Song of Seven

Song 15: To Meet Our Fates

The three Crown Hounds, Gavin, Elena, and Lara, stood deep in the heart of a somber and forsaken land. The north, a realm of chilling winds and desolation, had become a place of haunting memories and relentless duty. Gavin, a commanding figure with a stern countenance, bore the weight of his coal-black hair streaked with silver, a testament to the years of unyielding service. Elena, her dark hair cascading like a shroud around her, projected an air of toughness that masked the vulnerability that lurked beneath her surface. Lara, the fiery-haired and agile member of their trio, wore a somber demeanor that belied her vibrant spirit.

Their mission had brought them to this forsaken wilderness, a land scarred by the relentless expansion of the Vayan Empire and the strange cultist activity they had been warned about. Ruined settlements of the free folk, once vibrant communities, lay like silent and empty graveyards. Yet, as they trudged through the desolation, they encountered no bodies and even less evidence of what had taken place here—only empty homes and echoes of the past. Settlement after settlement, every site they investigated was the same. 

It was when they stumbled upon the makeshift camp of survivors that their cautious hope stirred. Gavin crouched low near the thick trunk of a tall pine, motioning for his squad mates to remain hidden and keep quiet. Peering through the frostbitten branches, the three of them could see a battered group of free folk. It was evident in the ramshackle nature of their camp that this group might be the only ones who had survived the battle at sanctuary. Gavin peered out from the trunk of the tree, noticing how few of them were armed and how little supplies these folk had left. The leader motioned for Elena and Lara to move quietly towards him. The three Crown Hounds exchanged silent glances amongst themselves.

Gavin's voice, resonant and commanding, broke the silence among the Crown Hounds. "We need information about Axel and the sorceress he is said to be traveling with," he said, his gaze fixed on the survivors only a few yards away in the wooded clearing. "But the free folk have reason to fear us, for we are servants of the Emperor. They may see us as enemies."

Elena's dark eyes, usually sharp and observant, now held a hint of sorrow. "We wish them no harm," she murmured. "But they may not believe that." The three of them had done much to deserve their reputation, Elena thought, too often had they traveled into "free lands" and conquered and killed the people that lived there in the name of the Vayan Empire.

Lara, her fiery mane contrasting with her somber expression, weighed the situation. "We need to approach them carefully, convince them we're not here to cause harm." Of course, Lara doubted her own words as soon as she spoke them. How could a group of killers peacefully approach those who had purposely chosen not to live within the Empire's borders?

Gavin nodded, his determination unwavering. "Agreed. Let us be cautious and choose our words wisely. Axel's fate and the fate of the sorceress may depend on what these survivors know... and besides, we can't return to the Emperor with no information."

As they slowly approached the camp, the survivors' wary eyes turned toward the approaching Crown Hounds. The air was thick with tension as the three emerged from the tree line with their hands in the air, signaling their peaceful intentions. Gavin, Elena, and Lara exchanged knowing glances, aware that their mission was a delicate balance between duty and compassion. 

Gavin, with his commanding presence, stepped forward to address the wary survivors, his voice cutting through their trepidation. His coal-black hair, streaked with silver, framed his determined countenance as he spoke, "We come in peace, not as enforcers of the Empire, but as seekers of truth. We wish to understand what has befallen the northern settlements and we only seek information. We are not here to harm you."