Chapter 9: Nerghain on Fire

The next hour flew quickly for them all, as Ari fixed them up some food, and rummaged around her back room, picking up supplies they might need on their journey, food, fireweed for Vervada, a bit of coin, along with new clothes for Phineas. Ari pulled out a rough tunic and pants, thrusting them toward Phineas. When questioned, Ari said, "You look like a son of an earl, which you are, but you must blend in with the common folk if you are to make it to Palancar Valley without a problem."

Once they had everything in the saddlebags, Varen cast the spell of invisibility on Vervada again, and the rode off, out of Dras-Leona to the North. Once they were outside the walls, Varen veered away from the main road, taking them some miles from it before continuing North again. When Phineas asked about it, Varen just mentioned that to avoid suspicion from Vervada, they needed to stay away from civilization as much as possible.

And so the days continued. The training started slow, as Varen started with much more talking about history rather than into more technical aspects like magic and fighting. The bore of the lessons angered Phineas, but he dare not speak up about it to Varen to save him from humiliation like when he tried fighting Varen.

Vervada went through a growth spurt. When they had left Dras-Leona, she was only as long from snout to tail as Phineas' arm from fingers to elbow. But, she doubled and then tripled in size. By the time a week had passed from leaving Dras-Leona, she had grown to ten feet long, and she was as tall as Phineas was too his stomach. She frequently hunted, flying over the plains looking for young deer to eat. Varen no longer had to use the invisibility spell on her, as she could now simply fly above them without difficulty.

Their relationship also deepened, as Phineas began to instruct her in grammar and words, and she was soon able to understand and respond in full sentences. Since Phineas had some experience with a bow, he practiced whenever he could, even beginning to hunt on his own.

When a week had past, they angled back west, and soon found themselves at the northern tip of Leona Lake at dusk, camping on its eastern edge where it met the mouth of the eastern Toark river. Phineas looked out over the Toark River to see the friendly lights of the village of Nerghain, flickering in the distance. He wondered if the extra camp of soldiers that the King had sent had arrived. He tried not to think about it, and instead fell asleep.

Phineas. Wake up. Came a voice. He rolled over, thinking he was dreaming. It came again, this time stronger. Phineas, you and Veran must wake up. I sense danger. Again, he ignored it, forcing himself to fall deeper into sleep. WAKE UP! This time, the voice was strong, and he jolted up from his sleep in surprise to see Vervada staring at him.

Was that you? He asked Vervada.

Of course it was. You have a head of rock to continue sleeping.

Veran was awake as well, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. It was still dark, and the fire had begun to smolder, hot coals still glowing in the ashes. "What is it?" he asked. "I heard Vervada's voice. We must find out what danger she senses."

Look across the river, she said. Phineas and Veran followed her gaze, until they saw Nerghain. There was a intense flickering light coming from it, even stronger than they had seen when they went to bed. It seemed to dance and waver in the sky. Phineas and Veran knew what it was. Fire.

"What do you think is happening?" Phineas asked.

"I know not," Veran replied, "but, I must go figure this out. I will assist if necessary." He hurriedly belted on his sword, throwing his bow and quivers over his back.

"I'm coming with you," Phineas stated, reaching for his own sword.

"No. That is out of the question," Veran denied. "You are much too important yet inexperienced to be of help here. If fighting is involved, you would be injured or killed to quickly. I cannot allow that."

"But…"

"Phineas. You must trust me. If I am not back at dawn, I want you to ride to Teirm, look for Angela's Apothecary. There is someone there will be able to help you. Under any circumstances, do not come after me. Is that understood?"

"Yes Veran." Phineas put his sword down, defeated.

"Keep my steed with you. I do not want it getting spooked and throw off my balance if I have to fight." And with that, he ran off into the night, crossing the bridge with led across the Toark River toward Nerghain.

The wait was frustrating. Each minute went by in excruciating slowness, as he paced back and forth across their camp, impatiently waiting for Varen to return with news. The dust spilled upward every time his foot stepped down. This is impossible. I can't just wait around while Varen is doing gods know what in the village! He said.

Phineas, we must be patient. Varen is an elf, skilled in magic and combat. He will do ok I believe. Vervada replied.

But he could be killed or worse! Why hasn't he taught me to fight yet?

I do not know. But, the fact that he hasn't means that you aren't ready. I am still small for a dragon. I cannot fight

Screw this. I'm going after him.

Vervada growled. I won't allow you to be killed!

Then help me. You can fly, provide surveillance in the air for me. See if you can see Veran. I'll stay out of any danger until then. Phineas said, grabbing his bow and sword. He threw the saddle on Fury's back and climbed on.

Very well. But stay back until I tell you. Vervada took to the skies. She was still small, but the wind of her wings buffeted him with strong gusts. Phineas nudged Fury into a gallop, and they raced across the bridge toward Nerghain.

Details started to become clearer as he neared the outskirts. He saw that the fire only was on the western edge, toward the Spine. But the eastern portions of town were desolate, as if abandoned. The citizens must've been hiding out in their cellars, scared to death of the roaring fire and possible fighting. Vervada! What do you see? He called out.

I can't see Varen yet, but I do see bodies in the town scattered about. There was a fight of some kind here. A group of soldiers is marching into the Spine as we speak. She replied, slightly uneasy.

Fury seemed a bit nervous, but Phineas pushed forward until they reached the town's limits, and continued the gallop toward the fire. He stopped near the center of town, just out of reach as flames were engulfing a building not fifty yards from where he was. Anything yet? He called out again.

It's hard to see anyt…. There! I see him! He's in combat with some enemy! I cannot make out who he's fighting, but be careful! She sent him an image through the smoke, and he could see from her perspective of two figures fighting through the streets. He made a mental note of the location, and charged forward, ignoring Fury's fearful braying. He coughed through the smoke as he wound different corners, almost getting lost in the blaze. He pulled out his bow and nocked an arrow to be ready for whatever happened.

He rounded another corner and locked in intense combat was Varen and a massive urgal. The fight bode badly for Varen, as he was on the defensive too much. He was much faster than the urgal, but the urgal outmatched in everything else.

All fear left Phineas. He charged toward the pair, pulling the string back on his bow, aiming it for the Urgal. His rage focused him, and then a phrase jumped into his head, a true phrase, he focused on it with all his might, shouting "Oro Deyja!"

Phineas yelped as his brain felt a significant pain, but the arrow fired from his bow, at an alarming speed, faster than he thought possible, slamming into the side of the Urgal's helm, through its skull, and out the other side, burying itself into the door of a building on fire. The urgal stood for a second, then fell over, dead before it hit the ground. Phineas leaned over Fury, as a newfound exhaustion came over him, and his breath came in short gasps

Varen yelled his name but he could barely hear it. He slowly pulled himself up off of Fury's back. He took a step and vomited onto the ground. Varen ran over to him, blood coming from a wound on his arm. "What are you doing here?" he yelled.

"I came here to see if you were ok," Phineas said weakly through a fit of coughs.

"That was foolish and dangerous. Come, we have to leave the area now! More will be coming soon! We will speak about this insolence when we are safe."

Adrenaline seeped back into Phineas as Varen jumped onto Fury behind him. He pressed Fury back into a run, and they left the town the way they came. They didn't stop until they were clear of the town and back across the Toark river to their campsite. Vervada was just landing as they arrived. What happened? She asked.

I did something. I'm not sure what.

"We need to leave this campsite now. We cannot stay here. Grab your things and let us be off." Varen commanded. Phineas weakly complied, storing everything in the saddlebags and smothering the remnants of the fire. "I know you're exhausted, and we shall talk when we escape from here, but now we must ride."

They climbed onto the horses and rode off quickly like ghosts in the night.

Oro Deyja= Death Arrow

Hope you guys liked it! This was one of my favorite chapters to write (even though some of my better ones are still to come).

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