Crack! Something snapped just outside the ring of fire and a thunderous groan echoed in the sky. Looking up I saw what the dragon never had a chance to see—a massive tree tumbling down with lethal force. The earth trembled as it struck. The collision was deafening. The hideous claws that clutched me stiffened for a moment and then went completely limp. All was silent. I blinked back the sting of dust from my eyes to find the tree had landed only a foot above my head, directly on the dragon’s neck.
“Hunter!” Sam called. “Where are ya? Speak up, lad. Are ya okay?”
I could hear the sound of feet crunching through the undergrowth. The dust began to settle. Only a few dispersed fires remained of the encompassing blaze.
I called back, “I’m here, under the dragon!” With difficulty I managed to pry myself from the lifeless fist. Sam’s strong hand reached down to find mine and lifted me up. I looked back at the limp body of the dragon in relief.
“Lucky shot with the tree, eh? I’m glad I had enough wits ta give it a go with my sword before that thing took off with you,” Sam said.
“You mean, you cut the tree down on purpose? It nearly crushed me!”
“It was the best I could come up with at the time. No harm done. Looks like you’re okay.”
“Yeah, thanks!” I said half-heartedly. Having come within a foot of death was not something I was excited about even if it had saved me from wherever the beast was taking me.
The body of the dragon began to smolder and smoke. For a moment, I thought it would come back to life. Then, without warning, it disappeared into a puff of smoke and retreated back into the pit from which it came. In a flash, the meteorite shot back into the sky, leaving a glowing trail of green light behind it.
“Oh no,” Sam said with a worried expression.
“What is it?” I asked.
“They found us. I don’t know how, but they found us.”
Before we had a chance to discuss it further one of the other Codebearers called for Sam’s attention.
“Captain, we have a man down,” a voice called from the far side of the crater.
“Gerwyn!” I shouted, rushing to where he had valiantly fallen. Two men knelt beside him holding his hands. He lay completely still, but I could see the labored rise and fall of his chest—he was breathing!
Dropping to a knee, I looked into his fading eyes.
“Is he…?” I couldn’t bring myself to ask the question. I already knew the answer—Gerwyn was dying. The violent fall had most likely broken every bone in his aged body. Tears began to stream down my face, “Why did you fight…for me?”
The old gray eyes locked onto mine. His lips quivered as a faint whisper escaped his lips, “It was...my joy.” Then, with a shudder, his body fell limp. He was gone.
I watched tearfully as the spirit of this quiet warrior faded silently away. I hadn’t meant for this to happen, but I still couldn’t escape the thought that I was somehow responsible for his death. If only I hadn’t set out on my own so early, or if only I had run when Gerwyn first told me to, perhaps the result would have been different.
A gentle touch on my shoulder caused me to turn. There, through my own tears, I found the tear-streaked face of Sam. He held out shaking arms and I ran into the offered embrace.
“It was my fault! I didn’t run when he told me.”
Sam gently pushed me back to look me in the eyes, “Nonsense, Hunter. Gerwyn had prepared for this moment his whole life. The Codebearer’s way is ta lay down his life for a friend.”
“But he didn’t really know me; I mean, I only spoke to him once.” I wiped the tears away, trying to control my emotions.
“When you see those around ya as the Author intended them ta be seen, every man is your friend,” Sam explained. “Gerwyn gave his life so ya would have a chance to meet Aviad. He couldn’t have died for a greater cause.”
As he talked, I noticed Gabby approaching through the mist, hobbling as fast as her aged body allowed her, unaware of what had happened.
“What’s going on?” she asked, “I heard a terrible crash and...Hunter, are you okay?”
Tears pooled in my eyes again. Poor thing, she would be devastated; Gerwyn was all she had. Sam took her aside and broke the news. She shrieked in anguish.
“Gerwyn? No, not Gerwyn…” She rushed to his side and held his lifeless hand in her own, sobbing great tears. The scene was overwhelming. I could not bring myself to accept so great a gift. Not at the price it had cost Gabby and Gerwyn. There was nothing I could do to make it right, to reverse time and change the past, but I wanted desperately to try.
“Hunter,” Sam said softly, “we should leave now. We must warn the others of the attack. I’m afraid it won’t be long before more will come. Let’s go.”
I took another look at Gabby before walking away. The morning sun had finally broken, sending gentle rays of dust-speckled light down through the trees and wrapping the horrible scene in a peaceful glow.
As Sam led me around the fallen tree, I heard the unexpected sound of singing over my shoulder. Though her voice quavered, Gabby’s song was not one of mourning but of celebration.
Be not sad, oh heart of mine.
Find the joy that’s hid behind.
Through darkness light will find its way,
While we await the dawn of day.
The chorus trailed off as our steps took us farther away, but the song did not leave my thoughts.
“Sam, why is Gabby singing like this right now?” I asked. “She just lost her husband.”
Sam slowed, allowing me to come alongside him before answering, “There is still much ya would have learned under me trainin’, but I believe ya know the answer already. All things happen fer a reason,” he replied.
“So, the Author had a hand in this too?” Sam didn’t need to answer, but still a bigger question remained. “What good comes from dying?”
This time he did answer. “Death is not somethin’ to fear; it’s only the beginnin’ of a new chapter in the Author’s story. Gerwyn’s spirit will leave this world to find his place in the next chapter of life.”
“How do you know?” I asked
“Because there’s more to the song Gabby was singin’. It’s from the Author’s Writ:
A greater story is being told,
Beyond the things you see and hold.
The pages turn in perfect time,
Leaving what we know behind.
Death is not the end, dear one,
Another chapter has begun.
So be not sad, oh heart of mine.
Find the joy that’s hid behind.
Through darkness light will find its way,
While we await the dawn of day.
“No matter the circumstance, we can find joy in knowin’ that he has a greater purpose in all things. There is power in that truth, Hunter—a great, freeing power.”
Hope met up with us on our way to the temple to relay the news of what had happened. Faldyn was the only one of the captains not in attendance, as he had taken leave from the gathering the day before to tend to pressing matters on another shard of Solandria. After the shock and sadness of Gerwyn’s death sank in, the discussion turned to the task at hand.
“The hour we have long dreaded is finally here,” Petrov began. “We have been discovered. It is only a matter of time before they come. Every hour counts. They may be here before the day is over.” A heavy silence hung in the air—a battle was coming and Sanctuary would never again be the same.
“Leo. Tyra,” Petrov barked, “evacuate the women and children to the underground bunkers. Make sure nobody uses the portals, it is too risky.” The captains saluted and marched off to carry out his orders.
“Ephriam and Saris,” he continued, “gather every soldier and get ready for battle. If it’s a fight the Shadow want, then we’ll be ready to give it to them when they arrive.” They nodded in agreement and left as well.
Now only Sam, Evan, Petrov, Hope and I remained in the temple.
Petrov turned to face me. “Hunter, we can’t let them find you. I think it is no coincidence that Aviad has called you away today. You must get as far away from Sanctuary as possible.”
“When do we leave?” I asked, suddenly anxious to get out of the fortress and head for safety.
There was an awkward pause. Evan and Petrov exchanged glances. Evan responded first. “We...” he paused, “we won’t be going with you, Hunter.”
“What! Why?”
“We have trained you in the ways of the Codebearer, and we can show you the way to Aviad, but the journey is one you will have to make alone, I’m afraid.”
“You’re kidding, right?” I gasped.
He shook his head.
“But...but...what if the Shadow find me?”
Petrov answered, “They already have. The dragon-probe was not sent by mistake. Our location has been compromised and they are coming for you in greater numbers. We’ll need every man to fend off the attack. The people of Sanctuary will need our help.”
The vision I had seen of Venator came suddenly to mind. I knew it was time to come clean about what I had seen, so I told them everything. I explained how the visions had started on the very first day I arrived, and how more recently Venator knew about our plans to meet Aviad.
“How is that possible?” Evan asked.
“It’s obvious, isn’t it? Someone must have tipped him off!” Hope replied.
“But who would do a thing like that? Other than the captains, we were the only ones who knew about the letter from Aviad.”
Truth be told, I had my suspicions about the culprit. Faldyn’s interaction with Venator in my dream had been more than mysterious, and his disappearance yesterday was a bit too convenient for my liking. I was about to offer my suggestion when Petrov cut in.
“It doesn’t matter now. The damage is done, and it doesn’t change a thing. Hunter must go. They will come looking for him here first, and when they don’t find him they will continue their search. Either way, his journey must begin today.”
“Why didn’t ya share this with us before, Hunter?” Sam asked, visibly hurt that I hadn’t been open with him.
“I don’t know I was scared I guess. I didn’t know what to make of it at first. I was on my way to tell you about my dream from last night when the dragon landed and I…I got sidetracked.”
Petrov frowned as he looked at me. “The Shadow’s connection to you is stronger than I thought. Still, as much as I would like it to be different, we cannot go with you. We can only hope they won’t expect you to be traveling alone.”
Evan walked to my side and set a hand on my shoulder, his concern for me written in his eyes.
“I know it’s a lot to ask of you and I’m not going to lie and say it will be easy. But you also must know that the Author has reasons we cannot understand. Listen to what your heart is asking you to do.”
My heart? It was racing under the pressure of having to make a decision. There was no way around it—I would have to go alone.
“Okay, I’ll do it,” I said with hesitation.
Petrov smiled with relief. “It’s decided then, there is no time to waste.” He ran his finger over a map of the Shard of Inire as he spoke, “Once you are safely back on Inire you will head north to find Aviad. You’ll travel over the Black Desert, through Blood Canyon, to the Woods of Indifference where you must find the Lost Refuge of Aviad. He will meet you here, at the top of the stone stairs, behind the doorway.”
Glancing over the map gave me an unsettling feeling about the trip. It looked like a long journey and as much as I wanted to leave and find Aviad, I had to face the facts—this was no joy hike through the woods. I was heading out alone on a journey that would most likely take days to complete.
“Sam, gather some provisions for the boy and ready his transfer,” Petrov commanded.
Sam nodded in agreement and left without a word.
Evan gripped me firmly in an arm lock. “I’m proud of you, Hunter. Your father would be proud too, I imagine.”
“You think?”
“Certainly, it takes a great deal of courage to face the unknown. You are doing the right thing and I have great faith in you.”
“Thanks,” I said, trying to tame the lump in my throat, “that means a lot.”
“Well then. May the Author guide your every step until we meet again—Hunter Brown of the Dumpster!”
We shared a laugh as he stepped away. I turned to say good-bye to Hope, but she was already by my side.
“You won’t really be alone out there. You know that, right?” she asked.
I nodded, not as comforted by the thought as she had intended for me to be. After all, I was heading out alone and the Shadow would be looking for me.
“Here, I want you to have this.” She removed a slender gold chain from her neck and pressed it into my hands. The chain held a small medallion of the interlocking V symbol that glimmered in the sunlight, casting a golden light onto her face as she handed it to me. “It will remind you of your purpose when the journey gets tough.”
“Thanks, it’s great. You’ve been great,” I said lamely looking down into her eyes. Suddenly, I became aware that we were standing closer than ever before and my heart began to race.
Over the past several days, Hope had saved me from drowning, had become my friend, and even though she had laughed at me a time or two she had been one of my biggest supporters. In that moment I promised myself that if we ever met again, I would find a way to do something nice in return. I was really starting to like her.
“Don’t get too attached,” she raised an eyebrow and broke the silence. At first I thought she was reading my mind; then she added, “I’m taking it back when you meet up with us again.”
“Fair enough,” I smiled back, gripping the chain tighter still. Then it hit me—the terrible thought that we might never see each other again. The reality was the Shadow were coming here, and she was staying behind to fight. I knew if I stayed I wouldn’t be much use to anyone, but the thought of possibly losing Sam, Evan or Hope—the only friends I had made here in Solandria—was frightening.
“What is it?” Hope asked, noticing my sudden change in demeanor.
“I’m just not sure I’m up to it. Leaving everyone behind and heading out alone.”
“But you have to go. You could be the one to end this war. The sooner you meet with Aviad, the sooner we find out why he has called you here. You’re not abandoning us, Hunter. You’re giving us hope.”
“But I don’t know what I’m doing—it seems like such a long journey.” My fear of the unknown was getting the better of me and it wasn’t doing anything for my confidence either.
“Seven and a half days by foot…” she confirmed, pausing briefly to let the duration set in before finishing her sentence. “But you won’t be traveling by foot.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, my eyes lighting up with the news that I wouldn’t have to walk.
“You’ll see.” She smiled coyly, feeding my curiosity even more. “Come on, I’ll show you. Sam will probably be at the landing already.”