Seasons by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Astra Publishing House
Published: 2019-11-26T00:00:00+00:00

Dylan Birtolo

The central bonfire in the small village had just begun. The flames licked at the large logs, charring the outside as the heat grew. By nightfall, it would be an intense blaze causing any onlooker to squint if they looked at its center. Eventually the woodsmoke would overpower the musty scent of an oncoming storm. But every raging inferno starts as a few sparks and a lick of flame.

Paxia held that lesson close to heart as she thought of the path laid out before her. This was her spark, her small tendrils producing smoke to herald the forthcoming cleansing.

The nagging sensation at the back of her mind heightened and she squeezed her eyes shut against the pressure. She could see them now, the Vrondi watching her. Pulling her cloak tight around her did nothing to dull their attention.

More had gathered since she approached the village, a clear indicator of a Herald. They would continue to gather. She wondered how long she had before she forgot how to use her Mage Gift. According to one of her tutors, it was inevitable. No one could remain within the boundaries of Valdemar and retain their magic.

Even if she forgot her magic, she would never forget her hatred for the Companions and what they did to her.

Dropping deeper into the woods, Paxia hiked back to her band of followers. They came from all over, acquired during her travels. Warriors from Karse, bandits from Rethwellan, and even a couple of mercenaries from Taymyrr. They followed her because they believed in her cause and her power.

Paxia picked up the large warhammer resting against a thick trunk and slammed its head into the earth. Few men could heft her hammer, let alone use it well, but years spent in front of a forge gave her the strength to wield the weapon. She had created it herself as she’d earned her keep crafting all manner of weapons and armor in her travels. It was a far cry from her previous requests for horseshoes and shovels, but it was work she plunged into with an intense fervor.

The men and women gathered in front of her were dressed in traveling clothes with small patches of hardened leather and the occasional metal plate. Speed and stamina were far more critical when operating in enemy territory. They all gave her their complete attention, and she took the time to make eye contact with each one before speaking.

“Tonight it begins. I promised you we would strike at Valdemar. Our target lies just beyond the edge of the tree line. We will start small, but these ripples will start a wave.”

She wasn’t much for speeches, but even that tidbit was enough to whet the appetites of her company. She saw more than a few grins and hands tightening on weapons in anticipation as they leaned forward. If the enemy presented itself right now, she doubted she could hold them back.

“When do we sack the village?” Brathe asked, one of the more bloodthirsty members. His grin managed to be more unsettling than his battle cry.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.