Throg stopped and stared straight ahead.
In the distance, three figures stood wearing gray cloaks. They were tall and thin, their faces sitting in the darkness of their cowls. Each of them had a walking stick, and black gloves covered their hands. They stood in place as if statues.
"Demons of some sort, but a different type than I know," whispered Throg.
Brodeur walked forward a step. "I've heard about them—Gray Cloaks. They reside deep in the Cark in all the stories. The tips of the sticks got blades on them, and they reach a long way. Should we keep walking or try to go wide?"
"No sense. Those who want trouble always follow. I'm surprised they didn't ambush us. Makes me think they might leave us alone. Zach is with us. They may simply crave a closer look at him."
They continued walking in the direction of the Gray Cloaks, and several more emerged on the sides of them. They made no movement.
Morgana stared up at Throg. "There must be at least a dozen now." She effortlessly strung an arrow on her bow.
"I see them. Morgana, you and Zach keep eyes on our rear. Brodeur, watch the left flank. I will take the right."
Around them, the sound of whispers emanated from the woods, several voices speaking in an unidentifiable language. The voices called out their names simultaneously. Hair on Zach's neck prickled. The leaves on the ground began swirling, and the temperature continued to drop. Throg was up front, and he and the others grew closer to the three Gray Cloaks ahead. Behind them, snapping pierced the incessant whispers. Morgana raised her bow as she whirled around.
Drake strolled toward them. He appeared exhausted. Moonlight illuminated his blue skin and made his green hair seem dark as pitch.
Throg placed his hand on her arm. "You can put your bow down, Morgana. This is Drake, a friend."
"Drake?" Her voice shook. She looked as if she wanted to say something, but before she could, the Leshy spoke.
"Well, seems most of the fire is under control. I sensed trouble among you, and brought a few friends."
"We seem to be in a pickle," said Throg, nodding his head.
Three Leshy walked in the distance to their left, and likewise to their right. They sauntered between the Gray Cloaks and their party, and stared up at the demons.
"I told them the woods would be destroyed by Biskara if we did not assist the Kin. We'll be able to walk you to the end of the Shattered Woods. My fellow Leshy will want to return to their own forests to protect them, once you're safe. A Leshy rarely leaves his domain. The Gray Cloaks will not follow past the boundaries. They don't like it on the edges of these woods, much less past them." Drake motioned them to keep walking.
"Thank you, Drake," said Throg. "We would never have overcome these demons by ourselves. We ran into a Manticore. He bolted when Zach appeared."
"Yes, the Manticore, a magical beast, which wouldn't harm a Kin. I do sense the Assembly is in the Canopus, if you didn't know. I cannot tell you more than that. The channels are distorted ahead."
"Zach's link managed to contact him, so our suspicions were confirmed, but thank you again."
The Leshy's eyes glittered. As they spoke, the Gray Cloaks eased closer. "Brock Fergus is his name," Drake said.
"My link is Brock? The name seems familiar," Zach said. He tried to stay calm; after all, if Drake was relaxed, he needed to be as well.
"Knowing his name may help when he attempts to contact you."
"New visitors," Brodeur warned.
Several ragged shapes darted in and out of the woods around them. They came closer, and Zach caught a glimpse of their latest stalkers—hideous creatures with the appearance of rotting corpses. Their eyes were bloodshot, and in some cases, missing entirely. Fungus grew from their mouths, and Zach swore he noticed one with a worm wriggling in its ear.
"Green-teeth," Drake said. "Now we got problems. They will follow past the boundaries. They do not possess supernatural abilities, however, and you'll be able to fight them."
Brodeur said, "I suggest we pick up the pace to a run. The Cloaks won't pass the edge of the Cark. I would rather face one adversary than two."
"As long as you can keep up." Throg shot a wink.
"Let's go."
They sprinted ahead, Brodeur bringing up the rear, but keeping up.
Zach's legs pumped hard, and his chest ached. After walking and running intermittently all day, he was growing weary. Every muscle strained, and he wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep for a week. Still, he pressed on, fueled by fear.
"Almost at the edge. Keep going. You mortals move so slowly." Drake glided along.
The surrounding weald abounded with frightening shapes. The Cloaks cruised forth, and the Green-teeth moved a bit closer, running as fast as they were. The Leshy were on the inner parts, moving as a shield against the creatures of the Cark.
Trees flashed by. Plants and roots tried to snare Zach's feet, but he nimbly escaped their clutches. The sky was open.
"We are past," said Drake.
Warmth slammed into them with sweet relief. Drake accompanied them as they continued to run. Zach glanced over his shoulder, and the Gray Cloaks stood motionless. The other Leshy were also still, staring them down.
The Green-teeth ran after the group, white foam emanating from the corners of their mouths. Watery snarls and grunts blared through their nostrils. Without the Leshy shielding them, the Green-teeth charged from the trees.
Drake chanted a few unrecognizable words.
Two of the Green-teeth appeared from behind a hulking bush and barreled at Zach. He raised his sword, and a trio of large wolves tackled the assailants straight on.
Several Green-teeth blocked the path ahead.
Morgana and Brodeur halted and aimed their weapons. Morgana's arrows flew first. She had three strung and let them go. Two hit their targets, and the demonic creatures howled in pain and scampered off. Brodeur's arbalest reached its target a second later with more devastating results. The projectile struck the creature in the chest, lifting it high off its feet and sending the thing into the brush. It writhed a few seconds before lying still and dissolving into a slimy green moss.
Behind Morgana and Brodeur, Zach and Throg stood with their backs to each other, hacking away at the greenish marauders. Drake's wolves ran in and out of the bushes and viciously tackled the Green-teeth. In the distance, several wolves chased Green-teeth through the woods. Drake hovered between them and continued his incantations.
One of the Green-teeth stopped in front of Zach, out of the range of his sword. The fiend stared at him. "He'll die, you know, and you will never return to Earth again. The vision is clear right now."
"What are you saying?" Zach cried out.
"Don't listen to such nonsense," said Throg, sliding toward Zach. "The thing is a demon, a liar."
It cackled and ran at them. As they prepared their strikes, two of the wolves hit it from the side and smashed the horror straight through the bushes. They chased after him. Some snarls and shrieks emanated from a distance, slowly petering out.
The forest became quiet. Zach and his friends stood, panting.
"You should be safe now. I sense no demons ahead," said Drake.
Throg walked toward him. "How can we thank you? I am so glad we even came to know each other. We are certainly blessed. It would have been impossible to have traveled this long without your assistance."
"I am a Leshy. I can sense what is right for my woods. You're the only humans I've ever befriended. You are also with the Kin. I help you to keep my land safe. I am weakened this far from my territory, so I must return. Good luck to you now. I'm afraid my assistance will be scarce as you go farther away." He tipped his hat to them.
"Wait!" Morgana gasped. "Please, Drake, Chapton was attacked, my dad and my dog, Otis. I saw someone just like you standing over him and my father. Are they all right? Was that you?"
Drake frowned. "'Twas not me, child, but I can speak with other Leshy and learn what I can."
"
Thank you."
Drake nodded and turned, his tie and button-down shirt beaming back at them. He looked tired and sick, as if he had caught the flu in the last few minutes. They watched him for a bit.
Once he was out of sight, Throg sheathed his sword. "We should go."
They continued on the path, following Throg's lead.
He called back, "We will distance ourselves from the Cark some more and stop for a break, then figure out our plans."
Zach realized the mood had become cheerier—like the feeling one got right after acing a big test. They were tired, yet content. Morgana seemed thoughtful, but less distraught. Still, running so much was draining him. A comfortable, warm bed sounded wonderful. He wished he could sink into his pillows at home and sleep. He stifled a yawn and shook his head to keep himself awake. They had to continue moving.
After twenty minutes of hiking, Throg motioned to a small clearing off the side of the path, and they set their knapsacks down and began their habitual activity. Soon, Brodeur had a kettle of tea brewing, and they passed out to each other slivers of the cured ham with some dried bread.
Brodeur pulled out a jar of jam. "An indulgence. Quince jam from a plant, already cooked. 'Tis the only way you can eat this. Delicious with smoked and cured hams. I was saving it for a special occasion, as it is hard to come by, but there is enough to have some left if we are careful."
The quince moistened the dry bun and the sweet jam countered the salty ham. The combination tasted as if someone had created it just for ham and bread. They sat and enjoyed the treat in silence. Brodeur's sack had endless delicacies and tools.
Brodeur stood up and poked the fire with a long stick. "The Gida Path is a few hours' walk from here. Two parts on the course might be suitable for ambush. The first is a tunnel, a short one. They'll most likely post sentries on the sides, but they can't put too many, because the shaft is tight. With more manpower, that would be a good place to set a trap. The second spot is a sharp turn, about a mile past the tunnel. They will have to slow down, and the woods are thick with brush and trees there. The rest of the Gida Path is straight and not dense. If we make our move, it'll have to be at one of these two spots. What do you think?"
Throg chewed on a piece of ham and swallowed it. "The turn sounds like our best bet. They're long odds, but we have no other options available. We have to get to the path quickly. We should hack up a route at the turn without bringing attention to it. Brodeur and Morgana will take out the drivers of the coach, and Zach and I will replace them and steer the carriage off the path. I'm not sure what happens after that. I need to see the landscape."
Zach rubbed his temples. "We will have an entire battalion on our heels, with six drugged bodies to hide."
"I keep a canister of oil," said Brodeur. "If we get the coach, we can pour it on the route behind us and shoot flame-tipped arrows down at it as we go. The fire will buy us some breathing space."
"Sounds like you've done this before," said Zach.
"More than once has this saved my skin. We should scout out a hiding spot close to the path. A cave would be best. We can unload the Assembly members, and then send the stagecoach off on its own, leading them away from us." Brodeur sat back down and scratched his head.
"What next? They will scour the woods for us," said Morgana.
Throg sipped his tea. "Well, we need some time for the Assembly to recover. Once they sober up, they'll know what to do."
Brodeur nodded. "Not to mention they're powerful adversaries when the drugs wear off. Depending on what they are doped with, I can mix certain elixirs to hasten their recovery. Malefic needs to keep them alive, yet limp. I believe he may be injecting them with Gaston greens, and we are in luck if so."
They finished their tea and cleaned the campsite of any evidence suggesting they'd been there.
After an hour of walking, Throg stopped and took a slug of water from his leather canteen.
Though the chill of night ran deep, Zach was covered in sweat. He wiped his brow. "Throg, where do you think the rest of the Kin are?"
"Well, they may be receiving transmissions, as you have, from the Assembly. But with the fires and the Nightlander patrols, Presage could have sent them back to Meracuse."
"So we might be Meridia's last chance?" Morgana said, stepping forward and pulling out her canteen.
"Yes."
After a few quick gulps of cold water, they headed off. They continued on for over an hour. The crunching of mulch underfoot became a steady, slow beat. The trees gradually grew sparser, and the ground harder with more rocks.
Brodeur stopped and squinted off to the west. "The path is a little less than a mile away. I see something that could help us." He pointed.
They followed him off their trail and through the brush. Rockier terrain emerged ahead. The stony area they arrived at was covered with greenery. Moss clung to the rocks alongside lichen. A few enormous boulders littered the ground. Between them, scraggly trees grew.
"Okay, might be a cave somewhere in here. Should we find one, it could be a place to transport the Assembly and bide our time."
They spread out and canvassed the immediate vicinity. Throg pulled Morgana with him north. Zach and Brodeur searched south. As far as Zach could tell, no caves were present, only rocks and boulders. He wiped aside some pine needles near a bush in hopes of finding a secret entrance to a cave. No such luck.
Throg called out. Zach exchanged a glance with Brodeur, and the two of them jogged up to Throg and Morgana. Both were smiling. Morgana motioned to a hole in the rock.
"Perfect location," said Throg. "This cave was built for our plan. We need to disguise the entrance a bit. Take a look inside."
Zach and Brodeur walked in the direction he was pointing. The opening was between two boulders, a chasm of sorts, large enough to slip one person through, and well hidden, too.
"A good thing, that they can only inspect one at a time. Gives us the ability to react," said Brodeur as he ran his fingers along the exterior.
Zach entered first, and followed the outlines of the cavern when he detected running water ahead. In the back of the cave, water streamed via one large crack down what appeared to be a small cliff. This was much too tight to crawl into. The rear of the cavity had a couple inches of water spread out, but it was mostly leaking through various cracks and crevices.
"Excellent," said Brodeur. "This cave gives us access to fresh water. We could stay hidden here for days if need be."
They returned outside one at a time, giddiness in their steps. The interior of the cave was easily large enough to house the six Assembly members and the four of them.
"Great find!" said Throg. "I think I spy a good hiding spot at the top of the chasm. I can sentry in that space if any patrols come by. Let's uproot some large plants and relocate them at the entryway." He motioned to the brush.
Zach and Morgana sought out a few bushes and small trees. Within a half-hour, the entrance was completely concealed. Zach stepped back to admire their handiwork. He dusted his dirty hands on his pants and nodded to himself.
"Works well," Throg said.
Brodeur grinned, his hands on his hips. "Okay, now we must pray enough time remains to cut and conceal a trail to take us straight here from the turn of the Gida Path. I think the bend is this way, with a slight twist about thirty yards in front of it."
He and Morgana raced to the Gida to monitor any activity, while Throg and Zach began the tedious chore of hacking a track to the path. It was hard work. Zach's already sore muscles screamed as he knocked aside brush and heather. Throg encouraged him as they slashed their way back to the road. Sweat dribbled down Zach's temples and into his eyes.
"Good so far, and we are almost done. Only a little more," panted Throg.
Soon, they made it to the path. Zach wiped his forehead and drew in cool breaths of air. He just hoped they'd be able to rest before the Nightlanders brought along the Assembly.
By the time they'd finished carving the route, midm
orning sun rested on their heads. Brodeur glanced over his shoulder.
"Anything?" asked Zach.
"Not a soul. The trail?"
Throg sheathed his blade. "Luck is on our side. We cut a pretty nice path right to the cave."
"Well, you fellas done a great job," said Brodeur.
They examined each other. Soot and shrubs covered them, and sweat dripped down their temples. A twig poked from Zach's hair and he tugged it out, then took a long draft from his canteen. The cold water slaked his thirst.
Brodeur strode forward and inspected their handiwork. "Good, good. Let's throw some fluffy shrubs and the sort on the scene."
Throg squinted down the path. "They may be sending sentries ahead of the wagon soon. We need to finish before they arrive."
"Well, let's get to the final tasks," said Brodeur, and turned down the makeshift trail.
After Blunderbuss and his men finished burying their valuables, he disappeared to the other side of the camp. The Kin remained where they were, ready and waiting, until he returned as quickly as a spider scurrying down a web, carrying a bundle of dark clothing.
"This here is the Nightlander garb I was telling you about. We got enough for thirty of us. We painted a thin brown line on the right shoulder of every one of them. This'll look like dirt to them, but should things go awry, these lines will be a sign to the rest of us. I got a basic and simple plan. You Kin are the best suited for the main part of the job, and this could be a pivotal point in history. Blast it if I'm going to screw things up so bards sing songs belittling me for eternity, understand?" Blunderbuss's lanky arms extended, and he dropped the garb down before them.
"We wouldn't expect anything less," said Shelby as she stared into his eyes.
He stood rooted for a moment as she gazed at him.
"Go on," she said.
Blunderbuss shook his head, as if to empty water from his ears. "Okay now, should the whole thing blow up, my crew won't be able to stick around too long. We're probably outnumbered a hundred to one. If that happens, you are better off with us out here trying to figure out how to spring you. We are as good as gone if Malefic takes over, so you can trust us on that." He sifted through the clothes.
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