The longer I live, the more I feel like dying.
Celso Naves Esault Jr. – Human
*
The fugitives’ trail is fresh, which means that the soldiers are close to hit progress in the mission assigned to them by the Oracle. This thought warms Rinlia’s soul, who happily observes the broken branches and the erased signs of running over the ground.
Although such marks have been made some hours ago, they still exist and provide a familiar guideline for the elf, something that had not occurred in the most recent missions. A mission to capture someone is much more familiar to her mind than a conversation with kings and queens, or a mission to deal with powers that can wipe out the entire world.
Arthur watches her from a distance, staying close to the horse since they dismounted so that the elf could analyze the marks on the ground with greater care. The place where the Henco brothers were last seen was full of marks from search groups and unpleasant clues that would lead nowhere, which forced the elf to retreat and increase the area she would investigate with Thiago and Yvanna.
The lupines also spread out, sniffing every inch of the environment, agitated and taking care not to get in the way of the Fiandel’s soldiers, but also conducting their own private search for clues.
This group of lupines is smaller than the one that escorted them to the Glade. Although Lancelot remains among them, the leader divided them to favor the mobility of the group – orders given by the Council. Now there were just over ten wolves nearby, engaged in various tasks.
Only one wolf does not follow the same itinerary as the others: It is a wolf with reddish fur – except for a large gray spot on the region of its chest – and tall, like the leader, but with a younger look. His gaze, directed at the four humanoids, is one of curiosity, contrary to the wolf habit of looking with disdain to the foreigners.
The red-haired wolf walks slowly through the trees, approaching silently the boy who, unoccupied, guides the horse by the reins between the branches and bushes.
-You can let go of his reins for now.
The wolf’s voice startles Arthur, who jumps and immediately contorts his face in an irritated expression.
-Does everyone need to sneak on me like that? You almost gave me a heart attack!
The wolf is not bothered by the overreaction, keeping his gaze locked on the boy’s hands.
-You can release his reins.
The boy, impressed by the fact that he is not impressed by the presence of a talking wolf, looks at his interlocutor before looking at his own hand.
-I’m watching the horse while Rinlia is not coming. If he runs away, we will be without a mount.
-He is not going to run away. – The wolf walks calmly, next to the boy. – This is not how things work here in the forest.
-What are you talking about? He’s stuck with us. If I let him go, he’ll run.
-If you let go, he will stay nearby until his help is needed. Like you and me. He is not here because the dryads have enslaved him, but because this is a peaceful life for him to live. There is no need to restrain him. This will only make him angry towards you. – The boy still doesn’t seem convinced. – I’m telling you the truth. His situation is just like ours.
-He’s a horse.
-And that makes his actions even more pure than ours. Tell me: Are you free to go away? Can you separate yourself from the soldiers?
-Yes.
-Are you going to separate yourself from the soldiers?
-No.
-And, for that reason, there is no need to pull you by the reins, right? – The boy doesn’t answer. – Now, if someone did pull you by the rains, even if they don’t intend to hurt you. What would you do?
-I would try to escape.
-Exactly. Release the horse. If he runs away, I’ll track him down for you.
*
The same night when Rinlia organized supplies, Thiago and Yvanna slept together and Arthur found an incorporeal in his shadow, the Henco brothers crawled out of a hole in the ground, walking at the lowest possible speed, since the poor lighting harmed them as much as it had already done with Fiandel’s soldiers.
They used the moment to get away from the shelter, but they knew that the real race would start at after sunrise. They also regretted the lack of horses or any other form of transport that could help them to walk faster, however, they would use their own slowness to their advantage, covering their tracks, avoiding leaving signs of their presence. They were not specialists in this, but it would be enough to slow down the search parties.
They could not do this at night, because the same darkness that prevented them from seeing the path ahead also prevented them from seeing their own tracks behind. Another reason to walk slowly, avoiding as much as possible the inconvenience of tearing the skin in bushes, breaking branches in the middle of the path or other attitudes equally harmful to the escapade.
In a few hours, the sun rose and the light allowed them to follow the quietest paths into the forest. The size of the territory they need to traverse before they are free from danger is large enough to occupy the next few days of their lives. If the distance was not enough, the two of them need to avoid groups of different species, which would certainly be looking for them.
And although they planned more than one possible route to march into the red desert, they know that, no matter what route they choose, it will be necessary to get through places inhabited by wild species, the home of those who are unable to follow the orders of the council. Species that live on instinct, without obeying any orders, bending only under the immediate strength of powerful creatures.
They run without stopping, crossing the terrain with ease, avoiding places where recent traces of monsters indicated they would have company and zigzagging between different types of terrain, constantly looking for the best way to proceed.
Eventually, the nymph needs more time between breaths, pulling in the air with some difficulty and feeling the sweat that runs down her neck. The amount of effort required to take all possible precautions makes her feel her body asking for rest.
It took two full days of walking right after several days of confinement in a cubicle, but she finally felt that her body was getting close to the point of maximum wear. The lack of rest, hasty food and constant state of alert were destroying her internal and external structures.
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-Nafaester! – The call is whispered in an emergency tone.
The werewolf’s hoarse voice immediately awakens her and she turns to her companion, who places his hand on the nymph’s shoulder, pushing her to the right.
-What happened? Gaenar? What happened?!
-Aracnes. That’s what happened. – He whispers, pushing her body until the moment she understands what he is saying and, on her own, starts running to their right.
-Where?
-I saw a web on our left and, soon after, I smelled the spider roes. The trail is weak, but still… - She does not let him finish.
-They shouldn’t be around here. How are they so far from their territory?
-After the storm, we heard that some species changed their camps, remember? After several groups went crazy and attacked small groups near the borders.
-Even so, they should be further north, no-
She stops talking, looking back.
-What? What’s happening? – Gaenar follows Nafaester’s gaze, his werewolf eyes forming a thin, vertical line, adapting to the shadows between the trees.
-They are agitated. – She returns to her hectic walk, almost running now. – They must be hungry, because I think I heard they attacking a magical creature. Let’s go to the valley of the waterfalls immediately.
-We’re close, aren’t we?
-The valley is close, yes. But to cross the river will be complicated. We will waste some time just to find a place we may be able to cross. Not to mention that the golems must be in that region, too. Our pace will slow down a lot for quite some time. We need to save as much time as we can while the path is clear.
A horrible sound resonates nearby. Some creature has just been captured. All the more reason for them to start a run away from that place.
-Let’s go. – Gaenar says, showing the path to his sister.
The leather bags are attached to their chests, as always. Each of them carries one piece of the jewelry stolen from the crown.
These bags are fastened by buckles that go over the shoulders of the two, ensuring that they will not come loose in a situation where they may need to move abruptly.
None of them is able to perceive the moment when a tree branch attaches itself to a loose piece of Gaenar’s buckle and, after he picks up momentum, ends up allowing a thin layer of leather to come loose and attach itself to the tree.
*
Yvanna and Rinlia guide the searches. Despite having a better sense of smell and greater speed of movement, the wolves would not dare to claim leadership over individuals appointed by the High Member of the Forest.
The two leaders remain in the sights of Arthur and Thiago, looking around and determining, together, the direction to continue. Sometimes one of them asked the lupines to investigate further in another direction, or they would delegate a task to Thiago. Arthur, however, was never required, remaining safe in the middle of the group.
Without even the responsibility of guiding the horse (the animal willingly follows them), the boy looks around, looking for a way to avoid boredom, trying not to think about the incorporeal hiding in his shadow. He knows that if he keeps looking at his own shadow, someone will figure out that something is wrong.
-What’s your name? – The only creatures close enough to be targets to Arthur’s question were the horse and the red wolf. The wolf was the only one with the ability to answer.
-Galaaz is the name the Dryads gave me. – He says. – What’s yours?
-Arthur. – The wolf seems satisfied and returns to being quiet. The boy doesn’t want to go back to silence. – Who are these people we are looking for?
-We are looking for Nafaester and Gaenar Henco.
Galaaz goes around a tree root, taking the time to smell the soil, trying to find something beyond the usual smell of earth and wild animals.
-What kind of... Creatures are they? – The boy does not grant tranquility to the wolf. The lupine, despite being upset, is not irritated, limiting himself to abandoning the task at hand.
-The brother Henco is called Gaenar. He is a cursed werewolf. The sister Henco is called Nafaester. She is a nymph.
-Of course. I mean… Sorry. Continue, please.
-I heard that the two were orphans who survived some kind of tribal battle. No one knows the details, but they were already together when they were rescued. They had no family, name or external ties, but were lucky that two members of the Council liked them, welcoming the two as their children.
-By your tone, it does not seem that the adoption was as generous as it seems.
The wolf opens its mouth, stretching its tongue and seeming to enjoy the feeling for a moment. Arthur needs to control himself not to smile when he realizes that even the gestures made the wolf look like a big dog.
-That’s because the adoption wasn’t generous. After all, sister Henco has the powers of an Oracle. Those who welcomed them certainly expected to gain influence and power in the Glade because of this.
-What? Can she predict the future? From the way everybody spoke, I thought that only the leader of this forest could do that.
-Well, you were incorrect. I mean, it is a rare occurrence. Few creatures have had the opportunity to live in the same era as two oracles. It is a very rare gift and, had it not been for the longevity of Mother Nymph, we would have gone decades without a living Oracle.
-Do you mean that she was adopted because someone thought she would take the place of this… Mother Nymph?
-It is very likely, yes. If she had waited, that would happen. After all, one day, even the Great Oracle will die and the Second Oracle would certainly be a strong candidate for the position.
-If she knew that, why did she become a fugitive?
Arthur looks away for a moment after hearing an unexpected sound ahead. He calms down when he sees Thiago walking towards them, tapping his own pants to remove some dirt from his pants.
-I don’t know the answer to your question. – Galaaz says. – Only a few members of the Council and the Oracle herself know what happened.
The soldier approaches them, looking directly at Arthur’s face.
-Come with me. We are close to a place that has good water to drink. Let’s rest for a few minutes.
-I thought Rinlia wanted to continue until dusk.
-Apparently, this was a decision made by the wolves. – Thiago looks at the reddish figure next to Arthur. Galaaz wiggles his muzzle and remains silent.
Ahead, as they approach the stopping point, the three individuals hear an irritated female voice and, then, see the image of Rinlia just a movement away from passing between two bushes and disappearing between trees.
-Everything okay with her? – Arthur turns to the brown-haired soldier.
-She didn’t want to stop the searches. Apparently, she must have argued with Lancelot.
At that moment, all of them can see the environment chosen for the pause: It is a small, flowered field, well-lit and without any tree in an extension of, at least, 100 meters. The open countryside is filled with three small lakes, deep enough to prevent the fields from becoming swamps.
The sun shine over the grass, exhibiting an animal life very different from what they have seen up to that point. Instead of the predominance of insects, here they can see rabbits and rodents, wild boars the size of small dogs, deer and horses, all walking calmly around the lakes, quenching their thirst before continuing their walk.
-This is a waste of time. – Thiago says, guiding Arthur to the nearest water spot. – The Henco Brothers didn’t even pass by here. Yvanna told me that they skirted this lake from the outside and moved on, but the lupines, upon seeing the statue, demanded this pause. Apparently, the commander was unable to dissuade them.
-Of course. – Galaaz intervened, lying in front of the lake and lowering his head. – We are in the lakes of Peace. The lupines dedicate their attention to it, whenever we pass through here. It is a tradition to several races of the forest.
In a small space between the three lakes is placed the image of a beautiful stone figure, sculpted in the shape of a forty-year-old woman, with a dove on her right shoulder.
-Peace? What peace lies in the tradition of the lupines? I thought you were a race of warriors.
-Balance, soldier. – The wolf doesn’t look at Thiago. His eyes are directed to the statue. – We seek balance. This entire forest is based on that concept. The same to its history and tradition. The lupines know that. The day that humanity killed peace and taught civilized races the art of war was also the day the first cycle began. Wolves know that, if we want to fight, we also have to respect the moments of peace, otherwise we will be like men: Always fighting, living troubled lives forever.
-That is just a history. – The soldier seems to get irritated. – Yes, men fight and go to war, but all races have known the art of war. Long before the first human kingdom even existed, there were territorial wars and battles for power. Even here, in the center of your forest.
-You may be right. This story may be just a story, but the lesson persists. Tell me, soldier: Have you seen death in the battlefield?
-Yes, I have.
-Don’t you appreciate life in a different way because of that? If you know pain, don’t you believe that the pleasures have a better taste after that?
-Where are you going with this?
-I can see it in your eyes, soldier. – The wolf keeps its face towards the lake, his eyes fixed on the statue. – You have the eyes of my brothers. You have seen war and battle. That’s why you should understand how we, lupines, who dedicate our lives to the natural order, value the opportunity to dedicate our time to peace. Let us have this, since you know the tribulations of the moments when our claws are stained with blood and our fangs tear the flesh of our prey.
Arthur watches the conversation. He notices the change in Thiago’s eyes and the feeling in the wolf’s voice.
-Do as you wish. – The soldier steps away, sitting on the grass, looking at the lake and the statue.
-It will be over soon. It’s just a moment of peace, before the time of the battle, when we finally find those we are looking for.
*
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