Authors: Morgan Rice
She nodded gravely.
“I’ll be fine,” she said. “Don’t worry about me.”
“But you can’t stay in the castle,” Thor said, concerned. “Not with Gareth there. It is not safe.”
She shook her head.
“I will stay at my mother’s castle. No one knows of it. I’ll await your return there.”
“When I return, if you have not found a way to depose Gareth, we will flee this place together. I will bring you to a place of safety.”
“There is nothing to worry for,” she said. “Gareth tried to ship me off, and he failed. There’s no way he can harm me now. Too many soldiers are aware of his treachery. I will be fine. And you will be back in a short period of time.”
“Let me, at least, leave Krohn with you,” Thor said.
Krohn, beside them, whined, and jumped onto Gwen, licking her.
“He will watch over you here, in my absence,” Thor added. “And when I return, we will be together. Forever this time.”
Thor leaned in and kissed her, and she kissed him back. He felt transported by that kiss, and he held it as long as he could. A cool fall breeze rushed over them, and he wanted this moment to last forever.
Slowly, he pulled back. There was a tear in Gwen’s eyes.
“I love you,” Thor said.
“I love you too,” she answered.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Gwen stood there, outside the House of Scholars, and watched as Thor disappeared yet again, riding into the horizon with his Legion members. Once again, she felt a pit in her stomach. She did not feel the same sense of desperation she’d felt when he’d left for the Hundred; it was different, since at least this time he would be coming home soon, and this time he was not risking his life in a dangerous place, but merely helping villages rebuild close to home. He would also be surrounded by loyal friends, and she felt confident he’d be safe; and she, for her part, had Krohn by her side, had her mother’s castle to hide in, and had the other soldiers behind her, who were now at least aware of the depth of Gareth’s treachery.
Yet still, she could not help but feel overwhelmed with a sense of sadness, of longing. In some ways, it was harder this time. She loved him more. More than she had ever loved anybody. She loved him with a love that was hard to explain, that even she did not understand. He was so kind, and sensitive, and loyal, and protective, and proud. It hurt her when he was gone. She wanted him close all the time. And as she reached down and felt her stomach, she sensed that she carried his child. With every move she took, every gesture she made, her body felt different. She felt an energy welling within her, an ever-present feeling. She felt a sense of peace. And that made her miss him all the more.
And even though he was leaving for a peaceful mission, these were troubled times, and one never knew what could happen, even close to home, even on a peaceful mission. A part of her feared for him. And a part of her still feared for herself: she had come too close to being taken away by the Nevaruns, and it had rattled her. Gareth’s treachery never seemed to amaze her, and while she felt supported by the show of arms from the Silver, and the King’s men, she also feared her brother. She was still in danger here. Staying in her mother’s castle would provide her with some security for now—but not for the long run. She and Godfrey would have to find a legal way to oust Gareth soon—or else, she realized, she would have to leave this place for good.
More than ever, Gwen needed to see Argon, to know what the future would hold; but she knew that seeking him out would be a waste of time. He appeared when and if he wanted to, and if he didn’t, she would never find him.
So instead, Gwen walked across the hilltop, watching Thor as he disappeared, farther and farther. Krohn whined beside her and leaned against her leg, virtually sticking to her side; she looked down and smiled, and he licked her hand as she stroked his head. She felt reassured beyond words to have him there; it was like having a piece of Thor with her. He was morphing into a full-grown leopard, and while he was still just a puppy in her eyes, she could see from the frightened looks of others that he was a savage beast in the eyes of others.
She looked back up and wiped a tear as she watched Thor’s contingent fade into the horizon, swallowed in a cloud of dust.
“A horizon of faded dreams,” came a voice.
Gwen did not need to turn to know whose voice it was. She felt overwhelmed with relief. Argon.
Gwen turned slowly and saw him standing there, beside her, a few feet away, wearing his robes, holding his staff, looking out over the horizon as if watching Thor leave with her; she did not know how he got there. He was such a mystery to her. But she felt comforted by his presence.
She turned away, watching the horizon beside him, and smiled.
“Thank you for being here,” she said. “You must have sensed my desire to see you.”
“I always answer when a King summons me,” he said. “If it is a true summons. And a true King.”
She looked at him, startled by his words, but he continued to watch the horizon, expressionless.
“Are you saying that I will rule?” she asked.
“You know the answer to that yourself,” he responded.
“What of my brother, Gareth?” she pressed.
Argon’s face darkened, a slight frown at the corner of his lips.
“His reign appears to be eternal. But it will not be. He who takes the throne by blood must pay its price by blood. There is always a price for everything.”
He turned and stared back, and the intensity in his eyes forced her to look away.
“Do you remember, when you made that vow?” he asked. “To give up your life for Thor’s?”
She nodded, a tear forming at the corner of her eyes. She did not want to die now. Not now.
“Vows bear a heavy price,” he reminded. “Before you pay it, much has to happen. There will be a great future for you. But there will be a little death first,” he said. “Steel yourself and be strong. You will need strength now. More than you’ve ever had in your life. If you can survive what’s to come, you can survive anything.”
Gwen trembled inside, and felt her skin run cold.
“Your words frighten me,” she said.
“But you must learn to fear,” he said. “Rulers must be fearless. But they also must fear.”
“Please,” she pleaded, “tell me what it is I should fear. Give me some warning.”
“If I did, your destiny would change. That cannot be. Not for your sake. And not for the sake of the Ring. You know your history. Need I remind you? The seven sun cycles. The seven moon alignments. It happens once every thousand years. And when will it happen again?” he asked.
Gwen racked her brain, thinking through all the volumes of history she had ingested, all the ancient prophecies she had read.
“The sun and moon event you speak of happens in the next sun cycle,” she said. “But weeks away.”
Argon nodded, satisfied.
“Yes, very good. Very good indeed. You will be a far wiser ruler than your father. In fact, it has been generations since the MacGils have had a ruler like you. So then you know what lies ahead.”
Gwen frowned.
“But I thought those ancient prophecies were just parables, metaphors. I did not think they were meant to be taken literally. I was taught they are open to interpretation.”
“And who is to say which is the right one?” Argon asked.
Gwen’s eyes opened wide.
“Are you saying that it’s all true? That the Ring will come to an end in a matter of weeks? That the ancient prophecies will come to be?”
Argon turned and stared into the horizon for a long time, then finally, he sighed.
“The Ring will come to an end as we know it. We live in a time of great change. Greater than you can imagine. Everything you once knew will be different. There will be a time of tremendous darkness. And a time of great light. If one can survive the darkness.”
Gwen’s mind reeled as she tried to process the gravity of his words.
“It will be up to you to lead your people through the darkness,” he said. “Ready yourself for the task.”
Argon turned to go, and Gwen reached out and grabbed his shoulder.
“Wait!” she called out.
But she felt a burning in her hand and quickly yanked it back, the energy coming off of him so intense she could not tolerate it.
“Please! Before you go, tell me one thing.”
He turned and stared at her.
“The answer is yes,” he said, before she opened her mouth. “You carry Thor’s child. And it will change your life.”
Before she could ask him more, suddenly, he disappeared.
She turned, looking everywhere for him, but saw nothing, save for a single bird, screeching high up in the air, flying farther and farther away.
Gwen turned and looked out into nothingness, over the great expense of the Ring, and she wondered. She reached up and felt her stomach.
Thor’s child.
It was real.
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
Thor rode with a dozen Legion members at a relaxed trot on the well paved road, already a half day’s ride from King’s Court. Riding beside him were Reece, O’Connor, Elden and the twins, along with a half-dozen Legion members Thor had just met. They had been dispersed by Kolk to rebuild villages around King’s Court, and the Legion had been broken into groups of ten, and Thor had been named to lead this group to the village of Sulpa, less than a day’s ride south, hit hard by the McCloud raid.
It was an odd feeling for Thor to be heading back down this familiar road, which also led to his hometown. It was especially eerie to be traveling on it after his discussion with Gwen about his mother. He wondered if the universe were giving him a sign.
They reached a major intersection, a fork in the road, and Thor lead his men to the left, forking from the road that would have led directly to his hometown. His destiny was bringing him a different way. As they turned away, towards Sulpa, Thor could not help but glance back, over his shoulder, at the old, familiar road. He thought of home, and wondered what his father was doing there now. He wondered if he missed Thor. Probably not. He probably pined for his three other sons; he probably assumed that they were the stars of the Legion. He would be surprised to hear how well Thor had done. Thor was sure he wouldn’t even believe it.
Thor drove it from his mind; instead he thought of Gwendolyn. Her touch lingered with him, and as they had parted only hours ago, he still felt as if she were right there with him. He was distracted, found it hard to think of anything else. It hurt to have left her there, and he also felt the absence of Krohn, whom he had not been apart from since he had found him. Thor felt as if he’d left a big part of him back there, in King’s Court. And even though Krohn was with Gwendolyn, he couldn’t help but fear for her safety. He resolved to finish this mission quickly and return to her soon as he could.
Thor was kicking himself for not mustering the courage to ask her the question. Why was it so hard? He resolved that when he returned, the first thing he would do, whether the time was right or not, would be to ask her, no matter what the circumstances. He just had to force himself to. He was beginning to realize that no time was the perfect time. If she said no, then she said no. But at least he had tried, and had faced his fear.
“What’s the name of this place again?” O’Connor called out as they rode.
Thor snapped out of it.
“Kolk said it is named Sulpa,” Thor said. “A small village, but in a strategic location, between the valleys.”
“Apparently, they were hit pretty hard,” Reece added.
“Well I don’t see why we need to go and clean up after their mess,” Elden said. “We certainly have better things to do. Like training.”
“Every town is a link in the chain,” Reece answered. “We don’t want any weak links. Besides, these are our people. We owe it to them.”
“No we don’t,” Conval said. “We are warriors. Not homebuilders. We only owe it to the kingdom to protect it from threats. And to kill our attackers.”
“Part of protecting the kingdom is keeping it strong,” Reece answered. “We protect it not only by fending off attackers, but by fortifying our towns for attack.”
The boys rode on in silence for a while, and as they did, the landscape began to change. The beautiful green hills gave way to a landscape that turned desolate and dusty. It was like walking through a desert. The contrast between the two terrains was stark. Thorn bushes, ten feet high, rolled in the wind, and stuck to everything. The road faded in the dirt, and it became hard to keep sight of where they were going. Thor didn’t like the look of this.
“Is this the only way there?” O’Connor asked.
Thor held out the map Kolk had given him, and stared at it again.
“That’s what it says,” he answered. “Kolk warned us. He said there’d be a barren stretch. The village is surrounded by desert. Then it turns fertile again.”
Thor looked around at the apprehensive faces of his brothers, who were spread out from each other, and he realized that now it was time for him to assume his role as leader, make them feel as if they were being confidently led, and put them at ease.
“Just stick close together and we’ll be fine,” Thor commanded. “One never knows what might come out at us in these parts.”
The others, respecting Thor’s command, listened to him immediately and tightened their formation, all of them riding much closer together. They all became more alert, on edge, as an odd, high-pitched wind howled through the open desert. Thor had heard stories about this wasteland. He didn’t want his men to be another victim of it.
They rode for hours in silence, and as the second sun grew long in the sky, on the horizon there appeared the first glimpse of fertile land again. Thor exhaled with relief. They had made it without incident.
“Mind if I stop?” Reece asked.
The others turned and looked at him and Reece gestured over to a small cave, nestled in a huge boulder in the empty landscape.
“Got a go,” he said, “I can’t hold it any longer.”
Thor shrugged.
“Do what you have to,” he said.
Thor sat there, on his horse, impatient in the heat of this place, as a large thorn bush went rolling past him with a loud, rustling noise. He flinched. He was too on-edge. This place was eerie. All around him his men bore arms, on guard. He was relieved to see that he was not the only one being cautious.
“So what do you think will become of the Ring?” Elden asked Thor. “Do you think Gareth’s men will—”
A shriek cut through the air, and Thor immediately dismounted, as did the others, drew his sword, and sprinted for the cave. The shriek came from inside. It was Reece’s.
Reece came flying out of the cave, running at full speed, and as he did, Thor spotted a strange animal stuck to his arm. Reece flailed, shrieking, and Thor finally realized what it was: a Forsyth, the largest and deadliest spider in the Ring. Black and furry and covered in red spots, it had twelve legs, and its body span stretched over Reece’s entire arm, from his forearm to his shoulder. It clung to him, not letting go, despite Reece’s frantic efforts to brush it off.
Thor ran to Reece and grabbed the insect with both hands, yanking its furry arms with all its might, trying to pry it off. But it did no good.
Thor drew his dagger and plunged it into the head of the beast.
The beast screamed, then let out an awful hissing noise, and reached up with one of its tentacles to try to grab Thor’s hand. Thor slashed the beast again and again, and his brothers came running up and slashed it, too. Finally, it let go of Reece and turned to the others, opening its small mouth and spitting out a liquid right for them.
Thor dodged it, but the liquid grazed the arm of one of his Legion brothers, and he screamed and clutched it, smoke rising from his sleeve as the acid ate away at it.
The beast dropped to the desert floor and scurried away. A few Legion hurled daggers at it, but it went too fast for them to hit. In moments, it was gone.
Reece clutched his arm, bent over in agony, and Thor draped an arm over his shoulder.
“You okay?” Thor asked.
Reece bit his lip and shook his head. “I don’t think so,” he said.
Thor looked down and saw the wound—and was aghast. There was a large, circular spot on Thor’s arm, and the wound was deep, oozing green puss and blood. O’Connor, beside him, tore a piece of linen from his shirt with his teeth and wrapped it around Reece’s arm to staunch the bleeding.
“The venom of a Forsyth is toxic,” Elden said grimly, analyzing the wound. “It will spread through his system. It will paralyze him. If we don’t get him help soon, he’s finished.”
Thor looked over at Reece, who looked more pale than he’d ever seen and who started to shake.
Before Thor could react, suddenly there came a noise, a distinct clicking noise, and he looked over with the others and his heart stopped.
From out of the cave there slowly crawled another Forsyth, pausing at the entrance, then slowly creeping towards him.
Thor and his brothers slowly backed up, one step at a time, Thor helping Reece.
“On your horses!” Thor commanded. “Let’s get out of here. Now!”
It was the first time Thor had ever commanded his fellow Legion members, and strangely enough, it had come to him naturally. He did not seek a leadership role, but it felt comfortable to him, and he felt that he could help the others, who were paralyzed with fear, by taking charge for them.
As it crept closer, they all mounted their horses—all except one. A Legion boy, a couple of years older than Thor, who Thor did not know, the one whose arm had been sprayed. He defied Thor’s orders and stayed put.
“I will not run from an insect!” he yelled.
He reached into his waist, took out a short spear, and hurled it at the beast.
But before he could even release the spear, the Forsyth sprang into motion. It was the fastest thing Thor had ever seen, and in a split second it was in the air, lunging for the boy.
The boy, to his credit, reacted quickly—all of his training in The Hundred must have sank in. He leapt up onto his horse a second before the thing got his leg; it missed him, but it kept flying and instead clung to the leg of his horse.
The horse neighed and pranced and kicked its legs, as the beast wrapped itself around him and would not let go.
After a moment, the horse let out an awful shriek, then stiffened and fell over on its side, the boy still on it.
The boy struggled, but could not dismount in time; he found himself falling with the horse, the horse landing on top of him and crushing his leg. The boy shrieked in agony.
Thor jumped off his horse, dagger in hand, ready to plunge it into the Forsyth, but before he could reach it, an arrow sailed past him, through the air, and landed right into the center of the beast. It let out an awful scream, and acid sprayed everywhere; luckily, the acid was blocked by the horse, and it ate away at the horse’s skin instantly.
Thor looked back to see O’Connor holding his bow.
“Nice work,” Thor said to him. “Give me a hand!”
The others all rushed over to him, helping to pry the boy, moaning in pain, out from underneath the horse. Conven slung him over his shoulder, and draped him across his horse.
Before they could all remount, suddenly, a noise rose up, and Thor’s heart stopped as he looked over to see a dozen more of those things appear at the entrance of the cave. They all paused, then slowly began to inch forward.
Before Thor could issue another command, Elden let out a battle cry and burst into action. He charged forward fearlessly, right for the mouth of the cave. Thor wondered what he was doing—it seemed like suicide—until he saw him lift his huge war hammer high overhead with both hands, and smash it into a boulder perched atop the entrance to the cave.
There came a great rumbling, and boulders rolled down and covered the mouth the cave, crushing several of the Forsyths and blocking the others.
They all looked to Elden with gratitude and pride.
“Nice work,” Thor said. “You saved our lives.”
Elden shrugged and slid the hammer back into his horse’s saddle.
Without waiting another moment, Thor draped Reece, now limp, over the back of his horse, and they all remounted and rode, intent on getting Reece help and on getting as far away from this place as possible.
*
Thor and his contingent rode into Sulpa at a gallop, their leisurely journey having now become a race against time. With each passing second Thor felt increasing panic for Reece, who rode with him on his horse, behind him, clutching onto Thor’s shoulders weakly. Thor prayed that it was not too late for his best friend, whose hands were now icy cold to the touch. He shook violently behind him, and Thor knew how toxic the venom must be, spreading through his system. He hoped with all he had that someone in this village had medicine to help him.