Groundborn

by Scott Moore

  In the training rooms of her father’s kingdom, Myko had been easily distracted from his training goals, it seemed he had grown a little in her absence. Alti threw two more darts and moved forward behind them. Myko ducked out of the way, and when he regained composure Alti stood beside him. She drove her knee into his midsection, bending Myko at the waist; she then drove an elbow into the base of his neck. Myko stumbled forward.

  “No rhetoric?” Alti said.

  Myko didn’t answer. He turned to meet her gaze, but Alti drove her heel into the pit of his knee, driving him to the ground. She followed it up with two quick kicks to the ribs. She wasn’t as strong as Myko, but fighting didn’t have to be about who had more muscle.

  “How did you know we would open the gates?” Alti asked. She still hadn’t figured out how her siblings knew her plan.

  Myko only chuckled. Alti kicked him again.

  “There had to have been something that led you here, what was it, Myko?”

  “Maybe Sera wants to fall,” he said.

  She kicked him again in the small of his back. Myko crumpled to the ground again, breathing hard. His eyes still sharp with focus. He was still a formidable enemy, even on the ground.

  “Fine, Myko.” Alti kicked him again. “Don’t tell me.” She drew back her booted foot again.

  Myko held up his hands in a feeble attempt to block her strike. “Father always has someone monitoring us, Alti. Why would this shock you? He knows everything, always.”

  He had maybe thought in his mind that replying would save him another boot, but he was wrong. Alti drove the tip into his jaw and felt a satisfying crunch. That would shut him up for a while.

  Alti turned and looked out into the center of the room. Nov and the man with the sword had taken care of the major problem of the Groundborn. It wouldn’t be long, and they would have the situation under control.

  But that her father had known, that her siblings had shown up, and that these people lay dead on the floor at her feet, made the victory seem hollow. Alti looked back down at Myko who didn’t move, aside from shallow gasps of his chest.

  Her youngest brother, someone she should care deeply for. She looked at him and tried to feel some sorrow at what she had done to him, but where was his sorrow in fighting her? Where was his sorrow at killing these people? Her mother had told her with some of her last words that Alti would be the only one to care. She stepped closer to Myko, his eyes were closed as if sleeping.

  Would she kill him? Would that ease her pain about tonight? Would it make Nov trust her? She doubted it. Doubt was the villain in her mind that never left. Alti lifted her hand and prepared the void. She couldn’t kill Myko, but she could dispose of him.

  She cleared her mind, she missed Myko’s quick movement. He took out her feet with a leg. Then he hopped to his. He didn’t attempt to fight her. Myko made for the door. Whatever power he had over the Groundborn caused them to turn tail with him.

  They would make for the city gates; with no one to stand in their way they would make it. Myko could disappear into the city. He would find his way back to her father. Right now, that didn’t matter.

  Alti pushed to her knees. One of the Lady Duchesses had pushed her way to the front of the stage. Without the threat of death, she put on an air of authority. Face painted with a scowl where moments before had only been fear.

  At the edge of the stage, she stopped and looked straight at Nov, as if to say how dare you get blood on my floor. Alti almost laughed at her own thoughts but decided that maybe it wasn’t the appropriate time for her dark humor.

  ***

  Unlike humans, or even dogs and horses, Groundborn didn’t adapt; they kept on their single track. Which meant that when Hamms jumped into the fray, and Nov snuck up behind them, none of the others broke from their initial stance, leaving Hamm’s swinging against fourteen death bringers. He held his own, swinging in slow streaming arches. He played defense it would be up to Nov to finish the others much quicker than the first. Nov stepped forward and aimed for the head of the closest yellow clawed creature. His sword bit into the skull and crushed it inward. The creature made no noise as it fell to the ballroom floor.

  Nov made quick work of three more, bringing the total to ten. Then he glanced up, just dodging a streaking dart of light. An errant throw by either Alti or the man she fought. Either way, the dart missed Nov and hit one of the Groundborn square in the eye, leaving it dead. Hamms continued dodging and blocking attacks and Nov started feeling better about their chances. He pulled another creature from the flurry of teeth and claws and drove his sword through its chest. The bastard didn’t die right away and drove a long claw into Nov’s exposed hand. Nov let out a grunt and pulled the sword free before driving it forward again, and this time taking the life of the creature. Nov glanced down, he had been stupid, his hand bled, but he didn’t have time to worry about it.

  With eight more creatures to go Hamms’ arms started to grow tired. Nov had to work faster, or the plan would fall through. Nov wondered how long Hamm’s had been fighting before he had arrived.

  Another thrust, and another Groundborn down. Only seven left and then only six. Hamms thrust forward unable to continue his methodical blocking and took one through the mouth with his blade. It meant only five of the fuckers were still moving, but it left Hamms open for an attack. The three claws bit deeply into his thigh and Hamms screamed out in pain. Nov swung, taking the head from the shoulders of the creature, but Hamms had already fallen to his knees.

  “Pretty sure the bastard hit a vein,” Hamms said, grabbing at the open wound with his palms.

  Nov stepped in front of him, trying to fend off any further assault. The Groundborn had stopped moving. Something had happened to them. Nov had never seen them stop to calculate odds or make plans. Nov took a moment to glance to the other fight in the room, finding that the man in the black robes made his way for the door with haste. The Groundborn turned and followed. Nov couldn’t believe his eyes, the remaining three retreated. Nov let out a chuckle. Not a comical laugh, but one of exhaustion and surprise.

  The plan hadn’t gone as discussed. Bodies scattered across the tower floor. Blood pooled in all corners of the room. Hamms made less and less noise behind him, dying from the open wound.

  Nov looked straight at Alti, she dropped her hood and returned the look. A look of sorrow. Sorrow at how much they had failed.

  Bring the tired. Bring the weak. Bring the strong. Bring the meek. It does not matter who you bring.

  36

  The woman set a fast pace. She scolded anyone who fell behind even a few paces. The muscular mounts below them never seemed to tire. Miles felt like the further they moved from the camp the faster they became. As if their muscles were being stretched out, and they were just warming up. They moved all through the night. Miles’ body screaming every inch of the way. Now that the adrenaline wore off, and the monsters were miles behind, his pain overcame him again.

  It felt like the claws of death were digging into what remained of his reserves. Behind him Sammy held on for dear life.

  “How long will we ride for?” Miles called.

  Hours before, he had been willing to ride forever. Before he remembered just how tired he was. Now his body screamed for a break, even a small break.

  “We will ride until I say we are done riding.” The woman closed the conversation with a snap of her head. Her eyes bore into Miles and let him know that speaking further would be a grave mistake.

  Miles took the hint and put his head down. There would be no way to sleep in the saddle, not if he planned on walking ever again.

  “Do you think they can help you kill those things?” Sammy asked.

  Miles felt like the woman must have when anyone else talked to her. Miles wanted nothing more than to pretend Sammy didn’t exist. He didn’t have the patience for him.

  “I think that they will get me away from this damn place. Then you can move on your own way and we can both be happy.”

>   Miles didn’t believe that. He doubted he would ever be happy again. There wasn’t much to be happy about. He had screwed everything up and now he suffered for it. The most he could hope for was a life without torture and a life without those damn beasts popping up from the ground every night.

  Miles drew his head up and watched the sun peek up over the trees. He had no idea how long this forest lasted. Just tree after tree. Everything green and brown. Nothing to judge distance off. Behind him, the same as in front of him. Each side only had the same trees. Miles wished for a bed. A town with an inn and a drink. His head pounded. He could even do without the drink. He just wanted a soft, fluffy pillow to rest his head on. A hot bath to soothe his tired muscles. He had never hurt so bad before. Not even after a battle.

  “Where will that be?” Sammy asked.

  Miles imagined drawing his elbow up and placing it against Sammy’s chin. The man would fall off and he could pretend that it had been an accident. Miles couldn’t bring himself to do it. He wasn’t sure if it were morals or for the fact that his arm wouldn’t move past his waist. He needed to save his energy to hold on to the reins anyhow. If he let go even for a moment, both would be on the ground and something told him that the woman wouldn’t turn around to retrieve either of them.

  “Just shut up, Sammy.”

  Sammy did shut up. For a few moments. Or maybe it had been a few hours. Miles lost track of time. The sun had come up and pounded them with its heat. Delvi’s surrounding area was hot; the air dry. The shade from the trees minimal. The woman kept pressing them on.

  Miles stopped hoping that the horses would break down sometime throughout the day. They were amazing beasts that would never tire. No one else urged the woman to stop. She had full control over her party of Disappearers. They obeyed without question and none of them would take pity on his condition. He paid coin, and they did their mission. That was the extent of their agreement. They didn’t need his opinion on how it happened.

  Miles leaned closer to the horse’s neck trying to rest his body. The jarring movements of the horse only escalated as he placed his head down. Miles lifted it back up and looked out over their surroundings. The trees were thinning to their left, and some areas were dotted with open plains. Miles imagined that they were farms cleared out by ranchers. At least he hoped. If there were farms, then there would be people. If there were people, then there would be food, shelter, and possibly room for a break in their schedule.

  “Are we coming up on a town?” Miles asked.

  He avoided asking the woman and tried to ask the covered person next to him. They didn’t answer. They only looked forward, pretending not to hear him.

  Miles turned to the other side and asked the same question. He received no answer from this person either. Miles thought about asking a third person, but the woman’s voice cut him off.

  “They won’t answer you. No matter how many of them you ask. They don’t talk. That is part of their talent. They can’t divulge secrets if they can’t speak them.”

  Miles didn’t want to imagine why they didn’t talk so he sucked up his fear and asked the woman.

  “When is the next town?”

  The woman’s shoulders slouched. Maybe she grew tired.

  “The next town for you is never, Miles Tiro. You won’t be stopping again until you are no longer you.”

  Miles felt like throwing a fit. Just like a small child. He envisioned himself jumping from the horse, digging his heels into the ground, and screaming. He didn’t do it. He held on tight. This was his last hope. Without this woman, without these others, they would be stranded and at the whim of the creatures and the king.

  Miles sucked up his tiredness. He let go of the hope of stopping. For the rest of the day he tried not to think of anything. When the sun started to crest, he didn’t imagine a bed on the horizon. He wouldn’t be stopping tonight. Even as the trees faded into the darkness and the forest started to thicken again, he didn’t imagine them stopping.

  That made things easier for him. If he pretended this was the life he would live, then it was easier to accept.

  The woman held up her hand and fifteen horses came to a halt.

  ***

  Sammy had never ridden on such a fast horse. The horses that Miles had gotten them were much smaller and ran with less of an ease. They weren’t nearly as great as the beast below him now. This beast seemed to love running. It also didn’t mind carrying them across the long distances. The other horses had never liked being pushed, but these creatures lived for it. Sammy could feel the gentle ease at which they moved along the path.

  Even when the woman wouldn’t let Miles stop, the horses ran on. Sammy wondered if they would ever grow tired. Sammy directed his attention onto the covered people around him. They stared straight forward. Sammy couldn’t see their expressions, but he imagined they were blank beneath the masks of black. They showed no fear, anger, or other emotions that Miles had taught him about.

  Sammy was caught off guard when the horse came to a sudden stop. He peered around Miles’ shoulder to see what had happened. He didn’t see any homes or cities to stop at. There were no other people lining the pathway. Sammy looked from the surrounding area.

  He could hear something chirping. He had heard that the first night and Miles told him it was a cricket shut up. Sammy thought they could sure get loud. The trees swarmed them again. Earlier Sammy had seen the distant tops of homes and the smoke from fires. Nothing around them but the green copse of trees and the brown trunks holding them up.

  “What are we stopping for?” Miles asked.

  The woman held up her hand. She looked at a nearby section of trees. Sammy tried to see into them. He couldn’t see anything. The shiny orb in the sky hid behind the clouds and it made it hard to see anything beyond a few feet in front of them.

  Sammy felt a shiver run down his spine. The creatures were coming. He leaned forward. He would whisper it into Miles’ ear. Miles could get ready and draw his sword. He would kill them again and they could keep moving.

  Then a scream sounded beside him. It happened too quick for him to alert Miles, but Miles would know now. The scream came from a man beside them. His horse jumped and darted off down the road without its rider. The man’s head rolled along the path and into the trees. Sammy heard the sound of blades being pulled from their resting places.

  He looked forward and saw Miles holding the only rusted blade high into the air. The woman may have had full control, but this was Miles’ specialty. If something needed to die, then Miles was the man. Sammy grabbed tighter around Miles’ waist. He knew things were about to get bumpy.

  Another scream sounded. This time the voice of a woman. Sammy looked in her direction. Her arm dangled from skin and the cloth of her shirt. A creature tore its claws through her horse. The horse screamed with a high-pitched yell and darted off down the path at a lop. The woman lost control and fell to the ground with a thud. Another beast jumped on her in the blink of an eye. The woman didn’t have time to scream a second time before the creature ripped out her throat with its teeth.

  Sammy wondered if it hurt. Creatures popped up everywhere around them. Sammy heard Miles’ breathing quicken. The woman started to yell commands.

  “Line up,” she yelled. “Swords in tornado.”

  The men and women circled around the center point of Miles and Sammy. Their swords were held outward away from their chests. The creatures moved toward them with quick ease. They weren’t the same creatures as those at the campfire. Those had been bigger.

  Miles didn’t press to be in the front of the line. Sammy thought he watched the fighting. He would step in where needed.

  “Brace and be ready,” the woman yelled.

  The first creature jumped into the line at the legs of the horses. A quick move that caused the horse to spook. It kicked the beast in the head and the beast fell and disappeared. Sammy thought it a funny irony that they were making the creatures disappear.

  “They can die
,” the woman yelled. “They will die!”

  More creatures jumped into the line of swords. Miles’ heart beat so hard that Sammy could feel it in his arms.

  “No,” Miles said. “No, no, no, no.”

  He repeated the word over and over. Sammy didn’t know what he said it for, but he said it loud and repeatedly. Another one of the men guiding them died at the claws of a beast. Two more creatures died, but two more replaced them. Two women grunted their last breaths moments later. Sammy took the time to count those who were left alive. They had started out with fifteen horses and they were down five. Not counting their horse, they had nine Disappearers left.

  During his counting, another creature plucked at a man’s scalp. The hood fell backward and exposed red liquid. Sammy had seen that several times now when people stopped moving.

  Miles yelled louder. “This is not happening!” Sammy could only see the side of his face, but it looked blanched and pale.

  Two more creatures died. Then the others killed another two men.

  “Nope,” Miles said.

  Sammy couldn’t see who he talked to, but the next second they were running again.

  “Get back here, coward!” the woman yelled.

  Miles didn’t listen. He kept moving forward and pressed the horse harder than even the woman had. Sammy could hear the yells of the beasts and the humans behind him. He turned his head forward. No use looking back, he couldn’t see in the darkness of the night. Miles kicked the horse in the side and Sammy hung on tight.

  37

  It was like staring into a bin of fire. The light and the heat made it hard to stare very long. Mankamp’s eyes were like the sun. With the danger passed, she bore a hole through Nov with them.