Cade (ch 1)

“Cade, wake up.” A voice whispered, a hand shaking me softly. I rolled over, rubbing my eyes. The sky was grey and the sun was just barely visible on the horizon. I blinked a few times and rolled my eyes when I saw who it was.

“Jon, it’s not time for me to get up.” I rolled back over, tired from having a late night watch.

“Come with me, this is really important!” He whispered fiercely and pulled off my blankets. “We have to head over to the Hargon outpost.”

I sat up suddenly and gave him the look. He nodded and tossed my blankets on my bedroll as I pulled on my clothes.

I knew from experience that when Jon said something was important, he meant it. I had no clue why we would need to go to Hargon Outpost. Our army was supposed to head there anyway. The rivalry between the Hargonittes and the Selmarians had been going on for ages, at least, since before I was alive. I wasn’t sure how two young men were going to change any of that.

It was a chilly morning so I put on an extra layer. Jon’s sword was already at his side so I strapped on mine too. I grabbed the pack, Jon’s shield, and my bow and arrows and followed Jon out of the camp, careful not to step on any sleeping men.

Jon turned and put a finger to his lips as we passed the lookouts. We slipped by easily, as the sentries were looking for people coming in, and not necessarily people going out. I looked ahead at my friend, broad-shouldered and strong, not hesitating as he made his way down the hill. I glanced back to see the mountains looming over our campsite. Later today we would be moving out, heading on to another spot. I wondered if Jon’s father knew what we were doing. Probably not.

“So what’s the plan?” I asked.

“I’ll tell you soon.” He said, flashing me a mischievous smile.

I rolled my eyes and sighed. It was worth a shot. I knew that this would be good, though. Jon’s plans alway seem to work out pretty well. I’m always amazed at what he pulls off, even though he says it’s not him, it’s Elohim.

The pass wasn’t a wide one, with the dirt trail snaking through the Edriann mountains. The path was so narrow that barely three men could walk side by side. Two with equipment. I fingered my bow, prepared for an ambush. These mountains were dotted with hiding spots where the Shadow Tribe, liked to hide.

I squinted, trying to make out a few of the tiny pathways the tribe had worn down through the years. I thought back to my last scouting trip. I don’t get to scout very much but this particular job called for someone who was good with a bow. We had gone up one of the pathways to try and see if there was anywhere that would give us a good view of the Hargon Outpost. I had shot down three Shadowers before we made it to the top. Nothing good came of the scouting trip, but I had established myself as a competent archer.

Suddenly a blood-curdling cry came from high up the mountain. Two more echoed from different places. In a flash, I had my bow out and arrow nocked. I heard Jon’s sword slide out of its sheath as I scanned the cliffs. A flicker of movement caught my eye to my right.

A figure popped up from behind a rock, very quickly, but I was ready. I released and pulled out another arrow as I heard a sharp cry of pain. I knew there were at least two more Shadowers, but for the time being, I saw none.

My pack was on the ground but I had Jon’s shield on my back, over my quiver but not obstructing it.

“Jon,” I called and tossed him his shield like a frisbee.

He caught it easily and slung it on his left arm. A man in a cloak dropped down from a ledge, blocking our path. Jon, rushed at him, sword at the ready. The man unsheathed his longsword and parried Jon’s swing easily.

An arrow sped past my left arm and embedded itself in a rock beside me. I scanned the cliffs looking for any type of movement. I spotted another cloaked figure, with a bow and arrow aimed at my chest, on the mountain side. Fortunately for me, I was the quicker archer. The cloaked man reached for an arrow from his quiver, but I shot before his arrow even touched the string. He tumbled down the slope and landed on the path, dead.

Jon and the cloaked man were still dueling but I could tell that Jon had the upper hand. The man’s sword clattered to the ground, out of his reach. The man sank to his knees, defeated. Jon finished him off, and wiped his sword on the grass.

“Is that all of them?” He asked, sheathing his sword.

“I can’t be sure,” I replied. “Some may still be hiding.”

“Good thing we’re almost through then.” Jon said. “Nice shooting, Cade. I knew you were the right person to bring along.”

“I’m your armor-bearer, it’s kind of my job to come with you.” I said, picking up the pack but keeping out my bow.

“Seriously, where would I be without you?” Jon asked.

“Probably on the ground with an arrow through your skull,” I joked.

“True,” He laughed. “I’m excellent with a sword and spear but we both know I can’t shoot to save my life.”

I smiled, glad to see I’d made my friend laugh.

“We’d better get going.” I said. “You know, cities to destroy, Hargonittes to defeat.”

“Yeah, let’s go.” Jon said while he unstrapped his shield and slung it on his back. We made our way along the path with no more encounters with the Shadow Tribe. The pass ended into a large open space, with forest dominating the right side.

The biting chill of the morning was wearing off and the sun was shining brightly. The grass was long and green and it swished around our ankles as we walked. The pass got farther and farther as we neared Hargon Outpost.