Beyond Doubt: Whispers of the Unseen - Chapter 52

Welcome to my seemingly endless journey.
A trip that will take you to places I might have visited many moons ago.
It´s a tale that came back to me when I meditated on one of my past lives. A life I told you about in my unbelievable true story.

As promised in that story I will now share this story with you.

Chapter 52

The village offered few leads. We knew which direction they had come from and that they were continuing north. So we would do the same and started our travel. The landscape hardly changed for days, it was filled with deciduous trees and vast meadows.

Gradually there are fewer and fewer meadows, and soon a huge forest surrounds us. Deer and rabbits occasionally dart away when we invade their territories.

We follow a path that is apparently little used, as it is sometimes barely passable. Overgrown by shrubs with small yellow flowers and sharp needles. Then again through wild blackberry bushes, which spread their tentacles meters away low over the ground. This means if you don't lift your feet high enough they can give you a big fall.

Everyone loves our newest addition, and Monta is only too happy with all the attention. Sticks fly through the air, and the dog, no matter how far you throw them, manages to bring them back in no time, drooling and all.

It is late afternoon when we cross a path much wider than ours. There are clear traces of horses, other hoofed animals, and people. Because they are all mixed up, it is difficult to see how old they are. It hasn't rained, so we can't trace anything back to that, but apparently, this path is used a lot.

After some consultation, we decide to follow the path. We choose to head west because it seems like that path makes a gentle curve to the north, and that is the direction we follow.

We spend the night far away from the road, but we are back on it early the next morning and that is when Monta starts walking restlessly around us. I regularly see Numico look back and say: “There is a rider emerging.”

Several minutes pass before we can actually see the rider. A cloud of dust betrays his arrival. When he approaches us, he stops.

“Good day, everyone,” he says, bowing his head slightly. “I don't know you; otherwise, I would have recognized some of you,” he says, laughing, looking at Rechmana and Cabilah. “May I ask what your purpose of travel is, and do you mind if I join you until we reach Kratyo? It is not all too safe to travel alone these days.”

I look at Numico and Retsj, relying on their people skills to know what we have just encountered. They both nod. Numico says “harmless” in his strongest possible dialect.

“Sir, we are traveling to the next village. We are just passing through and plan to gather some resources there to supplement our food supply, which has now become very minimal. Of course, you can travel with us, but we can't offer you much when it comes to food."

"Could you give us some information about this region? We come from far away and are not known here. Days ago, we passed through the remains of a village. Are you aware of the horror this village and its former inhabitants have undergone?" I pause just a bit and then continue to not raise suspicion.

"I would also like to ask you about the place you mentioned, Krato was it not? How long will it take to travel there, and would we be able to find work and shelter there, even if only for a few days?”

The man answers kindly. “Kratyo is still two days away from here, and it is certain that you can get shelter there. My house will be open to you, and work should not be a problem either. A group of strong men like you is always welcome. There is still quite a bit of rebuilding to be done.”

“The village you are talking about probably suffered the same fate as most villages and houses that were located on one of the routes of the Black Sharido."

"Many of these villages are deserted. Those who survived all inexplicably headed in this direction. But Kratyo was also attacked by these demons of the night. But as it happened, the landlords were just organizing a tournament here, so all the young men from the region were present."

"A lot of blood was spilled, and many homes were destroyed, but Krayto stood its ground. Eventually, they even drove out these vile creatures. This probably ensured that refugees from other villages felt safe here."

"I say felt because in recent months there have been more and more stories about troops of these black fighters, who are entrenching themselves here and there in the hills."

"It may have been years now and the fear may have subsided, at least for most. But I am confident they will come back. These were not dogs, retreating with their tails between their legs, too afraid to ever return."

"No, I fear that this village will soon have to deal with these devils again.”

I could not believe it, after what felt like eons of nothing all of a sudden answers seemed to be falling from the sky. Even answers to questions we did not have, yet. When it rains it pours, that is so typical in life.

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