The Cry in the Water Part 4

The island half of the village Ilmara was older than the part that had grown on the opposite shore. Many of the buildings were still constructed from timber, but there were a few that had been replaced with stone over the years. These were principally nearest to Sol Adementa that loomed large on a rise overlooking all, as if the last lords of the fortress had been slowly remaking every structure to match as they had time and resources. A petrification creeping out across the land. In the quiet and abandoned streets, it was easy to imagine it so.

"Well, we are over here," said Zena softly, her mount a bit skittish underneath her. The creature was clearly looking about as one who feels the eyes of a predator upon it, but cannot find the exact source and direction.

"This things certainly leaves its presence felt," replied Jayr, "even I sense the dread in the air, but its not on shore."

"I have not known you to be wrong love, but I would feel safer prepared," she replied, drawing her long thin bladed sword from its scabbard.

"Probably not a bad idea. Let's head toward the big house or hall over there. That is where I would be if I had nothing but my own two hands to defend myself."

Jayr pointed towards a large three storied building that was set well back within the center of the village, and almost the first structure on the road leading up to the old fortress. It was one of the rebuilt stone structures, and was not easily discernible as to its function. Ilmara had been a village for ages, and civil authority rested above it on the rise in the form of spires. However, as the two riders drew closer, they could see what had once been possibly an inn as exhibited by the many windows on each floor suggesting rooms, a curious wood sign bearing a color faded shield hung from the front door arch now. There was no title or word to explain the meaning, but Jayr guessed it was someone's impression of a sign of heraldry. Possibly a mayoral position of sorts? The front door was defended by an obviously new barricade of sharpened stakes leaning outward.

"Nothing seems to be damaged," observed Zena, gesturing to the silent structures they had passed. "Many open doors and fenced yards lying open, but nothing showing brute force."

"Everyone fled without bothering to shut them behind, or the creature has some skillful appendages?" he asked with eye brows raised. "That would be an interesting feature."

"For you love, but I find it rather frightening."

The horses were still very disturbed, easily shifting their weight and moving aside as if they were dodging the silent unseen hand of something haunting the streets. The wizard and the sword dancer continued to look about with concern, feeling the same presence that their mounts did. A cold creeping trickle of sweat ran down the back of each. There was a dread without name, and yet no sound or troubled pebble on the street to indicate that anything but abandoned structures were all about them. It was eerie and yet more menacing than any silence.

"Oiy! You need to get out of the street now, before the dark!" shouted a young man, his face appearing from a window opened above them.

The surprise warning was so completely unexpected, that horses and riders all exclaimed in shock, the first rearing up on their front legs, and Jayr exclaiming a word of exotic expression, while Zena simply swore in the common tongue. Regaining control of their steeds, the two looked up at the face peering down at them with concern. There was no mistaking the similarity of face with the father that they had just left on the other side of the water. This was Burton, son of Baerd. Even the piercing stare had been passed on, but unlike the father, the son was alert and resolute in defiance of his fate.

"Hey, come around the back and I'll let you in the back door," he said, disappearing with a crash of shutters.

"Well, the son is alive," said Zena, casting a look about, and then leading the way around the building.

The ground rose on either side of the stone building, and the two adventures found that by the time they had ridden fully around to the back, they had risen above the first floor level. As apposed to the front, there were two iron bound doors at the back, which looked far stronger than the front, and one of these had been partially opened so that the young man they had seen was looking out at them.

"Hurry!" he warned, his face turning to look all around with furtive eyes. "It can come up faster than you think."

"Coming," replied Zena, then turning her head sharply at a small sound. The sound of dead branch falling from a tree.

Jayr followed her gaze immediately. She was starting at a small copse of trees, an outcrop of the forest that still dominated the northern half of the island, moving as a blanket up towards the old fortress on its overlooking hill. No walls had ever been built to protect the village, so there was nothing but a road leading up to the tall towers with open grass and trees between. There would have been no reason to think there was any threat in the past.

"Here, take my horse," instructed the wizard, sliding off his restless beast in a smooth slip from the saddle. "Get inside."

The young man with the bright but fearful blue eyes that his father had described accurately, took the horse by the bridal and led it inside quickly, while Zena followed. The wizard stood in his dark robe, staff in hand, looking quietly from side to side. There was something not quite right in the air. He could smell it. A salty sweet smell, and it wasn't coming from the forest.

"Alright, you like to deceive," whispered the wizard, holding his staff before him with both hands, as if to parry a blow. "Where are you then? Shall I find you?"

Calling out softly to the wind with words of command, the wizard half shut his eyes in concentration. From before his feet, a sudden gust of air began to blow hard against the ground, driving a fine dust off the earth before it, a cloud that filtered the light of day and pushed out rapidly away from his. The grass and trees began to sway at the coming gust, and then the fine shimmering haze moved over something else rapidly going the other way.

"Jayr!" cried Zena, grabbing him by the shoulders and pulling him back sharply through the door that he had been guarding. The open door was shut by the boy with a slam just as the wizard fell back, a beam falling into place to bar the forced opening. Then there was a mighty crash against the door from the outside, as a large body hurtled itself against the iron and oak. The timbers creaked, but stood firm. Then there was another mighty blow, and another.

"Oh no," said Burton, as Zena tried to help Jayr to his feet. The boy was pale, and sweat was on his brow. "It's come for us this time."

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