It was three nights after the attack when Stray sat under
the cover of the trees watching as the rain poured around him. He and Bragen
were soaked to the bones as the downpour continued on. Everything was wet now,
too wet to take a spark, so they were forced to spend the night without a fire.
The night the crazed farmers attacked them had been so clear and then by
morning the sky was overcast. After only traveling for a few hours, the first
drops of rain began to fall and the further south they traveled the heavier it
seemed to come down. There were no storms as far as he could see. No lightning
and no thunder. There was just a steady, heavy, drenching rain that never
slowed.
Glancing over, Stray took a long look at his friend. The
giant warrior sat a few feet away, his elbows rested on his knees with his head
hanging low between them. Stray thought he was asleep, but could not be sure. The
large drops of rain that found their way through the protection of the trees
dripped onto his dark walnut colored skin then ran down the contours of his
heavy muscles to fall to the mud below. Pulling his eyes away from the giant,
Stray raised his hands to wipe his loose black hair out of his face. Rubbing
his palms against his eyes, he wondered if it would ever end. God, he hated
being stuck in constant rains.
When he dropped his hands and opened his eyes he froze. The
rain had stopped! Looking out from under
the trees he could see Eternal Lake only fifty paces away, the moon standing
full just above the horizon. Stray stood up and looked at his friend who still
had not stirred. He decided that Bragen must really be asleep if he didn’t
notice the rain had stopped.
Not wanting to disturb his friend, Stray stepped out and
looked up at the clear sky. As many nights as he had spent out alone, he could
not remember ever seeing so many stars. There was a sense of peace about the
night he had never felt at any time before.
“Come and join me Joshua. Give an old woman company.”
Stray dropped his eyes back to the shoreline of the lake. Oruna
stood there with her back to him, staring out over the calm waters. The light
of the moon cast a silvery vale over her gray hair. The lake was a near perfect
mirror showing the reflection of the large full moon behind her. He considered
waking his friend then thought better of it. He did not believe the witch woman
was there to cause any trouble. Why he felt that way he couldn’t say. It was
just something in the tone of her voice as she called him over. Almost as if it
was an old friend she was talking to rather than someone she hardly knew.
Walking down to the edge of the water, he stood beside the
old woman, watching the calm waters. “What do you want with me witch?”
She chuckled slightly at the way he addressed her. No other
would dare talk to her so without fear causing their voice to tremble. Yet he
showed no care. “It is peaceful is it not?”
She asked.
“It is. More so, than I can ever remember.” Stray replied.
“This is only a mirage boy. One I have created for you. Look
at the giant one and you will see the rain still falls.”
Stray turned around and saw his friend. Water was still
hitting him and running down his muscles. “I have found my inner eyes Oruna.”
The old witch shook her head. “No boy, it is the inner eye
that has found you. What was it?”
Stray thought it was strange that she would ask that
question. Somehow he just expected her to know that already. “It was a owl. I
saw through its eyes as I slept.”
“The owl is befitting of you boy, it is a creature more
comfortable in the shadows of night. For now, it will come as you sleep. Soon
however it will begin to come when you are awake. Someday down the road, if you
live long enough, it will come when you wish it to.” Oruna took a deep breath before continuing
with a new subject. “A darkness comes boy!
An evil is upon us that can shackle the world for all eternity if it is
left unchecked.” Stray opened his mouth
to reply but Oruna raised a hand to silence him. “The Demon Lord, Shirakhul is
among us and looks for the key to his quest. The daughter of King Harren of
Shayle! If he gets her before this
night,” Oruna held a hand out as if to say she was talking about the mirage she
had created, “All will be lost.”
“Why doesn’t Harren protect her then? And why her?
Why not one of the others? I have
my own quest to deal with, I don’t need another.” Oruna turned to look up into Strays eyes. For
the first time he turned to look back at her and saw a true fear there. Something
inside of him relaxed as he realized she was there because she needed his help.
She was not looking to manipulate him as he had expected.
Oruna held his gaze for a minute before finally breaking eye
contact. There was something about this young man that she could not understand.
Something that made her like him. Maybe it was his unusual courage. Maybe it
was his confidence. So many young men mixed up cockiness with confidence. Not
this young man however. Taking a deep breath she spoke in a trembling voice. “Shirakhul
has taken King Harren’s likeness. He has already drank of the souls of eleven
of his children. His now, only living daughter is the last key that has somehow
evaded his evil grasp.” Laying her hand
on his arm, she beckoned him. “Joshua, you are the only one I feel can save her.
Even I, with all of my powers, cannot stand against the Demon Lord. He would
sense my powers before I came close and would send an army, many of whom are
his brethren now, to destroy me. But you, you could move among them unnoticed. What
you seek will be behind the throne. Do not ask what it is, for I do not know. My
vision did not show me more than that it was behind the throne. If he gets her
before the moon is full, all is lost.”
Stray looked up at the round moon hanging so eerily over the
lake. “How can that be? The moon is
already full!” He felt her hand withdraw
from his arm and when he turned to look at her she was gone. In that sudden
movement of turning his head, the rain was once again pouring around him. Glancing
up through the falling rain, it was immediately evident that the moon would not
be seen. He moved back to the cover of the trees and what little protection they
offered and found Bragen awake and watching him.
“Do you always enjoy standing and watching the rain pour
around you?” The large warrior asked.
“It was not raining when Oruna was here.” Stray answered.
Bragen started, then began to look around, his eyes
searching every shadow and Stray had to smile to himself. The warrior was
likely the most powerful he had ever met and yet he was afraid of one old woman.
“She is gone now my friend. Tell me, do you remember what moon it was when we
were attacked the other night?”
Bragen nodded. “It was a black moon. Why do you ask?”
Stray nodded to the answer. He had thought as much, but the
vision from Oruna had him second-guessing himself. They were still five or six
days away from the city of Mazwar where King Harren’s castle was. If she was
still alive when he found her, then he would have to protect her for another
week. “Just wondering how long I might have to play the maid servant is all.”
Bragen lifted an eyebrow on his otherwise hairless head in
question then decided it would be best to leave it. If Stray wanted to explain
it, he would have.
