Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Jaydan keeping a much closer eye on the boys these days as he moves them around the camp, but tonight was special as he sits Lily up front and all her children and his new Synerals children and their wives. Everything has been sort of hush, hush up till now what Jaydan himself has done on the meeting on the hill.

Pa smiles at Ma, she could always tell with him that something has changed or about to anyway, but this time. There was a different feeling about him as she held his hand looks into his eyes. There was more fire in those eyes than there used to be.

Ma lays her head on his shoulder watching Sylen with his brothers by his side every second of the day it seems. Ma sighs watching her little family around her she would not trade not a soul for anything in the world for each of them as she thinks of Linda, her heart aches just a little knowing she can’t be here with them even for Danny as he watched with interest what’s going on around him. Grandma fidgeting as she looks towards town feeling something wrong as she paced back and forth looking at the wagons.

Jaydan stands in the middle of the crowd and made it so everyone can hear him across the fields realizing that there is one other person is listening or watching with great interest at his group for he is hidden under a small bush in some trees. Jaydan begins.

“Folks, before we get started tonight with our festivities as one camp before we break up over the next week.” Jaydan paused. “I have made some new changes of leadership due to I can’t be in three place at once, no matter how I would like to. Yet we can not travel like we are as a group this large and more will be joining us as we progress. As we reach our destination, which is far and dangerous to get there.

“To help you; I have called six men. They as intern will be your guide and your leaders in your group. You will listen to them as if they were me or Derrick for they have the same orders that I have given them and the skills needed to perform their duties. By doing this they are no longer Lead Captains.”

Jaydan waited as the whispers hush down “I have given them a new role as Syneral. These three men are your leaders… Syneral Tomas, Syneral Rigs and Syneral Tweed. Their Lead Captions are Caption Gergans, Erlik, and Sir Drealin.” Now that got everyone mouth gasped and eyes popped, as he made the major announcement.

“You can’t do that!” Some of them shouted back at him.

Jaydan just continued on with his little speech. “I have and it is done. Now then each group will have a banner or flag of their camp and each of my Synerals have a list of names that will be in the groups and when they will be leaving. So, for now, I leave it in their hands. If you have a problem or a concern I am sure you all know where to find me. But for now, enjoy the show.” Jaydan dissipates into a cloud of smoke. For he to noticed a friend in the bushes as he stands behind him. “Hello, Gartooth is it?”He replied.

Gartooth screams like a mad dog scampering back towards the woods then ducked behind a tree, watching Jaydan walk back to his people. The anger inside him boils within him. “How dare you walk freely why I hide like a common animal? Yes, my dear friend, you toy with your prize now, but soon I’ll take it away with your life. We will see who can outlast who my dear friend,” as Gartooth hissed.

Ma cast a spell of protection around their tent and a ward of silence so the family can talk freely to each other as Pa puts EJ down in his bed next to his bothers. His little body is still so frail compared to his brothers and Pa’s. EJ smiles back as he yawns. “Ma, don’t worry,” he said as she kissed him goodnight. “I am not going anywhere,” as he puts his arms around her.

“I know son, but you know me.”

“Ma that’s why I love you so much,” as he drifts off to sleep with a full belly and kiss from Ma and tuck from Pa. He had everything he needed right there. Expect one thing as EJ screamed at the top of his lungs in his sleep, he could feel it happening all around him.

EJ eyes opened with terror to wake the dead. His brothers jolted looking up into the sky just above them Jaydan rushing over to the Tweeds tent looking over to the east and to the west. Riders in the sky, death hounds were unleashed with earthworms with teeth dripping saliva coming at them. Wolves and blackbirds flying over them in packs as Aunty M raised the shield of glass but was not in time for some as the Black Knights were fighting amongst the tents. The worms were trying digging their way through underneath the ground.

In the distance was a rider standing still on the hill with a small boy as he watches. EJ scream as if it was tarring him apart in someway yet calling to him. Ma and his brothers and sisters guarding him, while EJ screamed out in pain as it tore him apart. Jaydan could see Morgan on the hillside as he looks back towards the Tweeds and the camp now out of harm's way. His people wounded badly some he knew well are now dead as he looks upon their faces.

Jaydan watched Morgan make a gate with his prince beside him hearing laughter in the air. “You will never have him, for he is mine now and forever.” The gate closed with all his followers leaving his old mountain in a crumbling mess.  Where Morgan was heading nobody knew for certain as they looked around at once a peaceful camp now sobbing in misery for the wounded and for the dead.

As much as Jaydan wanted too he could not delay a moment longer for them or anyone else. He had to be hard when the people came to him asking and begging. “Let us stay for another day or two or a week.” They would ask. The answer was cold as he gave it “no” my dear friend I can’t,” as he walked them back to their tent.

Jaydan knew why, if he needed a reminder all he had to do was look at the grave-site for they lost 10 more people that night 3 were children. “No, I can not delay here any longer,” as he paces across the compound. He knew more would die along the way, but they would not die for nothing. For it is a chance to be free, to have a home again once more.

The Whitmore’s and other healers in the camp did their best with the wounded some preferred the Whitmore’s over the other healers, except the wizard families felt and regard them small, not barely wizards or healers at all. They did not approve of them in many ways. They didn’t like how there willingness to help other people no matter how small the wound or beneath them, they are in class.

For wizards felt they are more important and should not be required to do manual labor when others can easily do it and will do it for them. This was another thing they despised them for, as they watched this family time and time again performing chores of labor, instead of learning or socializing with their own kind. Whatever they see in the Tweed family is beyond them known as Jaydan house guests on the hill.

Just because that husband of hers has won a few metals or has some great importance does not give him the right to lord over them. Imagine having Synerals more like overstuffed monkeys more like it. Wizards fuming with smoke rings coming out their mouths. “What do you think the High Council would say to that Kinswoth?” Argonal

“I wouldn’t know consider we are never allowed in except by invitation,” Kinsworth said.

“Yes, but just say if we could,” Argonal asked.

“Then there would be a lot of question I would sure like to ask,” as they watched Jaydan make his rounds, they just smile as he passed by them.

Jaydan walked down to the lower part of the camp with the first group as he gives each one, one more hug and warm smile. Jaydan took an old branch from a tree. He puts it in Syneral Rigs hand. Placing one hand on the branch one on his shoulder as his group watched the branch change into a staff of harden crystal of green.

Syneral Rigs takes the staff and taps ground three times as it encompasses his group with white light. Syneral Rigs knows his group's heart and their mind for this group is his.

Syneral Rigs turned around his eyes glowed as he pointed to two men in the group. The group separated leaving two wizards out in the open with hearts black with destruction on this group and journey. “You will not be coming with us.” Syneral Rigs takes his staff raised, pushed it towards them a soft wind picked them up carries them away. “But now I am short two wizards, he smiles at the little group. “Perhaps we will find some more on the journey home.” Then proceeded with his group as they gathered once more together stepped through the gate. For now, they were bonded to him as their shepherd leading his flock.

* * * *

 

Where the wizard went as they fell to the ground, somewhere near Gartooth with a hard landing in the bushes. Their nice fancy wizard gowns now are torn as they tried to repair with a simple spell which fizzled to nothing. For in that wind that blew them removed all their magic they could not cast one spell, conjure or shape. Both wizards looked over their shoulders at the back of the mountain of Morgan pass. Realizing they were in serious trouble as Gartooth watched them in the bushes, he knew it and them. He hated wizards worst of all human wizards as he growled.

Gartooth springs forth from the bushes as the wizards scream begging for their lives to be spared. Gartooth circled around them as if toying with a mouse. “And why should I spare you?” He asked his eyes glaring down with such anger.

The wizards terrified as they watched him. “Because we could help you,” Kinswoth cried out.

“Help, me? You must be joking? You can‘t even help yourselves.”

“Yes, that may be true at the moment,” Kinswoth looked at his partner Argonal. “But in time they will regret what they have done to us, leaving us out here to die.” Knowing full well that they could reach the next town easily by walking at least if they had to. Yet it was a matter of pride and principle and not mentions, they like to take down Jaydan if they could perhaps take his place as leader.

“Again. Not my concern wizard, because I would prefer you dead,” Gartooth replied.

“Perhaps we can work together on a common goal,” Kinsworth cried.

“Which is?” He asked.

“Killing Jaydan perhaps,” he replied.

Gartooth eyes glowed at the mere thought as he circled around them, entertaining the idea. “And how can you help me more than me doing it myself?” Gartooth stops and stares. The wizards paused thinking of an answer that would save their lives.

Argonal giving a frightened stare at Gartooth arriving at the answer first. “For one were human and can blend in with the crowd where you can’t. Hiding in the trees and the bushes,” he replied. Kinswoth mouth drops as he stares back at his partner as he waits to be slaughtered by this beast at any moment.

Gartooth stares back at him then the trees and growls hating the idea looking toward the camp. Knowing that wizard is right, for now, they are needed then smiles looking at his pack. Gartooth reached in pulls out two bracelets that they use on slaves that bond them to the owner in which he was saving for the three brothers, but he figured he could always make more.

Gartooth pulled out his knife watching the fear in their eyes as he walks over to them. “Put these on,” as he growls. Gartooth handed bracelet to each wizard as he held a knife to their throat while wizard put it on around their ankle.

“This will make sure you can not run away from me, now you are my salves and do whatever I ask or you shall die.” The Wizards have read about these bracelets before, but never seen one up this close, but have heard stories about them.

That wearer must obey or pain would be inflicted upon them so much it could kill. If they ran it would be instant death, leaving nothing behind except the bracelet. If they try to cut them off it would kill them. The only one that can remove them is their master for he knows where you are by the bond. There is another way to remove them but is impossible for the slave as they watch Gartooth loathing. “He must die.”

The two wizards look down at the ground realizing for the first time, death might have been better. Because now they are slaves to a beast and he and they wanted revenge, but theirs would never come as they look at the ground and each other…..