The company rode down the grassy knoll into the wide plains that separated them from the Northern mountains. Jason looked at the jagged peak in the distance and grimaced. And then he continued to eat bacon.
As the group clattered along the grassy trail, Gideon came abreast of Jason. He grinned as Jason handed him a slab, "Thank you, Sterling. What's the plan when we reach the Promonton pass?"
Jason chewed thoughtfully before he replied, "We were planning on going up through the pass about fifteen klicks and then turn right before we reach the peak of the pass, we'll leave the horses there at a fort that guards the pass that Earl March holds and leave the horses there with them. When there we'll go on foot and turn up into the mountains to continue upward."
"How far?"
"As far as we can go. No one in recent memory has reached the peak of the topmost mountain. So we will keep climbing until it isn't possible to climb anymore. And then we'll climb more." Jason laughed.
* * *
James woke up on his back. He tried to open his eyes, but they were blindfolded. His hands scrapped against the ground, sensing where he was, nostril's flared trying to make sense of the clear, cold air that hit his lungs. His mind was groping for what had happened to bring him to this place.
Just as suddenly as the cold air hit his lungs, the memories came flooding back. James Sterling tensed at the memory and struggled to his knees when he heard a voice just to his right.
"Hello, James Sterling. Good of you to join me." A young confident voice quipped.
"Who are you?" James asked defiantly.
Lydia smiled, he sounded just like Jason, "You are Jason's father, are you not?"
James Sterling tensed his muscles, his jaw clenched. "Where's Jason? Do you know where he is?"
Lydia let out a taunting laugh, "Yes. And no."
"What do you mean by that?" James didn't like her.
She ignored him. "Mathie, prepare the troops. I don't want Jason's father kept waiting."
"Yes ma'am," answered a rumbling, cheerful voice. Then he heard footsteps departing.
"And you, Sornione, get yourself off your hind in and show our guest to his living quarters."
A grunt carried across the room from where James was on his knees, "Yes ma'am." A cynical voice responded. He felt a thin hand with long, clawlike fingers grip his shoulders and pull him to a standing position. Sornione shoved him hard in the small of the back before he could get set on his feet. He stumbled to the ground. Sornione grabbed him and hauled him up with surprising strength, James Sterling shoved Sornione off. He continued to walk blindfolded. Sornione order him to halt, and stepped around him and yanked open a door. A burning smell sifted through the air to James' nostril. He grimaced.
Sornione tore the black cloth off of his eyes and gave him an elbow into the place between his shoulder blades. "Run." He said and slammed the door.
James hit the ground and started running against the ground that was moving against him.
* * *
It had been two days since they had started across the plains. Abraham Johnson looked up from his horse and looked across to the dark forest that hemmed the Promontan mountain range in. He was still gazing when the attack hit the small company from the rear.
A sharp cry arose, one that he had hoped he would never hear again. A drolf landed right in front of him and Peanut Butter. (His horse) "Jason! We're under attack!" Abraham yelled. He turned and leapt into his saddle and spurred Peanut back to the camp, with the drolf flapping right behind him.
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