A Dark Tyranny

by C. M. Pendleton

  If I do not see them, I won't be noticed. If I do not see them, I will not be noticed.

  Nylah heard the screams of other captives, as they were ripped from the group. She closed her eyes. Other captives bumped and slammed into her while being taken. Nylah kept her eyes closed and her head down.

  Do not look up. This will be over soon.

  Nylah felt a dry, scaly hand lock onto her arm with a fierce grip. She was pulled to her feet.

  “No!” yelled Nylah.

  One of the gorgon soldiers lifted Nylah off the ground like a doll. She saw the grass passing below her. It seemed to move backwards as the gorgons approached the wagon. She caught glimpses of other captives and the group behind her. She had trouble focusing. Everything seemed to be happened in separate moments. The grass, the captives, the feet of the gorgon, the screaming, it all happened both at once and separately. She felt nauseous and dizzy.

  What are they going to do with me? The others?

  The thick door to the one of the wagons opened with a grinding thud. The gorgon soldier hoisted her inside the wagon. A few captives were already inside, while others were put in behind her. The door to the wagon shut tightly behind them. The sharp sound of a metal latch echoed throughout the wagon. A lantern hung from the ceiling giving the room a dim light. There were five other captives in the wagon with her. Two twin girls, a man of middle-age, and what appeared to be two brothers in their early twenties that both wore tattered soldier uniforms.

  “They didn't kill us,” said the older man.

  “Are they taking us somewhere?” asked one of the twins.

  “I don't think so. These wagons are part of the caravan now,” said the older man.

  “Look at this food!” said one of the brothers.

  There was a table in the center of the room with two benches on either side. It was built into the floor and bolted to the wagon. The table was filled with food. There were two roasted hares and a pheasant at the center of the table. They were surrounded by bread, potatoes, two baskets of fruit, and jug of spiced cider. Around the table were piles of pillows with silk cases and satin sheets. The two brothers ran to the table and began to fill their mouths with strips of meat and bread. The twins looked at Nylah and the older man. They were confused and scared.

  “Are they planning to eat us? Fattening us like a hog?” asked one of the twins.

  “No … no. If they planned to harvest us for food, they would have done things much differently,” said the middle-aged man.

  “Then, what?” asked Nylah. “We have been starving for days and now this? Why?”

  “Regardless of why - we should eat. You should eat,” said the older man.

  “Why us?” asked Nylah.

  “I don't know. Maybe they see something special in you. I do not mean that in a good manner,” said the older man.

  “They mean to kill us?” asked one of the twins.

  “They mean to kill us all - in here or out there. You need to come to terms with that,” said the older man.

  “Why feed us, then?” asked Nylah.

  The middle-aged man sat down at the table. He poured a glass of spiced cider for Nylah and the twins.

  “I don’t know. I fear we are growing closer to our destination. If I had to wager a guess, it would be to raise our spirits. Strengthen them,” said the man.

  “Raise our spirits?” questioned one of the twins.

  “Before they take them,” whispered Nylah.

  “What?” grunted one of the brothers with a mouthful of food.

  “The White Ruins,” whispered Nylah.

  Chapter 26

  A Midnight Meeting

  The night had set in. The clouds were scarce, so the moon was free to reflect down along the rolling hills of the Northern Realm. The night was cool with only a slight breeze that dampened the grass and trees. Four armed men sat around a campfire. Two other men leaned against a tree, whose exposed roots twisted and forked into the ground. They stood watch over a group of captives. Each prisoner had their hands tied behind their back with thick twine. There were other men that walked through the camp on their way to various sentry posts. Some of the men wore various types of armor and clothes. However, most of them wore plain clothes that were close to being considered rags. A small area had been roped off so the men could corral their horses. The animals huddled closely together eating the damp grass.

  “Helms was right. They have nearly twenty captives. I count nine so far but we have to assume they have sentries posted around the camp,” said Captain Eaves.

  Luras, Captain Eaves, and another soldier stood a distance from the camp. They hid among the roots of a tree. Gerald and the other soldiers were on the eastern side of the camp to flank them.

  “Do your best to keep your eyes clear of the camp. I do not think Acolytes were made for stealth,” said Captain Eaves.

  “Is this common? Men like this setting up a camp so freely?” asked Luras.

  “They would not have been so brazen in the past. Times are no longer what they were,” answered Captain Eaves.

  “Beg your pardon, Captain. We should move before their guests arrive,” said the soldier.

  “He's right,” replied Luras.

  “Go tell the others that Luras and I -”

  “This is Gerald Lancing, son of the Baron Martin Lancing, and lieutenant of the King's Royal Soldiers,” exclaimed Gerald.

  “Damn him!” said Captain Eaves.

  “You are surrounded by two fully armed squadrons of soldiers. Lay down your arms and you will be spared,” yelled Gerald.

  “They won't ever surrender, Captain. They'd be hung by the king and they know it,” said the soldier to Captain Eaves and Luras.

  “Stupid boy,” muttered Captain Eaves.

  “We need to act,” said Luras.

  “You go tell the others to flank from the east. Luras and I will remove the sentries here, drawing their attention. Go tell the others. Don't listen to Gerald. Leave him if you must. He will get us all killed,” ordered Captain Eaves.

  “Yes, sir,” said the soldier.

  The soldier disappeared into the night, as he ran towards the other men.

  “Are you ready?” asked Luras.

  “Last warning!” yelled Gerald. His voice was beginning to rise and crack.

  One of the men by the fire withdrew a dagger. It had a handle made from an elk antler. He walked towards the captives. His red hair was short and matted. Three of his teeth were cracked into jagged pieces. His throat was heavily scarred with a thick white line from ear to ear. The man's voice was a scratching rasp. As he spoke, it sounded like air was escaping from his throat. He struggled to form words.

  “I think you’re alone,” said the man.

  He grabbed a woman from the group of captives. She reached out for another woman sitting among the prisoners, but it was of no use. The man jerked the woman to her feet. She screamed as he put his knife to her throat. He pulled her hair back forcing her chin to rise. She began to sob.

  “Show yourselves or I will kill each one – one right after the next,” said the man with a rasp.

  He pulled the blade across the woman's throat. Blood welled up and cascaded down her neck and covered her dress. The man shoved her forward. She grabbed at her open neck, as she fell to the ground. The other captives yelled out in terror.

  “Cowards! You still hide in the shadows! You are alone!” yelled the man. He walked to select another prisoner.

  One of the sentries stood watch just outside the safety of the camp. He wore a leather cowl that was separating at the seams and carried a bow that had begun to crack. He stood silently listening to the night. He stared blankly into the darkness. The sentry cocked his head to one side.

  “Randall?” he asked into the night.

  “He nervously notched an arrow and shot it into the darkness. He immediately notched another.

  “Here!” yelled the sentry.

  Suddenly, he saw two blue orbs pierce the da
rkness. He yelled out. His arrow flew from his bow hitting the ground and breaking. The sentry felt two searing pains in his chest. He lifted slightly off the ground and then slid sideways off Luras' blades. Captain Eaves ran to them grabbing the sentry's bow from his hands. He notched an arrow.

  The man with the scars put his dagger to the neck of another captive. This time it was a boy with light brown hair and soft brown eyes. He squirmed under the man's grip. The blade began to sink into the boy’s skin. A large drop of blood rolled down his neck. An arrow hissed through the air. The boy cried out as the arrow nicked the top of his shoulder and sank into the man's chest. The boy fell. He grabbed the dagger from the ground and ran to the others. The boy cut at the ropes of the other captives as quickly as he could. The scarred man scrambled to his feet. The arrow jutted out from his chest. Dark red blood seeped from around the wound. His chest was swollen. He saw the boy cutting the ropes. He started to move towards him, but another arrow punched into his chest. He fell to one knee. He coughed and struggled to breathe through his mouth. He felt the shafts of the arrows sticking from his chest. The man fell over to one side and died.

  Luras walked out of the shadows and into the light of the camp. Two of the men at the campfire charged at him. They both carried swords. Two other sentries left their posts and headed towards Luras. They hacked at Luras like wild savages. He parried their blows with ease. He leaned in and cleaved the man with both sabers taking off his arm and opening his chest. Luras bent down letting another man's sword swing above his head. Luras twisted and slashed him below the knee causing him to fall. He sank his other saber into the man's chest. The two sentries running towards Luras slowed to a stop, as they looked at Luras and the dead men below him. Captain Eaves appeared behind him with a sword in one hand and a short sword in the other.

  “Surrender your weapons. All of you! Surrender your weapons and be spared,” exclaimed Captain Eaves.

  The other seven men dropped their weapons to the ground and walked to the center of the camp site. The captives continued to free each other. They did not run but stayed together in a group. One of the female captives cried over the body of the dead woman. Luras and Captain Eaves stood in front of the men with their weapons in hand. Gerald and the other soldiers slowly made their way out of the shadows. Matthias was with them. His hands were tied tightly behind his back. Gerald now had Matthias' greatsword strapped to his back.

  “Who is in charge here? Was it him?” asked Captain Eaves, as he pointed to the body of the dead man with the scarred face.

  “Orly was never in charge. He was always a little high strung for that,” said one of the men close to the fire.

  The man was of indeterminate age. He appeared to be no more than thirty years old, but he carried himself with a pretense of age and superiority. His hair was black as coal and thinning on top. Part of his right ear was missing. It was not a clean cut. The jagged bits of remaining cartilage had since scarred over with smooth skin. His eyes were tired and brown. The man was more outfitted than the others. He wore a very thin leather tunic and pants that were deeply oiled. His boots were the same as the solders, leather with a steel plant down the front.

  “What's your name?” asked Captain Eaves.

  “I'm just one of many homeless men rummaging through these hills for survival. I am actually more interested in this man's name,” the man said, looking at Luras. “But then, you are no man at all, are you?”

  Luras said nothing. The men and the freed captives gawked at the Bourne Acolyte that stood before them.

  “Your name?” demanded Captain Eaves.

  “Call me Karl if you must,” answered the man.

  “Excellent work,” exclaimed Gerald, as he approached. “I see you came to your senses.”

  Captain Eaves turned to Gerald. He was flush with anger. Just as Gerald began to speak, Captain Eaves slapped him with the open palm of his gloved hand. Gerald fell hard to the ground. He was shocked and wild-eyed, as he put a hand to his face. Blood pooled from his lip causing his teeth to be outlined in red.

  “That woman's death is on your hands. You are just as responsible,” said Captain Eaves.

  “Ah, I recognize that voice,” laughed Karl. “But I thought he had two squadrons of bloodthirsty warriors.”

  There was a slight laugh among the men.

  “You are all dead men! All of you bastards will hang!” exclaimed Gerald, in a high pitched voice.

  Gerald stood up and looked at Captain Eaves.

  “You are done. You'd do yourself well to stand with them. Your fate and theirs are one in the same,” hissed Gerald to Captain Eaves.

  “We will see,” replied Captain Eaves.

  “He's right. You should kill him and come join us. It's certainly more profitable,” said Karl, in a mocking yet serious tone. “Especially that one there.”

  Karl pointed at one of the prisoners. His hands were still tied.

  “God and kings, I ain't never seen a man so white,” said one of the soldiers.

  “We found him in the forest south of here. Wandering around naked as the first breath of morning. His pale reed blowing and shaking in the wind,” said Karl.

  “Bring that man to me at once,” ordered Gerald.

  “Well then, at least one of you knows who he is,” laughed Karl. “He is certainly worth a copper or two.”

  “Shut your mouth,” ordered Gerald.

  “Who are you?” Captain Eaves asked the man.

  The man said nothing. He had a tattered blanket wrapped around his shoulders and body. His hair was almost white and hung just below his chin. The man's eyes were a pale red. There was a long wound across his arm. Blood had dried over a cut above his stomach. Both wounds were healing faster than they should. The man did not speak, nor did he look at Captain Eaves. He seemed distant in his thoughts.

  “You have before you the bedeviled brother of the Seat of the Eastern Realm. The brother of the traitor king,” said Karl. “A good price he will bring me.”

  “Come here,” Luras said to the pale man. The others stared. It was the first time the Bourne had spoken.

  The pale man stood and walked towards Luras. He did not seem scared. Instead, there was a resignation about him. He approached Luras and looked him in the eye.

  “I am not a devil,” the man said quietly, almost to himself.

  “What is your name?” asked Luras, as he cut the ties from the man's hands.

  “Ellison.”

  “I know you’re not a devil,” replied Luras. “No more than I.”

  “He is to come with me. The king will decide his fate,” ordered Gerald.

  “Remove your clothes,” Luras ordered Karl.

  “This man is worth gold,” Karl said to Captain Eaves.

  “I would sooner hang than sell my own people,” Captain Eaves said with disgust. “I suggest you do what the Bourne says.”

  “He is not your people,” replied Karl. He slowly began to remove his tunic.

  “You can have his clothes and what supplies you need. No one will hold you here,” Luras said to Ellison.

  “Don't look like you can trust those slavers none, either,” said one of the soldiers.

  “Oh … yes,” said Karl, as he felt the remains of his ear. “My ear is now a slave in the afterlife. No, it's much less sinister. You would be amazed at what a starving child would do for food. Stealing from a dog is not different than stealing from a king, and both will scar you eventually.”

  Karl continued to slowly remove his clothes.

  “Take care of these. I will want them back,” Karl said, grinning at Ellison.

  “You need to take these people to safety,” said Matthias.

  “Shut up. You are no more free than they are,” replied Gerald.

  Matthias ignored Gerald and looked directly at Luras and Captain Eaves.

  “He is taking his time. He is waiting for the others. You have a group of men destined to hang from a rope, and yet they laugh at his jokes,” said
Matthias. “You need to take them and leave at once.”

  “Get them out of here,” said Luras.

  “Everyone gather. Stay together and keep up. We are leaving at once,” said Captain Eaves.

  Ellison began to feel a warmth grow over his body. His heart beat rapidly in his chest. He could smell the hot musty scent of decay and blood. The ground trembled slightly beneath his feet. He could hear the sounds of metal brushing against leather, the rhythmic breathing of beasts running and pounding against the earth. Ellison turned to look at the group of men around him. He heard the grass and dirt shuffle under their feet.

  Does no one else feel this? I can smell them. Hear them. What is this? What is happening?

  “It's too late,” Ellison said.

  “What do you mean?” asked Captain Eaves.

  “They are already here,” replied Ellison.

  “I don't see anything,” said one of the soldiers.

  “Hurry. I would rather not stay and find out,” said Matthias.

  “Get the women and children on horses,” said Luras.

  “Everyone else go. Run. Do not wait for us,” Matthias said to the other freed captives.

  “Go get the horses,” ordered Captain Eaves to the soldiers. “We will try to hold whatever is approaching long enough for you to have a chance at getting back.”

  Two of the soldiers began taking horses from the roped off area. They helped the women and children atop of them. There were more of them than there were horses. The soldiers began putting up to three riders on a horse.

  “Don't wait for the others. Go as soon as you're on,” ordered one of the soldiers.

  “They are coming from over there,” said Ellison. He pointed south into the darkness.

  “Hurry,” said Captain Eaves, as he began helping the soldiers.

  There was only one horse remaining. The women and children were gone. The soldiers were helping an elderly man in rags atop the last horse. His hair was thinning and he was so thin that his skin appeared translucent.