"How is she?" asked Stephen.
Neklus was smiling. "Well, K'Lara is fine. Her hemorrhaging is completely healed. The baby, T'Lan is in perfect health: a miracle of Kalmar since he is six months premature. Dana will be fine. She just swooned. The power of Kalmar must have overwhelmed her."
"How were they healed?"
"Kalmar often uses our priest, Kaltanthrop, as a vessel. He has the power of the gods behind him. There are only three others with the holiness of Kaltanthrop."
Kaltanthrop approached the group. "They will all be fine. The baby is strong and will survive. I recommend giving him Kalmar's blessing when we get to Noran."
Jonathan joined the group. "I agree. After all, he saved my son and my wife." All Jonathan could do was smile.
Suddenly, Lazarus and Dweezle approached the group. Dweezle spoke first. "Cap...Stephen, we were wondering. How should we..."
Neklus's eyes opened in horror. "Prepare for battle! We have been infiltrated!" He pulled out his sword and aimed it at Dweezle's neck. "How did you get through our guard, Horde?" Neklus demanded.
A group of Borial soldiers approached.
Lazarus quickly pushed away Neklus's sword and stood in front of Dweezle as a shield. "Stop! He is one of us!"
Neklus grew red with anger. "Move away, Virgo! This one must pay for the evils of his brothers."
Stephen grabbed Neklus's sword. "This one is with us. I cannot allow you to harm him."
"But he is a Horde!"
"He is a Virgo, not a Horde."
Suddenly, the Marines rode in on their glap'tas. Johnny jumped off his glap'ta and approached another that held the unconscious Horde. He grabbed him by the neck and flung him in front of the group. "Here is a Horde we captured. We've got three dead Virgos as well."
That announcement both saddened and exited Stephen. He kneeled down and turned the Horde around so that all could see his face. No doubt, he was of the same species as Dweezle. "Damn. So it is true."
Neklus laughed in triumph. "The Virgos have shown their power. They have captured the enemy. We will take him to Noran and interrogate him there. As for this Dweezle, you say he is a Virgo. I will take you at your word. Kalmar has told me to trust you, and I shall."
Stephen smiled. "Thank you."
The first sun began to surface on the horizon.
Kaltanthrop said, "The first sun rises. We will leave shortly. This has been a sleepless night, but there will be enough time for sleep and celebration at Noran."
So, the Borials and the Virgos prepared to leave camp.
A trumpet sounded. It was time to leave camp. Everyone had packed their stuff and placed it on glap'tas. K'Lara held little T'Lan in her arms as she rode on a glap'ta. Jonathan walked beside her. Dana had regained her strength and had insisted on walking. Stephen walked beside her. Neklus and his wife and son traveled together. Neklus walking while the wife and son sat on a glap'ta. Kaltanthrop rode a glap'ta not too far behind. The rest of the group followed those eight.
Only a three-hour walk from the camp was a village where they would pick up some supplies from some generous Borial civilians. The group walked calmly, recognizing the fact that the walk to Noran took one entire day.
The village of Rotarin was still a few miles away. Nevertheless, the smoke could be seen from that distance. Neklus and Stephen offered to ride ahead. Jonathan and Johnny followed.
What they saw was terrifying.
The village lay in ruins. The huts had been burned, and many helpless Borials littered the ground. Severed arms and legs lay sprawled all over the floor. All three had seen carnage like that before, but this was still dreadful.
Then, at the far side of the destroyed Rotarin, the group of four saw five stakes stuck in the earth. As they approached them, they saw what they were.
The stakes held, at their summit, the heads of five men, all shrieking in terror.
After seeing that, the only one that didn't turn away in disgust was Neklus. He had seen that signature before.
The three Virgos turned back to the stakes. Johnny noticed a sign nailed to the middle stake. It was written in Borial. He asked, "Neklus, do you know what that means?"
"Yes," answered Neklus. "It says, 'Beware the wrath of the Horde.'"
Stephen was more determined than ever. "We will put a stop to this." He paused. "We must."
Jonathan and Johnny both nodded in agreement.
Neklus placed his hand out. "For the glory of Kalmar."
Stephen grabbed Neklus's hand. "The freedom of the Aody."
Jonathan did the same. "The triumph of the Borials."
Johnny repeated the gesture. "And the honor of our fallen warriors."