~Intuition is always right in at least two important ways;
It is always in response to something.
And it always has your best interest at heart~
-Gavin De Becker
I looked up to the sky, darkness was already upon us, the stars were out and the moon was slowly beginning to let it's enchanting presence be known.
We had been riding for 10 days in succession, barely stopping for a rest, the weary faces of my warriors was evidence that the stamina acquired from our two day rest had been severely depleted, I contemplated calling for a rest stop but I had a nagging feeling in the back of my mind, my instincts warned me against a stop and I always listened to my instincts, Svend and Frida rode up to my side.
"General, the soldiers are extremely tired, we have been riding none stop for some days now, perhaps we can stop for the night and continue at dawn?" Frida asked me quietly and I frowned.
"The forest around us is vast and dangerous, it will take days to get to the other side, strengthen yourselves, we will continue till we are beyond this terrain." I ordered firmly and they bowed, returning to their previous positions.
A few hours later the nagging feeling intensified, I felt an intense urgency to leave this place, I frowned shutting my eyes and concentrating my sensitive hearing to listen to my surroundings, my frown deepened when I noticed the unusual quietness of the forest, some time ago we could still hear the sound of the nocturnal life, but now, there was nothing, no crickets, no frogs.... nothing.
I lifted my hand, signalling for my warriors to increase their pace, as I called for Falco who was in charge of navigation.
"Falco...are you certain we are not in dangerous territory?" I asked him worriedly, he nodded in assurance.
"I'm certain, according to the map it seems to be just an ordinary forest, no significance attached." He replied, I frowned again, turning to face Svend who rode up to my side again.
"General, if we cannot take a rest stop then an hour break perhaps? My men are magic wielders, their stamina is not on par with the soldiers, they are extremely weary." He said pleadingly, I sighed, looking around.
"Listen Svend... listen to the forest... isn't it a bit too still and quiet, like there's no life within." I pondered aloud, my Generals looked around, their eyes widening in realization of my words.
"You're right... I can't hear a sound." Annia muttered, a bit unnerved.
"Perhaps we're over thinking things? Falco is certain we're in safe territory, his navigation has never been incorrect before." Svend rationalized, I pondered his words for a bit before sighing in resignation, they seemed to really want to rest, I couldn't push them based on my own suspicions.
"His navigation has never been wrong indeed, but neither have my instincts... I feel too uneasy...an hour stop only and we move on, I'd rather not take any chances." I said, lifting my hand to signal for a halt, my Generals returned to their units to inform them of my orders even as I dismount Reo and grab my water skin, moving to lean against a tree as I quenched my thirst.
I watched my men quietly as they either sat, stretched or some moved into the forest to relieve their bowels, I bit my lip anxiously, unable to ignore the nagging feeling that something was off.
I sighed in relief when the hour was up, moving hurriedly to Reo, as my warriors took their places, preparing to depart.
"General Falco, Torsten is missing!" I heard an alarmed voice exclaim from the sword/saber men unit, I was unable to react before another voice was heard.
"General Erik, General Frida has not returned!" A voice sounded from the spear unit, my heart dropped as more voices sounded.
"Captain Bjorn, Ulf is also missing!"
"General Aquila, Randi is missing!"
"Lord Svend, we cannot find Trygve!"
"Lord Svend, Rune and Sune are both missing!"
"General Aquila, Captain Jeanine is not present!"
Pandemonium broke out, enraged shouts, panicked ranting, everyone was becoming alarmed.
My expression turned cold as my aura burst forth in my anger, the atmosphere immediately became quiet as my rage and furious aura was felt as the temperature quickly dropped, the weather become terrifyingly cold, the warriors all fell to a knee, heads bowed in an attempt to pacify my fury.
"Calm your anger General." Leif pleaded as he noticed the wind picking up and the ground beneath me began freezing slowly.
I took a deep breath in, inhaling and exhaling slowly, calming the rage boiling within me.
"I clearly expressed my disapproval about stopping here, my Generals said it was me over thinking things.... now tell me Falco, Svend....where are my warriors?" I asked in a cold voice, the two warriors I spoke to flinched, their gazes focused on the ground, unable to look me in the eyes.
"Check the fucking map Falco and tell me where the fuck we are!" I growled out in anger, he immediately pulled out the map and checked it, his eyes widened as if just noticing something, he dropped the map in alarm, turning his guilt filled gaze to me for a bit before his gaze went down.
"I deserve death." He said in a guilty voice.
"Where are we?" I asked through gritted teeth, enunciating each word slowly.
"Forest Surma, General." He replied in a pained tone.
I sucked in a sharp breath, shutting my eyes to contain my rage as panicked whispers began spreading as my warriors realized the kind of danger we were in.
"You said it was still miles ahead!" Bjorn exclaimed, Falco avoided our gazes, his posture showing his shame.
"I was mistaken." He replied quietly.
"You have never, ever been wrong Falco... not even once, tell me...did you even check the map?" I asked him barely restraining my anger, he bowed his head lower.
"I... I had checked it before we left the clearing..." He replied in shame, I sighed in annoyance.
"I always told you your over confidence would be the death of you... I didn't know then that it would cause all our deaths." Leif said in a rage filled tone, Falco winced at his words and I sighed again, placing a hand on Leif's shoulder to calm him.
"I will deal with you later... we are in the terrain of forest Surma...the forest of death." I said to Falco, my attention shifting away from him as I looked around, finally understanding the gravity of our situation.
Forest Surma...more popularly called the forest of death and rightly so as the name 'Surma' directly translated to death in our ancient language, it was called the forest of death as it was the dwelling place of the Surma tribe, an extremely hostile and blood thirsty tribe that had been a thorn in the sides of the kings of the ancient times, this was due to their barbaric and cannibalistic tendencies, the Kings of the seven kingdoms at that time had come together to rid the lands of this menace, led by Harald the death bringer, a fearsome warrior known for his ferocious level 9 black bear and his expert spearmanship, he was royal uncle's ancestor and had been the King of Dalagh at the time.
At that time, after an extremely bloody battle that took place on this very soil we stood, the Surma tribe surrendered to the seven kingdoms, promising to refrain from harming innocent people, the Kings of the seven kingdom did not believe their promise and after much deliberation placed them under the rule and watchful eyes of King Harald, the King whom they feared the most.
After a few years of intense monitoring, King Harald finally believing he could trust them, gave them their freedom with the order that they were to forever remain within the boundaries of this forest, never interfering with the lives of his people, that way he would also no longer interfere in their own lives, the tribes men of Surma made King Harald promise that since they were given complete control of the Surma forest, the people of Dalagh should be warned away from it as they wouldn't take kindly to any intruders, King Harald agreed to this, passing a law that instructed the people of Dalagh to never trespass into forest Surma, anyone who disobeyed would be at the mercy of the Surma tribe, the agreement was signed and so it had remained ever since, everyone being fully aware that anyone who entered into Surma territory never returned alive.
There was only one exception, the fact that the road for moving the army was built through this route...the king sought their permission for this and it was agreed that before encroaching on the Surma forest, the General moving the troops would first place a royal pass signed in the General's blood on the tree that signified the beginning of the forest and would step out and return to the tree in two days, if an approval signed in blood was written on the bark of the tree, the General had been granted safe passage.
I had been unable to do that as I had never been to fort Argon so I had never taken this route before, hence the land marks were unfamiliar to me and I had not noticed when we encroached on Surma territory without following due procedure, not only that but my warriors had also ventured into the forest itself, according to the agreement signed, the Surma tribe had every right to kill us off, it was known that the warriors who made this mistake although they weren't killed off completely as the people of Surma knew that these warriors were protectors of Dalagh and since they occupied Dalagh territory, this warriors were also protecting them as if it happened that Dalagh was invaded, the Invaders would not care for King Harald's promise and kill off the Surma tribe instantly if they didn't pledge their loyalty to them... however in other to make their warning clear, a few warriors were taken and the General was to continue on without seeking those warriors, this was the General's punishment for his mistake, having to sacrifice a few of his men to save the rest.
"How many are missing?" I asked in an emotionless tone.
"Eight warriors, General." Leif informed me in a pained tone and I sighed.
"I will take responsibility for this error and join them in death, please give me your permission General!" Falco pleaded in a pained tone, I glared at him but didn't reply.
"General!" He called again, his tone pleading.
"No Falco... I will not loose another warrior." I said firmly, he bowed his head in guilt and shame at my tone, knowing that despite my anger I would not permit him to join his comrades in death.
"I do not deserve your mercy General, please let me die and atone for my crime." He said in a pained voice, I frowned.
"And I will not give it, I am not forgiving you Falco... but I will not loose any man tonight... not you...not anyone else either." I said firmly, his eyes widened at my words.
"What is your plan General?" He asked me and I frowned.
"The people of Surma are good warriors but they stand no chance against my 5000 elite warriors, I shall go to them and request for my soldiers... as your leader, this happened due to my inadequacy." I said, he looked down again unable to meet my gaze.
"But will they release them so easily?" Svend asked worriedly and I sighed.
"The Surma tribe are merciless, it will be stupid of me to think they will give in easily...but there is not much that can be done, I must try... grovel even..if I must, if they still refuse, I have no other choice than to be forceful, I cannot sacrifice my soldiers for my mistake." I replied, turning and mounting an agitated Reo, ignoring the disapproval of my men.
"Üks armastav, I leave you in charge, continue on with the men till you have crossed the forest line, get to safety first." I instructed Annia, she seemed reluctant and I gave her a stern glare.
"The captains and Generals shall come with me...do not worry for me." I told her, everyone seemed to calm down a bit when they heard I wasn't going in alone, I rolled my eyes at them, I wasn't stupid enough to do that, I was an excellent warrior but I drew a firm line between over confidence and stupidity, I would never go to the Surma alone, they weren't the kind to be moved by sincerity, it would only be me signing up for certain death.
I steered Reo away from the cleared path and into the thick forest, Lox, Aquila, Ryuu, Falco, Bjorn, Erik, Svend and Leif following closely behind, as we crossed the forest line, leaving the cleared path into the thick forest, I mulled over a particular thought.
"I really do hope we get to leave this forest alive." I said, letting out a mirthless chuckle as the dense forest completely enveloped us, obscuring my army from view.