Blood Bond: The Anti-Matter Chronicles (The Matter Chronicles Book 3)

by P. G. Thomas

  While Nur had heard about Iron Wood roots, she thought them to be a rumor, as she had never seen any harvested to this day. Unsure of Gingaar’s actions, she thought it might have been because of what Lauren had done to harvest the leaves.

  After fifteen minutes, Lauren felt stronger, but Panry insisted that she rest some more, to which she agreed, but wanted the others to gather the remaining leaves, covering and watering them. When no one was around her, except Logan, she leaned back towards the large deer, whispered, “Thanks, Zack, but I think we need to have a talk.”

  The deer snorted, shaking its head from side to side.

  After thirty minutes, Panry helped Lauren to her feet and onto her mount. Then, instead of taking to his own, he climbed atop Lauren’s horse, riding behind her, ensuring she remained mounted. Once all were mounted, they slowly rode back towards the road, turning east to the burned down fort. As they passed through it, they noticed little had changed. The few corpses that remained were now just bone, and the smell, still intense, caused many eyes to water. Even though most of the damaged buildings had collapsed, travel through the fort was still possible.

  The first night, Lauren continued to consume the Iron Wood roots, as she was enjoying the energy they were providing her. The Earth Guards took bow and arrow to the field, returning with a collection of feathered and furry animals to supplement their meal, and Logan happily supplied the fire.

  When they awoke the next morning, Lauren felt like her old self and was able to ride alone, but Nur asked if she could ride behind her because her stag was missing. Above, an eagle squawked, sounding the all clear. Five days later, approaching the end, the powerful elf eyesight spotted the partially completed bridge in the distance, and they finally stopped where the pass opened up. If one was not traveling through it, the grasslands ended abruptly at the mountains, which continued deep underground since no foothills were present. Lauren instructed everybody to plant the Iron Wood leaves in a straight line, six feet apart. With each taking fifteen, they spread across the valley floor, and after an hour, when done, they gathered behind her, as she pushed her tri-wood staff into the ground. She concentrated on the Core Wood, which Arora had said was raw, vast, untamed, being both creation and destruction. Lauren needed both, needing to create an impenetrable wall of wood, one that would destroy the hopes of the black-clad armies invasion. Pushing the staff deeper into the ground, the small leaves received the message, the power, and began to grow; two feet, four feet, and then six feet tall. They were now inches in diameter, but no army would they block.

  Nur, understanding what Lauren was doing, realized that they would need more than just Mother’s magic, “Logan! Water, now!”

  He jogged the nine hundred feet across the open valley to the small river. Even though the water was plentiful, it was several feet lower than the ground he stood on. Rubbing the blue tattoo, he called to Sister, and the water began to flow up the bank in search of the Iron Wood trees.

  Concentrating so hard, Lauren was on her knees with the staff pushed nearly a foot into the ground. When Nur called for more water, Logan climbed down into the cold river, submerging his arms. He willed the river to leave the imposing banks, sending the water crashing out onto the valley floor. Wave after wave, willed by a force stronger than gravity, forced it to break from all natural laws. The water exploded over the bank into the valley, searching for the majestic trees. Fueled by a magical compulsion to grow beyond their means, they consumed the water and grew in size; ten, fifteen, twenty feet tall, diameters no longer measured by inches but in feet now. Logan’s teeth began to chatter, his lips now blue, but he continued to send the water forward. With Lauren still on her knees, the staff now buried two feet into the earth, her eyes rolled back, as only one thought filled her mind; Iron Wood trees. Energy and nutrition flowed into them, which they consumed faster than it arrived. Water, several inches deep, flowed from the west to meet with the starved roots, which now burst from the restricting earth. The eastern grasslands were now brown in color, as the massive trees had drained the far side of any water in the soil.

  As the tree crowns battled for space, the roots fought for liquid, but their growth began to slow. When Panry pointed to the trees, Nur looked up to see the magic growth slowing down. Kneeling beside Lauren, she grasped the tri-wood staff, willing the Iron Wood trees to grow taller. Gingaar, seeing this, did the same, and the growth spurt was intense. Bark cracked open with a sound like thunder, and sap boiled and hissed to the heavens. Within minutes, the trees were over a hundred feet tall, continuing on their upward journey.

  From the heavens, Nur could hear Zack squawking, and the line of thick Iron Wood trees now blocked any light between them. When she let go of the staff, the quick discharge of power knocked her back several feet. Crawling towards Gingaar, she tried to pull her off, but the power refused to relent. Calling out to the Earth Guards, eleven rushed forward, trying to pull Gingaar from the staff, but her grip she refused to release. None understood that the Core Wood, now given purpose, refused to relinquish its hold on either. Pulling out his sword, Panry drove the handle into Gingaar’s fingers, breaking several. Screaming, she fell to the ground in agony. Lauren, the additional focus now gone, her energy spent, crumpled to the ground.

  Hearing Zack’s alarmed squawk, Nur looked up and saw him fold his wings back, diving towards the river where once again the water flowed. Below the bank, they were unable to see Logan floating face down in the cold water. In midflight, as the eagle went out of focus, they watched Zack slam into the river, causing the water to erupt around him. Eventually, crawling up onto the bank, he held Logan in his arms.

  Nur screamed to her Earth Guards, “Save Sister’s Voice, now!”

  Four of her Earth Guards raced the nine hundred feet across the wet valley, heading towards Zack, who was struggling to find purchase on the bank. The ground that Nur stood on was still dry, as the river water never had a chance to flow back to them. Reaching into her pouch, she pulled out a large red berry, and hurling it at a huge dry stump, it instantly caught fire, which grew in intensity. Whistling to the Earth Guard mounts, when they came, she pulled off the bedrolls, wrapping Lauren and Gingaar in them. As Nur’s Earth Guards carried Logan back, they helped naked, shivering Zack also. Once they arrived at the fire, covering them with warm blankets, she then searched Lauren’s pouch for any of Mother’s gifts that would help. Administering whatever she could use, she told her Earth Guards to rub Logan’s limbs in order to get his blood flowing. From the bottom of her own pouch, she extracted a large seed, which she warmed between her hands and then planted ten feet from the fire. Grabbing a water skin, after dowsing the earth, she then pulled out her flute. The song that she played was rough, broken, as Nur looked to be in agony as she willed the seed to grow. Inevitably, the ground receded, allowing a small mushroom to push forth, growing larger and faster. Through the pain, she increased the tempo of her playing, and in a matter of minutes, it was over eight feet tall. Walking over to the main stem, she ran her fingernails along it, and it released a heavy film from its top that draped down to the ground, forming a tent sixteen feet in diameter. Making a slit in the film, she folded it back, telling the Earth Guards to move the four inside the mushroom enclosure. When done, she sat down beside the blazing fire. Looking at her blistered hands, she tucked them under her arms and began to cry.

  Wrapping her in a blanket, Panry hugged her tightly, and after the pain had overtaken her, he carried her inside the mushroom tent. Looking at the other four lying on the ground, he called out. “Dawnfalcons, ride to Alron. Bring Earth Mothers, NOW!”

  Taking to the deer mounts, they raced west to Alron: a three-day non-stop ride.

  Panry checked on Logan, who was no longer blue, but he still shook with a force that could knock boulders off a mountain. Gingaar lay motionless, her hands were raw, blistered, bleeding, the same as Nur’s. Bandaging both, he was uncertain what had caused the odd condition. Checking Lauren’s hands, he found them t
o be soft and smooth, but she remained motionless. Her breathing was shallow, labored, and her eyelids twitched like her body was transmitting a message, “Moth Flame, I told you to burn bright. I did not I tell you to burn out.” Exiting the mushroom tent, he sat down beside Erust, accepting a mug of hot bean juice. The wall of Iron Wood trees was nine hundred feet wide, almost two hundred feet tall, each almost six feet in diameter. The west is safe from attack. Earth Mother has purchased us time.

  “She is dangerous. She does not think.”

  Panry began to laugh, looked up to the sky. You bastard Alron, you planted that seed, making me hear my own words. One day that smile from your face I shall remove. Panry looked at Erust, “What is your oath?”

  “Protect and serve.”

  “What are you, Erust?”

  “Earth Guard.”

  “So then what is your question?”

  “Panry, questions I do have. I have concerns.”

  “From when you wake to when you bed down, what are you?”

  “Earth Guard.”

  “When you sleep, what are you?”

  “Earth Guard.”

  “If I give you time off and an alarm whistle you hear. How do you act?”

  “Answer your call I shall.”

  “Why?”

  “I am Earth Guard.”

  “So from when you wake to when you sleep, on duty, off duty, you are Earth Guard?”

  “Yes always.”

  “The oath?”

  “Protect and serve.”

  “Erust, beyond that, we leave all else to Mother. You are correct. Earth Mother is dangerous. She does not think, and because of that, the west she makes safe from the black-clad invasion. Erust, you should know that to Earth Mother I granted permission to be dangerous. My place it does not be, but still I did. She is Earth Mother, Mother Chosen. She shall take action like she needs to. To Earth Mother I promised that not any threats does she have to worry of, as Earth Guard protects her, my Earth Guard. Your oath, her life; there is no difference between these. If into the heart of the black-clad army she wishes to stab, then Earth Guard shall protect her.”

  Erust tried to protest, “But…”

  “Erust, our oath is simple: protect, serve. The rest we shall leave to Mother.” As Erust stood to go to his guard post, Panry looked up, Mother, your help I need. Pray I should, but with so many hurt, my night does not be long enough, so I will keep it short; send help.

  Chapter 2

  Waking first the next morning, Nur, on her knees and elbows, crawled over to Zack, wrapping her warm body around his naked, furry coat, and then Panry coughed. Looking up, she went out to the campfire, accepting a mug of hot bean juice, which she cradled between her bandaged hands, “How are they all doing?”

  “Logan looks better, and he does not shake like last night. Gingaar stirs in her sleep but wakes not. Earth Mother remains still.”

  “Did you bandage my hands?” asked Nur.

  Panry nodded, “What happened to them?”

  “I really do not know. When I saw the trees slow down, I thought all Earth Mother needed was a nudge. When I grabbed onto the staff, I felt the Core Wood energy. It was like pulling hot metal out of a dwarf forge, but instead of heat burning my hands, it was power; raw, undefined, brutal power. I have no idea on how Earth Mother can carry it every day and not feel it. There is no way to describe it, absolutely no way. Even with my eyes closed, I saw this entire valley. I saw the Iron Wood trees grow, watched them drink in the river, as the energy flowed into them. I felt like Mother herself.”

  “You may need to check on Gingaar. I had to break her fingers, so her grip she would release. Her hands are blistered and burnt, being like yours. I sent the Dawnfalcons for Earth Mothers last night, but many days we will have to wait for help.”

  When Zack came out of the mushroom tent, he jumped up, pulling a piece off of the crown, which he popped into his mouth and quickly spit it out. “I’m going to check to make sure we’re safe.” Going out of focus, a large eagle appeared, and with a few mighty flaps of his wings, he was airborne, seeking the thermoclines to increase his height.

  Nur, with her bandaged hands and Panry’s help, tried to tend to Lauren, Logan, and Gingaar. They gave them water and warmth but lacked any more gifts from Mother to administer. It was a long, quiet day with only silent prayers sent to Mother.

  *******

  The next three days were similar. When Gingaar woke up in tremendous pain, Nur only had kind words to lessen it. Logan tossed and turned often, but Lauren remained motionless. Since Panry was uncertain when help would arrive, he contemplated building a rack to drag behind the horses so they could move the three closer to the awaited help, but he was afraid the action would cause more damage. He knew the Dawnfalcons would ride through the night, stopping for nothing, and they would ride their mounts until they were all exhausted and still push forward. Yet, it could take three or four days for help to arrive, and all they had was water and a bit of food, which neither Lauren nor Logan could take.

  Panry and Nur were sitting at the fire as the last sun fell behind the mountains, drinking the last of their bean juice. High in the sky, Zack squawked before diving to the ground. When Panry whistled, the Earth Guards closed their ranks.

  Zack entered the mushroom tent from the back, wrapped himself in a blanket, “A wagon’s heading this way. Dude, is it ever traveling fast.”

  Looking to the east, in the distance, Panry saw the lights, but he was unable to focus on who or what now rushed towards them.

  Erust stood at his side, “Panry, what do we do?”

  “I do not…Damn you Ryan. Nur, fire berries, do you have anymore?”

  “I have six, but I cannot get them.”

  “Erust, get the fire berries to light up front perimeter. Nur, your Earth Guard, order them one hundred feet in front of the fires with bows ready. They shall not fire until they are sure what threat this way comes. MY EARTH GUARD, this tent EARTH GUARD shall defend. NONE SHALL ENTER. Zack, be your frost bear now.” Looking to the east, whatever headed their way had traveled almost a mile since he saw it last. As Erust lit up the perimeter, Nur’s Earth Guard raced out to meet the mystery. Panry looked at Cethail, “You are Earth Guard, my Earth Guard, chosen by Alron. Tonight, this night, you will understand what that means. You are the best. NONE WILL ENTER THIS TENT.”

  Looking at the approaching lights, hearing the arrows fly, Panry ran out to the front. If any wanted to harm the Earth Mother, first they would have to make it past him. Nur’s Earth Guards reported with whistles: the object was moving too fast and no arrows had hit it. He heard ‘all clear’ whistles, but they were too far out; trap. Advancing into the dark, his clothing was no longer bright green, instead, now black like the darkness that wrapped around him. In the distance, the object breached the lighted perimeter. It was a wagon, and a madman sat on the bench. Panry could see a fire in his eyes, as he screamed at the horses, forcing them to race faster. Through the dust cloud that the horses kicked up, he could see a dozen arrows in the driver, two in his head. The legendary elf marksmanship had proven true once again, yet still the driver raced forward. Panry, sensing his clothing, called for white, and the black that allowed him to blend into the night fled. Now the driver could see the elf, who had the same fire in his eyes, the one that would stop him. Pulling back on the reins, the horses suddenly skidded, and trying to stop, the wagon spun around, dragging them backwards.

  As Ryan jumped off the wagon, he pulled the arrows out of his clothes and hair, his granite-like skin never providing purchase to them, “Where’s Lauren?”

  In the back of the wagon sat the Dawnfalcons, looking distraught. Then Gor, Mirtza, Lindo, and Fritza looked over the side. Also in the back were six Earth Guards, who jumped out, to help the Earth Mothers. Panry exhaled, whistled all clear.

  As Ryan rushed past Panry to the mushroom tent, both whispered ‘Bastard’ under their breath.

  Mirtza had borrowed the enchanted items
back from Gayne, helping with the short negotiations: Aaro and Bor. Rushing forward, Gor and Mirtza immediately started to prepare hot food and beverages. The Earth Mothers also ran to the mushroom tent with their pouches to inspect the injured. Walking back to the fire outside of the tent, Panry sat on the ground, reaching for his flask.

  Zack walked over, “Pretty impressive speech, Dude. How long have you been sitting on that puppy?” Panry’s rebuttal was fast, effective, simple. He handed his flask to Zack, who went quiet when he had a drink.

  An hour later, Lindo walked out of the mushroom tent, accepting a cup of bean juice from Gor. “Panry, they are all fine. They need rest, but they will heal.”

  He whispered a silent thanks to Mother.

  “What happened?” asked Fritza.

  Panry briefly recounted the events, ending with, “I did not expect this when Earth Mother said she wanted to block the pass.”

  Fritza pulled out her flask, filled her mug, then passed it to him, “You are a lucky elf, Panry.”

  “Why does that be?”

  “That is the second shortest story we have ever heard about the Earth Mother,” stated Lindo, “It could have been much longer…I mean worse.”

  “How did you travel here so fast? I did not expect you for two days or more?”

  “When the Dawnfalcons arrived,” began Lindo. “John told us about the ‘fast horses,’ so that we would be able to travel here, well, faster. Then he had Mirtza borrow the wagon and ‘chests’ from Gayne. He figured only the trickster’s wagon would be able to handle the ride.”

  “What a ride it was,” replied Mirtza, “When Ryan heard that Lauren was hurt, he took the front bench. If it was not solid, he drove right through it instead of going around it. I have no idea on what possessed him, but calls to slow down he refused to hear. I am curious to see if we drove through any mountains on our trip back.”

  Mirtza and Gor woke early the next morning, making a huge breakfast to help get everybody’s strength back, and Lindo with Fritza were amazed by the ‘chests.’ With Gingaar’s fingers still broken, Lindo was feeding her.