Chapter 23

Year 163 – Summer – Quartus Mensis – 42nd day

Avem, town of House Valmai, land of the Vale

Vatra observed the 300 soldiers walking away from the wall while she waited for Thorkel. She looked at the sword she got from the armoury of House Valmai and compared it with the sword Lanaya gave her. The sword from House Valmai was a bit shorter, but its weight was more balanced and the overall manoeuvrability was simply better.

I guess she wouldn’t give a good blade for free.

When Thorkel finally arrived, the Valmai soldiers were long gone.

Thorkel – “Sorry, I’m late. Are you still ready?”

Vatra turned around and looked at the man. He was carrying a large bag on his back.

Vatra – “What’s in that bag?”

Thorkel – “Everything you’ll need to set it on fire.”

Vatra – “Alright, then I’ll leave you my spear and shield. Could you bring them back to the armoury?”

Thorkel – “I can do that for you. Now take this bag and go one mile north on the Velika road, then go about three miles west into the forest.”

She went down the stairs and traded her spear and shield for the large backpack.

Vatra – “Damn, that’s heavy!”

Thorkel – “Can you do it?”

Vatra – “Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

She walked through the gate and onto the bridge. She crossed the Oluja River and walked to the northern gate. As she passed through the gate, the two same guards stopped her.

Guard 1 – “Where are you going, soldier?”

Vatra – “To the forest. Orders of General Thorkel.”

Guard 2 – “Isn’t he from House Krain?”

Vatra – “Ethen . . . I mean . . . The Eagle didn’t want me in the assault today, so I am trying to be useful!”

Guard 1 – “Wait! You’re the new one. You’re the slave, aren’t you?”

Vatra – “I’m no slave.”

Guard 2 – “By the divine, you’re right! She talks so well!”

Vatra – “You said that the other day.”

Guard 2 – “Yeah, but this time you have a helmet; I didn’t realise.”

Guard 1 – “I know, right? I thought she was one of us. But she’s the new Fan!”

Guard 2 – “Exactly! With those slanted eyes, she’s like her twin but younger!”

What? What does that even mean?!

Vatra – “I’m no slave. I’m a soldier of House Valmai now, and that’s higher than militia, isn’t it?”

Guard 1 – “We’re not militia; we’re town guard, milady. So, in fact, we could arrest you!”

Vatra – “What?”

Guard 1 – “Indeed! As long as you are within the boundary of these walls, we have justice diction!”

Guard 2 – “It’s jury diction!”

Guard 1 – “Oh, alright mate! We have jury diction!”

Vatra – “I don’t think it’s that either.”

Guard 2 – “I’m pretty sure it’s jury diction.”

Vatra – “Anyhow, I have to pass.”

Guard 2 – “Right . . .”

Vatra – “Right!”

Guard 1 – “Good luck on that task of yours then!”

As Vatra passed through the northern gate, she noticed the peasants were digging a large moat next to the wall. The moat was close to four feet deep, and the water from the nearby river was slowly turning the dirt into mud. The air was dry, and while it wasn’t the warmest day of summer, it was still fairly hot. Besides, at this time of the year, the rainfalls were more spaced out. Even within the forest, the dirt felt dry and crackled. Vatra kept walking until she found a location with many small trees and broken branches.

This should do it! Now, let’s see what we have got to set it up.

She placed the backpack on the ground and looked inside. She found waterskins filled with oil, a rough piece of steel, flint wrapped in cloth, and an oily clay jar. When she opened the jar, an atrocious smell stung her nostrils. It was sulfur.

The space between the trees was a bit wide, and the leaves hadn’t fallen yet. They were barely turning into the colors of the sun.

Vatra used her blade to cut the bag in many long pieces of cloth. She dipped each of them into the oil before laying the linen on the branches of different trees. Then she sprinkled the oil. She used the sulfur to make a line leading away from the location to ignite the flames. After wiping her oily hand on a tree trunk and into the dirt, she took the flint and steel.

Too think I’ll burn this forest . . . You told me so many times to be careful. And now I’ll break all those rules you wanted me to follow. I’m sorry, Harald . . .

Vatra was scratching the steel bar with the flint when she heard a branch snap. Quickly, she hid behind a tree. Not far away, three well-equipped soldiers with the Kalator banner were walking through the forest. Two of them were men, and the third one looked like a girl.

They even have crossbows. I should have brought that stupid shield . . .

Kalator 1 – “Hey, what’s that smell?”

Kalator 2 – “Yeah, it smells like oil.”

Kalator 3 – “Oil in a forest? I have a bad feeling about this.”

Kalator 2 –“Balys, Sigita, look! There’s clothing and bags on the ground.”

What do I do now?

Balys – “What is this shit?”

Sigita – “We should go.”

Kalator 2 – “No, we are here to scout!”

Sigita – “Exactly, Meric, so we should report it to Mundric.”

At that moment, a loud horn resounded across the forest.

Balys – “Did you hear that?”

Meric – “Shit, it came from the east. We have to go!”

Yeah, do that! I would appreciate it.

Sigita – “Wait, it wasn’t an ally war horn.”

Balys – “Are you sure?”

Sigita – “Yes, we need to join Mundric at the retreat point.”

The three scouts left the area in a hurry.

Ah, what a relief.

Vatra kept hiding until they got out of sight before scratching the steel again to cause an ignition. The sulfur suddenly turned into a trail of light. As it reached the oil, the flames burst into the air as it followed the many trails of oil. In a single breath, the ground was on fire, and 10 trees were engulfed in flame. Vatra went back to hide and waited for half an hour to make sure no one would come to disrupt the fire. To her greatest relief, the forest was quite dry and the fire was already spreading, emitting smoke into the sky.

Live, wildfire . . . Fight and spread your wings! Show those murderers the rage I wish I could have. Show them the despair of my patient anger!