By noon the sun was out again, drying the ground, but the air had turned cooler since the storm, threatening flakes of snow. Athgar decided to use his spell of warmth to ward off the chilly air. They made good progress, and by late afternoon they again searched for a decent place to camp.
The first sign of the village was when Natalia tripped, her foot catching on something beneath the long grass. Further investigations soon revealed burned-out timbers, the remnants of a hut that had since been overgrown with weeds. As they moved eastward, the evidence of a lost settlement became more unmistakable with entire wall sections coming into sight.
"We're in a village," said Natalia. "At least it used to be one."
"This must be Ashborne," said Athgar. "Raleth talked of it if you recall. It was burned down five years ago."
"That puts us close to Runewald, doesn't it? Why didn't we notice this on the way to Ebenstadt?"
"We must have been farther north when we passed by. Let's have a quick look around, shall we?"
Natalia halted. "Over here," she called out. "I found something."
Athgar hobbled over to her, casting his eyes down as he approached. Skeletal remains lay at her feet, the shattered skull evidence of its manner of death. He fought back his disgust. "What kind of person leaves the dead unburied?"
Natalia was looking at the distant timbers of the burned-out huts. "This was no battle," she said. "It was a massacre."
"How can you be so sure?"
"There's another body over there," she said, "as if they were running to escape." She moved closer, nodding her head, Athgar soon joining her.
"Look at the skull," she continued. "What do you notice?"
"It's damaged, much like the other one. What of it?"
"If you look closer, you'll see the head was hit from behind, much like the first remains we found. This body looks smaller, likely a woman in her younger years. If I'm right, we'll find others in the same condition."
"So someone chased them away?"
"I imagine there was a fight somewhere, likely on the outskirts of the village. Their defence probably crumbled, and a general rout commenced. It appears horsemen picked off these people. See how the wound is high up on the back of the head?"
"The work of Temple Knights?" said Athgar.
"Either that or the auxiliaries. Did you say it was burned five years ago?"
"That's what Raleth said, why?"
"That would coincide with the second crusade. The Church proclaimed it a great victory, but I don't remember hearing of this type of thing. In any event, there's little we can do about it now. We must find somewhere to settle down for the night."
The farther east they went, the better the condition of the ruins until they found what could only have been the chieftain's hall. The roof was missing, the very tops of the walls showing burned timbers, but the walls themselves were mostly intact, offering shelter from the wind, if not the sky.
"This looks as good a place as any," said Athgar. "We'll build a camp against the north wall. That seems to be the dominant direction from which the wind is coming."
They gathered firewood, ignoring the need for kindling. Soon the fire was ablaze, started by Athgar's magic. A small pile of logs sat nearby, ready to feed the flames when needed.
Athgar buried the turnips into the ash to cook them as the logs burned down. Then they were once more biting into the soft white flesh, careful not to burn themselves. Athgar was just about to finish off his first bulb when he paused.
"What's the matter?" asked Natalia.
"I think I heard something," he replied. They both sat in silence, straining to discern what might be moving about.
"I don't hear anything," whispered Natalia.
"Nor do I, and that worries me. Even the insects are quiet. Someone, or something, is out there." He waved his hand at the fire, using words of power to plunge them into darkness.
"Here, take my knife," he whispered, handing it to her. He then picked up his bow, standing to string it, his back leaning against the north wall.
The snap of a twig off to the east echoed throughout the ruins. Athgar quickly nocked an arrow. He could definitely hear more movement now, skirting the edge of the ruins. Could the army have caught up to them? He chided himself for the thought, for if it were true, they would have been making far more noise. Who then, or better yet, what was making those sounds?
He moved to the east wall, peering through a crack to look beyond. There must have been a small clearing on the other side of the trees, for a faint light illuminated the area.
"Stay here," he whispered.
"I don't think so," Natalia replied. "You're the injured one, remember? You need me."
"Very well, follow me."
He made his way back out of the ruined hut, Natalia following, and then they turned south, skirting the edge of the ruins, heading towards the light.
In the dark of the night, the campfire stood out like a beacon. All they needed to do was look upward to where the tall pines were lit from beneath. As they drew closer, noises drifted towards them, sounds that made Athgar sigh in relief.
"What is it?" she asked, her voice low.
"Orcs," said Athgar. "A hunting party by the sounds of it." He rose from his crouch, calling out in the tongue of the Orcs. "Hello?"
They were greeted by the scurrying of feet, and then an arrow whipped past, burying its head into a nearby tree.
"Who goes there?" called out a familiar voice.
"Kragor, is that you? It's me, Athgar!"
An Orc stood, revealing himself, a powerful warbow held in his mighty grip. Athgar held out his hand, conjuring a green flame to light the area.
"It is good to see you, my friend," the Orc replied. "We had not expected you back so soon."
"What are you doing here?" asked Natalia.
"We are keeping watch," said Kragor, switching to the common tongue,
