by Dante King
“You serious?” Hullbeck asked as he sat up and forward. “What happened in there?”
Ben, not wanting Shrike to bear the burden of coming up with all of the lies, stepped to Shrike’s side.
“We arrived at the ruins to see that they’d managed to gain entry, but when we went inside, we saw there had been a collapse in the tunnel that led further down. As far as we could tell, the group destabilized the ruins with whatever they did to get in. Once they were inside, the rocks collapsed on top of them.”
Hullbeck let out a derisive snort. “Stupid. They should’ve known better than to use any of their powers to get inside. So, you’re telling me it was a wash? No monsterkin back, nothing in the ruins?”
Shrike spoke, and Ben could tell that she was doing her best to fight through her anger at hearing Hullbeck insult her cousin, “There’s no way to get further into the ruins. They’re…”
“They’re ruined,” Ben said with a slight smile.
Hullbeck turned his beady eyes on them, as if trying to scan their brains to see if they were lying.
“Fine, but that’s bad news for all of you.”
“Huh?” asked Shrike. “Why? We did as you asked.”
“Yeah, you did, but here’s the thing—the big man over in the northern tower wants more labor for the lumber camps and mines up there. He’s been asking for a lot recently. If you ask me, I think he’s planning on finally making a move with that army he’s been putting together. Anyway, I was planning on sending him your cousin and the rest of the monsterkin to satisfy the labor requests. But, since Gaton and her pals are pancakes, you all are going to have to take their place.”
“What?” Shrike shouted. “You’re… you’re sending us up north?”
“Sure am.” He raised his greasy finger and pointed it at Ben and Zito. “I don’t know who the hell these assholes are. So, I want to play things safe by sending them up north where I don’t have to deal with them. Potential problems out of the way, and I get to make the boss happy. A win-win for ol’ Hullbeck, as far as I can see.”
Shrike was shocked, her eyes flashing with anger. “You… you can’t do that! I returned from running away and brought back the slaves, even brought you some new ones. Then I investigated the tower for you, just like you asked. And now you’re sending us to our deaths?”
He waved his hand dismissively. “Oh, don’t be so dramatic. You know, work up at the tower isn’t nearly as bad as everyone says it is. Sure, the slave masters up there work you to the bone, you’re spending nearly every waking moment working, they only give you five hours of sleep a night in order to make sure you’re too tired to fight back… Actually, yeah—it’s pretty rough. But I need to send the big man some warm bodies. If you aren’t going to go along with it, then maybe I’ll pull a few kids off the wall guard duty and send them instead? Hell, I could even send Cinder along with them.”
“No!” The word shot out of Shrike’s mouth without a moment of thinking or hesitation. “No. Take us. Leave the children alone.”
“Then there you have it. I want to get you there as quickly as possible, so grab whatever you need and be ready in a half hour—the Black Army’s going to meet the newest slaves by the front gate. Do not keep them waiting.”
Ben watched as Shrike clenched her hands into fists, her eyes narrowed into hateful slits at Hullbeck. She seemed to realize, as Ben did, that there was nothing to do about it in the moment.
“Now, off with you!” Hullbeck said. “Get on your way.”
The guards wasted no time in forming up around the group and leading them back outside. The weather was miserable, the gray skies even darker than they had been. It looked as if a storm might be on the horizon.
When they stepped outside, Ben and the rest spotted Cinder near one of the run-down houses. He was speaking to Kerrick and Sharn with his hands on his hips, his posture like a father gently reprimanding his children. When he was done, he took out some food from his inner vest pocket and handed it over to them, giving one of them a pat on the shoulder before sending them on their way.
“He’s hard on the kids,” Shrike said, “but only because he needs to be. Many of them have lost their parents during the occupation. If it weren’t for Cinder, they’d no doubt fall under the influence of Hullbeck. Father figures are in short supply. Now, let me talk to him, tell him what’s happening.”
She trotted off, meeting with Cinder.
“This is bad,” Imogen said. “They’re going to send us up north to work until we die?”
Ben shook his head, his mind having been working over the issue since Hullbeck had given his orders.
“No,” he said. “This is exactly what we want. We need to get to the tower, and unless we can come up with an army in the next day, this is the only way we’re going to be able to do it.”
“But what do we do when we’re there?” she asked.
Ben smiled. “We improvise. Whatever happens, we’re going to be near The One Who Rules All. If there’s a way to take him out, we’re going to find it.”
Shrike and Cinder hugged hard one last time, the hug of two siblings who knew they might never see one another again. Then Shrike broke away from her brother and came back over to the group.
“Let’s resupply and get out of here,” she said. “If we’re going to go to our doom, I’d rather get it over with as quickly as possible. Oh, and Cinder had a message for you ‘take damn good care of my sister.’” She followed this up with a wry smile.
“Don’t worry,” Ben said. “I’m going to make damn sure we all get back here in one piece.”
Shrike pursed her lips and nodded. “I hope so, Ben. More than our lives are riding on this mission. If The One Who Rules All manages to build his army and secure this region, our people could be doomed to live as slaves for generations. That’s to say nothing of the other regions he’ll conquer.”
“Don’t worry,” Zito said with a grin. “Ben managed to take me out! If he’s capable of defeating the best swordsman in the world, some joker in a tower should be nothing!”
“Ben has proven more than capable of the incredible responsibility he’s been given,” Melody said. “I have no doubt he’ll be able to handle this task just as he’s handled all the others.”
“I had my doubts,” Lexi said, “but I’m sure he can do it.”
“Right!” Imogen said with a smile. “This is… scary, what we have to do, but there’s no one I’d rather brave through it with than Ben!”
Shrike placed her hands on her slender hips, her pretty features fixed in an expression of skepticism.
“You are the one who was given control of the other tower, but it remains to be seen what you might do if given command of the entire region. For all I know, you could be just as bad as The One Who Rules All.” She sighed. “But you’re the best chance we’ve got, and there’s something different about you, something I can’t quite put my finger on.”
“Let’s do this,” Ben said. “I’ll show you that I am different, and that your trust in me hasn’t been misplaced.”
She nodded, as if resigning herself to the situation. “Then let’s go. We don’t want to keep the Black Army waiting now, do we?” A slight smile formed on her lips.
The group formed up, gathering their supplies before making their way to the gate. Sure enough, a procession of Black Army soldiers was there, their armor as dark as night and glistening with rainfall, their mouths the only parts of their bodies visible. One of them, a figure wearing the same signs of rank as the leader of the party that ambushed them, stood before the group.
“Hullbeck!” he shouted. “Show your miserable, drunken ass!”
Ben and the group heard a soft pitter-pattering, and he looked over his shoulder to see Hullbeck trundling through the mud, moving as quickly as his hairy legs could take him. When he reached the front of Ben’s group, he took in one breath after another, winded by his run.
“Yes, Commander Braun?” he asked. The previous arrogance
from his voice was all gone, replaced by total compliance.
Braun turned his head toward Ben and his group. Like the rest of the soldiers, his visor was over his eyes and shielding them from view, but Ben could feel Braun’s gaze on him all the same.
“These are what you’ve brought for me to take back to our leader?”
“Is there something wrong with them?” Now there was fear in Hullbeck’s voice.
“A bunch of women, an old man, and a man barely into adulthood? This has to be some sort of joke.”
“No!” Hullbeck shouted. “Trust me, commander—they’re all worth their weight in gold. They’re more powerful than they look.”
“Is that right?” he asked. “Old man—show me what you can do.”
“Huh?” Zito asked. “You’re talking to me, kiddo?”
Braun let his eyes linger on Zito for some time. “And they don’t know how to obey commands. Wonderful.”
Zito stammered, and Ben could sense he was realizing that it was essential they got to the tower.
“No!” Zito shouted. “I’m, ah, a good, little order-taker. Just tell me what you want, sir, and I’ll do it!”
Braun approached Zito slowly. Lightning flashed over the horizon across from the river. Once he was near Zito, he looked him up and down.
“You let your slaves retain their arms?” he asked, gesturing toward Zito’s blade.
“I, ah, hadn’t gotten a chance to disarm them yet,” Hullbeck said. “Trust me, there’s not a chance in hell I’d let him walk around with that thing, old codger or not.”
“Old co-!” Zito stopped himself.
“Alright, old man,” Braun said. “Here’s how you’re going to prove your strength to me. See Hullbeck over there?”
“Huh? Do I see him? With an ass that big and hairy, how the hell could I miss him?”
The soldiers and monsterkin guards chuckled. Braun silenced them all with a quick swipe of his hand.
“Hey, you’re going to let a slave talk to a governor that way? I represent The One Who Rules All!”
Braun paid him no mind. It was clear to Ben that there wasn’t much respect for the beastkin in charge.
“I want you to pick him up, old man. And I want you to do it with one hand.”
Silence fell over the group.
“Are you serious?” Zito asked. “I’m strong, but not that strong!”
“Then you’re not strong enough to work at the tower. Hell, I doubt you’re strong enough to work here.”
“But there isn’t a person here who could lift him with one hand!” Melody shouted.
Braun didn’t pay her a bit of attention. “Do it, or I kill you on the spot, and the rest of the group stays here.”
Ben knew exactly what to do. He nodded to Zito, who met his gaze with a wink.
“Fine, fine,” Zito said, “but if I pull a muscle on this fat boy, that’s on you!”
Zito dusted his hands and made his way over to Hullbeck.
Ben acted quickly. Using Drain, he found Hullbeck’s strength. Once it was pictured in his mind’s eye, he pulled out as much as he could and funneled it into Zito. The effect was two-fold. First, it gave Zito the strength he needed to hoist Hullbeck, and it took away whatever strength Hullbeck might’ve used to squirm or wriggle or otherwise fight back.
Hullbeck dropped to the ground like a stone, Zito quickly grabbing him by the ankle and lifting him with ease over his head.
“Hey!” Hullbeck shouted. “Put… put me down!” His voice was weak, lacking even the strength to speak clearly.
Braun watched, his eyes narrowed in skepticism. It was as if he could sense something was amiss, but wasn’t able to say what.
“Put him down,” Braun said.
“As you wish!” Zito said. With an effortless toss, he dropped Hullbeck onto the ground, where he landed with a splash in a puddle of mud. Again, the group around broke out into wild laughter that was silenced by Braun.
Ben quickly transferred the strength back to Hullbeck, and when he did, words appeared in front of him.
DRAIN EVOLUTION REQUIREMENTS MET
NEW SPELL ACQUIRED!
SIPHON
Ben was surprised.
Must mean that I’ve used it enough for it to move up a level into something else. I wonder what the difference is between Siphon and Drain?
He put it all aside, knowing it would be a question he’d have to answer another time.
All attention returned to Braun, Hullbeck grumbling as he pushed himself up and tried to wipe off the mud.
“Hmm,” Braun said. “Fine. All of you form up. I’m leaving half the platoon here to supervise.”
“What?” Hullbeck asked, still covered in mud. “But I’m in control here?
“You rule at the leisure of The One Who Rules All. Judging by the performance I’ve witnessed so far, I don’t have much confidence in your ability to run this place on your own. Not to mention an entire squadron of soldiers was recently lost in the area. We want to double up on precautions.”
He nodded to the soldier at the head of the second square of soldiers. The soldier marched forward past the gates of the town, the other soldiers following him.
“That’s all, Hullbeck. When I return for more laborers, I expect the situation here to have markedly improved. Understood?”
Ben could tell that Hullbeck was feeling indignant and humiliated by what had happened, but he was wise enough to keep his opinions to himself.
“Yes, sir.”
“Now get your hairy ass back in there and lead this town!”
Hullbeck nodded and hurried past the gates.
Braun let out a derisive snort.
“As for the rest of you—the trip back to the tower will take three days. We’ll be stopping at several other towns to collect laborers, including Waterbend. The rules are simple—you don’t speak until spoken to, you eat what you’re given, and any escape attempt will result in not only your execution, but the execution of two other members of the group. Once we reach the tower, you will be given your assignments. Until then, not a word out of you unless explicitly asked for. Understood?”
With that, Braun ordered the soldiers and slaves to fall in line. Together, they began the hard march. Hours passed, the group only stopping for a quick meal at the next village they encountered. Rain poured down the entire way, Braun forcing the slaves to become soaked as they moved.
As Ben marched with all the others, he noticed something about the Black Army soldiers. Their armor seemed to shield them totally from the elements, making it the perfect gear for long marches. He also noticed that soldiers who wore it moved with ease. It seemed to be both tough and durable and lightweight.
Might want to learn more about it, he thought. I’m going to have an army to outfit, after all.
The march was difficult, but he and his group endured. The first day came to a close in one of the other riverside villages. They slept in guarded barracks, the soldiers inside not even letting the group speak to one another.
That morning when Ben and his group were roused and he had a chance to see their surroundings in the light of day, he learned that the village was no different than Moonbright. It was a small, riverside town of several hundred monsterkin, the place run-down and ruled by some jumped-up member of the town who seemed to have been given the job for his obedience more than anything else. They left the town after a quick meal, stopping at another village, a place in the same state as the other towns. They collected more monsterkin for the march back to the tower, and were soon off. The day came and went, the weather mercifully clear.
As they marched, the northern tower in the distance[6], the place from which The One Who Rules All commanded his slaves and soldiers, grew in size. Ben focused on it, knowing that as difficult as the journey might’ve been, the next step in his quest to seize his destiny was there.
The third day they reached the sprawling monsterkin capital of Waterbend. The city was huge compared to the small villages th
ey’d passed, thousands of monsterkin dwelling in the simple wooden houses that were clustered along both sides of the river. The city was in the grip of the Black Army, hundreds and hundreds of soldiers there watching over the monsterkin, making sure not a single one stepped out of line.
“This used to be the jewel of the region,” Shrike said quietly as they made their way through the desolate market district. “A place of vitality. And now it’s… this.”
“I’ll free this place—I swear it.”
Shrike nodded, but there was sadness to her eyes at the sight of her people having been reduced to mere slaves. Ben knew there was only so much talking he’d be able to do—soon, he’d have to show Shrike and all the others that he was the leader they’d been waiting for.
They collected another several dozen monsterkin for the final leg of the trip. Once they were on the road, Ben couldn’t help but notice how many monsterkin there were—at least ten for every one of the Black Army soldiers there. And the soldiers commanded the monsterkin with impunity, striking any one of them that slowed their pace.
They have numbers, Ben thought. The Black Army might be strong, but they couldn’t possibly beat all of the monsterkin if they were to rise up in revolt. They need a leader.
With each step he took, Ben’s goal became clearer and clearer in his mind.
But it wasn’t long before the sky darkened once more. This time, it didn’t darken with storm clouds—it darkened due to the thick, acrid smoke from pollution. They were close enough to the tower that it loomed overhead, the landscape around it consisting of thick forests, a huge mountain range behind it. Both the forests and the mountains were covered with work camps, with thousands of monsterkin there.
They weren’t alone. Goblins and orcs served as slave masters, whipping the monsterkin into compliance. Thick plumes of black smoke belched into the air from underground factories, and massive elephant-like animals pulled down the huge, old trees. Ben had seen the place before overhead, but the bird’s-eye view was nothing compared to being on the ground.
When they reached the border, a crest that overlooked the tower and its surrounding slave camps, Braun turned around and spoke.