by CM Raymond
The creatures stopped, looked at him and then at one another and laughed their asses off.
“I’m gonna eat him screaming,” a particularly nasty looking female shouted.
“I’m gonna wear his head as a hat,” another joined in.
“So much for intimidation tactics.” Gregory mumbled.
He looked at the death staring him in the face, and wondered what Hannah would do if she were in his shoes.
The thought made him go weak at the knees.
But with no escape, and no sign of help on the horizon, the Hannah plan was the only option he had left. He sighed, raised his wrench high into the air and charged the screaming remnant, his voice crackling across the air:
“Death to douche nuggets!”
****
The party was a mile closer to Kofken, and Dardanus still hadn’t uttered more than ten words. Hannah peppered him with a few questions about the lay of the land and what life was like in Baseek, but he only grunted out one-word answers.
Finally, she raised her voice, “What crawled up your ass and died?”
The giant guard stopped and turned to her. “First, I just buried my cousin back there.”
Hannah’s face fell. She had seen death—a lot of death lately. A part of her was afraid that she might have become numb to it, and she cursed herself for not being a bit more sensitive. “I’m sorry, man. I didn’t know.”
Dardanus waved her off and even grinned a little. “It’s all right. He knew what our job was when he took it. He was glad to fight for his home. I’m proud of him.”
As the head guard grew quiet again, Hannah decided to give him his space. She fell back and into pace with Laurel. The druid was walking with a limp, but her face was as serene as ever.
“You all right?” Hannah asked, pointing at her leg.
“Took a shot in the leg from one of those bastards. When it was all finished, and we had healed that guy—” she pointed at the guard they had saved “—I didn’t have much in the tank. Later tonight, I should be able to take care of it.”
Hannah nodded. “Let me know if you need help.” She walked a few more steps without saying anything until Laurel broke the silence.
“That was pretty badass back there.”
“Yeah, right,” Hannah said. “Nothing like you and that rope blade of yours. I just know a few tricks.”
“Bullshit. That thing you pulled with the flaming vines, that’s not normal magic. The way you pick and pull from different styles like that—and on the fly, too—it’s one of a kind.”
Hannah shrugged. Zeke had told her much the same when they started training, but she didn’t know if she believed it. Laurel was way better than her at nature magic. Hadley ran circles around her with the mystical stuff. She was pretty good at physical magic, but nothing compared to what Amelia could do.
“Maybe. But I usually just rely on my physical magic. It’s what I’m best at. Other than making Sal, or whatever you want to call it, I’ve not done much that you or the others couldn’t. And those few times when I did show some real power, I don’t know, it was like something inside of me took control. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad it happened, but I can’t really do stuff like that on command.”
“Well, maybe you should start trying. Whatever hell quest the Founder is leading us toward, it would be nice to have something out of this world on our side. It’s like we say in the Forest, the caged bird flies the highest once it’s been set free.”
Hannah laughed. “Do they really say shit like that where you’re from or do you just make it up on the fly?”
Laurel smiled. “I’ll never tell.”
They walked the next couple of miles, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Hannah asked, “Do you think something’s off about this whole thing? I get this feeling that we’re going about this all wrong. Do you feel it, too, or is it just this place?”
“You’re not wrong. This place is as normal as a ten-foot rearick,” Laurel said, laughing at her own joke.
Hannah joined in. “Or a druid lumberjack.”
Laurel’s face went flat. “Oh, you had to go there, did you? As normal as a Boulevard skank… Oh, wait, that is normal.”
“Screw you,” Hannah laughed. “So, what do you think is going on? I mean, why haven’t we found the bodies of the other guards? That roamer didn’t seem to think anything was out of the ordinary when he saw them. I guess he could have been lying.”
“No way. You and Devin were pretty persuasive.”
“So?”
“Honestly,” Laurel sighed. “I think the kid is a damned brat, like some of the noble kids you told me about from the Academy. He probably just wanted attention, so he ran off or something.”
“And his guard?”
“Hell if I know. Maybe they knew they were screwed for losing the chief’s son so they just did their own running, in the opposite direction.”
Hannah thought about Laurel’s theory, which made some sense. She didn’t know enough about Sef’s son, but if he was anything like the nobles’ kids, it wouldn’t be too farfetched.
“Maybe. Every one of those noble kids were worthless,” she sighed.
“That’s what I hear,” Laurel agreed.
“Especially Gregory…”
“Hey!” Laurel shouted, giving Hannah a shove. “And I was thinking about taking back that whore comment, but you can forget about that.”
“So, what’s the deal there? You seem awfully smitten with that nerd. Must not be many guys back in the Forest.”
Laurel smiled. “There are plenty of guys where I come from—you could say they… grow on trees.”
Hannah rolled her eyes, but smiled. “Lame.”
“But I’ll tell you what—I’ve never met a guy like Gregory. He’s so smart. And kind. And shockingly brave for someone without a lethal bone in his body.” The druid paused for a moment, staring through the leafy canopy above them. “But he’s also….”
“Slow?” Hannah offered.
“Yeah. I mean, what the hell? I’ve been making my feelings pretty clear, right? In the Forest, if a guy liked a girl and a girl liked a guy... you know. Are guys from Arcadia not interested in... stuff like that.”
Hannah thought about Parker for a second, and felt the warmth rising on her cheeks. She coughed, “No, they definitely are. Gregory’s just a gentleman. He doesn’t want to rush things. Doesn't want to hurt you.”
“Hurt me?” Laurel opened her eyes in shock. “You’d think for how smart he is, he’d know by now I’m not that fragile.”
Hannah thought for a second, trying to figure out what was best for her friends. “Look, I’m the last person you should be getting relationship advice from. But life is short. You should take what you want when you can. Stop waiting on that nerd and make your own move. Show him what’s what.”
Laurel nodded. “I just might do that.”
“Listen,” Hannah whispered, leaning in as they walked. “I’m going back with Aysa. Speaking as a formerly ignored member of society, I bet she knows more than Dardanus or Cal or the other asshats in the village have given her credit for. She’s a good kid, and I think we connected earlier. Maybe she can fill us in a little on Samet.”
Hannah dropped back again, this time to the end of the line. Aysa walked by herself, eyes locked on her boots. “What are you doing way back here?” Hannah asked.
The girl shrugged. “It’s kind of my normal spot. Actually, a lot closer than normal. I don’t really belong with them.” She nodded toward the soldiers.
“Damn, girl, the way you fought back there? Your ass totally belongs anywhere you want it to. Seriously, you’ve got some skills.”
The girl smiled. “Thanks. I mean, I’ve got nothing on you. I saw that shit you pulled with the flaming vines. How the hell do you do that?”
Hannah shrugged. “Lots and lots of practice—usually when my life was on the line. Plus, I have some pretty awesome teachers.”
“Your friends back i
n Baseek?”
Hannah nodded. “Them, and some more aboard our airship. They’re some of the best people I’ve ever met. They would put their life on the line for me, without hesitation. And I’d do the same.”
“Sounds pretty nice. Sorry for freaking out and attacking you when I first saw you.”
Hannah gave her a playful punch on the arm. “No worries. I’d have done the same. I mean, we must look pretty weird to you all.”
Aysa grinned. “Well, you do have some stumpy little legs. Especially the old fart. And your weird little hands. How do you even hold anything?”
“Screw you,” Hannah laughed. “My hands are dainty, thank you very much. And it’s not like I need to throw heavy rocks like you, not when I can toss a few fireballs around.”
Aysa fell quiet for a second, then met Hannah’s eyes. “Tell me more... about your magic. Did you have to make a deal with the devil or something?”
Hannah smiled, remembering Zeke’s face on the first day she met him.
“Something like that. If we make it through this, I promise I’ll tell you all about it. It’s one heck of a story. But I’ve got a couple questions for you. Samet’s disappearance... I don’t know. Could he have run away or something? I don’t know the kid at all, so it’s kind of hard to imagine the whole thing and how it might’ve gone down. What’s he like?”
The girl flushed a bright pink, and Hannah knew that she saw him as more than just a confidante. Hannah wondered how he viewed the relationship.
“Sam was the only person who ever treated me like I wasn’t invisible… or worse, just a drain on Baseek. He wasn’t just kind for the sake of being kind; I think he really liked me. Sometimes, he would sneak out, and we’d run up to the cliffs and just lay there counting stars and talking about what the world might be like beyond the coast.” She laughed. “Just dumb kid stuff, I guess. But it wasn’t serious. No way he’d take off. He’s Sef’s son. He’ll lead Baseek one day. He wouldn’t just abandon that.”
“You sure?” Hannah asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Look, I’m just weighing all the options. It’s a big world out there—believe me. And you said it yourself, it can kind of suck living in one place your whole life. If you could just drop everything and go right now on a grand adventure, wouldn’t you at least be tempted?”
Aysa thought for a second before shaking her head. “I couldn’t leave Sam. And he wouldn’t leave me—not without telling me first.”
They dropped down a steep slope and then rose even higher on the other side. They were getting close to Kofken and nearly on the site where the roamers had seen the Baseeki guards.
Hannah knew she didn’t have much more time with just Aysa, and her next question was a little sensitive in nature. “So, it sounds like you two are pretty close. You spent a lot of time with Sam, right?”
“Yeah. Guess so.”
“And with his guard?”
The girl laughed. “Well, of course. Except for when we snuck away, the guard was always with him. Chief Sef is a cautious man, and there’s a lot of bad out here. Sam couldn’t take a shit without someone standing over him with a set of bolas in their hand.”
Hannah giggled. “There are so many jokes I want to make right now… Anyway, so they were good men? The guys who were with him when he went missing?”
“That I don’t really know. It was a new group guarding him.”
Hannah stopped dead in her tracks. “Wait. What?”
“Yeah. Emen—that guy we found with his head bashed in—was the only regular. It was usually just him watching Sam, but then they decided to up his security detail. Added some elite forces to the mix. With all the rumors of the Kofkens and a possible attack, I guess it was to make sure Sam was safe.” She waved her arms out toward their surroundings. “And here we are.”
“Indeed,” Hannah sighed thinking of this new twist on things. “I guess Sef is really overprotective.”
Aysa nodded. “You can say that again.” She continued walking, and Hannah fell in beside her. “But it wasn’t the chief who assigned the new guard. It was Vatan.”
“Vatan? She’s got that kind of power? I thought she was Sef’s mistress or something.”
Aysa laughed again. “No way. She’s basically the number two back at home. Has been for years.”
Before Hannah could ask another question, Dardanus yelled from in front of them. “Hannah. Get your ass up here! You gotta see this.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Attack was the last thing the remnant expected, which gave Gregory the only edge he had. He dropped his shoulder, his small frame carrying enough momentum to bowl a few over. The surprise attack gave him a little space to maneuver, and he swung his wrench wildly back and forth, trying to keep them at bay.
It worked—for about two seconds.
The remnant were just too fierce, and they had him surrounded. Another ten were advancing from every direction. Gregory held his wrench out in front of him in vain, turning and pointing it at each of the remnant.
“Stay back you bastards or I’ll, I’ll, tear you to pieces!”
His threats only made them laugh harder.
“Sal!” he shouted, hoping the dragon might be of some assistance.
But, the dragon had his hands full. A half dozen remnant were attacking from each side. As he swiped away one with his powerful tail, another took his place. Talons ripped remnant flesh, but the men, mad with murder on their minds, advanced until their bodies could do no more.
Each time he tried to take to the air, the group clung to him, dragging him back toward the dirt.
Soon enough, they would both be overtaken.
Gregory looked up at the ship one last time and thought of his father, whose hands had designed it, and his mother, who, although a terrible person, was still his mother. Finally, he thought of Hannah and Laurel. He’d miss them the most. But just the images of them gave him courage.
Standing proudly, he screamed, “Come on! Let’s do this, you bunch of filthy idiots! For Hannah!”
Saliva dripping from their filthy mouths, the remnant howled in laughter, knowing the kill was near. They walked in slowly. Delight in killing was some of the only pleasure the creatures felt in their life.
The largest of the group raised a huge club, still stained with blood from the last head she’d smashed in. The weapon hung in the air—poised to deal the finishing blow.
But it never came.
The ground quaked all around them, sending the remnant—and Gregory and Sal—to the dirt. Clouds rolled in fast from the west, covering them in unnatural darkness.
Rolling to a knee, Gregory looked up and over his shoulder. He expected the Queen Matriarch herself to be descending from the storm, like a goddess come back to vanquish injustice.
It wasn’t a god, but it was the next best thing.
Ezekiel, hair, beard, and cloak blowing in the raging wind, stood on the edge of the Unlawful. His staff was raised toward the heavens, and the forces of nature were bowing to his command.
“Leave my friend alone!” His shout bellowed over the storm.
He raised his staff straight in the air, and a bolt of lightning struck it. The power surged through him, and with his left hand stretched toward the ground, five bursts of lightning leapt from his fingers, leaving nothing of several remnant other than burnt patches on the ground.
Gregory could hardly believe his eyes when the ancient man stepped off the ship. He drifted toward the ground, landing in the center of the fray.
His body moved with the ability of a warrior half his age, his staff taking out remnant after remnant. Blue bolts of power killing the others. He whipped around, eyes blazing red, and pushed an orb of power into the circle surrounding Gregory. With a clap, the orb burst, destroying half of the enemy.
Gregory ducked for cover, trying not to be hit by the bits of remnant bodies exploding into the sky.
“Damn,” he whispered.
Most of the
remnant stared in awe, but two bold fighters attacked him from the rear. As their swords swung for their target, Ezekiel disappeared with a whoosh of wind. They screamed in unison, both of them impaled on the other’s’ weapon.
Reappearing yards away, the magician went back to work. With bolts of power and tongues of flame, he mowed down the remnant as if they were weeds in his garden. The remainder ran, charging up the hill toward the woods, in an attempt to save their lives.
But the attempt was futile.
Ezekiel closed his eyes, and when they opened, they were a darker red than Gregory had ever seen. Stretching out his arms, the old man focused on a pile of boulders at the top of hill. He clenched his fist as though he were grabbing at the air, and pulled his hand toward the sky.
Gregory watched the pile float into the air. Flicking his hands, Ezekiel mystically threw the rocks toward the retreating remnant. He directed the tiny avalanche, and there was a boulder with each of the remnants name on it.
“Holy shite,” Gregory said, seeing the magician’s true power for the first time.
As the last screams faded, the storm dissipated, and the hillside once again became quiet, like nothing at all had happened.
Ezekiel’s eyes went back to normal, and he leaned on the staff, letting the tension from the fight leave his body. “Well,” he finally said, “all those days cooped up in my room. It’s nice to get out and stretch my legs.”
“That. Was. Amazing.”
Ezekiel grinned and gave a slight bow.
“But how did you…”
The old man laughed as Sal ran over to him. Reaching down, he scratched under the dragon’s jaw.
“How did I know you were in trouble? Easy. I asked for absolute quiet. And in the middle of my trance, I noticed that there wasn’t a sound.”
Gregory shook his head. “But that’s what you asked for.”
“Exactly. And when have you lot ever done what I asked? I knew straight away that disaster must have struck. So, he said, looking around. “Anything interesting going on?”
Gregory couldn’t stand it any longer. He fell to the ground laughing.