Chapter 24

Year 163 – Summer – Quartus Mensis – 42nd day

Velika Forest, northern Vale

Among the sound of the clashing steel and the scream of anger and suffering coming from the horizon, a little sapling was trying to grow between the trees of the dense forest. It was fighting the wind and the dry weather when suddenly, a group of men came from the east, running to the west and breaking apart all its future hope as they crushed it with their feet.

Atilos – “Keep moving. We need to find Mundric and get out of here before House Valmai finds us.”

Danovic – “Did you all see that preacher of Ira Arcum?”

Atilos – “Yeah, war paint and no helmet. Now I know why they call him the Bear.”

Ludek – “I wonder if it really was a good idea to make Roberht die.”

Atilos – “Roberht had to die. His death was a stone in the water. It will cause ripples that will serve our interest.”

Ludek – “But–”

Silas – “Are you doubting Atilos’s judgement?”

Danovic – “He’s not. He’s just scared of that preacher of Ira Arcum. You know he’s loyal.”

Atilos – “A single arrow will always rule even the mightiest. That preacher is no reason to be afraid.”

Silas – “PEOPLE AHEAD!”

Not far in front of them was a group of 16 soldiers waiting near a large rock. When Atilos and his group arrived, the others seemed uneasy.

Atilos – “Mundric’s not here?”

One soldier – “Not yet, it’s the retreat point; we heard an enemy horn, so we came back here.”

Atilos – “Yeah, we heard it, too, and rushed the camp, but when we arrived, it was too late. It was being raided by about 400 men, and they had a preacher of Ira Arcum with them.”

The soldier – “What?”

Atilos – “I said that–”

The soldier– “I know what you said, but I mean . . . Shouldn’t they be all dead?”

Atilos – “I know. We need to find Mundric. You’ll stay here with half of my men; I’ll try to find Mundric and come back here.”

When Atilos was about to leave, Mundric and some of his men arrived at the retreat area.

Mundric – “Atilos? What are you doing here?”

Atilos – “We don’t have time. Where are the rest of your soldiers? We need to leave. Now!”

The two men looked at each other in the eyes for a second. Mundric calmed his breathing and spoke again.

Mundric – “Have you been followed?”

Atilos – “No, but they are close.”

Mundric – “I’ll wait for my people to come, so explain yourself.”

Atilos – “Have you heard the horn?”

Mundric – “Yeah.”

Atilos – “We were scouting and heard it coming from the west, so we rushed to the camp. However, when we arrived, we saw House Valmai. They were close to 400 in size.”

Mundric – “So, you let Roberht die and came to see me?”

Atilos – “They had a preacher of Ira Arcum. He shredded a dog head in half with his bare hands.”

Mundric looked at him with confusion.

Silas – “Hey, there’s smoke coming from the south. What happened?”

All of them turned around to see the large smoke hovering in the sky.

Mundric – “They are really going all out.”

Atilos – “Is that your doing?”

Mundric – “Why would I do this? Now we will have to deal with a forest fire before we siege Avem, and if Velika Forest burns, the Vale will be worthless!”

At that moment, the rest of Mundric’s soldiers arrived. Among them were the three who saw the oil.

Mundric – “We are going north to find Egmond; we need to report the fire.”

Balys – “The fire?”

Mundric – “There’s a forest fire in the south; it might delay the siege if the rain doesn’t fall.”

Meric – “SHIT! I knew we should have cleared the oil with dirt.”

Atilos – “What do you mean?”

Mundric – “Meric, do you have something to do with this fire?”

Meric – “We saw a bunch of oil lying around in the south.”

Sigita – “If we’re going, where’s Roberht?”

Mundric – “He’s dead.”

Atilos – “We need to leave now! We’ll have time to talk on the way. Let’s start walking.”

Mundric – “Alright. We are leaving!”