Chapter 30
Natal examined the remains of the control box that once operated the electric barrier blocking access to the western forest from the city. Clearly, an illegal laser gun had demolished the box, and according to earlier reports, the Liput possessed one. This group of marked ones impressed him. Possession of such a weapon was rare. Indeed, they were proving to be worthy adversaries, clever and evasive.
Nord was waiting for information. He stood just outside the wall, staring unhappily toward the forest. “Report!” Nord commanded.
“One of them destroyed the control box maintaining the gate with a laser gun,” Natal explained. Armed guards were now positioned at both sides to block the opening.
“And the Graeliths?”
“In pursuit of the marked ones through the western forest. Gornith leads the group.”
“Gornith? I wasn’t aware he had returned from the marshes. His skills?”
“Superior. He maintains them well and relishes this hunt. He considers these marked ones a challenge worthy of his personal attention and skill.”
“I’m sure he does,” Nord laughed. “And what of the Krystic?”
Natal gestured to a Graelith standing off to the side to come closer and replied, “She still travels with them. This Graelith tracked the group into the alleyways and can provide information.” He turned to the Graelith, “Tell us what you know of these marked ones.”
The Graelith spoke with a gravelly voice, softly, but clearly, “A unique group of five. One, a Liput, easy to spot with his full hair and colored tips. He’s agile and quick. Second, a Plinte with dark skin and a high forehead. A very skilled fighter. We believe he killed at least two of us. The third, a Krystic female with red hair. The fourth is a Human boy, also possessing strong fighting skills. Two Graeliths attacked him several nights ago and only the Graeliths bore injury. The last is an Arlian female. Presumably all five bear the mark, though only three are confirmed at this time — the Human, the Plinte, and the Arlian. Their marks were observed by our men.”
“You describe them and yet have told us little. If you saw them again, would you recognize them?” Natal asked with irritation.
The Graelith merely returned Natal’s stare.
Natal shook his head. They aligned themselves with a powerful species that could identify any creature once close enough to smell it, but one that couldn’t recognize a short-haired female from a male of the same species half the time. At least the Graeliths had an uncanny ability to track the marked. He pinched the bridge of his nose before turning to Nord.
*******
Nord stood silently and considered this information. He glanced toward the girl they found earlier, the feisty, rebellious one who was being held by one of his men. He generally selected a more attractive species, but he preferred lone girls and except for this one, the streets were barren of children today. Grime from the street coated her skin and dirtied her hair. He hoped that once cleaned, she would please him. If not, she was expendable. Regardless of the outcome, he excitedly anticipated the rest of his evening with this girl. She looked as though she still had some fight left in her, and he welcomed the challenge.
His thoughts returned to the marked ones — five of them, all different species and all possessing different skills. Such a diverse group rarely banded together. If they rallied their communities, they could create an army strong enough to challenge Nord’s power. Perhaps this was Anyamae’s plan. She might be using these marked ones to create cohesion among the outbounders, inciting them to unite and rise up against him. That would also have the side benefit of creating a diversion, giving the heir a chance to mature without being noticed. Nord must prevent this from happening. He felt the Miyran power growing stronger. The heir must be nearing sixteen. He would gather more Graeliths from the marshes far to the south and amass a larger army. The Plintes and Humans posed the greatest fighting threat. He must ensure they didn’t join forces. The Plintes possessed less cleverness, but greater physical talent. Destroying the Plintes first would drive fear into the other species.
Nord signaled Natal that they should return to headquarters. “For now, we’ll trust Gornith to hunt the marked ones. We have other concerns to discuss.”
Natal nodded in understanding and called for an air transport to carry them back.
Chapter 31
Tip ran along the forest edge heading south, along with the flow of the river; Eros and Prizene trailed behind him, following his path. He maintained a safe distance, ensuring the others never veered into the open grassland that dangerously hid the edge of the cliff. The sounds of rushing water filtered up from the river below. Occasionally he stopped to peer over the side for a glimpse of Kenrya and Azetan, but with the Graeliths not far behind them, he minimized these delays, his speed allowing him to stay ahead of the others. Growing up in the fields of Kentish, he spent many a day making trips to and from the fields with heavy packs loaded on his back. He and his brothers often raced with each other, which conditioned him to move quickly while carrying heavy loads. Perfect for their current situation.
The grasslands turned toward the right ahead. As Tip rounded a group of trees with thick bushes, he was dismayed to discover a rock wall blocking their path. His heart pounded and his hands began to sweat in frustration. Frantically he scanned the area before realizing the only option was a rope bridge that stretched across the river’s chasm.
Eros arrived, followed shortly by Prizene, and examined the rope bridge. He held the side ropes and put weight tentatively onto the main rope, testing its strength. “The bridge looks sturdy enough,” he concluded, “and we need to cross the river at some point.”
Tip marveled at Eros’s ability to stay calm and in control. He wished he felt in control, but he couldn’t stop his hands from shaking. He tried to temper the tremor in his voice when he expressed his main concern, “But is it strong enough to hold one of us plus the weight of the packs?” If not, what could they do? Maybe he could rig something to help. Tip studied the nearby trees and those across the chasm. “Maybe we can string the rope and pass the packs across to limit the weight.”
“Can you rig it quickly?”
“I think so,” Tip said, nodding. After all, how difficult could it be to anchor the rope on either side?
“Graeliths run slower, but they’ll find us soon enough.”
Tip swallowed hard as he nodded to Eros. No one had to tell him twice. The butterflies in his stomach were doing an excellent job of reminding him.
“I’ll see if I can gauge how close they are,” Prizene said, and circled back to check the Graeliths’ progress.
Tip removed his pack and grabbed the coil of rope. He searched the trees for one with a sturdy limb higher than one on the other side of the bridge. Focusing on his task calmed him a little. Finally settling on a good option, he quickly scaled the tree trunk and secured the end of the rope. After scrambling back down, he placed the rest of the coil of rope over his head and arm, wearing it like a sash across his body.
Tip called to Eros, “I’ll go first and secure the rope on the other side. You fasten the pack straps and push the packs across.” He hurried to the nearest end of the rope bridge and closed his eyes for a moment, taking two deep breaths. When he opened his eyes, he still saw the one, thick strand of rope on which he would walk, plus the other two lengths serving as handrails with smaller rope intertwined in between. Crossing would not require exceptional balance; the real danger was that too much stress might break the rope. Of course, their only other option was facing the Graeliths and abandoning Kenrya and Azetan. Tip nervously glanced back in the direction they had traveled where the Graeliths would be, then placed his hands on the rope. It seemed far less scary than mere moments before. He stepped onto the rope, then placing one foot in front of the other, crossed the bridge, playing out the rope as he went. Once safely on the other side, he smiled back at Eros. Not as bad as he anticipated. Tip secured the end of the rope to a lower limb on the other
side, laying the remaining coils on the ground. He pulled on the rope to test its strength, then gestured to Eros, who fastened Tip’s pack to the rope and pushed it with all his might. The pack traveled halfway across and stopped.
Prizene returned and reported, “I can see some Graeliths running this direction. They’re making stops to peer into the river, which is slowing them down, but it’s just a matter of time before they reach us. We have at least a little time, though.” Then she spied the pack and groaned. “Oh no! The momentum is not enough.”
Tip shook the rope, trying to move the pack farther across. The pack shifted a few inches, but not enough for Tip to reach it. They needed another plan.
Prizene took a deep breath and said, “I’ll get it.” She dropped her pack and Azetan’s swords, took a deep breath, and ventured out onto the rope bridge. Tip admired her courage. She stopped halfway across and gave the pack a strong push. With Eros and Tip shifting the rope, the push was enough for the pack to reach the other side where Tip retrieved it.
“Good work!” Tip cheered, and Prizene beamed with pleasure.
Eros removed Azetan’s pack from his back, looped the swords and belt through the handles, and fastened it to the rope. Using the same process, they worked the second pack across much faster this time. When Prizene’s pack was fastened, Eros told her to go ahead across with it and he would push his own across.
Now with Prizene safely on the other side, Eros fastened his own pack to the rope and pushed it halfway. Then he followed the others across the bridge. Just as he arrived at the midpoint, three Graeliths rounded the group of trees and slowed when they saw the scene in front of them.
“Hurry!” Prizene yelled.
The lead Graelith yelled a mighty roar and drew his sword as he charged toward the bridge. Eros barely hesitated. He gave his pack a mighty shove and Tip retrieved it on the other side. Then Eros picked up speed, working his way across.
Tip watched the lead Graelith tentatively put a foot on the bridge. Then the Graeliths began shaking it wildly. Tip sucked in a breath, watching as Eros gripped the handrails tightly to keep his balance. Grabbing the ropes on his side, Tip pulled them tight to lessen the Graeliths’ impact. The Graeliths apparently grew tired of this approach and one of them was chosen to follow Eros.
“Give me your hand!” Tip shouted to Eros, but he was still too far away.
The Graelith, much heavier than Eros, added too much weight and the ropes on the Graelith’s side started snapping loose. Eros edged another foot closer to Tip. The rope snapped loudly. Tip lunged toward Eros, almost falling over the side, but Eros was still out of reach. Eros grabbed the bridge, bracing himself for a fall. The other end ripped loose and he swung toward the rock wall. He hit the wall with his left side, but maintained his grip.
Tip looked down, surprised to see the Graelith had also managed to keep his hold on the rope. The Graelith snarled.
“He’s still there!” Tip yelled.
This prodded Eros to quickly untwist his hands and continue climbing. The Graelith did the same.
One of the Graeliths on the other side targeted Eros with a knife. Tip shouted a warning, “Look out!”
Eros glanced behind him just as the larger Graelith threw the knife. He lurched to the side and the knife missed him, but cut through a section of the rope.
“Give me your hand!” Tip yelled. Eros pushed himself up, finally reaching Tip’s hand and Tip pulled him onto solid ground.
“Move!” Prizene commanded. Tip found her charging at them with a drawn sword. He pushed Eros back from the edge, as Prizene took a mighty swing toward the remaining pieces of rope anchoring the bridge. With two powerful swings, she severed the remaining rope. The bridge and the Graelith plummeted into the rushing water below.
The large Graelith on the other side let out another loud roar, as more Graeliths rounded the group of trees.
“Head for the cover of the forest!” Eros shouted. He grabbed his and Azetan’s packs and darted toward the trees.
Prizene grabbed her pack and followed him. Tip threw his pack on his back. He glanced at the rope and bit his lip. They might need it. Not to mention the fact that the Graeliths might use it to cross. He started loosening the rope from the tree.
“What are you doing?” Eros called back.
“We might need this!” Tip yelled, as a knife whistled past his ear and into a tree. He couldn’t waste time with the knot. He pulled out his gun and shifted the control. He fired, severing the portion of rope stretched across the river, cutting off the Graeliths. Then he shot the knot near him. The rope came loose from the tree and, as he bent down to grab the remaining coils with his other hand, another knife hit the tree above him. He turned back to the Graeliths to find several with knives aimed directly at him. Luckily, bows were not common in Zolei or they would have pierced him already. He smirked slyly, their knives against his gun. He raised the gun toward them and fired, hitting the edge of the cliff on which they stood. The rock crumbled and two of the Graeliths fell to the water below. I wonder if they can swim. He shrugged, then jogged into the forest after the others, leaving the enraged Graeliths to find another way across.
Chapter 32
Eros, Tip, and Prizene raced as quickly as they could through the thick grass near the edge of the forest. They were safe for now, though the Graeliths would eventually find a way across the river. Occasionally, one of them stopped and cautiously peered over the edge of the cliff to look for Azetan and Kenrya. They took turns stopping, allowing the others to keep their steady pace, covering ground faster.
After an hour or more, Prizene took a turn and slowly neared the edge of the cliff to see the water below. Tip kept running and Eros was close to her from his last stop. Prizene carefully parted the grass and leaned over to check both sides of the rocky walls and around the various rocks and patches of foliage that partially blocked her view. She sighed, still seeing no sign of her lost companions. Just as she was about to move away, her hand slipped and she fell forward, shrieking in surprise. She frantically tried to find a small ledge or rock jutting out to stop her momentum, but the wall was smooth. A heavy weight landed on her legs, which must have been Eros attempting to prevent her from slipping over the side of the cliff.
“Are you okay?” he asked, sounding stunned, as well.
Half of Prizene’s body was hanging over the side of the rock ledge. She wasn’t comfortable, but she certainly wasn’t harmed. “I’m not hurt.”
“Tip!” Eros called, as Prizene’s pack began shifting toward her head, changing her center of gravity and pulling her away from Eros.
Prizene heard feet pounding toward them and then felt the weight of her pack lighten. Tip must have grabbed her pack. As he began pulling at it, Eros wrapped his arms more firmly around Prizene’s legs and pulled.
They were slowly edging her away from the cliff, when she saw an unusual color among the rocks farther down the river. “Wait! Stop!”
They froze and Tip asked, “Are we hurting you now?”
“No, I think I see something,” she replied. She focused on the spot — definitely not just rocks. “I definitely see something a little farther down the river. Pull me up!”
With renewed hope, they pulled her to safety. Tip grabbed his pack and the rope, which he had apparently thrown off, and they jogged farther along the bank.
“I think it was here.” Prizene held out her arm to indicate they should stop. She dumped her pack. “Wait here. I’ll check for them.” As she crawled toward the cliff edge, Eros and Tip looked at each other; both stripped off their packs and joined Prizene.
“Do you see them?” Eros called.
“There they are!” she squealed happily. “See how the rock curves inward right below us? If you look to the left of that patch of wildflowers growing in the rock, you can see one of Azetan’s feet.”
The three of them peered over the side as Prizene yelled, “Azetan? Can you hear me?”
“Yes,” Azetan called b
ack, the strain in his voice obvious.
“Is Kenrya with you?”
“Yes, but she swallowed a lot of water. She’ll need help up.”
“We can use the rope.” Tip eased back from the cliff edge to grab the rope.
“Help is coming!” Eros called. He shifted to his right and leaned farther over the side. “I can see them now. Look.” He motioned with his finger. “Azetan pulled them into a little alcove where the water pressure isn’t as strong and he’s using his feet to brace himself against the rocks. Still, he looks like he’s struggling to hold onto both Kenrya and the rocks.”
Tip returned with the rope and handed the loose end to Eros. “I tied a loop in this end. I haven’t secured the other end yet, so be careful.”
Eros hollered down to Azetan, “Catch the rope!” He tossed the looped end down, playing out the rope.
Prizene watched while Tip wrapped the rest of the rope around a tree and began working busily on something.
They had to wait a few moments for Azetan’s signal; looping the rope around Kenrya while straining against the water currents must have been a challenge. Eros positioned himself near the cliff edge, though not too close. He told Prizene to stand behind him and Tip in the rear. With the three of them, they would be able to hoist Kenrya to the top. However, they needed to ensure they could anchor the rope. Tip’s job was to brace himself and hold the rope in place as Eros and Prizene pulled. Once Azetan signaled that Kenrya was ready, on the count of three, they pulled together and raised Kenrya several feet.
Eros ordered, “Brace the rope!”
“No problem,” Tip replied lazily.
The sound of his voice was not behind Prizene, but to the side. She turned to find Tip was operating some sort of improvised rock-and-limb contraption. The rope never slipped, since Tip clearly braced it, but he rigged a device to do the work for him. She looked at Tip with surprise and Tip smiled and said merrily, “Ready when you are.”
The Journey of the Marked (The Miyran Heir Book 1) Page 12