Chapter 11 - [Sableton]

As the female outlander ran away, the other surviving outlander rose to his feet uncertainly.

“Not you,” Armond said as several Hellfire sparks converged upon the outlander. Armond’s voice rang like a funeral bell as he spoke. “I only need one person to deliver a message. You’re my prisoner.”

The circle of fire surrounding the carriage subsided at that point, and two Hellfire sparks zipped toward Armond. The fire was immediately reduced to embers once the Hellfire was retracted. The grass beneath the circle of fire had been burnt so thoroughly that the fire was not able to spread.

Solana and Walter stamped at the remnants of the fire until the path between Armond and the carriage was completely free of embers. As they worked to put the fire out, I heard groaning emanate from the fallen knight.

I climbed out of the carriage and knelt next to the man. An arrow was protruding from his chest. The chainmail had done little to stop the arrow, and it had pierced a few centimeters into his chest.

My mind immediately went into triage mode. I looked closer at the wound, and I could still see a piece of the arrowhead sticking out from the man’s chest. If my memory of the shape of the outlander’s arrows was correct, the arrow hadn’t penetrated deep enough to hit any of the man’s internal organs. I suspected that the arrow must have hit the man’s rib. He would survive the wound without medical attention as long as he didn't get an infection.

“Don’t bother with me, little lord,” the injured knight said through a pained smile. “Go be with your father.” Based on the man’s tone, I could tell he thought he was going to die.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Solana and Miriam hugging my father.

“I knew you could do it!” Solana said happily.

“I was so scared!” Miriam said through tears.

Walter began to approach the others, but I stopped him with a beckoning gesture. I shouted, “He’s alive!”

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Soon thereafter, we were back on our way to Sableton. The injured knight’s horse fled once Armond started throwing fire around, so our convoy had two too many people to transport. By that point, we were less than an hour outside of Sableton, so we were able to return to the city within a few hours.

Walter walked outside of the carriage with the prisoner whose hands were bound by a rope. The prisoner’s battleaxe and knife were stored inside of the carriage with the other luggage. The injured knight was slumped against one of the seats, clasping a rag to his wound. Count Armond Feldrast had taken the reins, and he was the one who led us back into town. Four Hellfire sparks trailed behind the carriage like lanterns hanging from a boat at night. They would twitch occasionally whenever Armond had to alter their trajectory.

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The amount of mental acuity it must have taken to do that astounded me. I had spent much of the past few years experimenting with my [Hellfire] Talent, and I could just barely control two Hellfire sparks at once. Simultaneously controlling four Hellfire sparks while still being able to drive a carriage must have required an unparalleled level of focus.

When we eventually arrived back in Sableton, the commoners who saw the carriage slowly approach started to whisper conspiratorially to one another. A Count driving his own carriage was improper, and the Hellfire sparks trailing behind suggested a great danger.

“Did something happen?”

“Are we at war again?”

The Count heard their words just as well as I did, and he shouted for anyone nearby to hear, “Someone call the guards! We have a prisoner!”

The prisoner was carried off to a jail cell, and the knight was brought to the local church. Not many people followed the teachings of Nyx in the Northern Realms, but there was still a small church in Sableton. The local church also functioned as a hospital of sorts. None of the clergy in Sableton were Priests, but they all tried to follow Nyx’s teachings of non-violence and helping the sick.

I soon found myself back in Feldrast Manor. Armond disappeared into his office with Lord Koravin and the leader of the town militia. I tried to eavesdrop on their conversation, but the door was closed. I could only hear the muffled sound of Armond occasionally shouting at the top of his lungs.

Soon after Armond left his study, those of us who had been in the carriage when it was attacked met up back in the foyer.

With great effort, Armond put on a cheerful smile before he said, “Sorry, kids. There’s been a change of plans. I’ll go to the capital with Sir Walter, and you guys will stay here, under the protection of Lord Koravin.”

“Aww…” Solana complained. “But I wanted to see the capital.”

Count Armond knelt so that his head was at the same height as hers. “I’m sorry, Sol. It’s just that the roads are too dangerous right now. If we’re attacked by stronger outlanders, I’m not sure if I could protect you.”

“I can protect myself,” Solana pouted. She scrunched up her face, and a Hellfire spark appeared in her hand. “See?”

Armond laughed and said, “I’m sure you can.”

The Hellfire spark zipped into Armond’s hand where it was promptly extinguished.

“Hey, no fair!” Solana said.

“Please just stay here with Melissa and run to Riomed’s house if we’re attacked, okay?”

After a moment of hesitation, Solana sighed and said, “Okay.”

Miriam clung to Armond’s leg and said, “Won’t the King be mad that we’re not going?”

“Probably,” Armond said with a tight smile. “Unfortunately, he’ll just have to learn to live with it.”

Lastly, Armond turned to me, his oldest. “Thale, you’ll be the man of the house while I’m gone. I need you to protect your mom and sisters while I’m gone.”

Ha, really funny. Though, Armond’s words caused alarm bells to go off in my head. He was dead in 635 CA. I wondered if this trip to Etron was his cause of death. If he was to die on his trip to Etron, there was nothing I could do about it. I would just have to move my plans up very significantly.

“Yes, Dad,” was all I could say.

By the time night fell, Armond and Walter had once again left Sableton.