Bird’s chirping in the trees above woke Ashan. Early morning sunlight began to filter in through the branches of the overhanging oaks. Awkwardly sitting up he searched the clearing for Arkesh. When he couldn’t see Arkesh he panicked and reached for the rough sword he had scavenged from the village. Surveying the area cautiously, he stepped towards the edge of the clearing.

“Arkesh?” he shouted through the trees. When there was no reply Ashan raised the sword in front of him and walked back to the centre of the clearing. The sound of horses approaching to the left drew his attention. Arkesh was riding a muscled black stallion and leading a smaller but still muscled bay horse.
“I got a good price on these at Herti, a small town just north of here. The blight have passed them by. The town’s scouts saw them marching past to the east of the town. This would indicate that if they keep on that course they will march straight into Terani,” Arkesh explained.
“But that’s the capital of Aglor!” Ashan shouted,
That’s why I got these horses, we have to get there and warn them straight away.”
“Why? Why should I warn them. Nobody warned those villagers back at Utal. Or have you forgotten them already.” Ashan replied with an acid tone. He winced at the sting of the back of Arkesh’s steel gauntlet with his cheek.
“You are out of line villager, if you think don’t wish to save these people then how will you have your revenge on the blight. They destroyed your village I know and it was horrible for you. Your life gone, everything you know crushed. Saying you don’t care for the Teranins means you don’t care if they go through that pain. Are you that selfish?”
“I’m sorry Arkesh I don’t know what came over me, lets just move on.”
“Very well, we will eat in the saddle, we have a hard ride ahead of us if we are to beat them to Terani.”

With that they rode silently for an hour, eating a quick breakfast of dried fruits and meat. The long dusty road between Herti and Terani was empty except for the occasional merchant or peddler’s wagon heading towards Terani, most coming from smaller outlying town’s and villages. When they arrived at the southern gates of Terani the sun was almost touching the horizon. One of four guard’s patrolling along the southern wall shouted out for them to hurry through the closing gates.
“Only just made it through the gates before curfew, not safe to be outside the gates of a night time. I’m Garet, southern barracks commander. You are now in the Citizen’s District,” Garet said the last with a scowl.
“You don’t seem to like your post here in this district,” Ashan said.
“Thugs are taking over this district and we just don’t have enough men stationed here to keep them under control.” I suggest you get to the Trade District before the last bit of sunlight is gone, just follow this main road north until you reach a flight of stairs with the big steel gates.”

With that Ashan and Arkesh continued on along the road until they arrived at the huge steel gates. Intricate carvings adorned the door and in the centre a huge circular carving depicted a strange horned beast with shaggy fur being impaled by a spear, the man with the spear wore robes instead of armour and he wore exquisite jewellery. A crown with rounded gems adorned the man’s head and he stood nobly. When he questioned Arkesh about it he was told that it was the Terani crest. They entered the trade district and the gates made a loud crash as they slammed shut behind them. Perhaps he was imagining things but Ashan thought he had seen a black robed figure following them in the shadows as they walked further down the street.