Rise of the Red Harbinger

by Khalid Uddin

  Bo’az pursed his lips. He’s right. He massaged his temples slowly with his fingertips, ruminating over Linas’ words. “Fine. But you will protect her just as closely as you will protect me. I won’t let her be sacrificed just so you have a reason to leave her behind.”

  Linas looked over to Yasaman for a moment then turned back to Bo’az. “Very well. Understand that if I must choose between saving her life or yours, I will choose yours.” He stood without waiting for Bo’az’s response. “Now mount your horse. They are waiting for us.”

  “But…”

  “We discuss this no further. Accept it. And perhaps pray to the Orijin that no trouble befalls the girl.” Linas catapulted onto his horse. Next to him, Rhadames stood, holding the reins of his and Bo’az’s horses. With a broken arm, Bo’az could not mount his horse without help.

  Rhadames genuinely inquired, “Will you be able to ride on your own, boy? The voyage will be difficult from here.”

  Bo’az had too much pride to give in to the offer. They will see me as weak if I don’t ride on my own. “I can manage on my own.” Bo’az mounted Iridian as Rhadames shoved him upwards. Rhadames then detailed what the group would do next.

  “Listen. Baltaszar, Linas will lead. You and the girl will follow and Gibreel and I will flank you just in case anything follows us. Any sign of trouble, you sprint until you reach where that mountain levels off. That will be the meeting point.” Rhadames pointed to the mountain directly across the field of high grass. Up the base of the mountain sat a ledge nearly a hundred feet up. “Your horses will be tired, but spur them on no matter what. There is no time for idling.”

  “I have a name. It’s Yasaman. I would prefer that you would stop calling me ‘the girl’.” Yasaman glared at all three companions as she led her horse up to Bo’az’s. She’d cleaned up her face since Bo’az had gone to talk to her.

  Gibreel cut in, spittle flying and catching in his thick beard as he spoke, “Shut up girl. Be grateful that we allowed you to come.” He glowered at her, “when you aren’t sobbing like baby, you’re unappreciative of our hospitality. We did not invite you. Your name does not matter.”

  “Enough! This is pointless. Let us go!” Bo’az dug his heels into Iridian and the horse galloped into the grass. Linas immediately followed along with Yasaman. As Bo’az rode on, Linas sped past to assume the lead.

  “Don’t do that again!” Linas barked at him then turned forward again and drew a spear from a holster in the horse’s saddle.

  Rhadames yelled from behind, “Stay quiet! Not a word!”

  Yasaman caught up to Bo’az and rode beside him. They strode onward; the only sounds audible to Bo’az aside from the clopping of hooves were the swishes of the horses against the tall grass and the dull hum of pepperflies in the distance. And then came a growl behind them that drowned everything else out. Bo’az realized the deep guttural sound came from multiple spots behind them. There’s more than one.

  Bo’az turned to Yasaman, her eyes wide. “Don’t panic, Yas.” At least not yet. Save the panicking for me. “They can handle this.” Bo’az glanced backward.

  Rhadames sat backwards on his horse with arrows drawn and aimed at the grass just over twenty yards behind him. Gibreel had just leapt high from his own horse, his nappy hair flailing while he clutched his sword with both hands, ready to thrust downward into the neck of an oncoming ranza. As the cat jumped at Gibreel, Rhadames speared it in the neck with an arrow and it lunged sideways, exposing the cat’s side for Gibreel’s killing blow to its ribs.

  “We’ll be okay. Even if those two don’t like us, they’ve protected us against everything so far.”

  Rhadames cut in, “Save it, boy. Both of you get to the meeting point now! There are enough ranzas following us to feast on us and our horses!”

  Bo’az dug his heels into Iridian and the mare galloped faster than even Bo’az had ever witnessed. His eyes darted right to check on Yasaman. She kept pace, her horse galloping along right next to him. The horses must know. As he was about to return his focus to what lay ahead, Bo’az espied a hulking black mass running alongside Yasaman’s horse on the other side. The beast’s back nearly reached the horse’s height. Focus. Think quickly! Bo’az steered Iridian closer to Yasaman’s horse until they were almost touching. “I need you to jump! Don’t think, don’t ask questions! Just let go of the reins and wrap your arms around my neck!”

  But she hadn’t listened. “Why? What’s wrong?” Yasaman turned to her right and saw the monstrous black cat, grey and white stripes lining its fur, looking straight at her as it unleashed a thunderous roar.

  Bo’az hooked his broken left arm through the reigns and leaned over horizontally, wrapping his right arm around her. He yanked her off the horse and onto his own so that she sat facing him. All the while, her horse neighed and shrieked as the ranza tore its entire thigh from its leg. “Don’t look at it! Cover your eyes and just pray that we reach the mountain!” Yasaman buried her face into his chest, her arms wrapped tightly around his torso.

  If there was no danger of death, Bo’az would have stopped right there and ran his hand through her long black hair. Despite traveling for nearly a week, she’d still smelled of flowers and sweet berries. Maybe he would have kissed her too. Stay focused, dummy! “Hey, um…Yas? I might have spoken too soon. I…sort of need you to keep lookout for me.”

  Yasaman lifted her head and rolled her eyes at him. “Some hero you are.” Her sarcastic smile offset any insecurity that might have stirred up in Bo’az’s mind. She rested her chin on his shoulder, “I don’t see any other cats coming our way. The one is still tearing apart my horse. And there are about half a dozen places where the grass has folded over. I hope that means most of the cats are dead. Are we almost out of the grass?”

  “Yeah. We’re nearly out. I just hope Iridian has the energy to carry us both up to the landing.”

  She stared back into Bo’az’s eyes, “Am I too fat for your horse, Tasz? Should I just walk up the mountain?”

  “No! You know that’s not what I meant. I was just saying that…” Great. Now I’m panicking.

  “When did you get so sensitive? I’m only joking with you.”

  Oh for the love of Orijin, there are more important things to be worrying about, and here I am worrying again that she’ll see through me. “I know. I’m sorry. It’s just the situation. How is it that you can be so cavalier right now? Your horse was just killed and you barely survived.”

  “Baltaszar. In the past week, your father was killed. My parents practically disowned me. I ran away from home, and then watched my father die as he tried to kill you. My horse…I think I’m simply finished feeling like a victim. I am tired of crying. I am tired of feeling like I have no control. Even this stupid journey we’re on. Maybe we shouldn’t have come. Who are these men? For Orijin’s sake, look at them! They kill wildcats as big as horses like boys stepping on spiders! What business do we have traveling with them? We should just leave now, while they all have their hands full. Let's just turn around and go back.”

  “Go back to Haedon? We’ll both be killed if we go back now. I don’t trust our ‘companions’ any more than you do, but this isn’t the place to be going off on our own. We’ll bide our time.” They reached the mountain and Iridian carried them up the slope, forcing Bo’az to look up at Yasaman. “Let’s give it another day or two. Now that we’re out of the Never and the wilderness, the mountains or the sea will provide better chances for us. We just narrowly escaped death; I don’t feel like going back through that.”

  Yasaman looked at him curiously. “Maybe you’re right; we could give it a couple days. But we have to find a way to escape before we get on their ship. Once we sail off with them, we won’t have a chance.”

  That’s a couple more days to figure out how to tell you I’m Bo’az.

  “Hurry up!” Linas’ voice echoed from the landing. “We have to set up camp soon before it gets dark! I’ve already found caves.” Bo’az and Yasaman
had nearly reached him. The mountain must have had regular travelers for some time, as Bo’az had only just realized that Iridian was walking along an inclining path. Bo’az hadn’t considered that the ride up the mountain had been rather smooth the entire time.

  “Where were you? You were supposed to protect us! We were attacked!”

  “You seem all right to me. If all we lost was one horse—the girl’s horse at that—then I’d say we were quite successful. By the time the ranza reached you, I would have been unable to help you anyway. They are quite adept at going unnoticed.” Bo’az and Yasaman had finally reached him. “Follow me. The caves are a little further up the mountain.”

  Bo’az helped Yasaman dismount then hopped off Iridian. “Wait! Linas! You saw it coming for us?” Linas revealed a smug grin. “You saw it hunting us down and you didn’t even warn us? I thought you were supposed to be protecting me!”

  Linas waved his hand at Bo’az, “Look. If I had alerted you, you would have both panicked and would both most definitely be dead. I needed to see how you would react, Baltaszar. At least now I know you are not a complete coward. You handled yourself rather well, with a broken arm at that! Gibreel might even be impressed!”

  Blood raced through Bo’az’s veins. “You bloody jackass! Your idea of a test is playing with our lives? I’ll show you just how brave I can be! Just watch yourself!”

  Linas laughed heartily, as if he’d been holding it in for some time. “Foolish boy. Why are you so angry? You should be proud! You saved both of your lives! Besides, I was not playing with your life, only hers.” He nodded to Yasaman. The blood drained from Bo’az’s face as Yasaman’s jaw dropped and her eyes squinted in disbelief. “Oh, I apologize, Baltaszar. Did you not mention to your lady that she is expendable on this journey?”

  Bo’az’s choked out the words, his throat betraying him as it dried up. “You…you. What is…your problem?” Coughs interrupted his retort, “I thought you…I thought you were helping me! You don’t need to be so cold. What has Yasaman done that you hate her so much?”

  “I do not hate her, boy. I only find her unnecessary for our journey.”

  Yasaman finally spoke up, “Where is our cave? Tell me that much and I shall be out of your way. I would hate to be your child, old man.”

  Linas turned his back to lead them and walked on. “Follow me. It is just at the top of the next landing.” Linas stopped for a moment and turned back to Bo’az, his long brown and grey hair covering half of his pale face. “Baltaszar,” he sighed, “I am rigid because I have my orders. You constantly and conveniently forget that I was sent to find you and you only. Girl, I have no personal quarrel with you. But I am wary that you will complicate our plans to return with Baltaszar. Our master is a very deliberate and temperamental man. If we fail on this trek, he will not kill us. And that is what worries me, Gibreel, and Rhadames. We are too old and battle-weary to fear death. But he will make us suffer for years if we fail. I have been through too much life to deal with such things.” Linas faced them fully once again.

  “Look at me. I am old, greyed, scarred. My nose resembles a tree root because it has been broken so many times. I have three daughters not much older than you, girl. Do I want to kill you? Of course not. But I want to see my daughters again. I have not been home in nearly five years because I have been too busy searching the world for Baltaszar. I do not hate you, but I would gladly leave you behind if it means bringing Baltaszar back safely. Without question, I would readily trade your life to see my daughters again.” As Linas turned back around, the stream of tears that dangled on his chin splattered loudly against the rocky path. He walked on briskly, not waiting for Bo’az and Yasaman to follow.

  They reached another landing after another few hundred yards up. The path became more difficult the higher up they walked, but it was manageable. A series of cave openings grew visible ahead on the left. Linas shouted back to them, “The first cave is for me. Gibreel and Rhadames will share the second. You two take the third. It would be best if you two stayed in the same cave. It will be easier to guard. Gibreel will keep the first watch. Then Rhadames. They will sit outside just in case you prefer not to be disturbed. Build a fire. It will get quite cold up here. We leave at first light. No matter what.”

  “And what of our horses?”

  “That’s part of the reason for keeping watch. Our horses are trained to not leave us. Now that you only have one horse between the two of you, it will be rather easy to keep an eye on it during the night. It will only run if we encounter another predator,” Linas stated matter-of-factly, “which is not impossible, but easier to handle up here.” With that, Linas left his horse on the path and retreated into his cave.

  Yasaman looked at Bo’az, “Let’s go inside and start a fire, Tasz. I’m so tired of these men. I’d rather we were settled in before the other two return. Light of Orijin, I hope they don’t come back. Just let them die out there. They deserve worse!”

  “I don’t even know what to think anymore, Yas. You saw him. The man was crying and still telling you he would let you die in the same breath.” The thoughts buzzing through Bo’az’s mind grew tangible and gave him a headache. Linas’ words were harsh, but they held a certain honesty that Bo’az could not help respecting. He has daughters. He has a family. He’s a regular man, just like me. Just like my father. Bo’az wedged a stick between two large stones at the gaping mouth of the pitch black cave. “Can you tie the reins? My arm…” He nodded to his broken left arm. Iridian was a rather obedient horse and would likely rest for a while after her frantic pace across the high grass. “I’m not saying I trust him or anything, don’t get me wrong. But I do see some good in him.” Though the cave’s darkness shadowed much of Yasaman’s face, her icy cold glare sent chills through Bo’az. Am I constantly just saying the wrong thing or is this girl just naturally angry? “Yasaman, don’t give me that look. You know I’m not saying I agree with him.” Bo’az hushed his voice, “But we need to find an escape soon. Especially now that you have no horse. They’re going to be very impatient.”

  “What a relief. So you’re not going to kill me yourself while we’re sleeping?”

  I hope that’s sarcasm.

  “Can you start a fire for us, Tasz? It’s getting cold. Or will you need help because of your arm?” Bo’az must have furrowed his brow instinctively, as Yasaman clarified, “No, I mean that seriously. I’m not making fun of you.”

  Bo’az grew excited at the request. “Of course I can! I’m an expert at this by now!” Since Bo’az had left Haedon, Linas had asked him to build fires for the group every time they needed one. After the first couple of times, Bo’az had managed to spark a flame within seconds, no matter what the environment, even with a broken arm. He had grown quite proud of himself, though Linas and Gibreel always seemed disappointed.

  Bo’az removed the pack from his shoulders and left it against the cave wall. He gathered sticks, branches, leaves—anything he could find that would burn—until a huge pile had formed at the center of the cave. Just as with the previous times, he started a flame in less than a minute and heat permeated the cave almost immediately. He and Yasaman sat with the fire between them and the cave’s opening. The light outside was fading as the sun had already descended to the horizon.

  “I just realized, I don’t have any clothes or…well anything really. All of my things were on the horse.” She leaned against Bo’az and rested her head on his shoulder.

  “You can use my clothes and cloak to stay warm tonight. I’ll be fine.” Bo’az removed his black woolen cloak and draped it around her.

  “Baltaszar?” She whispered the name so innocently and curiously that Bo’az could not help being seduced.

  “Hmm?”

  “What happened to you? I mean, after that night in my room when you left?”

  Oh no. Not more questions. I should just tell her now. “What do you mean?”

  “I dunno. I…I guess I’m just surprised at how easily you accepted me bac
k after the things that I said. I waited at your house for almost a day when you came and found me in the closet. And the whole time, I was sure that you would be furious with me. I had it all planned out in my head how I would convince you that we should get back together. But, there’s no anger in you. None whatsoever. I just don’t understand why you’re not holding anything against me.”

  Bo’az was grateful for the fire. It kept him from having to look her in the face. “It’s just…I…well so much has happened since then. So many things have changed. I…I suppose I simply don’t have room for anger right now. At least not toward you. All we have here is each other. I’m just thankful to have you back at all.” Please let that suffice. No more questions.

  “What did you do when you left that night? What was going on in your head? I know you were so angry and I don’t think I can ever apologize enough for the things I said.”

  Is this really happening? “Are you still cold? Should I make the fire bigger?”

  “I’m fine. But answer the question. I need to know. Please?” She nestled closer and rested her slender hand on his knee.

  Oh God. Orijin, get me through this, please. I swear I’ll never do anything wrong again for as long as I live. Please just help me get out of this. “That night? Well, um…let me think. That night I…uh…I really just went back home.”

  “That’s it? You blew up at me, stormed out of my window and just walked back home without a second thought about anything? I know your temper, Tasz. Just be honest. It’s me.”

  “Seriously. I went home and went to sleep. My…my father needed me to be up early to milk the cows and sheep. I had no choice.”

  “You told me that night that Bo was covering for you in the morning. Baltaszar, just tell me the truth. Did you break something? Hurt someone? I just want to know exactly what I did to you. That’s all.”