Terra Frontier Ruin, Kingdom of Stilyra- Late spring 14 years AR

The two friends only got a moment before a yell caught their attention. Jon and Leo both shot to their feet and looked as one of the farm boys from earlier was pointing down the road that lead west before curving around the north grove. On it Jon could see at least a single wagon and a many riders coming down the road. A few started moving forward but Leofrith jogged in front and stopped them with a hand on his sword. Jon pushed the handle of his broadaxe through is belt and set the wood maul on his shoulder before walking up to Leofrith. There was never that many people on the road to Terra so seeing the group of 20 or so heading towards them was worrisome.

“Misses Elaine, take the young ones back,” Leofrith instructed the elderly woman, who was the only legal adult present besides Leofrith, “To the edge of the orchard any twelve and under. Have them pick some pears and apples. Any others who wish, go with them. Any who stay arm yourselves.”

“No need to die for any of this, too much death already. If they want it, let them take it,” she said before herding the younger children back while some of the older ones either took shelter by the piles of pilfered goods. Andrew took his fathers bow and gave it a test pull before heading into the nearest windmill, appearing in the highest window a few moments later. A few jogged after Mrs. Elaine, picking up the smallest children while hurrying the others along. Only a handful picked up weapons holding them clumsily in their hands while joining Leo and Jon at the front.

“You know, we fight, we die. Right?” Aethred commented, “There’s 20 of them and only 2,4,6,8,9. Fucking nine of us!”

“Calm down,” Leo turned, “It might not be bandits.”

“Then why arm ourselves,” A girl trying to figure out how to draw back a crossbow said. Leo just shrugged, he didn’t really have an answer.

“They could be refugees from another village, or the crossroads. Maybe we weren’t the only place that was attacked,” One of the farmboys threw in, he’d armed himself with a mace. He actually looked like he could do some damage with it too, that’s what you get for tossing hay all day, “They coulda fled and are coming here for help.”

“Or someone made it out last night and that’s help coming,” Andrew said hopefully. Jon knew what he was thinking but now wasn’t the time to break the bad news. Jon hadn’t even accepted it yet and his religion glorified honorable death, from his perspective his mother was waiting for him to stand his ground before he could check for her body. He wasn’t sure but felt even if he couldn’t find it she’d be drinking ale, wine, or mead with Borje, Haldis, Aasta, or any of the others before long. He’d just miss his chance to say goodbye. Either way she would soon be sharing a drink with his father, who was wounded and died from fighting armed bandits with the same ax Jon now carried on his belt.

Nerves started to spread as the possibly hostile group grew nearer. Jon re-positioned his grip on the maul, it was heavy but bearable. He’d only be able to swing it a few times but if there was a fight it wouldn’t matter anyways. He could be able to swing it all day long but against someone trained or experienced, he wouldn’t last a minute. He held on to it instead of setting it down and pulling out the broadaxe simply because he thought it might make him look more capable than he actually was. As it happened, being a six foot tall shirtless teenager holding a big ax made him standout.

“Jon!” tall, lanky blonde girl with her hair in a ponytail jumped out of the moving wagon. An act that almost ended up with her getting stepped on by a horse. She ignored the swearing of it’s rider as she ran at the group. Jon dropped the maul on the ground and ran at her, only remembering to draw and toss the broadaxe away a moment before she jumped into his arms. “Jon, what the fuck happened? Are you okay? Why do you smell like a dead animal? Where is everyone? Is ma alright?”

The rapid questions threw him for a loop and he didn’t answer any of them. He just squeezed her tight and started crying again. Him crying caused her to start even though she still didn’t know what had happened. A rider left the column and trotted up to them while the others kept near the wagon, several others crawled out.

“Where’s Magistrate Ellis,” the chubby Patrol-captain asked, straight backed in his saddle.

“I’m Magistrate Leofrith,” Leo jogged up and slowed to a walk, “My father’s passed…”

“Jon what happened here? Leo?” Erin asked again.

“I’ll tell you what happened, the bitch knew and didn’t even warn us,” Aethred blurted out earning a glare from the captain, “She gave all the kids bullshit fates to save them but didn’t tell anyone else. While we were all camping or traveling, everyone else fucking died. Everyone! The guards, the men at arms, the Magistrate, our fucking parents! They’re all gone… all of them.” His angry tone transitioned with every word, the last only a sorrowful whisper.

A look of sheer terror filled Erin’s face as she looked Jon in the eyes, he knew what she was asking and just shook his head slightly as tears again filled his eyes. She dropped as her knees weakened. Jon caught her and in a moment she was burying her head into his shoulder. He looked back and searched the faces of the other defenders, Andrew was still in his perch atop the windmill watching the entire scene unfold.

**********

“Ummm… My condolences,” the now deflated captain said, he seemed halfway sincere. The wagon sat empty as the children of the village and two young adults moved to the armed group behind them. The patrol-captain sent a couple riders toward the village with some quick hand gestures. They departed at a canter, “Magistrate is what the lad said true? None escaped?”

Leo just glared at the captain as his last words set Erin into an even deeper cry, she’d started shaking. He ignored the captains question and approached Diana, She heard a bit of what Aethred had said and looked pale. Leo held a hand up to stop her from bowing.

“Please take the little ones to the orchards, Misses Elaine is there,” he said softly to not frighten the little ones even more. Elaine nodded, “oh and don’t go near the gate.”

Elaine nodded again before telling the children to hold hands and started leading them in an arch towards the orchards. Two of the remaining defenders tossed their weapons down and followed.

Leo looked at them and waited till they’d gone an acceptable distance before turning back towards the captain, Jon and Erin. The latter had pulled away from her brother and was wiping her eyes with a cloth before moving it to wipe the snot off Jon’s bare shoulder.

“Are you alright?” Leo asked, looking on with concern. Erin looked up at him and nodded. The captain shifted in his saddle, seemingly annoyed at the lack of attention from the young noble.

“She’s destined for the halls of Valhal,” Erin said as if that’s all that was needed.

“Heathens,” the captain said under his breath but still loud enough that both Leo and Jon managed to hear it, his previous concern for Erin’s well being gone the moment he learned her faith.

“My mother died fighting those monsters, she died while people of YOUR Temple fled, she died protecting others,” Jon said slowly, enunciating every word.

“Blasphemous little sh-” Leofrith stepped in between them staring intently at the Captain before he could do anything. The captain bowed his head for a moment to the noble in front of him then looked up towards the village. The two riders were returning at full gallop.

“Captain!” A younger man not much older than Leofrith saluted, fresh vomit still dripping down his leather armor. He didn’t even wait for the command before giving his report, “No signs of life, no way to count the number of dead, signs of recent looting…” He glanced at the Leo and the stockpile of goods that technically weren’t looted before continuing, “no fires and minimal structural damage.”

“How can’t you count the bodies?” the captain said but before they could explain Leofrith raised his hand to stop them.

“Captain, go see for yourself. Nothing they can say will do it justice,” Leofrith said, the Captain gave his men a look and one bobbed his head back and forth before nodding. A huff from the Captain and he spurred his horse towards the village.

**********

Two hours later the children and patrol had made camp, it was too late to move with so many small children. The situation had been fully explained to the adults and older children but the patrol captain deemed it too dangerous on the road. Near the village they could retreat to the palisade, the manor, even the damned windmills if need be. On the road they’d be stuck in the open. Jon couldn’t help but disagree with that being one of only three that had seen what was out there, they’d all die if those monsters came back regardless of where they were. The idea that they could find shelter did comfort the others though.

The sun was low, near the horizon when Jon retrieved his tent and gear from the tower ruins with Erin and Andrews help. While there, they sat Andrew down and told him about Magistrate Ellis’ letter. There was more crying but it was easier on Jon this time, he felt for Andrew but at least his entire family finally knew. They made it back to camp and laid down their stuff next to the berm Jon had sat at earlier. The three got a few looks as they turned and marched toward the village.

Hand in hand the three made their way through the village and towards the place Jon had heard little kids squeaking, someone had already checked on them but none had survived. They reached the house and Jon peaked inside, true enough the floorboard were ripped up and he could see blood. Outside the bodies in that part of the village looked more like the ones outside the palisade, deep claw marks and gashes but relatively whole.

“The letter s-said near here?” Andrew asked looking around, Jon nodded, it was the only information he knew. Rather than spread out they stuck together as they walked around the house looking at the bodies. It only took a few minutes to find them. Jon’s jaw dropped looking at his parents. His mother laid on her stomach. There was clawed hammer at her side, chunks of clumpy black fur sticking to it. Her throat had been ripped out. Only a few paces away Kaden lie with a chunk of his rib cage torn open. A pitchfork still in his hand.

The three sank to their knees and looked on, the smell of the village burning their noses, eyes watering, but didn’t say a word. Jon looked around after a few minutes and got up, he signaled the others to stay. After a few minutes he found what he was looking for, a four wheeled flatbed hand cart. He pulled it back to the others and after a shared glance they carefully moved both of them into the cart. Kaden went first and Hild lay on top.

“Andrew, would da want to be buried or burned?” Erin asked, rubbing Andrews arm. Jon thought he knew the answer but she was right, it was Andrews choice.

“It don-don’t matter,” Andrew said sounding hallow, “There’s no need to do either, he’s already somewhere else… but burn him with ma, he’d like that I think.” He added after a moment.

“Somewhere else?” Jon looked at Andrew, not sure if he meant Valhal or paradise. Andrew didn’t seem to know either and just shrugged.

“So where? Do we build the pyre?” Erin asked. Jon could only think of one place that was worthy. It was a place dear to both of them, their home. He said as much and the three started pulling the cart down alleyways to get to their house, bypassing the square this time. They carefully moved bodies out of the way rather than run them over with the cart and as the light in the sky dimmed they made it home.

They made it to their home and laid them in their bed, Andrew rolled Hild over so that her head lay on Kaden's shoulder and shifted her hand to place it on his chest. Jon watched as he finished up by moving Kaden’s arm down her back and covered them both.

“They both liked to cuddle,” He said, Jon nodded. If it hadn’t been for everything he’d heard the night before and seen today he could have almost pretended they were sleeping. The stacked chairs, stools, the other mattresses and anything else that would burn around the bed but nothing on top. Nothing to disturb them. Jon produced a flint and steel and after a few strikes the straw of the nearest mattress began to burn. He watched a moment as the flames spread. Slowly at first but soon the small flames began to consume everything. They walked out of the house together and knelt on the ground. Jon watched the flames expand and lap out of the shutters, the roof started alight not long after. A few people came running but when they saw the three they stopped and kept their distance. As the fire began to engulf the entire house a light caught the corner of his eye, the manor burned another from a few streets over, Jon thought it looked right for a home that housed the body of a seamstress and imagined his friend sitting there alone. He turned back to the flames.

‘I love you ma, I’ll never forget you…’ Jon sobbed and looked at his siblings, Erin stared intently at the flames while Andrew bowed his head his lips moving soundlessly ‘I don’t know what to say, I wish you were here. Could hug us and tell us it’d be alright, you’d probably say that I don’t need to say anything because you already know… if he’s not there...if you can send a message to the southerners paradise, tell Kaden too. We’ll stick together and use everything you ever taught us. We’ll make you proud, now go have a drink with da and the gods. Goodbye mother’. As he finished and looked in the flames. He swore he could see a beautiful woman’s face adorned with fierce markings in a familiar pattern, a ‘barbarian princess’. She was smiling…

**********

An hour later Jon walked out of the village with Erin, Andrew, and Aethred. They’d found him sitting atop the roof of the house across the road from his own home as the fire burned. As they readied to climb up with him he dropped down and hugged them with tearful eyes. He had no idea where most of his father’s remains were but he’d found a hand with his fathers ring and burned it with the rest. As they walked out the entire village was slowly going up in flames, the four had started another as they left, the mouse house and the only children to receive a fate that didn’t protect them burned with the rest. They got back to the berm to see a small fire going and three tents set up, Jon recognized one as his from the previous night. It became apparent who had set it up as Jaesmin and Leofrith both sat near the fire watching their home slowly burn in the distance.

“Made an announcement while you were in the village… The captain sent riders in the night, they’ll get any wagons and horses they can here as soon as possible tomorrow. From here we head for Everton. If you need anything, tools, weapons, or materials from the pile for your craft, take it… And if you’re hungry eat whatever you wish, it’ll be less to carry tomorrow,” Leo said as the group walked up and took their own seats by the fire, Jon sat between Jaesmin and Erin the latter leaned against him with her head on his shoulder. They just watched the flames, more children and the few adults walked out after doing their part to erase Terra from existence. The group quietly ate small bites and passed around a bottle of wine and liquor. One by one they crawled into their tents and collapsed onto their bedrolls.

*********

The following morning they got up and broke camp only to sit around. They’d wait till help from the crossroads came before moving out. Leo struck out again and started organizing everyone to the best of his ability, the patrol-captain assisting in anyway possible, he’d even come up to Jon and Erin to apologize for his comments yesterday, they accepted and thanked him. Jon knew it was the state of the village that changed his mood. A rider moving fast had come down the road and met with the captain and Leo.

“Everyone listen please!” Leofrith called the entire groups attention, Nearly 70 people turned their eyes to him. Some rose to listen to the young’s nobles word but most were just young children, they sat and looked on, “The wagons will be here within the hour, when they do I wan- need everyone able to help get everything and everyone loaded. Space will be short so any able to make the walk to the crossroads please do so and leave the space for the youngest. These supplies are all we have left to start over, their sale will be used to get all of us somewhere to start anew. If any have any issue, please come see me at your convenience but do so soon, we leave as soon as the wagons are loaded.” Leo finished and stood a few moments, when no one came forward with issues or asked any questions he walked off straight towards Jon and Erin.

“I’ll need your help,” he said as he approached. Jon and Erin gave them their immediate attention, “Your mother was ou-” He stopped at that.

“It’s okay, we got the chance to say our goodbyes through the flames,” Erin said softly, Jon just nodded.

“Ah… well, your mother was our best healer, I know you don’t have her magic but I assume you learned the more traditional methods?” the twins nodded in unison, pushing Leofrith to continue. Jon felt he knew where this was going, “Can I count on you to fill that role? At least till Everton? You’re the closest we have.”

“Leo,” Jon was the first to respond, “you know we will… our ma would descend from Valhal for a few minutes with a wooden spoon if we refused.” Erin exhaled quickly, a short bit of laughter as a somber smile graced her face.

“We can even do more,” Erin said and walked to a small stack of rucksacks sitting to the side, she waved Jon over and handed him a parchment with two lines on the top right corner, “It’s yours anyways, you’re the one that made the crossbow.”

Jon looked at the parchment in his hand and could see the word HEAL etch itself in golden letters across the top of the page, his mother hadn’t lied. He walked away as Erin and Leofrith looked on, Jon dropped to his knees and spread out the parchment in the morning sunlight. He stared at the center of the page and lines started to appear, first faint but soon glowing with radiance. As the strange wavering runes etched themselves on the paper Jon came to realize something. The thing that came to him was the sudden feeling of something inside him, an essence of sorts located just behind his forehead. Something he’d never noticed before but felt was there the entire time. As the runes began to shift, they also began to pulse, slowly at first. The strange energy in his head began to pulse too in perfect sync with the pulsing of the parchment. The pulse began to quicken and as it did Jon learned more, now he felt like he knew how to control this essence, the move it and shape it with his will alone. It wasn’t like his visions which could be frustratingly vague at times but rather it was like a deep memory implanted in him, like he’d done just that thousands of times before. By the time the pulse could barely be discernible from a steady golden light he felt he understood a pattern, a way to move the essence in just a way to achieve a tangible effect. With a bright flash in his eyes the final pieces of the puzzle move into place, he didn’t just know HEAL, he’d already cast it, over and over again. He knew there would be nothing to stop him from casting it whenever he liked because he already could.

With that final step the beautiful golden light that had filled his eyes and the complex runes that danced across the parchment disappeared. He was left starting at a blank sheet of parchment with a single mark in the corner.

‘Well ma, guess I’m following in your footsteps now.’

**********

Hours later Erin trudged down the side of the road as wagons rolled along beside her. She felt like a pack mule but couldn’t complain, she was far from the only one. A large ruck strapped to her back while a smaller makeshift one was strapped to her front. Jon walked on beside her with two full sized ones strapped to his back with another two on his front along with their father’s axes, the maul held in his hand. She felt hot and tired but didn’t complain because at least she could see where she was going better, the bag on Jon’s front came up to his nose. That and Jon had looked miserable. As by far the tallest child and the second tallest total he’d opted to carry as much as possible to lighten the load elsewhere. The only patrolman larger than Jon looked much the same. The heavy iron tools and weapons plus bags of grain and anything else that would strain someone forced to carry it was all loaded on the wagons. The rucks were filled with personal items and the lighter goods like herbs, dried meat, linens and bolts of fabric, small tools, clothing. It didn’t mean they were all that light, just not as heavy as carrying a bag full of hammers and axes would have been.

As the procession marched through the afternoon some were lucky enough to get some of their burdens relieved from them as riders continued to approach, their attention drawn by a column of smoke from the south. Magistrates from nearby villages had sent their own patrols to see what had happened, when they reached the crossroads they were of course informed that Terra had fallen and the vast majority of survivors were children.

Another group of riders was approaching from the front now, most wore leather but they were led by an elderly man in fine clothes. Erin already knew it was another Magistrate from one village or another. There were already two riding and one walking at the front of the column. The one walking was Leofrith of course, he’d refused a horse when offered and refused to give up his own two rucks. Saying he couldn’t expect the children of his people to walk so far carry such a burden without him at least doing the same. Jon and Erin had been at the front but needed to fall back in the column after that. Not that they weren’t welcome but the ‘here here’ and ‘thy honor inspires’ made her feel sick and she suspected Jon felt the same way. She listened from a further distance and had come to the conclusion that House Barling was far removed from other nobles.

They had finally had to fall turn around and walk to the back of the convoy when word was passed up that someone had twisted their ankle and was hobbling along trying to catch up. Jon used his newfound magic to take care of it in a moment and carried the girls pack till they all caught back up.

“Jon get up there,” Erin ordered looking at her brother. He glanced at her, his mouth open and sweat dripping down his face, he shook his head, “no fuck that, get up there!” She had already tried to get him to give up one if not two of the packs he was carrying the past two times riders arrived to assist.

“There’s till little ones carrying two packs, let them drop it first, it’s not far to the crossroads now,” He was being stubborn.

“Yeah they’re carrying things like this!” She lifted the pack on her front with both hands she peaked inside to see what was in it, she honestly hadn’t even looked. Boots, slippers, leather, some tools… stuff from the cobblers.

“And to them, that’s heavy, this isn’t so bad anyways, just hot,” Jon said and maneuvered his hands to pull a waterskin up to his mouth, he had to turn his head to even drink. When he was done he looked at her and gave a tired smile, “if they offer I wont refuse but there’s a 9 year old girl up there carrying 40 lbs of fabric, let her go first.”

Erin let out a groan, he was right in the fact they were only a couple miles away but she wasn’t sure what had gotten into him. He looked miserable but he didn’t act it, just stubborn. She only had to glare at him for a few more minutes and just what she hoped for happened, the riders spotted him and took two packs from him. They even relieved the girl Jon had mentioned of her entire burden.

A half hour later and the front of the column was moving up to the inn. There obviously wasn’t enough room for them in the inn but it was farther removed from the Forest of Dain and as such, safer in her eyes. She saw guests and workers who’d she’d seen the previous morning standing outside, more than a few were good folk and ran to the convoy to literally take the weight off their shoulders. Jon of course refused when someone offered and told them to take Erin’s instead, she refused and told them if her brother was going to be stubborn, so was she. The trader didn’t know how to respond to that and instead went to help someone else. She walked past the inn and saw the people she’d just left still there. The young barmaid just stared at Erin and cried as she trudged past. People looked shocked, people cried.

“The fuck are they crying about? Got little ones who just learned their parents were butchered walking without a whimper and this lots crying?” Erin turned to see Aethred behind them, some people glared at his comment but he just flipped them a rude gesture and walked on.

**********

In a pasture behind the inn an encampment started to rise, the 48 people from Terra in the convoy joined another 34 that had arrived at the crossroads earlier on their way to Terra only to learn of its demise. Jon sat in on the conversation between the surviving adults and older kids and they eventually agreed that that was it. All groups were accounted for. Meaning that less than 1 in 10 survived. When it came to the number of adults that had survived it was depressing. Leofrith left immediately after to seek help from the Countess of Everton and left Mrs. Elaine in charge. Jaesmin was still there but no one expected a 13 year old girl to be in charge of 80 people.

After the meeting broke, Jon returned to his own little corner of the campsite with his friends. They just sat down and didn’t say a word at first. Leave it to Aethred to break the silence.

“So where we headed after this?” He asked.

“He just said we’re going to Everton,” Andrew answered.

“Not what I mean. Weee’re going to Everton but... where the fuck are we going?” Aethred asked again, gesturing to the camp as a whole before just their group. Jon got what he was getting at.

“From what Erin learned, Ederath is our best bet,” he said, Aethred was alluding to the fact that three of them were infected? And would turn into monsters if they didn’t receive some sort of training from the people in the north. It went unsaid that Leofrith was an adult and none of them knew how much longer he had. Jon and Aethred were both pulled aside by Leo and ordered to kill him if he were to start to change before they found help. Jon wasn’t sure if the change was gradual or if Leo would shift into a monster in the blink of an eye but he couldn’t fault him. Die or turn into something that eats people, it was an obvious but bullshit choice. Aethred hopped to his feet.

“Jaesmin, do you think your brother would mind if I take one of the longswords?”

“I’m not sure, why?”

“Because if I’m going somewhere crawling with barbaric heathens, I’m going armed.” Jon couldn’t help but laugh quietly.