\u201cRuna!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cQuiet!\u201d the angular-featured kyrie hissed, but Utgar ignored him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRuna!\u201d She didn\u2019t move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe can\u2019t hear you,\u201d a voice said from Utgar\u2019s left. Utgar turned and saw that the boy on the far left had spoken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d he asked, fearing the answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe\u2019s drugged,\u201d the boy said. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, she\u2019s fine, but she won\u2019t wake for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Utgar forced his breathing to slow. She was fine. Runa was fine. \u201cWhy?\u201d he asked between breaths. \u201cWhy would they drug her?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The boy shrugged. \u201cI don\u2019t know, but I do know the guards will come in soon if you don\u2019t keep your voice down.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Utgar nodded. \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWho is she to you?\u201d the bearded kyrie asked, his whisper more of a growl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy daughter,\u201d Utgar said, turning to look back at the motionless lump which was Runa. \u201cShe\u2019s my daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The night passed slowly. Utgar could barely tear his eyes away from Runa, but after several hours of staring at her unmoving form, he began to hear strange sounds coming from outside the tent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At first all was silent. Occasionally there would be the clink of armor, which Utgar assumed was a guard shifting position. But once he heard a dull thud close to the tent, and several times he was sure he heard a soft tearing noise, as if fabric were being pulled apart very slowly and carefully. Utgar couldn\u2019t guess what these sounds meant, but his muscles tensed, and his eyes strained to see in the near-darkness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And then, just as the feel of the air had shifted, and Utgar guessed that dawn was approaching, a shadowy figure lifted the tent flap, and walked inside. The figure carried a sword, and against the light color of the tent wall, Utgar could see that something dark dripped from it. The figure slowly approached the five prisoners. Utgar tensed, ready for a fight. And then the figure spoke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBy Migol,\u201d he breathed, \u201cI knew it was you, Utgar!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Utgar recognized that voice. It was one he hadn\u2019t heard in over twelve years, except for in his dreams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cVraen?\u201d he whispered, hardly daring to believe it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s me, Utgar,\u201d Vraen said, \u201cand you don\u2019t need to whisper. The soldiers are dead; the camp is mine.\u201d He knelt and began untying Utgar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut \u2013 You\u2014\u201d Utgar spluttered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy scouts have been following you for two days,\u201d Vraen explained as he worked. \u201cYou were being tracked the moment you entered my territory. I had my suspicions it was you, because you came from the desert, and because you killed eight soldiers with only a scratch to show for it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Utgar remembered the black kyrie which had seemed to watch him, but other questions were more pressing. \u201cYour territory?\u201d Utgar repeated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d Vraen said, finishing untying Utgar and moving on to the angular-faced kyrie. \u201cMy days of roaming the Barbarian Lands ended soon after yours did. I was tired of the constant fighting and moving from place to place. I wanted to settle somewhere and build something. Apparently, my idea was shared by quite a few of our band, because a year later we had a small village to our name and raiders were joining us by droves. By now I control most of the central Strip.\u201d He moved on to Runa. \u201cBut what about you? How did you get captured?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2014\u201d Utgar was still struggling with the sudden appearance of a friend he hadn\u2019t seen in over a decade. \u201cBut\u2026 how did you find me? What are you doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vraen finished untying Runa (she remained unconscious), and moved on to the other prisoners. \u201cI\u2019m the biggest clan,\u201d he said simply. \u201cNo one dares threaten me except for the Empire. We try to stay out of each other\u2019s way, but I keep an eye on them anyway. They could destroy me if they decided I was a threat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Utgar glanced at the blood dripping from Vraen\u2019s sword. \u201cWhat changed?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vraen glanced at his sword. \u201cNothing,\u201d he said. \u201cLike I said, I thought it might be you my scouts were following, and when the Empire captured you, I decided to pay this camp a little visit. They were far too close to my territory anyway. They should know better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDon\u2019t worry,\u201d Vraen said. He held up a black cloth hood. \u201cThey don\u2019t know it was us who attacked them. There\u2019s a group of extremists to the south \u2013 Vel they\u2019re called \u2013 they\u2019re always attacking the Empire. They wear hoods like this \u2013 it makes impersonating them dead easy.\u201d He finally finished untying all of the prisoners and returned to Utgar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut I want to hear what drove you from the desert. My scouts say you were moving as if your life depended on it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Utgar stood and moved to where Runa lay. He knelt by her side and put his hand under her head; it was limp and lifeless, but he could feel her breathing slowly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is my daughter,\u201d he told Vraen. \u201cShe was taken by the Empire.\u201d He quickly related how he had found his home burning and Runa gone. When he finished, Vraen was silent for a long time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finally he said, \u201cwhat you\u2019ve told me makes no sense. Why would the Empire abduct your daughter? She wasn\u2019t exactly easy to reach.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Utgar shook his head. \u201cI don\u2019t know. But I couldn\u2019t let them take her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey\u2019ll be looking for her,\u201d Vraen said. \u201cThe Empire. It only makes sense,\u201d he added when Utgar looked at him. \u201cShe was halfway into the desert; there are far easier targets. That means she\u2019s not just anyone to them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The shock of seeing Vraen was starting to wear off, and the reality that the Empire was after Runa was now sinking in. \u201cWe\u2019ll hide,\u201d Utgar said. \u201cI did it once; I can do it again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey found you once,\u201d Vraen said. \u201cThey can probably do that again, too.\u201d Utgar looked at him. \u201cThere\u2019s only one place you can go right now, Utgar: Nearv, my village. You\u2019ll be safe from the Empire there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Utgar was silent for a moment. \u201cWhat about you, though?\u201d he said. \u201cIf they find out that you\u2019re sheltering me\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut they won\u2019t,\u201d Vraen said. \u201cNot if we stay hidden on our way back, and use our Vel disguises if we meet any soldiers. Trust me, Utgar. I can hide you there until they lose their interest in your daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now that he had Runa back, part of Utgar \u2013 a very large part \u2013 wanted only to flee back to the desert, and rebuild his life. But Vraen was right. The Empire had found him there once, and there was no reason they wouldn\u2019t find him there again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAlright,\u201d Utgar said. \u201cI\u2019ll go to Nearv. Thank you, Vraen. I\u2019ll repay you someday.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vraen waved his hand dismissively. \u201cYou owe me nothing, Utgar. You\u2019ve saved my life plenty of times. Kirav!\u201d he suddenly called over his shoulder. A kyrie robed in black entered the tent. \u201cThese were the Empire\u2019s prisoners, Kirav,\u201d Vraen said. \u201cMake sure they have food and water. We\u2019re taking them all back to Nearv.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kirav nodded and left the tent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vraen put a hand on Utgar\u2019s shoulder. \u201cIt will be like old times,\u201d he said. \u201cYou and me together again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Utgar finally permitted himself to smile. \u201cDo you still plot the Empire\u2019s end around the fire every night?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLess so,\u201d Vraen admitted. \u201cI have to live with them if I\u2019m to survive. But if you got me a Wellspring, I\u2019d gladly flatten Srung and the rest of the Empire.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Utgar smiled. \u201cI know you would,\u201d he said. \u201cWouldn\u2019t we all.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cRuna!\u201d \u201cQuiet!\u201d the angular-featured kyrie hissed, but Utgar ignored him. \u201cRuna!\u201d She didn\u2019t move. \u201cShe can\u2019t hear you,\u201d a voice said from Utgar\u2019s left. Utgar turned and saw that the boy on the far left had spoken. \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d he asked, fearing the answer. \u201cShe\u2019s drugged,\u201d the boy said. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, she\u2019s fine, … Continue reading Chapter Five<\/span>