by Peter Wacht
Well, at least one of them had the intelligence to distinguish between fact and fiction. She really was remarkably beautiful. He wondered why she was with these people, since she really didn’t fit in. He shook his head in disbelief and looked down at Beluil, who mimicked his expression. This group didn’t belong in any forest, much less the Burren.
Thomas quickly rose from a crouch, turning to the west. The Ogren were moving closer, and the horses sensed them now. Thomas saw the signs of movement in the forest, no more than a quarter mile away from the glade. They were making directly for it. Thomas cursed himself. He should have been paying more attention to the Ogren he was tracking than a girl he didn’t even know. It was a stupid mistake, and too late to be corrected. He’d have to move fast. Sending images to Beluil, Thomas told him what to do. In an instant, the large wolf ran into the forest.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
A Warning
Rynlin rarely had the opportunity to relax. Thomas thought that Rya was only good at finding things for him to do. He was wrong. She was very good at finding things for anyone to do, including himself. Rynlin really hadn’t wanted to go with Thomas, believing that it was time for the boy to be out on his own. With his weapons training, he should be able to take care of himself now. But Rya had insisted, and it was easier to just agree with her rather than argue. So he had come along, determined to give Thomas the freedom he desired, and a few peaceful hours to himself. The herbs and roots could wait.
As he lay against the bark of the tree, his mind wandered. He enjoyed not having to think or worry. Rya did enough of that for the both of them. With Beluil there, he doubted Thomas would get into any trouble anyway. Though his wife didn’t believe him completely, Thomas knew how to use the weapons he carried. His instructors had confirmed it. Thomas was a quick learner and pushed himself even harder when he was in the ring.
Still, no matter how hard Rynlin tried to escape it, his mind kept coming back to one thing. Dark creatures. The Great Sharks were the minions of the Shadow Lord. They normally didn’t bother to approach boats in the channel linking the Highlands to the Isle of Mist like they had earlier in the day. Yes, they would attack a boat in open water at the first opportunity, but why try when they knew they could never reach the skiff? They weren’t very smart, having nothing more in life than the kill, but they weren’t stupid either. What worried him even more was that they were much more numerous than in recent years.
What had happened earlier today only substantiated what he had been hearing over the last few months from his fellow Sylvan Warriors. The creatures that formed the Dark Horde were becoming restless. Many were hunting in the Highlands and around the Breaker more often than usual, which wasn’t necessarily an anomaly according to Daran Sharban, the Sylvan Warrior stationed at the point where the Highlands met the Breaker.
Nevertheless, Rynlin had a bad feeling about it. Just the other day Catal Huyuk, a Sylvan Warrior living in the mountains bordering the Clanwar Desert, had run into several Ogren. It was the first time since the Great War that the creatures of the Dark Horde had traveled so far to the west. Rynlin’s mind continued to ponder the situation for several minutes, looking for a reason why, yet to no avail.
His mind continued to drift when something deep within him forced him to wake. A warning. Evil in the Burren. Ogren were moving directly toward Thomas. The necklaces that had been in his family for millennia had again proven their worth, allowing Rynlin to pinpoint the location of his grandson immediately. Jumping up from his seat, Rynlin ran through the dense forest. If anything happened to Thomas, Rya would never forgive him, and he’d never forgive himself. With the speed of desperation, Rynlin took hold of the Talent. He hoped he wasn’t too late.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Frozen
Kaylie’s friends had moved to the edge of the lake. Having grown tired of his storytelling since Kaylie wasn’t paying attention, Maddan was now amusing himself in other ways. Both he and Rohn had a hold of Nikola — one by the shoulders, the other by the legs — and were swinging her out over the water. Nikola squealed half in terror and half in delight, while Eric, Lissa and Camilla looked on laughing.
Kaylie glanced up at the branches above her, running almost completely across the lake. She had been right. The trees were almost woven together in some places, and the branches were thick enough to walk on. She thought about giving it a try for a moment, then decided against it. Maddan would probably tell her father about it, and her father wouldn’t be happy. Maddan would say he was only trying to protect her, when what he was really trying to do was ingratiate himself with her father.
The soft whinnies and shuffling of hooves drew her attention. Something in the forest was bothering the horses. Kaylie rose from her seat and headed toward them, hoping a few carrots to munch on would settle them down. She stopped halfway there. Something didn’t feel right. The forest had grown quiet, the silence making her uneasy. She decided it was time to go back to Ballinasloe, and as quickly as they could ride.
“Maddan,” she said, turning toward the lake, “I think it’s time to go—”
A roar shattered the silence, causing the horses to pull frantically at their tethers in an effort to break free. Another roar answered the first, sending a chill down her spine. Kaylie leapt back from where she stood as two monsters burst into the glade. She wanted to run away as fast as she could, but her legs wouldn’t move. The beasts roared again, lifting their heads to the sky and displaying rows of sharp teeth. They had to be Ogren. They were twice the size of a man, standing at least ten feet tall.
She heard her friends scream in fear behind her, and Kaylie realized to her horror that there was nowhere to go. They were trapped against the lake. She told her legs to move, that it was time to run, but still she remained rooted to the ground. The Ogren roared again, a terrifying sound that sent shivers through her body. Not able to move her legs, Kaylie was glad to see that at least her arms obeyed her. She reached for her small belt knife and pulled it free from the sheath. She had a weapon now, though she didn’t think it would do any good.
The hides of the Ogren resembled tough brown leather, and their movements belied a remarkable agility for creatures so large. Seeing that their prey had not run as they expected, the two hideous creatures moved forward slowly, enjoying the pleasure of a certain kill. Large, sharp tusks protruded from their lower jaws and curled upward, and their hands were shaped more like claws than fingers. They held large, steel maces. Gobs of saliva ran down the two Ogren’s jaws as they let out more triumphant roars. Kaylie had read that these hideous beasts liked to play with their prey before killing it. Well, she refused to be easy meat.
She told herself to run again — Camilla and Nikola were now begging her to — but her legs still refused to move. If Maddan was her champion, why wasn’t he here now? Irritation flashed within her. He was probably in the lake with the others. She was frightened too, but she wasn’t a coward. Fine, if her legs weren’t going to move, then she’d stay here. She had a knife, pitiful as it was, and she refused to go down without a fight.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Fighting Back
Thomas was on his feet the moment the Ogren entered the glade, but he was too far away to run around the lake. He wouldn’t get to the girl in time. The two monsters bore down on her, and her friends had moved into the lake, terrified of the Ogren. So much for those boys’ fighting skills. Either the girl was very brave or too scared to move, and judging by the way she held her dagger straight out in front of her, arm stiffened, it was probably the latter. Nevertheless, she certainly had courage.
Picking up his bow, Thomas pulled four arrows from the quiver on his back and pushed their points into the soft dirt in front of him. Dropping to one knee as Ari had shown him, he nocked an arrow to the string and pulled it back to his cheek. The closer he was to his arrows, The Archer had said, the faster he could shoot.
Thomas sighted on the lead Ogren, took a deep breath and released. As
the first arrow streaked across the lake, the second arrow followed right behind it, and the third and the fourth. Dropping the bow, Thomas pulled his sword from his scabbard and jumped onto a thick tree branch hanging over the lake that was about fifteen feet in front of him. Maybe he could get to her in time. Maybe.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Surprise
The two Ogren continued their approach. Kaylie thought she was going to be sick. She had never been so afraid in her life. The first Ogren was no more than ten feet way, and she could smell him now. It was a sickening stench that resembled decaying meat. She told her arm not to shake as the dagger wavered in her hand. But it was no use. Her arms were beginning to feel like her legs.
The lead Ogren stepped closer as the other remained behind it, cutting off any hope for escape. As the creature moved closer, he swung his mace through the air. The beast let out another terrifying roar, and in that instant Kaylie knew that she was going to die. It wasn’t fair, she wanted to scream. It just wasn’t fair!
Strangely, the roar didn’t sound the same as before. The previous ones had been to frighten her and her friends; these were roars of fury.
The lead Ogren pulled at something in its chest, then at something sticking out of its thick neck, but the best it could do was break off the parts that stuck out from its body. They were arrows, but where did they come from?
CHAPTER FORTY
Approach
Thomas moved quickly across the branches, staying as quiet as possible. He didn’t have to worry too much about detection really, as the screams of fear from the boys and girls standing in the lake and the roars of the Ogren hid his movement.
Stepping lightly across the path of branches, he saw Beluil break through the brush to his left. Right on time. Now all he had to do was get to where he was supposed to be before the two Ogren decided to attack together rather than separately.
And they would, once they realized their quarry would offer little resistance.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Victory
The Ogren roared in pain, but it still moved toward her. More slowly now, wary, scanning the surrounding forest for the source of the arrows. Kaylie had forgotten the stench. She knew that the Ogren wasn’t worried about her dagger. It would take only one swing of that massive club to crush her skull. In a few steps, the beast would be able to reach out and grab her, and then that would be the end, no matter how hard she fought.
She couldn’t look away from the terrible menace stepping toward her, an evil grin spreading across its hideous face as it studied its midday meal. She could almost feel the claw closing around her neck. She would never lie to her father again, she promised, if only she could escape. As if answering her plea, the Ogren stepped back a few paces.
A large black wolf appeared before her, teeth bared, an angry growl emanating from deep within its belly. It was the largest wolf she had ever seen. Normally, she would have been terrified. Yet at the moment, she felt relief. If the wolf wanted to help, that was fine with her. She focused on her legs, willing them to listen to her commands. Finally, agonizingly, as if they were stuck knee deep in mud, they listened. Kaylie shuffled back a few steps until she was at the edge of the lake, which was as far as she could go. Otherwise, she would have collapsed from fear because her legs felt so weak.
The wolf backed up with her, opening up more space in front of the Ogren. It continued to stand there, feinting an attack every so often to keep the Ogren at a distance. Though the Ogren was larger than the wolf, it had immediately become cautious. Then, a flash of light on steel streaked across Kaylie’s eyes.
Thomas hurtled down from the branches above the lake. He landed between the two Ogren, wanting to take on only one at a time. One man fighting a single Ogren was risky enough; fighting two at the same time was suicidal. Thankfully, Beluil was there to help. Thomas knew that Beluil would arrive first, so the wolf’s primary task was to buy enough time for Thomas to cross the lake.
Thomas moved quickly toward the unsuspecting Ogren in front of him. The creature’s full attention was on the large wolf blocking the way to its prey. The Ogren guarding the path roared in an attempt to warn its companion, but failed.
Coming up from behind the first Ogren, Thomas slashed its hamstrings. The beast cried out in agony and swung its mace clumsily behind it toward this unseen foe. Thomas rolled forward on his shoulder, easily avoiding the blow. He quickly regained his feet and saw that his strategy had worked. The Ogren fell forward, first on its knees, then on its stomach, its damaged legs unable to support its heavy body. The screams of pain from the wounded Ogren washed over Thomas as the creature clutched its legs. His concentration was so intense, his mind centered on nothing else but the task at hand. He felt very much like he did when using the Talent — the total concentration, the purpose, the control. Thomas didn’t think, he simply moved, letting his instincts and training lead him through the fight.
Not wanting to give the Ogren a chance to rise, Thomas bounded forward and thrust his sword deep into the beast’s back, digging for its heart. Giving the blade a twist for good measure, Thomas turned to face the other Ogren. Seeing its companion’s demise, the creature charged forward with surprising speed, a bloodcurdling roar splitting the air, mace raised above its head, its gruesome face twisted into a mask of hate. Beluil was already moving to the creature’s side, hoping to distract it long enough to give Thomas room to maneuver. But Thomas couldn’t. The girl was standing only a few feet behind him. If he dodged out of the way, the Ogren might go right for her, and she wouldn’t stand a chance. He had no choice but to stand his ground.
Thomas shifted his grip on his sword, holding it like he would a staff. The Ogren charged forward, swinging its mace down toward Thomas’ head with incredible force. Thomas held the sword in front of him like a shield, letting the blow slide off his blade. The Ogren’s strength forced him to one knee. Though his arms were numb from the power of the attack, much to his relief the steel blade held.
Surprised that its first blow had been blocked, the Ogren raised its mace again, its shoulder muscles bunching in anticipation. But in its frenzy to attack, it had forgotten it was facing two foes. Thomas, kneeling in front of the Ogren, prepared to ward off the second blow, then saw a black blur launch itself onto the Ogren’s back, its teeth and claws puncturing the beast’s neck and back. The Ogren screamed in rage and spun around, trying desperately to remove this new enemy from its back.
Thomas jumped to his feet and again slashed across the back of the Ogren’s legs. The monster fell forward onto its knees, his scream of agony filling the glade. Beluil jumped down from his perch, giving Thomas room. With the creature still turned away, Thomas mustered all of his strength, leveling his sword directly below the Ogren’s head. His blade sliced easily through the creature’s neck, its head flying several feet in the air to land by the edge of the lake. The Ogren’s body crashed to the ground with a sickening thud, its blood spilling out over the grass. Beluil glided over to the first Ogren, sniffing the body, then did the same with the second. Satisfied that both were dead, it began to clean the Ogren’s blood from its muzzle.
Thomas let out a deep breath. It was his first real fight, and he had come through it in one piece. If he returned home with more than a scratch, Rya would likely never let him leave the isle again. Making sure that Beluil was all right, Thomas turned away from his two kills. The boys and girls remained in the lake. Though their fear remained, they were now silent. Two of the girls cried softly. The third clung to the large boy, staring at nothing.
Feeling eyes on him, Thomas turned to the dark-haired girl standing by the edge of the lake, the only person in the glade other than himself to actually draw a blade. Up close he confirmed what he had seen from atop the waterfall. She had beautiful eyes, more beautiful than he had thought when he had seen them from the waterfall. Eyes you could drown in … just as he was doing now. Thomas cleared his thoughts. If there were two Ogren about, there could be more.
Though he no longer felt any disturbance in the Burren, he didn’t want to take a chance. He had learned one thing, though. From now on, he wouldn’t wait for his enemy to come to him. If his blade hadn’t held up against the Ogren’s blow, he’d be dead. From now on, he’d attack and make his own luck.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Saved
Kaylie couldn’t take her eyes from her rescuer. She had never seen anyone fight like that — so fast, so confident in his actions — yet he was no older than she. There was a hardness to his features that you normally wouldn’t see in one so young. She had watched Kael Bellilil put Fal Carrach’s soldiers through their paces several times, often because her father wanted her to do it. He repeatedly told her she had to know who she would be sending off to battle — the people, not the numbers.
Kael loved to train his men by telling stories, and the tale she remembered most vividly was the one of a single man trying to defeat an Ogren, only to fail in the end. Kael had said a single man killing an Ogren by himself would be an example of pure luck; and the fact that the man had even taken on the Ogren, an example of pure stupidity. But this one person — this boy! — had challenged two, and won, admittedly with the help of a wolf. What did that make him? The very fact that a wolf had fought with him was unbelievable. She had heard of people who could speak with animals, but that was supposed to have occurred hundreds of years in the past.
Kaylie stepped back into water of the lake. He was looking at her now, those hard green eyes taking in everything about her in a single glance. Maybe it was her imagination, but his eyes seemed to almost glow a dark green. Whatever the cause, she was entranced. It was like staring into two gems. It took a moment for her to realize that he was talking to her.