Chapter 2: Survivors of the Last War

“Did you hear that?” Duncan asked. He pulled back on the reins to slow the gnorses and they quickly came to a stop. “Listen.” He said, cupping his hands behind his ears. Nyla was sitting on the driving bench with him and strained her ears likewise. “There.” Duncan said, pointing northwest. “People. In trouble.” He flicked the reins and got the gnorses moving again. Nyla had not heard a thing, but trusted the Quartrine Feldsgar’s senses.

A few moments passed then Duncan stood on the bench, trying to lay eyes on the source. “I hear them.” Nyla said, finally picking up the sounds of people in distress, coupled with a beastial snarling. Her hand fell to the holster on her belt that held her repeater. She took it out and began running her hands over it, checking the knobs and sliders along the barrel without having to look at them. She pounded on the side of the carriage, trying to alert Gwyndolyn and Jorpix, and a moment later Gwyndolyn opened the door and stuck her head out. “Gwyn, danger. People, maybe an animal. Be prepared for anything.” Gwyndolyn nodded, then closed the door to the carriage.

The carriage cleared a small rise crested with Puya Eaters, a smattering of bones hanging amongst their thorny stalks, and they finally set eyes on what they had been hearing. A tall elf and a sandy coated big cat with blood along its flank were protecting a group of Goblins and Halflings from a Tochi, its long ears laid back along its body as it snarled ferociously. “Do you have a shot?” Duncan asked Nyla as he spurred the gnorses to move faster over the uneven ground.

“Go around to the left, I need a better angle.” Nyla said. She raised her arm as she sighted along the barrel of the repeater and rested her finger on the trigger guard. The Tochi lunged at the cat, who jumped back with an injured yelp, but the elf pushed forward with a wooden spear to prevent the leporine creature from making good on its attack. Duncan had brought the carriage around and Nyla took her shot, the repeater humming and expelling a puff of blue smoke as the slug was launched. A barnacled encrustation on the Tochi’s rump exploded, the slug smashing through it and grazing the creature's flesh before embedding in the ground behind it. A second later the familiar weight of the slug returned to the repeater, ready for another shot. The Tochi jumped straight up on its powerful hind legs and turned nose to tail in mid air, and the moment it landed was already sprinting away in giant leaps and bounds.

The carriage came to a stop a dozen feet away from the group of people and Gwyndolyn barreled out of the door, a two handed hammer held ready. “Oops. Sorry folks.” She said, apologizing to the startled people. She set the hammer down and stepped forward with her hands open. “Is anyone injured? We can help.” They looked like they had seen better days.

The big cat seemed to melt, then reformed into an Elf covered in blood before promptly collapsing into the dirt. “Peiros!” The other Elf said, dropping her spear and rushing over to him. She fell to her knees to check him over, running her dark wrinkled hands over him.

Gwyndolyn shouted back into the carriage. “Jorpix, make some room, grab the healer’s kit, we’ve got casualties.”

Duncan and Nyla had jumped down from the driving bench as a Goblin woman in finer clothes than the rest stepped forward from the group. “Thank you all for your assistance. That thing had been stalking us for the last two days, ever since we got separated from our caravan.” She said.

Gwyndolyn and Duncan went over to help carry Peiros into the carriage and Nyla went to check on the rest. “What caravan?” Nyla asked. “When we left Kruuth they said no other expeditions were coming out this year.” Something about the woman felt strange to Nyla, her accent was a bit nasally and for some reason seemed quaint.

“Oh no, we weren’t coming from the Empire. We’re from Phyldraste. I am, well I guess I was, the Commissioner of Gros Malbix. Until a few weeks ago I suppose, the Tenkans have probably taken everything by now.” She was silent for a moment, bitterness tingeing her voice, and Nyla was growing even more confused. “My name is Rosie. Rosie Mossfoot.” Rosie said. “Peiros and Refina were our Sentinels.” She gestured towards the two Elves who had entered the carriage. “That’s Barl,” Nodding back towards a Goblin man wearing earth tones. “and Merph.” A Halfling with thick white mutton chops. She beckoned to a small boy standing with them. He stepped forward sheepishly on bare feet. “And this is my son, Russer Goricson.” She laid her hands on the boy's shoulders, and Nyla felt like she had been slapped in the face.

It was the boy from her dreams. Electric tingles raced along every nerve in her body as her heart began racing. Despite never getting close enough to even identify the boy’s race, she knew this was him. And he was a Child of Vangog, just like her. The offspring of two different races, exceedingly rare upon Gomarche. Blessed by Luck themself, the seventeenth and often overlooked of the gods of the world. Nyla kneeled down to be on the same eye level as the boy. “Hello Russer.” She said. “My name is Nyla Cragwatcher.” He looked at her closely and Nyla saw his eyes widen when he realized she was like him. “That’s right Russer. I’m a bit like you. And I bet we both made our parents very happy when we were born.” She looked up to Rosie’s face and smiled, and Rosie’s eyes watering up confirmed the sentiment. “But what do you mean, that the Tenkans took everything a few weeks ago?”

“Oh it was terrible. They attacked us unprovoked. The defense of the capital slowed them down, but we were cut off from evacuating to the south.” Rosie said. “The other Commune’s Commissioners and I turned the caravan and thundered off east before the Tenkans could overtake us. Better to take our chances out here than face the Tenkan’s blades or kneel under their whips.” Rosie saw the uncomprehending look on Nyla’s face. “Did you not hear about our plight? How long have you been out here?”

“That war was eleven years ago.” Nyla said.

“No, that’s impossible.” The young Goblin man, Barl, said. “I saw Phyldraste City in flames.” He stepped forward and became animated. “I’ve got a hole from a Tenkan scout’s arrow in my best hat.” He pulled a shapeless bit of cloth and leather from a pocket and demonstrated the hole with a finger. “The cut edges aren’t barely frayed. This was just the week before last.” He proffered it towards Nyla.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

She turned the hat over in her hands and inspected it, running her finger through the hole. She brought it closer and found the cut edges did look fairly recent, the fiber cores weren’t as dirty as their sheaths. She handed the hat back to Barl. “I don’t understand how this could have happened.” She said out loud, but largely to herself.

“I do.” Jorpix said, stepping out of the caravan while wiping his hands on a towel. He tossed it across a shoulder and approached. Refina and Gwyndolyn followed him out. “Does anyone have a bit of Argonite on their person?” He asked.

“No.” Rosie answered. “We only had two bits in the whole caravan. A ring at the front and a pebble barely an acorn’s worth at the rear.”

“And how many people and wagons were in this caravan?” Jorpix asked.

“About six hundred people and seventy wagons.” Rosie said.

Jorpix seemed to be expecting such an answer. “You were very brave to attempt the crossing without adequate protection.” Jorpix said. “All of you.” He turned to encompass the group. “I’m afraid you were caught in one of this land's peculiarities. Time dilation has been documented on occasion. You’re also quite a bit further north than you would have been if you were following the old trade route. Shifting topography is another common one. We have enough Argonite to protect everyone, as long as you stay within a rod or so of one of us.” He raised his hand to bring attention to the glassy brown ring on his finger. “But I can confirm that the Autarch’s annexation of Phyldraste was indeed eleven years ago.”

“The stars changed, two nights ago.” Refina spoke up. All eyes turn to the willowy elder woman. “I noticed it the same night the Tochi began stalking us. It was late spring when we left our lands. It’s autumn now, correct?” She looked at Jorpix, and he nodded. “I did not want to alarm you, Commissioner, nor anyone else. Not when we had more pressing concerns.”

“It’s alright, Refina.” Rosie said. “There was nothing we could have done with the information, and we did have bigger things to worry about.” She stepped over and reached up to pat the arm of the Sentinel. “Will Peiros be ok?”

“He will.” Refina assured her. “The injuries he sustained in his Wild Shape only partially translate back to his true form. Once we got a closer look at him it appears he collapsed more out of exhaustion than anything further. The Feldsgar is attending to him quite adequately.”

A low rhythmic thumping sound was faintly coming from the west, the same direction the Tochi had run off. Gwyndolyn locked eyes with Nyla, and Nyla gave the shallowest nod to let her wife know she had heard it too. “Let’s get you all inside.” Nyla said to the refugees from Phyldraste, hoping they had not heard or understood the significance of the sound. “We were on our way to the Shimmering Plain on a research expedition. We were planning on staying there a couple of weeks, but I think our new supply situation will necessitate cutting that a bit short.” She began corralling them into the carriage. “You can drop your gear on the left. There are some bunks behind the doors straight ahead, but they might have crates on them. Jorpix and Duncan can make some room.” She heard a gasp from Russer as he realized the carriage was bigger on the inside and smiled, enjoying the second hand wonder from the young boy. “Gwyn, join me on the driving bench, would you?”

The two women secured the door then climbed up and got the gnorses moving north again. “That Tochi was calling to others.” Gwyndolyn said.

“I know.” Nyla said. “We’re going to have to keep the gnorses closer and have someone on watch all night.” Nyla said. “Both Elves are capable fighters, if it comes to that. Barl might be worth arming too. I think all three of them are Branchists. I didn’t see anything made of metal on any of them.”

“You know that’s just Druids Ny. Not all Branchists avoid worked metal.” Gwyndolyn said.

“Call it a hunch.” Nyla said. “They all had a look about them. And he’s young, we can’t ask the bureaucrat, her child, or the old man to help. We’ll build a fire and set some torches nearby. If he’s not comfortable with any other weapon, a lit torch will at least help drive an animal back.” They sat in silence for a few minutes before Nyla spoke up again. “That boy Gwyn, he’s the one from my dreams.”

Gwyndolyn’s eyes grew wide as her eyebrows rose up her forehead. “You’re sure? How can you know? I thought you said you never got a good look at him.”

“I’m positive.” Nyla said. “As soon as his mom introduced him and I processed his Halfling surname it was like the colors faded out of everything else. He was standing there, right in front of me, with a tiny little smile as if to say ‘you finally found me’.”

“He’s a Luck Child too?” Nyla gasped. “I didn’t pick up on that. That’s amazing Ny. Maybe Vangog was guiding you here to save these people. Vangog’s Children should look out for each other.”

“The boy is special, that’s for sure.” Nyla said. “Hybrid vigor suffuses all Children of Vangog. I’m stronger, faster, more magically inclined than either of my parents. I wonder where his life will take him? It is a shame he was forced to flee his homeland.”

A slow going mile had passed from the location where the refugees had been rescued before the sound of thumping had faded. “You said we would be cutting back on our exploration of the Plain, are our supplies that dire with six more mouths to feed?” Gwyn asked.

“I don’t think so, but Duncan would know better.” Nyla said. “They had packs, and their Druid was probably providing some Goodberries. Creating Water too.” She clicked her tongue and flicked the reins to turn the gnorses towards a clearer path. “I just don’t want to have to keep them out here for longer than we have to. They’ve been through enough. And for the first time in as long as I can remember, I feel like I can turn my back on it. Don’t get me wrong, reaching the Shimmering Plain has been my life’s work for nearly two decades. Maybe now that we’re only a day or two away we’ve crossed some invisible line and my body knows it.” She pointed towards a line of hills rising into distant mountains ahead of them. “If I had my sight glass from my pack and the air was still, we could probably see Ombrir’s Pass from here. We’re so close, Gwyn. Just another twenty five, maybe thirty miles and we’ll be there.”

Gwyndolyn leaned over and hugged Nyla. “You’re cute when you’re talking about geological features.” She squeezed Nyla tightly. “So I guess the celebratory hanky panky will have to be rescheduled now that we’ve got extra guests?”

“Uh…not so fast missy.” Nyla protested. “Maybe we can take our tent a few earshots away.”

“Uh-huh. Maybe just announce that we’re going to go do stuff too while we’re at it.” Gwyndolyn said, rolling her eyes.

“You didn’t have a problem with Duncan and Jorpix hearing us.” Nyla said.

“Duncan and Jorpix could hardly expect a married couple to not be intimate for half a year.” Gwyndolyn said. “It would have been weirder had we not.”

“Well then we’ll just have to be extra affectionate the next day or so to make sure everyone knows.” Nyla said, taking one hand off the reins and putting it in Gwyndolyn’s. “Won’t they also think it weird that we’re sharing a tent without rippling the canvas?” She looked over and began waggling her eyebrows.

Gwyndolyn giggled and removed her hand from Nyla’s in mock outrage. “Down girl. We’ll see.”

“Love you Gwyn.”

“Love you too, Ny.”