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The Five Dragons Saga: The Legend of Parem

Chapter 1: Hunt in the Dark


The shaded wispy clouds floated dark and bleak in the cold night sky. A veil of fog lay thickly over the valley and meandered between the sharp mountain ranges. The moon shone brightly on the landscape of Ordenary, but was unable to shine through the gray fields. There was an unnatural silence on the road, but a lonely light moved through the murky curtain.

A carriage raced along the street. The driver drove the horses hard to keep the breakneck speed. He kept looking back frantically. The fog made the moonlight atrophy and made it increasingly difficult to see. Thick drops of sweat ran down his tense forehead, his eyes wide open.

What was it that drove him like that? Just a hurry, or maybe an urgent order? No, fear had the driver firmly under control and seemed to follow the carriage like a hungry shadow.

He looked back again, raising his eyebrows at the street behind him. He felt a cold shiver running down his back and trembling up his spine. It seemed to him that something was staring at him out of the dark. He looked intimidated into the shadow as if he could heard his breath and a cold gust of wind swept up his back. The man winced a few times and turned back to the way ahead.

“Heijjaa!” He shouted at the draft animals and waved the whip. “The horses can't keep up this pace any longer, my lady!” The man called through the open front window.

A plainly dressed woman sat upright on the bench inside, with the hood of her coat pulled forward. She turned her head slightly to the side and spoke in a soft voice: “It's okay Gustav, let the horses go a little slower. After all, we still have a long way to go and should spare them a little if we don't want to walk the distance.”

“Yes, my lady!” Replied Gustav, accompanied by a long nod. He closed the window and the carriage slowed noticeably. The woman turned to one of the side windows. Her eyes wandered hectically along the pass road.

“I think we shook them off.” She muttered under her breath. She looked at the back seat of the cabin because she wasn't alone. A boy, intimidated, clung to the back of the bench. His gaze was strictly forward, as if he could see through the wall of the car. He stared stubbornly at the wood until finally there was a reaction in his eyes.

He turned his head to the woman. “Mama?” He said hesitantly. The woman pulled back her hood, dropped her long, dark brown hair, and returned his anxious look with a faint smile. “Yes, Roland?” She asked gently. “How long will it take? We have been traveling for hours now!” Complained the boy. “We'll be there soon, darling.” She answered slowly, her eyes moved reluctantly outside again.

The boy carefully followed the rapid twitching of her eyes. “Who were these people standing on the street earlier?” Roland wanted to know and looked at his mother with a demanding look. The woman got up and sat next to her son. With her left arm around him, she tried to hide her worried expression.

“I don't know.” She began hesitantly, staring blankly into the cabin. “The only important thing now is that we get to Ironwing as soon as possible.” She clutched her boy and looked out the window again. “I just hope the message got there in time.” She put her forehead on her child's head and tried to breathe calmly. “Do you remember your aunt Catherine?” She asked, trying to change the subject. Roland held on to her arm and listened to her startled heart. “Yes, she was back then with her ...” The opening window interrupted his soft words abruptly.

“Lady Claire, we have just reached the pass road!” The carter's voice echoed inside. The woman looked out the side window and spotted the high mountain range. The Gray Pass spanned the horizon. “Thanks to the Five. Now it is not far until we cross the border.” A confident smile made itself see on her tired face.

She looked back at the street on which they had come. But her anticipation gave way to a startled inhalation. She spotted the shadow of a rider emerging from under the thick fog roof. His hood pulled low over his face, he just stood there, waiting and watching. The woman looked into the black shadow of the hood, from which stared two red eyes at her. “GUSTAV, Hurry up!” She hissed in shock and turned away from that scowl.

Gustav let the whip bang. The horses pulled on again with a strong snort and the carriage picked up speed with a hard jerk. The driver had also seen the rider and, like his lady, was eager to pass the pass road as quickly as possible.

The stranger noticed that the carriage was getting faster. He tilted his head slightly to one side and a sharp whistle blasted into the night. Two more riders emerged from the fog and immediately started chasing. One of the two held a long staff, which was crowned with a purple crystal, in a spinning motion forward.

The stranger murmured an indistinct summoning and jabbed the top up once. The crystal flashed brightly.

On the ascending pass road ahead, black cloud fields formed, which contracted in a column and piled up along the way. A thunderous rumble ran through these rotating appearances.

“Hold on somewhere, this is going to be a bumpy ride!” Gustav called into the cabin before closing the window. He tensed the reins back and forth, dodging the flashing pillars.

The pass road was littered with small stones, potholes and roots of the individual trees on the roadside, as the two passengers were all too well aware of at their pace.

The woman sat down again with her boy and clutched him. Roland breathed heavily, holding onto his mother's arm. He knew something was wrong. “What?!” The boy startled when it suddenly became dark. A bright glow followed by a loud rumble of thunder made the occupants flinch at the same time.

The woman risked a quick, frightened look outside. Black clouds hovered over the street, which almost completely absorbed the weak moonlight. Lightning streaked through the towering formations, illuminating the night with its brief glow.

This is not a normal thunderstorm, she thought to herself. No rain, no wind. Only the rumble of thunder showed his voice. Without a doubt, this was the work of a strong magician.

A lightning struck the ground and the trees not far from the carriage. The wood caught fire immediately and also startled the horses. “My lady!” Pressed hard inside from outside. “We are urgh!” The voice was silenced by a thud. The boy winced, covering his ears with his hands as another surge of electricity rushed past the vehicle.

The woman got up, frantically opened the front window, and found an empty driver's seat. She looked back at the path and saw Gustav lying on the street. What should she do now? Her thoughts rolled over. Should she stop to check on Gustav or continue?

But a strengthened look fixed in her eyes. There was no time for long thoughts anyway, because the horses kept on pulling. They drove out of control on the stony road. Another bolt of lightning struck the roadside, wiping her blank stare from her face. She looked back at her son with concern. Shortly thereafter, her facial expression gave way to a serious look. “Hold on!”

The boy looked at her anxiously. “Mama, I ...” “Roland not now!” She interrupted him with a definite word sound. “I said, hold on!” Roland swallowed hard once and said no more words. He just looked silently at his mother as he leaned up against the back wall and reached for the back of the bench. The woman looked back only briefly. Then she climbed out of the front window and reached for the reins.

She tried feverishly to keep the horses on the street. The panic of the draft animals and the uneven road also made the task more difficult. A strong discharge set the tree on fire in advance. The trunk broke, tipped noisily onto the street and a wall of fire blocked the way.

The woman pulled the reins in panic to the right and the horses of the carriage made a sharp turn, which made the wooden wheels creak loudly under the enormous strain. She held the reins tightly. The animals pulled the car past the blockade, right through a pillar of cloud. An icy breath rose in her lungs as she crossed this magical field. Shortly after the carriage left it, a bolt of lightning discharged from it. It dashed over the cabin in a high arc and hit the left horse. There was a cramped neigh as it sagged with a burning mane. Connected by the bridle, the remaining animal was also torn to the ground and the wheels of the car did crunching the rest.

The reins were literally ripped from the woman's hands. She looked at her bleeding fingers, trembling in confusion, and it took a moment to get over the shock. Still slightly dazed, she looked in panic and saw the burning barricade and the dead horses on the street. The car rolled on without lead. A deep pothole caught one of the wheels, the spokes broke and the carriage tipped hard to one side. The driver was thrown off and rolled down the slope next to the cabin. The vehicle overturned a few times and came to a halt between two trees. The woman landed on the ground not far from there.

Coughing weakly, she moaned her pain into the night. Her left leg was twisted and unable to stand up, she crept slowly towards the wreck. She lifted her grazed arm to the carriage and reached out in panic with her bloody fingers. “Roland! NO!” She screamed painfully.

Everything started to blur before her eyes. But she saw how a small person emerged from the remains. Roland walked slowly towards her, pulling his right leg behind him. He had a laceration on his forehead. A large piece of wood had drilled into his right lower leg and protruded steeply from the bleeding wound. The boy fell on his knees in front of her and coughed heavily. She raised her head and put her hand on his dirty cheek.

“I thought I lost you.” She whispered weakly. Roland felt his mother's trembling fingers and held them with his own. Unable to say anything at the moment, only tears ran down his face.


The three riders stopped in front of the burning barricade and dismounted from their horses. The leader stood by the flames. His red eyes scowled at the fire and he began to take a heavy breath. It sounded more like growling than breathing. With both hands clenched into fists, he walked vigorously towards the flickering trunk. The man seemed to grow taller, the shoulders spread wider and his steps became heavier.

“That should slow them down! AND NOT US!” He roared and kicked the trunk hard. A loud crack accompanied the glimmering sparks when the burning tree broke in two. The trunk halves came to a standstill a few meters away and opened the road again. Many fragments were spread over the street and illuminated it with a glowing light.

The angry man walked along the illuminated street with heavy steps, passed a smoking carcass and a rolled over horse. An angry growl came from his throat as he stomped past while his comrades hesitated. Finally he stopped in front of a broken wagon wheel. He followed the deep tracks off the street and looked down the slope to a broken car.

His hands were trembling as he paced up and down, breathing heavily. “Stop the Carriage?” He began with a clear, sarcastic undertone. “Shoot the carriage?” He added. His angry look fell on the magician. Pounding, he went up to him and looked down at him angrily. “Stop the carriage!? Shoot the carriage!?” He repeated his words aloud. With his hands raised, he supported his argument. “Stop!? Shoot?!” He stared at his comrade for a long moment. Shortly thereafter, he grabbed the magician by the neck with one hand, lifted him off his feet, and brought his face to eye level with his own. Two red eyes shone out of the shadow of the hood. “SOUND THESE WORDS LIKE THE SAME?!”

Furious, he threw the wizard back a few meters and took wide steps toward the slope where he looked down at the wreck. The man breathed hard and tried to control his anger. His eyes darted hectically across the scene of accident until a painful voice came into his ears. “Roland! NO!” Echoed through the night.

The man lowered his arms and stood up straight again. He exhaled strongly once and tilted his head to the side until a crack could be heard. “Still not everything is in the ass!” He muttered to himself. He pointed with one arm down the slope. “Down there!” He called aggressively to his two companions, who immediately set off.


Claire heard the threatening voice, startled. “You have to go Roland, now!” She said hectically. She looked up anxiously at the approaching men and then at her son again. “But... but where should I go?” Roland asked uncertainly. “Run to the trees, hide in the shadows! Don't let them find you.” She gestured with her hand to the shady outline in the fog. Roland let his tears run free and shook his head in the negative. “I don't want to leave you! I want to stay here with you!” He sobbed depressed. The boy leaned down and hugged her.

Her arm clutched the boy tightly. She kissed him on the dirty cheek and looked him straight in the eye with a warm look. “I love you Roland, don't forget that.” He looked at her loving smile. That smile that only his mother had. The faint moonlight was reflected in the tears in her wide eyes. With the last of her strength, she pushed her son away from her. “Now run, GO!” She gasped afterwards.

Roland lay there, startled, looking up at the approaching men and then again at his mother. He struggled to his feet and hobbled the first few steps away from her. The boy stood in the shade of the nearby tree and looked back sadly. He closed both eyes and pressed out a heavy tear that fell lonely to the ground. Then he turned away and dragged himself awkwardly into the foggy night. His mother watched his outline until he disappeared in the fog and then collapsed exhausted.

The three men had meanwhile reached the wreck. “You two search the remains!” A deep and threatening voice made the woman awake. “And I'll take care of this in the meantime.” The man stood in front of the woman. She looked up hesitantly and recognized a tall figure, slightly blurred. He grabbed her by the neck, lifted her off the ground, and held her in front of his face while her legs hung loosely in the air.

“Look at this! Who do we have here?” The man tilted his head slightly to the side. “At the second time our meeting seems to be working in my favor.” His grip around her neck tightened and she started to gasp weakly. “Did you think it would be so easy to get away with...?” “The boy is not here! The wreck is empty!” Interrupted one of his comrades. The leader's voice grew louder as he shook the woman once. “Talk! Where's the BOY!” He loosened his grip a little to give her enough air to answer. “Go to the Boneyard!” She gasped from her neck.

“The Boneyard? Is that all?” He raised an eyebrow and put on a diabolical smile, staring deeply into her eyes. “Tell me, what do you want to sacrifice for him?” “Everything ...” She gasped convulsively, trying in vain to hit his face. He looked into her eyes greedily as he squeezed her neck more. She clasped both hands on his arm and gasped for breath.

He stared deeply into her eyes, enjoyed how the spark of life began to go out, and smiled contentedly. With a jerk there was a soft crack and her limbs went limp with a cramped breath. Her head bowed slightly with cloudy eyes and then he threw the lifeless body into the remains of the carriage. Finally, he turned to his comrades.

One knelt in the shade of a tree. “Here are footprints and blood! They lead in this direction.” He said, pointing into the fog. “He certainly didn't get far with such an injury.” he added. The leader waved his arm briefly. “Are you waiting for an invitation?! Get this bastard!”


Roland dragged himself through the dark, not knowing where he was going or where he was. Every step hurt like thousand pinpricks. The uncomfortable impulses rushed through his muscles, causing every movement to stall, and his pursuers were not far behind.

Finally the fog cleared a bit and he reached a steep cliff ledge. From the elevated position, he looked at a huge forest under the night sky. He gasped heavily as he glanced across the seemingly endless lake of trees. “Could this be the dark winter forest that mother had told me about?” He thought to himself. Mother, it echoed through his head. His thoughts returned to the moment he last saw her. He ran his fingers along his cheek as if he still felt the fleeting warmth of her hand.

“All right ... So that's him? Roland!?” A deep voice pulled him out of his memory. He turned around, startled, with his back to the cliff. Three men stood in a semicircle around him, the hoods of their coats pulled low over their faces. One held out a wand and the tip of it began to glow in a purple glow. The big one in the middle took a hard step forward and pointed a finger at the wizard. “No! NOT THIS TIME!” He shouted at the man. The stranger hesitantly lowered his staff and the shimmer dimed. Then he swung it skillfully behind his back.

The leader turned back to the boy. “And now? Is it over?” He turned and held both arms apart. “Can we finally stop this crappy fool theater?!” His voice grew significantly louder. “But still, I have to admit, that I don't understand it. How can a fart like you give this motherfucker such a headache? But never mind.” He looked at the boy again. “I'll name a pimple on my ass like you, for all the effort you put me in!” He pointed vigorously with his finger at the area next to him. “So now be a good boy and come here!”

The boy stared back at the leader's stare, but said nothing. He took a small step back towards the cliff. His wounded leg buckled and he almost lost his balance. The leader angrily took a step forward and pulled back the hood. A bald face appeared. Vigorous red eyes stood out, and a tattoo adorned the right cheek. The motif showed a dragon wing impaled by a straight blade. From the left side a broad scar started up from the neck over the cheek to his ear, which was split.

The man stubbornly stared at the little person. “Are you serious, boy?” He held out his hand and pointed his index finger at him. “You can't even walk with that leg, let alone fly!” His word sound became more aggressive. “I won't say it again now. COME HERE!” He stamped his foot once on the floor, his hand clenched into a fist. The other two men watched the tense scene quietly.

Roland felt a light breeze rising from the cliff. A faint echo found its way whispering into his ears. “Roland ...” he heard a female voice in the distance. He took another step backwards when another wave of pain hit him. The boy lost his balance and fell over the edge. In the wind, it seemed to him that he heard the flapping of large wings. He closed his eyes and let himself fall.

The two men next to the big bald man took a startled step forward when they saw the boy plunge into the dark. The leader himself did not respond at all. “Hmpf!” Was heard dull from his mouth. He pulled the hood back up and hid his expression from his comrades. “Find him, or what's left of him!” He said angrily, waving his arm at the cliff. “I have to hrmf… report that.” He added angrily. “And don't you dare return empty-handed!”

The two men stood on the edge of the cliff and looked down. “And how should we ...?” “Come up with something!” The leader shouted in between. The commander turned and headed back while his two comrades threw their attention over the edge of the cliff.

Roland kept falling down. His eyes closed, there was silence around him.


A few hours passed and the next morning stood already high. Some rays of sun fell on his face. “Mama!” Roland shouted in shock when he woke up. With his arm stretched out, he reached empty into the air. He saw his mother's shadow gradually disappearing and looked into a bright light shining down from the ceiling.

Roland heard his own echo from the walls when he felt a strong pain from his lower leg, which made him flinch. He was sitting upright in a high vault, holding his injured leg. The pain waves throbbed up into his head. Nevertheless, his eyes wandered attentively along the walls. He didn't know where he was.

A faint beam of light fell down on him. The bright light came through a narrow crack on the ceiling and he put his hand protectively between the glare and his face. He tried to see its origin, but it blinded him too much. Then he crawled out of the light.

When his eyes got used to the darkness, he saw a few outlines. There was a large empty trough on one wall and a flat pile of dried hay beside it. On the other side were bony remains. But he could not determine from which animal they came from. The room looked like a sleeping place, but not for a human. “Who or what was living here?” The boy wondered when he felt another stinging wave of pain.

He looked down at his wound. The splinter still protruded steeply from his lower leg, which severely restricted the movement of the leg. Knowing that he wouldn't get very far with this piece of wood in there, he decided to pull it out.

Roland reached for it with one hand and was startled with pain. The touch of the wood alone was uncomfortable and made him wince again. But he concentrated on getting rid of the splinter and took a deep breath. The boy knelt and put his foot on the floor from his injured leg, then grabbed the splinter with both hands.

Roland took a deep breath and pressed his whole body weight onto his wounded leg as he jerked on the skewer. He groaned in enormous pain. The wood moved out gradually. He took another deep breath and yanked it again with all his might.

His strained groan, followed by a loud cry, echoed in the vault as the bloody piece of wood fell to the floor. Paralyzed with pain, Roland slumped and lay on his back. It went black in his eyes for a moment and he stared blankly at the ceiling as he breathed heavily. The boy coughed on the floor for a few moments and let the intense moment subside. Then he tore off one sleeve from his jacket and tied it around the bleeding wound. The pain was still there, but at least he could move the leg better.

Roland looked around the room again. He could only discover a high passage, which went deeper into the vault. There was a faint breath of air coming towards him from the tunnel. He looked around in amazement. “Roland ...” the faint breath of air whispered across the room.

Roland pulled himself up on one of the walls and took the first heavy steps towards the whisper. The light inside was dim and just enough to see the floor and walls. When he reached the passage, he saw a brighter light at the end. He paused briefly and inhaled calmly. Then he went on the long way into the dark corridor.

He leaned against the wall as he walked slowly towards the light. One foot in front of the other. Cobwebs and roots hung from the ceiling, unmistakably showing that nobody had been here for a long time. His thoughts started to wander: Is it an exit at the end of the way? Will he make it out of here alive?

He could never have imagined himself in such a situation. Never on his own, it was an intense experience for him. But inexplicably he took a little liking for it.

However, his rising memory of his mother made him sink into grief. In his mind's eye he saw these three men again. These unknowns who were responsible for all of this. He saw the shimmering red look of the bald man who smiled at him grimly. One day I will find these unknowns and then the same will be rewarded with the same! He hit the wall angrily with his fist. A stone peeled off and fell on his right foot. This immediately brought him back from his thoughts. The end of the tunnel had already been reached, but it was not the hoped-for exit.

Roland had found a dome-like chamber. The room was structured like a prayer hall. Tattered banners hung from the walls, but the pattern on them was too weathered to see anything. Musty wooden benches were arranged in a semicircle around the middle. He wiped the cobwebs with his hand and stepped into the room. There was a base in the middle. Stone decorations were incorporated and resembled the appearance of dragons. A cone of light penetrated the ceiling from a round opening and hit the floor in front of the base. There was a shadow in the circle of light. A strange heraldic cross, but somehow it seemed familiar to him, although this is the first time he has seen it.

The light fell on a striking stone circle on the floor. The small fragments unmistakably showed the image of an orange-red winged dragon. Roland walked over the artistic mosaic pattern to the base. There was a larger, oval object on the stone base, surrounded by numerous weathered rags. The boy stepped closer and curiously put a hand on it. It surprisingly got rolling and came up to him. Startled, he braced himself against it from falling from the base. “Urgff!” He groaned hard. Roland held the large, stone-like object clumsily in his arms, but could not hold the weight for long with the aching leg. His knee buckled trembling and he slowly let himself sink to the floor.

The boy sat tired beside it and put an arm over it. It felt warm and pulsed weakly, like a heartbeat. “Strange?” He muttered to himself. “It seems too light for a stone of this size.” He thought, looking at it in the light. The large, oval object had a dark, orange-red color. It also glittered faintly in the bright glow. “That's something very special!” He said in astonishment and leaned his back against the stone base. He put an arm around the oval object, hugged it a little more and felt its warmth transfer to him. The pulsation it assumed had a calming effect on the boy.

The strange stone in the arm, the pleasant temperature that filled it and this gentle rhythm. He was too exhausted from the arduous path to think about it. Fatigue took over and slowly his eyes closed.

It became quiet around him and only a warm heartbeat was felt. Accompanied by this gentle pulse at his side, Roland finally fell asleep.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..


The evening before in Ironwing ...


The sun burned brightly behind the gray cloud fields and already colored the horizon with a reddish glow. The light fell flat on the large property, climbed up the ivy-covered facade and fell through wide windows into the interior.

An elegantly dressed woman was sitting in her study, brooding over a book. Her long, dark brown hair hung down over her left shoulder. The door opened quickly and a man breathing heavily entered. She raised her eyes and looked at him questioningly. “Daniel? Is something wrong?” “Forgive me for disturbing, Lady Catherine!” He spoke tense. He held a small piece of paper in his hand, which he immediately held out to her. “A message from your sister has just reached us.” “What?” She replied in surprise and took the little document frantically. She read the lines with a thoughtful look, but raised her eyebrows in alarm.

Her eyes quickly fixed in a serious expression. “Daniel, go and make the Carriage ready to go!” “Immediately.” He replied with a nod. “May I ask for the reason?” He asked hesitantly. “No time for explanations, we have to get going as soon as possible!” She got up from the armchair and went to the door. Daniel looked at her carefully. “Anything else?” “Yes!” She answered firmly. “Let the guards know. They will accompany me.”

She went out the door into the front entrance of the property. Daniel followed her up to the stairs. “Koris too, my lady?” He asked emphatically. She stopped briefly on the stairs and turned her head to the side. “Yes. You have half an hour, Daniel.” Then she continued on her way up.

Daniel nodded slowly and immediately set off. Outside he hurried to the barracks next to the main building, where he informed the soldiers. At last he went to the stables. A little girl came to meet him. “Hey Daniel!” She called with a big smile. “Why are you in such a hurry?” Asked the child, standing in front of him with her arms on her hips and the head slightly tilted. Daniel hurriedly walked around the girl. “No time for explanations, little Rebecca. Did you see Tim anywhere?” The child grimaced. “I'm not little!” She bleated. “And Tim is in the stable.”

Without saying another word, Daniel went to the stable and opened the gate. “Timmy, where are you?!” He called out. Most of the horses were startled. Tim appeared yawning behind the door and poked Daniel in the side with his finger. “Can you say that a little quieter? You scare the animals.” He yawned at him. He stepped forward, shook out his blond, tousled shoulder-length hair and stretched out his arms. “You also woke me up." He added sleepily. “So?” He began and sat on the hay bale that lay next to the gate and put his legs together. “What's up?”

“No time for that!” Complained Daniel. “Swing your butt up and help me saddle the horses and harness the wagon!” He rowed frantically with both arms and looked sternly at Tim. “Come on, don't dawdle. We don't have much time. Move, move, move!” Tim put a hand on Daniel's shoulder and put a finger in his face. “You urgently need something to calm you down.” He winked at him once. “I have something suitable for you afterwards. Then you will loosen up a little.” A broad grin graced his face. Daniel rolled his eyes sullenly. “What would calm me the most at the moment would be a harnessed vehicle and saddled horses!” He put his hand on his forehead. “So how about we get this done as quickly as possible and continue this conversation later?” “Sure.” Answered Tim with a sleepy smile. “Clarify everything.” he added with two thumps up.

“Good!” Daniel started relieved. “Then you can clarify get the car out of the garage now?” He looked at Tim with a serious expression. Timmy stood motionless for a moment. Then raised a hand and pointed a finger at Daniel's face. “You can stare for a long time without having to blink. How do you do…” Then Daniel's patience burst.

Rebecca stood in front of the stables. There were all sorts of dirty words in the air and a rumble and clanking came out. The gate quickly got open and Tim flew out in a high arc. Luckily, he landed softly in the dirt. “GARAGE, CARRIAGE, NOW!” Was heard loudly before the door closed again. Rebecca raised an eyebrow at Tim. “He's a little tense today, isn't he?” Timmy shrugged and tilted his head to the side. “My speech.” He said, standing up and tapping his pants off.

He leaned down to the child and winked at her. “Would you like to help me get the carriage ready?” Rebecca put on a happy smile. “Yes, of course! Where are we going?” She asked. “Oho hoo! You and I don't go anywhere.” Came the quick answer. He turned to her and pointed a finger at her. “Your mother is going somewhere.” He looked back at the property, where eight uniformed men stood. Tim's eyes narrowed and he nodded toward the guards. “And the way it looks, she doesn't go alone. Come on, we better hurry up.”

The car was ready in a very short time, the horses harnessed and the guards in one line. Catherine stepped out of the house. “Is everyone ready?” She asked. The men saluted and the captain spoke. “Ready to go, Lady Catherine.” She continued toward the carriage.

“Where are you going?” Asked a little girl the woman. She quickly knelt down to the child and hugged her briefly. “I'll explain that to you when I come back Rebecca.” She replied. “As long as I'm gone, you do listen to what Conrad says, understand?” The girl nodded to her mother without a word. The woman got up again and got into the carriage. “Let's go!” She called to the men. “Right to the Gray Pass. Let's see that we arrive at the border as quickly as possible.”

The group started to move and passed the open gate of the property to the street. Rebecca waved to the carriage and ran after a bit on the driveway. Daniel and Tim watched the group until they disappeared behind the next bend. The guards closed the gate quietly.

“Soo ...” Tim sighed. He put a hand on his hip and grabbed Daniel by the shoulder. “And now we're going to do something about your stress!” Daniel shook his head and slapped his forehead with his hand. “Oh man!” He murmured.


The night fell. The moon stood high and shimmered on the dense fog fields that had enveloped the mountain range. The carriage drove quickly and reached the edge of the dark winter forest, accompanied by six uniformed riders.

“Lady Catherine!” The wagoner called. “There is the pass road!” “We better hurry.” She thought tensely and looked worriedly out of the window, gazing at the gray mountain range. “Hopefully we'll get there in time.” She sighed. The group moved at a fast pace on the stony road.

“BY THE …!?” Shouted the wagon driver, jerking the reins hard aside. The wagon swung sharply to the left with the carriage, almost threatening to tip over, but then came to a standstill without damage. Catherine hastily got out and looked at the street, startled. A single man stood there, now encircled by her company. She approached the stranger vigorously. “What does that mean?” Her eyebrows rose in astonishment when she recognized the person.

“Gustav! What are you doing here?” Asked the woman worried. “Pillars, black pillars, lightning, the tree, riders …” The man stuttered completely confused and paced hectically. “Always on the street.”

She looked at him skeptically, noticing the bleeding wound on his forehead. “You're wounded!” She put a hand on his shoulder. His movements became noticeably calmer and he looked at her with tired eyes. “My Lady Claire? Why are you here? You shouldn't, we…” He sighed weakly and his eyes fell to the side exhausted. The woman lifted his face into view and looked at him with concern. “It's me, Gustav. Catherine.” She said softly. The confused man's eyes widened in surprise. “Catherine? But you were ...” He sank to his knees. Two guards lifted him up, supported him, and went back to the carriage with him. In the cabin, his wound was treated as quickly as possible and after a short rest, he began to tell what he still knew about that night. From the start of their journey until he fell off the car.

“And where's my sister now?” She asked with wet eyes. “I don't know, my lady.” He replied wearily. Gustav held a hand to his forehead. “After I came to myself I wandered dazed along the street. If they haven't crossed your path, something must have happened to them.” he continued. Catherine hastily got out and beckoned the six riders to her. “Search the pass road. Off the road too.” She gave each of the soldiers a hopeful look. “You have to find them.”

The men immediately set off in groups of two. The carriage stopped at the side of the road with Catherine, two guardsmen and Gustav. She waited impatiently for the hoped-for good news.


Dawn was already falling and one rider after the other returned unsuccessfully. But two of the six came back at a gallop. Gustav was sitting on the side of the road, scratching his wound when he saw them coming up. One of the two quickly got off the horse and hurried to Catherine, who was already standing in front of the carriage. He didn't hear the man's words. The woman's reaction was enough to understand that he had found something. Catherine slumped in tears. The soldier tried to hold her and helped her straighten up. “Show me the spot, IMMEDIATELY!” She spoke seriously. There was a lot of sadness in her voice. “I want to see her!” The riders nodded once briefly, sat on their horses again and waited for the rest of the group.


The morning had come and the first rays of sun appeared on the horizon. The bright glow fell on a destroyed carriage, which was trapped between two trees. Catherine stood in front of the broken wreck, looking down at her sister, who lay lifeless in the rubble. Reluctantly, she walked up to her and, breathing heavily, dropped to her knees next to her lying body. The tears flowed down her cheeks like little rivers. With one hand Catherine brushed a strand of hair from her sister's dead face. She put her fingers on her forehead and slowly ran over her eyes, wiping away the fixed gaze of death. Sobbing, Catherine's forehead fell on her sister's chest and with a painful scream she gave her grief a voice.

Only slowly she straightened up, laboriously bringing her emotions back under control. One hand hold tightly around the pendant around her neck. “And where is he?” She asked quietly to the soldier at her side. “Where's Roland?” She glanced desperately at her companions. “There is no trace of him.” Said the captain.

“There are lots of footprints here!” A guard shouted in between. “They lead away from the place!” Catherine got up quickly and turned to her companions. She gave orders to two soldiers to take her sister into the carriage and then joined the tracker. “Go on.” She ordered seriously, letting the guard go ahead.

It wasn't long before they reached a cliff. The guards stood on the edge of the steep slope and looked down at the vast forest. “I had completely forgotten how big the dark winter is actually.” Sighed one.

“This is where the trail ends, my Lady.” Reported the tracker, coming to a standstill on a small ledge. He looked down over the stony cliff. “There's a lake down there, maybe he is ...” “How long does it take to get over the cliffs?” Catherine interrupted him vigorously. “It will take a few hours if you plan to climb, Lady Catherine.” He argued. He made a gesture with his arm to the side of the mountain. “But we could also bypass them back on the pass road. It would be quicker to get down.” “Then go.” She decided decisively, turned and walked back to the car with quick steps. Her companions followed silently.