At the North Village

All was dark ...

Overhead, clouds shrouded a waning moon and drifted past the myriad stars that twinkled in the velvet sky, leaving the world in the shadowed blackness of night. The chill of early winter dug to the marrow of the young captain who stood motionless upon the sand. Aaron stared into the blackness beyond his sight and listened as the ocean waves pounded against the shore ... and his memories. Like fragments of broken dreams beaten by the sounds of the ocean, Aaron felt a primeval draw to the sea. Shards of dormant thoughts from his long-forgotten childhood stirred in the currents of the ocean and woke to its rhythm.

As he listened, Aaron heard the sound of footsteps shuffle through the tall grass behind him. He turned and watched his longtime friend, Lorik, walk toward him with a torch in his hand that fluttered in the brisk winter breeze. Even at a distance Aaron noticed Lorik's grey hair, blown by the ocean wind. The torchlight danced and flayed and caused shadows to play like children along the sandy path. Aaron took note of the grim expression on his face. He feared Lorik's arrival meant that he, once again, must leave the haven of the ocean.

"What's the word, sergeant?" Aaron asked with dismay.

"Captain," Lorik responded as he continued to approach, "we have received a message from North Village. The thief has been found."

Months had passed since Aaron ordered his entire command to search for the Book of Aleth, stolen from the emperor's royal archives. Scattered across the nation of Celedon, three hundred men, the entire Third Order of the Royal Guard, hunted in vain for the man who stole it. Aaron and his men were commissioned by Emperor Therion himself and ordered to recover the book, but the captain thought the order excessive.

"How many men do we have there?" Aaron loathed the idea of riding over four hundred leagues to hunt down one man.

"We have only one man that far north ... a young private named Rayn." Lorik paused. "He sent word by way of the governor of that region. We just received it tonight."

Aaron ran his fingers through his hair as he thought through the situation. "What are our orders then?" he asked with a sigh of frustration.

Lorik pulled a scroll from the folds of his cloak and read:

The Third Order is hereby commanded to proceed to North Village, retrieve the stolen artifact, and destroy the thief by any means necessary.

Lorik glanced up and exhaled a heavy sigh as he handed Aaron the parchment. "Sir, it's signed by Therion himself."

Aaron knew only a handful of men under his command remained in the capital, more than enough to go after one man. "Very well," he continued. "Ready all who are left in the city, and we will gather more as we travel north." He paused as he considered where his men were located. "We can forgo those who are on the northern and southern coast as well as those who are east of the inland sea. We don't need three hundred men to capture one, no matter how dangerous the emperor thinks he is."

"When do you want to be ready, Captain?" Lorik asked.

"We leave at first light," Aaron ordered. "Gather what provisions we'll need and what men you can find. Those who are not ready at daybreak will be left behind."

Lorik saluted and turned to go.

Aaron watched Lorik walk back toward the city, the ruddy glow of the torchlight flickering in the distance. Then it, too, disappeared. Aaron turned back to face the dark, fathomless ocean and listened to the surging