The Legend of Valtera: Chapter 14
Two sunrises later, Prea and Kael strode through the last line of trees and into an open field. That simple step signaled they were leaving Alder behind and were moving forward into the new and unknown.
The land grew before them into a ridge, with slopes forming the shape of a V where Colter rested in the center between rising mountains. The dirt road stretched out before them, closely following the climbing land, buildings on either side. It was a sight to behold in the early hours of morning, the walled city one of the few crossings between the two cantons. The sun was rising behind them, and the lights dotting the tallest buildings in town were the only spots visible in the distance.
Prea’s lingering sore ribs slowed their progress, but both were still out of breath when they came to the outskirts of the city. They walked through a few rows of houses before coming to a halt in front of the towering outer wall.
The gatekeeper called them forward. “What is your business in Colter?”
“We’re just passing through. Our destination is Rodor,” Kael replied.
“Very well.” The gatekeeper opened the small door cut into the wall, allowing them passage.
“Thank you, sir,” Kael said.
The door slammed shut behind them, the sharp sound loud enough to make Prea turn back. She watched the gatekeeper resume his lonely position, waiting for the next travelers to come or go. Kael touched her arm, steering her in the direction of the city center.
The citizens of Colter had made the most of their space within the outer walls. The buildings were practically built on top of each other, with only space for small alleyways between. The main road they were traveling on was the only spacious area in the whole city; the road had to be wide enough for carts and carriages to pass.
As they walked on, Prea felt an increasing sense of claustrophobia, the more time she spent within the walls. This place was the opposite of her home. Even in the forest of Alder, she felt a sense of freedom and openness. All she wanted to do now was get to the gate into Rodor and leave this congested place.
The two had discussed the possibility of stopping for breakfast once they arrived, but Prea saw a look on Kael’s face that she imagined matched her own. He was no more comfortable in this city than she was. The main road wound through the close buildings, leading them past the inn and tavern, a bakery, seamstress and tailor, apothecary and blacksmith. It was still early and only soft noises and a few voices carried on the wind. An hour later, after replenishing their supplies, they reached the far wall and the Rodor gatekeeper who granted them leave.
They crossed over into the northern canton of Rodor where a low valley sank below them to the south. The road down to the valley floor was steep and coated in gravel; they would have to tread carefully.
The sun’s rays and warmth dulled as Prea and Kael trudged down the road. Overhead clouds mixed with the inky blue strokes swirled across the sky, blotting out the color as they converged over the valley. The fog, heavy and thick, crept down the slopes, wrapping the two and the valley in an invisible cocoon, creating an eerie, almost ominous effect.
A wisp of cool air ruffled Prea’s hair, tickling the end of her nose. She looked upwards and contemplated the darkening sky. It was going to rain, she was sure of it. What she didn’t know was whether thunder and lightning would accompany the rainfall. They had departed the protection and cover of wooded land leaving them exposed to the elements, but the two quietly reached the valley floor before the weather took a turn for the worse.
They set off south, the valley stretching out in front of them for as far as they could see. A small stream flowed like a snake through the emerald floor with mountains flanking them on the left and large hills on the right. Unlike Alder, Rodor seemed to have no trees at all, only small bushes and brush that spotted the hills, starting halfway up and growing thicker as it climbed. Prea had never seen anything like it and she felt exposed, as if someone was watching her.
It had been hours and only the beating of their footsteps on the ground filled the crisp air. Plop. Prea raised her head to the sky. Plop. Right on her cheek. The water had become too much, the clouds buckling under the weight. It started as if through a sieve, the rain falling only here or there. But their pace never hastened; there was no destination, no place for them to escape the elements. They continued to walk in no great hurry.
“So why do you think the stone is real?” Kael asked, breaking the silence.
“Most people believe that the story is just that, a story; a fairy tale told to children to explain what cannot be explained,” Prea began as she described her logic, choosing her words carefully. “Others believe it to be a legend; that Aylin and Ciro existed long ago when our nation and its people were just beginning. People may or may not believe the magical or supernatural elements—that Aylin and Ciro were from the heavens, possessing the powers of the moon and the sun—that’s up to them. In my family, though, we believe that the story, in its entirety, is true. It’s been passed down generation to generation as our history and we’ve always treated it as such.”
The weather changed, the rain increasing from a drizzle to a light shower. Their clothing absorbed the water, sticking close to their skin and Prea’s hair flattened across her brow, heavy with moisture. She played with the long soaked strands trying to make them manageable in the current conditions. Kael looked no better, but his hair could be easily pushed off his face and she couldn’t help but be a little jealous. All our things, our packs, will be soaked through soon, Prea thought. But there was nothing to be done about it. She knew the power of nature, the elements and the universe; a little bit of rain was far from the worst thing that could happen.
“Because I believe the story is completely true, I believe the stone is real,” she continued. “It holds the powers of the universe, whatever that means. But it will save my brother.”
“You’re putting a lot of stock in hope,” Kael interjected.
Prea stopped abruptly. Kael turned to face her, and she gave him a look he had never seen before on anyone. Fierce determination radiated out of every inch of her face as rain fell into her sparkling green eyes. It stole the breath right out of his lungs.
“When you lose hope…you lose your life. As long as there is hope, there is a reason, a purpose for life. There is still hope for Carr.”
“I didn’t mean to suggest that there isn’t hope. Or to suggest that this isn’t a realistic endeavor. I just meant…I’m sorry, Prea. I don’t really know what I meant,” Kael apologized.
She looked him straight in the eye for a good long minute and saw something that curbed the anger and resentment that was bubbling up inside her. She turned away from him and set off again, waiting to cool down before speaking.
“What do you live for, Kael? What is your purpose in life? What drives you?” Prea asked with no aggression or judgment. “I don’t want to tell you how to live your life, but it might be something to think about.”
He accepted her questions as honest inquiries. He had never really given the topic much thought until now.
“So what’s your logic? Why the mountains?”
“The stone is in the center of Valtera,” Prea explained. “The land is uncharted and uninhabited; the perfect place for something to remain hidden for centuries, millennia even. The clue is in the second section of the poem. Beneath the sky heavens dwell, hidden away by an ancient spell. Where north, east, south, west meet, lies a stone which quells defeat. The only location where the cardinal directions converge is in the center. Our final destination is directly in the middle of the mountains.” Prea looked sideways at Kael. “You can still back out if you want to.”
“I’m not going to abandon you. It’s just…still hard to believe. I want it to be true. I want it to be real for Carr’s sake. But what if we do all of this and it doesn’t exist? What then?”
Kael had a valid point. Prea was determined and she was trying to live one day at a time. Otherwise she wouldn’t be able to function at all, so she hadn’t thought that far ahead. She didn’t want to believe the stone wasn’t real; that wasn’t really an option for her.
“If that ends up being the case, I will deal with it then,” she confessed. “There’s no room for doubt on this journey, though. If you let doubt take hold…it will never let you go.”
* * *
Night closed in as the rain fell harder and faster against their bodies. The pack was digging into her shoulders, pushing her down into the ground; her ribs ached in her chest under the pressure. Prea’s legs felt like lead dragging beneath her as if she was walking through water. She was falling behind, finding it harder to keep pace with Kael’s long strides. He looked back towards her, realizing she wasn’t beside him. He stopped and adjusted his pack.
“You look exhausted. We’re not going to make any more significant progress tonight, so we should just camp here. It’s as good a place as any around.” As he decided, he swung his pack off of his shoulders and dropped it to the ground. Prea did the same.
“Are we going to be safe out in the open like this?” She glanced around, uncomfortable with their position. But there wasn’t another choice.
“It’s not as if someone can sneak up on us. We’d hear or see them long before they reached us.”
He sounded confident, and if he was confident then there was nothing to worry about. The rain continued, rendering a fire pointless even if they had something to burn. They kept close to the river, making sure water was at least within walking distance through the night before succumbing to the relief of sleep.
