"The castle is taken, this we know, but there is one thing that the invader probably hasn't figured out yet, though I suspect he will soon enough. The Plant, or Gwynnleaf as you Synners call it, lies there in Coltend, buried underneath layers of stone. Over the years that the castle has existed, it has shifted its position under every king's rule. Under Truls' rule, however, he moved it to a library beneath the main hall, where it was to be hidden in plain sight," she said.
What? No, that can't be right, I blinked a few times to make sure I wasn't dreaming.
"How is it possible to hide something like that in plain sight?" I asked, genuinely dumbfounded. "There is no sunlight down there that could reach it, not to mention the lack of airflow. As it needs no sunlight or water to survive, we have been able to hide it from prying eyes by faking its death," she sighed, as if it brought a bad memory to the forefront of her mind.
"We have always managed this by painting the plants with mana-suppressant paste, making it look dead. This paste can only be removed during the preparation, so it is highly unlikely that anyone outside the preparers has seen its full glory," she explained.
"So you're telling me that even if the invader found the library, they would believe the plants are dead?" I asked. "Precisely. Now, the purpose for us doing so is that the library beneath the palace is so vast, and has so many different routes to take, that it would be nearly impossible to find one that would let off a significant amount of mana to be found by a mage or otherwise," she explained.
I chewed on the information for a moment and considered all possible scenarios that may or may not become a reality.
"This may have come as a surprise to you, but the fact that it has been there, under so many people's noses for so many years has made it our best-kept secret," Leona continued, as I digested the information presented. "What if someone else knew its location besides the royal family and the Synner masters?" I asked, cautiously looking over to the fire to ensure no one could hear us.
"Then we would all be in much graver danger than we already are," Leona said grimly. "Then we must not let him have it," I said, furrowing my brow. "Listen, I might not be as powerful as my brother, but I promise I'll do whatever I can, if you and Meliss let me," I said sternly, but my bravado only made her chuckle.
"You've got a good heart, Thoma; for that, you have my respect and permission to do so. You are brave, kind, and selfless when it comes to matters larger than yourself," she said warmly, then wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug. I froze momentarily, but returned the hug briefly and, admittedly, awkwardly. We sat there for a few moments before she pulled away.
"Come on, let's get some food, drink, and rest for tomorrow," she suggested, taking me by the hand and leading me back to the campfire.
Bernar, you're one lucky bastard, I thought with a smile, letting her lead the way.
Within a few minutes, we were back in our tents with our respective lovers, Leona with Bernar, and I with Meliss. Naturally, there wasn't much sleep to be had in the dark hours of the night, but we still managed to get just enough sleep to where we felt rested the following morning.
The Master was the first to wake aside from myself and perhaps a handful of others. According to what Bernar told me, he'd had his first dream that night in many years, and I knew it must have been some kind of premonition, because it struck me as odd that the Master didn't dream often.
But then again, have I ever seen him sleep? I thought back.
As I stepped out of my tent, I noticed a stillness in the air, a quiet before the battle that hung over the camp. I knew instinctively that today would be a difficult battle for everyone. I walked to the crest of the small hill nearby and looked out toward the dawning sky. It was beautiful that morning, but I heard a slight rustling nearby that surprised me.
The Master? What's he doing here? I thought, realizing he'd made the same decision I had.
"Master," Garett began. "I know," he replied, turning to face the one who had disturbed him. "Wake the others who are still asleep. It's time to go," he said. Garett nodded, then went over to the other tents, leaving the Master to his thoughts again.
A few others were slowly getting up, readying their gear and horses as Garett woke them up. I watched as he looked at them, nodding to each one as he passed. He knew our thoughts, as they were likely similar to his own; we were about to ride into the challenge of our lifetimes.
I walked back inside the tent just as Meliss was putting on her gear. It was a gift from Master Pyle, after all, since he thought it might be a good idea to give her and Leona at least a little bit of protection. I noticed that she was having a little bit of a hard time getting used to the buckles and straps that accompanied it.
"Here, let me show you," I chuckled, reaching for the first buckle. Once it's through, you've got to place the prong through the little hole after pulling it to a comfortable tightness," I said, pulling on the leather strap. The movement caused her to jolt a little, and she was clearly surprised at just how close a fit the jerkin was.
"Heavy thing, isn't it?" she asked. "It is if you've never worn one before. Over time, though, it becomes much easier to wear and move in. Chances are very good that it will save your life if anything tries to get too close," I shrugged, but I noticed a frown grow on her porcelain features.
"Do you think it'll come to that?" she asked, but I shook my head and held her face. "Not if you stay by me, and if I'm not around, stay as close to either Garett or Bernar; you and Leona both, understand?" I said, looking into her eyes. She looked back into mine and nodded her response. "We'll be alright," I said, embracing her tightly.
"Thoma," Bernar called from outside the tent. "Time for us to go," I whispered to Meliss. "On our way," I answered the call. Our tent was packed away within a few minutes before we joined the others. Meliss saw Leona in the same attire as herself, and was instantly comforted that she wasn't the only one who had received the light armor.
"It fits you well, just as I thought," Pyle said cheerfully, approaching Meliss. "Thank you, Master Pyle," she replied with a bow. He walked over to her and grabbed the jerkin, briefly shaking and tugging on it to see if it would come loose. "A fine job on the lacings," he said, glancing at me.
"I had help from Thoma," she said shyly. "Oh, I know that," Pyle said cheerfully as he could. He reached for a leather-wrapped bundle and handed it to her. "Here, take this. It's dangerous to go unarmed," he said with a smile.
Meliss unwrapped the leather package and found a large knife in a leather sheath with intricate details and the sign of the Fangsdalr Synners near the mouth. She reached for the carved wooden handle and drew the blade from its sheath.
It had a curved tip with a false bevel along the spine near the tip, and a long edge. "Thorsen mentioned that you know how it works," he said. "Have to stick the pointy end in," she said with a weak smile, getting a nod from him in return. "Just know that it's not just the point of a blade that will save you. The edge will put in plenty of work if you use it in the right spot," he put a hand on her small shoulder. She nodded and went with us to meet with the Master and the others.
I faced her as I put the leather belt through the loops provided by the sheath, sliding it over to her left side. "Pat it once or twice so you know exactly where it is every so often," I said. She did so immediately. "More weight," she frowned. "Grams make kilos. Or, do ounces make pounds? I never remember the proper saying, but it's still true nonetheless," I grinned, knowing she could handle it.
"Mount up," the call came from behind us. "Ready?" I asked, but she had no words, so she nodded in reply. I walked over to my horse and checked my equipment one last time before putting the ball of my foot into the stirrup, throwing my remaining leg over to the other side.
I was glad to have gotten used to the height of the stirrups by that point.
I took Meliss' hand and helped her up onto Celer's back. "My most honorable Synners and ladies present," the Master began to say a short distance away from the others. "Today's the day we reach Coltend, where a hoard of countless creatures awaits us, each eager to kill and devour our bodies. Fear may come over us, but I ask you to enter with the will to fight that fear and push through it like a plough to a field. Not having fear is impossible, but having the courage and strength to overcome fear is possible!" he shouted loudly enough for all of us to hear.
I could feel her arms tighten around my waist as a roar of support came from everyone present. "We have done this time and time again, but this time, we fight not just for Coltend and its people, but the Continent. Let's win this fight and get home alive!" he shouted, getting another roar in response.
Here we go, I thought, gently rubbing my hand against the tiny one at my waist as I looked to Batch, Irun, and Ed, who all gave me nods to show they were ready.
"To war!" he shouted, kicking his heels into his horse's sides, prompting the five hundred others to do the same. We all knew what we were getting into, and it forced us to harden our wills and calm our minds as much as possible.
However, off in the distance, a winged figure with burning eyes watched us as we rode toward the castle. It soared through the air as it made its way towards its owner.