The feminine voice chuckled in his mind.
“I am confused,” said General Somma as he mounted his horse. “Team Elmor should be traveling along the coast. It will take us days to reach them, especially if we only travel at night, but you indicated that a trap awaited them tomorrow. How can we possible be there in time?”
“We will be with Bin-lu in a couple of hours,” smiled Rut-ki as she mounted her horse. “You may sleep on the way if you wish. Your unicorn will not let you fall.”
Rut-ki’s mount sprouted wings and leaped into the air. General Somma’s mount immediately mimicked Rut-ki’s unicorn and Colonel Rotti’s jaw fell as he watched the magnificent beasts take to the air.
If you plan on running away, Zaran, now is your last chance. Leaving the saddle up in the sky is not a wise choice.
The third unicorn leaped into the air. Colonel Rotti gripped the saddle tightly, and his eyes widened as he looked down at the receding ground.
I hope you are not afraid of heights, giggled the feminine voice. I can’t stand nervous legs constantly pounding on my sides.
Colonel Rotti stared at the unicorn’s head in wonder. “Are you talking to me?” he asked out loud.
Is there someone else upon my back? quipped the unicorn.
Colonel Rotti shook his head as if to wake himself from the dream. He glanced down at the tiny moonlit strand of water that was the mighty Chi River and inhaled deeply. He could not believe what he was seeing. But it was more than merely what he was seeing. He could feel the bite of the wind against his face, and he could hear the powerful strokes of the creature’s mighty wings. He glanced once more at the back of the unicorn’s head.
“Where is your horn?” Colonel Rotti asked. “If unicorns truly do exist, they are supposed to have horns.”
Must everything be proved to you? taunted the unicorn as she made her horn appear. One would think that such skepticism would have shown itself much sooner. Like maybe when you agreed to attack a country that you truly knew nothing about. Where was your skepticism then?
Colonel Rotti stared in awe at the spiral horn just in front of him. He closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them again, wondering if anything would change. Nothing changed. For a while he sat silently, letting the unicorn’s taunt sink in.
“I guess that I have been a fool,” the colonel sighed softly. “I do not know which comes as more of a shock, whether it be riding a mythical unicorn through the night sky or being lectured by one.”
Well, chuckled the unicorn, you are doubly blessed this night. We have a couple of hours to go before reaching Hun-lo Heights, and I can lecture on any number of topics. Perhaps we should start by discussing the proper degree of respect to be shown to the Knights of Alcea.
* * * *
Corporal Chitor made his way through the encampment of the 21st Corps of Spino. He glanced uneasily at the trees marking the perimeter of the camp and sat down next to Sergeant Turang.
“Can’t you get us a site deeper into the camp?” the corporal asked softly.
“Sites are assigned at the regimental level,” replied the sergeant. “What difference does it make where we sleep?”
“We are too close to the perimeter, complained the corporal. “The dwarves would overrun us before the rest of the camp was even alerted.”
“Don’t start with the dwarves again,” scowled the sergeant. “I am not in the mood.”
“It’s not just me,” retorted Corporal Chitor. “Well over a hundred men saw the dwarves today. The whole camp is talking about it. Why is it that you are the only person who is trying to deny their existence?”
“I am not the only one,” snapped the sergeant. “You will not find an officer in this entire camp that believes in dwarves. In fact, I heard that General Ritka is threatening to make an example out of the next person who reports seeing a dwarf. You would be wise to keep your mouth shut.”
“I can’t believe that not a single officer saw the dwarves today,” countered the corporal. “Men from every single company saw them. It is not possible for all of the officers to have missed seeing at least one dwarf. Do they travel with their eyes closed?”
Sergeant Turang sighed and stared at the ground. “Look, Chitor,” he said softly, “you and I both know that the dwarves are out there, but the officers cannot admit that. They cannot allow the soldiers of the 21st Corps or the 29th Corps to get frightened silly. They have to maintain order and discipline and that means that they will make an example out of someone. Keep your mouth shut or that someone might be you.”
Corporal Chitor frowned deeply. “I understand what you are saying, Turang, but not talking about them doesn’t make the dwarves go away. The generals are doing nothing about the situation. I am positive that the dwarves are probably right out there now looking at us sitting here. All I am asking is if you can figure out a way to get our site moved deeper into the camp. At least we would have a fighting chance when those creatures attack.”
“And what do you think the generals should be doing?” grumbled the sergeant. “Do you want them to send patrols out? Do you want to be in one of those patrols? Think about the results of your complaining before you speak. If another squad leader heard you talking, he would be recommending you for just such a patrol, and me and the rest of the squad would get to reap your punishment. Just shut your trap about the dwarves.”
The corporal’s eyes grew large, and he seemed to have trouble swallowing. He glanced at the dark trees beyond the perimeter, and his body shuddered.
“I’ll keep my mouth shut,” vowed the corporal, “but I still think you should try for a better campsite tomorrow night.”
The sergeant sighed again and picked up a rock as he rose to his feet. “I actually did try for a better site tonight,” the sergeant said softly. “It seems that every squad leader wanted to be in the center of the camp. Colonel Pierce was not happy with the requests. He was the officer who brought up the dwarves and the threat by General Ritka to make an example out of someone. They all know about the dwarves, Chitor. They are just lying to us so we don’t get nervous and start thinking about deserting.”
“I wouldn’t fancy deserting and being alone in those woods,” Corporal Chitor replied nervously. “If I did desert, I would turn around and run as fast as I could back to the portal. I don’t want to be in Alcea any more.”
“The portals are gone,” the sergeant said softly. “I overheard a cavalry captain telling the general about it. Both portals were ripped out of the walls.”
“Ripped out of the walls?” gasped Chitor.
“Probably by dwarves,” nodded the sergeant. “I can’t imagine the strength of a creature who could just rip a door out of a wall, but that is what the captain reported.”
“Interesting that the generals sent riders out to check on the portals,” mused the corporal. “Do you think the generals were thinking about heading back home?”
“I don’t know,” answered Sergeant Turang, “but I know they are worried about the dwarves. Colonel Pierce had suggested sending the cavalry out to capture one of the dwarves to interrogate, but General Ritka squashed the idea. He was afraid that the cavalry wouldn’t return and that the effect of that loss would devastate morale.”
“So we just do nothing?” balked the corporal. “Sooner of later we will have to meet those creatures. You have to know that the dwarves are just biding their time. I don’t look forward to fighting them, but I would rather do so on our terms than theirs.”