Nightfall (Book 1) (23 page)

I tripped, but was still being propelled by all the speed I had built up, so I flew head over heels through the air and landed in the thick branches of a tree near the river—halfway through the village. A number of the people in the streets below me witnessed my collision and two of them decided to investigate, so it was not very long after I landed that two figures popped their heads up through the thick foliage to see what on earth an elf was doing falling into a tree.

My two investigators were a dragonman, somewhat younger than me, and a gryphon whose fur was a
dark, chocolate brown. “Are you okay?” the dragonboy asked. All I could do at that moment was groan. The gryphon pointed out that I was Itzal Izotz, so the boy untangled me from the branches I was wrapped in without a second thought.

As soon as I was back on the ground and had assured him that I was fine, the gryphon left on his own business. The dragonman stayed, though.

“Are you sure you are alright?” he queried, yet again.

I nodded. “Actually I need to find Basajaun.”

“Sorry, the Council is meeting right now.” I asked how he knew that, because the Council usually kept such things to themselves. He replied that he was the son of Erramun, the dragonman on the Council. I then thanked him for his help and took off for the meeting-place, though he tried to change my mind about going there because no one could get away with interrupting them—it was simply unthinkable. I smiled as the young dragonman’s words faltered for a moment, as he realized I was paying no heed, but then I heard his footfalls as he continued following me.

“You cannot go in there,” Eneko said. I had been ignoring him for the past few minutes, but he persisted in trying to keep me from interrupting the Council and causing more trouble than was needed, just to speak with Basajaun. It was just then that I entered the Circle of the Council, so Eneko stayed back, and out of trouble.

That particular meeting of the Council was just amongst the members, so it did not seem to me that I made too crucial of an interruption. “Basajaun,” I called, and the members turned in shocked silence to look in my direction, even those who knew and had become close to me stared openly in disapproving awe. After the initial shock, the group began whispering their wondering of how I had returned so quickly and: where might my other companions be?

The elf Lord stood as I approached him; I bowed my head, acknowledged the fact that I was interrupting the meeting, but
 also that it was something I had to go through with.

“I have some grave news for you,” the elf said. “Ekaitz has disappeared and we are completely unable to
scry him.”

“I know. He left to follow me.” I turned so that my words were directed at the entire gathering of the Council. “Ekaitz was captured and killed while we were discovering the plans of our enemy, Zigor; the plans he has for the great number of his Guard, gathered just without the Wall.”

There were new murmurings of surprise amongst those gathered. “The purpose of the gathered army is to attack and demolish a small haven I had never heard of before, they called it Jeul Derin.” The new sounds which arose from my audience were those of surprise, outrage, and anger. “What is so important about this Jeul Derin that they would be so angry? We can still go to meet them in battle,” I whispered to Basajaun. Surely, they were entitled to be angry that the enemy was going to attack, but that was all a part of war and should not have come as such a surprise. It would have happened sooner or later.

Erramun stood. “Jeul Derin is our most secret haven, if they know of its whereabouts then it is likely that they have found the locations of every other haven we have across this continent, not to mention the others. Also, we have not heard from you that you have noticed this haven, though you have walked below it many times now. Since even you have not noticed it, the only possible way they could have heard of it is if we have a betrayer in our midst.”

The crowd grew silent with the new prospect of a traitor amongst our people. “What do we do?” one of the councilmen asked.

“We cannot let them kill everyone in Jeul Derin.”

“There is nothing too important there.” The grumble sounded to me as if it had come from the high-up direction of the giantess.

“If my thinking is correct, then this—being an act of war—rests with our General for decision, rather than the Council. If any of you can direct me to where I might find him, then please do so.” The Council members grew silent as I made it obvious that the decisions regarding the war were no longer completely within their power. After a short moment, Argider, the centaur, stepped forward.

“I am the man you seek; I am the General of these and every other free peoples joined against our enemy.” The centaur’s voice was deep and strong, that of a great commander. I bowed my head in recognition of his high station, and he returned the favor, likewise.

“Argider, I believe that we must gather enough of our armies to defeat the Guards Zigor has gathered, whom he likely has already sent marching. I doubt that there is enough time to retrieve all of the people in Jeul Derin so we must defend them.” The nymph, Esti, gasped in surprise and shouted, ‘No.’ I glared disapprovingly at the interrupter and she fell silent before I returned my attention to the General, who it seemed had done the same to the nymph.

“I believe you are right, Izotz. Thank you for your hasty return with this knowledge. I will get a messenger to you if I again require your assistance.” We again exchanged bows and then Basajaun addressed me.

“Izotz, I believe you should leave now, for your weapons are not welcome within the Circle of the Council.” I quickly looked down to the sword and knife I wore at my belt, also feeling the weight of my bow and quiver on my back.

“Forgive me,” I said and turned to leave. Eneko looked anxious when I found him, still waiting without the Circle, but he smiled shakily when he saw me still in one piece, walking toward him of my own power. “You did not have to wait for me.” I said.

“I was not sure if they were going to kill you—after all, you were interrupting them and you took your weapons with you.” I shook my head, not wanting to be reminded again of that last detail, which I honestly had not thought of. I began walking toward the heart of Baso Argi and Eneko increased his pace to walk with me.

“Have my companions from Caernadvall, by the names of Arrats and Eskarne, arrived within the last day or so?” I queried of the boy. He shook his head, signaling that they had not.

“The last I heard of them was when my father told me they had gone with you on a scouting trip. Were you separated?”

“I sent them flying before me, on dragonwings.”

“Have they ever flown before?” I shook my head. “They ought to arrive around noon tomorrow, then.” After a look from me he added, “My father showed me the general area of where you would be scouting and the day you were expected to be leaving.”

“Ah,” I murmured, accepting his explanation.

“So, what are you doing now? Do you have another assignment? Are you going to the dueling Fields?” I shook my head, wishing that the prophecies would not make me such a curiosity for everyone else.

“Actually, my next self-assigned task is to find something to eat; I have not eaten since yesterday morning.”

“When did you leave?”

“I am pretty sure it was yesterday, and it would have been just before noon.”

“Oh, so you and your friends got there a day early?”

“Yes. Then we had to wait around for worthwhile information.”

“In that case, your friends should be arriving sometime before dusk, this evening.” I nodded, barely paying attention to what he had just said, and lacking the desire to say anything else. I wanted only to find something to eat, and then I thought I could probably sleep off the next few years.

It took a while to find something to eat, since Izar had not returned and I had not left any food in our home. I was forced to go in search of a market and ended up employing the help of Eneko, who was still trailing me. Once I had begun eating, the boy decided that I was not interesting enough to watch while stuffing my face, so he finally left after making me promise that I would duel him a couple of hours later.

~ ~ ~

Eneko, I found, was not too bad with a sword, but he was the son of a Council member and so, received an extreme amount of babying from everyone else. Because of that, he was nowhere near as good as he could have been. I had dueled other dragonfolk before, so I was used to their sudden taking to the air for short moments, and then attacking unexpectedly from above, usually giving them the needed distraction for a first time opponent. Per usual, I easily beat him.

“You are good,” he said, knowing it did not hurt his pride to be bested by me. “And you actually give a good fight, instead of trying not to hurt me. I appreciate that.” After Eneko said that, I could not help but like him just a bit more. I originally had the idea that he was just the spoiled son of an important dragonman, but I slowly began to realize that—even though it was true to some extent—it had not destroyed his character.

As I began to duel another elf on the practice field, I heard a loud voice calling my name; it boomed out across the fields, loud enough to be heard above the deafening noises of inhumanly strong beings crashing their weapons together in what would have been death blows, had they not been mock fighting. I recognized the voice as that of Argider and turned to see his tall form galloping toward me, easily avoiding the small groups of fighters. “What is it?” I asked, as soon as the centaur was within speaking distance.

“My men will be ready to head out in an hour’s time, and they have requested that you accompany us. It is entirely your decision, but it would be welcome if you would agree to join us.” I looked over to the elf whom I had been about to duel and saw that he had already found another partner. In that glance, I noticed Eneko running quickly toward the General and me, with a worried look on his face.

“Is something wrong?” the boy asked of Argider.

“No, I am just going with him to battle, on short notice.”

“Oh, can I come?”

The General chuckled at the hopeful words, but shook his head. “Your father needs you to stay here. Besides, there will be many more battles in which you may prove your prowess.” Eneko looked disappointed, but after Argider told me to meet him at the Eastern entrance of Baso Argi, and departed, he brightened up and trailed behind me as I went to say farewell to my friends, and to gather what I guessed I would need to last me through the defense of Jeul Derin.

Koldobika was waiting for me at my home when Eneko and I arrived there, as were Arrats and Eskarne. The wizard had a large pack already filled for me, so all I had to do was gather my weapons. Nested between the pack and my back, I carried the broadsword Mattin had given me, its sheath had attachments to which I could hook my bow and quiver when I was not carrying my pack, but while I was, they were attached to the sides of the bag. At my hip I carried the dagger that Eskarne had given me. Ganix had not yet had the time to fix the dagger that had been destroyed after striking the magic eater.

"I want to go with you," Eskarne murmured as I hugged her.

"Aye," Arrats somberly agreed.

I grunted, “I cannot go and let another one of you get yourselves killed.” Tears began to stream down Eskarne’s face. “I am sorry, I did not mean to—” I stopped speaking and pulled my friend closer, hugging her tightly. Throughout the day I had been able to keep the pain of Ekaitz’ death from distracting me, but the tears on Eskarne’s face forced it back into focus. I wanted to scream and rant with rage, but I forced myself to stay calm.
I wished fervently that I could have chopped the heads off the Guards who had taken Ekaitz’ life. They had no right to do what had been done.

“I am so sorry,” I hissed, as a sob wrenched my chest.

“It is just as much mine and Arrats’ fault as it is yours,” Eskarne said, trying to console me, even though she was the one crying.

"I should never have let him go with us."

"That what his choice, Izotz. Besides, you could never have sent him back."

~ ~ ~

When I arrived at the meeting place, Argider was already there waiting for me. He carried his huge, two-handed battle sword on the human part of his back, and on his long, equine back he carried a couple of packs, each the size of the one I carried. All across his tanned face were intricate designs in red and black war-paint. Gathered serenely around and behind Argider were a band of war-hardened centaurs, they all wore the crazily detailed face paint of their leader, though only the General wore it on his entire face. His chest, arms, and spine were also colored with the strange, intertwining designs.

Argider gave me the general plans for our trip, and it was shortly after he had finished with the information that the rest of the troops from Baso Argi arrived. I recognized many of the three-hundred troops who gathered in the sparse shading of trees. Each of them wore his—or her—own suit of hardened leather or light metal armor, a pack of the same proportions as mine, and their own special weapons—strapped to their backs, or hung at their hips.

The people must have had drills at some point, because they marched toward us with sharp precision. I was pleased with the stern faces and steady gazes that met mine. Three individuals walked ahead of the three-hundred: the Commanders, each over a group of one-hundred; a dragonman, an elf, and an ogre. Each wore a tall helm of silver, with black swan wings that added an extra foot or more to their already substantial height.

Argider called a halt once the three hundred warriors had all come within hearing range of his far-reaching voice. “Attention.” His command boomed through the air and reminded me of the thundering echo which had preceded the opening of the storm gates of Garaile’s shipyard. Three-hundred steel clad fists thudded onto three-hundred steel coated chests. The ringing of the metal crashed through the air like thunder.

I followed the band of centaurs to the lead of the campaign, just ahead of the three Commanders. “Onward,” was the final command before we headed out, none of us looked back to the haven, which it was unknown as to whether or not we would return. Gauntleted fists dropped back to muscled thighs that strode forward, followed by feet that dropped back to the ground, beating a rhythm as the army marched forward in perfect synchronization.