33 Schedule Meeting

Eastar pulled Sindar out of the group as soon as he realized how the fight would end, persuading her to follow him with a few kisses on the neck. They went to a group of trees farther from the road, who formed a kind of circle, thick trunks, and bushes surrounded them in almost every direction.

They kissed when the stellar, in the act of opening his eyes to brush the princess's hair, saw a figure out of the corner of his eye, probably nothing more than a shadow caused by the light of his eyes, yet kept his eyes and ears alert while kissing Sindar again.

At that moment came the scream. A scream of pure dread from an unknown voice, hoarse with age. Sindar was startled and looked in the direction of the road, just in time where one figure jump out of the shadows on the left side of her.

Eastar, already prepared, punched the intruder's face as he reached for them. The creature flew until hit one of the trees, crossed it making the sound of breaking wood echo through the place. He stopped when he hit the next one, also drilling a hole in the trunk.

Even when he looks directly to him, the star could not see any feature. That was strange, the light in his eyes should illuminate the creature.

— Come on! — Eastar turned to the princess.

They start running, but the speed was not enough, so he picked her up and sped off. When they arrive to where the group was supposed to be, he saw just an abandoned campfire, the groceries on the floor and the horses, restless.

One more scream. With the sirion still in his lap, he bolted toward the sound.

— Eastar, I can use ...

— It's faster that way.

The two arrive to a curve , the young star turned to the left and first saw the lights that left the eyes of his teammates, then saw the wagon that was drawn by two horses. The lamps, secured by iron rods on the ceiling, were erased.

The group formed a semicircle in front of the wagon, Aros was in the center, facing the young star, with Edwin on one side followed by Jaime, on the other were Allyn and Relles. All armed. Sean, Drun, and a small man were between them and the wagon, Remus was in their midst, holding a crossbow. The man with the boys had a thin gray beard and wore a straw hat on his head. Probably who had screamed.

All of this Eastar saw in less than a second, but it was only after another two that he realized what was wrong. His vision was cut off by shadows that no one's eye light could eliminate.

They were humanoid forms, completely black, scattered across the road in front of the group. He recounted eight of those things, and decided what to do when he heard Sean's trembling, terrified voice.

— Lieutenant Edwin. — The boy clung to Remus's waistcoat, his face half hidden. — Are these specters? They are, aren't they? I thought they were just stories. I don't want them to catch me!

— Calm down, Sean. I don't intend to let anyone die here today. — Aros and Edwin said together, turning to the boy, then looked at each other and nodded.

Eastar set Sindar down and put his index finger over her mouth as the princess started to say something, pointed to the trees on the right side of the road, and she nodded. The two began to move slowly to one side, crouching, but when they were coming close to the roadside, the figure that the stellar had punched appeared, turning the bend in the road.

— There are two more here, Jeffrey. — He announced to the specters that were around the group. His voice was muffled and wheezing. It was agonizing to hear.

Eastar's eyes widened. If that thing was conscious after that punch it was because it had energy storage. He took the princess in his lap once more and advanced all the way to the group. Before the wraiths had any reaction, he shoved one that hindered his passage and stood either between his father and Allyn, placed the sirion he was carrying on the ground and faced the creatures.

The struck spectrum gathered and turned to see them.

— So you got them, Trent? Good work. — His voice caused even more agony, was more shrill than the other.

— I wouldn't say he got us. — The young stellar rehearsed a joke and turned to the princess. — Stay behind us.

— I wish I had taken my bow.... I can help. — She was staring at the figures, startled.

— They can use the storage, and we didn't have time to get the bow, so take care of the boys. — The Princess opened her mouth to answer, but he turned to his father. — I can't believe you intended to start the party without me.

— Well, you were busy.

— Well, the Trent one didn't care about that.

— I see not. — Aros gave a small smile and then stared at the pushed specter, who seemed to be their leader. — Very well. Jeffrey, isn't it? Now that you are here, you can start by explaining why you are here.

Edwin looked at the commander and his eyes widened.

— Wait... that was the reason for the fight, wasn't it? Not just to make others excited. You wanted to attract these things with the noise.

— Yes, unfortunately I didn't think there would be any merchants around. — He turned to the old man, who was huddling in the wagon. — You are out of luck today.

The spectres moved, unquiet.

— Tell me, why are you doing this? I've never heard of such a group of specters —continued Aros. — You don't usually go in groups or in sight of the earthlings.

— Well, well, I see you know about our existence.

— I've seen a lot in this world, some much worse than you, be sure.

The spectrum seemed to focus more on Aros after what he said.

— A stellar one! — He gave a horrible laugh that ruffled the hairs on the back of Eastar's neck. — With all this darkness it's hard to tell your eyes apart, but I figured there were some in that ridiculous city. These sirions treat you like gods and you love it.

— You fuc… — Edwin started forward with his spear in his fist , but Aros grabbed him by the shoulder.

— Calm down, you know that's what they want. — Aros turned to the specter leader. — You haven't answered me yet. Why are you here?

— Because you shall not pass. Obviously!

— Why?

— Well, it seems the isolation is working.

— You don't want the Sirion Kingdom to have contact with the outside. — Edwin's eyes widened. — But why? What is happening?

The laugh of the specter made the blood of the sirions freeze, but the answer did not come.

— Who sent you here? — Aros tried to go the other way.

— A friend of yours, it looks like his name is Ziran, doesn't it? — He turned to the other wraiths who nodded.

— This is ridiculous. — Aros remembered his last conversation with Luriel. — Ziran would have no reason to do that."

— And since when a war to end all sirions aren't a motive? — The creature stepped forward and clenched its fists. — For me is the biggest reason. — He stopped and put a hand to his head. — Oops... look at me talking too much.

— This is impossible. Ziran is a high-ranking star, he's been here for years, assisting the Glen Kingdom.

— Lord stellar. — The old merchant said, next to Remus. — The Glen Kingdom and Dungor have teamed up to end all sirions, that's true, preparations for a battle against Deschain have been in the news for months.

— It seems the old man knows a lot, which is why we don't leave survivors. — Jeffrey sighed, a sound that resembled the scrape of nails on a stone wall.

— So that's the idea? End the kingdoms that support the sirions and stellars one by one? To later decimate the Sirion Kingdom?

— Brilliant! — The creature clapped and then waved one hand. — But don't put me in the middle of it, I'm not interested in those plans. — However, it is true. The king Luiz of Deschain won't stop the army that will knock on their doors alone.

— He won't fight alone.

— Who would join him? The strength of the armies of the North and East together will be too much for the poor Luiz.

— Herimbor won't let him fight alone. — Sindar stood beside Eastar.

— Herimbor isn't interested in anything but himself and that little town! — The specter screamed, and the young star was startled for a moment by the hatred in his words.

— Do you think the Sirion Kingdom wouldn't move on this? — Edwin said firmly.

— I doubt Herimbor gets involved, but I don't care, I'm hungry and starting to get stressed, you'll alleviate that.

— Well, we'll see about it. — Aros gave a savage smile. — I just wanted to understand how Ziran, if what you say about him is true, convinced you to participate in it.

— Well, he offered us quite a feast. That's just why I'm here.

— So you intend to join the war to draw energy from all the remaining sirions later, don't you?

— Now maybe we can't add stellars to the meal, how about? — He raised his arms, and the other wraiths agreed , their voices hissing and jarring. — The forest has been a good place to feed us, but sharing those few trains between us is not very nice. — We had to decrease the number from fifteen to nine, so it got a little better.

— Did you kill your own mates? — Jaime spoke for the first time, was very scared and his brown eyes already shone more brightly from the storage released.

— I wouldn't put it that way. They aren't my companions, they just told me to take care of the forest with them. — The specter shrugged. — Well, now that I've shared the information with you, how about feeding me in return? I have never experienced the energy of a star before. They say it's pure and sweet.

— You won't find out — said Eastar, fists clenched.

The specter turned its head more toward him and laughed.

— Why are the eyes of this one blue? Well, it must be delicious too. — He put his arms forward and gave the order. — Finish them. Let's start the banquet!

The specters advanced. A spot of purple light flickered on each one's chest.