Two days had passed since the fight. Karolus kept conversation with Connor making sure he was ok and just to tell him if he needed anything then to ask. He could see that it was starting to irritate his younger brother. 

He learned from Stella and Aden that the Calvarian’s were the descendants of Dragons and at one point held the largest empire of the known world. 

There was a time it was said that every time you stepped out your door a dragon would fly by. 

They had never shared their culture though, theirs had been military expansions and an attempt at subjection. It was common with a lot of empire building. Maybe if folks tried to get along more empires could be built on peace. He laughed out loud at the thought.

Stella was well travelled it seemed, she knew a lot about, well, everything. Connor would ask about the Calvarian’s, a lot, seeking out things they didn’t like that might be used to stop them. 

“You stop them the same way you did before, young’un.” she had said.

Aden’s lessons in life were far simpler, they lived as full as they could. They drank, loved and fought with every bit of themselves. They had stuck Rolands spear deep into the ground where he had fallen.

But not took a drop of their hip flask since. Aden had told Karolus it was a tradition and that they would not drink until they rested before the hearth of home. Where they would toast to their friends' life.

As a party they were a little mismatched but the conversation was easy. Stella and Connor made sure of it. The halfling cleric told the boy of her time first on the divine path of Shiorraidh Cadal. Slaying monsters roaming the highlands, out thinking tricky Fae and creatures of the shadows, and the time she fell in love with a Natash Orc from Sovii. 

Connor was mesmerised by it all. To be fair it was a good distraction. Karolus had noticed there were moments his brother went quiet and would stare ahead before snapping back to it.  

On the second day Yina had confirmed that those back at the village had indeed packed up and were heading to Bruiden. 

Karolus wondered what had happened back in Grey Rock. Was everyone dead? Had they been taken away? There wasn’t a Stella back home, mostly folks just did their thing and looked out for one another and it worked. 

Stella had said the Clavarian’s sometimes took prisoners and put them to work in the cities and farms. She had heard rumours of worse.

Aden was spending time ahead of the party looking out for more ranger types and their hunting lizards. They would check in with Yina giving the all clear, keeping them moving. The pace was decent and they had a good time. So much so that if they so choose they could be back in Grey Rock in a day or so. The thought of walking into a pile of ash was not a comforting one. 

Stella had suggested that it might now be abandoned and a good place to hopefully find a trail of where Galwyn might have gone.

Both Karolus and Stella exchanged theories of what might be going on, simple invasion, rogue band but it seemed unlikely from their organisation. 

The big why? Was Connor, what did the Calvarians want with him, and why curse him?

He also couldn’t fathom where the other Douén were.

Galwyn looked to stand alone against the invading Calvarians.

Grey Rock would need to be visited sooner rather than later regardless of a direction the cleric decided. Spirits needed sending on, no one wanted a village of restless spirits to deal with.

As the thought of spirits came to mind, Karolus had looked for and failed to find any of the elemental spirits since they entered Bluewyn a few days ago.

They were people shy it seemed.

“How yer holding up?” Stella asked with care.

“Better than I was.” he answered truthfully.

“Keep yer head about yer lad. Long ways to go.” she smiled with the care of a mother.

Connor had been quiet for a while, practising his bow at the trees as they passed them. Firing one arrow then another before running up and taking them from his targets. He was a decent shot, far better than Karolus was at his age, or even now.

Every so often Karolus heard him muttering under his breath all the things he hated about the Samos, how he hated lizards and anyone who liked them. It saddened his heart to know his brother was filling his own with hate. 

At times Connor would grip the battle axe so tightly the leather grip would creak. The younger brother was angry, constantly. But it simmered.

“Little brother!” Karolus strode over, hoping to get a softer look from his sibling.

“What?” Connor asked whilst concentrating, the arrow flew true and hit the trunk.

“You are getting pretty good with that thing.” 

“It's easy. You just aim and let go of the arrow. I don’t know how you miss all the time.” he gathered the arrows.

“Me neither Connor, me neither.” Karolus laughed, even now his younger brother still managed to mock him. 

“You know, we ain't far from home. Mother will need a prayer. You got one in mind?" The subject wasn’t an easy one to broach but a needed one.

Connor let the pull on the bowstring go slack, it was a moment he had not thought about until now. He would pray to Iodhadh, the Drydakka of life, death and rebirth. Pray for a way to get his mother back.

Another day passed and they were only hours away from the settlement. Glen had taken them south and away through the forests. Travelling by road and more direct was far quicker. Karolus felt sick knowing how close they were.

Aden scouted a head by a good couple of hours and had spotted, and avoided, more of the rangers. Gila lizards were everywhere, commanded by Samos. Patrols of them were often and nearby in the forests, and hills.

“What now?” Connor asked, itching to run to the village.

“They have fortified the place, and a palisade has been erected. They look to be staying.” Aden spat.

“Staying? Why?” Karolus asked, confused.

“Good, means we don’t have to chase them.” said Connor, a look of victory in his eyes.

“There be no chasing. Not unless yer done with life, which you aint lad.” Stella clipped Connor on the back of the head.

“If they staying, means more be happening here.” said Aden looking back the way he had scouted.

“Reet, new plan.”

With this news Stella had made sure they were now following as many clumps of trees and thickets as they could, anything that would break line of sight as they travelled. She turned them West to avoid as much overview from Grey Rock as she could.

Connor was clearly not amused with the choice of direction but Stella had a way of being obeyed.

The wagon that Yina rode on was problematic. Leading it off the beaten path would lead to the pace dropping and the likelihood of having to leave it behind. Stuck in the mud somewhere. But they would deal with that when the issue arose.

Stella and Aden spoke back and forth of where to head; they couldn't go to any of the neighbouring villages and towns as they were likely occupied by Calvarian’s and their Samos soldiers. Aden was to confirm each one but they needed a plan regardless of what they found out. 

“There is a river not far from here, it runs for miles through the valley’s. We can take it north west, all the way to the sea if we wanted. But there are places on the way we can stop and warn folks that Yina can’t message. I hope this wolf friend of yers, is as powerful as yer claim.” Stella spoke her plan out loud as they stopped for food.

“I know the river, we call it Shia’dens River.” Karolus felt useful at least for a small part of what was going on. 

“We the same, well it's our best bet to move hastily, we need to drop you off Yina as soon as we can. These lizards are gonna be a pain to deal with.” Stella was firm and fair with her words.

“Good, too old for this pony dung. Sooner the better.” she scowled. 

With the plan shared and Connor still unhappy it was agreed that the larger safety of highlanders was the priority. Stella told Connor she would make sure he got his shot at them despite the disapproving look from Karolus.

The trek down the hillsides towards the river was difficult and slow, the ponies were not having a fun time of it. The rain started to pick back up and cause more issues, making the ground under foot and hoof treacherous. Some parts took nearly an hour to navigate the wagon down under the threat of Yina covering everything in druidic fire.

Eventually they made it down to the river bank nearest them. The sun had set and during the winter season it was dark, so dark that it was surprising. There was a semi-decent pathway along the river's edge. Stella gave the call to set up camp whilst Aden went about dismantling the wagon. 

At first Karolus was confused but then saw they were turning it into a raft of sorts. The wheels we tied together and placed flat on the wagon. Karolus hadn’t made many rafts in his life but it looked awkward. 

It made sense as the southern clans spent a lot of time travelling land and river for trade. He was quietly impressed.

Aden dragged the wagon-raft into the river and as Karolus expected it sat floating on the water. Loading it back up with the stock of food, drink and camping gear they had taken off during the raft making and still it sat afloat.

The raft looked like it would do the job and even though Karolus was dubious he trusted the halflings. Helping Aden load the wagon now raft back up with everything that had been taken off it was quiet at first but then as two person lifts were needed Aden paused to take a drink and passed the water skin to Karolus.

“Rough couple of weeks?.” Aden rhetorically asked.

“And some.” Karolus took a long drink of the skin, he had been so thirsty since the village fire. 

“Young Connor is wanting blood for blood.” 

Karolus clenched his teeth, for some reason he felt he had to defend Connor against the flippant statement. But he could see it too. The moments when Connor stared into the distance, or walked quietly with a frown on his face. 

“He is Namoh of Dair, oak through and through. I don’t know what worries more, him risking his life now and killing one or two, or him growing to adulthood and the rivers of blood he will bring down on them.”

“Bit dramatic lad, teach him to fight, teach him to focus it and he be reet.” Aden nodded, spitting out to the middle of the river.

“We just need to get somewhere safe, and relax for a time.” Karolus held no conviction in his words.

“And where do you think that is? If those damn lizards are here in force then the highlands are not going to be a relaxing place until they are gone. Are you willing to abandon it all for a bit of relaxation?” Aden was not subtle.

“For relaxation no, for Connors life, yes.” Karolus had never said anything more confidently.

Aden nodded again,  and bent to pick up the last bit of kit, and with Karolus help, loaded it onto the raft.

The party ate and swapped wet clothing for dry clothing before clambering onto the raft. Aden pushed it further in and then climbed on. If they stayed on the river until it hit the sea they would be on it for several days. They would try to rest as it followed the flow of the river but were aware they would need to bank it every so often.

The raft did its job and carried the party along the river. Even though he hadn’t returned home Karolus felt as though he was running from it again. But Stella was right and other things needed doing first, and he knew in himself he wasn’t ready to see the ashes. 

Two days on the river, banking the raft twice to eat and drink. It was a very peaceful trip this far. Connor fell into his young imagination multiple times, telling stories of all the adventures he was going to have in the forests either side of the river, deep into the rolling hills, the town of Highlock they had stopped at earlier. 

When the youth wasn’t focusing on telling stories of dragonfolk being killed he was quite the settling presence to the others. They smiled when he wanted them to and made excited faces at the right moment. Karolus didn’t know how to react to the ease, Stella, Yina and Aden made Connor feel the star of the show considering their circumstances.

They had passed a handful of river folk that lived on small barges. Never bound to one place, they paid homage to the river akin to how others prayed to the Drydakka. 

Their barges were decorated with butterfly and moth motifs. Representing the light and dark of the river. To some the barges were an omen, to others a reminder of what sacrifice can achieve. 

Yina told them that the river is named after Shia’dens, who was the lover of Drydakka and those spirits that were lost were picked up by the barges and taken safely to the forests beyond.

The lovers agreed it would be this way and in turn sacrificed their love to make sure all those of Toa made it.

Yina told it with such grump in her voice that it was as if she disliked the myth. Which in turn made the rest laugh.

Karolus and Connor would remember them as long as they lived, there was a peaceful presence when they passed. 

Coming along in front of them was a small fishing boat, sat within a pair of Gnomes both shirtless, not bothered by the rainfall, soft as it might be falling it was constant.

“Afternoon to yer!” Stella called.

They turned with aged eyes, thick grey eyebrows and thinning hair. They did nothing but nod and kept hold of the wooden rods they held on the side of the boat. 

Karolus stared at the ashen woad they had on their torsos, it was swirling and imageless. Aden quickly explained it was the same as the tartan the clans wore, it denoted the family or tribe they were from.

Gnomes weren’t known for mingling, there was no animosity about it, simple a peoples that preferred their own company. However if the Highlands called upon them they would answer, for the Grunth were the animus of Toa, its its protectors.  

For a moment, Karolus felt stupid at his lack of knowledge of the world. In fact not the world, his own nation. He had travelled for days and days with his brother and they were still firmly within the borders of the Toan Highlands. 

“Keep it down would ya, you’ll scare the flippers away.” the closest Gnome tried to whisper but the dig in the ribs from their companion told them they hadn’t.

Stella waved apologetically and signalled Aden to guide the raft away from the fishing Gnomes as not to disturb their work.

Less than an hour later they banked the raft a stone's throw away from Wheel-Mill. The next town along, a huge water wheel sat in the river turning slowly. Yina pointed out the obvious mill built adjacent.

Aden adjusted their gear and headed into town. It had been agreed they would check out each town first. Yina was drawing druidic shapes in the mud of the bank. The rain tried to fill the muddy channels but it wasn’t heavy enough and so Yina would whisper a cantrip to help the element. 

Connor checked his bow repeatedly when he had run out of adventures to make up. Karolus didn’t enjoy the flip in personas he was seeing in his brother. He kept reminding himself to just be ready when the time came that his little brother needed him.

“He's taking to long.” Stella grumbled standing next to Karolus. 

“Should we be worried?” he asked.

“Normally no.” she held her oaken holy symbol.

It had been almost an hour and Aden had not returned. They were meant to head in to check it was clear then once confirmed Stella would go in and talk to the folk and let them know of the dire situation. 

Karolus was now on edge, he couldn’t help but keep holding the handle of his sword. He was trying to hide it but subconsciously reached for it. 

More so when Aden came towards them through the short bushes. The party weren’t necessarily hiding but they weren’t making themselves obvious. Aden was battered and bruised. Their upper body was naked and fresh cuts were across it, the rain thinning the blood that trickled down their chest. 

“Stella.” Yina said, staring in Adens direction.

“What?” Then she saw and her hammer was instantly in her hand.  

“Connor, Karolus. Get on the raft.” Stella gave the command with no urgency or panic in her voice, it was simply an encouraged request.

Karolus pulled the broadsword and stepped beside Connor who was the last to notice. Now the bow was held and an arrow notched but not pulled. 

Behind Aden, two Gila lizards, black and orange scales looking shiny and slick in the rain and light of the grey day. Their teeth bared and hungry. Aden stumbled forwards, as if dazed. From time to time they stopped and stared skyward, swollen eyes embracing the rain. 

Now they could all see Adens wrists were in binds. Stella walked towards them, each step carrying a threat to the Gila lizards. The beasts backed off a little but had clearly been given commands to obey by another. 

Aden fell into Stellas arms, the weight forcing her to take a knee. The holy symbol brightened as her hand touched their chest. Shock and sadness filled her and Karolus could see it in her eyes as she looked back towards him. 

“We should kill them Karolus.” Connor said through gritted teeth, bringing his bow up.

“No, we need to leave. Now.” Karolus started to push against the raft to get it back into the deeper part of the river. 

“NO!” Connor shouted and let the arrow loose.

It flew high and wide of the Gila lizards and slammed into an arcane shield reactively cast by a Calvarain that looked very different to the Samos soldiers and rangers they had seen thus far. 

Their scales were chunky in odd shapes on parts of their skin, like crystal clusters. Their heads were narrow and eyes snake like. They were a Tharros, sorcerers from birth. The dirty white colouration of their scales reminded Karolus of chalk.

Stella ran forwards summoning the sharp divine holly leaves once more, to create a protective warding around her.

“Get out of here boys! Get to Bruiden!” she cried back over her shoulder. 

Yina looked up at Karolus, knee deep in the river, and smiled. 

“You heard her lads, begone with yer.” and before their eyes Old Yina disappeared beneath her blankets and leapt from the pile as a fully grown wolf. Once a young powerful black furred wolf now a leaner, more cunning and grey patched wolf.

The wolf sprinted forwards to join Stella in the fight with the two Gila and the Tharros. Karolus looked to Aden lying still on the ground, to the swirling divine magic protecting Stella and the aged wolf leaping head long at the nearest lizard. 

Connor had already notched another arrow and let it loose, it slammed into the same arcane shield.

“Die!” Connor shouted after his shot. 

Karolus was at the raft holding it steady, the river trying to carry it further down. He was moving slowly with it but couldn’t stop the river from taking it. 

“Connor, get on the raft, we need to go!” fear raced through him. The Calvarian’s were here, in a quiet river village.

“I hate you!” Connor called again and fired another arrow just missing Stella as her hammer slammed into the flank of the nearest Gila. 

A loud yelp came from the wolf. Karolus saw the lifeless body of Old Yina hit the ground and cold dead eyes stared at him standing in the water. One Gila lizard lay nearby her, also lifeless, a clear bite had ripped its throat out. 

Stella fought hard, her protective magics slashing the flesh of the remaining Gila and the magic slinging Tharros. Her holy symbol of oak was bright and did not dare dim.

Karolus forced the panic away and then let the raft go, lunging through the water to his brother still standing on the bank, rage in his eyes. Preparing another arrow. He grabbed Connor and turned him face.

“Connor, we have to go. They are going to kill us if we don’t.” They were face to face. 

“Please Connor, we need to leave.”

Connor stared into his older brother's eyes and felt very tired all of a sudden, the rage and adrenaline rushed from him. Tears followed with shaking hands.

“Karolus. They are right there.” Connor sobbed.

Karolus hugged him tight and grabbed his hand. He pulled him towards the water. The raft was enjoying the freedom of the river and moving quicker than they were. 

The second Gila fell. The Holly guardians faded and disappeared. Stella breathed heavily facing the scaled sorcerer. Hammer met a thick summoned arcane blade and small sparks flew in the rain.  

Karolus looked about quickly. He didn’t fancy their chances on land, the river was still the quickest form of travel but his heart dropped as the raft was definitely lost to them at this point. 

“Still think you are a better swimmer.” Karolus smiled at his brother and nearly shed his own tears as Connor smiled softly back.

Karolus took the belt strap from Connor's quiver and buckled it to Connors wrist, and wrapped the other end around his. 

“We don’t race ok, we stay together, and you do not go under ok.” Karolus spoke as firmly as he could. Connor nodded.

The brothers waded out into the river and swam slowly with the flow of the river. At first it felt like they were swimming extremely fast. With their wrists tied together with the belt they stayed on their sides and used a single arm to swim.

Looking at the duel on the bank, both warriors looked heavily wounded. Karolus could have sworn he saw Stella wink at him as they dipped down and around a bend. 

The town of Wheel-Mill slowly becoming a dot behind them, the brothers kept their eyes on the raft in front and swam in its wake. 

Eventually by the luck of the Drydakka the raft drifted towards the bank and gave the brothers enough time to catch up to it. Karolus immediately put it back in the deeper parts and climbed aboard it along with Connor. 

There was more space now they were down from five to a duo. Both sat with their backs to the cargo that was their recent companions' things. Both were exhausted, soaking wet, and scared. 

Down came the rain, loud, and aggressive.