by Heath Pfaff
"We could make a stand here, or we could check the other rooms to see if one of them might make a better place to hide out the night." She said after a short time. "This room has two easy ways in, another room might provide only one avenue to defend, but might also trap us if that avenue became jammed with enemies."
I nodded my head. It hadn't occurred to me that a room with only one entrance meant that it also only had one exit if we needed to leave in a hurry. Something heavy moved downstairs, what sounded like a piece of furniture being dragged across the floor, and Silent started violently, swinging his sword around so fast he nearly clipped Malice's back.
"Sheath your weapon, Silent, and get a hold of yourself." She said, anger evident in her voice. "You are the greatest risk to our survival right now, not them." She pointed out the crack in the wall through which we'd squeezed.
Silent seemed to hear her, and, at least to some extent, took her words seriously. He sheathed his weapon, though his face remained pale and drawn, and his hands still shook. He had been worried about how useful I would be in a fight, but I had the same doubts about him. He was unsteady, and growing more so by the minute. Knights of Ethan were supposed to be hardened to the stresses of war, but Silent was not holding up well.
Silent, though, had never been a typical Knight. When all others had been distant and mean, treating me as an outsider, Silent had gone out of his way to show me kindness. He had been a friend in times when there were far too few of those. What a difference my six years away from him had made. Of course, Lucidil had primarily used him as a spy. Maybe the leader of the Broken Swords, the man now crowned king, had known exactly how Silent would hold up under the stresses of war and placed him in a position of less intense fighting.
"We need to find out what is downstairs." I said quietly. "If there is a threat already in the building with us, we need to take it out quickly, lest it come upon us unprepared."
Malice nodded her head in approval. "Silent, you stay up here. You should be safe so long as whatever is downstairs cannot get through Lowin and me."
He nodded a numb reply before walking over to one of the beds and falling heavily upon it. He did not close his eyes, but lay starring up at the cracked and worn ceiling above us. Malice and I walked to the door that we knew would lead out into the corridors beyond, drawing our swords as we went.
Malice pushed the door and it swung open, for it had no latch and was not boarded closed. She gestured me through. I walked out into the darkness of the hallway, sword ready. There was a window at the far end, but the light coming in through that opening was lessening quickly. Soon it would be full night. I heard the door shut, and suddenly Malice was on me, her body pressing against mine, her finger crossing my lips, warning me to hold my tongue. I started, thinking something was wrong, but Malice's finger left my lips and was replaced by her soft warm lips.
"By my sword, by my still beating heart, I am glad you are alive, Lowin." She whispered as our lips parted. "They kept telling me that if I condemned you to your death I could have my place back amongst the Knights. I refused them every day for what must have been a year, and then they came and told me you were dead. They said the king had decided to behead you, and all I must do to get my place back amidst the Knights was be willing to hack apart your body so that it could be split and buried in dishonor. I refused them again, and they stopped coming for me. Until Silent released me from my cell, I believed that you were dead. I was . . . it was . . ." Her words faded.
I didn't know what to say, or how to respond, so I simply used my free hand to hold my green-eyed friend close. I had not been told she was dead, but I had feared for her, and longed for her company every moment of my dark imprisonment. Luckily, I did not need to find more fitting words, because Malice had more to say.
"We must make this quick, because I do not know what is below us, but you need to know this. You have the Kaziem Wolf heart, Lowin. Whisper of the Mist gave it to you, after she had you downed and the battle was over. It was her choice of flesh, and she chose to give her heart to you. She said that I should tell you, 'The fire will consume everything, and you will be lost deep within the forest. If you cannot find the rain, we will all be devoured by the burning tide.' After that, she made me perform the rite."
When you awoke, I couldn't tell you. Tyvel was always with us, and I didn't want him giving away the secret. After that we were imprisoned separately, and I knew that you would remain locked away thinking you had failed."
I was stunned. I was so shocked that I couldn't begin to gather my thoughts together. "But I hurt so much afterwards, and could barely walk for weeks. I could feel the weakness." I whispered.
"That was your body adjusting to the new heart. It takes time, and I knew you would be weak. That's what allowed the deception to work. I'm sorry Lowin, that I kept the truth from you for so long. At the time I did not believe it would be necessary to deceive you for so long. I had intended to tell you when Tyvel was not around, but everything happened too quickly. . ." There was a look of pain in Malice's eyes as she spoke. Lying to me had been difficult for her, and knowing that I had suffered for her deception hurt her even more. She was looking to me for recrimination.
I had none to give her. For all that I had suffered thinking that I would be forever weakened, I could not hold what had been a sound decision against her. Knowing the truth would not have changed the events that occurred, and for some reason I couldn't begin to feel any resentment towards her.
"I am not angry with you. I understand why you did what you did, and it is still working to our advantage. Silent believes that I am injured and useless, and that means Lucidil does as well. That is to our favor. Besides, you are the only friend I've had who has stayed with me through all the trouble. You've always been there when I needed help, no matter what it cost you. I cannot ever forget that. You gave up your life, and a good position amidst the Knights, to help me." I clasped her tightly to me, and then released her. We pulled away from each other, knowing that it was not the proper time for any more discussion. We were still in a hostile situation.
As if to emphasize that, the heavy dragging sounded from below us again. It seemed to be coming from the ground floor. Malice took the lead, moving silently across the wood planking, her shifting cloak helping her to remain indistinct in the darkness of the inn. We made our way to the stairs, and began the descent, watching over the banister for whatever might lurk in the darkness below.
Kyeia died to make me stronger. Whisper of the Mist died to make me stronger. Wisp died to protect my child's life. Malice had put her life on the line time and time again for my benefit. These were important people. These were people to whom I owed my life, and my purpose. It was time, I knew, to start being the man that they needed me to be.
I followed Malice into the unknown depths below.
Every step further into the dark reaches of the lower floors of the Traveler's Stew Pot held a certain sense of dread. The Hungering were a terrifying foe, for they were unlike anything we'd ever seen before, and now that we knew they were flesh eaters, it gave them an aura of menace. It was far too easy to see the creatures as mere monsters, boundless killing machines who thought of nothing but murder and mayhem. I had, however, come to see the world in a different light over the years.
Even the Shao Geok, creatures which I had initially feared, had turned out to be beasts with hidden intelligence and even a society of their own. Their beliefs had been different than mine, as well as their motivations, but they had not been merely the monsters I had perceived them to be. Were the Hungering the same? Were they just another society doing what they needed to do in order to survive and prosper in our world?
It was more than merely difficult to see them in such a light. The Hungering were so fearsome, and so terrifying of nature, that I could not make myself believe they had a benign origin. I would not allow myself to completely discard the possibility, but at the same time I was inclined to believe the worst of the flesh eating c
reatures that I had fought on two separate occasions.
A faint murmur of sound passed up the stairway. I cocked my head, turning my ears to better catch the sound. As I stopped in place to do so, Malice also came to a halt, aware that I was no longer following her. She crept quietly back up the few stairs she had just descended, and watched me with her intense green eyes. I concentrated on the sound. We were still two levels up from the ground floor, but I could make out the familiar patterns of human whispering. Our distance made it impossible to make out what was being said, but I had at least identified that it was not the Hungering that lay in wait below. I moved in close to Malice, and whispered what I had heard, quietly, so that only she might hear my voice. She nodded, and we both returned our weapons to our scabbards.
We needed to identify those downstairs, but it would have been against our best interests to terrify them by approaching with weapons drawn. We proceeded further, and Malice began to walk with a heavier gait, intentionally making noise on the well-worn steps. The noise below stopped immediately, all whispers cutting off as though their source had been eliminated. A breath's width later I heard the sound of steel being drawn from leather, and then complete silence.
Whoever they were, they were armed, and they were ready for whatever might be coming their way, or at least as ready as they could make themselves. We began our descent of the last set of stairs. The moment we were able to clearly see the first floor, it became obvious what the loud dragging sound had been that had first indicated to us that someone else was in the building. Most of the inn's furniture had been dragged to block the doors and windows of the building, so that no opening was easily accessible. The room held more people than I would have thought from the amount of whispering I'd heard. My initial count brought twelve, but on a second glance I noticed that a few of the tables that were still upright and not against a door or window, had figures huddled beneath them. My final count was sixteen.
Ten of these figures held some form of makeshift weapon, though only three of those held swords, and only one of those held a sword as though they had any familiarity with the weapon. The other six figures appeared to be a woman, a frail looking elderly man, and four children. I took all of this in before we'd even descended half way down the dark stairs. The figures waiting below us, weapons at the ready, could not see us in the murk of the room, not with their windows covered, blocking out the last rays of nearly faded sunlight. It was only with the night vision supplied to us by our peculiar eyes that Malice and I were able to see them.
As the first of the ragged collection of humans spotted our shifting shapes coming down the stairs, a voice called out quietly, "Black-Eyed Devils, two of them."
Another voice answered, coming from the man holding the sword with some familiarity. "That's impossible. King Lucidil ordered them all out of the city two days ago."
Malice lead the way down the rest of the steps until we both stood in front of the crowd of armed men, our cloaks up, but our postures indicating that we were not going to attack. Of course, we didn't need to be in a stance of readiness since we could draw our weapon and kill before anyone in the room could bring a blade to bear. Whether the others in the room understood that, I couldn't be certain.
"Who is in charge here?" Malice asked, her voice quiet, but tinged with the authority it held when she wanted to be sure she was heard and answered.
The man who held his sword with some confidence stepped forward. I noticed then, for the first time, that the other two with swords both held weapons of cheap crafting, blades that had been mass produced for common footmen. One of the weapons even appeared to be tinged with rust. It was obvious that those around us were not fighting men, but they all held defiant stances, their makeshift weapons - rakes, hoes and scythes - were all held with conviction. I could not fault their heart. Having fought the Hungering, though, I guessed they stood little chance of holding out for long if things came to fighting.
"I am in charge of this group." The man that displayed some sword discipline said boldly. He stood ready, as though we might attack him at any moment.
"Why did you, and the rest of these people, not leave the city when the king ordered the evacuation?" Malice asked. She did not know for certain that the king had ordered an evacuation, and was - I knew - basing her words on her own intuition.
The man in charge let his sword point lower slightly, seeming to have made some decision, at least internally, about Malice and me. "I am a knight, Mer'am." He began, using the formal way to address a female Knight. It was a form of title very rarely used. "I was ordered to stay behind and help those late in evacuating the city. The Hungering came upon us while we were still trying to get people beyond the walls, and I could not leave them behind. I stayed to help, along with five other knights. They have fallen. I am all that remains, but I will not abandon these people."
Malice nodded her head. "Such is proper for a knight of the king. Should you survive this, there will likely be a medal of valor waiting for you."
The man shrugged with indifference. "I didn't do this for a medal, Mer'am. I did this because it was the right thing to do." He paused for a moment, obviously debating over whether or not to speak the question that was on the tip of his tongue. I knew what it would be before he asked it. "Might I inquire as to why you are still within the city? The king ordered all Knights of Ethan from the walls two days ago."
It was a fair question, and the man was brave for asking it. Most men feared the Knights of Ethan. I left the question to Malice, since I did not know how to answer it, and it was common among the Knights to allow the most senior officer (though no official ranking system existed) to do the talking, or at least so I had noticed in my time amongst them.
"We were on a private task that kept us longer than anticipated. We are currently making our way beyond the city walls to meet up with the king and his men." Malice replied, not offering any more details.
"How did you get inside the inn?" A voice asked. It came from a man holding a garden rake.
"There is a crack in the wall above. It opens into a room on the third floor." Malice said. "We climbed in, looking for a place to shelter for the night. The Hungering are scouting this area of the city. What is your name?" She asked, pointing her question at the knight who stood before us.
"I am Sir Liet, of the Gray Mount Division." He responded, bowing formerly as he gave his designation. He returned his sword to his scabbard afterwards, and the others in the room seemed to relax to some extent.
"Will the hole in the wall upstairs allow others through?" Liet asked.
"It is a possibility, but it is not likely. Very few can climb as well as the Knights of Ethan, and only those looking for a place to shelter would even consider it as something to investigate. However, we left a man upstairs, guarding our entry, in the event of such an intrusion." Malice left out the part about Silent being unstable and potentially dangerous, which I felt was probably for the better.
"I ain't never had nothing good to say about you Black-Eyed Devils, but if you'll help us get out of here alive, I'll sing your praise for the rest of my days, Missus Knight." The man with the rake spoke again, stepping forward, and bowing to one knee in front of Malice.
"Railan, don't do that!" Liet snapped at the other man, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him to his feet. "It's a crime to interfere with the business of the Knights of Ethan, you know that!"
Railan stood again, his eyes looked tired, and he looked worn. "We aren't going to make it outta' here on our own, Mr. Liet. We need them. The king tells us his black-eyed Knights are here to help us." He turned to address Malice again. "Won't you do so now?"
Liet bowed deeply at Malice and me. "I apologize for Railan. He doesn't understand how things work in the kingdom. He means no offense."
"He gave no offense." Malice said, her words immediately diffusing the situation, as both Liet and Railan seemed to relax. "I can make no promises, but we will do what is in our power to get those who wish to t
ravel with us free from this city. However, there is risk in traveling the streets, and it might be more dangerous for you to travel with us than to remain holed up here."
To my surprise, it was Liet who answered, and not Railan. "Mer'am, we might last here another day or two, but it's only a matter of time before they find us, and kill us. If you can get us out of here, or even give us a hope of getting out of here, we will follow you."
It wasn't until that point that I realized just how desperate the people in the common room of the inn really were. They feared the Black-Eyed Devils, as they called us, but they feared the Hungering far more. As Liet had pointed out, asking for things from the Knights of Ethan could get you in a lot of trouble, especially if it interfered with a mission in progress. That Railan had done so with such vigor only served to demonstrate the direness of the situation.
"So be it." Malice said. "In the morning we will leave here together. We must discuss this with our third companion. Keep watch here. If anything happens, we are on the third floor, in a room toward the end of the hall. I am Malice, and my companions are Noble and Silent. Knock once and ask for Noble or myself if you need to talk to us. Once preparations are made, we will inform of you of what is to happen next." She listed her orders calmly, and with an authority born from her service to the Knights, before turning and starting back up the stairs. I fell in behind her, leaving no room for questions. It was a cold way to deal with the situation, but it was what was expected from the Knights of Ethan.