The Cost of War

Padan and Aithene continued to run through the burning village evading any Qên they happen to come across. Aithene was taking this invasion pretty well. Ever since she was small, she dreaded this place. It reeked of her parents, who abandoned her at a young age. Since childhood, Aithene had taken care of herself. Even when her parents were still with her, their love was either cold or nonexistent. There was very little Aithene liked about this town. The little she did like was in danger or running beside her. The rest could burn for all she cared. As Aithene ran, she looked down at her hands that had some remaining dried blood. She felt nothing for this woman, even if what the woman said was true who's to say that whoever she let close hurt her? She looked over to Padan and felt some comfort but realized even he could hurt her. She could never allow anyone to hurt her the way her parents did. She alone was the only one who could protect herself.

"Up here," Padan said. "He should be here."

Padan and Aithene came across what they thought was the burning remains of the ghettos. Poorly made houses were either burnt black from the fire or wholly destroyed. Bodies littered the already filthy streets. There were weird burn marks covering the buildings and the leftover smell of sulfur.

"Smells like magic," Aithene said then pointed to the dead villagers" I hope they had a better fate, but if they are dead how are we supposed to find their bodies?" Asked Athene.

Padan took a second to think. "The robes. They would have nicer clothes on than anyone here. Let's get looking."

Padan felt sick to his stomach. Everybody he lifted became more and more mutilated than the last. Some were missing arms, other legs but most were losing both. Women, children, and men were slaughtered, none were left alive. there were only maybe one or two bodies of Qên for every four or five villagers.

"Padan over here!"

Padan rushed over to Aithene to discover a man that was still alive.

"Who's this?" Padan asks.

"You don't pay attention, do you? look at the robes; he's a wizard." Aithene said as she pointed to the mans' clothing.

The wizard groaned as he tried to lean forward.

Aithene knelt beside the man to look for an injury. "Padan there's too much blood I can't find where it's coming from."

The wizard coughs as he tried to speak "Are you Harern's friends that he always spoke of?"

"Yes, I'm Padan, and this is Aithene,"

The wizard tried to speak again but coughed up blood as he spoke. "He ran back to his house to try and save his parents. I stayed behind to cover his escape."

"Padan I'm losing him." Said Aithene

Padan ripped off more of his clothing and handed it to Aithene as she tries to clog the wound.

The wizard dropped his head to his chest and loosened all muscles.

"Dammit!" Padan kicked a rock across the street. "Another!, we lost another."

"Padan This was going to happen regardless," Athene said trying to comfort him. "He was very badly wounded, it was only a matter of time."

Padan punched the burnt house wall the now dead wizard was laying against.

Aithene sighs. "Padan we need to go get Harern."

Padan takes a moment to think. He thought about all the people who just mere hours ago were smiling without a care in the world. He saw some of these people daily. They had families and jobs and a normal life. Now because of the Qên, everything changed. Padan was dragged out of his thoughts by Aithene.

"Padan!"

"Huh? Oh yea, Harern we should find him. Let's go."

Padan and Aithene skulk their way out of the ruined streets of the ghetto. By now the fires started to die, and the sun was setting, and the few lights that remained served as lanterns for Padan and Aithene to see in the dark. The pair could now fully understand the cataclysmic damage the Qên have laid on the village. Padan was about to tear up but stopped himself.

"Not now," he said.

Padan was not able to get as much cover now due to the flames dying but thanks to Aithene's natural talent in stealth he was able to stay hidden. Eventually, with much difficulty, they were able to make their way outside of the village and into the farming district where Harern's family resided

Aithene's head turned in confusion. "there aren't as many Qên out here."

Padan nodded. "They must have started the attack here and worked their way in. Either way less trouble for us. Let's keep going."

Padan and Aithene made their way along the dirt road that led to Harern's farmhouse. Padan could not recognize the once green rolling hills and wheat that swayed in the wind. That once happy memory was now replaced with burnt trees and fields of fire. As the two approached Harern's house, it was almost no longer a house. Much like the rest of the homes in the village, the entire structure was entirely burnt to the ground. Only a skeleton was left. Padan could hear crying near the front of the house. Padan could not see who it was, but the body was tall and skinny much like Harerns.

"Harern is that you?" Padan asked.

The crying stopped for a moment, and the body turned around. It got up from its kneeling position. It was almost 8 ft tall, and as the creature approached them, it had long bony fingers and black hair that was darker than the darkness around it. The body although long was also feminine. Its arms were down to its legs, and it's body hunched over itself.

Aithene stepped back. "That's not Harern."

Padan drew his sword and got into a defensive stance. "No, it is not."

The giant beast screeched and charged at Padan. Aithene ran into the dark to hide and wait for an opportunity to strike. Padan held his position bracing for a hit.

Padan's eyes matched the creatures, and the monster's arm rose to strike Padan. As the arm fell a bright light formed from the forest. The creature stopped its attack dead in its tracks and looked towards the source. Harern appeared from the woods with his staff glowing at the tip. The beast shrieked at the light and got on all fours and trampled back into the dark.

Padan saw the face of his friend, dropped his weapon, and rushed toward him. Padan puts both his hands on Harerns shoulders and smiles. Harern did not return the pleasure. Harern's face was dirty and red. His eyes were bloodshot as well.

Padan stopped smiling and became confused. "What troubles you Harern?"

Aithene heard this and came out from her hiding spot. "Harern!"

Harern did not look Padan in the eye. Instead, his gaze focused on the ground as if he were trying to count each blade of grass. "My...parents...I found their bodies in the forest. I found my father's first. He had his sword out. I assume he tried to hold off the Qên trying to give my mother enough time to escape."

Padan tried to give Harern the opportunity not to relive the horror of what he just went through. "Harern you don't-"

Harern interrupted Padan as tears fell from his face. "Then after some time of searching, I found my mother's body with arrows sticking out of her. They hunted her like a wild animal!" Harern fell to his knees and wept as Aithene put her arm around him.

Padan wrapped Harern's arms around him and began to lift him up on his feet. "Now that everyone is together we should find a place to hide."

"Where are we supposed to hide Padan?" Aithene asked.

Padan looked around. It was hard to see in the dark, but some fires lit a path that leads into a forest. "We shall hide in the woods."

Aithene protested. "In the woods? What if that beast comes back?"

"Well," Padan said. "The way I see it we either take our chances near the town where the Qên outnumber us, or we take our chances in the woods where we outnumber the beast."

Harern got on his feet to walk. "That beast won't come back. It fears the light."

"What makes you say that," asked Aithene.

"It's a Dalkdrl, I've read about them. They are attracted by great turmoil. No one knows where they come from or why they look similar to females." Said Harern.

Padan goes to pick up his sword, and the trio walks deep into the woods with Harern lighting the way with his staff. The forests that they grew up playing in that was once green and full of life now seems to blend with the dread of the atmosphere around it. Instead of the light green transparent color of the forest it used to have, the wood was dark as if the forest was going to swallow the group whole.

"I suppose we are far enough from the village here. Let's set up camp and wait out the night. By morning the Qên should be far gone." Said Padan.

A fire is set up, and Padan, Harern, and Aithene sit around it. The night was starting to set in as the darkness thickened. Aithene sat closest to Padan as Harern sits on the other side of the fire with his head in between his legs.

"What do we do now?" Aithene asked.

"We have to find my father. He'll know what to do about this."

"What's the point!" Harern gets up and begins to stride back and forth from the campfire. "Our home is gone! You saw how many Qên there were! What are we supposed to do fight them all?"

"No Harern" Padan said. "My father is with the rest of the Rangers if we warn him then the army would be able to fight with us."

"Do you know exactly where he is Padan?" Harern asks calming down.

"No, the only information I got from him was that he was leaving to the border because there had been some skirmishes."

Harern started to get angry again. "Great so not only did we lose our home but we now don't even know where the army is."

Padan looks down at the dirt. "Yea, I guess you're right we lost our home, our chances, and our hope."

Black and white birds suddenly scatter from the treetops. Padan, Aithene, and Harern suddenly stand up and draw their weapons at the noise.

"The thing about the stuff you lose in the dark is that you can find them again in the light."

"Who said that?" Harern yelled.

An old man with a large wooden staff, a white beard, and a brown robe walked out of the dark and into the firelight.

Aithene stood up from the dirt. "Who are you? What do you want?"

The old man laughed. "I am known as many things, many people."

Harern started to get angry again. "Enough riddles why have you come to us?"

The old man found a rock to sit on. "I've come to help you."

Padan looked over at the old man. "Why? Why should we trust you we barely know you?"

"Ah, you may not know me Padan, but I know. You've grown so much since I last saw you. As a baby, you were just big enough to fit in my hand." Said the old man.

Padan stood up and gave a confused look. "What are you talking about?"

The old man leans down to fix his robe. "I knew your father a long time ago. He saved my life during a battle many years before you were born. In return, I promised him a favor. Once you were born, he asked for me to come to watch over you. I've been in this forest ever since. "

Harern walked over to Padan to whisper in his ear. "Are you taking this guy seriously? If what he says was true where was he during the attack.

The old man's tone raised in anger. "For your information Harern, I was too deep in the woods to make it back in time to help people. It's insulting to talk about someone in front of them secretly. The reason I settled far out into the woods is that I like my privacy and Padans father only had me look over him while he was gone. He came to me this morning and I started walking as soon as I could"

"Alright old man, I'll take your word for it. What do you suggest we do?" Padan asked.

"I suggest you three sleep for the night. Your father told me where he and his regiment of Rangers were going. We shall depart to meet up with them at the location your Father gave me." Said the old man. The old man wandered back into the woods.

Padan laid his back on a tree as Aithene snuggled close to him. Harern slept closest to the fire. Padan kept thinking back to his village, the only place he knew as home. He wished he could go back and pretend none of this happened. A tear rolled down his cheek, and he drifted off to sleep.