The Unknown Man: Book 1 in The Keepers of the Orbs Series (8 page)

Dark gray storm clouds filled the sky as a storm moved in. The hours passed by as they grew more severe. Audron spent the past few days checking households to see if anyone had been in contact with the man. He traveled with ten Minotaurs, which slowed his pace as he had to keep them hidden. He understood Lutheras' fears, but he didn’t agree with them. They should’ve made their presence known by now. His aggravation increased, having to keep himself hidden.

He looked back and noticed the large dark shapes waiting for him to announce his move. They were a menacing sight to behold, towering over eight feet tall and wearing simple chain mail that matted down their fur and left their arms exposed. Their heads were of the same size as a bull’s and their ears sat below large protruding horns. Each Minotaur’s horns grew in a unique manner. Some shot straight up, while others had curves. They had hands similar to Human hands, except larger and full of hair. They didn’t wear boots because their feet were hooves, and of course they also had tails. Most of them were equipped with a pair of two-handed axes strapped to their backs. With their strength, they could wield one in each hand. Even in the heat of the day, when they exhaled through their nostrils, it condensed and gave an illusion of steam billowing from within.

They had crossed a bridge an hour before and now came across a farm. Audron peered through the thick foliage toward the farm. He could see an old man working in the field. He caught a glimpse of someone in the kitchen through a window on the side of the house—presumably the farmer's wife preparing their evening meal. He expected the confrontation to be an easy one. He turned to Brundahl, the pack’s leader, and told him to hold his men back. Brundahl didn’t like the order, but repeated the command to his men in their own guttural language anyway. Very few Minotaur’s spoke the common language. Those that did, rose in rank quickly.

Audron pulled the hood of his gray cloak over his head to hide his Elven ears and face, and exited the woods. He crept across the road and proceeded up the farm’s drive. He figured it would be best to approach the farmer so he walked off the drive and headed into the pastures. The farmer looked up from his labor and noticed the newcomer.

A look of shock came upon his face as he noticed the Elf coming closer. “I suggest you leave my property. I don’t want any trespassers.”

Audron lifted his hands and kept approaching. “I mean no trouble. I’m looking for a group of travelers. I seek information and will pay you for it.

The farmer took a couple of steps back. “I don’t have any information, so feel free to leave.” The farmer’s back peddling stopped and he froze in his tracks.

Audron eyed the man. “I told you I seek information, you won’t be harmed. Don’t make this any harder on yourself than it has to be. I offer you gold in exchange for answering my questions.”

“I told you, I don’t know anything and I don’t want any trouble. Please leave my land.”

“You’re not in a place to make demands of me. Why, you cannot even move. You’re pitiful,” Audron laughed. “Now as I said, give me the information. I’m wondering if you have seen a young woman accompanied by a knight, they may have passed by here.” He waited for the farmer to respond. When he didn’t, Audron continued. “I know you’ve seen them, so answer the question. And I warn you, don’t lie to me.”

The farmer realized he couldn’t win this battle by keeping his mouth shut. His gaze shifted to the left of Audron when he said, “I’ve stayed clear of all travelers for many days now. Many have passed, it might be those you seek were some of them, but I can’t answer for sure. Now I have told you what I...”

Audron cut him off mid-sentence. “I told you not to lie to me, and now you have angered me.” The farmer let out a scream and wrapped his hands around his neck. Suddenly his throat tightened, and he was desperate to eliminate the feeling. As Audron delighted in the farmer’s misery, an arrowhead shot through his shoulder. He jolted at the sudden pain and wheeled around to see who had shot him. Audron turned in time to see an older lady holding a bow, already attempting to knock another arrow. He could see the Minotaur’s running up the drive, howling with anger. They were fixed on the farmer’s wife. She had the arrow knocked and turned in time to fire into the oncoming Minotaurs, but her efforts were fruitless. Brundahl had both of his axes in-hand and a look of blood-thirst filled his eyes. She fired the arrow at him, but it flew above his head. With the axe in his right hand, Brundahl lunged at her, and in one fluid movement severed her head. Her headless body slumped to the ground with her bow falling from her hands. The Minotaurs all focused their attention on the farmer.

Audron had forgotten about the farmer and turned to face him in time to see the man running toward him. He tackled him to the ground and the arrow in his shoulder ripped some of his ligaments. He howled even louder at the new pain coursing through his body. He watched the farmer as he brought the curved edge of the scythe down to chop off his head, but the farmer's body ripped open by axes. Brundahl walked over to the corpse to retrieve his axe. He pulled it free from the farmer’s back, and it made an eerie screeching sound as the bone rubbed on the metal.

Brundahl stuck his hand out to help Audron to his feet. Audron stumbled when he tried to regain his footing. “Damn woman! She foiled my plans. I didn’t want to kill the farmer; I just wanted to coerce him into telling me the truth.” He eyed the scene and his gaze shifted to the arrow protruding from his shoulder. His fall had snapped the shaft where it had entered his shoulder. He looked at the house, and then back at Brundahl. “I need to take care of the wound.” He waved his hand at the corpses. “Dispose of the bodies. Throw them in the barn and set fire to it and the fields too. Make it appear to be an accident.” He started walking toward the house when he turned his head and looked at the Minotaurs over his shoulder. “If Lutheras catches word of what happened here, we’ll all be dead. Ensure everything is burned and no one sees you.”

He walked into the house and saw the simple furnishings. The furniture filling the room looked handcrafted, and a fire burned in the fireplace. A set of antlers hung on the wall over the hearth. He made his way to the kitchen and started emptying cabinets in search of alcohol. A pot of stew cooked on the fire and it smelled enticing. In the pantry, he found a jug that looked like booze. It had a cork stopper placed in the neck. He picked it up and winced at the weight. It caused a shock of pain to travel up his left arm. He shifted hands and picked the jug up with his right. He removed the cork from the bottle and took a whiff where he smelled alcohol—probably whiskey. He set the jug down and looked about until he spotted a wooden spoon.

He gazed out the window and noticed flames enveloping the barn, licking up the edges of the old siding. He stuck the wooden spoon in his mouth and bit down on the handle. He grabbed the head of the arrow, counted to three, and pulled it out of his shoulder. Blood filled the wound and he saw flesh stuck to the shaft. With it removed, he ripped his tunic away with his right hand to gain better access to the wound. He grabbed the jug and covered the wound with alcohol; first on his chest, then on his back. Excruciating pain ravaged the Elf, and he bit down even harder, snapping the spoon in half. When the pain ebbed some, he took the broken spoon out of his mouth, and uttered a few words. In both of his palms, he held a ball of fire. He applied his right hand to the wound on his chest, and howled as the fire burned and sealed the wound. He reached to his back and repeated the process. He hoped this would be enough to keep infection at bay as the healing process began. He gazed around and grabbed the jug of alcohol before heading back into the common room. He took a swig of the contents and then dumped the fluid all over, leaving a trail to the fire. He tossed the jug into the flames and headed for the door.

As he stepped outside and noticed black clouds of smoke billowing into the air from all over the farm. The house tore apart behind him as the jug of alcohol exploded and he retreated down the drive. The Minotaurs filed in behind him; they crossed the road, and made for the forest.

When they reached the seclusion of the forest once again, Audron climbed up onto his horse, flinching from the pain in his left shoulder. He eyed Brundahl and said, “Thank you for coming to my aid. If you hadn’t interceded, I would be dead. I’m ashamed of forgetting about the farmer’s wife.”

Brundahl grinned. “It was nice to be involved for once. It has been too long since we’ve killed.”

Audron would never be used to Minotaurs and their thirst for combat, but was glad they accompanied him. “I think the farmer lied to me, which means those we seek passed through here. My guess is they passed through Shepherd's Crossing a few days ago. Gaelum is outside of that village so we’ll rendezvous with his party and see what he has found.”

He dug his heels into his horse and proceeded through the forest. They set their sights south, toward the village of Shepherd's Crossing. The Minotaurs, still on foot, followed behind him. Minotaurs didn’t believe in riding horses, not that they would fit on one anyway. They soon disappeared into the forest.

Three days passed since they had set out from Shepherd's Crossing. They stopped for the evening in a small clearing about four hundred paces away from the road, surrounded by lush thick forests of ash and elm trees. They provided ample coverage from the elements and a creek followed the road to provide water. With crickets out in force, a continuous rhythmic tune of chirping surrounded them. It looked like rain threatened so they setup their tents for the evening. Liniana prepared a meal in the cook pot over the fire while Tirene and Jaeden practiced with their swords. The setting was picturesque. The two were locked in combat in front of the creek and the sun set behind them in the east. The twin moons were visible off to the west.

Tirene seemed to enjoy the workout. There were periods where he laughed as he toyed with the boy; returning the favor for what he had witnessed back in Shepherd's Crossing.

This became their routine. When they stopped for the evening, the two would always practice with their swords before dinner. Jaeden had learned, and noticed many of Tirene’s more difficult maneuvers with ease, and it became more and more difficult for Liniana to keep up with the nutritional demands from their increased activity.

The swordplay ended with Tirene hovering above Jaeden who fell to the ground. He reached out his hand to assist the boy to his feet. “Well done, boy. You’re picking this up very quickly.” He patted Jaeden on the back.

“Thank you. You’re a patient teacher. I almost landed a blow with my last attack.” He grinned.

Tirene let out a loud laugh. “You almost struck me? I let you go on the offensive. I wanted to see how you would react.” Jaeden’s grin turned to a frown. “I’m not one of your friends fighting behind the blacksmith's, Jaeden. You have to be thinking four or five moves ahead if you ever wish to have a shot at striking me down. Remember that!”

They turned and headed back to camp. The aromas drifting from the cook pot had their stomachs rumbling. The horses enjoyed the dense green grass and cool, slow moving water from the creek.

Liniana shouted to them as they approached. “I wondered if you were going to play with your swords all night.” She offered Tirene a sarcastic smile. “The stew should be ready in a few minutes. If one of you could take over, I would love the chance to wash up.”

“Go ahead, I will
watch
the pot,” Tirene offered while she got up and walked over to the creek. He looked at Jaeden. “You know, you could’ve offered,” He chuckled, “but I’ve tasted your cooking; maybe it’s better you didn’t.”

Darkness drew near as the sun disappeared behind the hills to the east. They all began their meal, feeling fortunate Jaeden had shot a couple of rabbits earlier in the day when he practiced with his bow. They finished eating and drew a watch order.

Before they went to sleep for the evening, Liniana approached the creek and prayed to the twin moons. She focused her prayers on both of the moons. She drew most of her healing strength from the Gods, and according to legend, the moons were where they resided. Tirene sat down with his back to a tree. It became increasingly difficulty to fight off the constant urge to reach Norlun. He did his best to keep the thoughts back, but anytime a break presented itself in the conversation, his mind drifted toward this man he had never met before. At least he thought he hadn’t. If he had his way, they would push the horses in all haste to reach Riverfell, risking their own safety if necessary. Even his dreams centered on finding Norlun. Norlun had to be the key to unlocking his own memories. He stared at his calloused hands, examining the scar burned into his palm for all eternity. The orbs were connected to him as well; the orbs and Norlun.

Lost in thought, he waited for Liniana to return from her prayers. Jaeden had long since fallen asleep. Liniana drew the first watch, with Tirene taking the second, and Jaeden covering them until sun up. Before he retired for the evening, he went to check on Liniana for a final time. She had just pulled out her sharpening stone and checked the edge of her blade. He marveled at how apt she seemed with the task.

“Are you sure you’re alert enough for the first watch?” She grinned at him and he recovered himself. “Not to imply you wouldn’t be, I just wanted to check and see if you were up for it.”

“Always concerned about others before yourself.” Her grin turned into a chuckle, “I think I can manage.” Curiously, she asked, “The boy is learning well, isn't he? If I’m not mistaken, I thought I almost saw him land a blow. That has to be a little unnerving for you.” She cocked her eyebrow.

He grinned. They both referred to him as a boy, but in all actuality, he couldn’t be more than a couple years their junior

“He’s learning quickly, and the way he shot the rabbits this morning wasn’t something I expected. He’s very handy with the bow, and his skills with the sword are improving as well. I might have misjudged him a little. I think he may be a little too talented for his own good.” He stopped and gazed into her blue eyes.

Liniana’s cheeks turned a dark shade of red and she turned her head. He realized his stares had her uncomfortable and averted his eyes. It pained him when he thought about how much he cared for her, and hated the struggle.

A couple of weeks had passed, and his admiration grew with each passing day. He wanted nothing more than to express his feelings and for her to return a little of his affection, but so far she met it with careless indifference. It became increasingly difficult to be around her, but knew their love couldn’t be. He tried to come up with something to say, anything that would change the subject, when she said, “You’re an excellent teacher. I’ve been watching you and you’re very patient.” She bit the inside of her lip and it stretched into a smile. “You know, he looks up to you.” He blushed and she leaned in closer. “He never had a chance to learn from his father. I think his admiration for you is growing.”

She wanted to tell him that her admiration grew too, but all of her training taught her to keep her mouth shut. She knew she couldn’t fall in love with him, so she bit her tongue and held her own opinions back.

She stood. “I need to make a circuit to check the camp. I think you should go to your tent and get some sleep. It will be your watch soon enough.”

He stood up to see her off. “I wish you a good night, my lady.” He retreated to his own tent. Sleep didn’t come; he couldn’t get her out of his mind.

Tirene succumbed to sleep—and the dreams accompanying it—but it found it short lived when he someone nudged him awake. “Tirene!” Another shake. “Tirene, it’s your watch.” He opened his eyes and saw her beautiful face looking over him. She pulled her hair back and her perfectly sculpted face sat above him. “Well, are you going to wake up? I’m very tired.” She yawned.

He rubbed his eyes to get the dried sleepiness out of them. “I’m awake. You can get some rest.”  He had an ache in his back, and he arched it to try to stretch it out before he stood. He wished her a good night’s sleep and she soon disappeared into her own tent. The night air had started to cool, but it felt thick with the humidity of the evening, although it still hadn’t rained.

He took a lap around their camp, starting close to the center and working his way outward. He couldn’t see any potential problems. He sat at the base of the tree nearest the camp.

The first hour passed by without incident. Halfway through his second check, he heard a gruff female voice.
Interesting
. He wheeled around to see who had spoken to him, but saw no one standing behind him. As he turned again in a full circle, he drew his sword, paying closer attention to the shadows, but still not seeing anyone.

He heard a raucous laugh. He ran back to the camp and found the other two were still sound asleep. “Who's there?”

He heard the voice again.
You Humans are very peculiar creatures indeed. I’ve never understood you.

He turned in another circle, to no avail. He wanted to yell, but didn’t want to wake the others if he didn’t know the cause. “Who is that? Where are you?”

Another laugh shot through his head.
I have many names. Many that you wouldn’t understand. My name in Human terms is Milenthia. As to where I am, well, I’m well hidden from the range of your eyes. If I wish to make my presence known, I will tell you. Until that time, this will suffice.

Even though he couldn’t see her, he couldn’t help himself and continued searching to find her. “Milenthia, huh? What do you want from me?” He looked like a child, spinning his body in circles, as he drifted away from the camp so he wouldn’t wake the others.

I passed your location when I realized I sensed a Human mind. I drew nearer and could fully read your mind. That is a very rare occurrence in this day and age. You have a gift, one that hasn’t been seen in ages. It’s well honed too, as if you have used it before in the past. But what intrigues me most is that you don’t remember your past, nor do you remember who you are. I see you seek answers—answers to questions of your past—and hope that Norlun will be the key to unlocking what you cannot reach in your own mind
.

He stopped circling to find her, surprised that she knew so much information about him. “How do you know that? We haven’t told anyone what we’re doing. Very few know of our quest and I doubt Lord Brukahn would give out this information, jeopardizing the well-being of his daughter.” He meant to continue when something dawned on him. He didn’t hear her voice. The voice came from inside his head, communicated telepathically.

I see you learn quickly. I’m speaking to you in your mind. This is why I say you have a gift. Not many can communicate with my race in this manner. You can go ahead and put your weapon away now, and be at ease. I won’t harm you.

He took another gaze at his surroundings, staring too long at the dark shadows made by the trees. “I’ve sheathed my sword, now tell me who you are.”

She continued to laugh at him, which grated on his nerves.
In time. Tirene, is it? I told you, I will make my presence known when I deem it suitable. As I said before, I think Norlun can assist you. If anyone can, it’s him. Of course, I could speed up this whole process, but I don’t believe that would be a wise course of action,
she taunted him.

He guffawed, “Help me? I didn’t ask, and what makes you think you would be of service on our journey?”

My, my, quite the temper on this one,
she chuckled.
You don’t need to speak to communicate with me. Think what you wish to say and I will understand. I think I could be of great service to you, but not when you don’t know who you are.

“If you could help me...” He stopped and realized he—out of habit—still spoke instead of communicating with his mind; the thought frustrated him.

There is no reason to be frustrated, Tirene. You will get used to speaking in this manner. As I understand, Humans take some time to adapt.

Although he felt violated, he thought, i
f you could help me, why do you shy away? I could use any assistance offered to end this misery as fast as possible. If you’re not going to help me then let’s end this charade. You can go on your way, and I can go back to keeping watch.

I cannot help you because it would go against everything my race believes in. We tend to stay away from Humans and we always stay out of their affairs. It wasn’t always this way, but circumstances have forced the changes that we made. I would have passed you up, as I do all other travelers, but the fact I could sense you made me stop.

Your race? What race would that be?
He spoke and thought at the same time. He kicked at the ground, infuriated because he couldn’t grasp this form of communication.
Can we talk in person? This mode of conversation is aggravating me.

He heard a sigh inside his head.
I told you I will reveal myself when I feel it’s necessary. Until then, this mode of communication will have to suffice.

If that is the way it needs to be, then I wish you a good evening. I have to continue my watch and am doing my friends no favors by wasting any more time on you.

Be calm. There is no one around. Your camp is safe. The nearest Minotaurs are well behind you. Two camps have merged south of Shepherd's Crossing. You will have no confrontations this evening. This should leave you free to continue our conversation
”

He looked perplexed.
How could you know that?
He sputtered to understand, t
here is just no way for you to know that. I don’t understand.

Think about it Tirene. If I can communicate with you via your mind, don't you think I might pick up on what you’re thinking or feeling? It’s the way it is, and the way it has always been.

He groaned and sat back down at the base of the tree he used as a chair.
This is going nowhere and I don’t appreciate your mocking of me. If you won’t share with me who, or what you are, then I have no more time for this.
The violation had gone too far and her unwillingness to cooperate annoyed him.

Very well, Tirene. Know this though. Regardless of how you feel, I will be keeping an eye on you.

Just as suddenly as the communication began, it ended and he could feel her departure. He thought the whole situation was odd. He’d heard of telepaths before, but had never met one. He didn’t like that she promised to keep an eye on him and it did little to settle his nerves.