by Mark Tufo
“We will stop here for the night,” Kinder said.
It was Cedar guiding me to a spot to rest that got my attention.
“No zukan root tonight, Kinder. It would be bad for Mythos,” I told him.
He smiled. “No zukan root.”
Dinner was as savory as the previous night without the slight bitter after-taste that must have been due to the root. I won’t lie–I could have gone for a hunk of whatever Mennot was eating. Meat of just about any kind would have been welcome. My disposition improved slightly as the night wore on, I can mostly attribute that to Cedar’s reading of Kylie’s Wish to me aloud. I thought I had problems until I compared them to that poor girl’s. I fell asleep at some point, just as her betrothed had gotten into a car accident the night before their wedding and was in a coma. It did not appear that Franklin was going to be able to survive if he was taken off life-support. Cedar was hitching as she read.
The next morning I noticed Cedar’s eyes were blotchy with dark circles surrounding them. They looked as if she had been rubbing sand in them. I noticed she had not moved much since I’d fallen asleep.
“You didn’t sleep, did you?” I yawned and stretched.
“How could I, Winter? The story was so sadly beautiful. His love for her transcended death.”
“Is that even possible?” I stood. Gregor was running toward me and Kinder.
“Bruton patrol!” He came to nearly a skidding halt as he relayed this information to Kinder, who quickly glanced my way.
“How far? How many? And do they know we’re here?” I asked.
“Two miles by now, forty-four, and yes.”
“Weapons?” Cedar asked. For someone that looked like she was going to topple over from exhaustion she was already fully dressed and adjusting her scabbard as she came up beside me.
“Mostly swords. I saw a few with spears but they may have had a bow or two as well–I couldn’t get in close enough to tell. The bow is not a weapon they are all that familiar with or have a desire to master. They are much more concerned with being up close when they kill.”
“Will they talk?” If we could avoid conflict I thought that would be for the best.
“Much like our new Fera...I mean Comanchokee friends, the Brutons are not known for their diplomacy. They strike without impunity and as far as I know have never allied with anyone. It seems that their sole purpose in life is to end it in others.”
“Kinder, do you agree with his assessment?”
“This is most likely a Death Squad. They are sent out with explicit instruction to wreak as much of it as they can. They will not be conducive to talking.”
“Can we outrun them?”
“Run?” Cedar scoffed.
“To where, Winter?” Gregor asked, looking at the flat expanse. “I like our odds, anyway.”
“What do you mean?” I asked. “We’re outnumbered nearly two to one.”
“We have the Ghost,” he said wryly.
“They don’t know that yet.”
“They soon will.”
“Shall we eat?” Kinder pulled out a bag that contained dried fruit. At first Cedar looked at him like he’d possibly gone insane, then she shrugged her shoulders and grabbed a handful.
“Thank you,” she told him.
“How can you eat right now? My stomach is tied up in knots.” I frowned at the site of the food.
“I’m hungry.” And it really was that simple for her. I envied that my friend could compartmentalize her feelings so easily. I, on the other hand, was scared not only for my own life but for the lives of those around me. I felt something for the Brutons’ lives that we might take. I was still thinking about Tallow, Haden, my mother and my father. I wasn’t sure if I’d yet gotten over crossing through the Pickets, either. But Cedar? She was just hungry.
“Must be nice,” was all I could tell her.
“It is, it’s delicious, tastes like blueberries with a hint of strawberry juice mixed in.”
The Bruton squad was about a half mile away from us when they stopped running. They sent a couple of their team out, apparently to look for traps. I can understand why as we weren’t doing much of anything except standing there waiting for their approach. On one side of the spectrum they must have felt excitement because their quarry was stationary and didn’t appear to be going anywhere any time soon and, on the other hand, they had to be wondering why not.
The Brutons fanned out as they approached. They seemed wary, like they were waiting for our reinforcements to spring out of the ground. That would have been nice, but it wasn’t going to happen. Two bowmen stepped out in front when they got within fifty yards or so. The first volley landed woefully short, the second, yards to our right. The leader of the squad had seen enough and yelled for them to charge.
My steel rang as I pulled it free. A spearman was heading my way. I watched helplessly as Gregor needlessly threw himself in front of the tip. He grunted in agony as he was pushed backwards and into me. I was back peddling and moving to the side, trying not to fall with him. The man that had impaled Gregor was now trying to stop his forward momentum and wrench the spear free. He had both of his hands wrapped around the shaft and was holding on for dear life. I was finally able to get around him. I shattered the shank with one blow of my sword, both Gregor and the wielder falling backwards. I was on the Bruton before the vibrations from the contact had settled. I drove my sword through his chest plate. I was not conscious of it then, but I was yelling. I pulled my sword free and while I simultaneously spun I ducked down underneath the swinging blade of the next man. The edge of my blade cut deep into his midsection. He doubled over from the pain and the wound.
My sword was spinning as I deflected the attempted strikes of incoming Brutons. They had not so much engaged us as they had tried to run us down. The force of them had struck quickly and passed on through. Eight Brutons lay dead or dying. Including Gregor, we’d lost three–two who were quite dead and another that would be dead soon if we were not allowed to tend to his wounds. The Brutons ran for another fifty yards before regrouping and resuming their charge from the other side.
“Cedar, stay near me!”
“I have no desire to move away.”
We were nearly side by side with just enough room for our swords to dance. The hatred on their faces was only superseded by their determination to kill us. They charged again, I timed my swing perfectly, bringing my blade down on the front edge of the Bruton’s helm. The metal split under the assault, as did the skin over his forehead. Bone shone whitely through before it was washed deep red. The man’s eyes glossed over from the strike and then were completely drowned in blood. He was effectively blind as he swung his sword back and forth in a desperate attempt to kill me before I did the same to him. I parried his attack and thrust into the hollow of his neck.
Cedar grunted as she was pushed back, two men locked onto her. I kicked with my left leg, hitting one in the front of the knee, locking his leg in place. In that moment he found himself incapacitated, Cedar finished him off with a thrust through his chest. In an instant the Brutons were once again through and past us, those that had lived, anyway. Another seven Brutons had paid for their haste. We’d suffered two more losses. These numbers we could sustain, but death was death, and I had no desire to see it on either side in any amount.
The Brutons reassembled, but did not immediately come toward us. They seemed to be mustering; some of the men were hastily wrapping wounds and trying to stop the bleeding from their more serious gashes, others rested, hands on knees, wiping their swords and their sweat soaked brows. I was done waiting to play their game.
“Charge!” I yelled, raising my sword up and running full tilt toward the surprised faces of the Brutons.
“Are you kidding me?” Cedar asked but she was the first by my side, the rest of the group following immediately. We were halfway there when the surprise wore off. They charged as well. Steel met steel, body met body in a deadly dance. Once again we found ourselves
separated by some distance. More than half of the Brutons were now rushing to meet whatever deity they believed in. Our numbers were nearly equal; we may have even had the upper hand.
“Who are you?” one of the Brutons asked as we stared at each other.
“I am W...”
“The Ghost!” Cedar shouted.
“The Ghost! She is of the seasons past!” Kinder added.
Did it unnerve him? I don’t know; I hoped so. He seemed to delay before his next run-through. The next clash gave us the clear advantage.
“There is no dishonor in knowing when you are beaten,” Kinder said across the expanse.
The man who had spoken earlier and who I believed to be the leader once again responded.
“That is not how this works, Feral dog. Either all of you are dead or all of us are.”
“Yeah, how’s that working out for you?” Cedar asked.
He yelled again and then charged.
“Really, Cedar? That was the best you could do? Antagonize him?” I was ready once again. The leader decided I was to be his target as he cut off and shoved at least three of his men out of the way in an attempt to get at me.
I felt a push to my side as Cedar was shoving me away. “No Cedar!” I yelled as the man was coming. I watched in agonizingly slow motion as Cedar looked unready for the much larger man’s attack. I saw his eyes, though, as they were looking past Cedar and locked on me at the cost of all else. Cedar’s sword thrust up and almost off his protective layer of clothing. It ran up the length of his sleeve and then under the pit of his arm. The pain must have been excruciating as she sliced up. He swung out reflexively with his injured arm, catching Cedar in the side of the head and sending her sprawling.
I went down to one knee to help Cedar get back up before someone tried to pin her to the ground. The leader’s sword blew past the top of my head. I heaved my blade through his midsection.
“Well fought, Ghost,” he said as he fell over, taking my sword with him.
What was left of the Brutons would have had a hard time taking on a group of hungry children, but still they formed up.
“This has to stop!” I yelled in dismay.
“They know no other way,” Kinder said bluntly.
“This will be like slaughtering infants,” I said as I looked over at the Brutons. Every one of them was bleeding in at least three spots. Some were barely holding their ground.
“If this was reversed they would not spare any of us.”
“Would it not be better if at least one of them made it so they could spread the word about our resident ghost?” Cedar asked.
“That would be of great benefit to us; I am not sure how that can be accomplished though. They have strange concepts regarding honor,” Kinder said.
“I think I have it!” I almost jumped up and down in excitement, but that would not have coordinated well with what I was about to attempt. “Brutons, I would talk with you before we end you,” I yelled at them.
I could see it in their features; they might have thought about sneering or swearing but I wasn’t boasting idly, as the majority of them had already fallen. What was left was in no shape to finish what they’d started.
“Your leader spoke to me. He said you could not leave until either you were dead or we were.”
“What’s your point?” one of them asked warily. Or maybe wearily.
“I am the Ghost. I am already dead and therefore cannot be killed. Your obligation has been fulfilled.”
I hoped they would overlook the gaping flaw in my argument, that the people to my left and right were very much alive.
“Look at me! I have slain seven of you. I have faced your leader and yet I have not a mark on me. Can anyone else on either side say the same?” The men looked at each other then across to us.
“Winter, I don’t have a mark either,” Cedar said quietly.
“Get behind me or cut something quick.”
“Damn, that’s sharp. Ooh, that really hurts. Maybe I should have just hidden behind you.”
“Trying to do something here,” I mumbled to her.
Cedar had put a small slice in her index finger and every time a bubble of blood welled up she would slyly wipe it over various parts of her body. By the time this was done she was going to look like she’d fought the entire Hillian army.
“You have blood on you!” a Bruton called out. Whether he wished it to be true I could not say.
“I can assure you it is not mine, but rather that of your brothers.” I spoke calmly, even though my gut was churning. I’d had enough of this and could only hope they would take the out I had given them.
“I cannot go back. Not like this,” the man said with an expression of grief.
“I will see you on the other side then. I will not be as kind to you there as I have been here. I will have all eternity to torment your tortured souls.”
“Does she speak the truth?” one of the men asked.
“Shut up! She is as much flesh and blood as I, as we all are.”
“You don’t sound so sure of yourself,” Cedar said.
“We offer no quarter, we expect no quarter.”
“No one will remember your deaths, least of all me,” I lied. They charged. It was almost over before it began. The six bedraggled men that attacked us were finished as they crossed the void between us and entered a much bigger one. I was sad for their passing but happy that no more of us went with them. In total, we’d lost fifteen good men and another three were injured to the point where it was unlikely they would survive. That did not stop Kinder from trying though.
Chapter 16
Klondike Cavern
“WHERE’S WINTER?” TALLOW asked, meeting the returning Haden.
“Get him out of here,” Serrot said, pushing him to the side.
“I have a right to know!” Tallow shouted. Those nearby stopped what they were doing to see how Haden would react.
“She is on a fool’s errand. She may or may not live. I do not know.”
“You let her go?”
“Do you truly believe I could have stopped her? How well did you keep her from going with me to the Hillian meeting?”
“You have no right!” Tallow shouted.
“No right to what?”
“I can see it in your eyes–the anguish you’re displaying that she is not here. She is mine, not yours!”
“Winter is not one that can be possessed. You of all people should know that. If you don’t mind, I have a war to prepare for.”
“A duel, then! I challenge you to a duel for Winter's favor.”
“The spilling of your blood on the ground will not make her love you, nor me for that matter. She will choose whom she chooses, and nothing we do to each other is going to change that.”
Serrot grabbed Tallow before he could draw his sword and do something that he would regret. Haden was staring hard at Tallow, his fists opening and closing tightly. “Get your hand off your sword, Tallow,” Serrot warned. “He will kill you where you stand if you don’t and then Winter will be forced to kill him.”
Haden arched his eyebrow at Serrot. “You’re probably right,” he said, walking away.
“Coward!” Tallow shouted over Serrot’s shoulder. Haden stopped, bristled, then continued on.
“Fool,” Serrot spat. “You ever try to draw your sword on him again and I will kill you myself. Winter had a letter from her mother which sent her on a quest. If she chooses, she will tell you about it when she returns.”
“When will that be?” Tallow grasped onto that one word with hope.
“Haden harbors doubt she will return, but I do not. The girl is indeed the Ghost, as the Ferals have named her. If anyone can end our conflict, it is she.”
Chapter 17
Encounters
THE BRIEF BUT intense fighting had left us exhausted. We buried our dead and burned the corpses of the Brutons. By the time this was done, the sun had already arced high and was heading for its own respite for the evening
. I’d hoped we would be getting back to the cave sooner. I needed to talk to Tallow and to Haden. On the other hand, maybe the extra day away was what I needed because I honestly didn’t know what I was going to say to either of them.
Kinder seemed tireless, as if he’d just awakened from an extended nap. Once we had moved a fair amount of distance away from the killing field he started a fire and helped to prepare the evening meal. I was so hungry, tonight’s fare could have been boiled rocks and I would have been happy. My body and mind felt like they had taken a savage beating. The adrenaline that had coursed through my body had also taken its toll. I could barely keep my eyes open as I stared at the fire that licked at the base of the big cooking pot.
Kinder was on the other side, tending to the food, a large grin on his face that stretched nearly from ear to ear.
“Something funny?” I yawned. “I could maybe use a little bit of that.”
“I did not know that Ghosts tired,” his eyes crinkled.
“Well this one sure does.”
“Dinner should be ready in a little while. Maybe you should sleep a bit.”
“No way. I saw Cedar eyeing the pot and there won't be a bite left if she has her way.”
“Right here,” she said, looking over the top of her book.
“Kinder, I haven’t had much time to think about this, and I don’t know why I am thinking of it at this moment. But since I am, may I ask you a question?”
“Anything.”
“Anything?” Cedar sat up.
I spoke before Cedar could. “How is it that the Comanchokees have so many people in The War? Even the Hillians, who apparently have their Bio Buildings running constantly, don’t have a thousand–or so Haden says.”
“We knew you were going to be here this year. Not you specifically,” he said when I gave him a funny look. “But, the prophesy of one such as you arriving has spread throughout our clan and we have been preparing for several generations. We’ve held back warriors from each of the last five cycles, and this year we included youth who measure their years at seventeen and sixteen.”