by P. G. Thomas
Lauren jumped out of the wagon, “Damn it, Panry, I thought you were going to die.”
“Zymse, north of the Key he stays. To him we cannot get, as only on special occasions does the foul snake leave his den. We were captured to bait him, which works, but then you showed up. Did not think and destroyed our hard work!”
“Screw you, Panry!” shouted Lauren as she headed back to the wagon where Ryan and Logan were now standing.
[Danger. Emotional conflict. Surge protectors hold—failed. Examine options.] Hearing the hurtful words, seeing Lauren’s pained look, Ryan grew in size with his clothing melding to his body, which turned to stone. Then the rage filled stone golem, now ten feet tall, called out to Panry, “You’ll apologize.”
Rolling his sleeves back, Logan began rubbing his forearms, “Yeah, what the big guy said.”
Since Lauren was in no danger, Panry knew that Ryan’s threats were meaningless. “We planned the execution of Zymse, but you have caused us to fail.”
“She didn’t know! We all thought we were saving your lives!” protested Logan.
Ryan’s words were thick with anger, “I still haven’t heard the words I want to hear?”
Every gaze turned to Panry, “Unnamed, Ryan, for three months we have planned this event, and we hoped to end the plague source that kills our lands and Mother’s children alike. I know that she does not seek to extend his evil rule, but I am upset. Earth Mother, once again I misplace my anger. In truth, I am glad to see you, but this night, the death of Zymse I anticipated celebrating, and not a reunion with my Moth Flame.”
Seeing the smile from Panry, she hugged him, “I’ve missed you so much.”
“Your absence I have also felt,” Panry continued, “but miss you, Moth Flame, I did not have a chance. While these lands you left, chaos remained, and quiet they have not been.”
“Your words are like music to my ears, old friend.”
Panry finished hugging Lauren back, “There are two here that you should meet.” He walked past Ryan, who began to revert to normal.
Babartin Dawnfalcon stepped forward, smiled showing his missing teeth, “Earth Mother, long have I thought of you. I am glad see you back.”
She looked at one-half of the team that had served as her front guard for so long, “Where is Careel?”
He looked to the ground.
She pulled him close, hugged him, “I’m so sorry.”
“He passed and serves Mother now.”
Then Panry pointed to a dark corner, “Son of Alron.” As she headed over, he called out, “I apologize for any unkind words that I may have spoken.”
Lauren approached the still figure, “I don’t know what to say, Oxron. Did I pronounce your name correctly?” She saw the silent figure nod his head. “I’m not sure what Panry told you since we had our disagreements, but in the end, we were friends. When I arrived here, your father was my protector. He was a great elf—” The tears started to well up in her eyes, so she changed the subject, “Alron, your father, he never told me about you.”
There was a frigid rejection in Oxron’s voice, “I was born while he was away. He did not know that he sired a son.” Then Lauren watched him walk off into the dark, and unable to hold back the tears, she ran back to Ryan.
When the door at the far end of the building opened, a man wearing fine clothes of a Darkpaye design entered the dimly lit building. “What happened? Everything was going perfect as Zymse was about to step out of the carriage.”
Panry turned to the stranger, “Old friends in the crowd did not know we seta a trap. They thought I was in danger, and they wanted to save me from my unjust death.”
“You know how hard it was to convince Zymse to have the hanging on the south side of the river,” was his angered reply.
Panry pointed to the bruises on his face, “It was easier than my prison stay where they questioned and beat me often.”
“You are right, but it is getting harder to encourage him to leave that fortress of his, and he will not fall for the same plan again.” Then, with his eyes adjusting to the darkened interior of the building, he noticed the taller figures in the room. Seeing the new faces, he turned his back to them, “Who are these people?”
Panry approached the stranger, “They are my friends who rescued me. May I introduce—”
The stranger turned to the side, glared at the elf, “NO NAMES!”
Pulling out his silver flask, Panry took a drink and handed it to the stranger, “I trust them.”
He took a quick sip, handed it back, “It is your trust, so spend it where you want.”
Panry turned to the small group that had rescued him, foiling the assassination attempt, “This is my Darkpaye informant who we shall call X. Three years past, he hunted me down but not for a reward. Instead, he sought to conspire with me. X, you should tell them why, as they need to understand what has happened.”
“I dislike this, as they could be spies trying to find out about us.”
“Until they saw my gallows hood pulled back, they did not even know I was in the Bright Coast, but friends of Zymse they are not. Of this, I can assure you.” X and Panry walked over to a beat up table, followed by Lauren, Ryan, and Babartin. While Lauren’s friends listened from a short distance, the other rebels carried out their tasks.
X began, “Four years ago, Zymse went back to Darkpaye. I was hoping for good, but a year later he returned, and unlike Zymse, there was no grand announcement of his ‘glorious’ return, which was odd for his considerable ego. I was on the docks that day receiving a payment from Darkpaye, and saw him unloading his cargo. Scaring me, I sought out the resistance fighters, hoping that with my information they could stop him, and any plans he was making. I had no interest in seeing what happened in Darkpaye repeat here.”
“I don’t understand. What do you mean?” asked Lauren.
“After the war with Calicon ended, everything went back to normal in Darkpaye, but without the war effort to support the economy it slowed down. Those that had power did what was necessary to protect it and their place in the political structure. It was about seven years after the war ended when I first saw Zymse in Darkpaye. He was talking about Calicon; how cheap the land was, the high unemployment, basically the opportunities of relocating. If you could afford one servant in Darkpaye, they considered you well off, but here, the same amount could hire twenty since everything was less. Any that had some wealth, but were restricted from growing it, like me, headed here. At home, some of us could barely afford to purchase a modest house, but here we bought ten. Then we started making goods that we sent back. As everything is so expensive there, we could undercut all of the prices. To compete, more came over and did the same. Everything was good, and I had no interest in seeing it change.”
“Good, if you lived on the north side of the river!” added Lauren.
X shook his head, “All I purchased is legal, and I have registered titles for proof. Those that I employ are free to seek work elsewhere. There are some who are crueler to those of Calicon, but I am not like that, and I have never done anything wrong or illegal. In fact, I am one of the few who have learned their simple language.”
“Then why conspire against Zymse?” asked Ryan.
“He started talking about changing things, ruling the lands, because he was always power hungry. The majority here considered him to be the leader of this version of Darkpaye. We let him call the shots, but for the most part, what he did had little effect on us. When he began to hint about ruling Calicon, well, that changed. I never liked how things were run back home, and I had no interest in the same crushing government here. Or worse yet, having only one control all, so I provided information, but each time, Zymse was slippery enough to escape from our traps.” X turned to Panry, “I am going back across the river to see what I can find out.” Then the stranger stood, headed for the back door, and left the building.
“His caution is necessary,” advised Panry. “If Zymse found out he conspires, great wo
uld his fate be.”
“He never told us what Zymse cargo was. Do you know?” asked Eric.
“For years, I tried to find out, but he will not tell me. In the same years, his worry increases, becoming more on edge. What he saw that day with Zymse, I have no idea. Where are you staying?”
“We’re staying at Gayne’s house in the south end of the city,” replied Lauren.
“Why are you now back?”
Lauren looked to Ryan, and he knew the story would cause her less pain if she only had to hear the words. He went on to explain about the machine, the kidnapping of their daughters and the mysterious arrival. Explaining the events from the past month, he also told of the forest meeting and their plan to feed the children so that they would begin talking to Mother. Maybe it was an honest mistake, or simply that Ryan was unable to bring himself to say the words, but he omitted the fact that the daughters of Zymse were the same they searched for, the others also never realizing the omission.
“Mother’s children are talking to her again, she is stirring,” added Lauren.
Panry looked at the group, “In but one month you have done all of that? You have impressed me, and you met with Tranquil and Mother, who is a tree? I though that I felt Mother, but she seemed odd. John has conjured a cure for the forest. I feel for the both of you and your stolen daughters. What plans does John have?”
“It’s complicated,” advised Ryan, “but if it works everything should go back to normal.”
“If any can do such a thing, it shall be the Unchosen. Where is he now?”
“Back at Ironhouse, working on the machine,” replied Eric.
“Panry, what happened to the Bastards?” asked Logan.
“While some arrived here, I heard that Zymse has placed a bounty on your young students, and he hunts them down. If any remain, I do not know where they are.” Panry looked at the group, “Go back to Gayne’s. Do what you can to help Mother heal, to feed her children. If you can heal Mother, her wrath at Zymse shall be great, and perchance peace shall once again embrace Calicon. If I need you, I shall seek you out, but should I not, then please be safe.”
“Panry, please talk to Oxron for me,” requested Lauren. “I can feel his pain, and I don’t want him to hate me.”
He nodded, called to Babartin, “Take them back to the the main road and make sure they are safe.”
Before they could object, Panry turned, heading to the far door, while Babartin rounded them up, leading them towards the back.
*******
After Babartin had completed his assignment, he walked up to Panry, “Should we not ask Earth Mother to help?”
“No. Mother’s last words my ears heard was to kill Zymse, and her Earth Bond I will not transfer to another. Earth Mother has her own problems to deal with, and Zymse is ours to kill.”
*******
Lauren was sitting on the patio, sipping a glass of honey wine, “Did we screw up again?”
“There was no way that we could know Panry was trying to trap Zymse,” replied Ryan. “We didn’t even know he was here, and if the tables were turned, he would have tried to save you—no, he would have, like you saved him. Let’s just do what he suggested, and help Mother heal by feeding the people.”
“The last time we were here,” Lauren began, “if I hadn’t run off in the covered forest, climbed into that tree so that Mother found me, would this be happening?”
“I’ve no idea. I heard Tranquil say that we were an accident, but if you hadn’t done what you did, so much more would’ve changed.”
“I know, but at Ironhouse, they would never have proclaimed me an Earth Daughter. I would never have named the sword or champion. Somebody else would have—”
Ryan interrupted her, “Maybe, but you also told me how you healed Zack and me in the covered forest. If you hadn’t connected with Mother, then I would most likely have died, and Logan would never have found Sister. The Ironhouse clan would still have named the sword and the champion, who I well imagine would have been Eric. Without you to keep him in check, John, Logan, and you would’ve watched Eric slaughter the Darkpaye army.”
“But Zymse wouldn’t have come after our daughters.”
“We would never have had them if I died. In fact, John may never have found the magic so you would’ve been trapped here, and everything would’ve changed.”
“Nothing makes any sense.” Suddenly, she jerked back and began to rub her hand. “Ouch! Stop that.”
“I didn’t do anything,” replied a surprised Ryan.
Lauren ran her wet lips across a fresh red mark. Before either could ask what had happened, they felt more rain drops fall on them and quickly ran inside the house.
Logan, sitting at the dining table, set down his mug of ale, “Did it burn?”
“Yes. You could’ve warned us!” replied Lauren.
“She tells me what to do, not what she’s doing.”
Chapter 21
The rain fell intermittently for a week, and on those days, Eric, Steve, and Amber would head out with raincoats in hand. They would look for large gatherings, waiting for the fire rain to fall, then start to whisper the ‘rumors’ they had heard that it was the tears of Mother. Sister must have understood better than John had hoped, as only light showers fell on the Bright Coast. Maybe she had also heard the calls to Mother, and instead of cleansing the town, only sought to reinforce the children’s belief. On those days, Logan, feeling Sister’s presence, headed to the wine cellar to drink in the dark, remembering how being buried had blocked her influence over him.
The following week, the skies cleared, and so too did the pressure from Sister on Logan. The change in the weather allowed Eric, Steve, and Amber to travel further, planting the rumors of belief and hope. Occasionally, when they saw families unsuccessfully searching for food, they would direct them towards some of the hidden gardens that they had planted, telling them that Mother had provided the directions. Since the promised reduction in food prices never arrived, immigrants started to shop south of the Key River, as there was now so much food for sale in the Bright Coast. However, shops that now sold food listed two prices on their fresh harvests: one for Calicon residents, one for others.
As the last sun was setting, Ryan walked out onto the patio to advise Lauren the meal was ready. She had spent the day with her staff outside, sensing the newly planted seeds, willing them to grow, and listening to the conversations meant for Mother. As she sat down at the table, she looked at the same food seen for almost two months: fried meats and vegetables. “Tomorrow, can we go over to Danex’s garden, see if we can find the ingredients for a salad. Then find a soured bottle of wine to dress it?”
Ryan’s answer was simple, from the heart, “Yes, my love.” Then he took a deep breath. “Now please don’t get mad, but Steve’s warning about Zymse trying to retaliate.”
She reached for her glass of wine, sighing, as she searched for the right words. “I haven’t felt any counter magic, but I expect—” She reached up, wiping away the tears that were beginning to form, and forced the words out, “In their condition they—” Then, hearing Eric, Steve, and Amber enter the house, she quickly regained her composure.
Rushing into the dining room, Amber, so excited, started talking in elf. “All that we see, they talk of Mother’s tears, and of her bounty that all feast on.”
Before the others could elaborate on the day’s events, from outside, they heard Hoyle and Korg barking. Ryan ran to the front door of the house, and when he opened it, saw Panry and X standing motionless just inside the gate. Walking up to the dogs, he told them to back off. When they had taken refuge in the bushes, he invited the two unexpected guests into the house. In the dining room, the rest had gathered, wondering the reason for the unexpected visit.
The look on Panry’s face was the same from so long ago when she had caused him anguish with his chosen profession. “My friend, X, grave news he delivered this night. Words I believe Earth Mother should hear, and the help of Ryan�
��I mean the Unnamed I shall need.”
Logan came up from the basement carrying several bottles of wine, popped the cork on the first, pouring all a drink, and then sat down at the table. X accepted his, and at the same time, he pulled the cloak closer to obscure his features.
Panry was pushed to his limits, tired of the games, so he forcefully pulled the cloak back. “Darkath, no longer can you hide. These, these are my friends, and you can trust them as I do. Now speak your words that you uttered this night, else your tongue I shall remove.”
Darkath glared back, “Bastard!”
“What?” asked Logan.
Through gritted teeth, Panry spoke with anger, “Tell them!”
Darkath looked at the group, grabbed his drink, downing it in one action, and then asked for more. “Over the last three years, Zymse has been acting stranger, and for him, I never thought that possible. I always thought there was only so much mad that you could cram into one vessel, but his seems to be without limits. Several years ago, I saw him unload something from a ship which scared me. Before that, I never really cared for what he said or did, as long as it had no effect on my business. Because of what I saw that day, I knew I had to stay close to him so that I might find out what evil he wanted to unleash. Zymse likes to drink, and only the amount he can consume exceeds his excessive depths of cruelty, or so I thought. Finding the best dwarven distillers, I paid them to create the most exceptional liquids to loosen his stubborn tongue. At Thaxsons, I paid through the nose for a particular substance to cancel the effects of intoxication. When I had both, I sent a message to him, offering a unique blend that I had purchased. At first, he hesitated to take me up on my offer, but the chance to savor something different finally won him over, and he sent me an invitation. That is where our ‘friendship’ began, or, like I prefer to call it, my betrayal of Zymse. This week I broke out a very unusual liquid, which I had been saving for some time, because I had discovered the most troubling news. I have a new line of goods coming out next year, and with the designs being completed, I needed a new catalog to send back to Darkpaye. When I was at the print shop, I saw the most disturbing poster, and I knew I had to act.” Darkath pulled one out of his pocket, unfolded it, but nobody in the room reacted as he thought they should. Astounded by the emotionless response, his face went pale, thinking he was in a room filled with Zymse sympathizers, and he started to stand.