Scouting

Esus swallowed the lump in his throat. The task needed doing. If he went to Charyic first to tell her she would make him delay it. She would be furious that he had been asked and even more so that he had accepted the duty.

It wouldn’t be for long and he would be careful. He’d only come into range of their arrows before because he was looking for Charyic. This time would be safer. He would be quick. Esus moved through the halls purposefully, making his way to the watchtower. The acolytes standing guard jumped as he entered the upper chamber.

“Light Bringer! Is there something wrong?” They were practically children and Esus shook his head with a wry smile. It didn’t seem so long ago that he’d been one himself.

“No, I just need the height.” He started to strip off his tunic, and chided them as they watched, “Your duty lies outside the tower, if I’m not mistaken?”

They blinked and turned to look out of the windows nervously. Esus wrapped his clothes in the tunic and laid the bundle one of the tables were the watch would take a brief meal. Hopefully, they would still be there when he returned.

The change was easy for him, he’d done it so often it had lost the odd prickly feeling he’d felt the first time. It was comfortable, before Charyic he’d preferred being a bird to any other feeling he’d ever felt.

Stretching his wings and preening to make certain his feathers were in order before he would leave through the wide window, Esus was suddenly very aware that the acolytes were now staring at him again. The look he gave them sent them spinning for the windows again.

He flapped and leapt, reaching the window’s edge easily, and then sprang, taking flight. He circled as he gained altitude wanting to be high when he left the city walls. When he reached the height he required he could see an enormous distance. What he couldn’t see was any sign of Malav’s army.

He turned toward Gaelel. The roads were clear. To move an army, even an army of the damned, Malav would need to use the roads. Esus continued until he could see the still smoking ruins of Gaelel. Only smouldering rubble was left and the gates were sealed from the outside. He began to descend, there were heaps of burned bodies at the gates as if they had been desperately trying to escape.

How had word reached the Holy Father? Did he know the extent of the horror here?

Esus found what was left of Zius’ home and bird cotes. He gingerly set down at the open hatch and peered in. It seemed as if he’d managed to send his birds away, there were no obvious signs of burned birds or feathers among the wreckage. For a moment he thought of staying there as night was beginning to fall, but then thought better of it. A tree top well away from the walls would be safer.

At first light, he was in the air again and he saw them. Bodies. It looked like rotted discarded bodies occasionally dotted the road toward Lallareth. He stayed high looking carefully for other signs until he reached the tower fortress and saw the signs of battle around it. Across the river there were soldiers, setting up a bustling camp on the plain next to the Oryr Road.

Lallareth looked abandoned. Esus touched down outside of the lower door. Hopefully, none of the soldiers had seen him. Landing on the mirador would have been too obvious an in full view. He pushed the door open carefully and moved through the quiet corridors to his bird cotes. His heart was in his throat.

He pushed open the door and came face to face with Zius. Neither said anything for a moment and then they began to laugh.

“I thought you were dead! I checked your home at Gaelel, Zius. The city…,” he shook his head trying to get the image out of his mind, “Malav burned it, he sealed the gates and burned the people alive.”

“Thieves saved as many as they could, smuggled them out.” The old man looked heartbroken. “There were just too many. I have my grey moldase, and your birds seem well enough, my friend.” Zius was already bringing him some clothes.

“What happened to yours, my friend?” Esus asked sadly, fearful of the worst.

“I sent messages to every place I could and turned the rest free. This little beauty wouldn’t leave me though.” He stroked his grey moldase.

“Why did they come here? Malav’s army? The Holy Father thought they’d be heading for Isemalrocath.”

“Armies, one living, one dead. Looking for one of Iskus’ shrines. Apparently, Malav needs it for something.”

Esus nodded slowly, the Holy Father would need to know that. “He needs Charyic to choose him in front of me and all the gods. He would need priests or shrines.”

“The people I escaped here with have gone to see if they can find it first. Neither Iskus nor Ayil want him to have it.” Zius looked at him intently.

“They must have gone along this side to reach it, that’s what Charyic did.” They might escape Malav’s notice, but they might also need another pair of eyes to help them. He should return immediately, but helping to keep that shrine out of Malav’s hands would be time well spent.

Zius interrupted his thoughts. “If you’re going to help them, you should know who you’re looking for.”