The wood soles of my leather boots clicked softly against the paved sandstone road as we walked. It was still dark outside, but this season made the nights short and the days long. I knew dawn wasn't far off. Still, it was pleasant to wander through the city I had, in a way, once called home. I liked the night air as it felt more crisp than the stagnant air of the fighter's chambers.
Most of the buildings were made from the same tan sandstone bricks, their surfaces smoothed by skilled craftsmen. None stood out too much, but if I strained my memory back to when I first arrived here, I could recall them looking more disheveled. Perhaps Thorne had actually worked to improve life for the people who lived here. Or maybe it was simply because the royals visited often and demanded the place look presentable.
As we passed, I noticed figures peeking out from behind windows. When our eyes met, they quickly pulled their cloth shades shut. It seemed that while Thorne and some of the guards might have known about the invasion and even welcomed it most of the common folk had not, it would take time but i felt that they would go back to their normal routines eventually.
Before long, the narrow street opened into a wide square lined with small wooden shacks with cloth roofs. At its center stood a fountain, water trickling softly over the stone. It might have been peaceful… if not for the bodies hanging from the banner ropes strung between the buildings.
They were muscular even in death… soldiers, most likely. Perhaps the royal guard who had tried to resist Emberland's forces. They had been stripped naked and prebleed as to not drip blood onto the streets. It was a macabre sight even if it was meant as a warning.
"Don't worry, we don't kill citizens. These men were some of the higher-ups stationed here, ones who used their power to hand over the common folk to demons and devils, turning them into contractors."
Diane glanced up at the hanging bodies and spat on the ground.
"Why?" I asked. "What's the point of making more contractors?"
We moved out of the city center, our footsteps echoing along the paved hardpacked stone road. The outer walls loomed closer with every turn.
"How do you think this nation managed to hold us off for so long?" she said. "Even without a Saint, we still have iron arms and armor, trained soldiers, even mages. But what really evened the playing field were those mass-produced contractors spread all across the nation. They convinced the poor and the desperate to sell their souls for a scrap of power, then shipped them off to fight us."
There was venom in her voice when she spoke of giving up their souls. I could understand that frustration.
"Still," I said, "it can't be that much. A peasant with a shiny new weapon can't really stand up to a knight with a rusted one."
I thought of all the times I'd been beaten despite having better gear. I wasn't a knight but still, the logic seemed sound.
"Edric," Diane said, turning her head toward me, "I personally watched a peasant-turned-contractor turn a man into paste."
She held my gaze. "Don't get me wrong, your thinking isn't entirely wrong. But you have to understand. Contractors are the amalgamation of the original person and whatever they let in. It's not just a peasant anymore. It's a peasant and something far darker and much more malicious. That's what makes them so dangerous."
After that, I didn't speak. We walked in silence. Minutes passed, and so did the buildings, until we reached the great maw of the wall that opened into the wild beyond. Ahead, I saw a cluster of shadows gathered around a cart.
They noticed us quickly. The idle chatter stopped, and a broader man stepped forward. There was something familiar about him, but I couldn't quite place it but his face hovered at the edge of memory, just out of reach.
"My lady… and my sir," he said with a short bow. "The cart and provisions are ready for departure. The men have been briefed and are prepared for an extended journey. They are, however, curious about our destination…"
He seemed to be the leader of the escort assigned to accompany me, and I was glad he carried himself with discipline and tact. It was strange being addressed as sir… still, it filled me with a profound sense of joy.
As for where we were going, I remembered my conversation with Heather the day before, the town she had mentioned. I gave a brief description to the head guard, and he seemed to recognize it. With a nod, he turned back toward the others, leaving Diane and me alone.
"This is it, Edric," she said softly. "Go. Do what you need to do. And if you wish… it would be wonderful to have you return to us. It would be nice to have a proper relationship with my younger brother."
Her words felt sincere, and I found myself nodding. If I was honest, I would probably return to Emberland… they seemed like the only people left who might understand me and it wasn't as though I had many other places to return to.
Diane moved suddenly, opening her arms. I was caught off guard, but I felt a kind of kinship with her, so I stepped forward and embraced her. I gave her a few gentle pats on the back before stepping away.
"Thank you," I said quietly, then turned toward the cart. After a few quick words with the guards, I climbed aboard. I looked back at Diane one last time before stepping inside, ready to begin what might be my first real adventure.
It was first light when our cart rolled through the city gates. Beyond them stretched rolling desert hills, with pillars of red rock reaching into the sky and the occasional stunted tree. The rising sun bathed the world in shades of red and orange, and for the first time in my life, I felt peaceful like I didn't have any real mission or task to do immediately.
I knew it wouldn't last, but that didn't matter. I would always have this moment.
Leaning forward, I gazed down the endless packed sand road and thought of Heather, of the life we might still might have, once I found her again. I let out a slow breath, leaned back in the seat, and closed my eyes. Tears came unbidden as I thought of my friend and mentor.
I had begged for freedom my entire life. And now that I had it… everyone I knew was gone from me.
Book one End