asked Calden excitedly as he ran through the barracks toward Fil who lay on the upper bunk.
“Heard what?”
“We are mobilizing, we’re being invaded. Scouts came in today and said that an army approaches us as we speak.”
“What!” exclaimed Fil, jumping down from the bunk. Fil had worked hard over the last few years. He was powerfully built, short and solid, with legs and arms thick with muscle.
When the knight apprentices turned eighteen they all moved to the soldiers barracks beyond the inner wall. It was there that they had to serve two years before they would become full-fledged Finarthian Knights. The king believed that before apprentices could become knights, they had to learn how the common soldier lived. King Gavinsteal believed that you learned valuable lessons in the regular army and that you couldn’t really learn how to lead men unless you knew how the common man lives, fights, and thinks. That wasn’t a problem for Fil, Calden, or a few others, but most of the knights were highborn, and they really had no idea how most people in Finarth lived. Fil believed it was a good lesson for them, although most of the knights resented it. “What army?” asked Fil.
“Lord Moradin from Stonestep, along with several tribes from
the Sithgarin.”
“You’re kidding,” Fil’s eyes widened in surprise. “Why would they be marching on Finarth?”
“I don’t know,” replied Calden. “Lord Moradin has never openly attacked us. He always hid behind politics and banter while bandits and tribes staged attacks on us from his own city.”
“Why would he risk an open attack?” asked the bewildered Fil.
“I don’t know, but we are to mobilize with our modrig immediately,” Calden replied, excitement evident in his voice. “Hopefully we’ll get some answers there.”
Fil was scared, nervous, and excited all at the same time, and he could tell that Calden felt similar emotions. They had both trained for nearly three years and now the time had come to test their skills.
“You ready for this, Fil?” Calden asked.
“I am,” responded Fil confidently.
***
Jonas and Kiln traveled hard for several days, and it wasn’t long before they entered into the thick forests that covered the base of the Tundren Mountains. Kiln had told Jonas that once they came down from the mountains it would be five days to Ta’ron and then a full week to Annure.
The weather was good, which allowed them to push hard through the forest. The warm fall sun was shielded partly by the canopy of green trees that rose above them. The game trails were numerous, allowing them to push through the dense forest and onto the rolling plains without mishap.
Jonas stood high on a hill looking down across the rolling grasslands.
Kiln joined him. “Ta’ron is southeast of here. It shouldn’t take us long if we run,” he said, smiling.
“Run? But you’ve lived over fifty winters, surely you couldn’t keep up,” replied Jonas, who enjoyed their good natured banter.
“Only one way to find out,” Kiln said as he jumped off the small ledge and sprinted down the grass covered hill.
“Go ahead!” yelled Jonas. “You’ll need a head start anyway!” he laughed as he jumped off the ledge and ran after the sprinting warrior.
They ran the rest of that day, slowing their pace down to a jog and resting only for water and food. Their packs and armor slowed them down a little, but they were both in such great shape that their strong lungs could carry them all day. Jonas’s magical armor hindered him little, and even his new metal chest plate didn’t seem to weigh much more than hardened leather.
The sun started to set and Kiln slowed down to a walk. “We should camp here. I don’t like being in the open like this, but there are no trees for as far as I can see,” Kiln said, scanning the vast plains of grass.
Jonas looked ahead of them and couldn’t make out anything except more gently rolling grasslands. “I guess we don’t have a choice,” replied Jonas, taking off his pack and laying it down on the grass.
They scrounged up some dry sticks and twigs from nearby shrubs to build a fire; the warm food would do them good after the long run.
They both settled down by the flames as the sun set, giving way to a clear moonlit night. Kiln had prepared some warm oats with salt and they cleaned their plates with milt, a hard corn bread used by the soldiers in Finarth. The hearty warm food in their bellies, combined with the