The Vaetra Chronicles: Book 01 - Vaetra Unveiled by Daniel R. Marvello Page A
Authors: Daniel R. Marvello
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my reactions in check like everyone else."
Sulana gave me another appraising look, but said nothing. She turned her horse and moved toward the trail to the healer's home. We left the clearing and entered the forest in single file again. Barek continued to lead.
After about five minutes of riding, I started to feel uncomfortable, like I was being watched by unseen and malevolent eyes. As the feeling quickly grew, I knew we must be entering the Ward.
My sense of unease increased. The sound of something large crashing through the forest came from just ahead and to our right. I scanned the area, but the vegetation showed no sign of disturbance. I couldn't tell what was making the noise, but it seemed larger than a bear. If it was a mountain troll, we'd have a hard time trying to fight it on this narrow trail. I had a strong desire to return to the clearing where there was room to maneuver.
We continued forward, and a threatening roar arose from the forest all around us. It started as a low rumble and steadily increased in volume as we advanced. I looked around and my senses screamed that we were on the wrong trail, although intellectually, I knew that wasn't true. My instincts told me that we should go back to the clearing and take another path; that all this danger was for nothing. I felt that every step we took forward was moving us farther away from the man we were trying to find. My rational mind struggled to maintain focus, but I was rapidly losing the battle against the emotional turmoil and instinctive urges imposed by the Ward.
Suddenly, the overwhelming sense of danger and futility faded, and I found myself back in the small clearing where we'd stopped earlier. Sulana's team was there as well. We were all looking around trying to get our bearings. I was relieved to be out of the Ward, but disturbed by the fact that I couldn't remember making the decision to turn around.
"That's a strong Ward," Sulana stated with a bemused smile. "Definitely a bubble."
I remembered how she had said earlier that a Ward could be like a bubble or a lantern. She seemed to have decided that Meghan's Ward was a bubble, so most of its force was along the outside edge. "How do we get through it?" I asked.
"It will be harder than I thought, but I'm sure we can do it," she said confidently. "I don't have anything that can negate the Ward, but I have a device that should shield us from the worst of it. We just need to penetrate the edge of the bubble." She leaned back in her saddle and reached into one of her saddle bags. After a bit of rummaging, she pulled out a leather case the size of a large book. She untied the flap and folded the case open to reveal a series of small pockets. She extracted a glass disk from one of the pockets. The disk was about the size and shape of a good skipping stone, and it had purple spots in it. She slipped the disk into a more convenient belt pocket and returned the case to her saddlebag.
"Okay, here's the plan," she said, looking around at us. "When we first start to feel uncomfortable again, I'll activate the Veil." She patted the pocket that held the device, and continued, "then, we'll run the horses through the Ward. Concentrate only on following the horse in front of you. Barek," she said turning to him, "I want you to focus on nothing other than following the trail." Barek nodded his understanding.
"We should get through the Ward quickly, and once we're on the other side, we'll be fine," she assured us.
We headed back up the trail toward the Ward. Moving this direction still felt wrong to me, which hinted at the power of the Ward and its residual effect on my mind. As soon as the sensation of malevolence started to rise again, Sulana palmed the Veil and called out, "Okay, let's go!" We all kicked our horses into a gallop.
I focused on Sulana's back and concentrated on thinking only of staying close to her. It was difficult. The roaring sound and the crashing noises started up again. This time the
Sulana gave me another appraising look, but said nothing. She turned her horse and moved toward the trail to the healer's home. We left the clearing and entered the forest in single file again. Barek continued to lead.
After about five minutes of riding, I started to feel uncomfortable, like I was being watched by unseen and malevolent eyes. As the feeling quickly grew, I knew we must be entering the Ward.
My sense of unease increased. The sound of something large crashing through the forest came from just ahead and to our right. I scanned the area, but the vegetation showed no sign of disturbance. I couldn't tell what was making the noise, but it seemed larger than a bear. If it was a mountain troll, we'd have a hard time trying to fight it on this narrow trail. I had a strong desire to return to the clearing where there was room to maneuver.
We continued forward, and a threatening roar arose from the forest all around us. It started as a low rumble and steadily increased in volume as we advanced. I looked around and my senses screamed that we were on the wrong trail, although intellectually, I knew that wasn't true. My instincts told me that we should go back to the clearing and take another path; that all this danger was for nothing. I felt that every step we took forward was moving us farther away from the man we were trying to find. My rational mind struggled to maintain focus, but I was rapidly losing the battle against the emotional turmoil and instinctive urges imposed by the Ward.
Suddenly, the overwhelming sense of danger and futility faded, and I found myself back in the small clearing where we'd stopped earlier. Sulana's team was there as well. We were all looking around trying to get our bearings. I was relieved to be out of the Ward, but disturbed by the fact that I couldn't remember making the decision to turn around.
"That's a strong Ward," Sulana stated with a bemused smile. "Definitely a bubble."
I remembered how she had said earlier that a Ward could be like a bubble or a lantern. She seemed to have decided that Meghan's Ward was a bubble, so most of its force was along the outside edge. "How do we get through it?" I asked.
"It will be harder than I thought, but I'm sure we can do it," she said confidently. "I don't have anything that can negate the Ward, but I have a device that should shield us from the worst of it. We just need to penetrate the edge of the bubble." She leaned back in her saddle and reached into one of her saddle bags. After a bit of rummaging, she pulled out a leather case the size of a large book. She untied the flap and folded the case open to reveal a series of small pockets. She extracted a glass disk from one of the pockets. The disk was about the size and shape of a good skipping stone, and it had purple spots in it. She slipped the disk into a more convenient belt pocket and returned the case to her saddlebag.
"Okay, here's the plan," she said, looking around at us. "When we first start to feel uncomfortable again, I'll activate the Veil." She patted the pocket that held the device, and continued, "then, we'll run the horses through the Ward. Concentrate only on following the horse in front of you. Barek," she said turning to him, "I want you to focus on nothing other than following the trail." Barek nodded his understanding.
"We should get through the Ward quickly, and once we're on the other side, we'll be fine," she assured us.
We headed back up the trail toward the Ward. Moving this direction still felt wrong to me, which hinted at the power of the Ward and its residual effect on my mind. As soon as the sensation of malevolence started to rise again, Sulana palmed the Veil and called out, "Okay, let's go!" We all kicked our horses into a gallop.
I focused on Sulana's back and concentrated on thinking only of staying close to her. It was difficult. The roaring sound and the crashing noises started up again. This time the
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