'Aldric, Theobald, Eadric…' Sir Christian began to recite the names again for the fifth time. Each name brought up memories of past interactions– drinks shared and laughter over the mundane.
The horseback ride to Selatan was a painful experience for the recently operated– the list of fallen helped him forget the pain piercing the side of his torso.
The midday sun fell harshly over him and his companions– another part of his penance. He welcomed its judgment, feeling its burning gaze as if the heavens themselves were watching.
'James III, Franklin, Herman, the son of Thronefell, Franklin– Franklin's daughter was to be born in the next few weeks'
Those reminders kept Christian moving forward. He would make sure their memory lived on through the glory of the Sun.
The scent of horse sweat was overtaken by the smell of sea water as a breeze greeted them as they left the forest. Selatan came into view in the center of a vast pasture that sloped all the way down to the tip of the peninsula.
Sir Christian took note of the skerry that pierced through the oceans blue. Clouds of birds circled the jagged rocks. Even from here, the flock blotted the sky—like shadows circling something holy. A few broke off from the flock, gliding toward the coast. He wished he had more time to see such divine beauty up close.
'Wulfric, how he enjoyed bird watching. Ronan, Merek…' His list kept bringing him back from wandering away too much from his mission– for justice for the ones that could not speak.
The town consisted of a few dozen cobblestone buildings with thatched roofing. It was unimpressive to the expanse of land and mountains that engulfed the rustic shelters. Its most impressive feature was the large stone bridge that marked the entrance of the town. Its workmanship was as grand as any bridge found in Alexandretta– which were a dime a dozen.
"This could barely be considered a town, Sir Christian" Osric, one of his four companions blurted out as the town drew nearer to the company.
As they passed the bridge Sir Christian's eyes darted towards a streak of blood at the edge of the structure– like something was dragged over the floor. The stain was still a vibrant red, dry but not old enough to be bleached into a dark brown by the sun. The end of the streak lay a pool of blood– no doubt where whatever was bleeding out met its fate.
Hadrian, one of the fallen, had taught him how to track and read blood stains on their last campaign chasing down rogue Centaurs.
Sir Christian clenched his reins at the sight. The other men seemed oblivious to the marks on the ground– their attention to the road ahead.
The town was full of motion as they entered. Some nervously looked at the riders before scurrying back to whatever they were in the middle of rushing to do. Some carried planks of wood while others crates of food into their homes.
Sir Christian saw no reason to press the scared townspeople for answers to questions he wasn't quite sure he would ask. Instead, he turned his horse toward the commotion—hammering, shouting, the sound of a town barricading itself for reasons unknown to him.
The four horsemen found themselves at the town center where men nailed down planks in front of windows and doors, children courier materials from one group of workers to another. At the center of all the commotion stood a man over the rest with strength and composure. Although not much taller than the rest his presence made him stand out to anyone that was watching.
The back was unmistakable—shoulders like carved stone, unmoving even as chaos swirled around him. He hadn't changed at all. He slowly moved his leg over the saddle of his horse and dismounted. The pain of standing felt worse than he remembered yet he moved forward towards the man ignoring the limp in his step.
"Grand Master Aurex?" He said as he stood a few feet away from the man's back. Tiber Aurex didn't flinch at the title—but his hand tightened on the scroll. The weight of old wars was still there, behind the casual calm.
Tiber sent off a few men looking for guidance before slowly turning to face the young soldier and sighed.
"That would be me."