As far as the eye could see, land spread out before him in rolling hills of sand and scorched ashen soil rising ever so gently to meet a cloudless sky, and stricken mountains in the distance. The blazing sun beat down from its celestial heights, and appeared to move closer with every step he took. The winds blew constantly, but offered no reprieve from the oppressive heat. They felt like the winds of a blast furnace, come to scorch him to the bone.
Despite the heat, Garret kept his dusty, brown cloak pulled closely around him, gathering it in quickly as it was blown about by the wind. Sweat poured down him from every part of his body, mixing with the wind-whipped sand to cover his body in a thick sheen of slime. He could do nothing as the sweat rolled into his eyes, momentarily blinding him. He pulled down the scarf covering his mouth, and spit out as much sand as saliva. Replacing the scarf, he moved on.
This place had once been a forest. He could remember coming here as a child, playing in the shade of giant oak trees, and swimming in the rivers that had given life to this land. He could almost feel the cool breeze on his face, and hear the sound of his father laughing, and see the lights of a cool, cloudless night sky. But that was a long time ago.
Grass grew sparingly now, clinging to the hillsides, in sickened yellow clumps, more dead than alive. The trees were even fewer. He could make out only a few scattered across the horizon in small copses, quickly losing their battle with death. What had not died had been burnt off in fires, and what had survived that was being starved away, leaving on open and bare landscape, which only a fool would traverse alone.
Perhaps that's what he was, a fool. That would be a polite way to put it. What he was doing would be considered treason, or blasphemy, depending on who you talked to. Only a fool did something like that. But it didn't stop him. Everything was lost, and something must be saved. He alone now could see that done. He must do this.
He had replaced his gold plated General's armor with this worn steel, and had tried to leave camp without being seen. It had worked so far. The camp of the Golden Legion stood in a valley several rises behind him, a dozen low lying tents surrounding the only water for five days in any direction, it was nearly empty now. Like so many other things, the Legion, as it had been, was no more. Those not taken by death or despair, he had dismissed two weeks ago. Less than a hundred remained. The faithful who feared not death nor judgment, they would stay to the end. Like the trees that still remained, they were strong; they would be the last to succumb.
As he topped another rise a figure came into view. Forrest green cloak gave him away as one of the Legion. His men still insisted on taking their turn on sentry duty. He would have made them stop long ago, but it gave them purpose, and a feeling of security.
Garret slipped behind a large rock, and pulled up the hood of his cloak. With only his eyes visible, he would be nearly impossible to see in the shifting sands. He watched the sentry move back and forth across the hill top. He was random and diverse, as he paced between a rock and a small stand of trees. The man was good. If he was methodical, it would give the enemy an easier time sneaking in; unfortunately, it also made it harder for him to sneak out right now. He shifted the Greatsword about his waist and also the shorter broadsword on his back.
He watched the man make his paces for several more minutes, biding his time. He remembered the man. His name was Tellyn, he was a Lieutenant that had signed up over five years ago. He had saved Garret's life at Car Fel. Garret had been run through by an enemy lance, and was caught alone behind the enemy flank. Tellyn had stood between him and the and an entire battalion for two hours, until the Legion had rallied and fought through to them. He owed the man his life. It was men like him that Garret was going to miss. The men that would have died for him, and the men that already had.
It would be difficult to sneak past any of his guards, especially a soldier of this caliber. After waiting for several more minutes, Garret saw his opportunity. A horn sound from the distance on his left. Tellyn lifted his own horn in response, and Garret left his concealment, keeping low as he made his way along the ridge line to the sentries left. Other horns answered from all directions, Garret counted them all as he ran. He prayed for them to last just a little longer. When the twelfth and final sounded he was only half way to the outcropping that he sought.
He willed the man to stay where he was. If he turned now, he would see Garret for sure. The distance closed before him, but he didn't dare look back. He was almost to the rock when Tellyn's voice rang out: "Halt, by order of the Legion." Burn the man for being so good.
He stopped immediately. His men would shoot at the least provocation, and they did not miss. When he turned, Tellyn had nearly reached him, holding both his sword and horn. Tellyn looked on the verge of killing him without asking questions. Garret wouldn't blame him if he did.
Tellyn eyed him coldly. "State your business, Stranger."
Garret pulled back his hood. "I am no stranger, and my business is my own, Lieutenant." Tallyn stepped back and caught his breath.
"General, I'm sorry. I thought that.." Garret silenced him with a raised hand.
"You were just doing your job, Tellyn. It is I who should apologize." He stepped closer, still holding his cloak close with his left hand. "I shouldn't be out here sneaking around."
"Well, you did scare me, sir." Tellyn said with a faint smile. Suddenly his eyes fell on the rusted plate mail. "Where are the men that are traveling with you?"
Garret wouldn't lie to this man, he owed him too much. "No one knows that I have left, and they shouldn't know for a good while yet. If Fortune shines on me."
"With respect, sir, you shouldn't be out here traveling by yourself. No one should. It's dangerous, sir." Tellyn eyed the countryside. "Things out here to give you nightmares, and other things to chase those nightmares away. Why, what I've seen, and the stories I've heard..." He shivered despite the heat. "Let me come with you, wherever you are going."
"I know it's dangerous, but I have one more mission I must complete, and I must go alone. There is no other way. You must put your faith in me one more time."
Without even a pause, Tellyn responded. "But, I would go with you to the end, sir."
Lightning streaked across the cloudless sky in the distance, and the wind gusted up to meet it. Garret smiled ironically. "I believe you already have Lieutenant." He clasped the man's shoulder. And looked him in the eyes. "You, the most faithful of my men, who has followed through the very gates of death itself, you will have your reward, in the next life, if not in this one. This is my blessing on you. But, you cannot come with me. I release you, to do whatever you will, with what remains of your days. Go with my blessing."
"But where would I go? I have nothing left to me. If I must meet my end, I would meet it here with cold steel in my hands; I would die a warrior." He wasn't just saying it. Other men may pretend at valor, but not him, not any of his men. They had proved their worth a thousand times over.
Garret stepped back from the man. "One last blessing I have for you." He unstrapped the gold hilted sword from his waste. "This is yours now," he said, passing it into the others arms. "I give you command of the Legion, until such a time as it is destroyed, or I shall return."
"But, General, I'm..." He paused, as he took in what this meant. "I don't deserve this." He replied quickly.
"Nonsense, someone must lead the men, and no one would I trust more than you. Now go..." Suddenly a large gust of wind blew up his cloak, revealing a small lacquered box, long and short with three stars engraved on the lid. The lieutenant's eyes slid down to it, and returned so quickly that Garret wasn't even sure that it had happened. He pulled the cloak back around him. "I really must go, Lieutenant. I have a long journey ahead." Had Tellyn seen the box? He backed away slowly.
"Yes," Tellyn spoke slowly. "You must go. But don't worry I am faithful to the end." He said with a bow. Something in the Lieutenant's tone told what Garret was listening for. Tellyn would tell no one. "I will miss you, sir."
"I will miss you too Tellyn. But I have no more tears to shed for things lost. They were gone long ago." He turned to leave, then stopped. "They will come for you."
"I know. And I will stand and fight, here, at the end of all things."
"Just remember, Lieutenant, every end gives birth to a beginning." He clasped the other man's arm. "You should get back to your men. They will need a leader. Keep them strong till I return."He looked in the man's eyes. They both knew that he wouldn't be returning.
They parted ways there. Tellyn returned to the camp and Garret continued on. When he topped the next rise, he looked back to catch a glimpse of what he had left, but Tellyn was already gone, and the winds had blown up a dust storm, hiding the camp from view. That storm would hit him soon, he should be on his way. Before turning back, he looked one last time at the path he had taken, and realized that there was no path, for the shifting sands had already covered his footprints.
And legends grew as legends were wont to do. And people believed them as people were wont to do. Legends of the twelve Servants who lifted the crimson banner for the first time in an age to save mankind from destruction. Legends of a great hero bearing a sword of light, who stood in the midst of the red tide, and did battle with the Twelve Chieftain before the gates of midnight. And legends of a tree of life that grew and flourished in a wasteland when all others lights failed, and gave hope and life to all who beheld it.
And mankind held to these legends and believed them. They were the hope of a generation that had no hope, a light in the darkest of places. But the Curse still hunted men to their doom, for the hearts of men are slow to forget, and redemption does not come so easily.
"And it came to pass in those days that fire fell from heaven upon
the unjust and the covenant breakers. Judgment and retribution were
kindled against the children of men to the fourth generation,
The mountains fell and the lands were burned to ash.
Men cried for mercy, but there was none to hear.
The rivers trembled and the mountains wept for what was
lost. The old age was swallowed in a red tide,
and the ashes were the seeds of a new."
-The Trials of Men
Lines 134-141
the unjust and the covenant breakers. Judgment and retribution were
kindled against the children of men to the fourth generation,
The mountains fell and the lands were burned to ash.
Men cried for mercy, but there was none to hear.
The rivers trembled and the mountains wept for what was
lost. The old age was swallowed in a red tide,
and the ashes were the seeds of a new."
-The Trials of Men
Lines 134-141
