The Chronicles of Tenroha

Chapter 33

Chapter Thirty-three

Matáo knew the area surrounding Echo better than anyone. He spent his entire childhood roaming the woods and various other areas around his beloved home. He, alone, went in search of where the prisoners were being held. Since the fateful night many months before, he had only returned home once to gather the armor of the men he and Jonah had slain the night of the attack.

When he first arrived at the first Sentinel Tree that he ever learned about, he found a hidden ladder made of rope that Wilhelm had told him about. He used the ladder that was inside the tree to climb high into the branches of the tree. Wilhelm had built for himself a hidden watchtower that overlooked the valley below the waterfall. Wilhelm told Matáo that he often used it to check on things in the village without having to go himself.

It was hard for him to see much of anything in the valley until he found a spyglass that Wilhelm had left behind. He could see a watchtower had been built not far from the bottom of the cliffs leading to the village. Further inward, he saw what looked like two more towers had been built, and he saw that many other buildings had been built inside the village.

He left the safety of the tree and made his way to the cliffs. There was a cluster of trees that blocked the view of the tower. He made his way to the base and from there he started a long circle around the entire valley. It was mid afternoon and the day was cold. He knew that he needed to stay hidden away from the guards in the village until nightfall where it would be easier to go unnoticed.

As he crept around the valley in which Echo sits, he scolded and berated himself for not looking around before. If he had, these people could have been freed months ago. While he was busy kicking himself for not learning all of this beforehand, he stumbled across another lookout tower that had been built near the clearing where they held Jäkob's party.

He crouched behind a tree and spotted two guards in the tower. He backed away slowly, ducking behind the trees so he was unseen by the guards. Once he was out of sight of the tower, he continued to walk the perimeter of the valley. He found four more towers that had been built that he hadn't seen from the lookout in the tree. He used the many secret paths that he knew that led through certain areas of the village.

They weren't hidden paths, but simple and easier ways of getting around without being seen. He used a path that he and Jonah would often use to get to Jonah's house before they got in trouble by his mother when they were trying to sneak home too late. The house was gone, but he could see his own house from it. There was smoke coming from the chimney, and it was nearing nightfall. He made his way to his old home for the first time in months.

He went on his way through the woods that separated their house, like he had done hundreds of times before. He crouched behind a stack of wood where he could see in through a window on the side of the house. He couldn't see any guards inside of the house, only a woman who appeared to be cooking. When it became completely dark out, he crawled closer to the window and peaked inside.

He was surprised to see Mrs. Kiltzka standing by the stove. She was sweating from the heat inside of the house. He smiled when he recognized her. He looked around the house, and found that everything was different. The chairs they used to sit in were gone along with everything else that they owned. There were several tables set up inside. Matáo heard footsteps coming from behind him followed by the voices of men coming towards him.

He turned to see several men in crimson walking the path to his home. He quickly backed away from the window and made his way back to the pile of wood. He watched the group of men open the door and go inside. "Roast pig again!" exclaimed one of the men, disgusted. "Bring me something other than pigs to cook, and I will see what I can do," retorted Mrs. Kiltzka.