Seekers of Nazar

Chapter Ten

Elleric didn't wake to the normal sounds of the camp. He woke to silence. Leilandri was lying beside him, precisely where he had placed her.

She had collapsed while quelling the storm. Elleric had watched her for hours, waiting for some sign that her energy was about to give out. When she started to lean to one side, he scooped her up and carried her to the closest bed. She was still, too still. Panic gripped him until, finally, he saw her chest swell with a breath. He must have fallen asleep watching her.

Now that he was awake, he glanced over at Tori. She had fallen asleep waiting for Tol-Aka to return. Elleric admired how she had fought it with every ounce of her being. She pulled a chair in front of the door and sat with her back straight. Her eyes refused to blink. Hours later, her head started to bob up and down, her body jerking. The day's events, the feast, the dancing, the late hour had eventually won. He had carried her to bed too. She was lighter than Leilandri, a feather that might have blown away in a strong wind. The minute he laid her down, she had curled into a protective ball.

In the dim light, he could see Tol-Aka asleep in the chair. His legs rested at the foot of Tori's bed, and it looked like he fell asleep watching her. She was still curled in a ball.

Elleric rose slowly, watching to make sure Leilandri didn't wake. He needed to check on the horses again. They had been spooked by the storm, but thankfully the stable was nowhere near the collapsed wall. He had been able to calm their nerves with soothing words and a few treats from his pocket. Anything could have happened in the time he was gone. He needed to make sure they were safe and get them ready for the journey.

When he opened the door to leave, he was not prepared for what he saw.

The damage was sporadic yet devastating. Roofs had been torn off. A cart was lying on its side, its axel broken like a twig. The benches from the festival were splintered and charred from lightning strikes. In the distance, the fallen wall revealed a foggy horizon. He didn't see anyone or hear anything, not even the wind in the trees. It was like the wreckage of a forgotten village.

As he stepped outside and closed the door behind him, a single bird started singing in the pale dawn. The notes were so crisp they cut through the hazy morning air. In the cold emptiness of the camp, they sounded mournful and lonely. The bird was persistent, calling out the same refrain over and over. Elleric wished he knew how to whistle like Tol-Aka. He would call to the bird so it would know it was not alone.

Elleric paused, realizing the bird might be alone. Its home might have been destroyed like the Zul-Li; its family scattered.

Elleric felt a kinship with it, its song aching in his heart. If he could sing, he would have raised his voice and added a lament. The song kept him company as he walked to the stables. He took his steps carefully, his boots slipping in the mud. It had been a long night, and people would stir soon. For now, the streets were utterly empty.

When he reached the stables, he was glad to see everything was still intact. As he swung open the door, a fine layer of dust stirred into the air, glinting off the golden light of the sunrise. There were no apparent leaks or flooding. Not that he expected anything different from Zul-Li craftsmanship. It was a relief, nonetheless. He could hear the snorting and stamping of the horses in the stalls, restless from the night's commotion. He knew he needed to take care and give them a full brush before saddling them. It was for their nerves as much as anything.

He collected various tools from the stable's shelves before going to his mount. Flame was the dominant horse, and he wanted to calm him first. The others would follow his lead. When Elleric approached the stall, Flame pounded the earth with his hoof and shook his head.