Azetan shook his head, “No. I’ll stay to the end to fight. You should go first.” Azetan returned his concentration to the Graeliths, occasionally stealing glances at Eros and Tip.
Tip fastened the rope into a lasso and tossed it toward the rock. Unfortunately, his aim was off and the rope tumbled back down to the ground. Azetan shook his head in frustration.
The Graeliths laughed loudly as they began their slow march across the ravine. Graeliths relished their prey’s fear, taking sadistic pleasure in drawing out their approach. Still, why take so much time? Perhaps they doubted the marked ones would escape.
Eros dashed to Tip’s side and tossed the rope a second time, looping it around the rock on the first attempt. Then he tested the rope’s strength. As he began to climb, Azetan and Kenrya pulled their swords, while Azetan pushed Prizene toward the rope.
The Graeliths’ chants grew louder and the stomping of their feet grew faster — yet another effective way of scaring their prey.
Azetan tightened the grip on his swords. If he could hold the Graeliths off, distract them somehow, perhaps others would make it to safety. Azetan glanced back at Eros to see he was halfway up the rock and climbing well, but Prizene still waited nearby with the flibbit in her hands, rather than fleeing to the rope.
“Get out of here!” he commanded.
“No,” she snapped. “I can help.”
“The quasm attack left you weak. You’ll be no use to us.”
“No, I have a plan! Besides, they won’t kill me. Ampal told me I was wanted alive.”
He glared at her, but returned his concentration to the Graeliths, who were closing in on the center of the ravine. He wanted to protect her, not risk her falling to the Graeliths. “There are worst things than death,” he said quietly, hoping that would compel her to move. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem to work.
The Graeliths had formed a long line and marched in pairs through the ravine. They progressed slowly and stopped time and again to chant and move about in a formation. Azetan failed to understand their actions. Why not simply attack? The Graeliths appeared to have certain hunting rituals, though perhaps this deliberate drawing out of the attack was merely a way to taunt their prey allowing their satisfaction to grow stronger.
Suddenly, one of the first Graeliths let out a mighty roar. One by one, the others did as well. Azetan looked to Kenrya, who moved nearer, and she gestured to the rope with her chin. Azetan turned to see that Eros had reached the rock ledge with the opening and Tip was working his way, more slowly, up the rope. Azetan turned back toward the Graeliths. At least Eros and Tip would survive. In that, he could take comfort.
He saw movement out of the corner of his eye. Prizene stepped next to him and bent down to the ground. What is she doing now? Then he saw the little, brown flibbit standing on the ground.
“Go on,” Prizene encouraged Spike. “Go fight the Graeliths.”
Azetan rolled his eyes. What did she think Spike would do, run between their legs and trip them, causing them to fall on their swords? Finally Azetan could stand the waiting no longer. He held his swords at the ready and yelled as fiercely as he could. He began running toward the Graeliths, who turned toward the commotion, a smirk appearing on each face.
As Azetan ran, he sensed something was moving beside him and whatever it was, it was growing bigger. He glanced to the right to see the little flibbit keeping pace with him, except that it wasn’t so little anymore. Spike had grown several feet and continued to grow with each step, soon growing large enough to outrun Azetan. Azetan stopped and looked back at Prizene, who stood with a look of triumph on her face.
By the time he turned back around, Spike, standing nearly eighteen feet tall, was closing in on the Graeliths at the center of the ravine. The long, fluffy ears, now several feet long themselves, stood rigidly on Spike’s head. They ended in sharp points and had sprouted foot-long spikes the full length of the ears. Spike’s front teeth were now a foot long and razor-sharp and his girth had expanded significantly. His feet and hands sported treacherous claws and his tail had grown into a massive eight-foot-long club with spikes.
Spike was indeed an apt name for the once-cuddly flibbit.
By this point, the Graeliths had stopped chanting and they watched in stark horror as the massive flibbit approached the midpoint of the ravine. As Spike neared, each head tilted back and wide eyes stared up at the mighty flibbit. Spike sucked in a large quantity of air, bent over, and belted out a tremendous roar, the force of which knocked the first several pairs of Graeliths onto their backs. Spike stomped his right foot and the ground shook, loosening the nearby rock.
The Graeliths started backing away from the monstrous flibbit, until the leader growled at them. “Weaklings! Do not allow this pathetic creature to dominate you. Attack!”
While none seemed eager to lead the charge, the Graeliths growled to renew their courage. One of the Graeliths threw a knife at Spike, which bounced off his now impenetrable coat. Spike turned angry eyes to his would-be assassin. The Graelith began backing away quickly, only to trip over another Graelith and fall. Spike sucked in lungfuls of air and roared again into the mass of Graeliths. He stomped his feet repeatedly, striking the rock at the midpoint of the ravine with his powerful tail. The Graeliths scrambled to avoid being struck, as larger and larger boulders began to fall from the rock face.
As rock fell into the ravine from both sides, Azetan retraced his steps to join Prizene. Great! Look at the self-satisfied smirk on her face. She’s not going to let this go! She beamed at him and politely suggested he might want to take his turn on the rope. He stowed his swords once he saw that Kenrya had indeed reached the rock ledge. As he jogged over to the rope, he was pleased to see the shocked looks on each face of his companions. Spike had surprised them all — all, that is, except Prizene. Azetan quickly climbed the rope. By the time he arrived at the ledge, Spike had knocked enough rock into the ravine to completely block the Graeliths’ path.
Spike stomped his feet a few more times for good measure, then turned back toward Prizene. With each step, the ground shook violently. The marked ones on the rock ledge dropped to their knees to brace themselves from falling. In one deft movement, Spike scooped up Prizene in his claws and placed her gently atop the rock ledge.
Prizene frantically looked to the others. “Now how do we lift Spike onto the ledge?”
Azetan scoffed, “You must be joking. We could never lift him.”
Prizene looked exasperated with her hands on her hips. “He’ll shrink again very soon. We can’t leave him in the ravine. The Graeliths will break through eventually.”
Tip untied the rope from the rock and pulled the full length of the rope to the rock ledge. He tossed the end over Spike’s left shoulder and down his back. “Hand me the rope, Spike,” Tip ordered politely.
Spike cocked his head sideways, then ran his claw around his back and lifted the end of the rope to Tip. Tip grabbed the end just moments before Spike shrank too much to reach the ledge. He fastened the rope in a slip knot and tightened it gently around Spike’s torso. Once Spike shrunk to a height of only a few feet, they pulled him easily onto the rock ledge.
Prizene removed the rope and after Spike had shrunk sufficiently, she placed the tiny flibbit back into her pocket along with several pieces of linoya root. As Tip gathered up the rope, Azetan cheered, “All right, Spike!”
Prizene flashed a brilliant smile and they hurried through the opening in the rock.
Chapter 53
Arith wiped his brow. The sun shone brightly overhead, beating relentlessly on the small group, as they made their way to Banston. They had departed Caldot two days ago and expected to arrive tomorrow. The relatively flat land eased the journey; even the rolling hills nearer to Banston would be easy to traverse.
The Raptan craftsman kept working throughout each day and the casket now sported carvings over most of its exterior. Each evening Ampal told the tales reflected in the carvings, expressing his pride i
n his little sister. Arith appreciated the healing power of the Plinte customs. While Ampal still mourned, he remembered much about his sister through the process. Arith watched him closely, encouraged that his devastation lessened, yet still concerned over the depth of his grief.
When the opportunity presented itself, Arith spoke with the warriors Lady Anyamae had dispatched to travel with them. He had felt a change in the city just before their departure and hoped the warriors would have some information to share. They lacked specific knowledge of any new plots or treachery the Tyrnotts may have devised, though they agreed with Arith’s assessment of the city’s changed atmosphere. Fear rippled through the citizenry. Graeliths had started tightening their control, presumably on Nord’s orders, yet no one knew of Nord’s plans. He seemed to be reacting more strongly to this latest group of marked ones, and Arith wondered again why this particular group concerned the Tyrnott leader more than any of the others. Regardless, if Nord felt especially threatened, the retaliation was likely to be fierce.
As the journey continued, Arith and the warriors agreed that more regular communication needed to be established between the warriors and undergrounders. The undergrounders would enlist support among the citizens, and the warriors would keep them abreast of any important developments. Together, they would try to protect the city.
Chapter 54
A flibbit. A blasted flibbit. The marked ones possessed a flibbit!
Gornith stood rock-still, arms crossed, legs stiff and slightly apart, watching his men attempt to move the boulders now blocking their path. He relished the hunt, anticipating the movements of his prey. What he had failed to anticipate was a flibbit. He berated himself for his mistake. His men enjoyed a hunt, enjoyed a kill. In this instance, they had allowed themselves too much time, and that stalling tactic had cost them dearly.
A large boulder rocked precariously at the top of the wall of boulders, as his men worked to loosen rocks that lay lower on the wall. Two men acted as spotters and alerted others to the risk. Moments later, the boulder rocked away from the wall, balanced on the edge of the boulder below it for a few seconds, then toppled down the side of the wall. The men jumped out of the way in every direction. As the boulder fell, small and midsized rocks loosened and fell with it. The dust settled, leaving a gradual slope to the boulder wall. A few more similar efforts and they could climb over the wall. Gornith scanned his men, noting none were seriously hurt. He nodded as an indication they should resume the work.
Gornith loathed the markings Lady Anyamae placed. Destroying all of the marked would appease him, though this was unlikely to ever happen. As a child, his father had taught him the evils of the old Miyran alliance. Long before the arrival of the Miyrans, the Graeliths had lived on Zolei for centuries. This was their world. The Miyrans had presented a strong case for settling on part of the planet rarely used by the Graeliths and protecting the world from reckless species that would plunder its wealth. While the Graeliths prided themselves on their hunting skills, they lacked knowledge of worlds beyond their own and accepted the Miyrans’ assistance. What a mistake that was! More and more species landed on Zolei and spread across the land. Granted, they remained in a fairly small portion of the planet, but it was only a matter of time before that changed. The Miyrans promoted peace and acceptance, yet almost every species loathed his own. The Graeliths were considered beasts, at best.
Another boulder crashed down the wall, creating a cascading effect along the left side and a gradual incline that would finally allow them to climb over the wall. As the dust settled, they identified two men with injuries. Gornith scowled, as one of the injured was his only warrior with the skill to shoot an arrow. The man insisted he could continue, not wanting to miss the fight. Not knowing what perils lay ahead of them, Gornith decided the risk of losing the warrior was too great. He selected his four weakest men to ensure the two injured ones returned safely home. The remainder of the group loaded their gear and began the climb over the rock wall.
Gornith then focused his attention on the task at hand. This group of marked ones, their prey, must not be underestimated. He must locate and kill them before they reached the protection of the training camp. Anything less equaled failure.
Chapter 55
The marked ones walked swiftly through the cave, using the light from their electric torches to guide the way. While the cave walls were smooth, the floor and ceiling prickled with stalagmites and stalactites, which required caution and careful progress. Tip’s agility allowed him to skirt the obstacles without much difficulty. The others in the group, particularly Azetan, found their legs and arms nicked and scratched many times over.
“Ow!” Azetan exclaimed as he brushed against another rock, ripping a hole in his pants and pricking his skin once again. “Slow down,” he called to Tip. “These rocks are like razors.”
Tip paused and looked back at the group moving slowly behind him, surprised to see they were at least forty feet back. He crossed his arms and waited, thinking not for the first time that he was hardly the weakest link in the group after all. While the others might have strong fighting skills, he possessed survival skills and right now those skills were definitely a strength. He watched Azetan attempting to negotiate around a large rock in the middle of the cave floor, his bulky, muscular frame hardly a benefit in such a cramped space. Tip was equally gratified to see Kenrya also struggled among the rock, while Prizene floated effortlessly through the cave. Eros was somewhere in the back of the group and out of his sight; Tip hoped he was finding the path manageable. Once the others reached him, Tip turned around and started again through the cave at a swift pace Azetan could never maintain. Azetan swore beneath his breath and Tip smiled to himself as he sped along.
Despite their differences, Tip truly belonged with this group. His skill with the rope had helped them several times, his endurance saved Spike, who was now a highly revered part of their team, and the others even laughed at his jokes. After his brothers had been marked, Tip stopped spending time with his friends. They visited the house from time to time, but the time he spent with them felt forced and awkward.
Tip felt a catch in his throat and he slowed his pace.
For the last four years since Sri was marked, he had avoided his friends and others in Kentish. Now he enjoyed laughing again. He actually missed home less than he did just days before. Yes, this was where he belonged.
After what seemed to be hours, a faint light appeared ahead. While Tip had enjoyed his jaunt in the cave, his stomach now rumbled loudly and he hoped they would soon find themselves back in the forest where they could prepare something to eat. He shifted around a large rock and walked quickly toward the light. He reached the lighted area to find there was no exit at all, only a large crack in the rock ceiling about two feet across and one foot thick, extending through to the daylight. He switched off his electric torch and peered upward through the crack. The sun shone brightly overhead, meaning despite the time in the cave, it was not long after midday.
“What do you see?” Azetan called from farther inside the cave.
Tip answered absent-mindedly, while still focusing on the light, “A crack in the cave that extends to the top of the mountain. Sunlight filters through, but I don’t see an exit yet.”
Azetan swore again and Tip supposed this wouldn’t be the last time. He wondered if Kenrya carried enough medical supplies to treat the Plinte. He chuckled to himself, until a shadow moved across the opening above. The movement was too quick to be a person walking overhead. He moved his head to different positions, trying to see more clearly. Then another shadow flitted across the opening, moving in the opposite direction. Perhaps it was a circling bird or a transport vessel, though the latter was less likely, given its size.
As he continued staring into the light, Azetan reached his side. “Anything interesting?”
Tip shook his head, while still peering through the crack. “Only something circling overhead. A bird, I think.” Azetan joined Tip and look
ed through the opening. Tip pointed when the shadow passed again. “There. Did you see it?”
“Yes,” Azetan replied, “too large to be a normal bird. As many times as it has circled, I think it might be one of the Graeliths’ hunting fanes. They’re tracking birds, larger than any bird you’ve seen before – massive claws and sharp beaks. Their eyes can follow prey both night and day. They hunt for us.”
Tip continued to look through the opening, hoping Azetan couldn’t see his hands shaking. “Well, guess it’s good we’re in the cave.”
“We’ll have to exit sooner or later.” Azetan looked closely at Tip. “Hopefully the forest cover will help shield us from their sight.”
Tip nodded in agreement, flipped his electric torch to light and proceeded through the cave with less enthusiasm than before.
Chapter 56
After navigating the cave a short distance farther, Tip turned to the others. “I think we should stop and eat. I see nothing but darkness ahead.”
With no response except for some sounds of disappointment, Tip found a large enough space for them to unload their packs and started removing the supplies. The others joined him and began unloading their packs as well.
Eros arrived last and continued a short distance beyond them. He flicked off his electric torch and stared into the darkness ahead of them. “Wait. I see an exit.”
Tip looked in the same direction. “Eros, there’s nothing there but more darkness.”
“You’re right,” Eros agreed, causing Tip to raise his eyebrows. “We seem to have reached the darkest part of the forest. The old men said it would take two days, but perhaps either the sun has set or we’ll walk one day in the dark of the forest. Either way, I see the trees.”
Kenrya joined him, staring into the darkness. “I can’t see them, but preparing food outside the cave will be easier. Let’s continue a little farther.”
The Journey of the Marked (The Miyran Heir Book 1) Page 22