Garriel awoke the next morning, finding that his two friends were still sleeping. Carefully, he lifted himself off the ground, and dressed. Outside, Velvet sat over the fire, cooking some bacon for their breakfast. The warm smell of the meat filled the air around the fire, and Garriel unknowingly took a couple of steps in that direction.
"I see you are up." Velvet said. "What took you so long? It is 2 hours after sunrise." Garriel blinked a couple of times in response to the question.
"Exactly. It is two hours after sunrise. I don't think I ever woke up this early." He replied to the blond haired Drasnian. "Maybe it has to do with your being spies and all."
Velvet shrugged her shoulders. "Perhaps."
"I don't see Silk around. Did he go to get something?" Garriel asked curiously.
"Silk oftentimes wakes up in the morning, to go look around for merchants and the like. He likes to have an idea who is around us."
"That sounds like something he would do.."
"You have no idea." Velvet said with a laugh.Garriel came to expect that he would never fully understand the Drasnians, nor did he wish to. They seemed to be a complicated sort of nation, and Garriel liked straight ideas. Although, once and a while, the philosophical thought did consume him.
"Do you want to start eating without the others?" Velvet inquired. "I don't think your friends are going to be up soon, and Silk isn't due back for a while."
Garriel thought about that possibilty for a second. He took a long hard look at the meat sizzling over the open fire, and licked his lips. It did look extremely tasty.
"Come and eat. I am sure the others won't care all that much." Velvet said with a cheerful laugh. Although Garriel did not know it, Velvet could read his mind right through the expressions of his face, as it he had been chanting it aloud.
So they ate, and one by one, their companions began to get out of bed, quickly joining them for the meal that the Drasnian woman had cooked for them. The last one to come was Silk, and it looked like he had been running from something. He stopped by the food, trying to catch his breath as he pointed behind him, his finger quivering slightly.
"What is it, dear? Maybe some food would help calm your nerves." Velvet inquired of her trembling husband, however, her fingers seemed to say something else.
"Murgos." Silk said quickly, not even bothering to flick something back at his wife. "About 30 of them, and they are only about 1 league east of here."
"Did they see you?", Sabre asked the trembling spy.
"I think so. At least, they were shooting at me." Silk said, as he back in the eastern direction. "I am not sure if they saw in which direction I went though. We are going to have to make a run north. Hopefully, we will be able to find Hettar in time. I don't think any Murgo would be within 10 leagues of Hettar, at least any live Murgo."
"What about our stuff? Are we going to have to leave it here." Garriel asked thoughtfully. His new companions were, after all, merchants of some sort. Leaving their supplies and items behind would mean that they would make no profit.
Silk seemed to see this as well, as he looked longingly at the merchandise they had in their wagons. Velvet, however, had a more firm grip on what was going on. "No Silk, we can't bring the stuff. There just simply isn't enough time."
"Perhaps," Mikkal began, speaking up for the first time this morning, "I couldst hold the foul creatures off for a day or two. Prince Kheldar and thee could collect thy belongings, and we could meet again after I have vanquished this evil threat."
"Don't do that Mikkal!" Sabre said sharply. Usually none of them would speak to Mikkal like that, but now was not the time for some of his Arend hysterics. "We have to go, and there is no time for you to fight any Murgos."
Mikkal looked visably upset from that remark. It probably wasn't the tone of it though. While the three friends talked amoungst themselves, Velvet quickly began to pack some supplies and Silk just leaned back against one of the horses, thinking.
"Alright, it is time to get out of here." Velvet said with a hint of finality in her tone. None of the boys would object to that kind of authority.
"Hold on a second, Velvet." Silk said. He then quickly went into the tents, and pulled out a couple of torches, some water, and the bones of last night's meal.
"What are you doing, Silk?" Velvet asked, as the boys began to mount. Silk just smiled back, as he began to douse the area around their tents in water.
"I do believe he is about to do something clever…" Sabre said, a smile coming across his face. Obviously, he had been expecting Silk to do something.
"What doest thou think Prince Kheldar is going to perform?" Mikkal asked his Drasnian friend.
"We'll just have to wait and see." Sabre said, the smile across his face broadening.
Garriel, however, had been taking more of a notice to the horizon, and he had begun to notice that there was smoke rising, sort of like the smoke that the Gromlins brought around on torches, in case they needed to sacrifice someone. "I think they're coming!"
Silk had spread the bones across the ground around the tent, and then taken the torch in his right hand. He mounted his horse, and nodded to the others. He then kicked the sides of his horse's ribs, chucking the torch over and at the tents. His horse galloped away, and the other's followed him quickly. As they rode away, the three Drasnians were laughing amoungst themselves. Garriel and Mikkal looked at each other with a confused expression.
"What is so funny?" Garriel asked. Why must Drasnians be so strange?
"Well.." Silk began, motioning for the other two to stop their hysterics, "I just left those Murgos a bit of a surprise."
Sabre jumped in at that point, filling in the blank that the Drasnian spy had left. "The Murgos are going to think that those bones were our's, Garriel. They are going to think that we burned down with the tents that Silk set on fire."
"What if it doesn't work?" Garriel asked thoughtfully.
"Garriel," Velvet sweetly answered, "Murgos aren't smart enough to realized what we have done."
They rode on for several leagues, the three Drasnians and Mikkal talking amoungst themselves about the Murgos. It appeared that the three Drasnians were having a fight with the Arend on whether they should have actually stayed and battled the Murgos or not. Garriel, however, rode behind the four, staring up into the sky as he thought to himself.
"I was waiting for a time when I could actually talk to you.", that dry voice in the back of his mind said to him.
"Am I going mad?" Garriel thought. He had always heard that when people start hearing "voices", it is a sign of insanity creeping in upon their minds.
"No, you are not going mad." The voice answered him irritably.
"Then if you are real, who are you?" Garriel asked silently.
"The anwer will frighten you, so I won't bother telling you. I just have to warn you that you are never going to be going back to your village for a long while. You have a great road infront of you, and to your old herd is not one of its destinations."
"Is that all?"
"No." The dry voice in his mind replied. "When you see Hettar, ask him where you can find that storyteller that you like so much. It is important that you meet up with him."
"Why? Why do I have to meet up with him?"
The voice was gone.
They stopped riding after several hours, when Velvet had decided that they were far enough from the Murgos to be safe. They tied their horses to a nearby tree, and began to set up camp. It was the same as any other time, the three boys went out to find firewood, Silk went out to find some sort of wild game, and Velvet began to tend to the more homely matters, like setting out a place for the fire, and preparing to cook.
Dinner that night was a quick stew that Velvet managed to make from the bird that Silk brought back, as well as some random herbs, spices and vegetables. Even though it was made with just rough ingrediants on the spot, Garriel found it to be most appetizing.
After they had finished eating and cleaning their plates, the three boys went to pitch their tent, then to go to sleep. Sabre talked constantly about the adventure they had had that day, while Mikkal whined about missing a good fight. Garriel just stayed silent, thinking about that strange visit the voice had made.
Mikkal was the first one to notice that there was something wrong, which was probably because he was an Arend. Arends tended to be an emotional sort of race.
"Mine friend," he began, "Is it possible that there is something troubling thee?"
Garriel sighed softly, as he turned to look at his two friends. He could be honest with them, and they just might believe him. "I have this strange feeling that we are not going to be going back to the herd for a long time."
Now even Sabre began to notice the melancholy attitude of his companion. "Who gave you that idea, Garriel?"
On second thought, maybe it was not best to tell his two friends about the voice in his mind. If it really wanted them to know, it would have told him so. So instead of truthfully answering there, he just shook his head and then shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno, it was just a thought that came to me while we were riding back."
"Don't worry about it." Sabre said, trying to comfort his downhearted friend. "I am sure everything will work out for the best." Garriel just sighed.
"If the foul creatures are what cause thee woe, mine friend, I shalt go back and vanquish them with mine own sword!" Mikkal said, in an effort to cheer up his companion. However, Garriel thought, he seemed to have a one track mind, which could not get off the notion of fighting a group of Murgo warriors.
"It is alright, Mikkal. You really do not have to do that."
"Lets just pitch the tent, Garriel", Sabre suggested, "You will feel much better in the morning."
Garriel nodded to his friend. It was comforting to have his friends with him. So the three quickly pitched their tent, and Garriel and Sabre got ready go get some sleep. Mikkal, on the other hand, had other plans for the night.
"I shalt sit outside and guard thee from the Murgo fiends." Mikkal said with a confident tone of voice.
"Whatever makes you happy, Mikkal." Sabre said shortly. It seemed that the Drasnian did not want to get involved in a long argument on the different reasons that Mikkal should not be standing outside all not to guard them. "I am going to sleep, Garriel. See you in the morning."
"G'night." Garriel replied, as he walked off to find Silk and Velvet. They were sitting by the fire, talking quietly to themselves. Garriel didn't know whether he should bother them at this point, but Silk had already noticed him out of the corner of his eye.
"Whats wrong Garriel?" He said, turning his full attention to the boy. Velvet also turned around, so she could face him.
"Do you think that we are going to ever go back to the herd?" Although the voice in his mind had told him otherwise, he obviously needed some comfirmation of that fact.
"It is possible Garriel, but I don't see why it really matters." Velvet replied dearly. How could he tell them about the dry voice?
"No reason at all. Just curious."
"Go to bed, Garriel." Silk suggested. "You will feel better in the morning." Now where did he hear that before?
"Alright. Good night."
"Good night Garriel" Velvet called after him. Garriel turned, and headed back towards his tent for a long night's rest.
Silk watch Garriel slowly ease off into the tent for the night. Then, he let out a long sigh, staring up into the skyt aimlessly.
"Whats wrong, dear?" Velvet asked of her husband.
Silk let out another sigh, and dropped his eyes to face Velvet's. "I have a feeling like I have done this before."
Velvet stared into her husband's eyes, the overwhelming concern apparent within those oculars of hers. He lifted out her hand and gently patted her husbands right cheek. "Don't worry dear, I am sure it will pass."
Silk's eyes turned downcast, staring at the grassy earth below him. He shook his head slowly, lifting his eyes again to face his wife. "I hope you're right, Velvet. I hope you're right."
Garriel was abruply awoken in the middle of the night by the sound of steel crashing against steel. There obviously was a fight going on outside, and it was obviously serious. Throwing his covers off of his body, he noticed that Sabre had already gotten out of bed, probably to see what was going on. Quickly, Garriel dressed, picked up a hunting knife which he had kept with his clothing, and walked through the open flaps of the tent.
Outside, he saw Silk, Sabre and Velvet all tied to a tree in a thick, brown rope, squirming in an attempt to get themselves free. Not only were they tied up, but they were gagged as well, and they could not warn Garriel about their own mistake.
Quickly, Garriel ran up to cut his friends loose from the tree, when all of a sudden, five Murgo warriors surrounded him, with sword's drawn. One of them walked up to Garriel menacingly, and pointed over to the tree where his friends were tied.
Garriel immediately understood. He and his friends had just been taken prisoner by the Murgos, and there was nothing that any of them could do about it. The Murgo who had shown where Garriel should go rapped Garriel's knife from his hand with the edge of his sword. The other four pushed Garriel against the tree trunk, and bound him with his friends. They all nodded to each other, and they cut the gags off his friends mouths.
As soon as Silk could talk, he immediately bellowed out a question at the Murgos. "Why are you doing this!"
The Murgo who had rapped Garriels sword away laughed shortly, and then raised his sword to the tip of Silk's brow. "We're doing it, and that is all. I don't think you are in a position to ask us for our reasons." The Murgo spoke with a strange accent, sort of ugly, Garriel thought.
The other four Murgos laughed out in response to their companion's answer to the Drasnian's inquiry. Then, they went searching through the friends' belongings, obviously in search of money, or something of value.
"I thought the war between Alorns and Angaraks was over." Sabre said dubiously.
The Murgo spat at Sabre's feet, and then wiped his mouth clean. "The war between Alorns and Angaraks will never be over. We can never forgive the Godslayer for slaining our God, Kal Torak, the Dragon God. As long as there are Alorns and Angarak's alive, the war will go on."
"Surely you know that there is another Angarak God." Velvet said, still struggling against the hold of the ropes.
"Such talk is blasphemy to the memory of the great and almighty Torak!" the Murgo hissed at the golden haired spy, "And should another word like that come from your mouth, I will make sure that your death will be long and lingering!"
"I don't understand it." Garriel said simply, "I thought that Torak was supposed to be a mistake, spawned by the splitting of prophecies."
"One more word, and I will cut off your tongue, Rivan child!" the Murgo screamed at Garriel, his eyes full of hate. "We Angaraks hate your race the most of all the Alorns! If it wasn't for your king, our God would have been the ruler of the entire world!"
Garriel suddenly drew back. It wasn't the threat of the Murgo that had frightened him, rather the misconception that either he, or the Murgo, had had. Garriel had grown up in Algaria, his friends lived in Algaria, and he lived the life of an Algar. However, this Murgo warrior had just called him a Rivan. Garriel thought about that slowly, trying to let it process within the depths of his mind.
"Scared, Alorn scum?" the Murgo said with a certain amount of contempt, "You should be, you should be."
One of the Murgos that had been searching for money, suddenly cried in joy, as he seemingly found the purse that Silk had been carrying. The others came over to him, and grasped him in an embrace that seemed to last for hours. Silk's face was twisted in torment, at the prospect of loosing all the money he had earned thoughout his travels in Algaria.
The head Murgo saw Silk and sneered. He called out to his fellows in a disgusting sounding tougue, and the other Murgos, reacting by their leader's call, began to fling the coins they found from one person to the next, brandishing the goods before their previous owner. Silked winced.
The Murgos laughed yet another time.
"What do you think they are going to do with us?" Sabre asked Silk, his voice quavering in fright.
"Hopefully, they'll just kill us." Silk said in all due seriousness. Garriel was taken a back by the comment.
"Just kill us!" He asked Silk incredulously.
Silk sighed, and then nodded to him.
"There much worse things then being killed, Garriel." Velvet explained, her voice full of sorrow. "They could always give us to a Gromlin priest, and let him sacrafice us on the altar of Torak."
The head Murgo, as if reacting by the name, Torak, turned and glared at the four. He then slowly walked up to Velvet, and slapped her smartly across the mouth. "You watch your tongue", he seemed to say with disgusting amusment. Everything he was putting them through, all the suffering that could and might come, was all a game to his Murgo.
Off in the distance, a brass horn sounded. It was faint, but it was obviously there.
The Murgo's continued to dance and flaunt their goods infront of the Drasnians. They laughed, as they sliced some other things useless to them, into shreds.
The brass horn sounded again. It was slightly louder this time.
The Murgos seemed to be too occupied in their praise to "Kal" Torak. They did not even notice the sound of the horn.
The brass horn sounded loudly this time, and it caught the head guard's attention. He quickly screamed something to his fellows, but it was too late.
A lance-toting Arend upon a Algarian steed darted from the bushes, spearing three of the Murgos at once. There was a slight crunching sound as the edge of the spear wripped through their chests, and took the life from their bodies. His friends winced at the all the blood and gore, but
It was Mikkal.
The fight was short and ugly. The Murgos were not ready for a mounted warrior to attack them, and they were either run through or trampled in less than five minutes. His friends winced at the all the blood and gore, but they were still elated to see the Arend.
After the leader fell dead, with a lance stuck in between his eyes, Mikkal dismounted and untied his friends. Garriel rubbed his wrists, due to the markings that the ropes had made upon his skin after he had been untied.
"Thanks Mikkal" He said shortly to his Mimbrate friend.
"Twas mine pleasure, Garriel. Those loathsome creatures will never plague the encompassing landscapes with their torment again." Mikkal said in a triumphant manner. Silk, on the other hand, looked around at all his shredded belongs in pale disgust.
"Did you have to take so long?" He said to the Arend.