Holmberg, D.K. [Teralin Sword 05] Soldier Scarred by D.K. Holmberg

Author:D.K. Holmberg
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: ASH Publishing
Published: 2017-12-19T00:00:00+00:00

19

It was near dusk when the mountain exploded.

The ground grumbled, more than any of the tremors that had come before, and debris from up the slope spilled down, cascading around Endric’s feet. He crouched, getting into a position so that he could brace himself if needed, and looked up at the peak of the mountain. Ash spewed higher and higher into the sky, and flames streaked with it, reflecting off the dust. The air stunk, a hot and biting odor that burned at his nose and throat.

Urik remained standing. He stared, his hands clasped in front of him, up the slope of the mountain. There was an unreadable expression on his face, but Endric had seen it on him before. It was almost a yearning, as if he longed to understand more.

“You need to get down,” Endric said. “If something larger comes tumbling toward us, it will knock you off your feet.”

“Then it will knock me off my feet,” Urik said.

“Don’t be a fool. I’m not dragging you out of here.”

“I wouldn’t dream of asking you to drag me anywhere,” Urik said.

Endric shook his head, pushing back the annoyance he felt. “Don’t do this, Urik. These tremors have been going on for the last week, at least. Possibly longer.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I’ve been far too close to the mountain the entire time,” he said.

The rumbling died off and the stream of debris up the slope stopped. Endric stood, dusting his hands on his pants.

“Did they give you any idea of where you need to go?” Endric asked.

“Nothing other than that I should continue to climb,” Urik said.

He started off, making his way directly up the slope of the rock rather than taking the narrow path that wound along the side of the mountain. Endric was forced to follow, climbing and scraping his hands and occasionally his knees as he did. The darkness made it difficult to navigate, but Endric pushed on, determined to get to the summit.

After climbing for a while, Urik reached another path and hurried along it. Endric clambered up the rock, struggling to keep up with the older man, surprised by Urik’s mobility. How was it that he was able to move more quickly than Endric? Urik disappeared around a bend, and in the darkness, Endric lost sight of him entirely.

He hurried after Urik, keeping his gaze down at his feet, fearful that he might take a wrong step. Each foot was placed carefully, not wanting to slip as he went, and he paused at the bend in the path where Urik had disappeared.

Endric still saw no sign of him.

Where had he gone? He should have been right here, but he was missing.

He couldn’t simply have disappeared—not like that. There would have to have been some answer as to where Urik had gone. In the darkness, he couldn’t tell.

Had he gone back down the slope? Had he fallen? Or had he started up the side of the mountain again?

He paused, hoping for a glimpse of moonlight to guide his way.

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