Bare Your Teeth, Wicked Ones

3. Budge For No One

William

No one knew what to expect of the Deadlands. The Generals sent scouts as soon as the battle was won. They didn't waste time waiting around the ruined Lockehold citadel. As soon as the scouts returned with news on a better location for encampment, the Generals called for a march.

Montgomery and the other Head Medical Officials agreed the wounded could not stay on the festering remains of a battlefield nor follow through the pass. Come morning, surviving soldiers guarded the caravan of injured south to the last city before the Dread Peaks. There they could heal. The soldiers would catch up to the rest of the army moving into the Deadlands. They may pass a few friends along the way, too.

Soldiers celebrated too enthusiastically that night. Three had made life ending decisions and now found their corpses hanging from trees. The word traitor had been carved crookedly into their bare chests, no doubt while they were still breathing, and their severed hands lay at the ground beneath their feet.

"Were we truly in need of more dead?" Charmaine's teeth chattered from the morning frost.

Oscar huddled close to her. The young soldier followed William around most of the night, then Charmaine upon realizing she was more chatty than her friend.

"They laid with fae, didn't they?" Oscar sniffled and rubbed his hands against his flushed cheeks. "During training, everyone said fae and mortal ain't meant to be together. Folk said you'd meet a bad fate, but I never expected that."

"The consequences aren't always so bad," Charmaine explained. "Sometimes it's nothing more than being ignored, but after this battle, I am not surprised by the violence. Fae are known for their mistreatment. I doubt the men were fond of their friends laying with those known for treating us worse than the dirt beneath their boots."

"Mortals have always found the act more egregious than fae," William chimed in. "I've overheard the lying scum treating bedding mortals as a fun game, seeing who can deceive the most in a single evening. I wouldn't be surprised if the very fae they laid with were the ones who revealed to everyone what had transpired."

"Well, I ain't going near one of 'em with a twenty foot stick," Oscar grumbled. "I never saw much of the lot till now. Never had fae in our ranks, only heard they were no good. I would rather not learn that the hard way."

"No, you certainly do not." Although it would be inevitable. Eventually, every soldier had a fearsome fae story to tell. Nightmares plagued William concerning his. A year was not long enough to heal that wound, if any time was enough.

The march continued on. Though they proceeded past the remains of battle, the stench never dissipated. The Deadlands had a fitting name for they came across nothing living. No birds sang. No rabbits frolicked through the snow. The sea of evergreen trees lurched forward. Many having snapped to lay strewn across the cracked earth while the remaining threatened to follow. Snow piled high. Clouds blocked out the sun, coloring the world a dull gray. Soldiers coughed and hacked. William, and other medical officers, swiftly ordered everyone to cover their faces. There was no telling what they breathed in and the scent of sulfur had grown during their long walk.

"We've yet to cross any monsters," Charmaine said at his side.

"With how many held Lockehold, Fearworn likely assumed they didn't need more near the keep," he replied, though wouldn't deny how odd he found that to be, too. Not seeing monsters didn't mean they weren't around.

"Or they fled," Oscar offered. "After what happened, they could have retreated and regrouped elsewhere."

"That could be true. I've heard Nicholas Darkmoon acquired a tremendous artifact from Lockehold," Charmaine whispered as if this gossip hadn't already spread through the troops. William heard the tale thrice already, though didn't interrupt. "A tome, of sorts, something very secret. The beasts may have known this and fled to their master. We're close. Not just to Calix, but the end of this damned war. I can feel it."