Leaving Kifter and Hallen downstairs, three young men slumped on their beds. Numbed from the effects of the ale, their arduous travels had finally caught up on them. Sharing a few slurs before snores vibrated the room, only Hanor lay awake, anxious of the new arrival and what repercussions it would have. Burdened by the fact his brother and Bane were not making this journey any easier, Nole was trying his best, but Bane seemed to inflame Kifter without trying.
Head aching, “The rest of the journey cannot continue like this,” he muttered, dejected. Conceding this was the final chance for Nole and Bane to go back home, he could tell that was on Kifter’s mind too. Wagons heading east promised to minimise any dangers, but would it be enough? Drifting into a fitful sleep, he still could not decide.
“What did he say?” Hallen asked, Kifter returning from talking to Blidy Liem.
“He has work lined up but will forego it if I need him.”
“That is good news,” Hallen said, sympathetic to Kifter’s frustration. Told about their eventful journey, “The Freeloaver sounds incredible, but the Nyshifter is what would worry me. I do respect Hanor’s caution.”
“What choice do we have? If we take them to Tarden, Brandor will hang me from a tree.”
“I would not like to guess what he might do.”
“Then we must convince Hanor to send them back, otherwise we are done for!”
Snapping awake, Hanor thought he heard something move, but what he could not tell. Waiting in the dark, a sudden flapping noise outside was followed by scratching sounds like knives scoring a window. Creaks groaned as if something substantial had perched on the roof of the Out-house.
Through the pitch of night, fears ignited, further misplaced noises etching into his imagination. Unable to discern anything specific, the only other sounds were of his sleeping companions. A deeper rumbling from the floor at the end of his bed was of the giant newcomer Hallen. Ominous tingles quivered through him, additional sounds outside alarming him to what darkness could hide within its shadows. What was out there?
Situated at the end of the Inn, their room was above the Out-house, the Enclosure running away from their location. Out of reach from the clawing limbs of the two trees on opposing sides of the Inn, there was ample space for whatever it was to walk on the roof. Heart racing through the long silence, it was too big to be a Fliryn. Presuming it was resting and would leave soon, to think it was just on the other side of the wall was disturbing. Eerie, the silence drew his attention out towards the enigma, inviting him to imagine what might be lurking there.
Pulling his blanket up, a sudden lurching scratched at the roof outside, making him jump. Heart faltering when huge wings started beating, climbing higher until barely audible, a deathly stillness followed as if something terrible was about to happen. Balanced on the edge of expectancy, surely one of the others must have heard it?
Before an answer came, a heart-stopping explosion erupted, shaking the floor of their room. As if a falling boulder had crashed through the roof of the enclosure, others leapt to their feet.
“What was that?” Bane cried through the darkness.
Others responded, but Hanor’s attention was diverted to the horrific screams now howling from somewhere below. Terrifying wails cried out for help as the noise of despairing kyboes filled the room. Mixed with an unworldly sound, something was attacking the animals, their stricken cries permeating the walls. Too close for comfort, if it was capable of going through the roof then these thin walls were useless.
“Follow me,” Kifter cried, opening the door.
By now, the whole Inn was alive with frantic calls, bodies clambering into the pitch corridor. A lantern lit ahead helped guide them along the narrow passage to the stairs. Keeping hold of Hanor’s arm, Kifter led them on, the young man gaining a measure of calm from his protectorate. Hallen was at the rear, trying to steady both Nole and Bane. Assurances were drowned out by fleeing bodies or the sickening noises coming from the enclosure. Kyboes were kicking at bolted doors, desperate for freedom. The horrors showed no signs of ending.
Frantic, they filed down the stairs. Not entering the Out-house but following other visitors into the Leisure Room and out through the front door, screams continued wailing throughout the building. No intruder deserved to get away with this, sharp curses burning young ears. Weapons were drawn, knives, swords or anything solid enough to use. Many were eager to put an end to it until they stepped outside where the sounds of death echoed, everyone stalling at the terrible noise.
Double doors to the enclosure lay wide open. Some Kyboes had escaped and could be seen running along the main road, too traumatised to slow down. Others however, were still trapped inside, and at the mercy of the savage in their midst. A few men drew near, only to stop short of entering, fear stalling the bravest. With no clear leadership, people cursed at the lack of direction.
“What shall we do?” cried a large round man just ahead, worried for his Kyboe.
Keeping their group together, Kifter let go of Hanor now they were outside. Taking refuge by the large tree, it was paltry cover, but it would do. Wails of torment continued but still no one dared enter the besieged building. Frustrations increased, arguments between undecided men developing. To enter meant facing the unknown. Even the giant Hallen seemed wary of going close.
“My sword is in the Out-house,” he said, as if to justify his inaction. “They would not let me stay at the Inn unless I left it there.” Pulling out his hunting knife, it was still nearly the length of Hanor’s sword.
About to step forward, Kifter held him back. “We are here for Hanor, remember?”
“I cannot stand and listen to this,” Hallen shouted above the fracas. “We have to act.”
Foreboding shadows between the wide open doors dared them to enter. Conflicting emotions about his purpose tested the Fife’s nerve, beleaguered animals pulling at his loyalties. Their discovery of the Mallen carcass reinforced the need for action.
“Stay back,” Kifter warned three anxious young faces, making his mind up. “And stay by this tree.” Gripping tight his faithful hunting blade, he signalled for Hallen to join him. “Let us go.”
Approaching the building, others joined the Fife and Hite. Screams inside turned to whimpers, the Kyboes too frightened to move. Holding as many as thirty animals, only half had escaped. Whimpers turned to hopeless groans, scraping every human heart. A rustling noise followed by creaking wood inside forced the advancing group to stop. Waiting, the sinister silence returned.
Edging closer, nervous glances flickered. At the doorway, Hallen halted. Just ahead, the carcass of a shredded Kyboe lay at the entrance of a pen, its blood collecting in a pool. Worried for his own mount, more rustles alerted them back to the dangers. Hearts pounding, Hallen and Kifter peered around the door.
A heart-stopping shrill, cold and lasting, stopped any advancement in its tracks. Piercing, some ran whilst others were stuck fast, too scared to move. Another chilling shriek wailed from the depths in front, a stark warning to those foolish enough to venture close. Scrapes followed by a lurching sound alerted them to movements inside, dreading what was to follow.
Huge and terrifying, a black shape leapt up onto the large wooden crossbeam separating two pens. What manner of creature was it? Walking on long, scrawny hind legs between each pen, skeletal claws the size of a man’s chest gripped the upright pillars as it moved. Black-pit eyes aside a lengthy elongated head glistened deathly cold through the darkness. Chilling, another ear-splitting cry shook them as it heaved as if preparing to attack. Catching their breath, its wings spread, filling the whole area. Their petty weapons were useless against such a wretched beast.
Retracting its enormous wings, it jumped, lifting itself up and out of the hole in the roof where it had entered. Splinters of wood and broken roof tiles fell, the monster breezing through the punctured wound in the rafters above. Flapping when free, hovering above the enclosure to absorb the fear generated by its presence, those at the entrance stepped back.
Against the patchy moonlit sky, its power was unmistakable. Handheld fire-torches cast an orange glow against the creature’s ribbed underside. Another deathly shrill pierced all who stared on, huge blackened wings spanning wide. Some ran, expecting more death and destruction to follow. Hovering above the silent tomb-like enclosure, so cold and deadly, it seemed to be savouring the effect it was having. When it turned and disappeared into the vastness of night, those left on the ground could not believe it, staring, too stunned to move.
Fear, the ultimate defeater, bound many tongues. Only a certain Fife from the south knew what beast it was. Recalling the Seekers’ tale at Tilor, shock now permeated every mutter or wipe of the brow.
Whimpers from the enclosure alerted them back to the sufferings inside. Cautious, Hallen, Kifter and five others approached the entrance. Adjusting to the conditions, no other winged monsters were present, only petrified Kyboes shivering in the dark. Two were cowering at the end to their right, but most of the desolation happened to their left. Two carcasses lay across the doorways of their pens, stomachs clawed open. The dead occupants of the next two pens had also been butchered. Some doors lay open and were empty, but others remained shut, haunted eyes staring out.
“What manner of creature was it?” Dandin asked, traumatised. Beenie was at his side, tearful. The large man, still in his bedclothes, pitied two shaking Kyboes tucked in one corner. This was dreadful.
“A Nyshifter,” Kifter said, solemn and ominous.
Others entered when confident the danger had gone. A few reacted selfishly, angry calls complaining about the security arrangements and the loss.
“Where has my Kyboe gone?” bellowed one man, more concerned about the inconvenience of having to go look for it than appreciating how lucky he was.
“I will not be staying here again,” cried another, his Kyboe trembling at the back of its pen.
Placing their mounts at the other end, Kifter and Hallen worked their way through the scurrying bodies of concerned owners. On reaching their allotted pens, they stopped.
“My lady must have got out,” Hallen said, her door ajar. Thankful, he only hoped she had not travelled far, worried that creature might pick her off.
“At least she is alive,” the Fife said, still recovering. Nole and Bane’s Kyboes were cowering at the rear of their pens, a handheld lantern nearby casting its grim glow across their stricken features. Ghostly, unblinking eyes stared back. “I have never seen such a look as this,” the Fife said, finding his and Hanor’s Kyboes together at the end of the Enclosure.
Snapping alert, as if remembering an appointment, Kifter darted past the big Hite.
“What is it?” Hallen called, dismayed by the thought of the creature returning.
Halting outside, the Fifanian was relieved to see the three young lads approaching. ‘I cannot believe how long I left him out here,’ he thought, meaning Hanor. Angry at himself, the code for any Guarder was to protect the people hiring them at all costs. It was why he had been hesitant to enter in the first place. Lingering inside without ensuring Hanor’s safety first was indefensible. If the creature had returned, he might have lost his young charge.
“Well…?” Hallen asked upon reaching them.
Cursing inwardly at his lapse, Kifter tried to conceal his fury. “It is nothing.” Unwilling to forgive himself, pressures mounted. With Hallen catching him out, and his inability to deal with the Freeloaver, three times he had failed in as many turns. Not one to make mistakes, this was shameful.
Accustomed to the Fife’s high expectations, Hallen let it go for now. There were more important issues to deal with. “What shall we do?” he asked, concerned for his Kyboe.
“I do not want to get caught out by that Nyshifter again,” Kifter said, searching the night sky.
“Nyshifter!” Nole said, anxious. “Is that what that thing was?” Hiding behind the tree when it had broke free from the Enclosure, they had only seen it for a fleeting moment. Rattled, those terrible shrieks could never be forgotten.
“I did warn you of the dangers,” was all Kifter said on the matter.
“I cannot leave her for long out there,” Hallen said, meaning his Kyboe. “Especially with that thing flying around.”
Distracted, Kifter was still coming to terms with his failures. Deciding he would chain Hanor to himself next time if need be, he considered their next move. “I will stay here with these,” he said, indicating the boys. “It is pointless leaving this place now. If it wanted to wreak more havoc, it would not have left. Four of our Kyboes need attention, so we will do what we can before catching some rest. I would go with you but… we have additions here that have to be protected.” It was why he did not want Nole and Bane to stay. Gazing out across the shadowy hillside, Hallen’s search would not be easy. “Watch yourself, and do not try anything foolish.”
Hallen headed out in the direction of the fleeing Kyboes. It was to be a long night.
“Come,” Kifter said. “We have some tending to do.”
Just before dawn, Hallen returned. His huge Kyboe, nearly a third larger than their own, refused to enter the Enclosure. In the half-light, Hanor, Nole and Bane stroked it by the tree. Its former abode was now a place of terror and death.
“You look tired Hallen,” Kifter noted, the strains catching up on all of them.
“I am coping,” the Hite said, yawning.
Putting to flame the last Kyboe carcass, a generous offer was made by Dandin - the Inn-keeper. “There is a hot broth and morning meal for any guests still here. No charge. It is the least we can do.” Only a few took up the invitation.
“What will you do?” Kifter asked Dandin, the Inn-keeper joining them whilst eating. Appetites fluctuated, although the heat of the broth did help.
“I do not know,” he said, not hungry either. “My livelihood will be shattered by this.”
“This is proof people need to realise what threatens The Freelands,” Kifter said, expecting word to spread about the horrors of this night.
“I had heard rumours of course,” Dandin admitted, the light outside increasing. “But... until it happens to you, you carry on as normal.”
“What rumours?”
“About strange creatures, and some people going missing.”
“I have heard the stories too.”
“Really?” the Inn-keeper said. “Did I not hear you give that thing a name?”
“Nyshifters. They come from the north.”
“They…! You mean there are others?”
“If the tales are to be believed,” the Fife said. Dandin’s reactions were the kind Brandor had promised would come.
“Oh dear, how terrible.” The Inn-keeper looked at Hanor, Nole and Bane, thoughtful. Judging by their lack of reaction, they must have heard about them already. “And what are youngsters doing travelling these dangerous lands? For until this night…, the question would not have even occurred to me.”
Numb from the night’s events, Hanor just shrugged, recalling Kifter’s caution about wagging tongues.
“Well, no doubt you regret leaving the safety of your home now, if anywhere can be called safe from a creature like that.”
“It has crossed my mind,” Hanor confessed.
“At least you are in capable hands,” he said, familiar with Kifter and Hallen. Burying head in hands, Dandin sighed. “Ah well, at least no one was killed.”
“That is something to be thankful for,” Hallen agreed.
Wishing he could have done more, Dandin excused himself. “I need to rest. Eat all you will.” He left the group, disappearing into his private quarters behind the counter.
“There is much torment to come,” Kifter said, watching him go.
“Brandor did warn us,” Hallen added.
“It is but the beginning.”
“What shall we do now?” Hanor asked, after a brief period of reflection.
Kifter stared back at him. “That… depends on you.”
Startled, “What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean.”
Conscious of his brother and Bane, both were sitting either side of Hanor. “What options are there?”
Toying with his food, Kifter held nothing back. “You have now seen what threatens The Freelands, and last night was just a small part of what is to come. There are twelve Nyshifters, and many other vile creatures just as ruthless. You need to ask yourself, do you really want to put them in harms way?” Unsurprising, he indicated Nole and Bane.
Tensions rising, Hanor had delayed this moment for long enough, weighing the arguments for and against their inclusion. To send them back with a merchant would consume him with worry, but what would he do if something terrible was to happen to them? Doubting he had a choice anyway, would they go just because he said? Probably not. An answer began to surface, and the more he considered it, the clearer it became. Even though he would prefer them to be back at Manson, he could not accept responsibility for their actions.
“I do not have the right to choose their path,” he said, letting Kifter down for a second time. “If they want to fight against this evil…, then who am I to deny them that chance?” Nole and Bane’s yip of excitement did not show.
Displeased, Kifter expected nothing less. “This is your final decision?”
Nodding before looking up, Hanor sighed, surprised Hallen had nothing to say.
“I suggest we get going then.” Standing, the Fife did not wait for a response. Turning, he left through the side door.
“Hey…,” Hallen mumbled, mouth half-full. “I am eating.”
Kifter was in no mood to consider protests.
“What shall we do?” Hanor asked, taken aback.
“I suggest you do as he says,” Hallen said, grabbing a handful of quaner and some nuts before making for the door. “Do it before he changes his mind.”
Nole stopped Hanor. “Thank you… for your support.”
Hanor was blunt, holding his gaze. “I have not supported you at all. It is not a light matter you being here. At home, at least there is protection, what security is there out here?”
“Precisely,” Nole said, patting his arm. “So what chance do you have with so few to guard you?”
Sincerely put, Hanor knew he would be reacting just as they were. “If you insist on coming, then let us go. And try not to upset anyone,” he said, pointing at Bane.
“Me?” Bane said, as if innocent. “Now this has been cleared up, perhaps we can start treating each other as friends.”