I waited for a few heartbeats, waiting for someone to speak up and tell me that I was being paranoid. Instead, everybody nodded, as if my suggestion that the Empire would commit hundreds of troops to a raid as a smokescreen for abducting a small equine wasn’t completely ludicrous.

Tarkhan broke the silence first, “We could flee while the other force, if it exists, is occupied tracking down the herd. If they’re successful they’d most likely be expected to either link up with the forces that assaulted the town or finish what they started.”

“So, we’ll have more soldiers to fight?” I asked.

Batuhan shook his head, “Most of the villagers won’t be willing to stand and fight Imperial troops. The Empire of the Eternal Blue Sky hasn’t expanded in centuries, but the stories of what happens to any who resist the expansion are still alive and well. Anybody that has something to lose will leave rather than risk it.”

Temüjin answered my unasked question, “A city is given a single chance to surrender. If they surrender they are absorbed into the Empire. If they resist then the penalty is death for any person unable to walk upright underneath a horse and slavery for any who can.”

“But we weren’t given any option to surrender before they attacked,” said Irma.

“Which is why we should flee, now,” said Tarkhan, “Not being given a chance to surrender suggests that we were all going to be put to the sword or end up as slaves regardless. Even if we did defeat the scouting force, assuming it exists, there were survivors from the first force that managed to flee. They’ll be able to report that we’re still here.”

Temüjin looked back to me, “Go warn the herd. If the Empire is after them then they should be given a chance to flee. I’ll pack up the cabin and meet you there in six days. That should be enough time for you to get there, warn them, and get back to the cabin.”

I nodded. Temüjin was right, even if the Empire wasn’t willing to slaughter an entire village of people without provocation the unicorns deserved to know that it was time to find a new home. I walked to kitchen to grab some supplies and was followed by Temüjin.

He kept his voice low as he spoke, “When you go for the herd you need to keep your elemental affinities hidden. I saw you using water, fire, and perhaps air earlier today.”

I nodded in agreement, “That was a mistake. I got caught up and didn’t even think about it. Which element should I use?”

I could almost hear the gears in his head turning before he answered, “You should be fine using two elements. I’d suggest water and air. Water is flexible enough to account for your strength and resilience while air can handle your speed. It would also explain away any healing you do while in combat.”

“That makes sense,” I answered.

I finished filling my pack with easily portable foods and slung it on my back as we exited the kitchen. Shunakhai padded over to me and bumped my leg. No doubt she could smell the dried meat I’d filched from the kitchen.

“See you at the cabin in six days, Teacher,” I said, “Be safe.”

Temüjin gave me a wave of dismissal, “I should be telling you that. Try to not engage the troops if you can. You’ve learned a little about defending yourself, but they’ll still overwhelm you with numbers if they sent a decent sized contingent.”

Waving at the rest of the people in the inn I left with Shunakhai padding along behind me. We made our way through the ruined village at a light jog, through streets still crowded with debris and people (both alive and dead) before pouring on the speed as we got out of the gate.

Gladewood was situation along the south side of the valley, almost smack dab in the middle of the east/west axis. The unicorns, at least the one time I’d seen them, were along the northwestern edge. Shunakhai and I could skirt along the valley edge, but that would take time and possibly bring us into contact with whatever, if any, empire troops were tracking down the herd. I was somewhat familiar with the valley after nearly a year of living in it so instead I had decided to take the straight shot to the northwest.

If the Imperial troops had deployed any sort of scouts I didn’t see them as Shunakhai and I made our way to the northwest. The sounds of nature coming to life after the harsh winter contrasted harshly to the sounds I had left behind in Gladewood. What was left of Gladewood. I tried my hardest to push the smell of blood and vomit, along with more unsavory scents, out of my mind as we moved through the forest, but I didn’t have much luck. When night finally fell across the valley I was ready to stop for a while. My hands were shaking, I hadn’t eaten all day, and my nerves were beyond frayed.

My day had been a rollercoaster. At first I was worried about the town, then I was worried about the friends I had made in the town, then I was worried about the herd. I hadn’t had time to spare a though to all the people, all the human beings, that I had killed that day. I had just enough time to make a small campfire for the two of us before my composure shattered and I just collapsed into a blubbering mess before falling into an fitful and exhausted sleep. My dreams were disjointed fragments of the fight, full of blood and bodies. I dreamed of Irma and Batuhan laying flayed in the streets. Tarkhan and Yaromir being slowly tortured to death while the children in town were forced to watch. Those same children in chains, backs lashed by whips, as they were led off to live their rest of their years in slavery. I saw the first three Imperial soldiers that I had so brutally killed staring at me with lifeless eyes, my hands coated in their blood.

I honestly have no clue what I would have done if Shunakhai hadn’t been there with me. Our bond was the only thing keeping me from a complete meltdown. I woke up a complete wreck, and Tabiea bless that little drake, she snuggled her two-hundred-pound butt into my lap like the world’s most oversized dog and sent feelings of affection and worry through our bond while I sobbed into her scales. She didn’t judge me for killing those people. She wasn’t angry at me. She was worried that I was hurt somehow and just wanted to comfort me. It actually worked, somewhat. This was a different world. Having a scaled murdermachine sitting in my lap trying to be the world’s most oversized emotional support animal drove that point home. The views of morality here didn’t mirror those of my previous life on Earth. Those soldiers would have killed me if I hadn’t killed them first. Rationalizing their deaths as self-defense didn’t make it an easier pill to swallow, but it was the truth.

The water in the nearby stream was barely above freezing and it served to wake me up and focus me as I washed the tears off of my face, and the blood off of my hands. I could deal with the rest of my mental shit later, after I had warned Winston that he and his unicorn buddies had to lay low for a while. That was enough to get me up and moving again. I took the time to actually appreciate the scenery as we moved that day. The valley was magnificent in the spring. Snow from the mountains melted and swelled the small streams that crisscrossed the valley floor. Trees were putting on new growth and the birds were singing sweet songs in the air as Shun and I ran through the undergrowth. That, along with the constant reassurances of affection and comfort coming from Shunakhai, helped lighten my mental burden considerably.

We stopped again that evening to camp. Our pace had been blistering, and the two days I had allotted for travel time to the northwestern edge of the valley was more than enough. We were only a few hours away from the mountains and I didn’t fancy my chances of actually finding the herd in the dark. After a quick meal of flatbread and jerky I fell asleep with my drake cuddled into my side. That night the dreams weren’t quite as bad.

Dawn came, crisp and clear, and we set out into the rocky plains. The valley sloped from west to east, and the elevation here was higher. Patches of snow still dotted the landscape here and there, slowly melting away. It wasn’t quite noon when Winston found us.

“Hey Winston,” I called to him.

He greeted me with a dip of his head.

“I…have some not so great news. Some Imperial soldiers sacked Gladewood, and we managed to fight them off. But we think they may have been a distraction to move a group of soldiers past and toward you all.” I continued.

He pawed the ground a few times, which I interpreted as “go on”.

“The hairs from last time, I had one of the guys in Gladewood sell some of them. I swear to you that I asked him to make sure he didn’t sell too many to one person, and to not sell them all. The problem, though, is that the hairs from the foal. The little cute one from last time? They were in the box and some of them got sold. So now the Empire is looking for the foal. It’s my fault Winston,” I finished, lamely.

Winston let loose with a rattling snort and tossed his head back, staring at me.

I put my hands up and said, “I know! It’s my fault, Winston. Ignorance isn’t an excuse, but I legitimately had no idea that they’d look for your foal. Just please, take your herd and hide if you can. If they can’t find you they’ll eventually quit looking. I came to warn you that I screwed up.”

His nostrils flared as he snorted again, more softly. I moved forward to put a hand on him, but he backed off and tossed his head again with his massive crystalline horn flashing in the sunlight. As far as warnings to stay away went, that was a pretty solid one.

“Again Winston, I am so-, “ I started to say, but the sound of a horn interrupted me. I glanced out over the plains, but with the slightly rolling foothills I couldn’t see whoever was sounding the horn.

It sounded again, three short blasts, and I turned back to Winston, “Get out of here dude. Hide and don’t come out until they’re gone. Take care of your foal and tell your entire herd that I am very sorry for the trouble I brought to your doorstep.”

Another horn sounded, this time with one long blast, and it sounded like it was slightly to the east of where we were. If it was the Imperial troops they were trying to surround us. That was enough for Winston to turn tail and start running back toward the mountain. He was a white blur against a green and brown background, giant hooves the size of a car tire churning the soil as he ran.

“Mission accomplished, Shun. Let’s make like a tree and leaf before they find us,” I said to my drake.

It quickly became apparent that we were inside the cordon being drawn by the Imperial troops. I spotted flashes of red moving across the plains as Shun and I headed back to the southeast toward the cabin. After about 20 minutes of trying to stay low in the grass while moving as quickly as possible I realized that we were pretty much surrounded. The horns continued to blare from our left, right, and most disturbingly, straight where we were headed. Behind us was the herd, who were hopefully making their way to safety. Ahead of us, and to either side, were an unknown number of skilled soldiers that would gleefully murder me and Shunakhai.

“Rock and a hard place, Shun. Should we make a run for it and try to lose them in the forest or try to hide and hope they bypass us?” I asked the drake.

I didn’t expect a response, so I jumped when a voice from behind me said, “Hiding would have been your best bet. Running from the Empire only means you’ll die tired.”

There were three men standing behind me, all dressed in the garb of Imperial soldiers. Two of them were wearing the same stuff as the rank and file troops that had laid waste to Gladewood. The third, though, was a wrinkled silver-haired man that was wearing a much more ornate uniform. The officers I had encountered in Gladewood had gold piping around their collars and on the shoulders of their uniform. This guy had it on his collar, shoulders, cuffs, and several intricate designs on his chest.

“They’re gone, you know. You can’t catch them. Even Temüjin said he couldn’t catch a unicorn at a dead run,” I said while shrugging off my pack. If there was going to be a fight I wouldn’t need it.

“Temüjin? How do you know that name?” the officer asked.

“He’s my teacher. I’m his student.” I answered.

That actually gave the older man a bit of a pause and he looked at me more closely.

“He took another student? How…interesting.” He said, “I wonder what was going through his head after what happened after he took the last one.”

“I don’t know. Why don’t you come with me and we’ll ask him?” I shot back.

“Or I could just kill you and ask him myself.” The old man replied, before motioning the two soldiers forward.

They lasted about three seconds. I parried a sword strike from the first one before stabbing him in the throat with my spear and Shunakhai almost contemptuously disemboweled the other.

“Hrmm, that is interesting. That was something he’d teach a student. And one with a bonded beast. It makes me wonder what other powers you have,” he said. I didn’t like the way he was looking at me, like a bug under a microscope.

“If you’re feeling froggy why don’t you jump then?” I said, raising the tip of my spear. Shun rumbled next to me. She could feel my anxiety.

“Froggy? Is that a challenge? If so, I’ll take you up on it. It would be my pleasure to kill the last student of the Great Khan.” He answered.

Then he blurred into action. And I do mean literally blurred. I didn’t even see the hit that broke my ribs. One second he was ten feet away, taunting me, and the next I was laying twenty feet back trying to breathe. Shun pounced at him and he backhanded her without even looking. The back of his hand connected with the side of her head and I could hear the crunch as she dropped.

I staggered to my feet and drew upon my qi to knit everything together as fast as I could. He tilted his head and advanced toward me, more slowly this time. I launched a weak thrust, more to gauge my distance from him, and he batted it away barehanded almost contemptuously.

“Pathetic. A child could have blocked that. Are you sure that you’re a student of Temüjin? He generally doesn’t like them so…timid,” he taunted.

I didn’t bother to waste time with a reply, and I launched into the first form Temüjin had taught me, “Heron Wading in the Reeds”, and I didn’t hold back on infusing my qi into the form. My spear whirled as the old soldier dodged, dipped, and ducked. During the final thrust of the form I grinned as I channeled a large amount of power through the weapon and it manifested as a jagged bolt of lightning that stabbed toward him. My grin faded as he took the bolt on an opened palm without flinching and casually snapped the head of the spear off with his other hand.

“Slightly better. Very slightly. Decent improvisation with the lightning. An air cultivator? Temüjin was always good at teaching them. It still doesn’t explain why he took you as a student though. You can’t be more than soldier stage.” He said, in a placid tone.

The bastard was taunting me. I continued to launch measured attacks as I drew in moisture from the air and concentrated it. He parried each blow for the next minute with a disdainful sort of ease, sneering at me, before he hit me again. I rolled with the blow and came up swinging, slinging all of the water I’d managed to call to me at his head. It connected with a satisfying thump and spread across his face, like I had done to the goblin months prior. Unlike the goblin he didn’t panic, instead taking a step back and cocking his head at me again. Studying me.

Steam rose around his head as he boiled off the water, and my control over it vanished. The last few drops soaked into his uniform as his sneer turned into a grin.

“Air and water,” he said, “quite a combination. Still, you’re not the only dual cultivator that has attempted to catch the attention of the Great Khan.”

He blurred forward and hit me again, harder, and I felt my recently mended ribs shatter. Another lazy kick from him blasted my left knee into fragments before an overhand chop splintered my collarbone. I laid in the grass, tears leaking from my eyes from the pain, trying desperately to mend my wounds.

The horns sounded in the distance again, closer this time, and he shrugged and continued, “Alas, some mysteries just aren’t meant to be solved. Our time here draws to an end. Any last words for me to take to Temüjin on your behalf?”

“Yeah…Look behind you,” I wheezed.

He didn’t, and the bolt of blue light Shunakhai launched from her mouth caught him square on the side and blew him away from us. I crawled toward my wounded drake with the one arm and leg that still worked and hooked my good arm over her neck.

Just as I was about to ask her to start dragging me out of there I heard the old bastard applauding.

“Nicely done, an excellent sneak attack! I had discounted the animal. She must have considerable regenerative powers to have recovered that quickly. Perhaps that’s why he chose you, hmm?” he said.

“Run Shun. Get to Temüjin, ok?” I gasped and rolled over into a sitting position to face the old man.

“Oh, I think not dear boy. She’ll come with me to the Imperial palace as a prize. I’m not sure what kind of drake she is, but the beastmasters will tame her. Or kill her. Either way, she will serve the Empire.” He said.

I was about to come back with a witty retort when several high-pitched squeals sounded from up the hill and the old man was rocked by several blasts of light. They crashed into him, consuming first his uniform, and then his flesh. A final bolt, one that looked like a solid bar of light, slammed into him with enough force to fling him away, destroying what was left of him.

I managed to stay conscious just long enough to see all of the unicorns, horns sparkling in the sunlight after firing off the blasts, prance down the hill toward me. Winston and the little foal led the way, and as they bent down to touch me with their horns I knew no more.