arrows a moment or two before they struck. It still seemed an impossible distance, but arrows continued to fall around her. It was only a matter of time before it happened. She felt it a moment too late. She ducked her own head out of the way, but the arrow lodged itself deep in her horse’s neck. The horse stumbled and started to collapse. Moriko didn’t hesitate. She leapt from the saddle and tumbled across the ground as the horse fell in a heap. She got dizzily to her feet and drew her sword as the world righted itself around her.
There wasn’t going to be any running from this battle.
Chapter 8
Before Ryuu left Akira’s camp, he pulled out the faded note Orochi had given him. The directions to Orochi’s island took Ryuu through the Western Kingdom, a path which seemed like a poor decision considering the two kingdoms were at war with one another. All that mattered was that he reach a port in the Northern Kingdom called Highgate. Ryuu went back into Akira’s tent to ask for directions which took him through the Northern Kingdom. Akira had a clerk draft him directions while Akira himself wrote two passes for Ryuu, allowing him to travel under Akira’s protection. Ryuu was grateful. He had never been out of the Southern Kingdom and didn’t know what type of land or trouble he might find. Akira affixed his seal to both letters in the bottom right corner. They would mark the documents as official if Ryuu ever had to show them.
After the tasks were completed Ryuu was on his way. He rode at a steady pace, trying to balance the need to keep the horse fresh with his need to get north as quickly as possible. Time was of the essence. On horseback, if he didn’t suffer any delays, it would still take him more than a half-moon to reach Highgate. He packed a minimum of provisions, trusting his skills as a hunter to feed him when necessary. Traveling light was traveling fast.
By the end of the first day Ryuu couldn’t even see the dust kicked up by the rapid movement of Akira’s armies marching to the northwest to do battle with Tanak’s forces. Ryuu rode northeast. As he rode, the gentle rolling plains and forests of the Southern Kingdom turned into more rugged territory. It was on the fourth day of constant riding that Ryuu found the river that denoted the end of the Southern Kingdom and the beginning of the Northern Kingdom. The river wasn’t wide, but its current was rapid as it crashed through the steep valleys. It was another half day before Ryuu found the bridge which would carry him over the swift currents.
Ryuu passed through the checkpoints on either side of the bridge without trouble. He had hidden his sword on his back to ensure he didn’t attract attention. The guards of the Southern Kingdom accepted his pass without question. Passing through the northern checkpoint took a little longer, but he raised no suspicion. He was waved through with a minimum of conversation.
Ryuu’s ride became more rugged as he went on. He had visited the mountains which bordered the Southern Kingdom while growing up, but not often. He was a child of the forest, and riding in the mountains was a novel experience for him. The trail, while well constructed, twisted and turned and rose and fell in such a way that Ryuu was sure he would have to revise his original estimated time of travel. Every day he seemed to cover less ground than he expected. He considered pushing the horse faster, but already signs of weariness were creeping into the beast’s demeanor. He kept his pace while trying to hold on to his patience. A half-moon into his journey, he guessed he was halfway through the kingdom. His pace was unbearable.
Ryuu had been curious what the Northern Kingdom would be like and how it would differ from the land he had grown up in. The geography was different, more rugged and mountainous than the Southern Kingdom. But Ryuu also noticed the people were different. For one, there were fewer of them, or
There wasn’t going to be any running from this battle.
Chapter 8
Before Ryuu left Akira’s camp, he pulled out the faded note Orochi had given him. The directions to Orochi’s island took Ryuu through the Western Kingdom, a path which seemed like a poor decision considering the two kingdoms were at war with one another. All that mattered was that he reach a port in the Northern Kingdom called Highgate. Ryuu went back into Akira’s tent to ask for directions which took him through the Northern Kingdom. Akira had a clerk draft him directions while Akira himself wrote two passes for Ryuu, allowing him to travel under Akira’s protection. Ryuu was grateful. He had never been out of the Southern Kingdom and didn’t know what type of land or trouble he might find. Akira affixed his seal to both letters in the bottom right corner. They would mark the documents as official if Ryuu ever had to show them.
After the tasks were completed Ryuu was on his way. He rode at a steady pace, trying to balance the need to keep the horse fresh with his need to get north as quickly as possible. Time was of the essence. On horseback, if he didn’t suffer any delays, it would still take him more than a half-moon to reach Highgate. He packed a minimum of provisions, trusting his skills as a hunter to feed him when necessary. Traveling light was traveling fast.
By the end of the first day Ryuu couldn’t even see the dust kicked up by the rapid movement of Akira’s armies marching to the northwest to do battle with Tanak’s forces. Ryuu rode northeast. As he rode, the gentle rolling plains and forests of the Southern Kingdom turned into more rugged territory. It was on the fourth day of constant riding that Ryuu found the river that denoted the end of the Southern Kingdom and the beginning of the Northern Kingdom. The river wasn’t wide, but its current was rapid as it crashed through the steep valleys. It was another half day before Ryuu found the bridge which would carry him over the swift currents.
Ryuu passed through the checkpoints on either side of the bridge without trouble. He had hidden his sword on his back to ensure he didn’t attract attention. The guards of the Southern Kingdom accepted his pass without question. Passing through the northern checkpoint took a little longer, but he raised no suspicion. He was waved through with a minimum of conversation.
Ryuu’s ride became more rugged as he went on. He had visited the mountains which bordered the Southern Kingdom while growing up, but not often. He was a child of the forest, and riding in the mountains was a novel experience for him. The trail, while well constructed, twisted and turned and rose and fell in such a way that Ryuu was sure he would have to revise his original estimated time of travel. Every day he seemed to cover less ground than he expected. He considered pushing the horse faster, but already signs of weariness were creeping into the beast’s demeanor. He kept his pace while trying to hold on to his patience. A half-moon into his journey, he guessed he was halfway through the kingdom. His pace was unbearable.
Ryuu had been curious what the Northern Kingdom would be like and how it would differ from the land he had grown up in. The geography was different, more rugged and mountainous than the Southern Kingdom. But Ryuu also noticed the people were different. For one, there were fewer of them, or
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