Spero of Iter

58. The Village

            The world went from an autumn forest to a desolate wasteland. Pine trees looked like black lightning protruding from the ground, yet frozen in time. The ground that Jorje's horse trod upon was black. Whether ash or hideous dirt, she couldn't tell; not at the speed they were going. She kept turning her head about as much as possible to see the measly village they left behind. The village they left to be slaughtered. Why did Jorje stay with them? He should have been on his own horse, not Jaqueline.

She winced at the pain in her side, the blackened ground proving too bumpy of a ride for her healing wound. It had only been patched up the night before. When they had reached the hovel which Jorje rested in she had almost forgotten all about it. Luckily the guard at the king's palace only grazed her. If he had stabbed, who knew what vital organs could have been harmed. Jaqueline didn't... she stunk at anatomy.

"How are you feeling?" Fredrick peered over at her as their beasts lurched forwards in opposing beats upon the ground.

"I'm fine," she said, unconvincingly, taking her hand from her bandaged wound back to the reins. "Just worried about Jorje and the rest."

"They'll be fine," he reassured. "If anyone can defeat an army that outnumbers them, it would be Jorje and Sasha. Probably William too. I'm not sure. He strikes me as someone who could be equally strong or weak."

Jaqueline found humor in his words, but her chuckle only manifested as a puff of air. She was so tired. Her jaw remained clenched due to the cold wind. She wasn't sure how long they'd been travelling, but it felt like an eternity. It almost reminded her of school. To think, once she got back, she still had to worry about college.

Vincent sped up on the other side of Fredrick. His countenance was rigid. Almost as if anger was welled up inside of him. His light blue eyes were fixed forward, unflinching in the wind that swept his short red hair about his head. He then seemed to sense Jaqueline's inquisitive gaze on him, for he returned it, then the boyish fear she was now so familiar with returned. Jaqueline looked at him with sympathy, giving a nod to show it would be alright. Oh, how she hoped it was true.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun set behind the mountains, casting brilliants rays of orange it the crevices of the rising black smoke, then leaving them nothing but the mountain's shadow to bask in. The cold became colder, though the wind had died down as they were reduced to a mere trot. Jaqueline kept glancing back in the direction they came from, only black foliage in view now. She then returned her eyes ahead, sighing. "We should be able to hear an army from here, right?"

Fredrick peered over at her, his countenance exuding empathy. "Probably," he said.

Although the wind remained audible and there was the sound of crunching underneath the horses' hoofs, the evening seemed deadly silent. Whether from the darkness in an unfamiliar place, or perhaps from the falling cloud ahead of them, she couldn't tell. All she knew was the only thing that kept her somewhat sane was the movement of her lungs as she breathed.

"We can't worry about them now," Vincent said, his tone somber yet sounding more akin to the boy they'd known only several days prior. "This was their own choice. No one was forced to stay. This was just the most likely way for this quest succeed."

"This way," Fredrick said softly, only loud enough for them to hear. The three then veered to the left. They had been zigzagging and changing direction as much as possible in case the army decided to search the Charred Lands.

They entered a white fog. Jaqueline reached out her hand to touch it, feeling only the ghost of condensation. The world around them appeared as a wretched tale of horror and woe. It would only be fitting for a monster to come out of the woodwork. Her eyes then widened, recalling then all of their monster-oriented adventures. She quickly returned her hand to the reins, slumping her shoulders slightly, as if the action would magically exempt her from any harm that could possibly come to them.

"We'll have to make camp in a little while," Fredrick sighed, his eyes glancing about. "Those clouds will cover the moon soon enough, and we'll be wholly in the dark."

"I can't wait for that campfire," Vincent said, shivering.

"No fires," the older brother stated simply.

"Why n- oh," the boy remembered their situation.

Jaqueline felt her body tense up slowly as a rising chorus of yells and screams sounded in the distance. So faint, like a morning songbird in a faraway tree. How she wished for a songbird instead. She looked to Vincent, his blue eyes wide, his thick red brows knit together as a mournful frown played his lips. She then looked to Fredrick, his head down an unnaturally low, his hair covering his eyes in the front. She could see his back tensing through his cloak as he gripped his reins tighter. Jaqueline felt her heartbeat in her head as she found it difficult to breathe.

The chorus stopped. Tears welled up in her eyes as she sniffled, then turning into streams down her face. Why her? She should have been there. Fredrick's horse then appeared directly next to hers. He placed his hand on her shoulder, not saying a word.

Minutes went by. "I think I see a cave," Vincent pointed out, his voice low.

Fredrick merely nodded, removing his hand from Jaqueline, then speeding up to meet his little brother.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everything was shrouded in darkness in their damp little cave. There was merely an opening, then a few steps to the right. At least they were surrounded by three walls as they all huddled together for warmth. They set a few bags and pelts on top of themselves, leaving the horses which were best hidden as they could be nearly barren.

All ate some dried meat, but it was not enough to satiate their appetite. All they could do was stare into the dark abyss and pray for sleep. Vincent's wish came sooner than the others' as he faintly snored in the middle of them. It was nearly calming.

Fredrick sighed. Although she couldn't see his face, she could see the outline of it. "What will you do," he asked in a flat tone.

"Huh?"

"Once you defeat the dragon and go home, I mean. What's next for Lady Jaqueline? Spero of Iter."

She knew he was only trying to distract from what had happened and the fear of being found in the night by some soldiers, but his question stunned her. She hadn't thought so much of life back home in a long time. She wasn't even sure where her phone went. It didn't matter. It's not like anyone texted or called her anyway. "Tell my family I love them, then try to figure out my future, I guess." She laughed a breathy laugh. "I can't believe a whole village was wiped out, and I'm thinking about school. I'm terrified, but it doesn't hold a candle to what just happened. At least I have a future." She looked down at her clasped hands.

"Do you think it'll make it easier? To do what we must to live on in light of everything that's happened since we left my family?" He sounded lost in thought. She couldn't blame him.

"Maybe," she said. Silence ensued again as the night deepened. The fog stayed out of the cave, but the thought of knowing it was there seemed to weigh heavy on her.

"It seems easier to fight beasts rather than live life," Fredrick said out of nowhere again.

She pondered his words for a moment. "Yeah. But I guess this means that we can do the stuff we have to." She leaned her head back against the cool rock wall. "No matter what we're afraid or not afraid of."

He said nothing for a short while. "Get some rest. I'll take the first watch."

"Yeah. Thanks," she said, snuggling into the stone as best she could. What would it be like? Going back to a docile life of school, work, money, leisure after being more. She wasn't the Spero everyone kept mentioning, but she could see the enemy, what she had to do. Even Sir Aaron's betrayal became clear. Much clearer than the complicated world she hailed from. Yes, she wanted to see her family again, but she wondered what it would be like to stay. To be a simple farmer, or a sage like Ward was. Perhaps there was more to Iter than she saw. Once she was to defeat the dragon, what would happen the next time a mega monster like that appeared again? Everyone seemed to think it would. She could help them again. Maybe. She couldn't keep her thoughts straight. She was so tired. She began drifting into a cold black slumber.