by P D Atkerson
Swords locked, and faces inches part, Enrick eyed him. "You don't really want to know what I know. I can see it in your eyes! You want to continue to believe the lies that have been told to you. To live in ignorance about everything. You don’t want your life to mean anything more what you already have!"
Aroron stared at him and quickly stepped back.
This reminded him too much of Kant and Shon's duel on the castle wall. It was so long ago, yet it still felt like yesterday. Once friends, they now fought to kill each other, just like them. It felt so wrong to him! But what could he do?
Aroron twisted his sword around and yanked the sword from Enrick's grasp and flung it out of his reach. Aroron brought his sword around and held it against Enrick’s chest.
For a second, neither of them moved, then Enrick held his hands up and dropped to his knees. His face was hard and his eyes cold, as he looked up at Aroron with defiance.
"Go on then, Aroron. Kill me!" he screamed, shoving the tip of Aroron's sword against his own chest, until blood dripped down his tunic, barely visible against the black fabric. He didn't even so much as flinch at the pain it must have caused him. "I dare you to! I dare you to end this miserable life of mine once and for all! Come on, Aroron! Don’t you have it in you?"
"You don't mean that." Aroron said, shaking his head at him. “You know you don’t mean that. You don’t want to die, not really.”
"Yes, I do!” Enrick screamed, grimacing this time as he pushed against the tip of the sword again. “If I fail my father again, he will kill me himself. Slowly and painfully! With or without the Feeler, I’m a failure to him. So, why wouldn’t I want to do it here and now?"
Aroron shook his head and slowly pulled his sword away from Enrick. The sight of the blood on the end of it, turned his stomach.
"That’s not true either. He might be a cold-blooded killer, but you’re his son. He’d never kill you.” Aroron said, letting out a sigh. “I'm not going to kill you, Enrick. You may not think we're friends anymore, but I still do. You've still got a long life ahead of you and I won't be the one to end it. You can still do good with it. Whether you choose to do so, or not is up to you."
"Well then, you don't really give me a choice, do you?" Enrick asked. "Maybe you're right, maybe there's more for me to do before I die." He said, shoving himself to his feet. A grin that reminded Aroron of Munay, spread across his face. “This is your own doing, Aroron. Just like what’s coming to Shenock is their own doing. The blood will not stain my hands.”
Before Aroron could figure out what he was saying, another warrior stepped out of the shadows and stood next to Enrick. His clothing identical to Prince Enrick's.
"Are you finished yet, my lord?” he asked, glancing towards Aroron. “We've taken care of the other matter you sent us to deal with. There will be nothing left of the village by morning, as you wished."
Enrick nodded his head. "Good." He turned to Aroron and stepped towards him. "When we meet again, it will be as enemies and nothing else!" he growled. "I'll owe you nothing more than a quick death! Remember that when you awake."
Before Aroron could say anything, Enrick lifted up his sword and slammed the pommel of his sword into the back of his head.
As pain shot through Aroron's body, his eyes flickered closed and he crumpled to the ground. Everything turning to blackness.
* * *
Enrick snatched his mask off the ground and followed after the warrior, without so much as a glance back at Aroron’s still body. But he knew, with the luck Aroron’s life seemed to be wrapped with, he’d survive the fire. He had no doubt about that. He didn’t have time to make sure one way or another.
He had a ship to catch.
* * *
Chapter 11
Sea Bandits
His head was throbbing, Aroron was sure of that, long before he fully regained his bearings. When he was finally able to open his eyes, he found himself in a strange little wood room, with one wall made out of windows. He was sure he could hear the sound of lapping water nearby.
There wasn’t much inside the room. Just a big desk in the middle, with maps spread out across it and cabinets lining the other walls. Next to the desk sat a big, grizzly looking man, wearing a sand colored jacket with golden buttons running along both sides of it. He itched at his beard, as he stared down at the desk.
“Where am I?” Aroron mumbled, nearly falling out of the hammock, as he sat up. He swayed for a second as he steadied himself.
The man looked towards Aroron, then jumped to his feet. “My lady, he’s awake!” he called out. To who? Aroron didn’t know. All he knew was he had no idea where he was, or how he’d gotten there.
He swung his legs out of the hammock and placed them on the cold wood floor, just as the door leading into the room opened and a young woman wearing a flowing, cream and gold colored dress, entered. Her blond hair nearly vanished into the pattern of her dress.
“Lady Gana?” Aroron asked, rubbing his eyes as he looked at her. She looked different than she had just a few days before. “Where am I, and what am I doing here?”
“Aroron, I’m so glad to see you’re awake!” she cried, hurrying over to him. “For a while there… well, I wasn’t sure you were ever going to wake up. How do you feel?” she asked, placing a gentle hand against his forehead. “You must have had a nasty whack on the head.”
Whack on the head? That’s when everything came flooding back to him.
“There were two people with me in Hatter.” Aroron said, quickly shoving himself out of the hammock. “Do you know if they got out in time?”
“I’m sorry, I don’t know.” Lady Gana said, smiling at him sadly. “But I’m sure they got out.”
“They’re not in Hatter anymore, that’s for sure.” The grizzly man mumbled. “There’s nothing left alive in the whole place.” Gana shot him a look and he fell silent.
Lady Gana quickly took Aroron’s hand. “I’m sure they’re fine!”
Aroron felt his chest tighten and he squeezed her hand, luckily, she didn’t seem to mind. Yet again King Munay had taken everything from him. No. This time it was the prince who’d done this to him, not Munay.
Enrick was to blame for this!
“How did you find me?” Aroron asked, letting go of Gana’s hand as he looked up into her face. “I didn’t think there was anyone else around.”
“Well, we didn’t find you, until the fire was raging through the whole city.” Gana said, sitting on the edge of the desk. “I’m pretty sure you would have died if it wasn’t for your coat.” She said, motioning towards the coat hanging on the wall behind him.
Aroron turned around and pulled it off. “How’d this save my life?” he asked, brushing the ash off it.
“It’s made of dragon’s skin, didn’t you know that?” the grizzly man asked, crossing his tree trunk arms.
“No, I didn’t.” Aroron said, shaking his head. “A friend gave it to me. What happened? After I got hit on the head, I mean.”
“Well, the fire burned through the city, catching fire to everything in its way.” The man said. “Then the flood hit the city, wiping out the fire and half the buildings.”
“A flood?” Aroron asked, frowning. “How the heck did that happen?”
“We’re still not sure.” Gana said. “It just came out of nowhere and probably wiped out everyone who was still alive in there.”
Before Aroron could respond, a bell began to ring above them.
“Captain, we’re under attack!” someone yelled outside the cabin.
The grizzly man grabbed up his hat and ran towards the door, followed a second later by Gana. Without hesitating, Aroron quickly slipped his boots back on and hurried out after them, pulling his coat back on, as he stepped out onto the deck.
“What’s going on?!” Aroron yelled to Gana, as he maneuvered his way around the sailors running about the deck. Oddly enough, a wind tore through the ship, yanking at the sails.
Gana stopped walking and
turned back towards Aroron. “Is the other ship not big enough for you to see?” she asked, smiling as she pointed towards the sea. Aroron turned, and that’s when he saw it.
A dark and looming black ship headed right towards them, its gray sails wandering the sky, like ghosts.
“Who are they?” Aroron asked, moving closer to Gana.
“Pirates!” She hissed, glaring at the ship. “Captain, what are we going to do?” she called to the grizzly man.
“Well, we’re not going to run, that’s for sure!” the captain growled. “Shenockien sailors don’t run from a fight.”
“And the soldiers do?” Gana asked, crossing her arms. “I don’t think the king’s men would like to hear that.”
She said something else, but Aroron had stopped listening to their conversation as they continued towards the stern of the ship. As they did, he moved towards the railing of the ship and watched as the other ship drew nearer to them and was soon upon them. That’s when he saw her.
Standing on the bow of the ship, was a young woman.
She wore a blue and black dress, that looked as if it had been thrown together from scraps of fabric. Her silver hair was pulled back in a messy bun, covered by her captain's hat, with a metal band holding it tightly to her head.
Even the strong wind didn't move it.
Her face was covered by a mask, but Aroron has the strangest feeling they’d met before. Then again, everything about her seemed to scream ‘crazy’ and he hoped he hadn’t met her.
In her hand she held a scepter, made with the weirdest wood Aroron had ever seen. It looked to be made of pale wood, just like the box Aroron’s sword had once been in. The tip of the scepter, wrapped itself around a blue diamond embedded into the wood.
It was then he noticed it wasn't just blue, it was green and black too, and the colors were moving! Back and forth, like the sea. Almost as if it was alive.
That’s when their eyes locked, and he was sure he’d seen her somewhere before. Then it hit him! She was the bandit he’d met on the road leading to Hatter. He was sure of it now. Hadn’t she said she was a pirate? Maybe that hadn’t been a lie after all.
Aroron was still watching closely, when her blue eyes flashed bright green, and she brought the scepter down onto the deck of her ship.
A 'boom!' echoed out from it, and both the ships lurched. All around them, a wave of water began to rise. So thick, you couldn't see through it. Aroron knew it was headed straight towards them. Somehow, the young woman was causing this.
Rapidly, the water drew nearer to them.
Then, as if he were about to take on the wave of water, Aroron drew his sword and swung it towards the water and a blast of wind exploded from him. The wave of water was caught in the wind. Slowly it rose up and moved over the top of the ships then it came crashing back down on the other side.
Aroron let out a long breath and crumpled to the ground. He’d never done anything like that before! He felt exhausted.
Even though it was turning cold and windy, Aroron felt sweat drip down his neck. He couldn't believe he'd stopped the flood of water, but he doubted he'd be able to do it again. Still, he needed to help fight off the pirates.
Moaning, he pushed himself back onto his feet. He was starting to get very familiar with the deck. Too familiar for his liking.
With shaking legs, Aroron stepped forwards. The rest of the ship was a hive of activity. The Captain's men ran around, doing what? Aroron wasn't sure. But they sure looked busy.
"How the heck did you do it?" one of the sailors asked, staring at Aroron as he moved towards him.
Before Aroron could answer him, the ship lurched again, as the ship's sails began to intertwine with each other. The masts and sails turned into a rough version of a bridge, from one ship to the other.
And a bridge is just what it became.
Masked sailors from the other ship, climbed onto the mast and made their way onto their ship. Aroron wasn’t going to let them get away with that. He hurried towards the center of the ship.
Aroron grabbed one of the ropes, and began to climb the mast.
His boots slipping and sliding all over the wood surface. He grimaced and held the rope tighter. Using his arms to pull himself towards the other end of the mast. A hundred different ropes, tangled together in to a spider's web all around and below him.
Once he reached the end, Aroron wrapped the rope around his hand, jumped off the edge of the mast and landed with a thud on the other ship's main deck. He was still tired from stopping the wave of water from hitting their ship, but he knew he could hold his own in a fight.
"I don't remember anyone inviting you over here." Someone behind Aroron hissed. Aroron quickly turned towards the man, just barely bringing his sword up in time to block the man's first cut towards his head. "I'm going to love killing you." The masked man said, coming at him again.
In one swift movement, Aroron grabbed both the man’s wrists and shoved him back, quickly bringing his leg around to trip the man. But the man held tightly to Aroron and they both went falling back.
The mask was torn from the man’s face, as they went sliding across the deck. Aroron quickly moved on top of the man, as they fought against each other. Both trying to gain the upper hand. Finally, Aroron had him pinned down.
"Sir Lart!" Aroron growled, recognizing the face of one of the men who had gone off on that journey with Shon, so long ago. “Well, isn’t it just terrible to see you again.”
Lart glanced over at the sword and a smile spread across his face. Then, in one movement, he grabbed Aroron's arms, shoved him off and slammed him into the deck, quickly flipping over and on top of him. "I didn't recognize you, but I sure recognize that beauty of a sword, Aroron!” he hissed. “Kant may have failed to retrieve it from you, but I will not."
“I don’t think so!” Aroron brought his arm around and slammed the flat of his blade against Lart, just enough to push him away. He brought his sword back and was just about to plunge his sword down into the Loyal Warrior, when he heard someone call his name.
“Aroron?!”
He instantly recognized the man’s voice. “Dasety? Fancy seeing you here.” Aroron said, shoving himself off the ground as he still held the tip of his sword against Lart’s chest. But now his attention was divided. “I take it Enrick’s here as well?"
“Yes, there you would be right, my old friend.” Dasety said, his eyes darting around. He was obviously looking for a way to get at Aroron and it was at that moment, the ship felt as if it were thrown up out of the sea. As if he’d been expecting it, Dasety lunged towards Aroron and when the ship came crashing back down, he had him pinned to the ground.
"What the heck was that?" Aroron yelled, quickly bringing his knees up and shoving him off. “What are you doing to the sea?” he asked, just before he brought his legs around and broke free from Dasety’s grip. They were both back on their feet within a second. “I take it that it has something to do with that strange stick.” He said, before Dasety could fully regain his balance, he brought his foot up and slammed it into his chest. Dasety stumbled back, but he didn't fall.
"Don't you recognize it?" Dasety asked, laughing as he rubbed his chest. "After all, if it weren't for your father, we wouldn't have it. That scepter is the Heart of the Sea, one of the most powerful weapons from the Great War, next to the Dragon Blade, that is."
“You mean this blade?” Aroron asked, gripping his sword with both hands. At that moment, the wind around them stopped and the air grew still.
Dasety’s face paled and he took a step back. “Have you learned to control it?”
No. Aroron thought to himself, smiling. “What do you think?” he asked, taking a step towards Dasety. The sunlight that flickered off the edge of the blade, seemed only to add to the effect.
He’d never seen Dasety look so scared in his life.
That’s when the girl Aroron had seen at the bow of the ship, jumped down onto the deck and turned towards them. “Dasety,” the cra
zy girl said, stepping past him. “I will take care of him for you. We both know, you’re scared stiff of that blade.” She said, then she brought the scepter around and slammed it down again.
Almost instantly, a blast of water in the shape of some kind of creature shot out of the sea and went soaring down towards Aroron. It hit against him so hard, he was thrown against the side of the ship, soaked in salt water.
Coughing some of the sea water out of his mouth, Aroron lay kneeling on the deck as the girl stood above him.
“Hello, Aroron.” She whispered, kneeling beside him. “So, we meet again.”
“Do I know you?” Aroron asked, shoving himself back to his feet. He needed to move before she stopped talking.
She stood back up and shook her head. “No. Not that you know of.”
“What does that mean?” he asked, glaring up at her. But in truth, he was really looking at the rope hanging down from the mast next to her.
Without letting himself think about it, Aroron grabbed the rope, and yanked on it. The rope quickly tightened, yanking him off the ground. He swung himself to the other side of the ship and let go.
Losing his footing, he hit the deck hard, rolling across it. He lost his grip on his sword too, and it went flying across the deck in the other direction from him. Aroron scrambled to his feet and he tried to run forwards.
He hadn’t taken more than three steps, when another wave of water flew over the edge of the ship and swept his feet out from under him. He hit the deck again, face first, knocking the air out of his lungs.
"You're afraid, I can feel it!" the young woman whispered, strolling over to him, her silver hair still perfectly in place. “Just like you were afraid back on the road to Hatter, were you not?”
So, it was her!
"Why are you doing this?" Aroron whispered, scooting away from her. “What kind of person are you, that you’d do this to innocent people?”
"I am a Feeler, an Oddity!” She hissed. “Like your friend, but with one difference.” The young woman said, fingering the scepter. “I can change the way things are for Odditys, throughout the realm.”