She went flying, passing over the safe part of the mountain path, soaring perhaps ten feet above the ground. She hit the slope hard, then tumbled forward, screaming out in pain.
When she came to rest, she was at the bottom of the slope. Rik hastened to catch up, but before he could, the dragon took one last chance to attack him. He sent another surge of lightning into its mouth, but the dragon only came with more determination. It stood still in front of him, its mouth yawning wide. Rik had no idea how he could come out alive this time.
The dragon reared back as if something painful had struck it.
"Rik, run!" Nadia shouted from down the slope.
Rik took off, hopping from rock to rock. The dragon let out a horrible roar, and he cringed, expecting it to kill him, but then he reached the grassy plain beyond the mountain.
"There's a barrier," Nadia said breathlessly. "We're safe."
Nadia was sitting on the ground, her expression contorted in pain.
"What's wrong?" Rik asked.
Nadia was breathing hard. "My right leg is broken, and I think I cracked a few ribs."
"Can you walk?"
She stood and put weight on the leg. Immediately, she screamed and hit the ground.
Rik settled down beside her. "Don't worry. You'll be fine. We're almost to Andersonville."
She avoided his gaze.
"How'd you manage to hit the dragon's mouth with an arrow?" he asked.
"I don't know," she said through tears. "I just aimed and hoped. I let my instincts guide me."
"Then I'm glad you have such good instincts."
Tears streamed down her face. Rik understood those tears. Yes, they were tears of pain, but they were also more than that. She had to know that she couldn't make the rest of this journey with a broken leg. Saving Markus would be out of her hands.
Instead, it would fall to Rik.
Part III
Of Shadows and Clans
Chapter 23: Prisoners
Berig marched alongside the other prisoners Clan Seagull had taken. Danica walked at his side with none of her usual cheer. She looked at the ground, shaking her head, tears in her eyes. Berig wanted to reach out and comfort her, but he doubted their captors would allow that.
He kept glancing around, hoping he'd see Clan Mountain Eagle coming to their rescue. Had Aric and Klint survived? If so, were they looking for Berig and Danica?
The captives remained silent. Even most of the children didn't cry out. Any who did earned blows with the flat of a clansman's blade.
The march felt as if it went on forever. Most of the clansmen road horses, though some remained on foot, keeping watch over the prisoners. At one point, a woman tried to break free with her children. She earned herself a blade through the chest. The children were warned that they'd get the same if they tried to escape again.
Berig glanced back at the mountains, wondering if he'd made the right decision. Life hadn't been great in the Empire, but he'd never faced a situation this bleak.
Danica looked paler than he'd ever seen her, and he could imagine why. Surely these clansmen intended to take advantage of her.
Was this the state of the rest of the world? Was Warrick such an evil man if he protected them from people like these clansmen? Then again, Imperial Guards were known to take liberties with the law. Evil was evil whether you lived in a society of laws or a land without them.
That night, they were finally allowed to rest. Some of the clansmen offered them meager amounts of food and water. Berig still felt hungry and thirsty afterward.
Throughout the day, there'd been no signs of a coming rescue. Was Berig going to spend the rest of his life as a prisoner of this clan? Or would they kill him once they realized he was of no real use? Maybe that would be a kinder fate.
He leaned close to Danica. "How're you holding up?"
"I've been better." She glanced around the campsite. "But we'll make it through this. We always do. Aric and Klint will find us. You'll see."
Despite her bold words, Berig could hear the defeat in her voice. This wasn’t the same Danica he'd first met. Had their adventure finally broken her spirit? He hoped it hadn't because that optimistic spirit was the best part of Danica. Without it, she wouldn't be the same person.
"Yes, they’ll find us," Berig said. He wished he could believe it.
* * * * *
Klint and Aric sat inside a tent, accompanied by Darek and other warriors of Clan Mountain Eagle. They'd been discussing their plans for a while now, and Klint was tired of it. Why did they have to take so damned long? Berig and Danica were in danger.
Klint was surprised that he'd become so attached to them. After his sister's death, he'd shunned most human contact, preferring to operate alone. He'd made himself a lot of money, but he hadn't made a life for himself. Only now did he realize that he needed other people.
"Clan Seagull likes to make their prisoners participate in cruel games," Darek said. "These games usually take place at night."
"What kind of games are we talking about?" Klint asked.
"Fights to the death against each other. Fights against monsters."
"And what happens if you win these fights?" Klint asked.
"Then you're free to go," Darek said. "But few people ever win against the monsters, and they only allow one victor overall."
One victor. Berig and Danica would never emerge as that one victor. Klint shared a glance with Aric and knew he was thinking the same. Aric ran a hand through his reddish beard, looking as weary as Klint had ever seen him.
"And when will they hold these fights?" Klint asked.
"They'll be tonight. They don't like waiting."
"Tonight!" Klint said. "Then we've gotta get moving now."
"Now that I've assembled the warriors, we'll set out," Darek said. He rose, pulled aside the tent flap, and stepped outside. Klint followed, glancing up at the sky. It was still morning, but would they make it to the Clan Seagull settlement in time?
* * * * *
It was late afternoon when Berig and the other captives reached the large settlement. Dozens of tents stretched as far as Berig could see, but the warriors didn't lead their captives toward these tents. Instead, they forced Berig and the others into a large pit located toward the center of the settlement. Guards patrolled around the pit.
"What're you gonna do with us?" Berig asked.
"You're gonna provide us entertainment," said one of the guards. "Now shut up."
Berig settled down on the muddy ground next to Danica. "I don't like the sound of that."
"You can't give up," Danica said. This time, her optimism sounded only a little forced. Still, he wondered if he'd ever see the same Danica he'd first met. Back then, she'd just emerged from the flames in Crayden. She'd had every reason to lose her spirit, but she hadn't.
Had she reached her breaking point? Berig knew he'd reached his years and years ago. He'd dwelled on the negative side of everything for as long as he could remember. He didn't want to see Danica going down the same path.
They waited in the pit for hours. Eventually, the sun set, and then the guards came for them. The guards led all the prisoners out of the pit and across the settlement. They passed tent after tent, eventually reaching a place more directly in the center of the settlement. Here, hundreds of people had assembled around another pit.
Inside this pit was a creature that looked like a bull. But it stood on two feet, and its horns and claws were shaped like long swords. Berig shuddered.
"Are they going to make us fight that?" Danica asked, pale in the moonlight.
The clan chief strode to the edge of the pit and faced the spectators. "And now we shall begin tonight's entertainment. Who wants to see some Mountain Eagle blood?"
Cheers rose all around, and Berig felt sick to his stomach. How could people cheer at the prospect of other people suffering horrible deaths?
"Bring forward the first combatant," said the clan chief. A couple of the guards stepped forward, le
ading a boy of perhaps thirteen between them. All the older warriors had either escaped from the battle or been killed.
The guards pushed the boy into the pit, a drop of about eight feet, then tossed a sword down to him. The boy struggled to his feet, grasping for the sword. As soon as the bull saw him, it charged toward him, moving with surprising speed on its two legs.
The boy raised his sword in defense, but there was no point. With one swipe of a sword-like claw, the bull sliced his body in half. The crowd cheered as the boy collapsed in a bloody heap. Then it all began again with another boy who was maybe a year older.
This boy died as well, though he lasted a little longer. Berig's captors sent prisoner after prisoner down to fight the bull. At times, it stood on four legs like a normal bull, but when it attacked, it stood on two, using its claws with bloody efficiency.
After about twenty deaths, the clan chief ordered a stop to this spectacle. "This is boring," he said. "We need better entertainment. Kill the beast."
Clansmen let arrows fly. After about thirty arrows, the bull stopped moving. Guards stepped down into the pit to clear all the bodies. Once they were finished, the clan chief turned to his people and said, "Now we shall see these cowards fight to the death."
Berig felt sicker than ever. What if the clan chief selected him? Though he had once considered having Amar killed, he never could have gone through with that plan. Killing someone wasn't part of his nature.
"Who shall we see in our first fight?" asked the clan chief. "How about the outsiders?"
No. This couldn't be happening.
"Grab them," said the clan chief. Guards hauled Berig and Danica to their feet. Berig dug his feet into the ground, earning himself a blow to the head. He felt as if his head had been split in half, and he vomited at the edge of the pit.
The guards tossed Berig and Danica into the pit. Dizzy, Berig got to his feet. Swords lay on the ground nearby, but Berig had no intention of grabbing one.
He gazed into Danica's eyes. "I can't do it. I can't fight you."
"I can't fight you either."
From above, the clan chief said, "Oh, you'll fight. If you don't, you'll be raped and tortured to death."
Danica picked up her sword. Berig thought she was going to attack him, and he didn't blame her. But then he saw her true intentions. She raised the sword in both hands and pointed it toward her chest. Her arms trembled.
"No!" Berig shouted. "Don't do it!"
"I'm sorry, Berig. It's the only choice I have."
* * * * *
Klint and Aric rode hard through the day. By the time night fell, they could see the fires of the Clan Seagull settlement. Thankfully, they'd encountered only a couple weak monsters, and the clansmen had taken care of them with little effort.
"What're our plans now?" Klint asked, gazing at the settlement from a hill overlooking it. He wanted to race down there. It might already be too late.
Darek's expression was grim. "We can't win a battle with 'em, not after losing so many warriors. We've gotta do something a bit sneakier."
"Sneaky is my specialty," Klint said. "I'll find a way to get them outta there."
Aric shook his head. "But what about your people there, Darek?"
"I'd like to save 'em, but this is part of clan life. Normally, we'd leave 'em. It ain't sound strategy to wage two battles so close together. But you don't belong to this life. Your people deserve to be rescued. If we can rescue a few of our own, that's even better."
"If we're not going to fight them," Aric said, "why'd you bring so many warriors?"
Darek tugged at his beard. "Well, once they discover we've taken some of their captives, they're gonna fight back. You might want some protection when that happens."
"Thank you for sacrificing so much on our behalf," Aric said.
"Don't worry about it," Darek said. "We take any chance we can get to strike at Clan Seagull. They give all the clans a bad name."
Cheers came from somewhere deep within the settlement, and Klint gazed toward the sound. "How're we getting inside? How can we know where they are?"
"Getting inside shouldn't be too hard," Darek said. "They'll have a few sentries, but most of the guards will be in the center of the settlement, keeping an eye on the prisoners."
More cheers came from the distance, and Klint's stomach swam. Any one of those cheers could be a sign that Berig or Danica had died. Klint hated that he'd become so attached to them, but maybe he needed that kind of attachment in his life.
If he lost them, however . . .
"Once you're inside," Darek said, "you'll be able to blend in with the crowd. I don't know how you're gonna rescue them. You've gotta do that part yourselves."
Some of the clansmen came forward and gave Klint and Aric more appropriate clothing that would allow them to blend in. Klint felt sick as he donned the clothes. Every few seconds, there were more cheers. He struggled to hold back tears. He hadn't cried since losing his sister, and he wasn't going to start now.
"I'm ready," he said to Aric. "Let's go."
"I wish you luck," Darek said.
We'll need it, Klint added silently. He gestured for Aric to follow, and they started down the hill, keeping an eye out for sentries. There were scattered trees on the hill, offering a few opportunities for concealment. Once, a sentry passed, and they had to hide behind a pair of trees.
Klint's heart pounded as he waited for the sentry to move far enough away. Then Klint motioned for Aric to follow again. They crept through some light vegetation at the edge of the settlement, hanging close to the tents.
The cheers had grown louder. Klint crept forward, recalling his days as a thief and smuggler. He felt nervous, yes, but it was the kind of nervousness he liked. It made him more aware of his surroundings, less likely to make mistakes.
It was nothing like that battle. Here, Klint was in his element.
They passed tent after tent, all empty. A few guards patrolled the dark settlement, but most were along the perimeter. Whenever Klint saw a guard, he held up a hand to halt Aric's progress. Twice, they had to duck into tents to avoid detection. Once, Aric even spotted a guard that Klint did not.
Step by step, they moved closer to the center of the settlement. At times, the cheers were almost deafening. They grew into a great shout, then fell eerily silent. Klint hated that silence more than anything. What could have made the crowd go so quiet?
He peered around a tent, looking toward the center of the settlement, where nearly all the clan members had assembled. That silence stretched on.
Klint moved to the back of the crowd, surprised that no one seemed to question his presence there. It was dark, though, and everybody was focused on the spectacle below.
At last, Klint reached a spot where he could see, and his heart nearly dropped out of his chest. Even from this distance, he recognized the two people in the bit below. Berig and Danica stood opposite one another. Danica held a sword, which she had pointed toward her own chest, as if she intended to kill herself, but Klint knew she didn't have the courage.
* * * * *
Berig trembled as he watched Danica prepare to take her own life. She didn't deserve to die, not like this. But what could he do? They were outnumbered and outmatched.
The clan chief called down to them. "If you kill yourself, he will suffer unimaginable cruelty."
Danica's arms were shaking more than ever, and Berig understood now that there was no way she'd go through with it. There never had been, most likely. That wasn't the kind of person she was. She would never give up like that, however much she knew it was the right thing. Berig was the same way. He'd survived too much to give up now. But what could they do against these odds?
"We have to fight each other," Berig said. "That way, one of us will make it."
Danica had tears in her eyes. "I-I can't do it."
"We've got no choice." He hated the words more than he'd ever hated anything. It wasn't even that he was afraid to die. It was the thought that he
might kill Danica, or that she might have to kill him. She couldn't have that stain on her conscience.
And that made his decision for him.
"Are you really prepared to die?" he asked.
“I know I'm not prepared to kill you."
Berig picked up the sword at his feet. Swords had always felt awkward in his hands, but none had ever felt the way this one did. It felt wrong.
"I'm growing tired of this," said the clan chief. "Fight or you'll both be tortured to death. And you better make it a convincing battle. No one's sacrificing themselves on my watch."
"You heard him," Berig said. "Let's make this convincing."
* * * * *
Klint and Aric stood at the front of the crowd, unable to think of a plan to save Berig and Danica. They were about to start fighting, and though Klint had no idea who would win, it didn't matter. He had to save them.
But he and Aric were outnumbered so badly they wouldn't survive a second once they demonstrated their intentions. Aric looked deep in thought, and Klint could imagine the thoughts running through his head.
They were going to die. All of them.
Klint surveyed the scene, knowing he didn't have much time. The guards here all held swords, but he didn't see any with staffs. That was Klint's only chance.
"I have a plan," he whispered to Aric. "They're all focused on the battle. You need to take the clan chief hostage. I'll get 'em outta that pit."
Aric bit his lower lip. "Not the best plan I've ever heard."
"But it's the best we've got."
"I know."
The clan chief stood close to some of the other spectators. Klint and Aric both made their way to the front of the group, earning a few angry looks, but only in passing. Then Aric started off to the right, toward the clan chief. There was some muttering, but by the time the crowd realized what was going on, Aric had his sword to the man's throat.
"Let the prisoners go, or I'll kill him," Aric said.
World in Chains- The Complete Series Page 69