In an instant they were gone. Only the outline of the woman’s face remained, an after image burnt into my sight. I now stood somewhere else, home perhaps.
Frustration and rage boiled in me – how could I have allowed myself to be so fooled? I had listened to her words, looked into her eyes and believed her. Yet at the very last, when it was too late to stop her, she had given the order to murder them. Had said it while looking into my face, had wanted me to know what she intended. I turned full circle examining my surroundings, hoping, without hope, to find something, something that would allow me to go back there, to return and kill her, and all who stood with her. I screamed at the futility of it.
Dropping to my knees, I took my head in my arms and shook. I had yearned so very long for this moment, hunted in vain for years for those lost and hidden secrets that would take me home.
Yet now, at the moment when all those I have grown to love are threatened, I am torn away and returned.
Why? Why was I sent back? Why not just kill me, as she had ordered them killed?
Even then the question came to me – Was this home? Jain had said he could not be sure, that he did not know for certain if where they were sending me was my home.
Yet in my heart I knew that I must be home, Jain would have protested far, far greater if he had really thought that they might be wrong, he would have died before he let me go. He had died anyway. They all had.
I knew that I needed to calm myself and think if I was to understand what had just happened. I leaned back onto my haunches, slowed my breathing, and with a great effort cleared my mind.
There had been a time when I would have been devastated by what had just happened, would have been immobilised with indecision. But I was no longer that man, I was a different person now, a very different person. The years of horrors I had seen, and committed, had wrought enormous changes in me, and what he had done had completed my metamorphosis.
The woman who named herself Carthia had spoken at least one truth – I was a man of my word, and I would find a way back to avenge them. I would find a way, no matter how long it took, no matter what the cost. But the woman would have to wait, revenge would have to wait. I needed to concentrate on the here and now, analyse my current situation and decide what to do next.
It was dusk and a mist hung in the air. I stood in a small clearing, trees all around in the near distance, but not a great deal else was visible. The ground was covered in frost, ice in places, and only as I took this in did I realise that it was cold, that I was cold. My clothes were intended for much warmer climates – I had only a thin shirt under my woollen jacket, and my trousers were made for riding rather than to keep out the cold. The boots were good though. You can't go anywhere without good, reliable boots on your feet, that was what Jain had always said, and I had to agree with him.
I grimaced as I recalled that Jain and the others were no more, that they had been killed, that she had murdered them.
My sword was gone, but I methodically checked that my knives were in place. It was habit, they were there, I knew, but the woman had unnerved me, and so I checked. As I did so I smirked to myself, as again I heard Jain say, You can never have enough knives. Strange how at your lowest moments, there are still some little things that make you smile.
I pulled my thoughts back to the present. It was already cold and, with night fast approaching, it would get colder still; I needed to get somewhere warm. What had just happened, what she did, would have to wait. First I needed to get my bearings, find some land mark that would give an indication of where I was. I looked up at the sky to take a reckoning from the stars, but very few were visible through the clouds and the mist. Then, I remembered that this was home, and that I did not know the stars here, had never needed stars to navigate here.
But seeing those stars brought to mind Jain’s suspicions of travelling, and of the travelling rods in particular. The histories said that some, at least, would allow travel between worlds. But even though Jain was a scholar of the histories and knew my story, and had even helped in my search to find a way home, he did not believe that the Rods were capable of such travel. He would not, or could not, explain his reasoning. But he firmly believed that what the histories told was false, that somehow the ancients had all been deceived.
Despite Jain’s doubts, I knew that I was home. But how had they found such a Rod, and where did they get the knowledge to use it and transport me here? I pushed the questions aside, they would have to wait. First I needed to get out of this cold. So which way to go? It seemed to me that one direction was as good as any other when you were lost, so I struck out at random making for the trees. Besides movement would help to keep me warm.
I had not walked too far before the mist began to swirl up around me. Looking up, very little of the night sky was visible at all now, and it seemed that I had only taken a few more steps before the thickening mist made it difficult to see more than twenty feet in any direction. I tried to just methodically put one foot in front of the other, but thoughts of the last few hours kept creeping back into my mind.
***
We’d been on the road for almost a week, but for the last two days something had not been quite right. It was only a feeling, but a feeling that I could not shake – it was as if someone was following or stalking us. Trusting to feelings like this had saved me many a time, but no matter how we changed our course or doubled back, the feeling did not go away. Nor did we find any trace of anyone following. In a bid to outrun the feeling we continued well after dark and set out long before the sun rose each day. Yet still the feeling remained.
We had rounded a turn in the thickly wooded trail and were about to stop for the night when we were taken. Despite our wariness, they had complete surprise in their favour, as well as far greater numbers.
I could see at least twenty, all heavily armed, most with either crossbow or longbow drawn and aimed at the five of us. Turning I could see even more behind.
Our swords were drawn in an instant, but before we could act further a quiet but firm voice spoke out, a woman’s voice, "Lay down your arms… you cannot escape. As long as you comply with my wishes no one will be harmed. You have my word."
My mind raced, both with thoughts of escape and with how easily they had managed to trap us. Other than our party, no one knew where we were bound, or why. And I trusted each and every one of my companions with my life. They would not have given away any details of our journey, intentional or otherwise; all our lives had depended upon stealth and secrecy for far too long for any of them to slip up. Our journey was as complete a secret as one could be. So how had they found us? We had neither seen nor heard anything of this trap. There had only been the constant nagging feeling that something was not right. I should have done more, acted upon that feeling more decisively.
The woman nudged her horse forward towards us, the look on her face was one of supreme confidence. Yet her eyes did not reflect the same – they looked thoughtful, indecisive even. “What are you waiting for?” she asked with mock astonishment. “Lay down your weapons!”
After what seemed a very long moment, I let my sword fall to the ground, and told the others to follow suit. Step cursed loudly but eventually did as he was told, but then only after Tarnia hissed a curse at him and yanked his sword arm down. My sword was gone, but I still had my knives. A small hope but better than none. Despite their numbers I knew that they could not take me, but I would not be able to protect my companions, not all of them, not with so many bows drawn and aimed.
The woman dismounted and walked directly toward me, stopping mere feet from where I sat astride my horse.
Looking up to meet my eyes, she said, "So you are Kane, the once infamous Kanteth. I am greatly honoured to meet you at last…” Her tone was sneering, yet somehow it seemed contrived, almost as if she acted a part rather than voiced her own word, “but perhaps you would prefer it if I called you David?"
I flinched with surprise, shock even, at the mention of my name, my true name. My companions looked from the woman to me, and all save Jain, had questions and confusion written plain on their faces. Jain merely nodded to me as he silently mouthed, “Good to meet you at last, David.”
The woman smiled at my obvious surprise and, without waiting for a reply, turned to Jain. "And so you must be Jain … welcome to you both. Please dismount and follow me. Your friends will be restrained." Then with a slight laugh she added, "Lest they hurt themselves in some foolish act or other. They will remain unharmed as long as you both do as you are told."
My thoughts until she spoke my name had been centred on how easily we had been trapped, but I now questioned who these people were. They knew who we were, had named us, and they knew my true name, David. How could they know that name? No one here, no one on this world knew that name, not even Jain had known. They had known exactly where we would be, and laid a very precise trap. Who were these people? Who was this woman?
We were taken to a small clearing just off the road and told to sit. Moments later the others were dragged into the clearing and unceremoniously dumped a few yards from where the two of us sat. They were roped at wrist and ankle.
The woman signalled toward the trees to the side of us, and then slowly sat back on her haunches. A moment passed and then a man strode from the trees leading a huge black destrier. As the man approached, I almost immediately concluded that the horse he led did not belong to him; he struggled to control it, and seemed ill at ease with the horse at his back.
Shadows in the trees behind the approaching man caught my eye, and I knew that we were being watched. It was not a guess, not a conclusion based on logic or deduction. It was that same feeling again, the feeling that had dogged me for days. It had not gone away, I realised, despite that we had been ambushed and were now in the clutches of this woman, whoever she was, the feeling was still there.
I knew then that there was more to this trap than was laid before us; a presence lurked beneath those trees, I could feel it clearly now. Someone or something watched, and it was from that watcher that my unease originated.
My training urged me to act, to kill those before me, confront that which hid beneath the trees and make an end to this charade. But to do so would mean the death of my friends, those I had learned to love. I could not do that now, could not contemplate such an act. Yet mere years earlier, I would already be beneath those trees, in battle with whatever watched, my companions left to fend for themselves. Patience I told myself. Watch and learn. The time to act will present itself soon enough.
The man stopped in front of us alongside the woman. Dropping the horses reins to hang free, he seemed almost relieved, and the horse, too, immediately settled, stood still and ceased its struggles. A trained war horse I mused. The man reached into the horse’s saddlebag and took out a cloth wrapped bundle and offered it to the woman.
She looked at the bundle, and then glared up at the man. “The other, Tomas,” she said, her tone hard and commanding.
The man, Tomas, reddened but said nothing. He returned the bundle and in its stead pulled out a leather case, a sheath almost, and handed it to the woman.
The woman took the proffered case and smiled at the man Tomas. The smile seemed genuine and not forced, holding a hint of warmth which was at odds with how she had just spoken to Tomas – it seemed almost an apology. Tomas coloured even more, and quickly retreated to stand beside the great black horse.
Holding up the leather case, the woman asked, “Do you know what this is David? Can you guess?” Her tone was condescending, her face smug. But yet again, her eyes did not reflect the confidence of her words, nor the haughtiness of her tone.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Nothing here is as it seems I thought, as my eyes briefly strayed from the object she held toward the tree line. Something hides there, something watches. And this woman knows what she should not – she knows my name.
The woman placed the leather sheath carefully, almost reverently, at Jain’s feet, and I knew immediately from the excitement in his eyes that he knew, or at least suspected, what the object was. We’re in a trap, you old fool I thought. This is not a time for you to indulge your scholarly pursuits.
Despite his knowing, as he lifted the catch on the sheath and drew forth what it contained, a gasp escaped from his mouth.
For my part, what Jain now held drove all thought of these people and this trap from my mind. I knew it for what it was immediately. I knew its shape, its colour, and almost its weight, even though I had never seen, much less held one.
Myth and legend said wondrous things of its abilities, and I believed that one could take me to my home. At least that was what I wanted to believe. I knew some of how it was said to work, and Jain knew more. But even he held little confidence of making one function should we ever uncover such a marvel. We had searched for years, the three of us at first, and later the others. But even with Jain’s formidable knowledge, we had only found references in books and scrolls, and stories of men who had heard of other men who had seen what might have been one.
Yet here in front of me, the woman held what I had sought for so very long. How could they have possibly found such a thing?
It was a silver rod, about a foot in length, and the girth of a stout walking stick. It was small enough to be carried on a belt, as you might carry a knife or sword. And indeed, it was said that that was how they were carried by the wealthy and important before the Dark Years.
At one end three concentric rings encircled the rod, whilst at the other there were only two. The three were to set your destination, but of the two rings we knew very little, only that their use was said to be perilous in the extreme, and that their function was disabled in all but a few rods. It was even hinted that use of the two rings was what had brought the demon, Dar'cen, to Ellas long ago.
As Jain marvelled at what his hands finally held and my mind strove to make sense of the events unfolding before my eyes, the woman again spoke, "The fate of your companions rests with you David. As long as you do exactly as I say, no harm will come to any of them, but….” Leaving the last word hang, she reached into her tunic and took out a piece of folded parchment and, holding it out to Jain, she said, "Read this.”
My eyes did not leave the woman, but my thoughts danced between the trees and what hid beneath their boughs, and the long sought after marvel that Jain clutched so tightly. What do these people want? Who does this to me? And why?
Jain hesitantly passed the rod to me, as he slowly unfolded the parchment and began to read what it contained.
"How can you know this? Where did you get such knowledge?" he blurted. His words quick, his tone excited. To me he said, "It details how to set the rod to return you to your home… at least that is what it claims. But it makes use of the two rings." Turning to the woman he demanded, "What use does it make of the two? All we have learned of them forbids their use."
The woman smiled at him, and again, as with Tomas, it was a smile that seemed genuine and full of warmth. "You need only know that no harm will come of their use… of this we are certain. Set the rod as instructed Jain, and then you David, will use it to return to your loved ones."
Jain’s words had shocked me, but to hear the woman confirm what he had said, left me stunned. Yet some small part of me already knew why they had brought the rod – what other possible reason could there be? "Who are you and why do you wish me to leave now?" I asked the woman, yet speaking loud enough that whoever or whatever lurked beneath the trees would hear clearly.
The woman remained silent, her face impassive. "What threat am I to you that you need me to return? Why not just kill me and be done? I no longer look to return. This is now my home, and these are my friends. What do you gain by my return? What do I gain? … What if I refuse?"
The woman seemed to anticipate my questions, for her impassive face melted away to leave a look of compassion. “Despite what you say David, you must want to see your family again… you must surely want to see your son."
Hearing her speak of Tony brought feelings and memories back that I had thought long buried so deep as to never be found again. Was this really happening? Could they return me to my home? I had dreamt of this moment for so very long.
And it was a long time, too long I slowly realised, far too long. The home I had yearned for was gone now – ten long years have passed. Maggie will have moved on, my mother would be a very old lady, and Tony would probably be married with children of his own. Everything will have changed, and I had no right to force my way back into their lives.
My return would only destroy their lives all over again. No, this was my home now, and I would not return out of choice. But such concerns were secondary, more immediate questions came to mind. How does she know of my son, my family? How can she know anything of me? Who is she? And who or what hides beneath the trees?
Whilst I pondered my situation, the woman’s eyes drifted from mine towards the tree line, the tree line that sheltered the unknown watcher. She is not in control here I thought. She is but a pawn. Her master lies beyond the trees. The watcher commands here.
Almost as if she had heard my thoughts, the woman’s eyes snapped back to mine. Hesitantly she spoke, "I have only this to say, and will not again deviate or answer your questions, so listen carefully. You Jain, will set the device as instructed, and you David will use it to return to your home. Do this and you and your companions will not be harmed. Hesitate and I will kill them one by one until you comply, or all are dead. In this you also have my word.”
As if on cue, one of her men walked forward, pulled back Tarnia's head and set his knife to her throat. Even from where I sat I could how wickedly sharp his blade was.
Tarnia’s voice was a whisper as she spoke, "Kill them Kane, you know you can. Get free… our lives mean nothing."
I looked at the woman and saw in her face the determination of one who would do as she was bidden, regardless of cost to herself, or to others. If I did not do as she said, Tarnia would die, and the others would follow.
I dropped the Rod at Jain's feet. "Set it, but take your time. I have things to say." Turning to the woman, I said, "You know who I am, what I am, and what I am capable of. Yet I know nothing at all of you. Explain yourself. Who are you? Why do you do this, and what do you gain by sending me back?” As an afterthought I turned my eyes to the tree line. “And who watches? …who leads here?”
The woman’s face paled at my last question, but she did not reply. Instead she said, "I will say this much. In returning you to your home, I do that which I believe to be right... you too must do right as you see it.” She paused for a long moment, and then added, "My name is Carthia, more of me than that I will not say. Take what I have told you as a sign of trust… or use it to hunt me down, it matters little to me." She paused again then, before continuing hesitantly, her eyes darting to the trees and back to me before speaking. “Think on what has happened to you here today. Think on what is about to happen… All is not as it seems—”
Her face drained of all colour as a wave of, what I could only describe as, anger and frustration swept over us from the direction of the trees where the watcher hid. At the very same instance the huge horse snorted and reared up on its hind legs, lashing out at the air with its hooves almost as in battle.
Yet before Tomas could react and calm the horse, it was all over. The anger and frustration dissipated from the air, and the horse settled back down as if nothing at all had occurred.
Tomas looked completely bewildered, whilst the woman Carthia looked shocked and afraid. Yet in her eyes I saw determination, and something else – anger. She too had felt what emanated from the watcher. Whatever lurked there, she had defied it and said more than she had been instructed.
“Make your decision," she snapped, her voice shaky.
Tarnia had said that I should kill them all, and I knew that I could do so with ease – if I were willing to sacrifice my friends. But that was before I sensed the watcher, before I sensed the power in the being that watched. The odds were great with those that held us, but with the watcher they were all but impossible.
"I have made my decision," I said. "Jain is setting the rod, and I will comply with your demands... Remove the knife from Tarnia and release my friends."
Tarnia and Step began to object but I held up my hand and stopped them. Garam spat on the ground in disgust.
"Sheath your knife Karn," the woman commanded. Karn did not move, he merely looked at the woman as if he had misheard. "Sheath the knife!” she repeated. “He is a man of his word, and they will do as he commands."
Karn slowly removed the knife from Tarnia's throat, but he did not sheath it as he stood upright behind her.
Moments passed, and then Jain looked to me as he slowly put the rod down on the ground. "It is done," he said, "but I cannot be sure that what they have had me do will truly take you to your home."
"It will," the woman said, as Tomas passed her the bundle he had first retrieved from the saddlebag. Slowly unwrapping the cloth to reveal the contents, she said to me, "You may also have need of these."
This time it was I who let out a gasp, as to my astonishment, she dropped knives at my feet – my knives.
Immediately my hands moved over my body, searching for the knives that must be there, and yet were not. I reached out, picked up a knife and examined it. It was mine.
Yet again I asked myself, Who are these people? How could they have done this? They had not taken the knives from me. And even if they had, the knives would have found their way back. No one could take the knives from me. No one… no one except my master Dar'cen.
A dread filled me at the thought. Who is out there? Could it be him? Reason and logic battled with a fear that threatened to overwhelm me. You are free of him I told myself. He cannot control you. Be calm, you cannot so easily discard the sacrifice Anna made.
The thought of Anna gave me courage and pushed away the fear; allowed me to think clearly again. I knew then that whoever was out there beneath the trees, it was not him. He would have taken me immediately, overwhelmed me and made me his again.
As rational thought returned, I looked up and, for the first time, really looked at the woman who called herself Carthia. She was young, mid to late twenties, and yet in her eyes I saw a wisdom that seemed far beyond her years. She was very beautiful, with long black hair, and huge dark eyes that seemed bright with reflected starlight.
Under other circumstances I would have said that those eyes were the eyes of a good and righteous person, but now, as her captive, I just did not know what to think; her stern looks and harsh voice were at complete odds with the compassion in her voice when she spoke of my son.
She was dressed all in black, black leather draped with overlapping disks of black metal armour. Yet neither the armour nor the cut and fit of her clothes could disguise that she was a woman, a very fit and lithe woman.
Slowly I picked up my blades, all the while staring at the woman, and, for an instant, I was sure I saw a glint of amusement in her eyes; then it was gone, her face an emotionless mask yet again. "I would say my farewells," I said to the woman as I stood. "Free my friends that we may embrace one last time." Men jumped back, and swords were drawn as I came to my feet.
"Stay your weapons! His word is true and they follow him. Free them, but watch them closely, especially that one… the one they call Garam," the woman said. The look Garam gave her at the mention of his name was not a kindly one.
One by one, I shook hands, hugged and embraced friends and companions who had been at my side through more strife than any life should ever be forced to endure.
Each objected, gave advice or witty remark. Garam again spat and growled something almost unintelligible. Tarnia, the hardest of them all, had tears in her eyes, whilst Jain, looking both perplexed and devastated, remained silent.
Then, it was done. Nothing else left to say. I picked up the rod and held it as Jain had said I should, fingers poised ready to touch the faint, slightly raised figure of a bird, that I swear was not there but a moment earlier.
I turned to the woman and spoke, "Of me you seem to know a great deal, but if you know nothing else, you should know and heed what I say now. I was Dar'cen’s, he took me and fashioned me into his creature. I did unspeakable things at his bidding, and only in the last did I escape him and turn back to the light. I am no longer his, but do not think me weak. Should you break your word and harm my companions, nothing will protect you… any of you. I will find a way back, and I will find you, each and every one of you. In that you have my word."
Once again I was surprised by the glint of amusement that came into the woman's eyes as she spoke in a whisper, a whisper so quiet that, had Tarnia not visibly flinched, I would have sworn that only I could possibly hear. "Oh, we know you will," she said.
Then slowly she stepped toward me, her eyes locked with mine. She took my hand and gently but firmly pressed my fingers down onto figure of the bird. The last thing I saw, as the world dimmed and faded away, was the look of complete triumph on her face, as she said, "You have your orders… Kill them all."
***
A brilliant white light almost blinded me at the same time that my feet told me that the earth beneath my feet had changed from forest floor to something harder and much less natural.
I snapped back to myself, to the here and now, becoming fully alert in an instant. But the thick fog and the blinding light completely disorientated me, and too late I realised what was happening.
Long forgotten noises assailed my ears, as I tried to leap clear of the blinding lights that were so terrifyingly close.
Then I was flying through the air, turning end over end, until at last I crashed back down onto that unnaturally smooth and yet very hard unyielding surface.
I remember very little else about that first night except the noise of footsteps rushing towards me, voices raised in panic, a face in silhouette against the clouded moon, and to the side of that face, just visible through the fog, a tower in the distance. Despite the enveloping blackness I recognised that tower, I knew what it was, what it did, and where it was.
I was home.