etched lines into his face and he sent a quick look my way, despair coloring his eyes. “Hurry.” He urged me, and dug his heels into Drusus to spur him on. I did the same and we sped down the beach, and the horses complied as if sensing our darkened mood.

The closer we got to the smoke, dread clawed at my stomach. The entire area was covered in a thick blanket of smoke and it seemed endless. I refused to contemplate what it meant and only focused on getting there faster.

We silently entered the town, the hooves muffled in the snow—and ash. Ash flew everywhere like snowflakes in the air and I looked around in despair at what was left of the town. Every single building was burned to the ground, sparks of ember shining amongst the demise. There wasn’t a single soul in sight and I feared what had become of them. Killian had explained this was a town full of life, everyone enjoying their days by the sea, full of traded goods from the ocean. But it was hard to imagine anything like that with what I could see. Killian urged Drusus to continue on into down and I followed. Cinæd snorted nervously and was reluctant to move, and only did so when I whispered soothing words to him.

Killian suddenly dismounted and I hurried to do the same. We had stopped in front of the only house that seemed to be left standing.

“I’m going to head in and see if I can find anything. Stay here. Yell if you need me.” With that he cautiously made his way inside, unsheathing his sword as he went. I wandered a little way from the horses and fear gripped me as I looked around the destroyed town. I fumbled around to grasp my dagger tightly in hand. I held it out point first although I kept it lowered. I felt a little better with the reassuring weight of a weapon in my grip.