Song of Seven

Song 3: Freedom and Fire

[Author's note: as the previous parts were a bit on the long side and may have been too long to read in one sitting, you'll notice this part is shorter. Going forward, chapters will be broken up and edited down into more manageable and shorter sections like this one. Hope you are enjoying the story!]

Three men stood around a small table inside Bruth's sitting room, listening to the crackling of the fireplace and the details of Bruth's interest in recent strange activities taking place in the north. Kellard had been summoned at the request of Axel, who insisted that they would need an extra set of eyes and ears if they were to travel together. A crude map of northern settlements was rolled out onto the circular table, Bruth pointed at one that was a few days' travel on foot from here. 

"We trade goods with them on occasion, mostly a small farming community without the protection of the walls and gates that we have here," Bruth said, a thoughtful inflection in his tone. "I have scouts and hunters that also head out that way occasionally, our two communities speak regularly about... things that are out of the ordinary. Normally, we keep our eyes out for any Vayan activity, military movements, spies... that sort of thing. However..."

Kellard interjected, "That's how you learned of a Song priest traveling in the north." The young man was surprised at first when Axel wanted to include him in this expedition, considering their strained relationship, but being youthful and adventurous he could hardly refuse to come along. There weren't many opportunities to travel far from the sanctuary unless you were part of the scouts or traders that made regular treks to the south. "What exactly is your interest in this, Bruth?" Kellard asked.

The handsome man who had been in a position of authority in the north for as long as anyone in sanctuary could remember rarely shared details of his life, and having any interest outside of the daily operations of keeping his people fed and supplied was rare. Bruth scratched at his chin, apparently pondering his measured response, "You don't find it strange that a priest is wandering between settlements and asking questions about a girl?"

It was Axel's turn to chime in now, "Maybe. If he's looking for someone specific he could be a Vayan spy dressed as a priest. It's a good cover story, Lyris not being an approved Goddess means that people could assume he's fleeing empire lands and wouldn't think of him as a spy." Axel knew better than anyone that the Vayans did employ undercover agents but did find it strange that one man would be operating alone in the north and only searching for a single person. 

Bruth shook his head, clearly disagreeing with that assessment. "It's more than that. I've heard reports of other things too. Far from here, almost as north as you can get, entire settlements have gone missing." There was a worry in his voice now as he pointed at another part of the map, nearly at the edge of the north where the world gave way to impassable mountains and uncharted forests. 

Kellard watched the leader point at the map again and shrugged. "Who wants to live up there anyways? The people probably just packed up and moved to a different settlement."

Bruth looked him directly in the eyes now, very real concern showing on his furrowed brow. "Not abandoned. Destroyed. Some of these places were burned to the ground, and their belongings were burned as well. No bodies left behind."

An ominous silence filled the sitting room as all three men carefully considered what might have happened. Robbers or bandits weren't unheard of, but rarely would anyone go that far north just to steal from another settlement. Also, the fact that personal belongings were left behind or destroyed didn't fit with that theory. Axel stroked one side of his mustache, another question needed to be asked as well. "Maybe the bodies were burned as well, or wolves got to them."

Again, Bruth shook his head. "Even bones would be left behind if they were burned or eaten. The scouts who investigated said that even though there were signs of fighting, there were only small amounts of blood found. It just doesn't make sense. No bodies. Nothing taken. Nearly everything destroyed."