by Clayton Wood
“But Thorius said to avoid the southwest Deadlands,” Kris reminded her.
“True,” she conceded. “But the only route up the King’s Road near the Fringe is there. If we can get up the King’s Road on the way back, we should be safe.”
“Master Thorius said we can’t use the King’s Road,” Kris reminded her.
“On the way to the Fringe,” Sukri countered. Kris hesitated, then nodded grudgingly.
“Not bad,” he admitted.
“I like it,” Gammon agreed.
“What if we don’t find the artifact today?” Hunter argued. “Or it gets too late?”
“Well,” Sukri replied, “…we’d have to go back to the military base or to the King’s Road, then wait ‘till morning to try again.”
“Yeah, but then the other team might get to it first,” Kris protested. Sukri smirked.
“They can’t win if they die,” she retorted.
“I agree with Sukri,” Gammon stated, picking up his pace. “Come on,” he urged. “We need to hurry if we want to get to the Fringe on time.”
Hunter and the others walked faster to keep pace with the big guy, and within a few minutes the land leveled off, making it a bit easier on their knees. Hunter fell into a bit of a trance, finding himself counting his steps to a hundred, then going back to zero and counting again. It wasn’t long before his legs started to burn with the exertion. He grit his teeth, pushing himself to keep up with the others. If no one else was going to complain, he sure as hell wasn’t. They went on like this for what seemed like an eternity, no one talking, each of them concentrating on the task at hand. After a while, Hunter glanced up at the King’s Road to their right, realizing it was splitting into two roads ahead.
“What’s that?” he asked, pointing to the split.
“The King’s Road splits into two roads,” Sukri explained. “The right one goes to the military base, and the left one goes into the forest.”
“Into the forest?” Hunter pressed. “I thought no one went into the forest except the Seekers.”
“The King’s Road goes all the way to Wexford,” Sukri said, “…and to a few other lands owned by the kingdom. The only people who go into the forest without taking the road are Seekers…or sometimes the military, but only in large numbers.”
“Is that where the Ironclad come from?” Hunter asked. “The forest?” Sukri nodded.
“Along with a whole bunch of other monsters,” she added. “The Ironclad are the most dangerous, though…at least that we know of.”
“Are there any cities other than Tykus?”
“Sure,” Sukri answered. “There are a few other kingdoms, but they’re pretty far away. My great-grandparents were from New Vinland, a kingdom far south of here. They came to Tykus back when they allowed immigrants in.”
She fell silent then, and Hunter got back to focusing on keeping up with Gammon. Despite being significantly overweight, the guy was in impressive shape, marching at a formidable pace. The fact that his legs were so long certainly didn’t hurt. They passed the split, veering leftward with the King’s Road, following it closely. In the distance, Hunter saw a dark line breaking the seemingly infinite bleakness of the Barrens. A dark green line.
“Is that the forest?” he asked.
“That’s the Fringe,” Sukri corrected. Hunter frowned.
“What’s the difference?”
“The Fringe is more dangerous than the deeper forest,” she explained. “At least as far as absorbing emotions goes. The deep forest is more dangerous in every other way.”
“I don’t get it,” Hunter admitted.
“The Fringe hates humans,” Sukri stated. “Particularly humans from Tykus. So when we’re there, we have to be very careful.”
“Why’s that?”
“We’ll absorb that emotion,” she answered. “And might start hating each other.” She glanced at Kris, then smirked. “More so than we already do.”
“So if we start feeling like that, we have to resist it,” Gammon said.
“Easy for you to say, big guy,” Kris piped in. “You don’t absorb emotions.”
“He doesn’t?” Hunter asked. Gammon shrugged.
“I do, but not well,” he clarified. “Some people are like that.”
“Yeah, well you and I certainly do,” Sukri countered, nudging Hunter. Hunter gave a rueful smile, remembering their…encounter back in his apartment.
“Don’t let us kill each other,” Hunter told Gammon.
“I’ll try,” Gammon agreed.
They continued toward the tree line in the distance, everyone struggling to keep up with Gammon. It was difficult to estimate how far away the forest was, but it looked to be a few miles at least. They fell into a comfortable silence, everyone focusing on putting one foot in front of the other. Hunter found himself daydreaming about home, back when Mom had still been around. She’d loved taking them on hikes through the woods, and had been in incredible shape, making Hunter and his dad look like weaklings in comparison. She would’ve been able to keep up with Gammon easily. Hell, she probably would’ve left the big guy in the dust.
Hunter sighed then, pushing the thought out of his head. Thinking about his mom just made him depressed. He focused on the forest ahead, growing steadily bigger now. From here, he could see that there was a steep incline at the forest’s edge, the packed earth leading up sharply to the forest floor.
“We’re almost there,” Sukri said, glancing down at the map, then peering at the tree line ahead. “We’re too far east,” she added. “We need to go about a half-kilometer to the right.” She veered rightward, toward the huge wooden pillars supporting the King’s Road. “We have to pass under,” she explained. Hunter followed, as did the others. They passed below the road, and Hunter couldn’t help but remember the last time he’d done so…when the Ironclad had attacked him. If he hadn’t shot that thing, or if he’d missed…
“We’re looking for a few boulders at the tree line,” Sukri said. “We should enter the Fringe there.”
“Got it,” Kris replied. “We’re making pretty good time, huh?” he added, grinning at her. “We’re gonna kick that other team’s ass!”
“I didn’t see them behind us,” Gammon agreed. “We’re making good time.”
“There it is,” Sukri stated, pointing ahead. There were three boulders near the forest’s edge, resting on the packed dirt of the Deadlands. A slight dirt incline led to the forest beyond. “Ok, remember what I said earlier,” she added. “If you feel any anger or even irritation with each other, it’s the Fringe.”
“Right,” Hunter muttered, remembering how pissed at Thorius he’d gotten, even when he’d known that it was that damn crystal sphere that had been making him feel that way. Knowing hadn’t helped at all then…he’d still ended up wanting to smash the guy’s face in. What chance did he really have at resisting the forest’s influence?
“If you stay near me,” Gammon said, “…you’ll absorb my emotions. That might lessen the effect of the Fringe on you.”
“How you feeling, big guy?” Kris asked. “You can have some of my rations if you want,” he added with a grin. Gammon chuckled, rubbing his chin.
“This could work out for me,” he murmured.
“Alright, let’s do this,” Sukri piped in, reaching the boulders. She sprinted up the incline, reaching the forest floor above. Gammon went next, followed by Kris and Hunter. They stood on the forest floor, a bed of stubby grass and fallen leaves and twigs, with the dirt path winding between the trees ahead. All of them turned to Sukri.
“Now what?” Kris asked. Sukri studied the map.
“The carriage followed this path,” she said, gesturing ahead. “So it should be somewhere along it. This says it’s probably a few kilometers in.”
“That far?” Gammon inquired, looking worried. “That’s a long time to be exposed to the Fringe.”
“Wait,” Hunter interjected. “Isn’t the Fringe just at the border of the Deadlands?”
Gammon nodded.
“Yes, but it extends a few kilometers into the forest,” he explained. “Everyone stay close to me.” Kris grinned, walking up beside Gammon and wrapping an arm around the big guy’s waist, leaning his head against Gammon’s beefy arm.
“Aw big guy,” he quipped. “I could use some cuddling, you know.”
“Is that what you tell all the girls you bring home?” Sukri inquired, walking up to Gammon’s other side. “Get ‘em in bed and let all that stored-up sexual tension just seep into them?”
“Hey, whatever works,” Kris retorted. “Tell me you haven’t done it.”
“I don’t need to,” she retorted with a smirk. “All I gotta do is bat my eyes and the guys come running.”
“That’s true,” Gammon agreed, glancing at Hunter. “It’s really impressive actually.”
“How about you, Hunter?” Kris asked. “You got the ladies knocking on your door?”
“Just one,” Hunter replied. Kris snorted.
“Good looking guy like you?” he pressed. “Come on, you could have a line out the door!” He glanced at Gammon. “Am I right?”
“He’s right,” Gammon agreed.
“Aw, come on now,” Sukri piped in. “Hunter’s a one-woman man, alright? Nothing wrong with that.”
“Also right,” Gammon opined. But Kris shook his head.
“That’s a load of crap,” he retorted. Sukri arched an eyebrow at him.
“Oh yeah?” she replied. “And why is that?”
“You stay with a woman for more than a year or two, and bam…the sex dries up,” Kris explained. “You ask and ask, but she’s always got a reason why she won’t. Then you start looking at other girls, wondering what it’d be like being with them…remembering what it was like to actually be wanted. To be the object of someone’s desire. Your girl doesn’t think not wanting to have sex really matters, and you feel more and more unwanted, and then you start arguing all the time. Pretty soon the only reason you’re still in the relationship is because you’re emotionally dependent on each other…not because you actually enjoy being together.”
“That’s not bitter at all,” Sukri grumbled.
“Tell me I’m wrong,” Kris pressed, then glanced up at Gammon. “I’m right, aren’t I big guy?”
“That has been my experience,” Gammon admitted.
“Maybe that’s because all you guys ever think about is sex,” Sukri countered. “There’s more to a relationship then that, you know.”
“Ah ha,” Kris exclaimed. “That’s what they tell you! That you’re just a sex-crazed maniac. They completely ignore the fact that when you got together, you were at it all the time! You wanted each other.”
“I’m not ignoring that,” Sukri countered. “That’s how it’s supposed to be…at the beginning.”
“Granted,” Kris conceded. “But isn’t it important to keep things going?” He threw up his hands. “Look, I’m not asking for having it every day, I mean just sometimes, that’s all. Enough so I don’t feel neglected.” He gestured at one of the plants on the ground. “You know what happens when you don’t water a plant, right?”
“It goes limp,” Gammon offered. Sukri rolled her eyes.
“Hey, I’m not arguing with you,” she retorted. “I like sex as much as anyone. I’m just saying that constantly nagging us for it doesn’t exactly make us want it.”
“Yeah, well I’m just saying that after a few years, it’s all the same,” Kris stated. “No matter how great it started, I end up resenting the hell out of a girl because she friggin’ neglects me.” He grinned. “So when that happens, I do what any self-respecting man would do: I leave their unappreciating asses and find someone who doesn’t neglect me.”
“I didn’t realize you waited that long,” Sukri shot back. “Or maybe it just doesn’t take that long for girls to figure you out.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Kris inquired, raising an eyebrow.
“You’re not exactly the type of guy a girl takes home,” Sukri explained. “It’s not like you cook for them or do thoughtful things. You just have sex with them until they bore you.”
“Sometimes that’s all they want,” Kris retorted.
“Uh huh,” she grumbled. “Face it Kris, you’re just an insecure man-whore.”
“Oh really.”
“Yup,” Sukri replied. “You find a girl, make her think you’re the greatest thing ever, and when she finally starts to realize you’re not perfect, you kick her out and find someone else.”
“Wow,” Kris muttered. “Bitch.”
“Am I right?” Sukri inquired, eying Gammon. The big guy frowned.
“I’m not touching that one.”
“Really?” Kris exclaimed, turning on him. “You’re not going to defend me?”
“I’m not defending anyone,” Gammon replied. “We have a job to do.”
“Well there’s a cop-out if I’ve ever heard one,” Kris grumbled. He turned to Sukri. “You got anything else to say?”
“Not really,” Sukri replied.
“No,” Kris insisted. “I really want to hear it. Come on,” he added. “Give it to me straight, I can take it.”
“Apparently not,” Sukri retorted.
“Guys,” Hunter interjected, feeling rather annoyed at their bickering. But they ignored him.
“Okay then,” Kris said. “My turn. You know what your problem is, Sukri?” he continued, jabbing a finger at her. “You always have to be in charge, taking control of everything and everyone.”
“Ooo,” Sukri shot back. “Stop, it hurts so bad.”
“And you know why?” Kris continued. “Because you can’t trust anyone but yourself. Ever wonder why no guy ever stays with you for very long?”
“I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”
“Because you control them too,” Kris replied. “Suffocating them with your nagging and your plans until they’re desperate to get away from you.” He sneered at her. “You pretend to be this cool, laid-back chick to draw them in, and they love it. But when they find out who you really are, they all run the fuck away.”
“Okay, that’s enough,” Gammon stated.
“And each time, there you are,” Kris pressed, “…crying your eyes out, asking us what went wrong. You have no clue, Sukri. If guys knew what you were really like, they wouldn’t go near you with a ten-foot pole.”
“Oh yeah, asshole?” Sukri shot back, her eyes narrowing. “Then why did you try to get with me that time?” Kris snorted.
“That was before I knew what a bitchy shrew you were.”
“That was a year ago,” she retorted. “You’re so full of shit, Kris. Just like always. Your fragile little ego just can’t take someone not wanting to be with you.”
“Enough!” Gammon shouted.
Both of them turned to the big guy, clearly startled. Gammon glared at Sukri, then at Kris.
“You do realize what’s going on, don’t you?” he pressed. “The forest is influencing you. Making you angry.”
“Bullshit,” Kris retorted. “I’m angry because of what she said.”
“You both were getting along fine until we came to the forest,” Gammon countered.
“Yeah, well that’s because she hadn’t started running her big mouth yet,” Kris retorted. “We were all trying to keep up with your goddamn death march.”
“The forest is influencing you both,” Gammon insisted. “Try to stay focused.”
“Uh, kinda hard to stay focused with this asshole running his mouth,” Sukri muttered. Kris shot her a venomous look.
“Keep it up and I’ll shut yours.”
“Both of you be silent,” Gammon ordered. “Or I’m going to knock you out and carry you.” And by the look he gave them, it was quite clear that he wasn’t joking. The big guy glanced back at Hunter, who’d been trailing the three. “You okay?” he asked. Hunter glared at Kris and Sukri.
“You’re all annoying the hell out of me,” he admitted. “But I’m alri
ght for now.” And it was true; knowing that the forest was affecting him – and seeing it affect Sukri and Kris – did help a little. He wanted them all to shut the hell up already, but he didn’t want them dead. Yet.
“Hold up,” Sukri said, stopping suddenly. Gammon gave her a look, and she held up one hand. “Whoa there, don’t knock me out just yet,” she added hastily. “Look.”
Gammon did so, as did Hunter and Kris. There, on the narrow dirt path ahead, was a man leaning against a large tree trunk. Sukri grabbed her hammer from her pack, as did Kris and Gammon. Hunter glanced at them, then did the same, holding his weapon in both hands. It felt unfamiliar, its heft uncomfortable. The man leaning against the tree watched them approach, hardly seeming concerned.
“Afternoon,” Gammon greeted, striding toward the man, holding his weapon easily in one hand. He stopped ten feet away. “I’m Gammon, and these are my friends.”
The man stared at them, his arms crossed over his chest. Hunter walked up beside Gammon, Sukri and Kris at his side. From here, Hunter saw that the stranger was dressed rather oddly. He wore a suit of dark brown leather armor, countless bones embedded in the fabric…and the face of a human skull at his chest. He wore no gloves, but his wrists were covered with ivory bracelets, numerous metallic and ivory rings on his fingers. A long, narrow sword was sheathed at his left hip, and some sort of mace on his right.
“Who’re you?” Sukri asked. The stranger turned his head slightly to look at her, glancing at her weapon, then her feet. Finally, his eyes went to hers. Still, he said nothing.
“We don’t want any trouble,” Gammon warned.
“Then you shouldn’t have come here,” the stranger replied. To Hunter’s surprise, the stranger’s voice was feminine, if somewhat deep. Indeed, the stranger’s face was as well…a bit narrow, with high cheekbones and large green eyes. But his…or rather, her…light brown hair was so short she was nearly bald.
“That a threat?” Kris shot back, shifting his grip on his hammer. The stranger’s eyes settled on him.
“Everything here seems like a threat,” she replied coolly. She gestured for them to pass. “To people like you.”