"Uian [OOeeAHN]. It rests just at the edge of the range. I've been there once. It's not a large city by any means, but it's important for merchants and travelers going along the road. It's the only place to get supplies for a hundred miles." The six stood at the edge of a small cliff, looking over the vast plains. The snow had almost entirely melted across the plains, despite the bitter cold that fell from the mountains. Stretching well over 200 miles in any direction, they looked at the vast, open, empty expanse that lay before them like a map. Far to the east were hills that cut the plains in half, for beyond them was another wide and empty plain, before finally giving way to the eastern seas. The north of these plains was bordered by a large forest that stretched to the tundras of the far north. West was likewise bordered by forest, though Trace knew all too well what was beyond them: Edinmire, the estate, and the war.
There were only three things that broke the uniformity of the plains. A road, little more than a dirt trail that stretched from west to east. Uian, the city they were going to have to go to, and Mount Tanji [Tahn-gee], a lonely mountain, black from an ancient war, piercing earth like an arrow. Ruins lay scattered around the base of the mountain, and superstition made people stay away. Far away.
"It's still a few days travel from here, but we're almost there." Barret continued. "I don't know how we did it, but we actually made it."
"Just a few more days, Flora, just hang on." Trace said, pulling her close. Her condition grew steadily worse. She often had little appetite, would groan in the night while clutching her stomach, and she was constantly worn out after barely an hour of walking.
"I hope we can find food." Natani said. "We're dangerously close to running out."
"Thankfully, those trees down there will be perfect hunting grounds. Tomorrow, we can feast like we're kings, if I catch anything."
The next day, Barret returned with a deer in tow. The fire was hot and warm, the food was plentiful, and spirits were lifted. They had done the impossible. They crossed the mountains. They survived the most dangerous path anyone could have taken. No one would dare follow them, not even Aezr. That night, they rested, knowing that they had defied the odds. The mountain hadn't claimed them. Victory was theirs.
"Trace. Trace, I need a doctor." Flora was shaking him awake as the sun rose.
"Wha- Flora, what?"
"I need a doctor, something's wrong with the baby. I haven't felt them move in days." Trace was suddenly wide awake.
"What?! Why didn't you say something?"
"What could we have done? We were in the wilderness. But now we're less than a day from town, and we can get help."
Trace was already packing his things. "Yeah, we need to get to Uian. I'll carry you if I have to, but you will get help today. I will find a doctor, and I will save you both." He threw open the tent to see that Barret and Natani were also awake. "Pack up, we have to get moving. Flora's sick. Very sick. We need to get to Uian today or she might die."
"On it." Barret threw water on the fire, and began grabbing their supplies that had been scattered around the camp. Natani rushed over to Zen and woke him up, before doing the same with Keith. With as much speed as they could muster, they packed everything and set off. "We're still over half a day from Uian at least. It might be dusk before we get there. Flora, it won't be the most comfortable journey, but I carried you out of Lyn'Knoll. I could carry you again."
She was unsteady on her feet as she walked over. "OK, but I'm going to say sorry now in case I throw up. I've never felt worse in my entire life." Handing his bag to Trace, Barret stooped down and let Flora climb onto his back. His scales were hard enough her claws didn't dig in, and leading the way, Barret settled into a jog. They did not stop for lunch. When the afternoon came, they still ran. The sun hung low in the sky as they approached the walls of Uian.
Trace waved his arms and ran ahead of everyone else. There were two guards, a human and a tiger Keidran who came out to meet him. Before they moved too far, Trace shouted "We have a sick Keidran! Fetch a doctor! Please!" The two exchanged glances, and the tiger turned around, running into town. The human jogged out to meet them. Trace doubled over, panting. "Please. I can't let her die. She's very sick. She's been sick for days, and we don't know what's wrong."
"Where did you lot come from?" The man bore no insignia, and carried a simple spear.
"The mountains. We crossed from Lyn'Knoll. We were being hunted, we had no other choice."
"Hunted? By who?"
Barret caught up and didn't even stop, running past as he said "Templars and assassins."
"Wha- I- Y- Who are you people?"
"I'll tell you after she gets care." The tiger was running back with a human doctor in tow. Trace ran forward with Barret and met them just beyond the gate. Flora was unconscious, and Barret set her down gently. "Please help her."
The doctor looked her over, and leaned down to listen to her heart, then moved to listen to her stomach. "I'll do what I can, but I can't make any promises. She's not contagious, but I'll need to examine her more closely. Lucas, pick her up and follow me. I swore an oath to save lives, and you get to help me today." The human guard handed his spear to the tiger, and scooped Flora up in his arms, following the doctor. Trace followed only a few steps behind. "Tell me everything while we walk."
"We'll find a place to stay. You make sure she's safe." Keith said. Uian was not a large city, or even a large town. When they first walked in, it reminded them of Lyn'Knoll a bit too much, with humans and Keidrans all over the place, but they were acting naturally, trading goods and services, and there were no Templars in sight. The town was too small to warrant a permanent presence, but patrols often passed through as they kept the roads safe. The inn they found was on the main road that passed through town called "The Dancing Rider", and the sign showed a horse and rider reared on it's hind legs. Barret, Keith, Natani and Zen walked in and found the owner, a short and stocky human.
"Well, there's a sight you don't see every day. Name's Whilam. [Will-am]" His voice was deep, but jovial, and his thick moustache bounced with every word he said. "I've got rooms, how many do you need?"
"Three would be preferable." Keith said, pulling out several silver coins.
"Three it is. Don't suppose you happen to know what the commotion at the south gate was?"
"That was us. Sorry." Barret said. "Our friend is very sick. We're afraid she's…"
"Ah… Well, you can rest easy now. We have three very fine doctors. Doc Javal specializes in humans, Doc Joraet with Keidran, and Doc Jedia is our general surgeon. They're the finest doctors this side of the mountains. Now, take a load off and tell me all about it."
They didn't even mean to start talking. Keith just mentioned how they crossed the mountains, the Barret explained how, and Natani why, and suddenly they were telling everyone there about the ambush in Lyn'Knoll, Aezr, the blizzard, the journey, everything. It was actually nice to get it all out of there, and everyone listened, asking questions occasionally, but mostly just listened. It was near midnight when Trace came back.
"There's nothing more they can do right now." His voice was shaky, and his face stained with tears. "She's been under so much stress, with everything that's happened, she has a high risk of losing the baby. She's been sick, and she hasn't had help. They've given her as much medicine as they can. All we can do now is wait, and hope she gets better."
Whilam walked over and sat Trace down. "Sorry to hear that. And on a holiday too, can't imagine what that's like."
"Holiday?" Barret asked. "What day is it? We must have lost track of the days in the mountains."
"Thought you knew. It's Tuesday, December 31, new year's eve. Tomorrow is the first day of 483. You've all been through the wringer, go get some sleep. At least, try."