A Ranger From Adamnar

The rest of Alana’s rotation with Chief Priest Bruny was mostly uneventful. There were occasional, unexplained attacks on the Rangers who patrolled the outermost ring of the stronghold area—some one-hundred miles out—that puzzled the lords of the stronghold, but nothing else of note happened for the remainder of her two month rotation. She and Laren did another month of patrolling after that. Then it was time for the trials.

Lord Retak called Laren into his office first. “Well Laren,” he said, “Do you think you’re ready to take your trials?”

“Yes, Lord Retak,” Laren replied quietly.

Lord Retak nodded, noting that Laren’s response was not her usual over-confident affirmation. “All right then,” he replied. “Your trials start tomorrow at first light.” He looked her right in the eyes and said, “You may not tell anyone about the nature of the trials.”

Laren’s brow came together in a slight frown as she answered, “Yes, Lord Retak.”

“I’m serious, Laren,” he added firmly. “I mean nobody.”

Laren nodded and repeated, “Yes, Lord Retak. I understand.”

Lord Retak furrowed his brow and held Laren’s gaze for a long moment. “All right,” he said finally. “Please send Alana in.”

Laren nodded. “Yes, Lord Retak.”

After she left, Lord Retak shook his head and sighed. A few minutes later he heard a light knock on his door. “Come,” he called out.

Alana opened the door and walked quickly into Lord Retak’s office. Lord Retak smiled. In the last ten months she had matured significantly, both physically and mentally. She had done very well in her two Elite rotations. Lord Engredar had already asked him if she could do another rotation at the Regional Fortress. He had a feeling however, that Alana would have something else in mind. He looked up at her and said, “Hello Alana. First, I want to congratulate you on an exceptional job done during your rotations. Lord Engredar was very enthusiastic about having you go back to the Regional Fortress for another rotation.”

Alana’s eyebrows shot up and she said, “Oh. I…” She stopped, at a loss for words.

Lord Retak chuckled. “It’s all right Alana. He’ll have to do with Tulan. Thank you for telling me about his interest in strategy. I’m sure he will be well received at the Regional Fortress. On the other hand, I have a feeling I don’t have to ask you if you’re ready to take your trials.”

“No, Lord Retak. I mean, yes Lord Retak.” Alana paused, her face bright red, took a breath and said, “I’m ready to take my trials, Lord Retak.”

Lord Retak nodded. “I thought you would be. I get the feeling you want to get on with things.”

Alana nodded, “Yes, Lord Retak. I want to get on with being a Ranger. I mean, I liked doing the elite rotations, but I just want to be a Ranger, you know. I want to get out there and do what Rangers do.”

Lord Retak laughed. “As opposed to what you’ve been doing for the past ten months?”

Once again, Alana was speechless. “I…I didn’t mean it that way, Lord Retak,” she finally stammered.

Lord Retak shook his head and said with a smile. “I know. I was just having a little fun at your expense. My apologies.” He cleared his throat and continued, “Your trials will begin tomorrow at first light. You will meet the others who are taking their trials by the main gate.”

Alana smiled broadly. “Yes Lord Retak. Thank you, Lord Retak.”

As she turned to leave, Lord Retak said, “One more thing, Alana.”

Alana turned back and looked at him with a slightly furrowed brow. His voice was missing its usual jovial quality. “Yes, Lord Retak?”

He paused and rubbed his chin, as if unsure how to continue. Finally he said, “You may…stumble…across the opportunity to find out how the trials work. I’m asking you to remember that these are your trials. Everyone has to approach their trials in their own way. I think it would be a good idea for you to come to the trials with an open mind.”

Alana looked at him in confusion, “Of course I will, Lord Retak.”

Lord Retak nodded, “Good,” he said. “Very good. Then I’ll see you tomorrow morning. Enjoy your day off.”

“Thank you, Lord Retak,” she replied.

Laren was waiting for her outside the main building. She could tell by Alana’s broad grin that Lord Retak said she could take her trials. Not that Laren had any doubts. If anyone was ready to take their trials, it was Alana. Her enthusiasm was infectious and Laren found herself smiling as well. “Congratulations, runt,” she said when Alana came over to her.

“Thanks,” Alana replied with a smile. They started to walk towards the dining hall. “Hey, guess what? He’s sending Tulan up to the Regional Fortress to work with Lord Engredar.”

“Does Tulan like that stuff?” Laren asked.

“Yes, he does,” Alana answered. “He’s always talking about the big plan. He must have asked me a hundred questions about what it was like to work there.”

Laren shook her head. “Better him than me.”

Alana chuckled. “Yeah, you’re better at the up-close kind of fighting.”

“You got that right,” Laren responded. They walked in silence for a little while. Then Laren said, “They’re not too bad, really.”

Alana looked over at her and asked, “Who’s not too bad?”

Laren shook her head. “Not who. What. The trials. They’re not that bad. Once you get to know your group…”

Alana stopped and put up her hand. Now she understood what Lord Retak had been talking about. “Laren, please don’t. I want to do this myself. I have to or I might as well not do it at all.”

Laren shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

“Come on,” Alana said, “Let’s get some lunch.”

The dining hall was crowded with trainees who were either back from a rotation or in between phases. As soon as Alana stepped through the door, dozens of pairs of eyes turned toward her and a murmur rippled through the room. Although no one knew for sure, everyone was speculating that Alana would take her trials this time and be the youngest Ranger to ever come out of a stronghold. Laren leaned over to her and said quietly, “Your glow is showing.”

Alana looked at Laren in surprise and started to laugh. As the pair made their way towards the table at which their friends sat, Tulan leapt from the table a ran over to them. He grabbed Alana, picked her up and gave her a big bear hug. “What was that for?” Alana asked when she could breathe again.

“I got a Strategy rotation thanks to you” he replied. “Lord Retak said you recommended me.”

Alana smiled at him. “That was just so you would stop asking me a thousand questions a day.”

Tulan winked at her. “Well, it worked didn’t it.”

Alana chuckled. “Yes it did.”

After Laren and Alana got their food, they went to sit with their friends. Cadius, Falar and Shiri were there with Tulan. When they sat down, Alana asked him, “When are you going?”

“After the trials,” Tulan answered, giving her a meaningful look. “I wouldn’t miss that for anything. And besides,” he continued, “Lord Retak asked me to help test the new fourth phase trainees.”

Alana smiled wickedly as she picked up her fork. “I remember your test to fourth.”

Tulan gave her a baleful glare. “I’m lucky I survived it,” he said.

Alana stopped chewing for a moment and replied, “I knew you’d make it.”

“Yeah well,” he replied, “I’m going to be a little easier on the new trainees.”

Laren looked at him with a raised eyebrow, swallowed the food in her mouth and said, “No you’re not.”

Tulan looked at her, winked and then grinned. “I know.”

Alana turned to Cadius and asked, “How is it going with Waylan? Do you think you’ll be testing out this time?”

Cadius frowned. “Nah. That son of a bitch won’t let me test out. He told me so. He keeps telling me I don’t fight like a Ranger. I beat everybody in the class, but he still says that’s not good enough.”

“I wonder what he means?” Alana asked.

“Damned if I know,” Cadius answered.

Alana thought about it for a moment. Then she remembered what Uncle Iliard had said about that elusive something that made a Ranger a Ranger. Maybe that was what Waylan was talking about. Tulan interrupted her thoughts by practically leaping out of his seat. “There’s Taraz,” he said as he started towards the door. “He has an uncle or an aunt or something who works in the Regional Fortress. I want to see if I can get any inside information from him.”

After Tulan dashed away, Alana murmured, “It’s his cousin.” She happened to glance over at Shiri and saw that she looked like was a about to cry. She put down her fork and asked, “Shiri, what’s wrong?”

Shiri shook her head and quickly rubbed her eyes. “It’s nothing.”

“Come on,” Alana said quietly. “I’ve known you too long. Something is bothering you.”

Shiri looked towards the door where Tulan had exited just moments before. She looked back at Alana and said, “I don’t know. It just seems like he’s moving so far ahead of me. He already said he wants to stay at the Regional Fortress as long as they’ll let him. I think he’s going to ask to go there after he makes his trials.”

“Oh,” Alana said. She knew Shiri was probably right. Tulan had great ambitions for himself. It was unlikely he would stay at Adamnar any longer than he had to. “Well, maybe you can follow him there after you make Ranger,” she said finally.

Shiri shook her head. “It’ll be at least another year before I make Ranger. I’m still at third and I’m not testing this time. Tulan will test next time and then he’ll be gone. And besides,” she went on a little tearfully, “After he makes Ranger, we can’t…be together. It’s not allowed.”

Alana’s eyes widened. “That’s right, I forgot. Oh Shiri, I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right,” Shiri answered as tears started in her eyes. She got up from the table and said, “I have to go,” and hurried out of the dining hall.

Alana got up to follow her, but Laren grabbed her arm and said, “Let her go. She has to figure this out on her own.”

Alana was about to argue with Laren when Falar spoke up. “I hate to say it, but she’s right. Tulan is going to move on and he’s not going to wait for her. He knows what he wants and it’s not here in this stronghold. Shiri knows that. She’s just having a hard time accepting it. Tulan was her first lover. I think we all get attached to our first. But,” she added with a slight shrug, “she’ll find somebody else. We’re adventurers. Nothing lasts forever. You just have to be careful not to fall in love. Then you’re in real trouble.”

Alana just stared at her and said, “Oh.”

Falar laughed. “Don’t look so sad. Say, you’re not in love, are you?”

Alana’s eyes widened in surprise. “Me? No?” Her face started to turn very red as she stammered, “I’m not even…I haven’t…I’m not in love,” she finally said.

Just then, Ben walked by their table. He stopped next to Alana, leaned over and said quietly, “Good luck.”

Alana’s face turned even redder. She smiled up at him at said, “Thanks.”

After Ben left, Falar looked at Alana and said, “You’re not, huh?”

“No,” Alana answered vehemently. “He’s just…” she smiled. “Well, look at him.”

Falar watched Ben as he walked out of the dining hall. With a lascivious grin she said, “Yeah, he’s pretty nice to look at, that’s for sure.”

“Hey,” Cadius said in between mouthfuls of food, “You don’t need to go lookin’ at some pretty boy. You got all you need right here.”

Falar laughed. “Of course I do, you barbarian.”

“Yeah,” he responded, grabbing her by the waist, “And that’s the way you like it.”

Falar grinned broadly. “You got that right.”

Alana looked at Laren, who said, “I think we should leave them alone.”

As Alana and Laren got up to leave, Cadius asked, “Hey, you two want to get a drink after dinner?”

Alana shook her head. “Not tonight. We have an early morning.”

Falar nodded knowingly. “That’s right. Good luck.”

“Good luck,” Cadius said also.

“Thanks,” Alana and Laren replied together.

The morning of the trials dawned cool and clear. Laren and Alana were the first ones to arrive at the front gate. Rose and Orman joined them soon after. The four of them were talking quietly when Lord Retak arrived. “Ah good, you’re here,” he said. “The others will be here in a short time.”

“Others?” Alana asked.

“There are four other trainees from the two other fourth phase groups who are also taking their trials today,” Lord Replied.

“Oh,” Alana said. This was what Laren had been trying to tell her. They would be testing with trainees from other groups. That would be one of the unknown elements. A few minutes later the other four trainees arrived—three men and one woman. “Grace!” Alana said excitedly as she hurried over to her friend. “I didn’t know you were testing.”

“Neither did I until last night,” Grace replied. “Our group came in from a late patrol. That’s when Trainer Mazor told me. I was lucky Rose knew about it and got me up this morning. I was so tired, I almost slept right through.”

“All right everyone,” Lord Retak said, “Gather around.” When the trainees had come together he went on, “You will be split into two groups of four. Laren, you will be patrol leader for your group. Orman, Rose and Nolan, you are with Laren.” Her turned to Alana and said, “Alana, you will be patrol leader for your group.”

Alana was so surprised she blurted out, “Really?”

Lord Retak smiled at her and replied, “Really.” He went on, “Grace, Levon, and Nyle will be with Alana. Now,” he said as his gaze swept over the group, “We’ll run half a day south and establish a meeting point. After the midday meal I will give each group a map of the area they are to patrol. I will expect you back at the meeting point before midday on the third day. Do you have any questions?”

“No, Lord Retak,” they answered as one.

“Good,” he replied. “Now let’s run,” and he led the way out the front gate.

Laren looked at Alana and said, “Well, this is it.”

Alana nodded, “You’ll make it.”

“I hope so,” Laren replied as they followed Lord Retak out the gate. She turned to Alana and said, “Hey, stay out of trouble.”

Alana laughed. “Yes ma’am.”

Laren gave her a sideways look and said, “Huh.”

Orman stopped running and stood perfectly still. “Laren, wait,” he called out.

Laren turned back, her old impatience working its way to the surface. It was the third day of trials and she was exhausted. They were so close to getting back to the meeting point. “What?” she asked harshly.

“There’s a battle going on somewhere nearby,” Orman replied.

Ten months ago Laren would have shrugged it off and demanded that they continue forward, but now things were different. “Where?” she asked.

Orman pointed to a point northeast of their position. “Over there.”

“All right,” Laren replied, “Let’s go.” Then she stopped, looked at Orman and said, “You’d better lead the way.” Rose and Nolan looked at each other and then at Orman, who just raised his eyebrows and shrugged slightly.

Orman took off running in the direction of the battle, with Laren close behind. As they ran Laren asked him, “Can you tell how many?”

Orman was silent for a moment as his listened intently, then he answered, “It sounds like more than ten, maybe as many as twenty. I hear swords and shouting.”

“Are they human?” Laren asked.

Again Orman listened and finally said, “Some are human. Most are not.”

“Damn,” Laren responded. She got a strong feeling of foreboding.

As they got closer, the rest of the party began to hear the distant sounds of combat. Orman abruptly stopped in his tracks, his face pale. “It’s Alana’s group.”

Laren immediately got a clear vision of the battle that was going on around Alana. The group was surrounded and losing ground fast. Without another word, she pulled her swords from their sheaths and ran at full speed towards the fight. Orman, Rose, and Nolan tried to keep up, but soon fell far behind.

They seemed to come out of nowhere. Alana’s group had been having an easy run back toward the meeting point when the forest around them suddenly erupted and twenty T’Rundi fighters leapt out at them from all sides. Alana knew what they were from the pictures they had been shown during their classes. They looked a lot worse in person. Their jet-black skin was covered with coarse black hair. They had long curved fangs protruding from large mouths that seemed set in a perpetual snarl.

Alana was slightly ahead of her three companions and so got cut off from them when the T’Rundi attacked. The creatures hacked and slashed at them with short swords. Alana whirled and danced out the reach of their swords time and again, her long sword and short sword always blocking their strikes. She had already taken down two of her enemy when she saw Levon go down with a T’Rundi sword in his back. The victorious T’Rundi pulled out his sword with a shout and raised it to make the killing blow.

“No!” she shouted. She let go of her short sword and drew the Novadi dagger. She slashed at the beast in front of her and then drove the dagger into its chest through the opening he made when he dodged her strike. He fell to the ground without so much as a whimper. Alana leapt over his body, landed right in front of the enemy that was standing over Levon and plunged her dagger into his throat. She kicked his body aside as he started to fall on top of Levon. She heard Levon moan. “Levon, hold on!” she said. She couldn’t heal him because there were just too many enemy.

Grace and Nyle stood back to back in an effort to avoid Levon’s fate, but the T’Rundi were so many that they were getting worn down. Grace received a deep gash on her right thigh, stumbled and almost went down, but managed to pull herself upright. Alana knew her party wouldn’t last long against the onslaught. She wanted to use her fighting abilities to their fullest, but she was afraid that if she went into that mode, she wouldn’t be able to protect Levon. “Blessed Asaeria, help us,” she murmured.

One of the T’Rundi in front of her fell to ground. In his place stood Laren. “Praise the gods,” Alana said.

Laren was breathing heavily from her run. She turned to fight another T’Rundi and said to Alana, “I thought I told you to stay out of trouble.”

Alana actually laughed out loud—a strange sound to hear in the middle of a fierce battle. “When do I ever listen to anyone?” she retorted.

“Look out!” Laren shouted and took off the arm of a T’Rundi who was aiming for Alana’s neck.

Now that Laren was here, Alana knew things would be all right. Now she could really fight. “Don’t worry about me,” she said. “Watch over them.” She focused her thoughts and her energy. Time slowed for her. She saw Laren and the others fighting the T’Rundi. She saw three T’Rundi heading straight for her. She didn’t bother to duck or parry. She brought her sword through the weapon arm of one, turned and drove her dagger into the chest of the second and sliced through the legs of third, all in one fluid motion.

The sounds of the battle faded away as she fought, one T’Rundi after another going down before her. She saw, out of the corner of her eye, Orman, Rose and Nolan join the battle. She heard Lord Retak shout from somewhere behind her. Then, out of nowhere, a woman she had never seen before jumped into the fray. Alana guessed from the way she fought and how quickly she moved, that the woman was a high order Ranger Lord.

Within moments after the woman arrived, the fight was over. Twenty T’Rundi lay dead on the ground around them. Alana dropped her weapons and ran over to Levon, praying that she wasn’t too late. She knelt down next to him and leaned in to listen for his breathing. She heard it, barely perceptible above the sounds around her, but he was still alive. She put her hands on his back and focused her energy now on healing instead of fighting. “Holy Diasamon,” she prayed softly, “Lend your healing hands to me.”

“Always, my child.”

As before, when she had healed Laren, Alana felt warm hands touch her back and felt the warmth flow through her into Levon. She heard Levon’s breathing get stronger. Finally the warmth of the healing faded. Levon moaned and stirred under her hands. Alana closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief. She didn’t even realize she was falling until she felt someone grab her under her arms and pull her upright into a sitting position. “All right runt,” she heard Laren say. “That’s enough showing off for one day.”

Alana opened her eyes and saw Lord Retak kneeling in front her. She tried to get up, but he put a hand gently on her shoulder and said, “Don’t get up. You’re wounded.”

“I am?” Alana tried to bring herself back into full awareness. She still felt distant. She shook her head to try to clear it. Lord Retak had put his hands on her left calf. She saw the blood and felt his healing energy flow through her. She thought it was strange that she hadn’t noticed getting the wound nor felt any pain.

Lord Retak sat back on his heels. “There. Can you stand?”

“I think so,” Alana answered. She pulled her legs underneath her and pushed herself up with her arms. She got halfway up and started to sway, but Laren caught her and helped her stand. “Thanks,” Alana said.

“Sure,” Laren replied.

Lord Retak handed Alana her long sword and her dagger. “Here, you might want these,” he said with a crooked half smile.

“Thank you, Lord Retak,” she replied. She bent down and cleaned her weapons on the long grass, then sheathed them. She would have to go find her short sword later.

She saw Orman and Rose help Levon get to his feet. He looked pale and listless. Alana saw the other Ranger lord give Grace a hand up and then start to walk in their direction. Her short black hair, dark eyes and olive skin reminded Alana of the people of Narsacalius. When the Ranger lord got to them, Lord Retak said, “Alana, this is Lord Ejrin.”

Alana’s eyes went wide. The garrison commander had come to watch their trials. Alana bowed her head and said, “Lord Ejrin, I am honored to meet you.”

Lord Ejrin put out her hand and replied, “You fought very well today, Ranger Nadran. This stronghold is lucky to have you.”

Alana felt a thrill of triumph run through her. “Thank you, my lord,” she answered quietly as she took Lord Ejrin’s hand.

Lord Ejrin looked over at Laren and said, “You were also quite impressive, Ranger…?”

“Laren,” Laren replied somewhat hoarsely.

Lord Ejrin nodded. “Ah yes, Ranger Laren. The two of you work well together.”

“Yeah, I know,” Laren answered. She saw the mildly surprised look on Lord Ejrin’s face and added quickly, “Thank you, my lord.”

“Well, Gregory,” Lord Ejrin began, turning to Lord Retak. “It looks like we have a bit of work ahead of us. We should let them rest for a while before we start cleaning up.”

Alana saw Laren walk away, so she followed her. “Where are you going?” she asked, trying to keep up as Laren increased her pace. “Laren wait.” Laren, however, didn’t slow down until she was well away from the rest of the group. When she did finally stop, Alana was out of breath from trying keep up with her. “What’s going on?” she asked.

Laren was also breathing heavily. She finally turned around and Alana saw that there were tears in her eyes. “I’m a Ranger,” she said, her voice rough with emotion. “She called me a Ranger.” She grabbed Alana’s arms. “I couldn’t have done it without your help.” She pulled the smaller woman into an awkward embrace, held on tightly for a moment, and then let go. “Thanks, runt.”

“Sure,” Alana responded, her own eyes misting over.

“Laren! Alana!” Lord Retak called out. “Come back. We haven’t secured the area yet.”

Laren turned and started to walk back towards Lord Retak saying, “I guess we’d better get back and start acting like Rangers.”

Alana looked at her blood-stained hands and torn breeches and at Laren’s blood spattered clothes and said, “I think we’ve made a pretty good start.”