Chapter 8: The Lonesome Road
The barbarians trained around them, as they observed.
Each had their own style. Blunt, ruthless, and conniving, but each unique.
They had set up camp for the night. Azrael and his army had been traveling toward Etheros all week, but now they stopped to rest.
"You didn't need to make them feel that." Rhizan stated, arms folded. "They are already savages. Swords for hire. They need no extra motivation."
Azrael looked up at them, his eyes passing from man to man, as they yelled out and swung at each other with jagged swords.
"Even the lowest, most violent feel fear." He stated, turning to look at the commander. "They fear death. Imprisonment."
"Pain." Rhizan added. "And you gave them pain. What if it makes them weaker?"
"It won't." Azrael replied. "I gave them our pain. The pain of loss. Of...true agony turning into white hot rage." He turned to see Talon training with his swords in the corner. His eyes tracking his young assassin's movements with pride. Admiration.
"Rage is stronger than fear. You should know this to have survived as many wars as you have, Rhizan." He held up his dark colored orb. "The more of our pain I feed to them...the more rage they will feel. They will be stronger."
Rhizan nodded, bowing slightly. Eyes still examining the mage carefully.
"I apologize for questioning you, my king."
Azrael waved his hand as he hid the orb within his cloak.
"I will allow it this once. Only one in this camp is allowed to question my actions Rhizan. And it is not you."
Talon walked over to them, eyes narrowed.
"I see them clearly once again." He declared, a look of intense focus on his face. "I see our people. As the elves left them. It...it is excruciating to think of them."
"But you must. You must remember them." Azrael commanded, holding his shoulder firmly. "It is your duty to them, as it is mine. Remember them always. Keep that pain. Keep that rage. Keep their love in your heart. And remember...all who we strike down allowed it to happen."
Talon nodded firmly.
"I am ready now, my king." He stated.
"Good. Go to Etheros. Make sure they're...well prepared." Azrael said, his damaged face turning upward into a jagged smirk. "Borvir will meet us there, once they are ready to receive us."
"Azrael?" Rayla asked. "And I thought our names got a bit outta hand."
"They can." Callum replied, scratching his chin. "Never as crazy as dragon names though. Did you know Thunder's real name was Avizandum? Like...geez."
"I knew that." Ezran replied nonchalantly. He frowned. "You guys didn't? Oh right. Zym told me."
"Yeah, not everybody here speaks dragon, Ez. That's your thing." Callum said, kicking at his feet.
"What else did Corvus tell you?" Rayla asked, leaning in.
Ezran shrugged.
"Not much. He's a battlemage. Started a lot of wars. Hurt a lot of people. Probably not alive anymore, but just in case he is, he wanted me to be on guard for him."
"Why didn't he tell me?!" Rayla demanded. "Since I'm, ya know, your actual bodyguard! I mean, didn't we win?!" She demanded. "We brought peace between the elves and humans, but ya wouldn't know it talkin to any humans! Can't find a single one outside a you two that trusts me..."
"It's okay. It's new for everybody, Rayla." Callum assured. "This is the biggest change in history. It's still a shock to some people. They'll come along."
"Sure they will." Rayla grumbled, folding her arms. "I suppose this is as good a time to bring it up as any." She said, looking out the window of the wagon, at the night sky.
"Bring what up?" Ezran asked, while Callum bowed his head, and let out a sigh.
Rayla looked over at Ezran, and her eyes softened. She leaned forward again.
"I'm leavin. After this trip." Rayla said, finding she couldn't keep her gaze on Ezran, instead looking down at the floor. "I need to go home, Ezran. I need to find mah parents. I need to clear their names...I need to be welcome in my home village again."
Ezran looked down at the floor of the wagon as well. He was silent for a moment.
Rayla gazed up at him, seeing the sadness in his eyes.
"I understand." Ezran finally said with a slow nod. "Everybody has to go home eventually. I'm...really gonna miss you, Rayla. Do you know if you'll be back?"
Rayla put her hands on his shoulders.
"I'll do everything I can to get back as soon as possible, my king. I will." She assured.
Ezran looked up at her with his bright, youthful eyes. And he shook his head.
"Don't call me that...you don't have to call me that, Rayla." He said, a single tear rolling down his face. "You're more than just a bodyguard."
"Well...you are my king." Rayla said with a smile.
"No...I'm everyone else's king." Ezran said, slumping back in his seat. "I want to be your friend. When I'm with you two...I don't feel like a king. And I don't want to."
Rayla's smile got a little warmer, and she leaned forward and hugged the youngster.
"I'm gonna miss you, Ezran. I'm a better person for having known you."
"This feels like one of those bad goodbyes." Callum noticed, eyebrows arched. "The permanent kind. Rayla, are you...?"
"I don't know." Rayla replied, turning to look at him. "I'm a moonshadow elf. We're trained...enjoy every moment with the ones you love as if it were your last. Be prepared to accept your death at any time. And never, ever show fear in the face of it."
Callum slumped his head down, and his hands came together.
"That's...that's not gonna help me sleep at night." He said. "It's not...its not gonna be..." he looked up to see pain on Rayla's face.
She had a look of guilt in her eyes. That overwhelming look that he had figured out how to spot easily, during their journey to Xadia.
And he realized he had no idea how to handle this situation properly. But trying to was only making things worse.
"I'm...gonna take a nap." Callum said, sliding over, and laying across the luxurious wagon seat.
Rayla looked down at him with concern, and held out a hand.
She wanted to lay with him. To comfort him. But she knew in this moment, she wouldn't bring him any.
So instead she pulled back, and ran her hands across her face, as the stress washed over her.
She felt awful. And it wasn't fair. She knew in her heart that she had to go home.
She looked down at Callum again, then pulled to the opposite end of the wagon.
It wasn't fair for him either. He needed space now.
He needed to be allowed to separate.
No matter how painful it was for Rayla to realize it. She looked over, as Ezran curled up with Bait, and fell asleep on the opposite bench.
And she leaned against the wall of the wagon, and allowed troubled sleep to take her.