by Doug Backus
They had been walking for about two hours and had managed to cover significant ground when Mary turned to the north and began to lead them down the bank of a creek. Torrell, who had walked in silence for the majority of the journey, suddenly stopped.
“This creek will only lead us further into the swamp and further into danger. If we head to the west we can reach the outer edge of the swamp and avoid, for the most part, any of the creatures that live within it.”
Mary turned to Torrell. “Oh, you would like that wouldn’t you? If we head west, we will have to walk right through the core of the Phit territory. The bushes and trees may have changed in my absence but I remember this creek and it leads us out of the swamps.”
“Any direction will eventually lead us out of the swamps, but the faster the better, and your way is the longest and most dangerous,” Torrell said looking toward Mary.
“My way," Mary yelled, “does not include getting attacked by thousands of Phits. You speak of all these creatures that lie within the swamps. I have seen none of them. I have seen where the Phit camps lie and I do not wish to come even close to them. That is why I am taking the long route.”
“Just because you have not seen something does not mean it doesn’t exist. You need to trust me. If we encounter a Tetagorous, who live in the very heart of this swamp, you will wish you were fighting an entire battalion of Phits instead. And that is where this creek is leading us.”
“Okay you two, enough. Deo, have you heard of this creature that Torrell speaks of?”
“I cannot say that I have.”
“And is it true Torrell, what Mary says in regards to walking into the very heart of Phit territory should we walk to the west?” Deke asked.
“It is, but I know many ways around and through their camps that will allow us to pass without being detected.”
“And what is this Tetagorous you speak of?”
“Well to start with they will eat only that which is dead, so rest assured when it sees you it will try to kill you, and it has two ways of doing that. The Tetagorous has a unique way of controlling air. It will suck it right from your lungs and slowly suffocate you, which would be the best way to go, or it will enjoy watching you suffer a slow death by playing on your fears. The latter method is its favorite. You see, the Tetagorous can use air currents to entrap you, making escape impossible. It will then play on your worst fears by controlling your mind. It makes you relive over and over what you fear the most. Every time you relive your fear, it will only get worse. It may last days or even a week, but it will continue until eventually your heart explodes with fear. Then it will feast on your flesh and build its home with your bones.”
“It sounds perfectly awful!” Deke said looking around to make sure the beast was nowhere in the vicinity.
“Do not fear Deke. It rarely leaves the heart of the swamp, but even when it does, you would not see it before it was too late. When it moves at its fastest, it cannot be seen with the naked eye. Once it ensnares you, it will reveal itself as whatever you fear the most. If the mere sight of that doesn’t stop your heart, well then, I have already explained what will happen.”
“And how would you know this, if you cannot see it until you are captured. Have you escaped a Tetagorous attack?” Deo questioned.
“Not quite, but nearly. It was almost a year ago when I stumbled across a horrible smell while walking through this very swamp. At the time I had no idea where I was. As I came over the crest of a hill, I saw a building that I would later come to know as the home of a Tetagorous. Bones with rotting meat stood in the form of its rustic house.”
“Outside of the house a Brawltug was trapped inside a swirling shaft of air. It almost looked as if a mini twister had landed over the top of him. I was moving in to help when the Tetagorous appeared out of nowhere. It appeared as a Cawlaway. I was barely able to contain my own fears. The Brawltug began to scream and scream. With each hour that passed the screaming became louder and louder. At first the Brawltug was screaming at the mere sight of the Cawlaway, which is a most dreadful bird, thought to be extinct on Rhol. Then out of nowhere other people started appearing around the Cawlaway. The beast was projecting images of a most horrific attack on what appeared to be the Brawltug’s family. Their bodies were being ripped to shreds at the hands of this beast. The Brawltug was screaming about his brother and sister and other family members as they appeared in front of the Cawlaway just to be torn apart over and over again. I could see that it was clearly an illusion that the Tetagorous was projecting, but the Brawltug did not know the difference. The screaming stopped after the third rendition of the attack. The Brawltug`s body went stiff and he just fell with a thud to the ground. I won’t repeat what happened next, but based on what I have just told you, you can imagine.”
“And what did the actual beast look like?” Deke asked.
“That’s just it. It looked like a Cawlaway, but the Tetagorous can look like anything.”
“What does that mean?” Deo asked.
Mary, unable to contain herself, interrupted before Torrell could speak. “Oh come now, this is just a legend. I have heard of something similar, but with a different name from Kiran and not even she believed it to be true. What she means, is that it can look like anything and that it will appear before you as what you fear the most. But nobody knows what the Tetagorous actually looks like. Right, Torrell?”
“Right!”
“She is beginning to lose herself, Deke, believing in myths. I have been here and I can tell you first hand that we will not make it through the Phit camps. It will take a little longer this way but it will be much safer and in that respect faster because we won’t have to fight any Phits,” Mary pleaded.
“Torrell, how did you know it was not an actual Cawlaway?” Deke asked.
“Well first off, a Cawlaway, even if they still existed, could not project illusions of actual events, but that is not the only reason. Just for a second it looked toward me and it changed, it changed into what I fear the most. I have no idea why it didn’t give chase when I ran. I would learn much later on, as I got to know these swamps more and more, what in fact I had just witnessed.”
“And what is it you fear the most Torrell?” Mary asked while glaring deeply into her eyes.
Torrell hesitated and slightly stuttered as she spoke. “It does not m-m-matter what I fear the most. What matters is getting out of these swamps.”
Mary just smiled back at her.
Deke was sure of it now. Torrell was losing her mind. It was too much. “We will follow the creek,” Deke said.
Torrell became enraged at hearing this and began to fidget. “You are making a mistake. You will listen to me, Deke Brolin,” she shrieked.
“Calm down Torrell, it will be alright.”
“It is not alright, you, you, you are g-g-going to die, d-die, all of y-you,” Torrell screamed.
Deke could clearly see Torrell was becoming unglued and knew that Mary and Deo had made the same observations as he watched them slowly moving in behind her.
“Torrell, just relax,” Deke begged as she moved slowly toward him. She was giggling while she sang what sounded almost like a broken poem in a high uneven voice.
“How many tears have people shed?
When their souls break
When their thoughts turn dead
I guess it’s no one’s fault
Evil is strong
No wonder faith goes wrong
Down by the Blackpool
Where evil rules
Don’t ever go swimming
By the Blackpool.”
Deke slowly backed away as she moved closer to him. He should have never allowed her to come with them. He was a fool. He fell backward, losing his footing and Torrell lunged at him.
He tried fighting her off, but she was mad with anger and as strong as an ox. Deo and Mary grabbed her and pulled her off, throwing her to the ground. Deke quickly got up, and while Mary and Deo held her down, he bound her arms and l
egs with a nearby vine. She just laughed hysterically, her eyes bulging from her head as she continued to sing.
“Every now and then
Your souls become one
You’re on top of life
There is no need to run
It can last for years
Or it can turn in a day
But the dark will come
No matter how much you pray.”
“She is mad; she has become a Pintante. I have never seen one so close. What a horrible way to go, and it will soon be my fate,” Mary cried.
Deke put his arm around Mary’s shoulder and tried to comfort her. “We will find a way to help you Mary.”
“Shut her up! I can’t stand that rhyme. Make her be quiet,” Mary cried aloud.
“Down by the Blackpool
Where evil rules
Don’t ever go swimming
By the Blackpool”
“Torrell, please calm down or we will be forced to leave you here,” Deke begged.
“What? You’re actually thinking of bringing her with us!” Mary yelled.
“Mary, we can’t just leave her tied up here with no way to fend for herself,” Deke said.
“It will never happen
Everybody tells themselves
But it will
Faith, no dark will always rule.”
“Shut her up! Shut her up! I can’t take it!” Mary screamed uncontrollably.
“With hate and rage, your soul will fill
If only you had listened
When I told you, you fool
Don’t ever go swimming
By the Blackpool.”
‘Torrell, please!” Deke yelled.
At this she suddenly stopped and looked at Mary smiling. Her teeth were beginning to turn black which made her smile appear all the more evil. Perhaps realizing this, she closed her mouth and turned to Deke.
“I am sorry, my mind ….I can’t think…I can’t…. don’t leave me here. Help me please. Help me,” Torrell begged.
“Deo, what should we do?” Deke asked.
“There is nothing we can do for her Deke. If she is not already Pintante she will be soon. For now, let us leave her where she is and get some sleep. It has been a long day.”
Deke felt sorry for Torrell, but Deo was right and so was Mary for that matter. Torrell could no longer be trusted. Too exhausted to think anymore he sat down on a grassy patch of ground and was soon fast asleep.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Jayden had made it to the edge of Solharn’s camp well before sunrise. He could move much faster on his own. He climbed a tree to get a view of the inside of the camps and saw what he had feared. He watched with an aching heart, as one by one, his warriors succumbed to Solharn, just as the Kaltaures soldier had described.
His eyes filled with tears as he watched the Nightstalkers standing tall, knowing what was to become of them at the hands of this monster. Out of respect he did not leave until the last of them had gone through the evil ritual.
It was not hard to figure out Solharn’s plan. He would send these soldiers back to the Lealian camps and then control them from within, just as he had planned to do with him. Hundreds would die at the hands of their own people; the Nightstalkers were perhaps the most dangerous of all Lealian warriors. Jayden knew he had no time to waste and scaled down the tree. They would have to find a way to beat them back to the Lealian camps. He ran back toward Oisin and the others knowing it would be nearly impossible.
Ω
Oisin watched in admiration as the Nightstalkers ran through the woods in silence. He was right behind them yet he could not hear a sound. When they finally reached their destination Oisin pointed out the location where he and Jayden had seen the Kaltaures positioning themselves. Toltad only nodded and motioned for Oisin to stay where he was. When Oisin began to protest, Toltad gave him a stern look as if to say there was no time for this. Oisin knew better than to say another word as he watched Toltad using only hand signals to command his troops.
The last of the Nightstalkers disappeared a mere ten feet in front of him. Less than an hour had gone by when a hand grabbed him from behind and covered his mouth. He looked up to see Toltad; his face was splattered with blood. They were soon joined by the others.
Oisin wondered why he was still being silenced until Toltad motioned for him to look to his left. He could see a lone Kaltaures soldier exploring the area where his soldiers must surely be lying dead. After a few moments the soldier turned and rode back toward the camps. When he was out of sight Toltad released his grip.
“We could not have timed it better Oisin. Jayden was right. After we disposed of the Kaltaures soldiers we could see people starting to emerge from their camps. We thought at first it was more soldiers approaching and braced ourselves for another attack, but as they got closer we could see that they were our own, and we were able to save another eighteen of the missing Nightstalkers.
Unfortunately, we arrived back here only to see a Kaltaures soldier riding from the camp. We could not move fast enough to stop him. It means that we can wait no longer. That soldier will be alerting the camps and these woods will soon be swarming with enemies. We must move now,” Toltad said grimly.
“But what of Jayden? We cannot just leave him here,” objected Oisin.
“Jayden would expect no less Oisin. You heard him back there. He knew the risks, and told us to leave without him if he wasn’t here an hour before sunrise.”
“That is another half hour away, Toltad.”
“Yes, but he gave that time for a reason. He knew if he was any later there would be a greater chance of being discovered. A chance he would not take. We will soon be discovered and he would want us to move. That is what we are going to do.”
“Then I will stay so he knows what has happened. At least he will know he was not abandoned,” Oisin said.
“That is honorable Oisin but foolhardy. Jayden will figure out what has happened in mere minutes. He does not need you to risk your life for something that would make no difference in his strategy.”
“Just the same Toltad, we have made it this far together and I will not leave his side.”
“Very well, Oisin. I wish you well and hope that you find safe haven soon.”
With a few hand signals from Toltad, the Nightstalkers disappeared into the night air leaving Oisin standing in the dark forest alone.
Oisin had waited just under an hour. The sun was rising over the fields, and still he had not seen Jayden. He was contemplating walking back toward where they had separated when he heard a noise coming toward him from a distance. Oisin readied his sword from his perch in the tree he had climbed for cover.
He was pleased to see he would not need his sword when he saw Jayden running through the forest toward him. Oisin was impressed at his speed; he was wasting no time.
Oisin began to scale down the tree but stopped when he heard a sound resembling a loud buzzing noise. There was no mistaking that sound, Phits. Oisin turned to see that Jayden was being chased by a troop of them. He stopped half way down the tree ready to move. His best chance was to attack from above and take them by surprise. Jayden was still running straight for him. He could count at least six Phits converging on him.
When Jayden ran beneath the tree Oisin gave a yell and jumped doing a flip and a somersault all while swinging his sword up and around. He beheaded two of the unsuspecting pursuers.
The other four turned on him instantly. He was able to wound one by slicing into its wing which caused it to come crashing to the ground. He lost the grip on his sword when another took him from the side biting into his arm. In a single motion he grasped for his knife with his free arm and came around to attack. He jumped back when he saw only the head of the Phit attached to his arm, its lifeless eyes staring back into his and its teeth deeply embedded into his flesh.
Jayden had heard him yell and had ended the Phit’s life before it could do any more damage. He was now rolling on the ground and com
ing up at the remaining two Phits. It seemed almost like it was in slow motion as Jayden’s sword sliced into one of them and its head rolled slowly through the air toward him. Oisin ducked as the head spun by him and rolled across the ground. The last Phit was flying down toward Jayden. Oisin threw his knife, striking it through the heart. It landed at Jayden’s feet; in its last throws of life, its nerves caused its wings to flap widely to and fro for several seconds until finally it relented to its fate.
Jayden turned to Oisin; he couldn’t help but smile while containing his laughter. Oisin still had the Phit’s head attached to his arm.
Even Jayden was surprised at the grip this Phit had on Oisin. After several minutes of trying to pry its jaws open without success, they finally opted to break its teeth and pull them out one by one. It was a long painful process, but in the end they managed to free Oisin’s arm and bandage it.
“I owe you, my friend. I was in such a hurry to get back I failed to see the Phits patrolling the outer edge of the camps. There were too many of them to fight, so I ran in hopes the Nightstalkers would still be here.”
“They left Jayden. Their attack was a success and they were able to save eighteen of the missing Nightstalkers as they slipped out of the camps. Unfortunately, when they returned a Kaltaures soldier discovered the attack and was able to make it back to the camp. The Nightstalkers left knowing that reinforcements would soon come. I stayed to advise you of the situation.”
“They made the right decision. You should have gone with them Oisin but I am glad you stayed. I would never have survived without you.”
“The strange thing of it was that no troops ever came. It was as if the Kaltaures soldier did not alert anyone.”