¤ Esca's P.O.V¤

I was pulled back into the real world when Lirk gently shook me. Jact and Trag stood off to the side looking out into the forest. I heard a falcon cawed in the distance and birds sounded in the morn.

"Esca I do not like it." He whispered

"You do not like what?"

"Jact and Trag all they have done is look out into the forest."

"How long have they done this?"

"Since the falcon has woken."

"The falcon?"

"Yes have you heard it?" I stopped and listened for the caw of said falcon. The noise echoed through the campsite. No falcon is that noisy.

"Lirk? Have you known a falcon to caw so much?"

"No and that is what I don't like."

I watched as Jact and Trag answered back. 'What are they doing?' I thought to myself. Listening I heard only the sounds of the forest. I then heard a growl, almost like a wolf or bear. That was when we ambushed.

Loud calls in a native language was what the Romans awoke to. The attackers were quick and protected each other with ease. They were in a perfect unison fighting.

Soon wolves joined in when they were called to by their masters.

We were overpowered in minutes. My guess is that the fight was over before it had begun.

Our unit was bound at the wrists and forced to follow them. In the blur of battle I did not get to see them but now I saw that they had black coats and iron masks. Like my dream. They were all talking to each other but they never made any noise. They spoke with their eyes, looking at each other, then they pulled us farther into the forest.

"Esca," I looked over to Marcus, "talk to them. See what information you may get."

I nodded and looked over to the nearest captor and when I went to say something...

Jact spoke quickly in a language not known to me. The captor laughed and cut his and Trag's bindings. One of the captors launched themselves into Trag's arms, giving him a fierce hug. Jact whispered something to another captor but all he got was an elbow to his gut, and yet he just chuckled and jogged to catch up with the masked man.

I looked behind me to see the captors riding our horses bareback. The wolves playfully nipped at the heels of the black clothed men that walked.

I was pulled from my thoughts when Percious yelled out when he tripped. They said something to Jact and he translated for us.

"If you continue yell about tripping. Imagine the screams you'll have when you meet Tallis." Jact chuckled to us.

"Jact why did you take us off the trail?" Asked Lirk.

"To go home." Was all the answer we got.

I did not know how long we had been walking but we soon came to a clearing. A clearing with a village and at least 100 villagers. And wood giants. Three wood giants stood in posses. At the base of each was a huge firepit.

'Was my dream more than a dream?'

I looked around at the village to find that there homes in the trees, on the ground and even on the lake and river that ran through the clearing. The clearing itself was surrounded by mountains and cliffs. Tall trees grew everywhere, there were fruit trees, nut trees. Gardens were layen wherever they could be placed. Fences held goats, sheeps, pigs, deer, horses, and ever some cattle.

The villagers smiled at our captors. Our captors walked us into the edge of the village and the took off their masks and hoods.