Where Darkness Treads: Book Two—Of Tears & Darkness

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Price of Victory

Their losses, from this last battle, had been many and were indeed grievous. Only one hundred and four had survived. Had it not been for the Ayuni and the amafruit, they would have been slaughtered.

Maneau had died beside his closest friend when the enemy charged their position in force. Emec, never had a chance to offer him any assistance, as he was too busy fighting desperately, to save his own life. The look upon the young Centaur's face was one of pure devastation, for Maneau had been his closest friend, as well. Etony died, giving what assistance she could in helping to eliminate the Dark Binders. In Donovan's mind, constant reminders of her screams and writhing upon the ground, haunted him.

Alfred had fallen from a grievous wound to his back and right side. He had managed to survive long enough, to eat a few of the amafruit before passing out from loss of blood in a dense thicket of brush. Thankfully, the enemy who had passed him by evidently had taken him for dead.

Girard and Morgan managed to walk over and wearily sat down beside Donovan. None of them for a few minutes had the strength to say anything. From beneath the armor of the sword master's left shoulder, dark drying blood told of an injury he had sustained. Morgan suffered a shallow wound to the leg and a large bruise, above her right eye. She slowly leaned back against him. Despite the discomfort of the additional pressure, her touch comforted Donovan.

Aberith would live to fight again, for he had been merely knocked out by a backlash of power from Anarta. His heroic efforts had kept the Dark Binders from overwhelming Brenna's defenses early in the battle. Dried dark-red trails, showed where blood had flowed from his ears, nose, and one bloodshot eye. Despite it all, the elderly mage still managed to stand.

Fenwildre had fallen to a concerted attack from the third and fourth Dark Binders. During the battle, he had managed to deflect a powerful blast from the third dark mage and then ended her threat, once and for all. In the process, he was only able to partially shield himself from the fourth dark mage's spell. As a result, he was knocked senseless and was unable to continue the fight any longer. Aberith had informed Prince Donovan that Fenwildre would recover. He stated any normal mage, would have been killed in the exchange; however, he was anything but normal. Donovan found himself wondering about the curious comment but felt this was not the time to inquire about such things.

"It is evident the Great Goddess Elliana has chosen wisely, in deciding whom she would entrust with our quest. Who would have believed it possible? To journey so far, with friends and allies no one knew, existed," Changa said out loud to no one in particular. "That anyone managed to survive, is a testimony to the wisdom and power, of the Great Goddess Elliana."

"Yes, but many died to win this battle. If not for the timely arrival of our new friends, we would have all perished," Donovan commented. He shifted to make himself more comfortable and tried to relax.

"The important thing is we did not die. We survived and because we did, the alliance is now stronger. The enemy must face all of us at once on the battlefield and they know we fight for a cause. All of us have joined together, so our families and children will one day live in peace, without fear of the darkness," Girard reminded Donovan kindly.

"Horseman, to live and to die has always been the way of this world. Remember and honor your friends, by fighting for what all of you believed in," Zafoo stated. "That is the way of my people. In this manner, those who have passed are always part of us and will never be forgotten."

Donovan listened and knew she was right. There was no way to bring back the dead. Instead, you honored their memories. He would always remember those who had been a part of his life, acknowledging they had made his life so much richer.

"We have lost many friends and allies here and gained a great victory. Our quest to find the sanctuary, was a success," Aberith reminded them. "We have managed to retrieve four important gifts. Brenna completed the Covenant of Life and a call to Dragon-Kind for assistance, has been sent. Most importantly, Bemenah's plans to destroy both of you have failed."

"What do you intend to do now?" Zafoo asked hesitantly.

"We have a long journey home. We will stand and fight against many of the strange ones, for they threaten all which is good upon this world," Donovan said, while slowly painfully standing.

Three mounted female riders approached and came to a halt behind Zafoo. Without a word, she turned and walked toward the other three. For a few minutes, the four of them earnestly discussed something between themselves.

Finally, Zafoo turned and faced Donovan once more. "These are my three sisters. We are known among my people as the Four Winds. They wish to know if you fight for everyone in this battle against the strange ones?" Zafoo asked Donovan. She stood still, waiting for his answer.

"We fight to drive the darkness from the land, so all may one day be free," Donovan replied.

Zafoo mounted her horse and said something to the other three. Her three sisters began to shout excitedly. From seemingly all around them, a great series of cheers erupted, filling the night air with joyful cries of unity.

"What, will you do now?" Donovan asked Zafoo and waited for her reply.

"Horseman, you have gained our respect and trust. We have already begun to assemble, and we will stand beside you to wage war against the strange ones. It will take a handful of days for my people to finish gathering," Zafoo said. With a broad smile she walked up to Donovan with her stave in one hand and offered him her outstretched hand.

Donovan shook it wholeheartedly. "We thank you for any assistance you can give."

"Let us help you tend to the wounded. Then, we can make camp. In the morning, we will help bury the dead," Zafoo said in a calm voice.

"The wounded have already been cared for. Each of them has been treated with amafruit, which we were given to us as a gift. By morning, their condition will be much improved," Donovan explained with a smile.

"Would you happen to have any more of this … amafruit? What you have said sounds too good to be true," Zafoo stared at Donovan as if in disbelief.

"Yes, it does sound like a tall tale. However, if it were not true, it is doubtful any of us would have survived long enough for you to rescue us," Prince Everin said with a chuckle.

Aberith walked over to stand in front of Zafoo, with his arm outstretched and palm up. Cupped within was one of the amafruit. "Witness a miracle from an age when this world was first created by the Great Mother. Take it please. It is a gift to all who would fight to protect this world."

Zafoo took the small golden-yellow fruit, within which golden glimmers of light gleamed and popped it into her mouth. Moments later, a broad smile and a great look of pleasure filled her face. "I feel such a strange tingly warmth filling me and I feel full of energy," Zafoo said with delight.

"If you can eat it before dying, your chances of healing are greatly improved. We have given some to men, who were literally at death's door. By the next morning, those who were treated were up and walking around," Morgan told Zafoo.

"It was also due to the fact, we were within the hallowed grounds of the sanctuary," Donovan reminded Morgan.

"True," admitted Morgan.

It seemed, in no time at all, there were now many campfires burning, and everyone was trying to relax. Donovan had no doubts the enemy would stay far away for the rest of the night. He could feel the stress peeling off from him in layers.

"My people were most impressed when you risked your lives to save those, who were strangers to you. Many felt this was the sign we have been waiting for. You see, long ago, an old woman entered our lands and spoke to us words from the Great Mother," Zafoo told them.

Brenna turned to them, with a smile.

"She said, people such as you would lead us to a new land, where our people could grow. Our numbers are many. We can no longer find enough food, while hunting or fishing, for us to live well through the winters," Zafoo explained. "We were told through prophecy we would stand beside new friends and would battle great evil to be free."

"Pardon me, I cannot help but wonder where this wondrous cloth your clothing is made of, comes from?" Aberith said, after he had seated himself.

"In the Avway mountains, there are large spiders which weave strong webs, to trap flying lizards and birds. My people have learned how to raise the spiders and collect their webs. We remove the sticky material the tic-tic put on the strands and weave them into this cloth, which is strong and hard to tear," Zafoo replied simply.

"Simply extraordinary, Aberith commented, while rubbing the sleeve of Zafoo's jerkin.

From out of the darkness, walked a young woman with tanned skin. Her golden hair was held behind her head by leather and an engraved wooden peg. Her face bore symbols made with red grease paint. To either side, hung a braided length of hair tipped with a small, bright-blue feather.

"This is Arcata, she is my sister and one of the four winds," Zafoo said in introduction. Donovan nodded to her and smiled.

With a wide-beaming smile, Arcata made herself comfortable and held her hands towards the fire, warming them. She was dressed in the same light shiny cloth as Zafoo's dark-green leggings and long-sleeved jerkin was made of, only hers was dark brown. Light leather boots complimented her attire, which came up to the calves of her legs.

"When Zafoo returned and told us what had occurred, we spoke with the wise ones. Each of us felt inside, you were the ones we have been waiting for. We had almost lost hope of your ever arriving," Arcata said while smiling and nodding at them.

Two other women, entered the light, created by the bonfire. One, wore her dark brown hair, in a complex dangling weave, behind her head. Her dark hair hung in stark contrast to her pale complexion. She wore tan colored leather pants, and a brown long-sleeved tunic. A pattern of small bright colored beads was sewn into her tunic.

The second of the two women stood almost as tall as Donovan and walked powerfully over to sit down in front of the fire. Her hair hung in tight braids, upon shoulders which were a shade lighter, then Zafoo's. Her smile was bright, and she nodded to them all, and whispered into Zafoo's ear.

"These are my other two sisters, Meyani and Tucony. They are happy, we managed to find you in time. It concerned us greatly, when we saw many strange ones were pursuing you," Zafoo said while accepting a plate piled high with food, offered to her by Girard.

"You honor us by your presence. Without your intervention, it is doubtful, that we would have survived at all," Prince Everin said, nodding to all four of them.

"We are happy, you finally arrived. The Great Mother made all of us to protect this world together," Tucony said. She sat cross-legged, while enjoying the fires warmth and was also handed a heaping plate, offered by Sir Alfred.

"Your arrival has filled our hearts and lives with hope," Meyani said, while bowing her head in gratitude to a plate of food, offered to her.

"Elliana's prophet, it seems, managed to cover a great deal of land in her lifetime. I have no doubt, she was blessed with long life by the Great Mother," Aberith said with a smile.

"She managed to live one year, after finding us. Much to our sorrow, she passed one night while sleeping. We built her a place to rest, which we carved from the rock," Zafoo said, looking down.

For a few more hours, all of them pleasantly talked and ate together. In the early hours of morning, Donovan and Morgan finally had to excuse themselves, to seek the warmth of their beds. In no time at all, Donovan succumbed to exhaustion and fell fast asleep, dreaming of home.