Defiant Revival

by Defiant Revival [Dreamspinner MM] (retail) (epub)

  Amidst gathering any of their belongings strewn about by Shemmy, my brother let his curiosity get the best of him. “What happens in forty-seven hours?” He grimaced before he even heard the answer.

  “Oh Spirit, I cannae wait! It’s gonna be sublime!” Shemmy responded, swaying with her arms held against her chest.

  “Shemmy! You aren’t allowed to watch, and you know it!” Micah cried out to her. Billiam was already leading the horse and cart ahead, ready to leave the other two behind.

  “I needn’t know, you are quite right, Billiam,” Zan shouted to him, defeated. He grabbed Shemmy’s collar again and hoisted her atop her horse. When he gave the beast a smack, it ran up to and past Billiam, with its rider shrieking all the way.

  Their trek began again, a trio no longer, but now a slightly disharmonious quartet. The corpse carriage did its best to catch up, as its mistress was slow to enchant due to her unexpected departure. The slapping of Gam’s feet along the soft dirt gave a delightful rhythm to the start of their seven-day journey.

  Chapter 8

  May 6th, 989

  OUR THIRD day of travel officially brought us over the border of Casperland and into the nation of Alafor. It brought us also to unending chill and a constantly howling wind. I walked a few paces ahead of my colleagues at all times. This was to act as guard and also to allow my legspan the freedom it required.

  It was already midday, and as I surveyed the path ahead, a loud, uncontrollable laugh began falling out of my mouth. I clasped my hands over it, trying to muffle the outburst. It was no use; the joy and laughter would not cease spilling out of me. Overcome, I fell to my knees.

  Katrina sprinted up to me, concerned by the noises she had heard. She was shocked to see me fallen to the ground, chuckling joyfully, but with a grimace etched into my face. “Micah is alive!” I managed to squeal out to her, surprised by the high-pitched and feminine sound of my own voice. Billiam had overtaken my emotions and hijacked my monotone sensibilities.

  “Oh! That’s so wonderful! Malcolm, Malcolm! The prince has been raised! Such a glorious day!” Kat cried out as happy tears formed in her eyes, feeling the hope we had all held on to for so long was no longer a dream. Our prince was truly alive, and if things kept going to plan, reality would be a happier place for us all to dwell in.

  “Right, yell that louder, hmm? Maybe scream out Helvendeere a few times too,” responded Malcolm dryly, as he passed the happy girl without even a glance. He knelt down to me, and I saw he too was a grinning fool. He looked me over, shaking his head, unable to keep a loud guffaw of his own from coming out. “How unbecoming of my stoic warrior. We really need to find some sort of emotional filter for you. That Billiam is ridiculously sensitive for a man.” Strangely enough, there was not even a trace of malice in his voice, and his smile stood strong on his face as he grabbed my arms to pull me up.

  My face was hurting from the smiling forced upon it, and my chest felt warmth unlike any my own feelings had yet produced. I managed to stop the laughter but only tentatively. I feared speaking, for it could come flooding back out. I simply nodded to him and shrugged, ashamed of such a display, yet still possessing enough of my own happiness to not fight it much. I walked over to Katrina and gave her a strong embrace, as I could tell she was a bit hurt by Malcolm’s scolding.

  “Sorry for yelling, I have not been this excited in ages. No matter what battles my heart was feeling before, I know the road ahead can only lead to a brighter future,” Kat said softly and smiled, sharing her sentimental notions even though she knew the two of us were anything but. “Since you are such a giddy little girl, I am assuming the prince was revived without issue?”

  I don’t think I had ever been called a little girl before this instance. I felt for a second she couldn’t even be speaking to me, and I glanced over at Malcolm, who had finally given in to hysteria. Exhausted and bashful, I looked to the sky while holding tightly on to my chest. “All I can feel from Billiam is pure bliss. There is no error in this feeling at all; he is euphoric. I am positive Shemmy pulled it off perfectly, and also fairly certain they’ve made it out of the wood safely. As emotional as Billiam is, he is adept at keeping it at bay when it would put him or his people in danger.”

  “Right, thanks for the good news, and good show, Leke. We should be continuing, though, should we not?” Malcolm inquired, almost fully returned to his usual, emotionless state, minus the smile that still hung in the corners of his mouth.

  “Yes!” I exclaimed, surprising myself with such exuberance. My emotions were still flooded, so I took care to speak calmly and like myself. I cleared my throat before continuing, hoping to hack up the cheer from my voice as well. “If we are swift, we can get to Pottleton in about two hours. We will have ample time to look around before sunset.”

  “Ample time to look at what?” Malcolm scoffed.

  Katrina joined him in doubting me, as she asked, “Why do you care to go there, Leke? It was burnt out and abandoned a year before Casper. It was the test site for those awful missiles, right? It can’t be much more than ash and ghosts now.”

  “I know all that. I just truly would like to speed up our journey. I’d like for us to be fully secure having the prince in the City of Alafor, and there is no way I could feel that way with just a day or two. I cannot explain why, but I have an extremely strong feeling we can find something to aide our journey there. It is a hunch I have carried since before we invaded the castle, and I cannot seem to shake it. I have never been wrong about a feeling like this. Besides, it is hardly out of the way. Less than a mile off our current path is a worthy sacrifice even if I am wrong, as we might find actual shelter for the night.” I explained to them my sentiments as best I could, though I knew there was no concrete evidence I could possibly offer to back up my conviction.

  “I trust you, Leke!” Katrina told me, nodding as she began to walk ahead. “Let’s see what it’s got for us, yes?” With that, it was settled. Malcolm and I followed her in silence.

  The entrance to Pottleton lay down a heavily wooded cobblestone path. It was the only road that was not comprised of dirt and gravel we had seen since our journey began. Pottleton used to be a thriving community and was almost a perfect midpoint of the continent of Centra. It resides in Alafor country but was always a neutral township. The destruction of Pottleton and Knox’s later attempt on one of Alafor’s largest cities, the City of Wings, were what drove Alafor to seek alliance with Casperland. That, of course, did not fare well following Micah’s descent into illness. Despite that, the Caspers and the Alafor never officially engaged in any war, and we had little to worry for personally as we crossed into our neighboring nation.

  The trees encompassing us were large pines, though they were nearly naked. We had not reached the permafrost that covered most of Alafor, but the sharp cold had obviously done its part to inhibit the vegetation. The path widened to a decrepit steel gate, with a fallen, scantily clad tree on one side of it. Past the fence were a few visible structures, the skeleton of a city.

  I walked in front, stepping through the threshold of the shabby gate and into full view of the remains of Pottleton. Although I was the one with the strong suspicion, I was still shocked to see a veritable crowd of people. In the middle of the town there was now a huge field with all sorts of folks hard at work tending to crops. The field of dark, bushy leaves was somehow thriving despite the winter surrounding it. To the right of it was a factory line of more faceless peasants flipping switches, filling bottles, and creating Aegis knows what. At the start of the line were two horses, walking endlessly in a wheel, as a power source of sorts.

  Malcolm and Katrina caught up with me, joining in my mystified gaze before this awestruck moment was cut short. I sensed an incoming threat and swiftly picked up a cohort in either hand. I held them above my head and jumped atop the feeble fence behind me. As soon as my landing was stuck, at least a dozen arrows flew through the space we had left. They darted by fast before falling to the cobblestone y
ards behind us.

  I teetered upon the frail bars, unable to gain any balance as there was no way to evenly distribute the weight difference of Katrina and Malcolm. Standing on one foot, the other leg kicked behind me, I was able to tuck Katrina neatly under my arm. Keeping myself completely alert and focused on where the attack flew from, I held Malcolm by his round forearm, tossing him as lightly as possible to the ground behind the gate. He grunted as he fell and rolled to his side, producing a succession of loud thuds.

  “Stay quiet and lay flat,” I hissed.

  Able to gain balance at last, with both feet planted on steel, I spun so my side holding Katrina was facing Malcolm’s spot on the ground. I guarded her with my body while keeping my eyes fixed on my target. I saw a gleam of reflected light on metal, glowing on the roof of the tallest building left standing. As soon as it flashed, so danced forward another dozen lead-tipped arrows. With no worry of my companions being struck, I was able to jump over the projectiles easily. I was disturbed by their accuracy but glad to now be assured of their reload time.

  “I see where you are shooting from, you bastard. You have no chance of hitting me, so come down and face me like a man. If not, I shall go up there, and you won’t be keen on it,” I yelled calmly but sternly.

  “Bugger off, you sonofabitch!” a ragged and angry man’s voice called from my right, much to my surprise. It seemed to come from the nearest small shack, but it was completely dark inside. I had no hope of seeing the speaker from where I stood. Before I could make my way toward it, the third barrage shot out to me, from its same place atop the tall building. I jumped and dodged them again, landing on the ground and wasting no time running to the shack.

  I made my way over to the voice, keeping Katrina as parallel to my body as possible, and was able to spare a look at all those workers in the city center. There was no change; their toil continued on with no notice given to the commotion caused by us outsiders. It seemed as if nothing existed beyond their labor, quite a rare and unbelievable work ethic, I thought.

  I heard Katrina whimper a bit, as she panted from under my arm. “Sorry, I feel much safer with you here than the ground. I promise to protect you,” I explained, ducking behind the shack’s wall just in time to avoid the fourth barrage.

  The dozen arrows struck the wooden wall loudly, half sticking into it and the other half falling to the ground. When they went quiet, Katrina was able to respond, “I understand, and I thank you. I simply have to urinate, badly,” she whispered and wriggled a bit, before going quiet and bracing herself.

  I took that as my permission to proceed, and I kicked down the old scorched door in front of me. It fell like a domino and crashed on to the soft dirt of the shack. I found the room lit by a candle, with a tiny old codger crouched under a desk. He had his hand on a lever, though upon seeing me, let go of it.

  “Bah, no use now,” he growled, pushing the panel with various switches and buttons off his lap and onto the ground angrily. “Why the fock you here, ya monster?”

  “I seek transport.” I set Katrina down and looked over the wretch of a man. “She seeks a toilet or chamber pot.”

  “Fock off, ya faelock bastard. I hate you freaks!”

  “You can go outside, Katrina, but stay right against the wall.” She looked embarrassed and none too thrilled about the suggested facilities yet nodded and headed outside. “Well, I don’t hate you, but at this rate I’m sure I will in no time.” I borrowed one of the phony smiles my brother crafted and showed it menacingly to the man on the ground.

  “Feh, what of it. I have no transport for ya anyhow. Kill me or leave me be.”

  “Did you do all of this? Are you commanding those people? I assume they are enchanted, made to toil without end on whatever they might be doing.”

  “I ain’t no ‘chanter. I have no clue o’ their purpose; I’m just here to watch o’er this place.” The man was huddling into himself farther, trembling like a damn kitten.

  “I don’t have intention of harming you, unless you give me reason. You are obviously not a match for me in any way, so I see little chance of you giving me reason. Please come out from there and behave like a man.” I sighed loudly and was relieved to see Katrina come back into the shack.

  The wrinkled prune crawled out slowly, also seeming to gain relief at the presence of the sweet young woman. As soon as he was fully standing, I began to question him. “You do not know their purpose, but do you know who your employers are?”

  “Rich folk in robes.”

  “Monks?”

  “Nah, least I dun think so. They are juss nobles as far as I know.”

  “Do you know from where they hail? How often are they here? Also, how long have you stood watch?” I was already tired of the back and forth, so I gave my succession of questions, ready to allow time for him to answer them all.

  “They come from the south, prolly Drummond. They come only every few months and collect the flowers. They suck up whatever is created and stored in that vat at the factory. They do some upkeep on their spells, and then they run off again. I lived ’ere in Pottleton ma whole life. I was’nae the only survivor, but ma wife and I was the only ones that stayed. I knew nuffin’ of the world outside, and I’m too damn old to learn nuffin’ new. I dunno how long it’d been, but I’d wager it was at least a few years afta the bombing that them fancy folks came here. They set up my home wif real furniture and brought plenty of food. They said they’d pay me to let them use the land here and to defend this place. I did’nae mind defendin’ it. It’s my home. I did’nae ’spect them to go raisin’ all the corpses, but what could I do? My wife was gone; I had nuffin’ else. They rigged up that arrow hurler, and I juss piddle about ’ere. You are the first I’ve used it on, though.”

  “Strange,” I said, while shaking my head and trying to process his explanation. “I saw some horses running a wheel at that factory. Are they dead and enchanted as well?”

  “We’re the only livin’ fings here, monster.”

  “When were your employers last here?”

  “I telled ya I dun pay attention to time, did I not?” He was frustrated and seemed to be growing tired. He slid back down to sit on the earth again as he thought. “I fink, however, can’nae be more than a fortnight since I saw ’um last.”

  “Oh excellent! From what you recall, it sounds as though the spell lasts at least a month. Should we take those dead horses, the spell will surely last us the rest of the trek to the capital.”

  “What? You want us to ride dead horses?” Katrina gasped out loudly. I was a little confused, as she knew my whole reason for the detour had been transport all along.

  “Yes, why not? They are enchanted to walk, and they’ll surely move faster than you or Malcolm. I don’t see the problem.”

  “The problem is they ain’t yer’s to take! I will’nae allow it!” the codger screamed, getting back up. “You touch any of them fings, those black-robed nobles is sure ta kill me.”

  “I thought we already established you are no match for me, and thus I need no permission from you.”

  “Leke, we don’t even know if they’ll obey us!” cried Katrina, obviously not sold on riding a corpse.

  “You’re right, Kat, but I suppose that’s something we can find out after we take them.”

  “No, you cannae have them. They’ll kill me, ya monster. Don’cha understand?”

  “Well, yes, but I will also kill you if you stand in my way, so it doesn’t much matter.”

  “Leke!” shouted out Katrina.

  I turned to her and whispered as calmly as I could into her ear, “Katrina, I am aware this is unpleasant, but you really need to toughen up. We cannot spare everyone, and sacrifices will need to be made on our journey. I do not want you to lose that big heart of yours, but you cannot stand in my way of getting us to our goal, understood?”

  She gulped down hard and squeezed her eyes closed. “You are right. I am sorry. I am not used to life in the fray. Do continue.”

&
nbsp; “Thank you, Miss,” I breathed out to her, before turning back to the man. “Right, well I think I might have misled you a bit. I said I’d kill you if you stand in our way, but that’s not the truth. You see, as curious as I am about your nobles and whatever this place is, what their goals are… I cannot risk our mission to find out. You are a spineless wretch who spilled his guts to me, someone he claims to hate. How much will you tell your employers? How quickly would they seek us out? I even mentioned our destination. You must realize there is no way I am leaving you alive, whether I take the horses or not.”

  A small groan escaped Katrina, but she obediently uttered no contest.

  “You trash, I hate you!” The stupid man began pushing himself from his desk, attempting to run, I suppose. Instead of getting anywhere, he merely fell into my hands as I outstretched them.

  “Oh, you fool, why in the world do you cling to life so desperately? You said yourself, you lost your town and everyone in it, you lost your wife, you sit here alone day in and day out babysitting corpses for money. What use do you have for money? What could you buy, and who would you buy it from? You need nothing, you have nothing. To be honest, sir, you really are nothing. Please, let me put a stop to your futility, hmm? I’d prefer you could see it as the gift it is, as I am not nearly the monster you think I am.”

  I held his shoulders while he wriggled around, his eyes growing large when he looked up at mine. They filled completely with tears before he became hysterical, screaming, “No! No! I don’t want to die! No!”

  “Go outside, Kat,” I instructed, and held tighter on to the man as he fought. I heard her walk a few steps away from the shack before I proceeded.

  He was still so frantic, I didn’t want to bother trying to remove my sword from my back, so I simply transferred my right hand to his neck quicker than he could perceive. As soon as he did notice, his fight stopped. Fear still filled his eyes, but luckily his hope had faded. I barely squeezed and his life was gone. I find it rather frightening, actually, how frail human necks are. Such an important piece of their anatomy really ought to have more protection. They do not, and thus his windpipe and spine crumbled to pieces with the closing of my hand.