The climb to Fort Sol was a steep march up a hard road, flanked on either side by dark grey stone.

“I…thought…the…inland…road…would be…easier…than the…beach…one…” Giordi complained.

“It…is…” Caste wheezed like an old donkey, almost parallel with the sharp incline.

Judd was wishing he hadn’t chosen to wear his armour again. Then he realised that at least it was evenly distributed all over his body and not just in his pack which might have tipped him backwards.

“Someone…shove…the…cleric.” He called and Verne gave Caste a push, keeping him moving.

“We are not far from the top.” Verne announced and everyone despised his fitness, jogging ahead of them. “I can see where the land starts to flatten out.”

Judd heard a huffing next to him and glanced at Aalis who gave him a rueful smile.

“Want me…to take…” He couldn’t finish the sentence but just tapped her pack.

She shook her head, saving her breath and finally they reached the end of the incline.

Fort Sol was immediately in sight. It was not as big as Fort Bastil but on top of the cliff, it didn’t need to be. Made from dark grey stone, probably cut from the pass that they had just traversed, its base didn’t stop when it reached the ground but seemed as though it stretched all the way to the thrashing waves at the base of the cliff. Its main building and courtyard were all walled in but the village that surrounded it, like a child hugging the legs of its parents, was not so well protected.

“They probably think those trebuchets would keep any monster at bay.” Verne pointed to the two large missile slinging constructs that was built onto the sides of the fort. They were unable to be reached except via the fort. Verne put his hands on his hips and whistled. “What I wouldn’t give to fire one of those…” Verne felt their amused gazes and shrugged. “What? I like firing things.”

Judd chuckled and shook his head.

“The village looks deserted.” Giordi jerked his head towards the buildings nestled up against the fort, surrounded by a barrier of large logs cut into giant spikes.

“Not just the village…” Aalis whispered, leaving the road to cross onto the land that looked as though it was normally tilled and farmed. A tree was nearby but it had no leaves and even more damning was its colour.

“It looks like it was caught in a fire.” Giordi said softly.

Aalis put her hand on its trunk, her face turned away from them. She stepped back hurriedly, shaking her hand.

“Aalis?” Judd reached out his hand but she waved away his concern and he retreated. “The trees look a little like the ones at Fort Faine.”

“Worse,” Aalis said softly, “I think this is what they would have looked like in a matter of weeks had we not stopped the goblins.”

“But there isn’t a river near here.”

Aalis shook her head and pointed to the ground. Around the tree’s base was a circle of dead grass. “Something was poured on this tree which killed it, possibly instantly.”

“Looks like it’s not the only one…” Judd breathed, moving forwards, the land on the plateau of the isle barren and charred as though a blistering fire had raged only days ago. However, there were still buildings that were untouched further out from the village. Verne and Judd jogged over to them but came back shaking their heads.

“Deserted.”

“I’d wager the whole village is the same.” Judd unsheathed his sword and breathed out. “Ready?”

Verne had an arrow in his bow and walked several steps behind him while Caste and Giordi hovered further back. Aalis, while timid, edged closer and closer.

“You shouldn’t be so close.” Judd warned as they approached the gates of the village barrier. Aalis’ breathing sharpened as Judd put his hands on the gate and pushed…then pulled. “Come on!”

“Perhaps the villagers barred it?”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“It feels like there’s some give…” Judd stepped back. “I’m not ashamed to say I need some help.”

“Uh…all…uh, all of us?” Caste stammered.

“Pack down and give the gate a shove.”

Reluctantly Giordi and Caste joined the other three at the gate and they put their hands on it.

“One, two, three!” They heaved.

“It’s…moving!” Verne cried then they were all propelled backwards, panting. “It goes in then rebounds us out.”

“One more push before we try to climb through the barrier somehow.” Judd flexed his muscles and gripped the gate. “Ready? Heave!”

“What happened to our countdown?” Giordi grunted, throwing his weight against the gate.

As they pushed and heaved, Judd tried to look through the gap forming. “There’s…something…there…” He braced against the gate with his shoulder and pulled his sword out. “I think it’s been tied shut with rope. Hold on…”

“Holding…” Verne squeezed out between gritted teeth.

Judd slid his sword through the gap as high as he could reach and dragged down on it. Small jolts coincided with each inch the sword came down.

“Nearly there!”

Abruptly the rope gave up its hold and the gate flung inwards, all five collapsing to the ground. Judd groaned, retrieving his sword from where it had landed and wiped the dirt from his face.

“What happened to my life?” Caste said mournfully, his tunic filthy.

“It looks as though it is going to rain.” Aalis remarked, on her back facing the sky. Judd held out his hand to her, drawing her to her feet.

Giordi laughed and they all glared at him. “Onward in triumphant entry!”

Judd sighed.

“Judd…did you see this?” Verne picked up a piece of the rope that had bound the gate so tightly shut. It was as thick as Judd’s finger. Judd reached out for it but Verne couldn’t let go. “Ugh…sticky…”

“The rope has been coated in something…”

Verne shook his hand madly, trying to get it off. Eventually he pressed it against another piece of rope still hanging from the gate and the two strands stuck together so strongly he was able to pull his hand free. He wiped it on his leggings with a shudder.

“Judd…the village.” Aalis whispered.

They all turned and took in the sight of Fort Sol’s civilian town. It was as barren and lifeless as the landscape outside the barrier. Clothes hung limply on washing lines and doors hung open on houses and shops. There was no smoke from chimneys or chickens clucking though there were clearly pens for them. The bucket for the well was discarded to the side as though someone had dropped it and run.

But there wasn’t a sound to be heard.

Judd’s breath had stalled in his chest and his heart began to pound.

“Judd?”

He jumped out of his skin and clamped a hand on Giordi’s shoulder.

“What?” He asked brittlely.

“Can you hear that?”

Judd frowned. “No…nothing.”

Giordi’s finely tuned ears were giving the minstrel reason to look worried. “I can hear something…something…rumbling.”

“Surf?” Aalis whispered. “From the waves on the cliff?”

“It’s at our height.” Giordi trembled. “What did you say an orthros was again?”

Judd opened his mouth when growling, so deep it made the earth tremble, seemed to surround them. Instinctively they huddled, going back to back, forming a tight circle.

“Dog,” Caste said breathlessly, “two…headed…dog.”

“Stay together and keep your eyes open.” Judd warned.

“Where is it?” Verne’s arrowhead darted all over the place as he tried to find a target to fire upon.

“It sounds like there’s more than one!”

“Stay together.”

“Is it behind the well?”

“That house over there!”

“Coming from the fort!”

“Don’t move until you’ve seen it!” Judd ordered.

“Judd,” Giordi tapped his shoulder, “it’s coming from that building.”

“Are you sure?” Judd couldn’t hear properly with his helm over his head.

“I’ve got good ears. Trust me.”

Judd didn’t want to question the minstrel but he wasn’t entirely sure Giordi was right…

…then a shaggy grey head glared at them from the open doorway of a house that faced the main thoroughfare.

“I see it…” Judd hissed, reaffirming his grasp on his sword.

“Wait…” Aalis put her hand on his arm as the dog stepped hesitantly out from the house, gnawing on the bone in its jaws, its tail wagging at the sight of five intruders staring at it in terror.

“I thought orthros were supposed to have two heads.” Verne whispered, not taking his eye or his arrow off the dog.

“Then this can’t be an orthros. It’s just a regular dog.” Caste muttered and their shoulders all relaxed…

…when a large black body bounded over the thatched roof of the house and down onto the dog, the grey shaggy beast whimpering beneath just one of its club sized paws.

Judd recoiled at the sight of two black heads, stubby and snarling, their gums curled up over their sharpened teeth, their green eyes alight with frightening intelligence. It was as large as a small pony, short black hair covering its body, its tail bristling and its four ears back against its skulls. The heads were joined to the body by thick necks and each operated independently of the other as though they were separate dogs.

The right head of the orthros leaned down and snapped the air above the cowering grey shaggy dog who relinquished its grip on the bone. The right head snatched it up, releasing the grey dog in order to do so. The grey dog scrambled to its feet, dashing out of sight as fast as its legs could carry it. The right head chomped hard on the bone, breaking it in half. The left head snarled at it and it growled back.

“You think they’d notice if we just left?” Giordi breathed.

Unfortunately his words, though barely above a whisper, were caught by two pairs of ears and the orthros’ heads immediately turned and their green eyes glowered at them.

“Ah Maul…”

“You couldn’t just keep your mouth shut?” Caste snapped.

“It’s not like I…”

“Shut it both of you,” Judd snarled in much the same manner as the orthros, turning his head to snap at them but not taking his eyes off the two headed dog that was advancing towards them, each paw thudding the ground like its own mini earthquake, “when it charges, make for high ground.”

“What about…”

“Verne, I need you to cover them then, please…cover me.” Judd licked his lips and though his heart was rampaging in his chest, he forced himself to step forward.