by Yi Zhu
In her peripheral vision, Sawyn spotted several uniformed men, and she immediately changed her pace. It would’ve been suspicious for her to break and run off, so she slowed to a stroll and took a closer look at what the soldiers were doing.
The men formed a checkpoint of sorts up ahead, and controlled the flow of people in both directions. Every child who passed by was stopped and had his or her face compared to a piece of paper. Even without seeing the content of the flier, Sawyn assumed it was her face that was being used as a reference. Casually, while still three blocks from the blockade, she took a left down an intersection. She walked her next block in silence and hoped to find a way through. To her disappointment, when she glanced right at the next pass, she found a similar checkpoint set up.
The same discovery repeated over and over as she proceeded west for several minutes, and eventually, Sawyn had to admit to herself that the roads were no longer an option. Without a doubt, there must be random search parties scattered and searching through individual houses for her. Sawyn sat herself down near a rundown section of the zone and mulled over her options. Ray had told her that Imperials loathed visiting these places, often steering clear out of health concerns or simple disgust. For the time being, she should be safe here.
If I can’t go past the perimeters, I’ll just let it go past me.
Sawyn looked around for an ideal location to hide when an explosion a block away jarred her into a state of alertness. Within moments, panicked orphans approached her from the direction of the blast. Instead of trying to wave them down, Sawyn thought better of it, and ran alongside one of them.
“What’s going on?” Sawyn asked as she maintained pace next to a short girl.
The girl didn’t respond, but kept running at full pace. Sawyn lagged for a second and repeated the question to a dirty-faced boy. For a second, Sawyn thought she would be ignored again, but the boy spared her a glance and flushed pink.
“Tinker house got raided, and a fight broke out,” the flustered boy managed to force out while still maintaining his speed.
“I thought the slums were safe.”
The boy shrugged. “They had left this area alone for a long time, but for some reason, they are checking everywhere. They must be cracking down on tinkers, and they are moving really quickly.”
“Thank you,” Sawyn replied, and took off full speed toward the south.
“Wait!” the boy called out after her. “You don’t have to keep running, we are all going to swing back later for loot.”
Instead of replying, Sawyn picked up her pace. She no longer cared about subtlety. Someone must have recognized her face by now, and if the army were to hear of it, they would come crashing down south with haste. There was something Sawyn had to do; she had to warn the tinker family who had helped her.
Sawyn increased her speed in order to beat the soldiers. With the help of Fye, she would be able to get there before it was too late.
I’m no longer powerless. I am a Riftborn.
The crowd on the street parted before Vince as he ran in search of his sister.
“That’s the Champion!” a stranger cried out and quickly took a bow.
Though Vince had spent weeks in isolation to recover from all the injuries, he wasn’t surprised at his newfound celebrity status. After all, he was destined for greatness, and no one was willing to get on his bad side. I won’t let this get to my head, he had decided while in bed.
Warmly, he smiled toward the crowd that made way for him, and continued his trek westward to Zone 1406. Even if he failed to find her there, he would be able to enlist the help of the Dragons.
Just then, he spotted Lucia’s familiar form waiting for him on the border of Dragon territory. She made no attempt to move, so he quickly ran in closer.
Lucia leaned against the wall to catch her breath, and tapped her foot impatiently. “It is really hard to move unnoticed when your little brother draws the attention of the entire zone,” she lectured with annoyance.
“Nice of you to wait for me,” Vince replied, flashing his most winning smile.
Lucia patted Vince’s head affectionately, and they continued together toward the Dragon territory. “Because I know you. Until you find me, you are going to run around and get hurt. Especially considering the condition of your body.”
“Why did you run off?”
Lucia smiled sadly. “Because we no longer have to make horrible sacrifices for survival. And we have you to thank for that, little brother.”
“So now that we can finally have a good life, you are going to be a hero?”
“No.” Lucia shook her head. “I’m going to be a human being. That is the luxury you have given us.”
“Damn it. Now you are becoming a dreamer.”
“For years, I stood by while tinkers died, and looted their houses for scraps. But it came so easily, because it needed to be done, for our family. We don’t have to do it anymore. Well, I mean, if I find something nice I would probably still take it.” Lucia stuck her tongue out playfully.
“I hope you are not doing this because of the speech I made about changing the world,” Vince teased. “Because I was totally kidding.”
Lucia raised her hand, and Vince flinched, anticipating getting flicked on the head. Instead, she leaned in and gave him a kiss on his cheek. “Stop being difficult. Do you agree with me or not?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll help you. I do draw a lot of attention, though.” Vince shrugged, and resisted wiping his cheek. Affection from Lucia always made him happy and uneasy at the same time.
“Stay three blocks east of my location, and warn me if you see soldiers coming. You know how fast I move, just give me a few minutes for each slum. It’s just a precaution; the soldiers are still very far off in the east,” Lucia decided, and ran ahead.
Vince watched his sister turn the corner, and couldn’t help but smile. Ever since he had won the Tryout, life had really improved for everyone around him. The Wolf Gang had grown much larger due to the addition of Amara’s people, and there had been talks of a possible merger between the Wolf and Dragon.
When Vince looked around at the alley of Zone 1406, memories of Minzy flooded back. He could almost see the big brute wobbling down the road, teasing Vince about random things. From the corner of his eye, he thought Minzy’s familiar shadow appeared briefly. Quickly, he blinked and turned his head, but there was nothing there.
“Would you save me if you could?” Minzy’s voice appeared as a whisper in the back of Vince’s mind. Though the question appeared accusatory the first night Vince heard it in his dreams, over time, it had grown playful. Time and time again, Vince obtained the power to break through the barrier in his sleep, but was always too late in saving his friend.
“Of course not; you made fun of my hair,” Vince replied out loud sarcastically.
“Who are you talking to?” a female voice asked, popping up out of nowhere.
“Well, you are new,” Vince replied, as he assumed the new voice was coming from his mind as well.
“Are you okay?” the female voice persisted.
Why does that voice annoy me just a little?
Isha’s frame appeared next to Vince, and tugged on his sleeves.
“I’m fine, Isha,” Vince replied reassuringly and mentally checked the time. He realized roughly ten minutes had passed since he had last seen Lucia, and began walking toward the west. Isha fell beside him immediately. “Why are you here?”
“Did you sneak off to see some girl?” the worried little girl asked.
“No, of course … well, technically, yes.” Vince saw the stunned look on Isha’s face and quickly continued. “I came to find Lucia.”
Isha might as well have just been released by an execution squad judging by the immense relief that popped up on her face.
“What are you, jealous?” Vince chuckled.
Instead of answering, Isha turned her face away from Vince’s sight.
Oh, of course she is.
&n
bsp; Vince let out a long, hard sigh, and continued west with Isha stuck next to him.
Chapter 30: Crossroad
Sawyn continued her trek back toward Ray’s house. She had accelerated roughly an hour ago, and was moving at an astonishing speed. Originally, she had meant to maintain a less noticeable pace, but concern got the better of her. So she weaved her way through the streets, dodging objects and people alike.
While her movements were fast, Sawyn’s mind seemed to perceive time at a slower pace, so after what felt like an eternity, she arrived at Zone 1406 without any hint of pursuers. After another ten minutes, she stood in the dirty slum the tinker claimed as home. Sawyn ran up to the door and banged on it urgently.
“Who is it?” Ray’s voice cried out from inside.
“Me,” Sawyn answered through the crack of the doorframe.
After a few seconds, the door popped open, and Ray’s concerned face poked out. “What are you doing here, girl?”
“You need to leave.” Sawyn pulled on the old man’s hand, and almost hurled him out of the door. Frantically, she released her grip. “I’m sorry, the Fye.”
Ray rubbed on his shoulder. “It’s all right, dear.” He then led her inside and shut the door.
Tin was napping on the bed, and looked up lazily as the door shut. His eyes lit up with joy upon seeing Sawyn’s face.
Ray took off his apron, and leaned down closer to Sawyn. “What’s going on?”
“There are soldiers up in the north. A lot of them, and they are making a sweep this way.”
The old tinker paced around the room, and tapped his feet in thought. After a few moments, he smiled, though the fear was still visible on his face. “It is quite all right, dear, you can hide here; in all my years, they have never—”
“You don’t understand, they are not skipping any spots. All the slums were being raided,” Sawyn interrupted, eager to convey the gravity of the situation.
“How close?” Ray asked.
“They will be here soon. There is no time to move everything.”
Tin sat up on the bed but stayed quietly in the corner. Ray slowly turned to his adopted son, and gestured for the boy to come closer. Immediately, Tin leapt up and walked over.
The tinker gently stroked the boy’s head. “Good boy, I need you to find the rest of the Dragon Gang. Tell them that soldiers are coming to raid from the North, and everyone should stay away from the slums.”
“Okay!” Tin replied eagerly and immediately turned to leave.
Ray swept Tin up in a tight hug, and kissed the boy on the cheeks over and over. Tin giggled in delight and began kissing back.
The sight made Sawyn miss Zed sorely.
Ray pressed his nose against Tin’s. “Papa loves you, you know that, right?”
“Yup-yup.” The boy laughed.
“And after you tell the gang, I want you to go play in the Wolf’s territory, with your new friends,” Ray continued, and with one last big kiss, he set the boy down.
“Hurray!” Tin yelled out, and bolted out of the door the moment his feet touched the ground.
For a few moments, Ray and Sawyn simply stood in the house silently. Then Ray buried his face into his hands and wept.
Sawyn had never seen a grown man cry before, and the sight caused her own emotions to flow forth.
“You should get out of here, dear,” Ray gently warned. The old tinker made no effort to fight back his emotions and sat down against a wall.
“Aren’t you leaving too?”
Ray shook his head.
“Why not!” Sawyn demanded. “Do you want to die? Don’t you want to live with Tin?”
Ray pointed to the machine parts scattered all around. “There isn’t any time to get rid of everything. They will know this is a tinker house. And when they come searching for me, they might find out about my boy too. If they catch me, the soldiers likely won’t bother to ask questions.”
Sawyn looked around, and realized that Ray was right. “But …”
“It is okay, my dear. I have had a good life. And I knew this would eventually happen the day I picked up my first machine part. This is the choice I made. Heck, I have lasted longer than most.”
“This is my fault,” Sawyn whimpered. “This is all my fault. I am the one they want.”
But what can I do? What good are the powers if I am still so helpless?
“I can stop this,” Sawyn decided. “I can turn myself in.”
“No!” Ray cried out with an anger that surprised Sawyn. “What if you do, and the tinker hunt continues anyway?”
Sawyn looked down at her feet, uncertain how to proceed. Tears splashed on her feet as her mind filled with dread and regret. Ray’s hand rested on Sawyn’s right shoulder, and she looked up into the tinker’s eyes.
“Leave,” Ray whispered, “while you still can. When they find a tinker, anyone close by is also killed out of mere association. Let this old man have his moment of bravery alone.”
Sawyn simply stood there, her emotions seeming to pin her feet to the ground.
“GO!” Ray cried out and jolted Sawyn into action.
“Thank you, for everything,” she said gently, while lingering briefly by the door.
Ray forced out a brave chuckle. “If you ever get the chance, take care of my boy.”
Sawyn nodded and left the house, running south. After a block, she stopped and scaled up a stack of containers. She rearranged the boxes to conceal herself, and waited.
In Sawyn’s heart, she knew that Ray was right and there was nothing else she could do. Despite Tin being a sweet boy, he wasn’t too bright. In case he came back, she intended to keep him away. She wished there was more that could be done, but she planned to do all that she could. All for someone who cared.
Lucia admired the metal bracelet now hanging off of her right wrist. The last tinker she had warned had only a few books and several small mechanical parts in her possession. Even without Lucia’s help, the tinker had managed to tuck away everything in minutes. As Lucia was about to leave, the woman handed over her bracelet as a token of appreciation.
Gratitude was something Lucia wasn’t used to, especially when it came from an adult. Orphans usually had a hard enough time just scraping by, and there were rarely any opportunities to look out for anyone else. When the female tinker had thanked Lucia, the Wolf had felt a pleasant fuzziness.
It’s so pretty, but too bad I can’t keep it, Lucia lamented. The bracelet was very well crafted and definitely beautiful. For several minutes, Lucia agonized over finding some practical justifications for the jewelry. But despite her best efforts, there weren’t any reasonable options that she accepted.
Another Dragon scout passed Lucia, and bowed his head in respect. After Vince had shared the winnings out of respect for Minzy’s death, the Dragons had been extremely amenable toward the Wolf Gang.
Several times, Lucia caught a glimpse of Vince spying on her from a distance. She wanted to go and reprimand him for neglecting the duty as the lookout.
He meant well at least. Besides, it was adorable how he worried.
A smirk crept up on Lucia’s face. Once again, Lucia found it impossible to stay upset at her little brother.
Lucia looked ahead and spotted the next stop in her mission. This slum is one of the worst in the zone. Even Lucia found the smell in the air offensive. Her eyes searched around for the telltale sign of the tinker: very subtle marks on the door where metal had bumped against it time and time again. It only took her a few minutes to find it, and to her surprise, the door was slightly ajar.
Lucia’s well-honed senses heard no noises, and deduced that there wasn’t an ambush waiting behind. Gently, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.
An older man was sitting quietly against the wall, and his hand gripped some sort of cylinder connected to several machines on the other side of the room. As Lucia entered, the man looked up in confusion.
“I told you to—who are you?” he demanded.
> Lucia put up her hands. “You have to go! Soldiers are coming to raid all the tinkers.”
“I know that! You shouldn’t be here. Tin should have warned you all by now.” The tinker waved his hands frantically to shoo Lucia away.
“What is that you are holding?” Lucia stepped closer. Even if the soldiers were coming, Lucia could count on Vince to come with a warning.
“Just a surprise for the Imperial bastards.” The man smirked.
“Don’t,” Lucia countered. Though she had no doubt that the tinker in front of her was intelligent, in her experience, those who delved too deeply into science could still lack common sense. “If you kill the Imperials, they will slaughter Lowborns to assert authority. And if you happen to kill an Elite … we will all be doomed.”
The man considered her words for a few moments, and then dropped the cylinder. “You are right.” He chuckled sadly. “But I can’t leave.”
“And why not?”
“I have a little boy, my son,” the tinker replied, his voice laced with shame. “I can’t conceal that this is a tinker house. If they hunt for me, they might end up finding my boy as well. If I die here, they wouldn’t bother.”
Lucia nodded her head in understanding.
He didn’t want to drag the boy down with him. At least he is owning up to his responsibility.
“Do you mind if I scavenge some stuff?” Lucia asked, and moved closer to examine all the metal contraptions in the room.
“You really should go,” the man insisted. “Just leave! Go west or east. Away from this place.”
“They are coming from the east. Probably won’t be here for at least an hour,” Lucia replied.
The color drained from the man’s face, and the two looked at one another.
“They are also coming from the north,” Ray said urgently.
Shit!
Lucia bolted out of the room, and out into the foul-smelling slum. For a brief second, Lucia felt relief as her way appeared unobstructed.