“I can see how well that worked out for them all,” Arkas said wryly.At least he wouldn’t have to worry about being attacked at the moment.It didn’t look like anyone had been here since the massacre.Rats had ruined the provisions that the now dead humans had hoarded.
Arkas left the library and headed up to the second floor to the bedrooms.Humans tended to be smaller than the Knights of Order.At six foot three, he wasn’t the tallest warrior in their squad, but he was just as muscular as the others.He searched the closets and found some clothes that almost fit him.Leaving the sneakers off for now, he needed to sleep off the exhaustion of falling from the Void.
Rodents had made their homes in the bedrooms as well.He didn’t have the energy to hunt them down so he could sleep in peace.Arkas headed up to the attic and found a sprawling recreation room.It was rat free and had a huge black sectional for him to lie down on.
“I hope Amaros turns up soon,” the knight said as he closed his eyes.“It’s weird that I can’t sense any of my brothers,” he added.Something niggled at the edges of his mind.It didn’t feel like the bond he had with the other knights.
Drifting off to sleep, Arkas slept like the dead and woke up at dawn.He still couldn’t sense his commander as he ambled back downstairs in his borrowed sneakers.This was as good a place to wait as any, so he decided to take steps to secure the house.His first order of business was to clear the front door.
“I’m going to need a shovel,” he figured and headed to the barn.The corpses of farm animals were still trapped in their stalls.Rats had fed well on their flesh.Crows and other surviving animals would have dined on the fallen as well.
He found a shovel and returned to the porch.Arkas shoveled the remains of the female onto the yard, trying not to feel disrespectful and failing.If the ground hadn’t been partially frozen, he would have dug graves for the bodies.The best he could do for now was to pile them together and set them on fire.The flames would consume what was left of their remains.
“I might as well get rid of the rats,” he figured.Inactivity was the knight’s nemesis.He became bored easily and always tried to keep busy.Arkas found a rifle that shot pellets in a gun safe in an office downstairs.Grabbing spare ammo, he began hunting the critters down.
Two hours later, most of the rats were either dead, or had fled.The corpses went into the bonfire he’d lit on the front lawn.Already bored from standing around, the warrior needed something else to occupy his time.Amaros would show up sooner or later.He just hoped it wouldn’t drag out for too long.No one had come to investigate the smoke yet.He would be ready for them if they showed up, whether they were friends or foes.
Another smaller building stood next to the barn.Arkas crossed the yard and tried the doorknob.It was unlocked, so he stepped inside.His reflection was the first thing he saw.His pale blond hair and light blue eyes were disturbingly similar to Lachial’s, but at least he didn’t have a red tint to his eyes.“I’m way hotter than Lachial,” the knight joked, flexing his biceps.Muscles bulged beneath the sweater he’d pulled on, making it strain at the seams.
Chuckling, he looked around the small art studio.One of the humans had been a painter.Landscapes of various sizes hung on the walls.They looked like they were local scenes, judging by the trees.One was in progress on an easel and would never be finished now.
Arkas spied some unused tools sitting on the long counter against the back wall.“These will come in handy,” he said in approval as he studied the wood carving tools.He’d picked up whittling eons ago.In the past, he’d carved with sharp rocks, since his sword was far too big for the task.He’d switched to knives once humans had evolved enough to craft them.The warrior usually spent his spare time carving things in between their battles with the Soldiers of Chaos.
Rolling the leather case shut, he tucked the tools into his pocket, then went in search of a suitable piece of wood to carve.“This one looks about right,” he said when he found a short, fallen branch beneath an oak tree.
Sitting on a rope swing that hung from a thick branch, the knight began to carve as he waited for his leader to turn up.
Chapter Three
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ZOE’S INTERNAL ALARMwoke her up just before eight as usual.The remnants of a dream clung to her as she pulled some clothes on.While it hadn’t been a full-blown vision, she knew it was a message from Fate.
Amaros sent her a telepathic question.Another of my men arrived last night?
I think so,Zo replied.I’ll fill everyone in while we’re eating breakfast.
