Hunt for Justice

by Vernon, James R.

  So, that's where the man they had been looking for had disappeared to.

  "Yes, I've heard of you, but not for the reasons you're probably thinking."

  Iacane let out a nervous laugh. "But you have heard of me. That's what matters."

  "If you say so."

  They had reached the first door.Please let Ezzy be inside. Another lock slowed him down, but his key worked in it as well. He stepped inside the room with baited breath.

  I find everyone except who I want to find.

  The candles had dwindled down in the room, leaving the light in the hall the only bit that showed Shayua's tied up form. She sat in a chair, her head down, hair covering her face, and her chin on her chest. Her arms were behind her back, probably tied there, and Nolan could see the ropes that tied her ankles to the legs of the chair. She didn't raise her head as he entered. The warrior was probably plotting some kind of escape.

  "What kind of a..." Iacane began but Nolan cut him off.

  "She's a very dangerous bounty hunter you should not anger. Now be quiet." Nolan strode towards Shayua and knelt in front of her. "Shayua, it's me Nolan. Shayua?"

  The woman didn't respond. Nolan slowly put a hand to her shoulder, hoping she didn't bite it off, and gave her a shake. She remained limp. Against his better judgment, he gently grasped her chin and brushed the hair out of her face.

  Shayua looked like she had been trampled by a herd of horses. Her face was bruised and cut. One of her eyes was swollen shut. Her nose was broken in at least two places. A particularly nasty gash ran along the left side of her chin. The bounty hunter was breathing, but the air wheezed out of her mouth and nose.

  "Iacane. You have to heal her."

  Walking up to Nolan's side, the Saniteal bent down and examined Shay. After a few moments, he shook his head.

  "She's too badly hurt."

  "What? I thought people with your skill could heal much, much worse?"

  "We can," he growled. "I can. But if I heal her completely, she'll be out for a while as her body recovers from the process, and I'll be in even worse shape. Think you can sneak out of here while carrying the two of us?"

  "No, I..." He wanted to punch something. Punch Iacane, even if the man was telling the truth. Nolan really didn't know much about how a Saniteal's power worked. No one with any real magical power associated with people of different talents. By the Abyss, he never socialized with other Thaljori.

  "Well, we can't just leave her here. Is there something you can do?"

  "Move." The scared tone was gone, replaced by a steel that Nolan hadn't expected from the man. "Let me take a closer look."

  Iacane crouched down again in front of Shay and placed both of his hands on the sides of her head. He remained there, eyes closed for what felt like forever. Nolan kept glancing at the door, expecting their captors to stride in at any moment and make them pay for trying to get away.

  "I can wake her up, help her enough that she can move on her own. Just don't expect much else out of her. Help me get these ropes off of her first."

  "Let's leave her tied up at least until she recognizes me. I don't want there to be any misunderstandings."

  "Is she really that dangerous?"

  "From what little I've seen of her in action. She tried to go head-to-head with a metal Vilathos twice her size."

  "Yes, let's leave her tied then. Alright, hold on."

  Iacane closed his eyes and grew still. Nolan had never seen a Saniteal at work before and had no idea what to expect. Right away sweat began to bead on his forehead. His face twitched. His body began to shake, and he let out a small moan. Nolan gasped as a small slash appeared on the man's chin and then disappeared. Did healing a person mess with a Saniteal's body in a similar way that creating a Vilathos damaged a Thaljori's mind?

  With a gasp, Iacane fell backwards. He lay on the floor staring at the ceiling, his breaths coming in ragged gasps.

  "Did it work? Is she alright?"

  "Give me a moment. I did what I could. She had a few injuries inside of her body that I had to fix. Those take a lot out of me. You should be able to wake her up though."

  "Thank you."

  Nolan gave the woman's shoulder a shake.

  "Shay. I need you to wake up. It's Nolan."

  Shay lifted her head. Her one eye was still swollen shut, but her face was less bruised and the gash on her chin had closed. She glanced around, her gaze resting on Iacane for a moment before it ended on Nolan.

  "Where is Esmerelda?"

  "I don't know; we haven't found her yet. They are keeping her drugged."

  "Is this man one of the ones that took us?"

  "No, he was a prisoner as well. He healed you."

  "Wonderful. Another man I owe. Why am I still bound?"

  "Just making sure you didn't kill me by accident when you woke."

  "A smart move. You may untie me now though, Nolan."

  It took him longer than he expected to loosen the ropes. They had tied her as tight as possible to the chair. He couldn't blame them. If he had wanted to tie Shay up, he would have used chains just to make sure. When she was free, Shay rose to her feet on wobbly legs.

  "I'm surprised you can even stand," Iacane said from the floor. "That much healing would keep a weaker person in bed for half a day at the least."

  "I am not weak. Do you need me to carry you to prove it?"

  "No, no." Iacane sat up, although he struggled to do it. "Last thing we need is you trying to show off and dropping me when your legs give out. Just try to conserve what strength you have. I'm sure you'll need it if we're going to escape."

  "Fine. Let's find Ezzy."

  Not waiting for the two men, Shay moved towards the door.

  "Go right," Nolan called to her. "There is a door that way we haven't checked yet."

  Shay nodded before turning the corner and moving out of sight.

  "A pleasant woman," Iacane said, getting to his feet. "What exactly is she? When I healed her, she felt human, but there was also something else there."

  "She's part Shadaer. Something you should not bring up. Shayua is very sensitive about her past. Now let's go before she decides to try and take on our captors instead of trying to escape."

  "She would try that? Even in her condition?"

  The sound of splintering wood echoed outside the room. Rushing back into the hallway, Nolan saw Shayua to his right entering into the room at the end of the hall. Pieces of the door lay scattered about.

  "How did she break through one of those doors?" Iacane was at his side. "She should barely be able to stand!"

  "Your guess is as good as mine. She is a very determined woman."

  Reaching the door, Nolan looked inside and a weight lifted off of his shoulders. There was Ezzy, asleep on top of a pile of straw. Shayua was at her side. Then he heard shouts coming from back towards the stairs.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Escape

  Everyone froze as the muffled sound of voices reached them. Nolan knew they only had moments before whoever it was realized something was wrong. With Shayua injured, he doubted they could take on more than two or three people at a time. They had to come up with an idea. HE had to come up with an idea.

  "Iacane. Can you wake Ezzy? They knocked her out with some kind of drug."

  "Possibly. I can cleanse her the same way I would a poison. It would knock me out though. Then I would be useless in helping us escape."

  "This girl is connected to a Vilathos. Who do you think would be better in a fight? You or a metal Vilathos?"

  "I understand."

  While Iacane moved to Ezzy's side, Nolan turned his attention to Shayua.

  "How are you feeling?"

  "I can fight."

  "Shayua, that's not what I asked. How are you feeling?"

  The tall bounty hunter tried to put on a brave face for a moment longer, then her expression fell.

  "I feel like I've been beaten from the inside out, but don't worry about me, I can handle a
few thugs." Shay picked up a piece of the broken door that still had a few nails sticking out of it. She gave it a few swings. "This will do."

  "Hopefully there aren't a dozen men then."

  "How did you escape?" Shay asked.

  The question caught him off guard. Nolan's focus wavered for a moment as the memory of killing the man flashed through his mind. Then it was gone.

  "A story for another time. Preferably in an inn, surrounded by food and drink, and not under attack."

  "Sounds like a boring night to me." A half smile formed on the woman's lips. Nolan felt a small amount of reassurance from Shayua's confidence. A very small amount. If there were a dozen or so men down here...

  A thud behind him made Nolan spin. He found Iacane on the ground, a bit of drool coming out of his mouth. Ezzy didn't show any sign of waking up. Blasted Saniteal! Had he made a mistake somehow?

  A shout sounded from somewhere out in the hall. They had run out of time. Moving to Ezzy's side, Nolan began to shake her shoulders. He started gently at first, but as desperation sank in he grew more and more rough. As more shouts began to echo down the hall, he gave up on being nice.

  "Forgive me," he whispered before slapping Ezzy's face.

  Her eyes fluttered but she remained still. Grimacing, Nolan hit her again.

  Ezzy's eyes shot open for a moment, then slowly began to shut again.

  "Sleep..." she mumbled. "Little more..."

  "Nope."

  Grabbing Ezzy's shoulders he lifted her up to a sitting position. Her eyes began to droop, so he tapped her cheek a few times until she opened her eyes.

  "Ezzy, we don't have a lot of time."

  "What's going on?" Her words were slurred and her eyes kept dropping. Had Iacane not gotten the drug out of her system completely?

  "No time for that. Can you feel Paz?"

  "Of course. Like a rope around my brain, pulling me..."

  "Wonderful. Get him here. NOW."

  "But I don't--"

  "Ezzy, we're in danger. Get him here now!"

  "Ok, ok. It's on the way."

  But would it get here in time?

  "Men are coming," Shayua said from the doorway. Her head was barely peeking around the corner. "I count four. I might be able to take four."

  "Don't you dare go running off to fight," Nolan hissed at her. "You'll have a better chance if they have to come at you through the doorway."

  "I know this, Nolan. You worry about your magic, and I'll worry about the fighting."

  Insufferable woman. She was their only defense though. Nolan still had to hold Ezzy up, Iacane was snoring on the floor, and as for himself...

  He could kill again if he needed to do it. It was simple. Just grab a man's consciousness and pull. Nolan had to touch the man for it to work, but that shouldn't be hard to do while the man was beating him down. As long as he could get a good hold, killing would be as easy as pulling up a blade of grass.

  And that terrified him.

  Terrified and thrilled him. And the fact that killing a man had a positive effect on his own mental condition...

  "Here they come."

  Shayua backed away from the door. Laying Ezzy back down on the table, Nolan moved to pick up another piece of the door. It wasn't as balanced as his walking staff, but it would do. He might not be the best fighter, but he would do his best to fend the men off. And if he had to use his magic...

  A man in dirty clothes and an orange headband burst through the doorway. Shayua dropped him with one swing. A second, similarly dressed man stopped at the doorway and drew his sword before entering.

  "They're all in here," he shouted, then lunged at Shay.

  She deflected the blade with her makeshift club. The sword shaved a chunk out of the wood, but Shay held tight. The thug stabbed at her twice more then tried an overhand swing. Shay parried all three, then moved in and grabbed the man by the throat. There was a crunching sound and the man went limp.

  Shayua tossed the man and her club to the side then picked up his discarded blade. She hefted it in her hand a few times, then smiled.

  "Much better."

  Two more men appeared at the door. Glancing at their fallen brothers, they smartly remained outside.

  "Go get more of the men. Tell them all of the prisoners are free. I'll hold them here 'til you return."

  Shayua barked a laugh as one of the men ran off. "You will hold us here? I think not."

  "We'll see." The man drew a curved blade with wicked-looking notches along the edge. "Come get me then, you freak."

  Shayua crossed the distance between them in a heartbeat. Their blades met with a clash. Shayua advanced through the door, leaving Nolan with the slumbering Iacane and the barely awake Ezzy.

  Should I try to help or will I just get in the way? Probably the latter.

  Keeping his club in hand, Nolan moved to Ezzy's side. If their captors were getting more men, their only chance would be Paz. Unfortunately Ezzy's eyes were closed and she wore a contented smile. If she had gotten Paz moving before nodding off again, they would be alright. A Vilathos always followed its last command as long as its owner was still alive. If she had told him Paz was on the way just so he would let her go back to sleep, though, they were in a lot of trouble.

  "Ezzy." He gave her a shake. "Ezzy, wake back up. Come on."

  She mumbled something and tried to roll over onto her side. Nolan held her in place and shook her again. Outside of the room, he heard the repeated clang of metal-on-metal.

  "Ezzy, get up. We're running out of time."

  She lazily swung a hand to try and bat him away. He caught it and hooked his arm underneath her shoulder, then lifted her back into a sitting position. Then he began to violently shake her until she opened her eyes.

  "By the Abyss, Nolan. What do you--"

  Shayua tumbled backwards through the doorway, her sword skittering across the floor. The man she had been dueling with entered right behind her, his sword still in hand. He also wore the smirk of a man winning a fight.

  "Shay!"

  The sight of her mentor seemed to snap Ezzy awake. She hopped off the table onto unsteady legs and took a few steps towards Shay until the man turned his sword in her direction.

  "Stop right there," he growled. "I'll take a slice out of each of ya' if you don't be good little captives. The boss wants you alive, but that doesn't mean he needs you in one piece."

  "There is only one of you--" Ezzy began, but the man cut her off.

  "I can take a bruised up freak, two old men, and a spoiled ex-rich girl without breaking a sweat."

  Seeing Shay on the ground, Nolan started to think the man might not be bluffing. Shayua looked tired and was sporting a few new cuts on her arms. Her opponent seemed comfortable with the sword in his hand, and wasn't even breathing heavily. It didn't look good. How far away was Paz?

  "Ezzy, maybe we should listen..."

  "Shay," Ezzy said. "Get up. We can take him together."

  "Sure," the man said with a laugh. "Try to take me. I guarantee I'll kill the red beast. And if you die too...well, accidents happen. We'll still have the Thaljori and Saniteal."

  Shayua at this point had gotten to her feet and was moving towards her fallen sword. The man watched her move then pointed to the sword.

  "Go ahead. Pick it up. I've killed plenty of women before, what's two more?"

  Shay did as she was told. Ezzy had picked up a piece of the door at some point and held it ready. Both woman spread out, circling the man. He stood there as if he was watching grass grow. He even went so far as to let out a sigh. Shayua snarled at him.

  "You will regret your insults, cretin, when this sword is stuck in your belly."

  "We'll see."

  The man made a feint at Ezzy, causing her to stumble backwards, then advanced on Shayua.

  Their battle was like a beautifully rehearsed dance. Shay caught his first swing with a well-placed parry and immediately followed up with a strike of her own. He twisted out of its way,
ending his turn by thrusting his blade at Shay's stomach. She blocked that strike as well, then dropped and tried to sweep his legs. He stepped back out of reach before advancing on her again.

  Back and forth they went, the sound of clashing steel, their footsteps on the wooden floor, and their breaths the only sound in the room. Nolan had never seen two people skilled with the sword battle before. Even Ezzy seemed mesmerized by the dance playing out before them.

  Until the man caught Shay with a slight cut to her sword arm.

  With a yell, Ezzy charged into the fight, club in hand. Which warned the man of her attack. He disengaged Shay, taking a few steps back. When Ezzy reached him, she swung her club wildly. He avoided each swing with a laugh. That smile disappeared, though, when Shayua moved in to attack as well.

  Dodging one of Ezzy's swings and then deflecting a thrust from Shay, the man's face furrowed in concentration. Nolan watched as sweat started to appear on his brow and create stains in his clothes. His swings became less controlled, his parries barely keeping Shay's blade and Ezzy's club from connecting. The women were winning!

  A shout from somewhere outside the room destroyed what little hope had started to build in Nolan's stomach. More men were coming.

  Shayua seemed to ignore the sound, but it distracted Ezzy enough that she paused her attacks.

  The man struck, catching Ezzy with a well-placed kick to her stomach. The blow knocked her backwards, and she lost her grip on the club as she hit the floor. Shay attacked with a fervor, but with only one person to worry about now, the man's superior skill started to show again. He blocked her attacks with ease. Then, as Shay took a reckless swing, the man caught her blade in the notches on the back of his sword, twisted his wrist, and yanked the blade from Shay's hand. The momentum carried Shay forward, right into a perfectly placed left hook. The blow rocked Shay and she crumpled to the ground as her legs lost their strength. Standing over the fallen bounty hunter, the man rested the tip of his blade on her throat.

  "There, it's over," he said, panting. "Don't make me kill you."

  "Ok, stop." Ezzy said, still on the ground. "Don't hurt her. We surrender."