“Captain,” Lorik put his hand on Aaron’s shoulder. “Captain, you looked like you were miles away for a moment.”
“A lifetime away, Sergeant,” the captain said. “Let’s get some rest, and we’ll see what the morning brings us.”
****
They awoke early to a bright morning and a welcoming, brisk breeze blew through the opened window panes. Aaron rose first and went outside to stretch the sleep from his body. He found a fresh basin of water and other items just as the day before. He relished having a clean shave and went back inside to discover that the table had been set with a lavish amount of food for breakfast. Lorik and Braden were already seated and devouring the ample supply. He took an open seat and enjoyed the breakfast, topped off with a hot, steaming cup of coffee.
Dalyn entered from outside, hefting an armful of cut wood for the fireplace. The wizened man stacked the wood near the hearth and turned to the three companions with the warmth of hospitality. “Gentlemen,” he said, “I hope you’ll enjoy my home a little longer. It has been ages since I’ve had visitors and your company is well appreciated.”
“We’d be honored to stay,” Braden spoke out. However, after the night’s conversation, Aaron was eager to set out and recover the book before Rayn could trace their steps.
“We would certainly be honored,” Aaron said, “but we must be off and accomplish the task that is set before us.”
“Indeed,” replied Dalyn. “Wisdom is proved by the actions we take, and your actions are such that it demonstrates your wisdom… even in one so young.” He smiled. “But, Captain, don’t be hasty and miss your path for your anxious desire. Stay with me an hour more, and I will set you off in a direction that will aid you in your pursuit.” Without waiting for an answer, Dalyn was out the door again, and vanished into the woods.
He returned, a half-hour later, with three fresh, newly woven satchels for each of the companions. Inside were supplies of food and water, along with several leaves, carefully wrapped, of a tree that Aaron had never seen before. “Now, Captain,” Dalyn said, “You are well supplied and have enough food for many weeks. I promise you these satchels will keep your food fresh and your water cool even in the most extreme weather. I’ve wrapped several of the Terapan leaves for you, but I pray that you will not need them. I will also accompany you to the edge of this wood to see that you are unhindered in your travel. The trees are cautious enough, and you are strangers to them. Times are unsettled and evil abounds everywhere.”
“We are grateful for your help,” Lorik said, “especially for your company through these woods.”
“As I said before, I am a servant and am pleased to have rendered aide to all of you.” Dalyn stepped outside the door and began walking south through the woods.
“I guess,” Aaron said, “we are meant to follow him.” With that, they all left the cottage and followed Dalyn through the woods.
It was still a long march to the southern edge of the forest, but with the passage created by their host they were able to easily navigate the journey. They arrived at the edge of a large, open expanse. Marsh and bog could be seen to the distant horizon. Far to the east Mount Sonna rose in solitary splendor, unaccompanied by any other mountain or peak. Somewhere far to the west the Hoppe River flowed through the town of Hamilton and beyond. But ahead, in dismal display, the Waste stood as a broad, treacherous barrier.
“Captain,” Dalyn asked, “is it your intent to travel through this desolate land?”
Aaron looked with desperation at the swampland that stood before them. “Dalyn,” he said, “Rayn knew of our intent to travel around the Waste to the east, under the shadow of Mount Sonna. The road west toward Hamilton will put us too close to the Guard. The only other way to the Kanton Mountains is to cross through the Waste, and that is our path.”
“Impossible,” Lorik said.
“Unthinkable,” Braden whispered.
Dalyn looked at the three companions. “You must trust each other. The Waste is an abhorrent place, and is full of tricks and deceit. To travel through the heart of it is foolhardy at best, and deadly for most. Are you sure that you are to venture through and not around this despised place?”
“I know of no other way,” Aaron said.
“Then I must tell you, do not taste even a morsel that grows in the Waste. Nothing of virtue exists within the confines of this swamp. The water is polluted and the vegetation is the same. Also, there is a river that flows near the southern edge of this expanse. It is called the Dead River by some and is aptly named. Avoid it if possible and cross it with extreme caution. This region is the great collection of evil that was the making of the Great War and the cataclysm of Charis. Use what I’ve given you, it should last you until you reach the other side.”
“Thank you,” Aaron responded, bowing low to their benefactor.
“No, friend,” Dalyn responded. “Do not bow to me. I am just a servant as you are and do not possess the virtue that you should bow to me. Reserve your adoration for the rightful One. You will find Him, certainly, and you will know Him before all others.” Dalyn turned and walked gently back into the forest, vanishing into the trees and brush. His passage was quickly hidden by the undergrowth, as if no one had ever passed that way.
Aaron silently stared out at the vast area that stood before him and, with determination, stepped down from the forest and into the Waste. Close behind, with great caution, Braden and Lorik followed their captain.
5
The Trap
Aaron and his companions ventured into the miserable swamp, as the sun peered through a shroud of heavy vapor, brown and dismal. He stepped ahead, fixing his eyes to the south as he navigated through the maze of bogs and streams that trickled through the land. Carefully selecting his footing, Aaron did not want to be stuck in a sinkhole or have his feet sucked into some cleverly disguised quagmire. Braden followed close behind, and Lorik last. It wasn’t long before the stout sergeant was grumbling under his breath about their decision to press through the marshes of the vast, vile area. All around them massive swirls of reeking pools hindered their progress. The air was filled with a noxious stench bubbling from beneath the water.
At the outset the passage through the wasteland was difficult, hindered by the many pools covered over with thin sheets of moss and debris. Aaron stepped onto what he thought was dry land when the ground beneath his feet suddenly sloshed under his weight, and he toppled over in a heap. Braden lunged forward and grabbed the captain’s belt just before he plunged head-first into the pool.
Several hours into their journey, Aaron hated that they were often blocked by the trickery of the region and needed to backtrack to find a more secure path. Occasionally, they would find small islands of solid earth with stunted trees and other unsightly foliage growing upon the hump. All around the region the vegetation was brown or black, filling the air with the reek of its decay. Dalyn’s warning rang clearly in their ears; nothing in the waste was fit to eat.
Upon one of these small islands Aaron stopped for a much-needed rest. The day’s travel wore him to almost despair, his feet were soaked and his clothes hung heavy with the foul smelling water of the Waste. He was cold and tired and dragged himself with slumped shoulders up to the solitary dry patch of earth. His companions did the same.
Lorik discovered a flint stone with a striker in his satchel, but all the moisture in the region prevented him from sparking anything into flame. “It’s no use!” Lorik threw up his hands as he exhaled a frustrated sigh. He put the flint and stone back into his bag and sat upon the ground with the other two.
Braden opened his pack and distributed several items of fresh fruit and bread, along with a skin of water. Aaron took the proffered items with gratitude. His eyes glazed over with despair as he gazed out over the horizon, chewing on the meager meal. The sun hung low in the west, dropping past the Shadow Mountains to shower the world in a brilliant display of orange and red.
Looking south, the captain glared as he gazed upon the Waste. “I wish we could cross this… this Waste… without having to double back so often.”
“These pools and bogs are far too dangerous,” Lorik said. “I think it better that we keep our feet on solid ground as much as possible rather than risk being swallowed up by this place.”
“One thing is certain,” Braden said, “if there is anyone trying to follow us, they would be hard pressed to do it here.”
“Let’s hope you’re right,” Lorik remarked. The sergeant turned to Aaron. “Captain, do you think that there will be anyone in pursuit?”
“No,” Aaron replied. “But I fear that we might find opposition waiting for us on the other side.”
“Do we keep going tonight?” Braden asked, hesitantly.
“No,” Aaron answered quickly. “It is far too dangerous to wander these pools and bogs at night. We would be more likely to fall into some quagmire and not find our way out. We’ll make camp here; the ground is solid, and we need the rest.”
The last, pale light of the day drifted out of sight to the west, leaving them to the damp, cold evening. As stifling as it was during the day, the night’s frigid conditions gave no comfort to the shivering companions. Aaron decided against posting a watch, knowing there was nothing living in the Waste to trouble them. Huddled together, they gave themselves over to a shivering, fitful night.
Several times Aaron woke up, as all three companions huddled close together to stave off the cold. Braden would occasionally mumble something, restless in his dreaming. The night passed in eerie silence, not even a breeze to carry a gentle sound to the ears of the three wanderers. No life could be heard; not even the chirp of crickets or the buzz of passing insects would break the unnatural stillness of the region.
Lorik woke and looked over to Aaron. “Of all the places that we could have come,” he said, “this is the one place I never would have imagined.”
“You and me both,” Aaron said as he leaned back on his hands.
“You know,” Lorik said, “when I was a young boy living in the north, I was terrified by stories of this place.”
Aaron smiled briefly. “I’m sure they told you those things to keep you out of here. Could you imagine what would happen to a child lost in this place? They wouldn’t stand a chance.”
“I just wonder,” Lorik stretched and pulled his cloak tighter around him, “after all we’ve been through, if those stories might have been true.”
“At this point, Sergeant,” Aaron said, “I think I’d believe those childhood stories before I’d believe anything else.” He offered a slight smile and lay back down again with his hands behind his head. “Why don’t you try and get some rest.” Pulling his cloak tightly around his body, he hunkered down, hoping to sleep again.
Aaron woke with a start, brought back to consciousness by unsettling dreams plaguing him through the night. All around he could see nothing but the dark, bleak moors of the Waste. Far to the east a dim, faint glow began to grow over the horizon. He would welcome the first light of dawn, the only sense of renewal and hope that he could find in the miserable location.
Next to him huddled in their cloaks, Lorik and Braden slept, their heavy breathing the only sound that he heard. He wondered at the circumstances that brought the three of them to such a desolate location. Nothing in all his past prepared him for the situation that engulfed his life. He knew that his military service was over and that he would be declared an enemy of the emperor. Lorik would as well, and both become hunted men.
“Captain?” A familiar voice spoke behind him. Aaron turned to see his sergeant sitting up, reaching his arms toward the sky to stretch the cold, aching stiffness from his joints.
“Yes, Sergeant?” Aaron replied.
“You seem to be troubled by something, sir.” Lorik spoke with deep concern.
“No,” Aaron said, though his tone belied his true attitude. “I was just thinking about all that has happened between the time we were in North Village and now.” He paused, and then looked directly at Lorik. “Do you regret falling in with me after all that has happened?”
“Regret? No sir, I don’t regret this.” His sincerity was clear as he spoke. “We’ve known each other for some time and have been through many things together, long before this current dilemma. You’re my captain, and I am with you to whatever end.” Lorik paused as he thought. “Since we’ve pursued this book, many things have proved to me that the world is not as it seems. There are hidden things that must be discovered and no amount of trouble would keep me from seeking the truth. I am as curious as you to find out if all we’ve been taught as reality is merely deception.”
“Let’s hope our determined curiosity will sustain us in this place,” Aaron commented as he looked out over the vast wasteland before them.
Dawn broke over the eastern horizon as they talked. Far in the distance the silhouette of Mount Sonna stood in massive form. To Aaron it seemed that it was much larger than it appeared the day before. To the west, the Shadow Mountains were just coming into the light of the morning sun, and only the tips could be seen, their white peaks reflecting the brilliance of the day’s first light.
Lorik stood, stretching his legs and arms, and looked around in each direction “Sir, something’s happened. The scenery is different.” The sergeant paused. “Have we moved in the night? The Shadow Mountains look like they’ve drifted farther west. And Mount Sonna is much closer than before.”
Aaron looked around. The mound upon which he sat was the same; the surrounding landscape appeared no different. But, somehow in the light of the morning he felt as if they were no longer in the same location as the day before. “You might be right,” he admitted with some consternation.
Braden, wakened by the conversation of the other two, sat up, slowly looking around. “Are we adrift?” Braden asked, yawning and stretching.
“What do you mean?” Lorik asked.
“Our little mound of earth seems to be afloat in this wicked place,” Braden said.