The Threads of Destiny - Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Fleeing South

Osric was exhausted. An hour had passed since they'd fled the cliffside, their hounds picking them up almost as soon as they started their run south. Without any tricks left, all they could do was run, barely staying ahead of the braying of the dogs, the flickering orange glow of torchlight in the woods behind them.

Talia looked as tired as he felt, and he knew they couldn't keep this up much longer. Even Cinder looked tired.

"Talia," Osric panted, "we need...to find...somewhere to hide. Can't...run...forever."

Talia nodded, too winded to speak. Her face was flushed and she clutched a stitch in her side.

The problem was, there was nowhere to run to. Nowhere to hide. Ahead, the treeline thinned and broke, and Osric hoped … prayed, that they were coming to some kind of road or way to civilization and maybe even help.

It wasn't to be. As they broke through the trees, they found themselves in a large clearing. They couldn't stop, the sounds still coming from behind him. They sprinted across the open ground and Osric thought they might make it across and back into the trees before their pursuers came through the forest behind them.

It wasn't until they were halfway through that he realized this was a trap. They hadn't been chased. They'd been herded.

A group of figures emerged from the shadows of the trees ahead. Men in dark cloaks, swords in their hands stood between the trio and the forest. Osric skidded to a halt, Talia nearly colliding with him. He spun around, only to see more men stepping out from the woods behind, cutting off their escape, angry hounds following behind them.

"Looks like the hunt is over, boy," one of the men said.

Osric gripped his sword hilt, mind racing. There were too many to fight. Talia knew it too, her eyes wide with fear.

"Look, you can have this cursed ring!" Osric shouted, holding up his hand, the ring flat in his palm. "I don't want it anymore. Just let us go!"

The man directly ahead of him, his face obscured by a deep hood, let out a harsh laugh.

"It's far too late for that, boy. You're coming with us."

He knew they were going to say that. Osric glanced at Talia, saw the fear on her face, and then turned back to the leader. If this was going to end, he could at least save her.

"What about my friend? If I go with you, will you let her go? She has nothing to do with this."

"No. She's seen too much. We know she's been helping you." He jerked his chin at one of his men. "She and the beast go in the ground."

The men started closing in, coming toward them at all sides. Talia pressed up closer to him. Osric slowly reached for his sword, fingers curling around the hilt.

Leaning in close to Talia, he whispered, "When I say run, go. Get to the trees."

She shook her head vehemently. "Osric, no. There's too many. You can't …"

"I'll hold them off as long as I can. You have to get away. Find Elder Miriam, tell her what happened."

Tears streamed down Talia's face but she nodded. Cinder pressed against Osric's leg, a low growl rumbling in his throat as he eyed the advancing men. Osric drew his blade, shifting into the closest thing to a fighting stance he could manage.

"This should be fun," one of the men said, laughing.

Just as the men closed in, a sudden burst of light filled the clearing. A swarm of ethereal, firefly-like creatures emerged from the trees, their soft chime-like voices filling the air. Each one glowed with a gentle, soothing light. The men stumbled back, shielding their eyes from the sudden brightness.

As Osric squinted to see what was happening, several wolves that looked as if they were made from wood melted into view, their eyes glowing an eerie green. They let out haunting howls that seemed to make the very trees tremble. Humanoid figures made entirely of living wood and foliage came running out at their call, followed by a dozen creatures that resembled stags but with human-like proportions standing on two legs bounded into the clearing and then a group of strange, almost shadows.

For a moment, terror flooded into Osric. These were creatures he'd never even imagined in his deepest dream or darkest nightmare, seemingly come to help these men kill his friends and capture Osric.

Or at least, that was the first thought Osric had, seeing the strange and frightening creatures. Until the ethereal fireflies swarmed some of the men, unleashing another blinding flash of light. Several of the men cried out, their hands flying to their eyes as they stumbled about, temporarily blinded. The wooden wolves were right behind the lights, their thorny teeth and claws tearing into the disoriented as they stumbled about, defenseless. Screams of pain filled the air as the wolves brought down four of the pursuers, mawing them, ripping them apart.

The tree-like humanoids raised their arms, and the grass and vines of the clearing surged to life, growing and ensnaring the feet of the men. They struggled against the sudden growth, but the plants held fast, rooting them in place.

Then came the stag people, covering the distance in a few powerful leaps. They lowered their heads, their antlers slashing at the immobilized men. Three more pursuers fell, their blood staining the grass.

Seizing the opportunity, Osric charged forward, his sword flashing in the moonlight. He brought the blade down on one of the few remaining men not hindered by the strange creatures' attacks. The man fell, clutching at his chest.

Talia, not to be outdone, thrust her hands forward, her fingers splayed. Following the path her hands traced, three glowing bolts of arcane energy shot forth, striking another pursuer in the chest. He crumpled to the ground, wisps of smoke rising from his still form.

Cinder leapt at the nearest man, his powerful jaws clamping down on the pursuer's arm. With a vicious twist of his head, Cinder brought the man down, his scream cutting off abruptly as Cinder released his arm and went for the throat.

Only a handful of the men remained standing, and those few were in no condition to fight back effectively. Blinded, entangled, or confused, their attacks were wild and uncoordinated. Osric easily dodged a clumsy sword thrust, while a stag-creature contemptuously batted aside another with its antlers.

The wooden wolves and stag-folk pressed their advantage, and two more men fell beneath their onslaught. Finally, the tree-like people found new targets, attacking again, their powerful fists slamming into the remaining pursuers with the force of falling trees. Bones cracked and bodies crumpled under the assault.

In a matter of moments, only one pursuer remained, stumbling in confusion as a group of the amorphous shadows swarmed around him. He tried to flee, desperate to escape the fate of his compatriots, but there was no escape. The shadow creatures surged forward, enveloping the last man completely. His scream was muffled and cut off as the mass of shadows carried him off, disappearing into the dark embrace of the forest.

As quickly as it had begun, the battle was over. The clearing was still, save for the gentle chiming of the ethereal fireflies and the soft rustle of leaves in the wind. Osric backed up, putting his body between the creatures and Talia.

One of the stag-folk stepped forward, his movements graceful and fluid. He had a lean, muscular torso and powerful deer-like legs covered in soft brown fur. Small antlers protruded from his head above large, expressive amber eyes. He held up his hands in a placating gesture.

"Peace, travelers. You have nothing to fear from us," the stag-man said, his voice rich and melodic.

Osric didn't lower his sword. "Who...what are you? Why did you help us?"

The stag-man smiled. "I am Valen of the Stagfolk. When we sensed the disturbance, we came to investigate. It seems we arrived just in time."

Talia peered around Osric's shoulder.

"I've read about creat … about you. Stagfolk, Briarwolves, Shimmerlings... But I thought you were just myths and legends."

"As you can see, we are quite real. We've been expecting you."

"Us? Why?"

"The sage of the forest told us you were coming, sent us to the border to wait for you."

"The border? The border of what?"

"Avendell, of course," Valen said, smiling.

Osric stared at the deerman in disbelief.

"Avendell? That's impossible. No one goes there. The forest is haunted."

Valen chuckled, a warm and soothing sound. "That's not entirely true. It is not haunted, only protected. Some do come into our borders, if the Veilguard allows them."

Talia stepped out from behind Osric, her curiosity overcoming her fear.

"The Veilguard?"

"That is not for me to tell you. Suffice it to say, they protect Avendell and decide who may enter."

Talia wasn't done, however.

"Why are you taking us to Avendell? I thought spirits could only exist in the mystic forest, how can you be here? Who told you to find us? Who is this sage?" she said in rapid succession, the words tumbling on top of each other.

Valen's musical laughter filled the clearing, his amber eyes sparkling with amusement.

"So many questions, little one. Your curiosity is admirable, but your answers must wait," Valen said, and then cocked his head, staring at her as if he saw her for the first time. "Tell me, did you learn the magics you used before at the conclave?"

Talia hesitated, glancing at Osric before shaking her head.

"No, I didn't. I learned it from … from someone else. Someone who left the conclave before I met her."

Osric thought he saw a flicker of relief cross Valen's face, but it was gone so quickly he couldn't be sure. The stag-man nodded, as if this information confirmed something for him.

"We must make haste, now. There are more of these men in the forest and we cannot stay out of our lands for too long."

"I … can we have a moment?" Osric asked.

"Please hurry," Valen said, striding away from them.

"I don't know about this," Osric whispered to Talia as they stepped away from Valen and the other strange creatures. "Following a bunch of...creatures into a haunted forest doesn't seem like the best idea."

"It's not haunted, it's just magical. Elder Miriam took me to the wall once, to see it. When you get close … the air shimmers with energy. You can feel the magic. Besides, they saved our lives. Those men would have killed us. I think … I think we should trust them."

"Are you sure? Maybe they just want to eat us."

"You saw what they did to those … brethren. If they wanted us dead, there is little we could do to stop it."

"I guess," Osric said.

"You have nothing to fear, young ones," Valen said as they rejoined him and the other stagmen. "Avendell is a place of safety and wonder. You will see."

"Okay.  I'm Osric, this is Talia, and that's Cinder.  I guess we'll go with you."

"It is a pleasure to met you Osric, Talia and Cinder," Valen said, seeming to give an odd smile to Cinder. "Now, we must go. Please follow us."

With that, the stag-man turned and began to walk south, the other creatures falling into step behind him. Osric and Talia exchanged a final glance before following, Cinder trotting at their heels.

After walking through the forest for only a short time, maybe thirty minutes or so, Valen held up a hand, bringing the procession to a halt. Osric tensed, his hand going to his sword hilt. But when he looked ahead, he saw nothing but more forest.

"Why are we stopping?" Osric asked.

"We have arrived," Valen said.

"I don't see anything."

As if in answer, one of the briarwolves stepped forward. As it did, a shimmering blue wall of crackling energy appeared in front of it. Without missing a beat, the animal made of wood and thorns stepped through the blue wall, disappearing from view. Osric blinked, sure his eyes were playing tricks on him. But then a stagfolk followed, and then a tree-person, each one vanishing as it stepped into the shimmering wall.

"It's beautiful," Talia said in a whisper.

"Indeed, it is. The barrier that protects our realm is a wonder to behold."

One by one, the creatures passed through the shimmering wall, disappearing from sight until only Valen remained with Osric and Talia.

"Do not be afraid," he said, his voice gentle. "The barrier will not harm you unless you have ill intent for those on the other side. It is merely a precaution to keep our lands safe."

Osric hesitated, eyeing the crackling energy with apprehension. Talia, however, seemed eager to experience the magic firsthand. She took a step forward, but Osric caught her arm.

"Wait," he said. "Let me go first. Just in case."

Talia opened her mouth to protest, but the look in Osric's eyes made her pause. She nodded, stepping back to allow him to approach the barrier.

Osric took a deep breath, steeling himself, glanced back at Talia, offering her a reassuring smile before turning to face the barrier once more. With a final nod to Valen, Osric stepped forward, passing through the crackling energy. The moment he made contact, a rush of cool water seemed to envelop him, as if he had plunged into a clear, refreshing stream. For a moment, it felt like all of his worries washed away. Like he was at complete peace.

Then, something changed. The cool blue gave way to a bright, vibrant yellow, the energy crackling and sparking intensely. Osric felt a tingling sensation spread across his skin, like the prickle of static electricity. The yellow light then deepened, turning a rich, fiery red that seemed to pulse with an inner life of its own.

As the red light washed over him, Osric felt a sudden, searing heat engulf his body. It was as if his very skin was on fire, the pain intense and all-consuming. He wanted to cry out, but the pain was so overwhelming he couldn't get his mouth to open or air to leave his lungs. He wanted to pull away from the agony, but he found himself frozen in place, unable to move or escape the burning sensation.

And then, just as quickly as the pain had come, it vanished, the red light fading back to the original cool blue, and Osric stumbled forward, out of the barrier into trees and leaves again, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed to the ground, his body trembling from the ordeal.

For a moment, everything went dark, and it felt like he'd fallen into an internal pit, with no sense of time or place. And then the sky and tree canopy were back, and Valen was at his side, kneeling down to check on him. Talia and Cinder came through the barrier behind them, a rapturous expression on her face, until she noticed Osric on the ground with Valen kneeling over him.

In an instant, her expression changed to one of concern as she rushed over and dropped to the ground next to him.

"Osric! Are you alright? What happened?"

Osric nodded, pushing himself up to a sitting position with Talia's help.

"I think so," he said, his voice shaky.

He took a few deep breaths, trying to steady himself before attempting to stand. Talia and Valen each took an arm, helping him to his feet.

Once upright, Osric looked at Talia, his brow furrowed with concern. "Are you alright? Did anything strange happen when you passed through?"

Talia shook her head, her red curls bouncing. "No, I'm fine. It was actually quite pleasant. Like stepping into a cool, refreshing stream on a hot summer day. For a moment, I thought I could see... I don't know. What happened to you? What did you see?"

Osric frowned, trying to find the words to describe the experience. He looked to Valen, who was watching him with a mixture of curiosity and concern.

"I'm not sure. At first, it was like you said. Like stepping into a waterfall. It was cool and refreshing, and for a moment, all my worries just... washed away. But then it changed. The blue light turned yellow, and it started crackling and sparking. And then it turned red, and it... it felt like I was on fire. Like my skin was burning."

"That is very strange," Valen said. "As far as I know, that has never happened before."

Osric looked at the shimmering barrier, then back at Valen. "What does it mean?"

"I do not know. But I will have to tell the sage what happened. He may have some insight."

"You said that name before. Who is the sage?" Talia asked again.

"The Sage is the highest druid in Avendell. He communicates with the Veilguard and decides what happens within the forest."

"You mentioned them before too," Talia said, clearly frustrated.

"I know you have many questions, but I would not be the right person to explain these things. I wish I could help, Talia red-hair, but we stag-folk... we do not delve into the mysteries. It really is best for the sage to explain."

"You said the sage told you about us, but why would he or this Veilguard be interested in us?" Osric asked. "We're just two strangers from a small village."

"Not just any strangers," Valen said. "The Sage told us of two travelers and their companion who would near the border of the forest. He said you were in great danger, and that it was of utmost importance for you to be brought before him."

"He knew we were coming? How?"

Valen shook his head. "The ways of the Sage are not always clear, even to us. But his wisdom is unquestionable. If he says you must come, then it is so."

Osric exchanged a glance with Talia. The idea that someone they'd never met, in a place they'd only heard of in stories, not only knew they were coming but had sent help to save them was as unnerving as it was reassuring.

"Come," Valen said, gesturing further into the forest, away from the glowing wall. "We have a ways to go yet, and the sooner we get to the Grove, the sooner your questions will be answered."

Talia looked as if she might burst with the weight of all of her questions, but Osric knew they'd get no better answers, and would only make it take longer to find out what was happening. Besides, the sooner they got away from the shimmering blue wall, the happier he would be.

"We can wait for answers, I guess," he said, placing a hand on Talia's arm.

She gave him a look that suggested he maybe shouldn't have answered for her, but then she nodded and said, "Okay."

The stag-man nodded, smiling at the byplay, and turned, leading them onward.

As they walked, Osric couldn't help but marvel at the otherworldly beauty of Avendell. From the corner of his eyes, the trees were unlike any he'd ever seen, their trunks shimmering with an inner light, their leaves glowing in hues of gold and silver. When he stopped to look at them directly, however, they looked like normal trees. He didn't know if it was just tired or if it was some kind of magic, but he suspected the latter. Even the very air seemed to hum with energy, that made the hair on his arms stand on end.

Cinder, who had been following close at Osric's heels, suddenly darted ahead, disappearing into the underbrush. Osric called after him, but the wolf did not return.

"Do not worry," Valen said, noticing Osric's concern. "No harm will come to your companion here. The creatures of Avendell know one another."

"He's been here before?" Talia asked, her voice filled with wonder.

Valen nodded. "Many times. He is a friend to the forest, and to the Sage."

Did that mean the Sage knew about the keep? About the document inside? Had the wolf been sent to guide them to it?

With every step, he had more questions. All of which would, frustratingly, have to wait until they got wherever Valen was leading them.