Of Dusk & Dawn / Book 1 / Chapter II - A Covenant Reborn

[mdmorash]

“Hail to natures friends,” I yelled, “and all who serve her needs.”
He raised his head and waved to me, this part’ner to my deeds.
Then he came across to me, though smile he did not.
I saw there in his eyes he knew it was the one we’d fought.

“Where is it you’ve been?” Vynn asked. “It’s been so very long.”
I took a breath, and sat him down to hear my sorrowed song.
“It has now returned,” I said, “that which we did once fight.”
I saw it there within his eyes he’d seen the coming night.

“Do you know the time?” he asked, “How long it has been here?”
I bowed my head, and wrestled with the shadows of my fear.
“This I do not know,” I said, “I have but seen its stain.”
I tried to find the words to show the visions in my brain.

“Tell me is it now,” Vynn smiled, “that we go find the priest?”
I looked at him and knew my friend would stand against the beast.
“Yes it is the time,” I said, “prepare we leave at dawn.”
And with those words we settled back to sleep upon the lawn.

Morning came to us to soon, and we prepared to go.
We took the things we knew we’d need, though when we did not know.
As we left the glen Vynn asked, “Will this now be our last?”
I looked toward the dawning sun, and knew the die’d been cast.

“I know only this,” I said, “There is a chance we’ll lose.”
I said this open hearted for I knew what he would choose.
“I can give you hope,” I smiled, “If you can give me strength.”
I looked to see his massive smile, and marveled at its length.

“I will give to you,” he gibed, “what little I have left.”
I could not stop the laugher for he clammed a mighty theft.
“Have you lost your strength,” I asked, “now feeble and so old?”
I could not see his eyes through tears, but knew he was still bold.

“I can hold my own,” he said, “just one hand holds the cane.”
At those words I almost fell as I ached with laughter’s pain.
On we rode without a thought of all we’d soon have done.
The future held for us just death so on we traced the sun.

Miles passed beneath our steeds, and dusk began to fall.
We picked a patch beside the path to answer nature’s call.
When our meal was done we sat, rememb’ring long past deeds.
It was within the words we spoke that echoed all our needs.

As the fire waned that night we drifted off to sleep.
And in my dreams I dreamed of ways for promises to keep.
In the end I found just one, and this I then did pledge.
For all the things she’d given me I’d move beyond the edge.

Sleep it did not last for long for something stalked the wood.
I searched the shadows of the night with everything I could.
Looked upon my sleeping friend, but did not wake his eyes.
I waited in the silent world awaiting demons cries.

Upon the mornings coming I told Vynn of my night.
We broke our camp then packed our lives, and desp’ritly took flight.
“Do you think it hunts?” He asked. “This beast that haunts our way.”
I did not want to think upon the meaning of this play.

“I am not aware,” I said, “of more than it is there.”
But I could feel my soul aflame. It held us in its stare.
“We will have to fight,” I knew, “before this day is done.”
I wondered at its quickness even though it fought the sun.

“Let it come to me,” Vynn said, “I’ll make a belt of it.”
I grinned at him in spite of fear believing in his wit.
“You will have your chance,” I said, “look there within the road.”
He looked ahead, and drew his sword for never he’d be slowed.

“Do you know its name?” He asked. “Or is it something new?”
I searched my mind for things I’d seen, but could not tell him true.
“I’ve not seen its like,” I said, “but that does nothing mean.”
True I knew most beasts alive, but this I’d never seen.

There upon the road I saw a beast of twisted flesh.
With arching back, and grizzled snout, and talons meant to thresh.
Its hair was course and matted, its eyes of yellow phlegm.
And when it smiled its evil smile its mouth a bleeding gem.

Then it chose its mark and charged, but Vynn was far too quick.
Upon its scaly back he cut, its blood ran black and thick.
Then it turned on me and sprang, its violence laid bare.
I dodged its strike, but with my staff found nothing but the air.

“Move it here to me,” Vynn yelled, “my blade it thirsts for more.”
I dodged another strike just then, and cut it to the core.
“It has come for me,” I called, “a messenger of hate.”
The beast it turned on me again, and saw his sword to late.

There upon the ground it lay, now there without its head.
I watched it kick and scrape the ground although it now was dead.
“He has grown so strong,” I said, “how will we come to win?”
I looked at Vynn, and saw his thoughts; we’d beet it through its sin.

“Let us not delay,” Vynn said, “there’s more of this about.”
I looked around as darkness fell, and waited for the shout.
“How much road is left?” I asked. “How far until we stop?”
He shook his head, then smiled again, and gave a silly hop.

“I know not the end,” he said, “but this I know for shore.”
I knew that tone, and what it meant, but then I asked for more.
“I’ve become so parched,” he sang, “so onward to the mead.”
So with a wave he started out fulfilling unknown need.

Night it came again to us, our journey near its end.
Upon a hill just leagues away our hopes and dreams did send.
Then the gates we stood within, the evil held at bay.
This city now our refuge even though we could not stay.

“Now we’ll find our Kiell,” I said, “we’ll seek him in the square.”
We moved along the winding roads with nothing less than care.
“This is where we’ll look,” Vynn laughed. “This tavern suits both needs.”
I opened up the door and saw the priest there planting seeds.

“Have you any shame?” I called. “Or do you mock your post?”
I waited there a moment for I knew that he would boast.
“I am ever pure,” he said, “but you look mired in sin.”
I took his hand, and then embraced, and held him close as skin.

“It has been to long,” Kiell said. “My life has been too dull.”
I smiled at him then rolled my eyes, and tapped him on his skull.
“You may change your mind,” I said, “my story causes pain.”
He looked at me within my soul like Abel did to Cain.

“Why is it you’ve come?” he smiled. “Or do I need to ask?”
I waited there a moment then I set about my task.
“He has come again,” I said, “the evil’s been set free.”
He closed his eyes, and sadly asked, “So once again we’re three?”

“That is why I’ve come,” I said, “to ask you for your aid.”
I waited for his answer though I saw my friendship paid.
“I will, once again,” he smiled, “join you on this quest.”
And in his eyes a fire burned, an equal to the test.

“I have but one plea,” he said, “you let me bring my charge.”
I looked around the room, but saw the crowd it was too large.
“Show him now to me,” I said, “so I may welcome him.”
The smile I saw across his lips was such a mocking grin.

“You now just assume,” he jibbed, “that I have chose a man.”
I walked into his joke for I’d not truly seen his plan.
From behind my friend, there came, a beauty of a lass.
I bowed by head and shook it slow for I’d become the ass.

“This if I am right,” I laughed, “is that of whom you spoke.”
Kiell he stroked her hair and smiled as she gave a gentle pock.
“She is of the last,” he sighed, “the last of forest’s guards.”
I looked from he to she amazed at the trump within the cards.

“How is it she came,” I asked, “to be here now with you?”
I waited for his answer while watching for the true.
Then there fell a tear from her I knew was birthed by pain.
I felt a tearing at my heart, but asked my friend again.

Slowly he took breath and sighed, then locked his eyes to mine.
I saw the answer bringing rage, and watched it straight his spine.
“May is now the last,” he said,” but that I’ve said before.”
I waited in my patience while he faced the dark abhor.

Then he told a tail of death all full of evils stain.
And how he found this child alone amid the gore and pain.
The beasts had come within the night and torn their world apart.
The savagery with which they struck would end it at the start.

On he spoke and as he did I watched her haunted eyes.
And in them silently I heard the torn and tortured cries.
He told us of the beasts just then and Vynn began to growl.
And as I recognized the words he let a rage filled howl.

“Beasts like this we’ve seen,” he raged, “upon the road we took!”
He smashed his mug of ale just then to protests from the cook.
“These you saw in force?” He asked, “These beasts of nightmare spawn.”
She looked at him with pleading eyes, but all the tears were gone.

“This is why I beg,” she said, “that I be asked to come.”
I thought about the price of this, and wondered at the sum.
“You are just a child,” Vynn said, “can’t we go in your stead.”
I watched the fires within he stoked, the rage on which she fed.

"She is not a child,” Kiell said, “She’s of the race of elves.”
I raised my head to speak but I was silence by the bells.
“She is young to them,” Kiell smiled,” but twice as old as you.”
I watched as Vynn began to smile and hearty laughs he through.

“Welcome to our group,” I said, “though death’s all we might find.”
May looked at me and smiled with a look so sweet and kind.
“I accept this gift,” she said, “and vengeance will be ruat.”
I looked into her crystal eyes and knew that I’d been caught.

“When is it we leave?” May asked. “And where is it we go?
I look within her eyes of blue and with my map did show.
“I will tell you this,” I said, “This and so much more.”
I leaned into my work at hand now solid to the core.

“We will leave at dawn,” I said, “so rest yourselves this night.”
They looked at me is disbelief, all ready for a fight.
“Why don’t we leave now?” Vynn asked, “The night would be our friend.”
He slapped the hilt of his great sword, now eager to defend.

“Where is it we go?” May asked. “When dawn has come again.”
I looked at her in silent thanks for easing Vynn’s long gain.
“We will travel south,” I said, “To visit with the king.”
But to myself I wondered just what message we would bring.

“Is the King prepared?” Kiell asked. “Does he know that which comes?”
I wondered at my answer here, but found I’d been struck dumb.
“It’s not known to me,” I said, “just what we will find there.”
I looked around the group and found no flinching in its stare.

“So we travel blind,” Vynn growled, “t’won’t be the first time in.”
He slapped my back and shrugged at May, then tweaked her on the chin.
“You are such a fool,” Kiell laughed, “but we are blessed with you.”
Then to the center came our ales, so to a toast they flew.

(Continued in Chapter III – The Burning Gates Of Ellaville)

© 2003
Michael David Morash
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