Secrets of the Tally

by Halie Fewkes

  I could see on Archie’s face that he wanted to talk to me too, but I had already agreed to let Liz sleep in my room, and we sure couldn’t talk with her around.

  Liz yawned and Archie said, “We can talk tomorrow,” giving me the feeling he had an idea to get us away from her.

  A knock at the door woke us early the next morning. I closed my eyes for a second, remembering that I was on the stone floor because I had given Liz the makeshift bed, then I jumped up to open it.

  “Good morning!” Archie greeted me as Liz rolled over to see who it was. “I was wondering if you both wanted to come for a walk?”

  I squinted my sleepy eyes at him. A walk?

  “A walk where?” Liz groaned.

  “Into the woods, just to take a look around.”

  “Sure,” I agreed, realizing this would be the time to talk. I looked back at Liz. “Do you want to come?”

  “Out in the woods? No. And you shouldn’t either, Allie, after what… seven kidnap attempts?”

  “It’s ok, we’ll be armed,” Archie joked, holding up his sword.

  “You two have fun.” Liz rolled back over and closed her eyes.

  “Ok, we’ll see you later,” I said.

  I heard her mutter, “But not too much fun,” as I pulled the door softly into its latched position.

  I stretched my back and whispered, “You didn’t have to come so early.”

  “I didn’t know how else to get rid of Liz. And we don’t have to go into the forest, but we’re getting out of the fortress at least. Can’t be too safe with what we have to talk about.”

  We walked out into the entrance pit and crossed over the bridge without any issue, but when we got to rocky land, Archie stopped and jerked his head to the side, startling me.

  “Somebody just brushed against my shield,” he said, scanning the empty bridge in confusion. There was no one else in sight.

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m positive.”

  “Maybe it’s Tarace,” I suggested. “He walks around invisible a lot of the time.”

  “Tarace?” Archie repeated. “You’ve hardly been here any time at all, and you’ve already met Sir Laud’s son?”

  “I knew he was important,” I muttered.

  “Well, it’s no good talking with someone invisible around,” Archie said. “We could go down to the ocean front. Then we’ll see footprints in the sand if he comes close.”

  “Brilliant, let’s do it.”

  When we got down to water, we were both disappointed to see that the waves broke on jagged and sinister rocks. Despite the disappointment though, it was a beautiful view of the ocean without a cloud in sight. Dincara was huge and majestic to our right, then a giant cliff lined the left side of the inlet with a waterfall spilling over its side.

  “Let’s go this way,” Archie said, walking along the rocks away from Dincara. It reminded me of the last time I had followed him alone — I had ended up thrown in a lake only to have my entire perception of the world changed. Something about that crazy thought made me laugh.

  Archie turned around. “Are you coming?”

  “Yeah, I’m coming.”

  I was relieved to see this was nothing like the last time once we stopped next to the waterfall and nothing out of the ordinary happened. The spray from the rocks felt good in contrast to the already hot sun.

  “I’d like to see anyone stay invisible in all this water,” Archie said, pleased by the spot he had chosen.

  “We’re going to get drenched.” I laughed as the water started soaking in, noticing the sunlight glinting off the mist in a rainbow. I sat down and watched as a fish jumped from the water, landing with a splash and disappearing.

  Archie sat next to me and looked out at the same beauty I saw. “I can’t believe the battle is tomorrow,” he said.

  “I can’t either… Archie, should we tell them what we know? About how many Escalis are coming?”

  Archie sighed and said, “I already did. They needed to know.”

  I didn’t press for the details. I just said, “Thanks for getting it done.”

  I wished so much, with everything I had, that time could stop right then so I would never have to face tomorrow. I wished so hard, but I knew it wouldn’t happen.

  “Do you think we made the right choice, Archie?”

  “By giving them the information? Yeah. They did seem disappointed with the amount you had though. We got the better end of the deal by far. Did you leave anything out?”

  “No, they had everything else right.”

  I twitched my lips a few times, then bit them and clasped my hands in my lap. “What if we die?”

  “We won’t die, Allie.”

  “There’s no guarantee of that. It could just be an accident, or part of the siege…”

  Archie threw a rock in the water. “You know… You will always live wherever you go. Not because you’re a Tally, but because you’re always living. If you aren’t, then the only way you’re going to know is by looking around and finding that you’re in a better place. Then it won’t matter anymore.” I thought over his logic and found that I liked it. “Thinking of that keeps me from being afraid.”

  I looked up as a shadow passed over us and I saw my grey-freckled falcon swoop down to land on a looping root next to us.

  “Hi, Flak,” I said. I reached out to stroke her feathers, but she hopped away, not wanting to be touched.

  “Are you scared?” Archie asked.

  “Yes.”

  Flak moved close to me again, but I didn’t try to pet her.

  “Of which part?”

  I shrugged uncomfortably. “I’m not so afraid of dying, but of getting hurt, losing somebody, seeing life change forever… Are you scared?”

  “Yeah, a lot more than I’m letting on.”

  Just as I noticed how thoroughly the waterfall had drenched me, trumpets blared from atop Dincara.

  “That means we have to get back,” Archie said, standing up. I stood too and wrung the water from my tied-back hair. Another fish jumped between waves, catching Flak’s apt attention and making me smile.

  “It feels like this is the end,” Archie said.

  “It does,” I agreed. We hugged before we had to leave and I realized that Archie was completely dry because the water had been hitting his shield. Well, he had been dry. He wasn’t anymore.

  “Sorry about that,” I said, stepping back.

  “Naw, don’t be,” he grinned.

  When we got back to Dincara, lines of people stretched in every direction to grab armor, weapons, and assignments. The first place we had to go was the line assigning each person to a different area, and Archie and I both ended up on the forward left battlements, overlooking the bridge. We found where to get bows and arrows, and then we had to listen to extensive instructions on how to proceed when time of the battle arrived.

  Liz found us eventually, holding a helmet and armor in her arms.

  “Where are you going to be?” I asked her, my heart fluttering in anticipation.

  “On the ships, helping to shoot the ballistae at any Escali lucky enough to make it to the backside of the pavilion.”

  “Well, as long as you’re far from the front lines,” I replied, not feeling any more comfortable.

  As everybody finished getting assignments and gear, Sir Laud stepped into view on the walls. The silence he received was almost unreal, and the reverence that everyone held for him marked his as an exceptional leader. “Dincara,” he addressed everyone with a smile. “For nearly fifty years, I’ve watched this fortress become a home, a safe haven, and a symbol of defiance for everyone on our continent. And now, looking out among you, I see more than just Dincarans come to defend it. I see every last one of the Dragonan mages, quite a few warriors from Tabriel Vale, I’m also seeing a lot of blond hair and blue eyes from the northern cities, Lakama, Terrinatel, Keldrosa, Glaria… I’ve always been secretly jealous of those northern looks myself.”

  A nervous ch
uckle swept through the crowd.

  “It’s good to see the men and mages we can count on when the day of the battle comes. We come from different places and hold many loyalties, and just as long as none of those loyalties are to Kelian, we should be fine. Otherwise, there’s a bridge leading out of the city — feel free to jump off before you get in our way.”

  Everybody laughed again, this time a bit louder. These Dincarans fiercely loved their leader, and it was infectious.

  “Dincara has always been the strongest Human fortress on this continent — our symbol of strength in this war torn land, and an unflinching reminder to the Escalis that we’re here. However, the truth of tomorrow’s battle has now come to the fore. And… We won’t be able to hold our city.”

  A surprised murmur resonated off the walls, and I exchanged a nervous glance with Archie.

  “The Escalis understand this to be our center of strength. They know it’s where we receive our supplies, and they know it’s our symbol of defiance, which is why they are coming in numbers greater than we can handle. The original reports consistently assured me that a force of four thousand would attack. We could have handled the initial numbers, but they’ve changed. The Escalis are now sending sixteen thousand, and they’ll be here at noon tomorrow.”

  The outburst of talk was instant — fear and alarm, surprise and sorrow — people only quieted down again when Sir Laud held out his hands so he could speak.

  “I won’t force anybody to stay. In fact, you’re all free to leave through the escape tunnels when the kids go. There is no shame, no guilt attached, but you may not leave until I have finished speaking.

  “Personally, I’ve gone through our options and I only see three. Fight, flee, or forfeit. I also personally feel that I have worked too damn hard to do either of the latter! I may have to stand by myself at those gates, but the Escalis will still have to go through me. This is my home! I’ll fight because this is where my son was born and raised. I’ll fight so the Escalis don’t have free reign over me — I’ll fight because I am Human and will not be driven by their demands! I’ll fight because I am Dincaran, but most of all, I’ll fight because this is the legacy I want to leave. The next time they attack a Human city, I want them to fear what they will find. I want them to fear the Human spirit. It’s what separates us from them.

  “Tomorrow I ask that you stand wherever your heart calls you. If that happens to be at home, then go. If you choose to fight with us tomorrow, to die with us tomorrow, then treasure this moment. Look at each person around you and make amends with your enemies, share hugs with your friends. This is the last time we will all be together. Tomorrow we fight not for me, not for Kelian, but for each other. We fight for the future, and we fight for the hope of all. We are not outcasts. We are Human, and we are all brothers.”

  “And before you decide whether to stay or go, I’ll ask you this…”

  Thousands of bated breaths left Dincara dead silent.

  “What legacy do you want to leave?”

  Chapter Twenty Five

  Whenever I looked over the side of our archers’ tower, I found a long, straight drop to the crashing water which put an extra knot of anticipation in my stomach. I wished the sky was still midnight-blue and that the sunrise hadn’t killed the stars watching over us. I wished I could focus on the tall man in command of our battalion, drilling everyone with the meaning of each trumpet call. Yet I just found myself staring out at the combat dragons on either side of the pit, eerily silent and still.

  Nobody had left Dincara last night. Even the kids had to be coerced after their leader’s speech.

  Our prep-talk included the word “courage” more often than not, and I had the feeling that our leader was convincing himself to be brave as much as any of us. And yet, for all his talk of bravery, courage, honor, and sacrifice, I could still see his heart freeze in fear when the first Escalis stepped out of the forest.

  Everybody knew to expect immense numbers but could never have anticipated the shock of seeing sixteen thousand Escalis closing around Dincara. They filled in the space between the trees and the bridge, and the fact that we couldn’t see the ones behind the forest cover made the swarm seem endless.

  It was obvious to me and everybody else that we didn’t have a chance, and I knew without a doubt I had done the right thing by convincing them to spare our lives. We all would be dead otherwise.

  “You ready?” I hadn’t even noticed Archie appear next to me.

  “Definitely not,” I replied.

  “Now would be a good time to get ready.”

  “Yeah, I know,” I groaned, brushing my hair fretfully back from my face. “I’m working on it.”

  Two trumpets sounded from above, signaling to prepare, so he returned to his post as archers all over Dincara stepped up to theirs. Many were on the lower decks of the battlements, aiming through gaps in the stone, while quite a few lined up along the fortress walls. All the Escalis had arrived and were preparing to rush across the bridge. The level of tension inside the fortress was mounting and then we saw a single Escali come forth, taking slow and purposeful strides across Dincara’s great walkway.

  An entire city held its breath as the Escali neared the main gates, jerking his attention and gaze rapidly in every direction. He shouted something for all of Dincara to hear, but I couldn’t even catch it with my Tally ears. I couldn’t hear his declarations, but I had no problem seeing his bared teeth as he spat them.

  I heard a shout from one of our own down at the main gate, and then saw at least eight arrows fire at the Escali on the bridge. His superiors howled in anger from across the water as he fell to his knees, and then the entire Escali army bellowed roars of outrage. A horn sounded from somewhere within the Escali ranks, and the assault began.

  It didn’t start with an angry charge of warriors.

  Only six of their soldiers broke across the bridge in a surreal sprint until flames erupted underneath of them, scorching their feet. Their preparation for this obstacle was instantly apparent as all six leapt off and dangled from the edge of the bridge. They waited for the fire to subside, all except the Escali who had been in the front. He had launched himself forward and landed on one of the pipes fueling the bridge. He was undoubtedly attempting to break it, but was knocked into the water below as our trumpet calls ordered us to open fire. One splash into the green, and he was gone forever. Every Escali clinging to the edge of the bridge was either killed by arrows or knocked into the water, and so we successfully kept the first wave from causing any damage.

  And when I said we, I meant the archers around me. I aimed poorly so my arrows wouldn’t cause me more regret.

  The fire subsided, and another wave sprinted toward the gates as the next batch of fuel was piped into the bridge. We had less luck with this group of Escalis. Two of them were able to jump and land on the left pipe before we could shoot them, and they both immediately pushed against the bridge with all their might to try to break the duct loose. The combined strength of the two Escalis was enough to wrench the pipe from its intended socket before they were shot and fell to certain death. The antiwater that was supposed to be fueling the bridge began draining into the moat, and the right pipe was the only one left to kindle the bridge-fire.

  Flames burst up from the grated bridge again, and the Escalis waited for them to subside to make their next run. The Escalis in this new wave made it up to the last remaining fuel pipe despite Dincara’s efforts to shoot them down — however, they found it more sturdy than the other, and they couldn’t break it loose. They resorted to pulling out tools and weapons and punching gaping holes in the pipe instead.

  The bridge flamed up one last time, effectively annihilating that wave of Escalis as they either burned or dangled from the edge of the structure to be picked off by the archers. The entranceway was overrun as the bridge took an immense amount of time to collect any antiwater from its one damaged source. It probably wouldn’t be spouting fire for the rest of the battle. Barely
a dent had been made in the Escali ranks as hundreds swarmed into the pit and a whole new wave of archers opened fire on them.

  The cue was sent to start releasing boulders, and mages levitated them out to fall into the pit, killing or injuring those who weren’t yet hit by our arrows. A different trumpet call announced the arrival of dragons overhead, who swooped down and incinerated those trying to climb onto the main square.

  Our rampart received the order to fire a volley, and we wiped out half the regiment on the bridge, knocking several into the water, never to resurface. More Escalis eager to get in on the action were quick to replace the fallen, and they flooded into the entrance pit where those who had survived the falling boulders were dragging themselves out.

  The horn sounded for the archers to ready for another volley, along with three long notes signaling the water mages to commence.

  Frothing green water came in from above, and the Escalis in the pit screamed in shock and agony as it splashed and burned into their skin. But the result wasn’t that they stopped, rather they climbed up the sides of the pit as fast as they could and came face to face with the combat dragons on either side. Raging flames erupted from the dragons as they were released from their trances, reflecting their hatred toward the world and everyone in it. Escalis who had just climbed up the walls either had to jump back down or be burnt to death.

  The horn sounded to release another volley of arrows, but the Escalis on the bridge were now equipped with shields and very few of them suffered hits. Curses came from the archers in both battlements, but the voice of one man rose above them catching everybody’s attention.

  “LOOK TO THE HARBOR!”

  The Shadow’s Doubt was burning down the harbor wall, eager to bring another mass of Escalis in through the back. She was plagued by fire arrows, but shook them off like water down a bird’s feathers. She was almost through.

  We were drawn back to attention with the horn sounding to fire again. The archers around me knocked more off the bridge, but not enough to make a difference through the Escalis’ shields. The bridge was no longer an obstacle for them, but the pit was. They couldn’t climb up past the dragons, the door to get inside Dincara was sealed shut, and the water being constantly poured in was mixing with the alchemist powder and burning them.