‘Liberty, what has happened here?’
Smoke still billowed from some of the remains, and the fort was just a pile of bricks that were stacked at the centre of the destruction. Many of the houses were in ruins, there debris littering the streets. ‘Where are all the people? No bodies, anything’ is all she said
The town was a state and Bryant and Liberty sat alone together atop some wooden rubble that had been a home.
She looked around the town, clearly still upset
Bryant followed her gaze. The destruction was impressive, house after house was just a pile of wood. The smell of burning hung in the air causing a cloud of black smoke that hung over the town. The front gate had been completely demolished, and every single guard tower North, East, South and West was now a burning mound. Memories of the Elderon conflicts came back to Bryant. He hoped with all his heart that this was not the beginning of another war.
‘We know nothing as to what has happened’ Bryant continued ‘I was sent by my superiors to check on this town after some reports’
He sighed
‘But beyond that, we are clueless. I’m sorry. But when I return to the City I’m sure something will be done. Do you think the rebels would do this Liberty?’
She put her head in her hands
‘Captain I don’t know a thing, I heard explosion after explosion. My brother…..’
She trailed off, and tears begin to appear in her eyes
‘…my brother came running and put me in the basement. Down there I heard horrific things. People screaming. Who could have done this? You’re a captain; tell me why would someone do this?’
Bryant looked on her with caring eyes
‘We honestly don’t know, there are no bodies. It seems the people have vanished. But as soon as I report back the Elders will act. Atriop is an important town for us as it sits at the border’
Liberty was distraught now
‘So important that we were left without protection. My little brother had only just been given his sword and he was supposed to protect a town to himself!’
She cried again, and Bryant softly rubbed her back.
‘I’m very sorry about all of this, when you’re ready to talk you can speak to me at any time’
Bryant stood and joined the rest of the group who sat down regaining strength some meters away
‘What has happened here than?’ Marsha asked looking around at the devastation
‘I was supposed to be healing people, but there is nobody here’
Michaels chipped in
‘Captain this is too weird, where the hell is everyone. No bodies, nothing. I walked all around here and not a single soul. Not even any blood!’
‘Look everybody I know this is odd, but we have to keep level heads. We need to report back to the Elders straight away, this looks like an invasion to me. Goldric, I want you to go immediately back to the Imperial city and alert the Elders. Tell them what you have seen and myself, Michaels and Marsha will follow behind with Liberty’
Goldric, who stayed quiet as usual quickly jumped onto a horse and immediately departed for the gate. He efficiently galloped out past the town border onto the green valley beyond.
‘Alright Michaels and Marsha lets gear up, we need to bring our only witness back to the Imperial City.’ Liberty sat alone and continued to sob.
On the Eastern road Bryant and the rest had wasted no time venturing down the mountain path back to the flats green fields. The fear of the rebels had been superseded by a new fear. What had happened to the people of Atriop? Liberty held tightly to the captain as the powerful imperial horses galloped over the uneven path. They had camped in the forest as before and quickly departed early on. The sky remained clear allowing good sight ahead in the clear night sky. Michaels had now taken the role of scout and kept slightly ahead of the rest so he could return if he came across visitors. Bryant was aware that in all probability he would meet Imperial soldiers on the way sent by the Elders, perhaps some of the Elders themselves to access the situation. But until than he stayed focused. The devastation was etched on his mind. So many answers were needed, and Liberty had none. The young woman stayed silent sitting behind him for most of the journey, but somehow he knew there was still a part to play for the young girl in all of this. Instinct told him, and his instinct was rarely wrong.
‘Captain’
It was Michaels, he was calling from ahead.
‘Captain come now’
They had reached the flatlands and were over one days ride from home. Michaels was standing over a large pond ahead, hand over his mouth peering into the water. Bryant stopped his horse and Marsha followed suit.
‘Stay here please ill takes a look’ and he climbed the horse and jogged to his Sergeant. Bryant approached the pond that lay to the side of the path. As he approached he saw what Michaels was alerted to, his heart sank. The normally clear pond was a crimson red colour; at the centre lay a dead horse whose head was severed. Next to the horse amongst the reeds a dead man floated upside down, and he had the uniform of an imperial soldier, a familiar Imperial Soldier.
‘It’s Goldric’ Bryant stated, sadness in his voice.
He stayed silent for one more second than shouted to Marsha to come.
‘Captain, what can she do now? He’s dead! Look at him sir!’ Distress in his voice.
Bryant knew it was hopeless but wanted to do something for the man that served him. As she approached the shock was obvious on her face as she stood zombified looking upon the site.
‘We need to get him out guys. He must be buried’ Marsha said
‘We will bury him here so he can return to the mountain father, like he deserves’
Bryant, liberty, Marsha and Michaels stood soberly over the body of Goldric that now lay peacefully on the grass. The wound to his neck was clearly visible, and had been administered with surgical precision. Marsha had used her powers to try a revival, but they all knew it was hopeless. Once she had drained her energy trying they accepted the worst. Goldric was dead and had clearly been murdered.
‘Marsha, when you tried the revival did you get a glimpse into his memory, did you see the murder?’
She shook here head side to side and huffed
‘As you’re aware my memory reading is limited, but I am certain Goldric himself didn’t know what happened. I did sense that there was no pain, and he hasn’t undergone any struggles or strains. My guess would be he stopped to take water and was attacked silently’
Michaels chipped in ‘Whoever did this knew what they were doing, this is a professional job’
Liberty quietly knelt closer to the body of Goldric and placed her hand on his forehead closing her eyes.
‘Liberty?’
Bryant hushed Michaels and watched.
‘Marsha you are right’
Her eyes remained closed, continuing to lay her hand on the soldier’s cool head.
‘He crouched down to fill his canteen, and than….. Than he felt warm hands grab him.’
She was confused.
‘The hands were delicate, yet they were so strong!’
Everyone was astounded by what Liberty was doing. She was no healer, and should not have the ability to do memory reads.
‘He saw the attacker’s hands, they…’
She suddenly became distressed and fell back releasing her contact with Goldric’s head. Marsha tried to comfort her but she broke free and ran towards some trees.
‘Marsha, Captain, what in Acrusia is happening?’
Marsha looked on the girl as she disappeared from view and an understanding came over her. The two men were clueless as to what was occurring.
‘I believe she just experienced her first ‘murder memory’ ill go and see if she is ok’
Bryant and the others set up camp away from the Eastern road for the last time before they would reach the city. Dense bushes and trees surrounded them and the stars were only visible at intervals where the leaves from the trees parted. Mist had settled in the woodland, reducing visibility. Which was an advantage, as well as a drawback. A calm breeze swayed the trees and the sound of the wind through the thousands of leaves could be heard. Marsha, Liberty and Michaels lay silently sleeping nearby. Bryant now had new worries to think about and he pondered them staring into the flames of the dying fire. He played with a small stick poking it into the fire shifting his weight on the log he sat on. What had happened to Atriop? What had happened to Goldric? What is the significance of Liberty? So many questions needed answering, and he knew sleeping would be difficult. He was wrapped comfortably under his large green jacket and for some reason he always felt safer under his cloak; today he needed the comfort. The corpse of Goldric played on his mind as the image of the floating body echoed vividly in his memory. His death was a mystery, and somehow even though the rebels seemed the likeliest culprits he knew they weren’t responsible. They were not bloodthirsty assassins; this was surgical, so brutally surgical and precise. Goldric was killed for a reason and the captain wanted to know why. His thoughts were interrupted as from metres away Liberty shifted under the blanket and sat up looking at the captain.
‘Cant sleep captain?’ she said with a smile, her messy blond hair disguised her features in the dying light of the fire. Bryant returned the smile
‘It’s glad to see you’re ok again Liberty, you gave me a fright, I had no idea you had the powers of a healer’
‘I don’t really, I can’t heal people, I just can see things that’s all’
She stood and joined the Captain on the log bringing her blanket.
‘See things?’
Wrapping herself in the blanket she warmed her hands on the fire.
‘Yes Captain, when I touch people I can sometimes see what they are thinking, what emotions they are having, or what is worrying them. I realised it when my mother died. When I found her, I touched her and I saw what she saw for her last moments’
She too peered into the fire remembering something painful, its orange and yellow flame danced around causing shadows amongst the thick trees.
‘And when I touched Goldric my mother’s death came back to me so clearly. It was terrible; I felt her being killed again. The pain of it was unbearable, and that’s why I ran away like that – and I apologise’
Bryant looked to Liberty this time
‘You’re mother was killed?’
‘Yes she was murdered many years ago when she returned home from work at our inn. A hooded man was in our town. They say he was a thief but he left my mothers money, I was too young to understand, and probably still am’
‘I’m sorry Liberty that this has happened. In fact I’m sorry about all of this’
She looked at the captain also, and smiled
‘Captain….’
‘Call me Bryant, only my soldiers need to address me as captain’
She corrected ‘Bryant, there’s no need to apologise, you and you’re friends saved my life and for that I am indebted to you. But Captain… sorry I mean Bryant. The thing that reminded Goldric’s murder of my mothers was not the murder it self…’ she paused
‘It’s the person that did it. He had a sign on the palm of his hand; they both had the same sign that I glimpsed briefly. The person who murdered my mother and the person who murdered you’re soldier friend’
The confusion on Bryant was obvious.
‘Ill show you’
She took a piece of loose bark from the ground and borrowed the burnt stick from Bryant. She began to draw and a shape began to form, the sweeping curves, and small details. Bryant just watched the drawing take shape and it began to become familiar. Fear came over him at the realization of what she sketching. First she drew out an eye, than to the left a downwards pointing blade. To the right she drew a crescent moon. Bryant’s eyes widened and he stood from the log stepping back away from Liberty. ‘The all seeing eye’ he whispered to himself. Seeing his reaction she became uncomfortable.
‘What is it Bryant, what is this drawing?’
‘Liberty, that is the insignia of the dark blades. They are secret Imperial assassins’
‘Only high ranking people in Imperial government know who they are. They do the jobs of the elders that they would rather no one knows about. Are you certain this was on the hand of the man who killed Goldric?’
She nodded.
‘This means only one thing’
He sat down trying to control his breathing. The silence of the forest seemed louder than before, he became more alert of his surroundings. Coldness seemed to grab him.
‘You’re mother and Goldric were murdered under order from an Elder, they are the only ones who control the dark blades’
She was unsure as to how to take this information.
‘It also means that we could be in danger.’
‘LOOK OUT!’ Liberty shouted and she grabbed the captain diving to the ground. At that instead a loud whoosh broke the silence as an arrow slammed into the tree behind where the Captain had sat. On all fours the captain scrambled to the low fire beating it out with his hands.
