SWNOVELS Chapter Talks and Trails.
Eyla was nervous coming back to the village. Her people still gave her sad looks as she walked to the Council Tent. The Elders gave her the same sad look when she entered and kneeled before them.
“What is it you wish to convey to us Hishta Eyla,” an Elder asked. Eyla swallowed hard. Soriah had not been allowed into the tent since she was not an original berserker.
“I come to tell of an evil that is threatening this land, she began, “an evil that has plagued this land for many years. This evil is now reaching its peak and if not curbed will destroy this land, our home.”
“Go on,” the Elders said softly.
“This evil is the current ruler of this land Lord Lyficen,” Eyla ventured boldly, “If we do not help the Legend of this Land to be fulfilled he will claim this land and destroy all in it. Retgonea himself has sent his Great Eagle with this message to me. So I plead that you listen to what he has said and that we Berserkers aid the people of this Land Cysia in the bid for survival.” “
We cannot Hishta Eyla,” an Elder said.
“What?” Eyla exclaimed, “But why? This land is our home too! We must help them!”
“We Berserkers have no true home,” another Elder replied, “We are nomads. Travelling across many lands. We are seekers of peace not war. We have no desire to fight.”
“But Retgonea himself has asked. WE cannot leave the Land that has given us refuge for so long to a terrible fate when we have a chance to change it,” Eyla said softly, trying to curb her anger.
“We will not be participating. When the fighting starts we will be gone by then,” another Elder said, “We cannot risk what happened in Gravaden happening again.” Eyla wanted to shout at them, argue and force them to see what they were doing was wrong and cowardly, not the way of the Berserker at all. But their faces were sad, stern and stubborn. She knew that she could not change their minds.
“Dammit,” Eyla said under her breath and got up and faced them.
“They were right,” she said to the Elders, “My heart breaks to realize they were right. I thought that…. I don’t know what I thought.” She paused, “If you will not help this land, I will. I love Cysia. It is Retgonea’s land. I will not let His land down. I have moved too much, ran away too much. This is the only land I have ever found peace in. I will not abandon it when it needs me.”
The Tent was silent when she stopped. Eyla bowed to the Elders, “I take leave of you Berserker Elder. And think not bad of me when I say this as my parting words. I wish you all peace and prosperity. But this is the first time that I have ever been ashamed of being a Berserker.”
She walked out of the tent and went with a sinking heart to her own. ‘Soriah is going to laugh at me,’ she thought, ‘she was right. The Eagle said that they would make one these choices. But why run? Why after all these years here, why run?’ She lifted the tent flap to find Soriah putting the finishing touches on two large bags.
“Ready?’ she asked.
“They did not help,” Eyla said, “you were right.”
“Then there is no time to lose,” Soriah replied, “We must get going as fast as possible to Behrud. We will ask the Dryads to give us some sort of direction to the Ecvenegen. Then we shall go to them and see where we can aid.”
“Aren’t you going to tell me ‘I told you so.’” asked Eyla.
Soriah faced her, “No. Your heart has told you that long before any of this. It has just been confirmed now. Now child, let us go!” Eyla smiled sadly and picked up her bag.
“This is the first time I have ever disobeyed my people and my Elders,” she said.
“I know,” Soriah said leading the way out the tent, “It is hard at first my child but when it is time to do right, the path is often lonely. Now onto Behrud. We have to get there as soon as possible.”
Eyla laughed, “You’re excited aren’t you?”
Soriah nodded, “It has been years since I traversed the open plains and wooded forests. I long for the weary road again. But this time I go with a desire not for myself but for others. Adventure my child is in the air.” Eyla smiled to see the older woman so happy and set her face toward the river.
The muddy waters of the Egren River greeted them uproariously. “Wait!” a voice called behind them. Eyla stopped and turned to see Rils running up to her.
“Eyla you’re leaving?” he asked seriously.
“Yes Rils,” she said. He shrugged and ran his hand through his hair.
“Why?” he asked, “If it’s alright to ask?”
“I am going to stop an evil man from ruining this land basically,” Eyla said, “The Elders said they would move once the fighting has started. You go along with them okay? Rils?”
“That thing that killed Titan. It had anything to do this?” Rils asked her.
“It is like a foot soldier,” Eyla said, “Rils you got to promise you’re not going to follow us okay. You got to stay here and protect our people.” Rils smiled sadly, “Trying to get rid of me?”
Eyla held his shoulder firmly, “No. Trying to make sure nobody else dies. Take care Rils.” With that she turned away and went after Soriah.