Monday, January 21, 2019

93 - “In the Still After the Battle” - Tonklyn - A Tale of Heroes



Story Three

Of Wizards and Dragons

Part 8


Despite the lateness of the evening, the sun was only beginning to set behind the trees surrounding the shell of the manor house. It was a large building, one of several, that had sat in a clearing in the midst of the deep of the Umbrawood Forest. Now, it was only a hollow emptiness surrounded by charred and smoky walls of brick and stone. The roof was gone, collapsed into the interior. The windows were broken, with char marks swirling up the rock above them.

Time had not yet allowed nature to overwhelm it, though. The walls, though streaked with soot, were fairly complete.

Tonklyn waved away the mosquitoes that were beginning to gather in the early summer evening. The damp spring had given them lots of opportunity to grow and cluster. He got off his horse and began leading it toward the building. The others riding with him followed suit. As they crossed the clearing, he stepped through the knee deep grass and weeds that had grown around the hill surrounding the building. No-one had been there for a while, obviously.

My Master was correct. A month ago, they had received their last contact from the worshippers here. Not that there had been a lot of contact, but they had supplied the Master Dragon with a fairly steady stream of humans, particularly young ones. The Master considered them especially delicious. Obviously there was trouble.

Tonklyn and his three companions left the horses out in the grass and stepped through the main doorway into the foyer. Burned timbers from the floors above and the roof were scattered all over the finely-tiled floor. It was very dirty, and he could see the results of the spring rains washing away much of the ash. Still, there was still a whif of charcoal in the breeze dancing through the windows. Above him, he could see the few clouds in the darkening sky slowly turning a rosy purple.

Master Kirraxal had told me that this chapter had fallen. That had been a sensible conclusion, of course, but they needed to be sure.

“Search the building, and the grounds.” He ordered. The other three nodded. “Look for bones, bodies, and anything of value. See if you can find their library.” His companions dispersed, each into a different room or building.

Almost immediately, one of them called out from his right.

Tonklyn stepped through the doorway where he had gone. It was a great hall, with fewer burned timbers scattered across the floor. Higher window spaces implied that this room had a higher ceiling as well. He cautiously moved further into the hall. His guard was standing in the center looking down at some rubble on the floor. “Here’s one,” he said, pointing away, “And there’s another.”

There were two sets of skeletons on the floor, partially covered by rubble and dirt. Tonklyn knelt closer over one, moving a few pieces of burned wood. There was a dirty and crusted sword on the ground near it. “Looks like this one died fighting.”

“Here’s a third!” His companion called out, after shoving aside a long timber.

Tonklyn rose and walked over. The falling weight of the burning roof had crushed much of the skeleton, especially the rib cage and the shoulder bones. He sifted through, finding a few personal effects scattered nearby, such as coins, belt clasps, buttons, and a dagger. He saw a chain that had been around what would have been the skeleton’s neck and picked it up, jarring the skull loose. The amulet was ornately crafted. A circle surrounding a dragon breathing fire.


Thank you: Chet Cox, Genevieve Springer!

Previous Scene, Next Scene

No comments:

Post a Comment