Chapter 15: Disappointment

Loryn’s gaze wandered around the barren, flat landscape.

After spending the last of his money buying new horses at the port for not only himself but also for Evyn, who said with a radiant smile that it was payback for saving his life.

They silently rode toward the Last Keep past vast stretches of grey grass and dead trees.

Lorny was already uncomfortable after leaving Redwood’s burning forests and seeing the leaves entirely green leaves. He had hoped to see remnants of past battles, maybe even a scar in the landscape left by Al’lassir. But he had never expected the road that led to the legendary Last Keep to be surrounded by nothing made up of nothing but death.

“You’re pretty naive, aren’t you,” Evyn teased Loryn, who rode beside him.

“What?” Loryn asked, surprised by Evyn talking for the first time since leaving the port.

“Ah, don’t try to hide it. I’ve been watching you, and I’ve seen those kinds of eyes before. Hell, I had them every time I had to sleep on Yorn’s cursed rat-infested streets. Eyes of hopes not met,” Evyn explained with a melancholic smile.

“It’s just… I don’t know. Barin told me those stories and-“

“Oh Yes, stories of the heroic Forsaken pushing back the Pale Ones with the help of the gods. I know the stories; everybody knows them, but your eyes tell me that, unlike most, you actually believed them,” Evyn said while letting his gaze wander across the grey surroundings.

Embarrassed by Evyn’s correct words, Loryn sighed. “Some of it must be true, not how do explain the greys. I’m not that naive.”

“Well, you’re naive enough to agree to accompany a guy you’ve just met.”

“What do you-“ Loryn wanted to refute until he realized that Evyn was correct yet again. “If I can’T trust you, then-“

“Oh no, you can trust me, but that doesn’t mean you’re not naive,” Evyn interrupted, knowing what Loryn was going to say.

.

A grey tower appeared on the horizon as they continued to ride in silence.

“Is that-“

“No,” Loryn interrupted Evyn. “The man who sold me the horses said the Last Keep is at least two days away by horse. It has to be one of the other castles that were built alongside the Last Keep.

“You see that?” Evyn asked, his eyes on the smoke that traveled in the sky, coming from the castle.

“Yes,” Loryn answered.

“Well, should we take another path or?”

“No, let’s keep going.”

Evyn looked at Loryn with narrowed eyes. “Are you sure I don’t think you can afford me saving your life again.”

Loryn looked towards the sun, slowly settling at the horizon. “Yes, I don’t want to sleep in the middle of dead Medows, especially without a tent.”

“All right, your call,” Evyn replied sarcastically before he began to whistle a joyful melody with a couple of words mumbled in between.

At first, Evyn’s constant whistling and singing, if you could call it that, annoyed Loryn, but as they spent their days on the ship lazying around, he not only got used to it but found some strange comfort in it. And almost missed it every time Evyn said he had to leave and talk to the captain in the middle of the night and only returned in the early morning. It reminded him of when his father used to sing as he walked through the castle’s halls and yards while Ellia, who sometimes walked with him, tried to futilely hide the smile on her face.

Those memories brought him comfort but also pain on his first journey leaving home.

.

Calling the ruins a castle was more than generous.

Long gone were the glory days of the seven castles built throughout the landbridge that previously connected the two continents. As the years flew by and the Forsaken’s reputation faded, so did the number of men ready to pledge their lives to protect the continent from the threats that laid to the east. With fewer and fewer men, the Forsaken had to abandon the castles until only the Last Keep was manned.

Arren finally managed to light the fire.

Although he was sent out dozens of times up until now to escort the poor bastards that got caught for some petty crimes and were punished with spending the rest of their lives in an old castle with dozens of other men just as stupid as them while putting their lives at risk killing some dried up corpses, he had never gotten better at it.

Seven years ago, when he was caught stealing some bread on the market of Yorn and as he ran away, bumped into a guard, prayed to be sent to prison rather than the Last Keep. But here he was with his so-called brothers, that were too stupid to keep watch over the prisoners and let three of them escape.

With gnashing teeth, he imagined cleaning the stalls and being sent out behind the castle to kill greys as punishment.

He thought about pleading with the Ser Tyde, the Last Keep’s lord. The old man was surprisingly kind and fair. But he knew he could forget an appropriate punishment after the old man fell sick and his son unofficially took over.

Deep in his thoughts, Arren almost didn’t notice the two men to his side that led their horses into the ruins.

“What’s your purpose?!” He jumped up from the fire and drew his sword.

“We… are… are you a Forsaken?” A boy so pale he looked sick asked Arren.

“I asked, what’s your purpose?!” Arren ignored the boy, while two men in similar armor to his ran out from the ruins and instantly drew their swords after seeing Arren and the two boys.

“I-“

“Whoa, okay, bad start. How about we all calm down? My friend and I were just looking for a spot to spend the night and saw this,” Evyn’s eyes wandered around the collapsed and overgrown ruins of the castle. “Wonderful castle here and thought it to be an appropriate place to rest.”

The two Forskaen looked at Arren’s back and waited for his move. This was their first time out of the Last Keep, and after already failing to watch over the prisoners, they didn’t want to make yet another mistake by acting rashly.

Arren looked the two boy’s up and down.

One was thin as a knife with curly black hair that reached his neck, contrasted by his pale skin. For the other one, he had to look twice to determine if it was a man or a woman. The colorful clothes and long golden hair combined with the soft and round face features made him uncertain. Even the voice was delicate and smooth.

Not considering the sick boy and women like man to be a threat. Arren slowly lowered his sword before putting it away.

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“Thank you,” Evyn exclaimed with a smile before nudging Loryn and leading their horses further into what was once the castle yard.

After he had tied up his horse, Loryn sat down at the fire kept alive by wood from the dead trees scattered throughout the landscapes and watched the Forsaken.

The Forsaken’s silver armor, which was so bright it was almost white, was contrasted by the black, thick decorated with strange pattern gambeson that reached down to their black leather boots. Only the man Loryn saw first had a black cape around one of his shoulders.

“Where are the two of you headed?” Arren asked Loryn after he got uncomfortable being stared at.

“The Last Keep,” Loryn answered confidently.

“Oh, yes, of course,” Arren chuckled.

Loryn’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

“It’s rare, but then and again, we get young boys to like you two knocking on our doors wanting to join the Forsaken,” Arren explained. “The real ambitious ones last for maybe a month or two; the others we have to hunt down after they try to desert a week in. Like our Deston here, just came in and already on his first mission outside the castle,” Arren said, pointing at the young Forskaken with short blond hair that stood to the side.

“So you are Forsaken!” Loryn exclaimed as if he didn’t listen to Arren’s words.

“In all their might and glory,” Arren smirked.

Watching Loryn starting to ramble, Evyn sighed before stepping into the castle ruins.

“Fuck off,” A rough voice startled him.

With a racing heart, his eyes darted through the ruins until eventually halting at a dirty man leaning on the walls in chains.

“Oh, hello, with whom do I have the honor?” Evyn asked with a smile.

“Fuck off,” The man coughed.

“It’s futile,” One of the Forsaken came up from behind Evyn. “That’s all that comes out of the old man’s mouth and also the occasional cough.”

“I’m Evyn,” Evyn strecthed out his hand.

“Deston,” The Forsaken shook Evyn’s hand. “The boy said you’re on your way to the Last Keep?”

“Yes,” Evyn answered.

“Well, if you want to, you can ride with us; we’re going back and delivering the prisoners.,” Deston said, pointing at the old man in chains.”

“Ahh-“

A short yell resounded before Evyn could answer, and he, along with Deston, ran into the yard.

“Get him!” Arren yelled while swinging at Loryn with his own sword.

Before Evyn could draw his rapier, a blunt object hit his head and made him slump to the ground.

“What are you-“ Deston yelled, not understanding what was happening.

When Arren asked to see Loryn’s sword, he was eager to hear the opinion of a real Forsaken. His extraordinary reflexes were the only reason he wasn’t severely injured when Arren suddenly attacked him.

‘Why can’t I fucking hit him?!” Arren thought, desperately trying to cut Loryn, who easily evaded every single one of his swings. He sought comfort in the thought that the fight would be over much quicker if he were actually to try to kill the boy.

Arren saw Loryn’s distracted eyes shooting at his friend on the ground and exploited the opportunity, quickly swinging at Loryn while still trying not to kill him.

“Ahh!” Loryn gripped the deep wound on his left arm with squinted eyes.

“Hey!” The Forsaken that had hit Evyn’s head with his sword hilt called out.

Loryn kept his eyes on Arren for a moment, in fear of being attacked again, but to his surprise, Arren just stood before him with a slight smirk on his face. As he turned to the Forsaken that had called out, he saw Evyn being held captive with a knife to his throat, single droplets of blood already running down his neck.

“How about you stop before your friend gets hurt,” Arren said.

“What do you want?” Loryn asked, alternating his gaze between Evyn and Arren.

“Just stay down,” Arren smirked

Loryn’s gaze fell toward the ground while taking deep breaths. After looking at Evyn again, he silently nodded.

“Smart boy. Deston, get the chains from the horses.” Arren commanded.

“But wh-“

“Deston!” Arren yelled with furious eyes.

After putting Loryn and Evyn into chains, Deston went to Arren.

“Why did you do this?”

Arren looked up from the fire and into Deston’s eyes. “Do you really think I’m going to risk my life in the east because you’re too stupid to watch over some prisoners?”

“But wh-“ Deston wanted to protest but stopped once he saw Arren’s eyes narrow.

Deston hardly slept that night and woke up exhausted and filled with doubt and guilt as they continued toward the Last Keep with two new prisoners.

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