6 Deviation The First
The sun was setting.
Two figures stood with their backs to the sun, their shadows seemed to stretch in front of them, the forms were long and slim. Both were men.
The smaller man bent over to fasten a saddlebag to the horse which his master was riding on. He was a leash man, in his fifty's. His pale skin and weather-beaten features were the signs of working over disk after disk and document after document. Taller in his younger days, he was energetic and loyal to work for his leash and also silver'tongued when it came to laws and politics. Years have passed and he remained to be the most trusted and respected counselor, also a close and likely the only, friend to his master.
For a while the master and servant stood without speaking, it was the master that broke the silence.
"You know, I have to do it. No one else will."
Young, muscular and well-built, he towered over the smaller man, making no move to get off his grey battle horse while the leash man's own ride was grazing the grass and roots twenty or so meters from them. A respectful distance away. He was surprisingly young, nearly three decades younger than his servant. His right arm, or what remained of it, ended in a severed stump, wrapped carefully in bloodied bandages. No mortal man could walk let alone ride with such a wound, however the young warrior held the sword with his only hand and carried it on his shoulders. He sat in the saddle with perfect balance.
The horses sensed them before their masters did. The battle horse's ears twitched and it let out a nervous whinny. Unable to free one arm to pat and comfort the distressed horse, the rider quickly murmured comforting words to calm it.
"Steady boy, steady...what's the matter?"
Then he saw them.
He saw the dark shapes on the horizon before he heard the low humming of the engines.
Shadows passed over them.
Aircrafts, heavily armed. Flying in tight formation, prepared to leave a path of flames and destruction.
"Damn...it's the Ares Troopers!" Eves cursed under his breath.
Raidriar nodded silently. He had no more time to spare.
"I'll be going." He said flatly. Looking towards the direction where the aircrafts came from.
"I should make haste while the trail is still warm."
Neither of the two made a move to go.
"Eves. I know what I'm doing."
"..."
"I will be back before Larioth notices I'm gone."
Raidriar doubted his own words the moment he said them.
Clouds gathered and Raidriar gently shook the reins. He's form faded into the darkness of the night.
The trail was dark and Raidriar felt around the saddle bag for a glow rain was already falling. Then his hand touched something soft, and warm. He took it out and looked closely in the pale moonlight.
It smelled like heaven itself.
Suddenly realizing how hungry he really was. Raidriar bit down into the beef sandwich, there was something in his throat and he had trouble swallowing it down.
Rain beat mercilessly against his face and chest. It ran down his cheeks and dripped down his chin.
The rain. Tasted like salt.