Rider: A Short Story

The taste of iron filled his mouth, and the sound of his steed’s breathing was enough for him to stay his pace. For a moment, time seemed to stand still as he rode into the night. The rain dripped down his face and soothed his battle wounds. He had barely escaped with his life. Thankfully, his horse was all packed and ready to leave at a moment's notice. He knew if he were to live he’d have to leave everyone else behind and go it alone.
Earlier that night, while the group of men were making camp, Asher took his horse to a nearby river and tied it up under an oak tree. For three years this group of seven men, originally fifteen men, had been on a treacherous quest to return an ancient amulet back to it’s rightful place. Each man, including Asher, …show more content…
“If we continue south there is a passage through the mountains. If I were you I choose that route.” Asher and Rider had been like brothers since they were born and neither of them had ever hid things from each other. Something changed in the past year however, Asher had noticed a change in Rider; Rider had become secretive and quite. On multiple occasions Asher would watch Rider slink into the woods in the pure darkness of night and return several hours later. Rider had never been the kind to get caught up with women, so Asher had ruled out that possibility. Asher knew that Rider was planning something that would turn out badly when a man followed Rider back to the camp one of those nights. Asher had a feeling for months that Rider might be after the amulet, and if Rider was planning something then Asher would need a quick way …show more content…
As Asher rose from his makeshift bedding of blankets, he saw the gleam of Rider’s hilt and blade in the man’s body. The attack had begun. Twenty men appeared out of the shadows; their faces covered in ashes and symbols tattooed their bare torsos and arms. Knowing he needed to get out and save himself, Asher grabbed a stick from the fire and hurled it in the direction of the men in an attempt to startle them. With only four more men fighting in the camp he knew the protection would not last. He had to grab the amulet and get out of there. The only problem was that Rider had removed it from the first killed man’s neck. Rider held the emerald and gold amulet up to the moonlight to admire his reward. In that moment Rider was vulnerable attack. Asher charged Rider. Three of the ash-faced men ran at Asher with swords flying and loud screams. Asher slashed the first down, spun around the second one stabbing him in the back, and threw a dagger at the last’s face hitting him square between the eyes. Rider being warned, grabbed for his sword and yelled, “The spoils will be mine. After all these years of pretending to protect it, it will be