The Endërland Chronicles: Book of Daniel

Hëna was the first to be awakened by the noises around them. She opened her beautiful black eyes and got up, her hand immediately reaching for her sword.

  ‘I wouldn’t do that, Lightbringer.’

  The words came from a bulky wingman with white long hair and large white wings, half spread behind him. He stood arms crossed between two similar looking wingmen, both holding crossbows akin to the ones the mermaids used. Several more, also armed, were spread in a circle around the little camp, seemingly surrounding them.

  Daniel and Nemo woke up one after the other and joined in Hëna’s confusion at the sight of the armed wingmen.

  ‘What’s going on?’ Daniel asked, directing his question at Hëna, rather than at their new ‘friends’. The reply however came from the same wingman that spoke earlier.

  ‘You must be the Visitor.’ His face showed interest as he analyzed Daniel standing before him, but his tone was harsh and commanding. ‘What’s going on is that you are coming with us. Our Chieftain requires the presence of your company. Pack your belongings; we’re leaving right away.’

  ‘What is the meaning of all this?’ Hëna asked, pointing at the wingmen and their weapons. ‘We are not a threat to your people.’

  ‘My apologies, Lightbringer, but you misunderstand; we were sent to be of help and protection. Now, if you’d be so kind,’ he moved aside, showing her the way. There was a hint of impatience in his voice, but the wingman knew better than to be rude to her.

  The three moved quickly, packing all their belongings and shouldering their bags. Having sent the horses back, they were now forced to carry them on their backs all the way, and that made walking all the more tiresome. The prospect of climbing uphill almost halfway up the mountains, where Dard'h was situated, now seemed even more challenging, and somehow they doubted the armed wingmen would give them a hand.

  It was afternoon when they began climbing up the steep hill, upon which the village of the wingmen was located. Sleeping for a couple of hours, had not done much to restore their energy and strength, and Daniel felt even more tired than he did before.

  Dragging his feet behind him, Nemo couldn’t even lift his eyes off the ground. This was one of those days when he wished he was back under the sea with his mother and sisters. Still, he did not regret coming with Daniel, and was determined to go all the way. ‘Until his debt is properly paid,’ his mother had said, and to that he would hold true.

  The ascent was slow and difficult, but they kept on going. When they were still a good few hours from the village, Hëna departed and Heli joined them soon after. The leader of the wingmen seemed to grow more uncomfortable in the presence of their big friend. He moved at the front of the line and stayed there until they finally arrived at Dard'h.

  When they entered the village, they stopped in front of a small wooden shack at the far east side, which had been prepared to host them. It stood a good distance from the rest of the collective houses of the Northern Tribe, and it did not match their style. It was obviously not built for them, and most likely, not by them either.

  ‘Tomorrow, you will go before our Chieftain, who is most anxious to meet with you,’ the bulky wingman told them, as he prepared to leave them for the night. ‘Tonight you will rest here. Should you require anything, two of my wingmen will be stationed outside this door the whole time. Good night!’

  He greeted them courtly and left, taking with him all but two of the armed wingmen, who positioned themselves on either side of the door, like guards. This bothered Daniel even more. The northern wingmen’s behavior was unlike anything he had experienced so far in Endërland; he certainly did not feel like a guest. Still, he supposed it was to be expected; Ghordi’s people were surely not very happy with The Council’s decision.

  The small room inside the shack was pretty much as Daniel expected; there was a small stove in the middle, with the fire already going, and a big pile of cut wood at its feet for them to feed it. He saw three beds, one against each wall, and a small table with water and washing amenities, but other than, that there wasn’t much else. Clearly no one ever really came in here, let alone lived in.

  ‘Are you guys thinking what I’m thinking?’ Nemo said, setting his backpack on the floor, and collapsing on the nearest bed, glad to get the weight off his feet.

  ‘If you’re thinking this is not really a guest house, then yes,’ Heli answered. He dropped his own stuff on the floor as well and went to feed the fire.

  ‘Have you ever visited them before?’ Daniel asked. He walked to one of the other two beds; left his bag underneath it and sat down also.

  ‘Never had the chance, no,’ Heli answered and then continued. ‘I know what you’re thinking, Dan, and I agree; something must be going on. They have always been a little different from the rest of their kind, but this is not how they usually treat their guests. Still, I wouldn’t worry about it; let’s wait and see what their Chieftain has to say, first. In the meantime, I suggest you guys get some sleep; you both look terrible.’

  Daniel and Nemo didn’t even feel like retorting; they were way too tired for that. They agreed that the best thing they could do right now was to rest and recover their strength. Tomorrow would come soon enough and they could worry then about the mountain wingmen. They both lay down, happy it would be on a bed this time, and covered themselves with their blankets. Heli sat down by the fire, getting back to working on his wooden figurine.