The Lone Apprentice

by I K Spencer

  Anthen peered through the small window, which looked out upon the stable roof. The twilight was fading but they needed nearly another half-hour before it would be dark enough to cover their escape. Scowling, the guardsman moved away from the window and stood watching the door.

  "What is it?" Teya asked, noting his edginess. She had discarded the sentry's uniform.

  "I think they are coming." He wore a frown of concentration, looking as though he were deep in thought.

  "How is it that you can know such things? Is it magic?"

  "I do not know. I noticed the ability as a child and worked to perfect it." His eyes suddenly widened as if an idea he had been struggling with had finally formed in his mind. "We must go, now!"

  Anthen tossed a length of rope that had been anchored to a ceiling beam out the window. He glanced at the guards in the courtyard near the stable and noted no change in their behavior. Teya deftly slipped through the window and took her pack as he pushed it through the window to her.

  All at once there were shouts in the corridor and the sound of men running. The pair exchanged a quick look, then Teya began to descend. Anthen's gaze shifted between her retreating form and the sentries below, seeing if they noticed her. He wasn't sure the rope they had found could hold their combined weight so he planned to wait for her to reach the roof, some twenty feet below the window.

  He heard men searching the next room and knew he could wait no longer. He twisted through the window and pulled his pack through after. He held the window frame to keep his full weight off the suspect cord. Teya, seeing Anthen above her, gave up her slow descent and dropped quickly to the stable roof. Anthen pulled the window shutter closed, hoping to give them a few extra moments, then slid down to the roof beside Teya.

  The pair raced along the roofline away from the courtyard toward the rear of the stables. They spied a small gap between the stables and the high outer wall and they dropped from the stable roof to the ground after insuring they weren’t being watched. A rear door stood open and they peered inside. To Anthen's surprise and alarm, he saw four guards posted inside the barn.

  Anthen whispered a hasty plan to Teya. She nodded and the pair crept inside the stables. Two of the Dolonarians were posted near the rear of the large barn and the other two stood near the front. The fugitives separated, each noiselessly approaching one of the sentries posted at the rear of the building. After exchanging nods, they simultaneously knocked the two Dolonarians unconscious, Teya with the butt of her sword and Anthen with a practiced blow delivered to the back of the man's neck. Both men were caught as they slumped and dragged out of sight.

  Anthen quickly located Rorc and pointed out a black mare he guessed belonged to Dolkes. He would have liked to take Cidrl's mount for Teya but knew the guardsman's horse answered only to its master. Moving with matched efficiency, Anthen saddled Rorc while Teya readied the other mount, their movements unnoticed by the bored guards standing by the front door of the stables.

  Suddenly, they heard muffled shouts above them, most likely from the window through which they had escaped, and nearly simultaneously, trumpet blasts, followed by more shouts to close the gates. The pair mounted up and readied their weapons. The sentries posted at the front of the stables had run outside and were peering up toward the window the pair had used to escape.

  "Ready?" Anthen whispered.

  Teya nodded and smiled. "Try to keep up Guardsman."

  She spurred the mare into motion and he followed. The two sentries, having finally understood the nature of the alarm, looked back inside the stable to see the two riders bearing down on them. They had left their weapons inside the stables, so the fugitives raced past without wasting an arrow.

  The pair emerged into the dwindling twilight from the stables at full speed, racing towards the gate, which was already beginning to close. An arrow flew by Anthen’s head and he quickly located the source—two archers in position above the gate. Anthen raised his bow and dropped one of the archers, holding the bow with his right hand alone. He turned to sight the second bowman but the man was already falling from one of Teya's arrows. He glanced quickly at her and was amazed how she controlled the unfamiliar horse with only her legs while expertly wielding the longbow with both hands.

  As Anthen faced forward again he caught sight of a large form in his right peripheral vision and turned to see Cidrl charging from the castle, Dolkes at his heels.

  "Anthen! Face me!" Cidrl taunted as he ran.

  "No!" Teya screamed as Anthen turned Rorc. "'Tis a trick!"

  Anthen could not pass up the opportunity. He took quick aim but Cidrl knew the young guardsman’s deadly accuracy and dove for cover even before Anthen had released the quarrel. He fired anyway, catching the surprised Dolkes in the shoulder instead. He turned Rorc back toward the gate and raced after Teya.

  "Face me coward!" Cidrl called again but Anthen ignored him, firing quick shots into the cluster of guards trying to form a human barricade in the space left by the half-closed gate.

  The pair closed on the gate, dropping one Dolonarian after another. A few arrows flew in their direction but they were moving too fast for the mediocre archers of the palace guard to present a real threat.

  "Your precious love is mine Apprentice!" Cidrl yelled from behind, trying to provoke a response.

  They were just a few feet from the nearly closed gate and Anthen wanted to pause and try for another shot at the traitor but knew it was folly. Instead he flew through the gate alongside Teya, scattering the remaining few guards as they passed.

  "You will never have her Anthen! I will find you!" came the faint final retort from Cidrl as they raced down the cobbled street, Anthen following Teya.

  "I did not see any riders yet but they will soon give chase," she called above the clattering of hooves on the cobblestones. Anthen could barely stay with her as she galloped down the narrow streets, skillfully weaving around corners and obstacles.

  Teya abruptly pulled the black mare to a halt and Anthen followed suit. They both instinctively turned back to listen for riders but heard none. Fortunately the twilight had faded completely and with no moon yet and sparse street lamps, he felt reasonably safe for the moment.

  "The city gate is just ahead," she offered between deep breaths. "They are lax; perhaps we may pass without causing an alarm."

  Anthen nodded and pulled his cloak over his head, then slouched in his saddle. Teya followed suit and the pair urged the horses forward at a casual walk, trying not to arouse suspicions. They turned a corner and Anthen could see an open gate, occupied by three Dolonarians.

  "I surveyed this gate several times before my capture," Teya murmured softly. "The two sentries posted across from that gatekeeper are not commonly there."

  "You keep watch on those two and I'll drop the gatekeeper if he tries to close the gate," replied the guardsman, never taking his gaze from the man.

  The gatekeeper sat on a stool on the right side of the archway while the other two sentries leaned against the other side. The fugitives were within fifty feet of the gate when they heard the sound of approaching riders from the rear and from the clamor, the guardsman knew it was a sizable party.

  "Go!" Teya yelled and they instantly drove the horses forward, she a couple of paces ahead.

  A cry from behind them ordered the gate to be closed and Anthen dropped the gatekeeper before he could rise from his stool. He swiveled his bow to the other side and dropped one of the sentries while Teya, already at the gate, dispatched the final guard with her sword.

  The pair flew through the gate and into the open country beyond, with Teya in the lead. Anthen saw that they were following a road but soon they passed beyond the reach of the gate's torches and in the darkness he could only make out the form of Teya, a few feet ahead. He ventured a look back and watched as a dozen or so mounted figures passed through the gate, perhaps a quarter mile back now.

  "There is almost no cover here and it is just a few miles to the cliffs," Teya called ove
r her shoulder, talking just loud enough to be heard over the pounding hooves.

  "A dozen or so riders are giving chase, perhaps a quarter mile behind," Anthen replied.

  "Faster!" she yelled. "We need more time once we reach the cliffs."

  She hunched over the black mare and shot forward and Anthen pushed the big bay to its limits. They raced on for several minutes without speaking. Anthen could see occasional dim shapes representing dwellings but mostly it was flat, open land. He could smell animals and guessed they were passing through grazing fields.

  Just as Anthen started to worry about driving the horses too hard, Teya let up and he reined Rorc to a slow trot beside her. Up ahead, still some distance, Anthen could see a dim light. Teya gradually brought her mount to a stop and Anthen followed her lead.

  "Let's lead the horses on foot and I will explain what we face up ahead," she whispered and slipped smoothly to the ground.

  The pair jogged side-by-side, leading their mounts. Anthen could not hear the riders that must surely be behind them but knew they had only a matter of minutes until that changed.

  "There is a path cut in the face of the cliffs that we can use to escape the upland," Teya explained quickly. "There is a barricade at the top but it is usually poorly guarded; this path is seldom if ever used."

  The dim light Anthen had seen from a distance turned out to be a sizable campfire, and as they moved close enough to survey the situation, he counted four guards lounging around the fire and two more posted on either side of the gate. The gate was actually just a stout pole, suspended about three feet off the ground on a pair of stanchions, spread about fifteen feet apart. Off to their left stood a wooden hut, which he hoped was empty.

  "Only a fortnight ago there was but a single guard here, and he was asleep at this hour," Teya whispered.

  "Your escape and Cidrl's visit may both have contributed to the increase," Anthen offered, while reloading his crossbow. "Unfortunately we have no time for planning, you take the two by the gate and open it while I keep the others busy."

  Teya nodded and they both remounted and drew their weapons. Just then they heard the rumble of running horses in the distance and knew they had lost the element of surprise, two of the men sitting by the fire had already risen to their feet.

  Simultaneously the pair parted, their mounts quickly gaining speed. Anthen raced towards the fire while Teya approached the gate. Anthen saw Teya drop one of the guards by the gate as he raised his weapon. He took aim and fired two quick shots, hitting two of the guards by the fire. The other two scurried behind a fallen bench, recognizing quickly that the approaching rider was a deadly shot. The second sentry by the gate must have reached the same conclusion, diving for cover behind the left stanchion.

  Anthen rode straight through the fire, kicking up a cloud of sparks and scattering blazing brands. He quickly twisted Rorc around to face the two men but they were instantly on him, one catching him in the right arm with a pike. He turned his attention to the pikeman first, kicking the man back and running him through left-handed. The guardsman turned to face the final Dolonarian but the man was already running away.

  With a grimace of pain, Anthen pulled the pike from his arm and turned toward the gate. Teya was battling with the final guard with her sword. He heard shouts and saw that the riders were now visible, though still out of archer range. He easily identified the traitor's oversized figure at the head of the pack, then turned his attention back toward the gate. He rode over and leapt to the ground behind the guard facing Teya. The Dolonarian noticed Anthen too late and the guardsman's sword hilt caught the sentry square in the face as he turned.

  "Help me!" Teya was already struggling to lift one end of the pole from its support.

  Anthen moved beside her and together they were just able to push the heavy log free. Arrows began to fall nearby as the pair hurriedly led their horses over the fallen end of the gate.

  "Stay to the right," Teya called over her shoulder, in the lead. "The trail is but a few feet wide."

  The trail was an open ledge that descended slowly along the cliff face. When they dropped below the edge of the cliff, they were immersed again in total darkness. Anthen walked with his hand grazing the cliff face, waiting for his eyes to adjust again to the near total darkness.

  "The path is a series of switch-backs and we are coming to the first," Teya's voice called from the blackness ahead. "The trail widens and then turns back upon itself, narrowing again. I am turning now."

  Anthen's eyes could now make out the ledge they walked upon and a few feet ahead. He watched Teya maneuver her nervous mount around, then they were side by side with her ledge perhaps a foot below the shelf where he stood.

  "Careful," she whispered up to him, then disappeared in the blackness.

  He studied the switchback for a moment, then led Rorc forward, whispering soft words of encouragement as he reversed the stallion's direction while staying as close to the cliff face as possible. The empty blackness beyond the trail's edge was unsettling. He caught up with Teya and soon they came to the second switchback, which seemed a bit easier.

  They heard shouts from above followed by the sound of arrows being loosed. Though they heard some of the arrows hit the trail, none landed within sight. Suddenly Anthen heard a loud yell, followed closely by the terrified scream of a man hurtling toward them from above. He pressed his back against the rock and watched the screaming, dark shape fall past them and disappear and in a few seconds the shrieking abruptly stopped.

  "Teya, can you manage both mounts?" Anthen called ahead.

  "I believe so. I'll move one some distance, then the other."

  She did not ask why and he guessed they were both thinking the same thing—men would be sent without mounts and they would quickly catch up with the two fugitives, slowed by the horses. Anthen waited for her to come take Rorc's lead, then slipped past the horse and moved quickly back up the trail.

  He backtracked just past the last switchback and waited. The widened turn cut a bit deeper into the rock face and offered reasonable cover. He checked his weapon and stared into the blackness, hoping he would see the approaching enemy before they were on top of him. In a moment, he saw a form materialize in the darkness and fired, dropping the advancing soldier, noting with regret that it wasn’t Cidrl. Anthen fired again, raising his aim slightly, and heard a yelp of pain. The wounded Dolonarian shouted a warning and Anthen pressed against the rocks to avoid the answering hail of arrows.

  After the arrows stopped, Anthen hurried down the trail. This time he stopped about half the distance to the next switchback and lay down on the ledge, facing up the trail. The next form materialized from the darkness much more quickly than he expected, nearly catching him by surprise. He fired and the soldier pitched away from the cliff face and was swallowed by the blackness. As before, the guardsman fired a second shot but heard no result this time. More shouts came from above and he rolled to his side against the cliff face as the archers let loose once more.

  "Press on fools! He is just trying to slow our progress!" Cidrl's voice boomed from above, sounding far too close for Anthen's liking.

  Anthen scrambled to his feet and hurried past the next switchback until the upper ledge was shoulder level. He reloaded the crossbow and waited for them to rush him once more. A short time later he saw movement and fired. The dying man crumpled and a heartbeat later, arrows flew at him from above as others shouted out his position. This time, though, he held his ground and dropped the next figure that materialized from the darkness. The last was replaced by two more in immediate succession and he was forced to give ground, running down to the next switch back as he reloaded the empty weapon.

  Cidrl knew his game, however, and no doubt was willing to sacrifice any number of Dolonarians to catch him so they kept coming, right on his heels. As he sighted the bow to where he knew the next pursuer would appear, Anthen heard a faint whistle from below, so at least Teya had reached the bottom. Now he just needed to give him
self a little time to catch up with her.

  He saw movement but this time waited until he could make out arms and legs and shot the man in the upper calf. The man cried out and hopped around in pain, presenting a much better obstacle than a corpse. He fired his remaining three bolts into the crowd of men surely behind the first and fled down the precipice, hoping to gain a few precious seconds.

  The guardsman hurried down the dangerous trail as quickly as he dared, running hard for what he judged to be a safe distance after each switch-back, then slowing more and more until he reached the next. It was a risk strategy; if there was a shortened section between turns he might just run off the edge and fall to a certain death. It helped even the odds though, for his pursuers probably knew the trail and he did not.

  As he descended, Anthen heard the men above him and could tell they were slowly gaining on him. If he didn't reach the bottom soon, he would be forced to attempt to slow their progress once more. The faint whistling grew louder and closer and finally he felt the lowland rain forest close around him as he passed below the treetops.

  As he reached the comfort of solid ground he called to Teya and she kept talking so he could locate her. Corpses of several fallen Dolonarians littered the ground at the bottom of the trail and Anthen stumbled over them as he followed the sound of her voice. Finally, two large shapes loomed out of the darkness and he darted toward the two horses.

  He could hear the soldiers coming down the trailhead and saw Teya fire in their direction as she sat astride her mount. He slipped around to Rorc and mounted the horse noiselessly so not to draw their fire. As soon as he was mounted, she took off and he followed. He heard arrows fly overhead but none came close. The pair raced down the road, quickly leaving the foot soldiers far behind.

  Anthen glanced back over his shoulder with mixed feelings; he desperately wished to have had the opportunity to kill the traitor but at least now, the monster's terrible plan was known and he and Teya had both escaped the Dolonarian fortress-city without serious harm. The former apprentice felt something he had not felt in a very long time—hope.