The village was not very busy. It was cold, and I was sure many people were huddled by their fires in their warm homes. We didn't have much luck at the Mudgeson farm. None of the families, including Leif's had no information for us about the valley. I was disappointed. I had hoped for something that would help us out a little.

I saw a few trader wagons in the trading center, so that's where Bellator and I headed, maybe we could gather some information from the people in the village.

"What news from Perifrey?" Bellator asked as we approached the first vendor.

"I've heard people are headed to that valley of wherever, the Magus has asked them to go to. Never heard of it myself. I haven't heard anyone talk about it either." Said the man.

We nodded and pretended to be interested in the contents of his wagon, and moved on.

We didn't want to be obvious with our search for information, so we stopped in at a butcher. I was able to barter some freshly smoked salmon and herring brought in from the harbor, for a couple of larger emeralds. We also found some bison meat, which I knew was my fathers favorite.

We started to lead our horses towards other trader wagons when we spotted a boy who was very familiar. Bow. He was standing with his family talking trade with a man when Bow patted his fathers arm, and pointed to Bellator. His father, Inuk, looked surprised to see us. Bellator walked up to Inuk and took his wrist, "It is good to see you Inuk. What news?" He asked

"None that's good, my friend. I am glad to see you, however." Inuk said

"Same for you. I am sorry you had to leave Perifrey." Bellator said.

"After Vala, a few more families left after us. From what I have been told, Magus plans on moving his army to a place called valley of the gwinpure? Qwenifer?" He was stumbling over the word.

"Gweiadur?" I asked

"That's it, only I do not know where it is, not that we would go near it anyways." He put his arm around his wife's shoulder, "We have been lucky so far to not run into any trouble, and we are headed to Duskenhills harbor to buy passage south down the sea."

"I wish you good luck then, Inuk." Bellator said.

"Bow, good job for tracking your family back down, I knew you would do just fine." I patted him on his shoulder. He grinned and pulled out the dagger I gave him. Well sharpened, and clean.

"My father says I have lots to learn fighting with a dagger, but the fire rune on here makes the blade glow bright and hot! I love it." He boasted.

I smiled and patted his shoulder again, " you will be a great warrior, Bow. I think the gods will smile on you."

Inuk took Bellator to the side and was speaking privately for a moment, then returned and shook my wrist. "Good luck, Kaida. Thank you for the gift you gave my son. He takes a lot of pride in it." He beamed at Bow, proudly. "Safe journey." I told him.

They turned, leading their own horses towards the edge of the village.

I turned to Bellator. "What did he tell you?"

"Kai is looking for us. He seeks out information about our whereabouts." He told me.

Great. I knew it would happen soon enough. He has probably found out that I have Aadi's gem. Bellator told me once he would kill me on the spot if he knew I had it, that he had been searching for it for decades, all while it was hiding in Vala's weapons chest.

"I don't think anyone around here would give me away. I have made a pretty good stand here. My father is respected." I hoped anyway.

While we were asking anyone about the valley of Gweiadur, and getting nowhere, we found a new weapons smith. I was not going to admit to Bellator, but this makes every step wasted, worth it. Approaching his kiosk I could see all types of weapons. Spears strung up in the rear, battle axes on the side in a barrel. In a clean row on the counter were daggers. Gold ones, steel ones, and Damascus steel. I picked up a Damascus dagger, the streaked appearance glinting off the torches beside us. I turned it over a few times, thinking about my father. When he took me to the Harbor at sixteen, to pick out the handles to the Damascus blades he had made me. It took us a few tries of course, the temperature having to be hot enough for the iron to... "What are you looking for?" The trader interrupted my thoughts.

"This is a good blade, did you make it?" I asked him"No got it from a man who sailed into the harbor last week. Said it was made in a distant land, figured I could get a good deal for it." He told me.

"And what kind of deal are you looking for?" I inquired.

"What do you have?" He asked me as I put the blade down.

Bellator was busy looking at a broad sword he had spotted. Holding it out inspecting the edge.

"I got these" I pulled out a bag of black tourmaline. I keep these for special trade, a lot of smiths like to put them into the handles of their blades, and armor.

"I'll give you all of them, for this and that sword." I nodded towards Bellator.

"Deal." the man said, swiping the pouch from my hand in a greedy manner.

I picked up the dagger and slid it into the empty slot on my ribs, and walked over to Bellator. "I bought you that sword, soldier. That means you are in my debt." I jokingly told him.

He smiled at me, and turned the blade over. "It's well made. Thank you, I will use it well." He told me as he slid it into his belt.

As Bellator and I were about to climb up on our horses, we heard the stomping of hooves. Turning around, we could see at least six soldiers riding past us. Bellator pulled his hood over his face, and I followed. They were bearing the mark of the Magus on banners.

"Shit, what are they doing here?" I whispered to Bellator.

"Let's hope it's a simply chance." He replied.

The soldiers stopped their horses as the alehouse just down the road away from us, and were buckling up their horses. Me and Bellator had the same thought and ushered our horses in that direction.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Fancy an ale, Kadia?" Bellator asked me. I nodded.

We tired out horses up the other end of the building so we weren't too close. Going inside we spotted the men sitting at the bar counter. We sat at a table closer. We wanted to listen for a few minutes. Bellator rose from our table , he was talking to the alewife then stood at the counter for a moment and then collected two ale's. He was drinking one slowly, and then turned and came back to the table.

"They didn't waste any time announcing their business. They are looking for two murderers from Perifrey. They used our names, but the alewife didn't make any notion she knew us."

"I suppose that's supposed that's a good things for now, there is enough people in the village who know me by name, and I have yet to come across another Kaida from Duskenhills. . ." I said unsurprisingly.

"Yup, the murderers killed the village's seer, burning her and two others in front of the hall, leaving them there for the Magus to see." He stopped talking and took a drink. I could see how angry he was. He loved Vala. I still don't know the story between then, not really, but I know Bellator cared for her.

"I'm sorry." I reached for his hand.

We drank our ales slowly listening to the men talk about this and that, and then finally they brought up the valley of Gweiadur.

"The valley of Gweiadur is where the Magus will punish the traitors. He will use them to sacrifice, and apologize to the gods." One of the soldiers said.

"That's right, those bastards killed our seer. They will pay for what they have done. Perifrey has been covered in shadow by the gods. They are angry." Another soldier announced.

"Yeah, the sun has not shone on Perifrey for a few weeks now. It is night, when it should be day. The evil of killing our seer has plagued the land." A third spoke.

The alewife was doing a good enough job leading them on in the conversation, that we didn't need to interact. Plus, they would have probably recognized Bellator if they looked him in the face.

Bellator stood and headed for the door. I followed him. I wasn't sure why we were leaving. We were gaining information finally.

When we stepped outside he let out a low growling yell. "Those bastards." He spat.

Pulling him over to our horses I said, "let's wait and follow them, see where they lead us to. I want to know how many soldiers are near my family home."

He agreed and we pulled the horses around the corner of the alehouse, sat on our horses and waited for the soldiers to leave.

It wasn't a short wait. I was tired and it was cold. Our horses were getting restless, and for good reason.

Finally one of the soldiers stumbled from the alehouse, three more in tow, then the last two. Laughing and causing a scene, falling, trying to get on their horses with no success. They had obviously drunk too much of the ale.

We waited for them to saddle themselves and leave. Again, not a short wait. This group of soldiers was simply embarrassing. I thought part of Bellator must be embarrassed for ever being a part of that unit of men.

They passed us with no notice, waiting for them to gain some distance, and we followed in silence. The men were making enough noise that we didn't have to worry about losing sight, we followed strictly by sound.

After a short trip the soldiers led us to an encampment. We steered off into the woods and tied the horses to a couple of trees. We continued on foot getting as close to the encampment as we could.

There were at least fifty men and women. I could see they were preparing for travel, so that meant they were not sticking around Duskenhills. Good. That's what I wanted to know first.

Two women were coming by to where Bellator and I were crouching behind some bushes. They were talking about the valley.

"My grandfather told me the valley is plagued with ravagers."

"The soldiers say they are going to go in and slaughter them all before the Magus arrives."

"My grandfather also told me the ravagers will rip your soul from your body, and then watch you change into one of them."

"Those are children's stories. They don't frighten me off from helping the Magus."

They were just talking about things we already knew. We silently creeped away from them, down the tree line taking in the camp.

Nothing gave me the impression they were an army. More of a caravan of people who were unsure of what they were doing, or going for that matter.

After an hour of crawling around and listening to nothing that was going to help us, we started back towards our horses. My hands were freezing and the scarf I tied in front of my face to hide my breath was starting to freeze my face.

"How is it that many people were talking about the same thing, but nothing?" Bellator asked.

"They are blinded by the Magus's reputation. The Magus is supposed to be our leader, not our downfall."

Just as we were about to reach the horses, three soldiers came out from behind them, drawing their swords.

I pulled out my sword and readied myself. Bellator pulled his bow from his back and aimed an arrow straight at the men.

"Bellator, I thought that was you at the alehouse." One of the soldiers stated,

"Yeah, too bad you won't be able to relay that message." Bellator said, without any warning let the arrow lose, sending it straight in the face of that soldier.

The other two ran towards us. I jumped to the side when one of the soldiers reached me, I kicked him in the side sending him to the ground, He turned and tried to stab me in the belly with his sword, I leaped back avoiding the blade. Stepping forwards swinging my sword from the side, he had countered my attack, his blade smashing into mine.

I could hear Bellator and the other soldier fighting, but I couldn't see where. I rolled to the side of my attacker, and got back to my feet just behind him, as he turned around, ready to swing with his sword, his arm raised to bring the blade down, I grabbed my dagger and shoved it into his chest, the Damascus blade sliced through his skin like it was butter. He dropped his sword and yelled out. Pressing my foot against his hip, I pushed him backwards, holding the dagger's handle, the blade sliding out as I did so, His lifeless body falling to the ground.

I turned to look for Bellator again. Spotting him just beyond some trees, I ran towards him, the soldier he was fighting had his back towards me. Grabbing the blade of my dagger, I sent it flying towards the soldier. As I released the blade it was streaming with of fire , it struck the man in the spine sending sparks out in different directions as the dagger slid straight through the soldier's body, landing in the ground in front of him.

I stopped, grinning at Bellator. That was amazing! Bellator didn't smile, in fact he looked from me to the dagger, and then picked it up.

"We should find the weapons master who made this blade." We had a small chuckle.

"Lets leave, we can't be seen here." Bellator grabbed my hand and we walked over to the horses, united them, climbed up and rode off.