The Black Sword Trilogy: The Poacher (14 page)

              Kenner knew little about military tactics; only fighting.  However, what Krall was saying did make sense.  He understood at an almost instinctive level that if General Grail were to accomplish what Captain Krall was explaining, he could potentially take the entire nation.  He began to think to himself of other scenarios, including the army of monsters moving across the plains, through villages and cities, killing and destroying with little or no opposition.  If Grail accomplished this first task, he thought it very unlikely that Walechia, even with all of its Grand Army could win this kind of war.  But first, he understood, Grail had to take Mobrey.  If this army could be stopped before then, this war may still go a different direction.

              Terri saw a different problem.  She looked at the map on the ground and saw her own small village.  The Wolfen army would reach that tiny point on the map before reaching Mobrey.  The creatures could destroy the village and kill everyone she knew and nothing could potentially stop them.

              “We also know one more thing,” Krall went on gravely.  “General Grail has the Silver Axe.”

Terri couldn’t stop a slight cough of a laugh from coming out.

“Something funny?” Krall asked with a hint of anger in his voice.

“I thought the four weapons was just a legend.” She answered.

“You did see what happened didn’t you?” Krall asked her directly.

“Oh yeah, I saw.” She said.   “I was sort of hoping I was merely hallucinating.”

Krall nodded and understood her better.

“I found myself hoping the same,” He said in a softer voice.  “Unfortunately, we were both wrong.  The Silver Axe is real and Grail has it.”

“What can anyone do to stop that?” Kenner asked in an almost defeated voice.

Captain Krall took a deep breath and scratched his head nervously.

“Even with that weapon,” he answered trying to sound hopeful, “he is still only one man.  He may be able to kill hundreds by himself, but there may still be hope if a large enough force can be gathered against his army.”

              Terri then found herself understanding something more in what the Captain was telling them.

“So what you’re saying,” she said, “is that somehow we need to get this information to Kallesh.”

“That is precisely what I’m saying.” Krall answered her.

              Kenner found himself needing another cup full of ale.  As he stood up and turned towards the barrel, Terri said to him, “While you’re up…” and then held her cup to him.

“I hope you haven’t been hitting that stuff too hard.” Captain Krall told them both.

“Considering what we’ve just been through and what you’re about to ask us to do; how would you define ‘too hard’?” Terri asked.

Krall wanted to bark at her for that comment, but then his thoughts eased.

“It would be helpful if you could both remember this conversation in the morning.” He said.

“We haven’t been hitting the stuff that hard.” Kenner tried to reassure him.

“Well, in that case you can get me another cup too.” Krall ordered him.

              They sat quietly around the map for a few moments drinking their ale.  Feeling more comfortable in the silence, Kenner found himself drinking more slowly; as if finishing his cup full would bring back the now uncomfortable conversation.  Terri couldn’t stop looking at the same point on the map representing her village, her family and her friends.  She was fighting the urge to simply get up and start running to the village and warn them.  Even though she knew, consciously that this was foolishness, she still had the urge to do so.

              “Ordinarily,” Krall said, finally breaking the tense silence, “I would say that we need to stick together.”  He paused for a moment to let that sink in to his two soldiers.  “However, I cannot overstate how important this information is.  As Grail is no fool, he will have some of his animals looking for potential survivors and if we travel together, there is the very real possibility that we will be caught together.  If we’re all killed at the same time, the information will die with us.  In addition, the three of us traveling together will give out a stronger scent than one person traveling alone.  Our greatest chance for success in getting this information to Kallesh is for us to take different routes.”

              Krall then pointed to the map again.

“The most dangerous route;
“ he began, “is the direct route following the river.  I’ll take that one myself.”

“Forgive me for saying this Captain,” Kenner interrupted.  “But that route looks a little more than just ‘dangerous’.  It looks more like suicide.”

“I agree Captain.” Terri added.  “By sunrise, there will be roughly five thousand Wolfen between you and Mobrey.”

“I do concur that it has its challenges.  However, I think I can manage it if I stay at least a mile behind the beast army until I reach the bridge at Serace.  I can cross over there and then move more quickly.”

“Won’t Grail move his army over that same bridge?” Kenner asked.

“No.  That would be a waste of time.  His strategy is a dagger thrust from here, through Post One and on to Mobrey.  He has no interest in crossing that bridge.”

“That bridge is still twenty miles,” Kenner included.

“Yes, and with that army moving at about three miles a day, I should be able to get there in seven.  Once I cross the bridge, I can move even faster.” 

Now,” he said facing both of them.  “Which one of you is the better runner?”

Both raised their hands.

“I had a feeling this would happen,” Krall said frustrated.  “Pick a number between one and ten.” He ordered Kenner.

He thought for a second.

“Eight.” He said.  Krall then pointed at Terri.

“Five.” She answered.

“I’m sorry, Terri but you were closest.  You’ll have to take the route through the Blackwoods.”

“What has that got to do with running?” Kenner asked, almost insulted.

“Because there’s fifteen miles of open ground between the fort and the beginning of the forests that border the Blackwoods.” Terri told him.

“In that case, I should be the one taking this route,” Kenner tried to interject.
“And why, pray tell is that?” Terri began to argue.  “Please don’t tell me it’s because I’m a woman.  I’d rather not castrate you at this point.”

“Enough bickering,” Krall said above them.  “I assure you Kenner, your route is not any better.  You’ll have to go through the Badlands and follow the mountain road until you get to the gate of Parabas.”

“Isn’t that the route to the mountain pass and then on to Masallah?” Kenner asked.

“Yes, but you won’t be going to Masallah.  Once you get to the gate, you’ll turn around and head back to Bayton.  There you can catch the ferry across the river to Mobrey and then on to Kallesh.”

             
Kenner studied the route on the map that Krall was describing for a moment.

“That’s a very long route.” He observed.

“It’s probably the longest.  But it’s no safer or more dangerous than Terri’s route.  And the further the route, the better of a chance for both of you.”

              “After you get through the Blackwoods,” Krall told Terri, “You can take the western road back through the hills and then on to the plain before Kallesh.”

Again they were silent for a few moments.

“I think I need another ale.” Terri sighed.

“I think we all do.” Krall stated and then both he and Terri presented their cups to Kenner.

“When did I become bar maid?” Kenner asked.

              After they drank and sat quietly, Terri finally asked, “When do we leave?”  Captain Krall then addressed Kenner.

“I think you should leave at first light.”

“That’s fine,” Kenner asked.  “But how am I supposed to get across the river?”

“The river flows into a cave five miles north from here,” Krall answered.  “All you have to do is climb over the rocks and then you’ll find the road through the Badlands leading to the mountain pass.”

             
“It’s very important,” Krall added, “that you stick to that road.  I’m serious.  Do not deviate from it even by a foot.  Believe me; you don’t want to get lost in those rocks or the mountains.”

“And take plenty of food with you,” Terri interjected.  “You’ll have no trouble finding water, but food is a different story.”

             
“When do I leave?” Terri asked.

“Because you need as much rest as possible, you’ll leave a day later.  Plus this will give Grail’s army enough time to get far enough away for you to pass back through the fort.  It won’t be pleasant, but that’s your best bet.”

Terri nodded in agreement.

“I’ll leave first thing tomorrow along with you, Kenner.” Krall told them.

             
The three of them were quiet for the rest of the night as they each contemplated the roads they would take.  Terri was the first to fall asleep as she was physically exhausted from her ordeal.  Although they were both awake, neither the Captain nor Kenner spoke to one another.  Both were too focused on their own tasks.

              It only seemed a moment from his last waking memory when Kenner was woken by Captain Krall.

“It’s time.” Krall told him.

Kenner rose and began packing.  At the same time, he ate what he could.  He turned to wake Terri, but Krall stopped him.

“Let her sleep.  She has a lot of running to do tomorrow.”

             
Captain Krall then took some animal furs out of another box in the cave.

“You’ll need these.” He told Kenner.  “It gets very cold in those mountains.”

He then showed Kenner how to roll them up and tie them on to his pack.

              Captain Krall poked his head out of the cave to look for any sign of Wolfen or enemy men.  The light of the dawn was only starting to come over the horizon, but he trusted his eyes to be able to see something if it were out there.  He saw nothing.  He looked again through his telescope and still saw nothing.

“Let’s go.” He ordered Kenner and then they both jogged together away from the outcropping and towards the river.

             
When they reached the river, Krall pointed in the direction of the cave into which the river flowed.

“Got it.” Kenner answered and then he started to move off.  Krall then grabbed him by the shoulder.

             
“Look,” he said to him.  “I know it would be easy for you to just disappear and go back to your hills, but I really need you to do this.”

Kenner then grabbed Krall’s arm in a friendly gesture.
“I promised five years.” He said to his Captain.

Krall then smiled at him.

“Yes you did.” He said.  “I’m sorry I doubted you.”

The two of them, not knowing anything more to say to each other turned and started off in their different directions.

Chapter Eighteen

              Kenner followed the river until sunrise and then found the cave into which the river flowed.  He could tell that it was going to be a difficult climb up the rocks, but not impossible.  There was some brush and small trees that Kenner could use as footholds and he slowly climbed up the face of the rocks until he climbed to the top.  Once there, he found the path the Captain had told him about.

              It was easy at first, winding through short brush and grass.  He walked at a steady pace, being careful to look behind him from time to time and look for anything following him.  His pack began to get heavy after a while, making his shoulders and back sore.  To try and ease this, he hooked his fingers under the straps of the pack to have his hands bear some of the weight.  He walked for hours with the sun beginning to travel over and then behind him.  Occasionally, he would take drinks of water to quench his thirst, but he didn’t want to drink too much as, getting further away from the river, he didn’t easily see any water nearby.  He had two canteens with him and, he thought that if he were careful, one might last him a whole day.

              In the early afternoon, he stopped to eat.  Knowing that he would need to conserve his food, he ate only half of one piece of hard tack and an apple.  It didn’t quite satisfy him, but he thought that it would be better to be slightly hungry after one meal than to starve days later.