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Loyal Dogs The Traitor By Evan Drake © 2019-2020, Evan Drake, All Rights Reserved

Chapter 6: Joining the Ranks

When Gaius said they were leaving even if it meant traveling at night, he had meant it. Night had fallen by the time they finished gathering their things and getting the horses prepared, but they left anyway.

Thern was more than glad to put the gloomy town behind them. The townsfolk had allowed them to leave without incident, but this feeling of dread wouldn't leave his mind. It was like an itch he couldn't reach. Something told him they shouldn't stay there any longer than they had to. He suspected the others felt the same as none of them objected and seemed just as eager to go.

He had an idea of their ultimate destination, but nothing of the stops planned in-between if any. After the last "delay" it wouldn't shock him to learn Gaius planned to go straight there without break. After riding for a few hours, Gaius told them they would rest for a while and resume at first light. It was only a few hours of rest, but it was preferable to riding at night. Travelers were easier to ambush in the dark.

As per routine, they found a simple clearing away from the road and set up camp. Everyone set about their assigned duties, leaving Thern standing there like a lost pup. So far he had no assigned task; he just helped whoever requested his assistance at the time.

"I'll check the perimeter this time," Gaius said. "Thern, would you accompany me?"

Thern followed the fox without hesitation. It was better than standing around with a dumb look on his face. It also hadn't escaped his notice how their leader avoided looking at the others which likely meant there was an ulterior motive. Once he figured they were out of earshot of the others, he asked, "So what do you want to talk about?"

"Am I that transparent? Very well. I wish to ask you about this friend of yours." He stopped and turned to Thern with a serious gaze. "Would you raise a sword against him if it came to it?"

"What kind of question is that?" Thern asked, his voice rising.

"A very simple one," Gaius replied calmly. "You said your friend came to warn you. That suggests he wishes to avoid fighting you, but I doubt he'll be able to sleep at night knowing he left someone else to handle your execution. I'm not asking you to choose. I just need to be certain where your allegiances lie should it come to it."

"What makes you think I would fight my friend?"

Gaius stared at him for a moment, his green eyes showing no indication of what was on the fox's mind. Eventually, he said, "Very well. If it comes to it, I will leave the matter to you. I despise the idea of making friends kill each other, but it would be best if you handled it yourself."

Gaius started walking again, leaving Thern to deal with his thoughts. He wasn't sure if he should hate the fox or thank him. He knew fighting Reylin was a possibility especially since he turned down his friend's offer.

He wondered how the others would take it, a friend of his going after their friends. How would he react if another Paladin killed Reylin? He wanted to say it wouldn't bother him, but it would be a lie. After so long thinking his friend was dead, how could he be okay with the idea of them being enemies?

Thern was pulled out of his bleak thoughts by Gaius. "I'm surprised you didn't ask him to join us."

"He wouldn't've accepted. He doesn't like the Order much. Besides, I didn't think I had that right. Don't you have to be a captain or something to recruit others?"

"No. Although, it is too soon for you to practice your recruitment skills."

"As if anyone could say no to this face." Thern flashed a smile.

Gaius chuckled. "Careful now. You don't want to attract the wrong sort. Now let's set up wards around the camp and get back to the others. If we take too long, Cecili will come looking for us."

Thern laughed loudly at that. No doubt she would come looking for them and likely wouldn't be too pleased about it either. "I've been meaning to ask, is there a reason for this? I mean, I get there're things we should be on the lookout for, but this feels like overkill."

Gaius stopped placing a ward on a nearby tree and sighed. "There are many things besides bandits and Afflicted in this world. Creatures that defy even the imagination. Beasts born of the very aether what binds this world. Paladins tend to...attract such beings due to our connection to the aether."

"Connection?"

"It is difficult to explain. It shall make more since during your inauguration tonight."

"My what?"

"Your inauguration. I thought I mentioned it."

"No one said anything to me about an inauguration! I thought I was already one of you."

Gaius scratched the tip of his ear. "Well, you are, and also in some ways, you're not. I thought I had mentioned this before, but you must pass a small test before you're officially considered a Paladin. It's nothing life-threatening, I assure you."

Thern didn't feel reassured. If anything, he felt more anxious. No one had mentioned this inauguration before, so why was it suddenly important now? His imagination ran wild as he followed Gaius around the perimeter of the camp.

The fox leader took no notice of his distress, marking every few trees with a glowing glyph. After circling the camp, Gaius moved further away and began the process again. "We don't normally kill non-combatants."

Thern snapped out of his current nightmare of himself drinking a goblet of blood. He turned to Gaius, wondering what brought this on. "Are you talking about that Coyote? You didn't hesitate to finish him off."

"Yes. The Paladins despise cold-blooded murder, but we understand that sometimes killing is necessary or even mercy." He stopped and marked another tree. This time his paw hovered over the glyph for a moment. "As someone accustomed to enforcing the law and dispensing justice, I understand it better than most. Like the coyote. Bayli had forced my paw. Letting him go would have jeopardized everything."

"And that justifies kidnap, torture, and murder?"

"Of course not," Gaius replied, his voice rising. "But my primary concern was rescuing the missing females. We had precious little time and we knew that coyote was involved. I would've preferred a less barbaric method of extracting information, but there was no time."

Thern said nothing. He had killed before, but only when his life depended on it or he was following orders. But something about Gaius' words just rubbed him the wrong way. It didn't sound like regret, more like, "I don't want to do it, but I'll still do it." He wasn't sure he liked that idea.

They finished putting up the second set of wards around the camp in silence then returned to the camp.

The others had finished setting up camp by the time they returned. Cecili and Phen were already getting dinner started. Firion and Bayli were inspecting everyone's weapons.

Gaius walked to the middle of the camp and said, "Everyone, it's time."

"Now?" Cecili asked.

Firion put down the sword he was polishing and walked over with a big grin on his face. "So it's finally time."

Everyone gathered around Thern. Cecili passed Gaius a clear vial filled with a glowing blue liquid. Gaius removed the cork sealing the vial and Thern felt that familiar tingling feeling in his fur. Gaius then poured the liquid over his paws.

"Don't move," Gaius said as he painted markings on Thern's face and neck. His paws felt cold and the liquid on Thern's fur felt even colder.

When Gaius finished, he placed two fingers on Thern's forehead. "Close your eyes and relax."

"What's going on?"

"You are going to be tested. Should you pass, you will awaken as one of us."

"And if I fail?"

"You'll die."

"Wait, wh--?" Thern suddenly felt sleepy. No amount of exhaustion he had felt before even came close to what overcame him now. His legs buckled and he felt himself falling. He fell for what felt like a long time, not hearing, smelling, or sensing anything around him.

****

Thern suddenly felt the warmth of sunlight on his face. He opened his eyes to see he was inside a bedroom. The king of Canius's bedroom to be accurate. It looked exactly as it did the last time Thern was there, regal and fair. Everything down to the hairbrushes meticulously crafted and more expensive than anything he could afford.

Thern had been inside the king's bedroom on several occasions. It was where the king had his secret meetings as no one was allowed in this room, so it was the last place anyone would think to find someone having a secret conversation. What worried him was how and why he was there. Did Gaius somehow transport him to the king's chambers?

Panic began to overtake him. Pardon or not, he didn't want to find out how the king would react to his being freed from prison.

"Well, what say you, Thern?"

Thern whirled around to see the king standing by the window. He hadn't aged a day since Thern last saw him. The king was quite large for a canid, the tips of his pointed ears close to brushing the ceiling. Despite his grizzled look, he still had the presence of royalty.

The glow of the sunset on his black fur and magnificent purple robes made him look like one of the divine descendant from the heavens.

Thern immediately fell to one knee and dropped his gaze to the floor. "Forgive me, your highness. I didn't--"

To his surprise and horror, the king placed a paw on his shoulder. "It's quite all right my friend. I am asking for quite a lot. It is terrible what I'm asking you of you. I don't begrudge you being distracted."

Thern's ears rose as he remembered those words. In that instant, he knew what was going on. He had this conversation with the king before. This was when the king asked him to kill an entire family to protect the throne. The last mission assigned to him before he was sent to prison. In that case, he knew exactly how this conversation would go and what was to happen next. Was this the test Gaius had mentioned? Was he supposed to do something different?

"I-I--"

"I don't need an answer right away. Please, take some time to think about it."

Thern didn't need a moment to reflect on his thoughts. He knew exactly what he was going to say. He stood up and looked the king in the eye. "I'll do it."

"Thern, please, think about this. You are like a son to me--"

"Which is exactly why I want to do it. You rescued me all those years ago. If it weren't for you, I would be dead now. This isn't a mission you can just give to anyone. You need someone you can trust."

"But you understand what it means should you do this?" He grabbed Thern's shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze. "I won't be able to protect you. No one can know of my involvement."

"If we don't do this, you'll die and your wife and daughter will likely become their trophies to use as they please. I can't let that happen."

The King nodded and released Thern's shoulder. He looked so weary and worn. "Then please forgive me."

Thern turned and left the room. He passed through the door, but instead of being in the hall, he stood in the middle of a noble's mansion. It paled in comparison to the royal palace, but it was fancy all the same. The sun's light had been replaced with moonlight, casting an eerie glow on the room.

He knew where he was. This was the mansion where it happened. This was the night he killed them.

He drew the dagger from his belt and made his way upstairs. He still remembered that night. How scared he was, how badly he trembled as he roamed the halls, and how sick he felt after the deed was done. That same feeling washed over him again. He struggled to keep the dagger gripped in his shaking, sweaty paw.

He stopped at the top of the stairs. Should he be doing this? This night still gave him nightmares. What if this was his chance to do things differently? Even as the thought crossed his mind, he knew it wouldn't work. If there was another way, he wouldn't have been asked to do this.

With renewed resolve, he tightened his grip on the dagger and headed to Lord Petlit's bedroom. It would be better to go after the adults first. He knew once he killed the pups, he would lose his nerve.

The silence was just as oppressive as it was the first time. Usually, a servant was making rounds around the mansion, making sure everything was secure, but tonight, the halls were empty. Everyone was asleep. He would need to kill them as well to complete the farce. It needed to look like a mindless slaughter, something done out of blind rage and grief.

The thought of what that meant made Thern feel sick all over again. Their deaths couldn't be quick or painless. It had to be brutal and bloody.

He reached the master bedroom and hesitated. Once he opened this door, there was no turning back. But they would carry through with their coup should he turn back. The royal family likely wouldn't be shown any mercy.

He pushed the door open and the smell of blood hit him like a hammer. He rushed into the room and saw Lord Petlit standing over his wife's blood-covered corpse. The hound slowly turned around, a crazed look in his eye. "Did you think I didn't know?"

****

Thern jolted awake. The warmth of the campfire washed over him. Instead of walls dripping blood, he was surrounded by trees glowing in the light of a campfire. The sky remained dark but the clouds had vanished, showing off the sea of stars. The others sat around him eating their meals or engaging in conversation, seemingly ignoring him, but they all turned in his direction the moment he sat up.

Gaius was the first to move, handing him a water skin. "Welcome back."

Thern took the water and drank it eagerly, dripping water onto his chest. When the skin was empty, he lowered it and took a breath. "I'm still alive, so I guess that means I passed."

"Oh, forgive me. As I said before your life was never in any danger. If you had failed, you would have woken up regardless. I deceived you so you would take it seriously."

The others chuckled at Thern's open jaw. It took a moment for him to compose himself long enough to ask, "So what would have really happened if I failed?"

"You would be allowed to retake the trial eventually," Bayli explained. "It takes more out of you than you think, so would have made you recover first. But we would have had to keep you out of the loop."

"Has anyone never passed?"

Gaius was the one who answered. "I know it has happened once, and that canid was not allowed to become a Paladin. It was before I joined, so I do not know of their fate."

"So what happens to me?"

"Now that you're officially one of us, we can begin your training," Phen said.

Thern whirled to face the fox pup. "Wait, that crazed hound has been trying to kill me ever since I got here. You mean to tell me that wasn't training?"

" 'Fraid not, new blood," Firion said. He gave a slow, dark chuckle. "What we were doing was getting you back into shape. As a Paladin, I can teach you our secrets."

"You will begin your training later," Gaius said. "For now, I want everyone to reserve their strength for making up lost time."

Cecili approached Thern and shoved a bowl of stew into his paws, nearly spilling it into his lap. "Eat." She then spun around and walked away.

Thern glared at the back of her head. "Haven't I earned at least some respect now that I'm one of you?"

The hound spun around, her gaze cold and her voice even icier. "I have no respect for cowards who sell their loyalty for freedom."

"Cecili!" Gaius was standing now, the fur on the end of his tail bristling. "You know the Paladins have recruited thieves and even murderers in the past. The decision was mine to recruit Thern into our ranks and I was fully aware of his crimes before making the proposition."

Thern said nothing. He still wanted to know how Gaius found out about that, but now was not the time to bring it up.

Cecili's ears were pulled back, but the cold demeanor remained. "I can accept that. What I can't accept is he betrayed his own country and we're supposed to trust him with our lives!"

"C'mon, Cecili, he's had plenty of chances to run or stab us in the back, and he hasn't taken any of 'em," Firion said. "That's gotta be worth something to you at least."

"It means nothing except he hasn't had the right opportunity," Cecili spat. She stormed out of the camp before anyone could say anything.

Firion started to follow her, but Gaius placed a paw on his shoulder and slowly shook his head. With a heavy sigh, Firion sat at the edge of the campfire away from everyone.

Thern stared at his food in shame and realized he no longer had an appetite. Still, he hated the idea of wasting food and knew it was better to eat when he had the chance than risk going hungry later and shoveled the meal into his mouth, not taking much time to pay attention to its taste. He hated it, but he understood Cecili's anger toward him. Of course, she would be skeptical of someone accused of treason. But he swore not to tell anyone the truth. It was vital that he didn't and there was no guarantee it would change her opinion of him if he did. If anything, it would likely make things worse.

A heavy silence had fallen over the camp. Firion remained at the edge of the camp only now he had his nose buried in a book. Bayli took over the task of managing the campfire. Gaius went back to pouring over maps, and Phen eventually went to sleep. Cecili returned after several hours, carrying a bundle of fresh firewood in her arms. The others took notice of her arrival but the awkward silence remained. She didn't say anything as she added it to the substantial pile of wood already gathered then shot another hateful glare in Thern's direction.

Thern snorted and lay down on his bedroll. If she was going to be that way, fine. He didn't need nor want her approval. What did she care anyway? She likely wasn't even Canian.

He was shaken awake by Firion the next morning. The first light of dawn was just creeping over the horizon. The campfire had been extinguished and the others were finishing getting everything together. The only one who wasn't up was Phen who continued to sleep nearby. Thern quickly sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Take it easy. You need time to adjust," Firion said.

Thern's ears rose. "Adjust to what?"

"That trial was meant to trigger something inside you. As your body gets used to it, you'll be feelin a little strange for a few days." He offered a paw to help him up.

Thern accepted the gesture and stood up. He then took a moment to stretch and flex his fingers and toes. His body didn't feel any different. There wasn't even any unnatural fatigue. If there was something he needed to be keeping an eye out for, Firion wasn't telling, and Thern saw no reason to ask and worry himself for nothing. "What did it trigger for you?"

"I can resist aether better than most. Means I don't get sick as quickly when the aether is dense." He puffed out his chest. "Also makes me every mage's nightmare. Gaius can sense sources of magic nearby. It's pretty handy for telling when afflicted are close. Believe it or not, Bayli can use her magic to read other canid's emotions. It's made her a damn good lie detector and why we send her on scouting missions."

Thern chuckled. So that was her secret. "What about Phen and Cecili?"

"Phen is a cleanser. He can purify tainted aether. Cecili...now that I think about it, she never told me."

"Do the others know?"

Firion shrugged. "Never thought to ask."

"I can manipulate freely the aether used in magical spells," Cecili said from behind them. Thern and Firion jumped at her sudden intrusion, but she continued as if it never happened. "It allows me to effectively weaken any spell that's sent my way. Or dispel magic already in place."

She turned away from them and gently shook Phen awake. The fox pup opened his eyes slowly and he looked as if he hadn't slept a wink. "It's all right. Take your time," she said.

"Still not quite used to early hours, eh pup?" Thern said jokingly. He recoiled from the scalding stare Cecili sent his way.

Phen smiled weakly and said, "Yeah, something like that. Do not fret over my health. I'll be fine."

Thern nodded and gathered up his things, making sure to stay as far away from Cecili as possible. Thankfully, she was more interested in staying by Phen's side than worrying about anything else.

In less than an hour, the group had packed up camp and was on the road again. No one complained about skipping breakfast and they continued to ride in silence with Gaius leading the way and Thern and Firion bringing up the rear.

It wasn't until late afternoon that they stopped again to refill their skins and eat some cold lunch. The whole process took minutes then they were back to riding again. Since no one was talking, Thern only had his imagination to keep him company. He still had no idea what his "awakened" power was, and his body felt no different than it did before the trial. So he played around with what his ability could be and how it could best be used to serve the group.

The next stop wasn't until nightfall when they made camp again. Gaius again made the rounds around the campsite only he took Cecili with him this time. Thern had no idea what was said out in the woods, but when they returned, Cecili stopped sending nasty looks his way. She instead avoided all eye-contact.

It suited Thern just fine. He didn't want to say anything that would distance himself from the group. It was already clear they were keeping things from him. They hadn't even bothered to mention the trial until it was upon him. What worried him was why they would do such a thing. Did they think he was weak and would lose his nerve? Was that what they were doing before? Testing him in a dangerous situation to see how he would act and then decide whether or not to give him the trial? He caught Bayli looking his way and quickly pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind.

The next morning went just like the previous. The only difference being Thern was the second to wake up, although Phen was still the last. They again packed up quickly and headed out without breakfast, not stopping to eat until lunch later that afternoon. They made good timing and left the Whitetail Woods before the end of the day. A large green field lay spread out before them, the mountain range could be seen in the far distance.

Thern never did like traveling this field. The grass here grew long enough for a wild beast or worse to lay in wait for a potential ambush. Though a group this size likely wouldn't draw too much attention, it always made Thern uneasy. The only good news was the closest town was only another four days of riding away.

Just like their time in the woods, the next four days were uneventful. No ambushes, no one following their trail (that Thern could tell), and no changes within him. Several times he wondered if he should ask for more information, but the idea of breaking the silence and potentially starting an argument stilled his tongue. Growing up, he learned quickly not to break the silence. It was better to go unheard or, even better, unseen.

Thern was grateful when they reached the next town of Plainkir. He never thought he would miss the sound of other canids talking. Even if it was in a place he didn't like much. The ale they served here was terrible

"Everyone, attend to your tasks," Gaius said. "Thern, you stay with Firion and find lodgings. We'll meet in the middle of town just before supper. Be careful and try not to draw too much attention to yourselves."

Everyone nodded and went about their designated tasks, leaving their steeds in Firion and Thern's care and walking in different directions. Thern followed Firion's lead deeper into the town. Only now did it occur to him that he had no idea what their "task" was.

As if sensing his confusion, Firion explained, "I'm usually in charge of our weapons and making sure we have a place to stay for the night. Bayli keeps an ear to the ground for us. The cap'n makes the necessary meetings with other Paladins, lords, or any town officials. Cecili usually buys our supplies and takes the pup with her so he can learn how to do it himself."

"Right." Looking around and seeing the crowd thin, he decided to ask the most pressing question on his mind. "Hey, Firion, I've been meaning to ask: Are we keeping that we're Paladins a secret? Gaius got pretty mad when you mentioned it in public."

"Oh, right. The cap'n doesn't like when we announce our presence. Paladins are practically legends to most folk. That means no one really understands us or what we do. So word travels awfully fast when something that only exists in stories starts walking around."

Thern nodded. It made sense at least. "Is he always so cautious?"

Firion's ears fell. "He was when I met him. I always figured something happened to him in the past and he promised to never make that mistake again. Can't say I blame him. Most folks don't know this, but if something happens to us, more than just one country will be in danger."

"Are afflicted really that dangerous?"

"Let's get settled in and I'll explain everything."

Thern nodded and kept the rest of his questions on hold until they had the horses safely in a stable and they had reserved rooms at a nearby inn. Once they had taken care of their task, Firion took Thern to the closest tavern they could find. They found an empty table in the back and ordered a small cup of ale each.

"Until we join the others, I guess I can tell you whatever you wanna know," Firion said. "So, what's on your mind, little guy?"

"All right. Just tell me: why is there such a big deal about these Afflicted? I know they're dangerous and they can affect others, but why not just have the knights deal with them? Why do we need an Order to handle these things? I never even heard of an Afflicted until I met you all and I've traveled for years."

Firion took a slow sip of his ale then set the mug down and looked at Thern. It was the most serious he had ever seen the hound and it was a little worrying. "There's more Afflicted than you realize. It's worse than any sickness. I heard about your first real run-in with one. You saw how big and nasty it was, right? Imagine how much more dangerous it could be if it had absorbed more aether for another year."

Thern shuddered. That rat was something he would never forget and the thought of it somehow being even more dangerous or grotesque was not an image he wanted in his mind. He downed the rest of his drink only to realize it wasn't nearly enough to make him forget.

"That's the kind of stuff we're dealing with," Firion said. "What the aether doesn't kill, it feeds. And it will keep growing and feeding for years, sometimes decades. And the aether affects everything differently, so we'll have no idea what we're dealing with. There're all kinds of creatures you never want making it to the surface. Our job is to track these places down and deal with them before it becomes something we can't handle."

He upended the contents of his mug into his muzzle then set it back down on the table with a satisfied sigh. "That's why the Cap'n wants us to finish our mission. That's why the pup is so focused. If we ignore this and there are Afflicted that get loose, they'll kill anyone, beast or canid, they find. We can't have that."

"R-Right," Thern said. He had hoped to never see anything like that rat again for the rest of his life. "And those Blight, the canids who corrupt themselves on purpose, I guess they want to find those creatures."

"I thought so, too. But I've never seen one who did. So far as I know, Afflicted can't be tamed, but the Paladins have never tried."

"Probably best if no one ever does."

"That's what we're here for, little guy!" Firion said proudly, slapping Thern hard on the back. "Wait here, I'll grab us another drink."

Thern didn't want to say anything, but he still felt there was something Firion wasn't telling him. If that was all it was, why didn't more canids know about it? A chance to protect their families and loved ones? Any self-respecting knight would jump at the opportunity.

---

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