The Southern Crossing
The Jorsawn city square was packed with people, crowded at the foot of the gallows. Some were shouting and weeping, others were standing motionless as they stared.
"People of Kenwor!" called a Stormheild general standing atop the gallows. "What awaits before you, is rebirth. Rebirth under the guidance of the Gods, and their divine messenger King Durvann!"
Nearly thirty elves and a handful of alleged sorcerers awaited to be hung. Both men, women and children. They were not squirming in fear, and they were not weeping or shouting for mercy. They simply awaited their death in silence, with a cold neutral expression upon their faces.
"Thirty shall be hung today, then thirty again tomorrow and every day after! Together, we will wipe the blasphemous vermin off the streets. Together, we shall return the Realms of Man to its natural state, clean of elvish filth and devoid of sorcery!"
"You bastards!" called an elderly man from out the crowd, "Damn you's to The Black!" The soldiers grabbed him, dragged him up onto the gallows and placed a noose around his neck.
"You will join them, then, along with those who choose to follow in your way," said the general.
"Kill me then, you bastard! Kill me, and all the rest! Make a martyr of me, and everyone who's got the courage to stand against you's! Damn you Schjolhiem whoresons to The Black, I say! Damn you's!"
The general pulled the lever, and the ropes immediately fell; all dropping at the same time with a crack of lighting as thirty necks snapped in unison. The lifeless body's dangled from the ropes, lightly swaying underneath the gallows. The crowd erupted into chaos. Mourning, fear, and anger took hold, along with the applause of those who celebrated the killings.
Valeria rested in a small, wooden cabin beyond the city walls of the Kenwor capital, Jorsawn. Her daughter Lilliana, no older than five lay by her side, staring at the flickering fireplace across the bed. She looked out the window, and a light snow could be seen falling down and resting on the pine trees outside. Valeria placed her daughter on the floor by the fire, then rolled over on the bed, positioning herself comfortably and brushing her soft blonde hair behind her angular elvish ears. The snow began to fall harder, and the sound of wind whistled through the logs of the cabin.
Jack busted through the cabin door, nearly knocking it off its hinges. "Hide!" he demanded as he slammed the door shut.
"What's going on?" asked Valeria worried.
Jack stomped across the cabin floor, leaving tufts of fresh snow in his trail. He hastily searched the cabin, checking closets and behind furniture.
"Jack! What's going on?" she asked again.
"You and Lilliana need to hide, now."
"Why? What's happened?"
Lilliana looked to her mother. "Mommy?" she asked, confused and scared.
"Take care of her," said Jack, "Keep her silent."
"Jack!" shouted Valeria, "Tell me what's happened!"
Jack grabbed her by her shoulders. "Jorsawn's been taken. They're hanging elves; woman and children."
Valeria was in shock. "By the Gods."
Lilliana began to cry.
"Keep her silent!" yelled Jack.
Valeria rushed to her daughter, cradling her and comforting her with soft whispers. A great gust of wind rattled the cabin, filling it with a cold breeze. The snow was falling much harder now.
Jack reached for his axe hanging on the wall. He lifted it into the air, then swung it down into the wooden floor. He repeatedly hacked at the planks until a small, rugged hole was made in the floor. There was a narrow crawl space beneath the cabin, no taller than three feet. "Hide in here," he said.
Valeria rushed to the crawl space with Lilliana in her arms. She placed her daughter onto the cold dirt floor, then tightly squeezed under herself. "Jack…" she said, looking up from under the floorboards.
"Keep her safe." He placed his axe back on its stand, then grabbed the old rug laying by the bed and tossed it over the makeshift hole. He sat at the table, fist's clenched upon it.
Jack waited in silence. All that could be heard was the winter wind howling outside, and the crackle of the fireplace filling the cabin with a warm glow. The sun had nearly set outside when Jack saw a Stormheild on the snow covered roads. He approached the cabin, revealing himself to be a middle aged man, armed and dressed in a general's outfit. He knocked at the door.
Jack got up from the table and opened the door.
"Hello! I am general Asger," he said as he was welcomed into the cabin, quickly escaping the cold outside and closing the door behind him. An icy chill filled the room, as snow landed at the foot of the door. "I am here to do a very brief inspection, if you don't mind."
"Inspection?"
"Yes, for any things of elvish origin, or items that possess arcane properties. Strictly forbidden things under King Durvann's rule."
"Nothing of that sort, here."
General Asger looked across the cabin. "Do you mind if I take a seat, Mr…?"
"Jack is fine. And yes, make yourself comfortable."
"Thank you, Jack." He brushed his boots off, then walked across the cabin and took a seat at the table. "This is wonderful place you have here," he said as he inspected the cabin, eyes rapidly moving to each corner, then back to Jack. "Well beyond the city walls, away from all the exhausting nonsense and politics that are the foundation of city life, it seems," he laughed.
"Thank you," Jack said as he took a seat at the table, sitting across from Asger.
Asger removed his generals cap, placing it next to him on the table. "In reply to your statement regarding there being 'nothing of that sort' in your lovely homestead, I must say that when that phrase or any synonym of it is spoken, it is precisely what those who are hiding nothing of that sort sayupon my eventual arrival." He lightly spread both hands onto the table, and gave a friendly smile. "Now that is not to discredit you in any way, of course. So far I am glad to inform you, Jack, that I possess no suspicion of anything of the such; it is simply that those who partake in criminal activity are seldom keen on admitting to their crimes, and are incredibly unlikely to openly reveal the elves they have hidden beneath their floorboards, and books of sorcery stashed away in their homes upon my asking them. If they did, there would hardly be an open position for a job such as my own."
Jack remained silent. The room had grown colder since the general's arrival, and the storm had worsened outside.
"So you see," he continued, "My duty is necessary solely because of untrustworthy people. I have no doubt that you are indeed not one of those people; but until we live in a world free of dishonest men and filled exclusively with those who uphold virtue without falter, my duty cannot rely on words of assurance - despite how honest their character may appear to me."
"I understand."
"That I am glad to hear!" he said joyfully with a great smile upon his face. A moment of silence passed as Asger looked across the cabin again, to the fire pit. "Your fires gone dim," he said staring at the small, lifeless flame struggling to rise against the charred wood.
Jack went to get up from the table, but was insisted to say seated by Asger, "Oh, no, no, allow me to tend to the flame!" He arose from the chair, then knelt by the fire. "I do somewhat envy this lifestyle. I can see myself in a place not unlike this, spending my later years sitting outside amongst the trees, breathing in the scent of pine," he shifted the logs, then placed a fresh piece of wood in, "fixing up a fire for the winter months, sitting by its warmth. Then as everyone else does, I will die in bed peacefully, in a place all too similar to this I can only hope."
Jack remained silent as Asger placed another log on the flame, prodding the fire with a cast iron rod. The room grew warmer as the fire rose again, brightly flickering and casting wavering shadows upon the stacked log walls. The sun had fully set outside.
Asger brushed his hands together. "But alas, I am left with only the briefest of moments to live that life." The general took a seat. "So I must take these small opportunities when I can, as a guest in your home." He looked out into the cold night through the window, then shifted his gaze to the carpet Jack had thrown over the makeshift hole. "That is a beautiful carpet - I know good tailorship when I see it."
Jacks heart began rapidly pounding in his chest. He maintained control of his fear, tightly clenching his hands together beneath the table. "Thank you. It was made by my wife."
"Is she out?"
"She died a year prior," he lied, as he felt as though his entire stomach was beating along with his heart, adrenaline coursing through his body.
"I'm terribly sorry to hear that. It is lovely work; reminds me of the work of my own dear mother, Gods rest her soul." He pulled out a small, ornate handkerchief from his coat pocket. "This was gifted to me before her passing."
"Your mother was a tailor?"
"Indeed she was, an excellent one at that. I never took up the craft myself, but I picked up an admiration for it, along with more an understanding than most. Your wife was very skilled as well, from what I see." He carefully folded the delicate material, placing it neatly back into his pocket. Wind rattled the cabin as the now blizzard raged outside in the dark, pines swinging in the icy wind.
Asger stood up from the table, picked up his cap and placed it back on his head. "I do thank you for allowing me into your beautiful home, Jack. Normally I would not leave quite this soon, but I have no reason to expect a criminal of you, and if I don't leave soon I'll be walking back to Jorsawn knee deep in snow."
"Your company's been a pleasure," said Jack relieved, loosening up his tense muscles aching from the immense stress.
"As was yours to mine!" The general walked towards the door, halted, then turned to face Jack again with a somewhat shy grin. "Do you mind if I see the carpet before I leave? It is not terribly often I get to admire such excellent tailorship."
Jack became nearly paralyzed in fear, unable to speak. His heart palpitated in his chest, rapidly vibrating.
"Do you mind?" he asked again.
"Of course not," Jack said, stumbling over his words.
Asger brightly smiled, walking towards the rug. He stood above it observing the details. "The patterns are simplistically beautiful. I take it your wife had a fondness for Reldenian tapestry?"
Jack wanted to reply, but his mouth remained shut.
Asger reached down to lift the rug.
"Perhaps you shouldn't touch it!" shouted Jack, breaking his calm.
"Why not?" he asked, slightly offended, "I can't fully appreciate it standing above, staring at it like a painting in a gallery. That is the prime difference between the two art forms – the ability to admire the feeling and intricacies of the material, don't you agree?" He reached down to lift it again.
"Leave it," demanded Jack.
Asger narrowed his eyes, and ignored Jacks request. He pushed the carpet to the side, revealing the makeshift hole beneath the floorboards. "Good evening," he said cheerfully, staring down at Valeria's exposed legs.
Jack shot up from the chair, knocking it over and sending the table spinning off its legs. He charged at Asger, sprinting across cabin. Asger pulled out a small dagger concealed in his coat, sticking it into Jacks left shoulder as he tackled him and threw the general into a wooden cabinet behind. The cabinet splintered and caved in as bits of glass bowls and plates shattered inside, scattering across the floor.
Jack roared in pain; the dagger was deeply planted in his flesh. Asger jumped at Jack, grabbed hold of the knife and twisting it inside his wound, bringing Jack to howl in agony. Jack shoved Asger off, then threw a wide punch at him. The general dodged the lumbering strike and smashed his fist against Jacks skull, knocking his head back and sending him tumbling across the room.
Lilliana was crying from beneath the floor.
"Hello, little one!" said Asger, blood dripping from his smiling mouth.
Jack roared in anger, lifting the chair off the ground and breaking it over Asger. He grabbed the general, dragged him across the cabin and thrusted his head against the glass window. The glass shattered, and freezing wind immediately filled the cabin as snow fell through from outside. Jack repeatedly bashed the generals head against the window frame, cutting it on the jagged protrusions of glass. Asger broke free from Jacks hold, lost his footing and stumbled across the cabin, landing on the bed. His face was slashed and torn from the glass, covered in blood; but his bright grin remained visible. Jack lifted the axe from the wall and walked towards the general.
The general began to laugh, coughing up blood. "Look what has happened to your lovely home!"
Jack swung the axe down, deeply planting it into Asgers stomach. The generals smile disappeared as his eyes lost focus and body loosened, resting against the bed.
Jack sluggishly approached the hole in the floor, lifting out his wife and daughter. He held Lilliana in his arms, covering her eyes. He looked to Valeria. "We are leaving." Jack strapped his axe on his belt, placed Liliana on his shoulders then left the cabin. They ran through the dark and the snow, surrounded by forest. Jack did not know where exactly he was headed, but he knew he must cross the border into Joutunwell. He knew he must head south.
They trudged through the forest along the snow covered path. The snowfall had calmed down by morning, but the air remained sharply cold. Lilliana was propped up onto Jacks shoulder, and Valeria followed close beside. They traversed an old stone bridge, across a river completely frozen over with ice. They continued until the afternoon, stopping for something to eat once the snowfall had completely ceased and the air had warmed. Valeria picked berries with Liliana, as Jack planned where they would go.
"Look daddy!" called Liliana, basket filled with berries in hand, running through the snow. Valeria followed behind.
Jack was sitting on a log, looking at the map he had stuffed in his pocket before they left. Lilliana hopped on the log next to him, spilling a few berries out from the basket
"Look!" she said again.
Jack continued staring at the map. "We cannot survive off berries."
Valeria gave Jack a disapproving glare, then sat next to her daughter.
"But this is a good start," he said as warmly as he could, reaching into the basket and pulling out a handful of fresh blackberries and blueberries.
Jack put away the old, frayed map. "We are going to a town called Kalren, in Joutunwell. It's a day's journey to the border, and another day to reach the town. We'll be safe there."
"For how long?" asked Valeria, "The Shjolhiem took Kenwor in less than a week, they could be in Joutunwell any day now, then Treane, then the entire continent…"
"Then we will go to Relden, and from there we will sail east into Boshar, or south into Eifenhiem. I do not know how long we will be safe in Joutunwell, or who we can trust – but we can't stay here."
"Daddy? Can we go to the Svelien forest in Eifenhiem?"
"I do not know where we will go."
"We can see the big trees, and purple grass!"
"Remain focused on where we are heading now. Concern yourself only with what is most important, not future things, or uncertain things."
Valeria Suddenly began to cough hoarsely, "I'm fine," she said between coughing, "It's just the cold air. Hard to breathe."
"Are you sick?" asked Lilliana.
She hesitated for a moment, then replied, "Yes – only a little though. Don't worry, Lilly." She coughed again, much harder.
Lilliana looked worried. "Are you sure you're not too sick?"
"She's fine," said Jack, "Do not worry for your mother."
They continued south, following the forest path. The snow began to fall again, and the winds whistled through the forest. As evening drew closer, the temperature dropped. The path became unclear as the snow built up again, and the sun dimmed above the trees. Jack was following only his compass, pointed south. The blizzard had returned come nightfall, a thick veil of white snow hanging in the air, wildly shaking the trees. Jack removed Lilliana from his shoulders, placing her in front of him and wrapping the inside of his coat around her as he fought against the wind
Valeria stood behind Jack. "We need to find shelter, Jack, we'll freeze!"
"I know!" he shouted against the roaring wind, and the sound of trees snapping and twisting. His hands had lost their feeling, and his nose and ears felt as though they had left his face. Valeria dropped to her knees, sinking into the snow as she coughed and hacked, struggling for breath.
"Valeria!" Jack lifted her up with is left arm, still sheltering Lilliana with his right. They pushed forward until Jack spotted a small wooden shack in the distance. They ran through the forest, fighting against the deep snow and powerful blasts of wind carrying chunks of ice.
They burst into the shack and were immediately relieved of the icy wind; the place was small, and mostly empty. Old crates lay scattered in the corner, and a small central fire pit openly sat, filled with charred logs. The right half of the roof was caved in, snow falling down and landing on the rubble below. It wasn't ideal, but it was better than freezing to death outside. Jack sat his wife and daughter at the base of the fire. He tore down old curtains hanging on the walls, and placed them around their shoulders. "I'll be back," Jack said as he exited the shack and slammed the door behind him. Lilliana and Valeria could hear the sound of an axe striking a tree outside amongst the vicious winds, followed by a crack and a whip as the tree hit the ground. Jack entered the shack again with a handful of freshly cut logs, and quickly fixed up a fire in the open pit.
They huddled by the fire, arms extended over it as they warmed their freezing body's. They sat together in silence listening to the crackle of the fire, barely audible amongst the blizzard while they watched the snow pour through the caved in roof. They sat for an hour shivering in the cold, but no longer freezing. Suddenly the snow stopped falling through the roof, and the wind completely stopped outside as the crackle of the fire grew twice as loud.
"Look," said Lilliana, staring out the caved in roof at the stars above, now clearly visible in the night sky. "Which ones are which again, mommy?"
Valeria held her daughter close, "See the bright purple one, right there? That is Kara, Goddess of love. And right next to her is Hasengaurd."
"And which is that, the blue one?" she pointed.
"That is Juras, Goddess of the ocean."
"And the green one?"
"Bora, God of nature…"
"And king of the Gods," she said, proud that she had known that detail.
"Yes, to the elves. And to men the king is Areyu, the sun."
Lilliana remained silent, staring in wonder. "Which is your favorite, mommy?"
Valeria smiled, and softly laughed, "I don't think you're supposed to have favorites, Lilly."
"No?"
Valeria brushed her hand over Lilliana's hair. "But if I were to have a favorite, I would say the moon Goddess, Freidas."
"Why?"
Valeria thought for a moment, gazing up at the silver moon resting just above the tall pines. She observed the fine details and shadings. "She's the closest to us," she finally said. "The Gods are so far away, but she stays in our night sky. She isn't shy of us, and offers what little light she can spare in our darkest times."
Jack did not look up at the stars. He sat still, eyes locked on the fire watching the flames curl and lap over another.
Valeria suddenly began to cough again. "I'm alright," she said, placing her hand over her mouth and turning her head away from Lilliana. She continued hoarsely coughing.
"Allow your mother to rest!" said Jack coldly, "She must sleep if she wishes to get better."
"Its fine," Valeria said out of breath with a hoarse voice, "I'm fine Lilly, it's okay. Fathers right, let's get some rest." She laid on the floor, wrapping her arms around her daughter. Lilliana quickly fell asleep in her embrace.
Jack still sat at the fire. "You've gotten worse," he said once Lilliana was sound asleep.
"I know," Valeria replied, "The current situation isn't helping much."
"Once we get to Joutunwell, we will find a warm place. There will be medicine, and good food."
"Yes," she said tiredly, "That will be nice."
"You and Lilliana will be safe. I will keep her safe."
"I know you will, Jack."
Lilliana's soft breathing filled the silence of the night, as Valeria felt her heart beating pressed closely against her.
Jack and Lilliana stood before a wide, flowing stream. The shack they had spent the night in was behind them, atop the blindingly bright snow reflecting the morning sun.
"Hand me my axe, Lilliana."
She lifted it off a stump with both her hands, handing it to Jack without a word.
Jack gripped the wooden shaft below the head of the axe, then dragged it down a wide birch tree, tearing an uneven line in the bark. He grabbed the bark at the rugged incision, then tore a large sheet of white birch off the tree. He did this three more times, stacking each sheet at the base of the stream. Lilliana silently watched her father.
"That will do," Jack said. He lifted the body and placed it on the sheets of birch.
They stood silently for a moment; Jack looking deeply into the river, and Lilliana looking down at her mother resting atop the birch. Jack placed his hands at the edge of the raft, then pushed it down onto the flowing water.
Lilliana began to sob. She ran into her father, tears soaking into his jacket. Jack held his daughter, wrapping her in his arms tightly as he knelt down in the snow. He gently placed his hands behind her head, softly pressing the side of his face against hers. Jack comforted his daughter for the first time in a long while, as the water lapped beside them and the snow coated pines gently waved in the early morning air above.
They continued on through the forest, following the compass south without the aid of any path. The forest grew denser the deeper they went, as large formations of rock appeared, and tall vertical cliffs extended from out the ground. Lilliana followed closely beside Jack, and did not speak a single word. Jack did not attempt to speak to her - he wanted to, but couldn't seem to find anything to say worth breaking silence.
Lilliana suddenly spoke after hours of quietness, "Are we nearing the border?"
"Yes," Jack was relieved that she had finally spoken, despite how standard her question had been, "Only two hours till we cross into Joutunwell."
"And then to the town?"
"Another day's journey after we cross the border."
Lilliana sighed.
Jack feared that would be the last he would hear from her for the rest of the journey. A moment of silence passed. "Do you know where we will go once we are safe?"
She shook her head.
"I cannot say when, but once we are completely safe I will take us to see the Svelien Forest in Eifenhiem."
"Really?" she happily lit up.
"Yes. You may be older, but if you still wish to go there I will take you – to see the big trees, and purple grass."
"But you said not to concern with…"
"I know what I said, Lilliana. And I hold by it, with this being the only exception. I will take us there, if it is reasonably possible of me to do so."
Lilliana jumped in excitement. She had always wanted to visit the nearly mythical Svelien forest of western Eifenhiem. She often asked her mother questions of the place, and often asked her father if they could one day visit; he always replied with a no. 'tourism is for politicians and the wealthy' he would say, 'and briefly for soldiers, before they destroy the site on orders given by the politicians and funded by the wealthy.' Perhaps Jack still believed this, but he also believed in his promise to Lilliana. He meant what he said.
"How will we get there?" she asked.
"By boat."
Lilliana joyously laughed. "Yes, I know that! But where will we get the boat, and when will we leave?"
Jack did not realize how much he wanted to hear his daughter laugh. A faint grin formed on his rugged, unshaven face. "I am not sure. But when I can, and if you have not grown too old to care about the place, I will find a way eventually."
"I will still want to go, even when I am as old as you!"
Jack laughed, "Then you can bring me there, in my old age."
They continued south. The tone of the journey was much warmer, as Lilliana casually spoke along the way as she had before, pointing out little things and occasionally humming a tune. Jack did not always have something to say, but hearing his daughter filled him with comfort.
The sun had begun to set. The howl of a wolf echoed in the distance, followed by another. Jack looked to a large mound of terrain to the right of him, and saw the vague outline of the wolfs on top. He counted at least six, then saw the light grey colour of their fur. The beasts were much larger than any common wolf, as they were not wolves; they were jundrel, mutated, lethal canines possessing great senses and speed. More jundrels appeared on top the mound, creating a symphony with their howling. They shot down the hill, barking and yelping wildly as they approached Jack and Lilliana.
Jack lifted Lilliana onto his shoulders, and sprinted through the forest. He crossed through the bushes and the thicket, cutting through thorns that tore up his flesh as he dodged trees, and jumped over small rocks. The jundrels shortened their distance between them, quickly catching up.
Jack halted at the base of a small ravine, left by an old stream that dried out years prior. "Hold on!" he shouted to Lilliana on his shoulders. She tightly held on to her father's shoulders as he jumped the gap. Jack continued to speed through the thicket and the snow, briefly looking behind him to spot the jundrels; they effortlessly crossed the ravine one by one, swiftly jumping over without losing speed. The beasts were just behind Jack now, and began to circle him on the sides surrounding him with vicious barking at every angle. Night had fallen, and Jack could barely see where he was going in dark.
He stopped at the base of a large tree, and lifted Lilliana onto a sturdy branch, high enough to avoid the reach of the jundrels. "Don't move!" he demanded. Jack pulled his axe from his belt, and planted it into the skull of the first beast, killing it instantly. Two more rushed at him; he slashed at the first one as the second bit deeply into his shin, thrashing its head back and forth. Jack swung his axe into the Jundrels back, then turned around and hacked at another. A jundrel jumped at him from behind, scratching its claws down his back, then another came from the side, biting into his left arm. Jack swung his arm, tossing the beast off. He wildly slashed at the pack of jundrels that now encircled him, striking down multiple as he roared at the beasts. He was bitten again, then again at his legs, and crumbled to his knees. His legs had become mangled flesh, and his arms and body were covered with deep slashes and incisions. He swung his axe once more while on his knees, sinking into the snow. He fell over on his back as the jundrels ran off into the night, disappearing behind the trees.
Lilliana stared down at her father. She hopped down from the tree, and knelt down beside him. "Daddy…" she said.
Jack struggled to breathe. He grasped his daughter's hand, blood from his own sinking into her palm. "South," he said, "Go south, cross the border. It's not far now." He handed her a bloodied compass with his other hand. "Find the other elves, let them keep you safe."
"I can't," she sobbed, "Not without…"
"You must! Follow the compass south, Lilliana." Jack coughed, blood pouring out from his mouth. "I love you, Lilly." Jacks raspy breathing ceased, and his body relaxed against the snow as the moon watched them from above, glowing in the night sky.