Chapter 13

Chapter 13

With the approaching winter and another war on the horizon, everyone was either fleeing the countryside of Norkin, a small village that lived high into the stone mountains. The people were close to starvation, and now Morgan had dispatched riders to finish them off threatening the people if they didn’t join his army, they would be slathered one by one in the most horrible ways they could ever imagine.

Everyone was scared; everyone was beyond panic hearing that a large force was on its way to wipe them out. Everyone was yelling and screaming and begging their gods of old to spare them, yet so far their gods of old have remained silent. Yet there was order or a resemblance of order as the high council of the small village was meeting… deciding what they should do, or hiding from their people as they had shut the doors and locked themselves away.

What they didn’t know was the approaching army was friendly and could help them. All they saw was fear because of the warning Morgan and his soldiers that occupied their city in search of some unknown treasure lost centuries ago known as the 5 Keys of Destiny, more of a myth than a legend; that this army was coming to wipe them out, just like the armies have done to all the large boarding towns.

Syneral Rigs looked up towards the mountain and stopped, sensing something was wrong. He didn’t know what it was, but something said he and his troops were in danger and ordered his men to stop, so he and Kollie could investigate. He asked Captain Darlen to hold position while he investigates.  He knew it was a bad idea to go alone with only him and Kollie and his wife and their three boys, but taking three hundred men to an occupied town was worse, and they needed that mineral deposit called Pyondin. Kollie had and his wife had been studying ring enchantments and this was a good chance as any to try it out.

Kollie fished out a ring he had made for Syneral Rigs one with large green stone robins egg. All he had to do was place a picture of what form he would like to take and say the words (Jadat-nessqual).

The image would then be sealed upon the ring until they say the words (Jadat-tasior). Syneral Rigs transformed into a weary, non-descriptive traveler. Carrying a bag over his and their shoulders of what remains of their possession that Morgan has taken from them. They all looked more like beggars more than anything. But it was better to be a beggar than a soldier.

No… they needed to look non-threatening if they were going through those gates, with the rest of those that are fleeing for safety being this is one of the last strongholds that can withstand large army if need be.

Rena was fine just being herself trading her clothing with someone in their camp that had seen better days. Instead of the fancy gowns, she had been given to wear, back at Lady Gwin’s castle, even more, so Jasper's estate even Kollie and her boys looked more like beggars then what they truly were. They all needed to look the part of one of the people displaced from their homes in ruins.

Syneral Rigs stated it would have been best not bring their boys along. But Kollie insisted and so did Rena, considering everyone should know who they are, and in truth, they weren’t hiding because of Morgan. They wanted Morgan and Hess to know where they are, and where they have been and what they have done the moment they restore a part of what they have destroyed.

Even here everything was either completely dead or dying, the moment they came through the tall and large massive gate of solid wood, stone and metal plates with the throng of people finding safety beyond these gates they could tell right away most haven’t seen a decent meal in a very long time.

Even though walls that are fenced them in looked strong and sturdy, they could see that they were in bad repair. The metal was rusted, with so many holes; the large wooden beams were weak and wouldn’t hold together long if a large army attacked them.

Jaydan walked in shadows in spirit form, that only they could see, he was heartbroken seeing all the starving people, questioning if his books were right that ore deposit known as Pyondin, the weakest of the three really existed here. Seeing how most if not all the metal was in bad decay and hasn’t seen one smithy that wasn’t doing anything but, making swords and armor out of common steal.

Knowing Pyondin metal even though it was the weakest of the three. It would never rust, and not be easily broken. Knowing that seeing metal plating something said that something wasn’t right; even the soldier's armor that guarded the village, was nothing more than old ruminants at best, very few had armor made from it, stating it was a family heirloom.

All he said was Kollie had his work cut out from them here, watching him shrugs his shoulders. Knowing he couldn’t do anything without meeting with council members here first, too learn what they can and get permission to enter the mines. True they could do so without their permission, but that would do more harm than good. Morgan and Hess didn’t care about people’s welfare or feelings. They just took what they wanted and when they wanted.

Syneral Rigs made his way over to a large smithy with Kollie and Jaydan, while Rena and the boys located a place to stay for tonight. Money was easy to come by considering they had plundered the ruin villages, taking everything they could find. However, they knew better to only take enough so people wouldn’t consider them thieves.

Jaydan had taught them a simple spell that could hide things, like small cloth bag known as a money pouch. The pouch could be small making it look like it could only hold a few coins known as Draka, which is one coin worth 20 dollars in the human world.

Darken is worth 5 dollars and Drake is worth 1 dollar.  The silver coins are depending on their size largest being the size of American fifty cent piece, all the way down to the smallest know as pirey, the size of American dime worth a penny. Large amounts are in common gems, based on color… blue and green gems are the rarest, could be worth depending on the size, in the thousands. Then there were the gold and silver bars about the size of finger. Gold bars are worth 100 Draka and silver 500.

The pouch was like a bottomless pit, that all they had to do was reach inside and pull out the amount they needed. However, if the pouch was stolen, it would do the thief no good, as the money inside would turn to sand, and then wrap them up so tight they couldn’t move other then to return the pouch to the person they stole it from. Rena found them a place to stay at inn known as the Silver Fox. It was nothing more then hovel, but it was clean and warm and dry.

However the food was less than desirable, more of a watery stew, with vegetables that had lost is flavor, not surprising with everything dying. Yet was the best anyone had to offer for a price that is.

Kollie frowned as he and Syneral Rigs told them about what the smithy said, that mines that they were looking for, no longer existed, or are unreachable due to a dragon.  When asked about the dragon all they could gather it was a myth, but when they send people to mines they don’t come back. So now no one is brave enough to venture forth into the mines.

The rest of the news was the same; everyone was starving and the sickness upon its lands where Morgan and Hess had touched was taking its toll; telling them that if they refuse to surrender to them they will be wiped from existences. They had two choices, die or kneel at his feet, giving him every boy every man that can hold a sword.

They had until the next full moon which was in 5 days. The food they had was becoming impossible to find, and the town council has yet to make a decision and no one has seen the council the moment Morgan declared intentions upon them.

None of their group cared about Morgan’s threats to them he was nothing but a bully and they have done their best to make sure whatever they did Morgan or Hess could not succeed in their plans. However, the people here did as many of them were arguing about what the village council would decide. They had been locked inside their hold out since the declaration has been given.

Syneral Rigs and Jaydan cursed silently under whispered breaths, knowing they didn’t have a lot of time, not that time was never on their side. However they couldn’t do much without speaking with the council members first, yet so far nobody has been allowed to enter. Syneral Rigs growled angrily as he got up from the table and said. “Its time we do something instead of standing here. These people need help, and if the council refuses to do so, by damn I will.”

Jaydan and Kollie agreed that it was past time doing something; they couldn’t afford to wait another five days here. They needed to do what they can and move on, but the question was what and what to do about the mines and the possible dragon.

Myth or not, they weren’t about to let a dragon stop them from the minerals they needed not only for the weapons and armor but too make a new seal too seal the Cross Bone Gate Prison once and for all.

Jaydan stated he would speak to Derrick and Rolen. Since Derrick was a high ranking member of the Council of Light and Rolen would be the King of these lands once he has claimed back his homelands. As well as Margaret and Glen, the guardian of these realms in which they are traveling.

Kollie and his family would be finding out more about this dragon, but in the meantime, they would discuss how they can help the people. Here and now, giving them a choice, of staying here or traveling to Galena where everyone was meeting up, before pressing onward.....

Reviews

[Miles W.]

Okay....so I did make the jump from the first book, found out that there were a few more chapters beyond what was originally thought out. Okay, this can work. Keep things broken up to progress. Plus, gives you more chapters to stick the landing. But then coming off of chapter 12 and 12-1? This is not the next pacing step I was expecting. This entire chapter is paraphrasing everything that has happened instead of showing us what happened, and feels more interested in explaining how the world works rather than have us watch the world move. It almost feels like to me as if Lord of the Rings would stop in the middle of a scene where the characters are walking through a village and a random person starts talking stating how "the copper piece in the Shire is equivalent to the dollar in the United States and the Pound in the United Kingdom." I feel like your focus is being pulled all over the place at times. In one chapter, you have excellent visuals and amazing battles with some strong character ideas building towards an epic next step. Then the next chapter you abandon that in favor of paraphrasing and world building. Sometimes that kind of pacing can be fine, build up suspense and drama. But this chapter, instead of showcasing more awesome visuals and expanding the story for the characters through storytelling, we instead get a summary of events following the end of the last chapter. It feels out of place. Hopefully the next few chapters are a step in the right direction, because man was this a tone shift and a half.

[Shep]

thanks for the review and the help.