Almost half an hour later, Dr. Walt exclaimed, “Aha, here it is.” He held up an ancient book, then lowered it again and gently set it on the table in front of him.
“Listen to this,” he said:
“Three weapons there were, created by men of science. The riati, the rabadur, and the bhorgabir. When it was clear that hostilities would not be alleviated, each side struggled to destroy the other in the most expedient matter. Experiments using men and animals were conducted and mutated life began to be used.
“The riati were the first, and least of the three. Stronger and faster than a man, they were nevertheless found to be unacceptable because of their cowardice.
“Learning from their mistakes, the scientists created the rabadur. Larger than men, grown with four arms and skin like armor plating, these creatures were used as shock troops or front-line soldiers in great battles.
“Finally were the bhorgabir created. The bhor were made from humans, mutated and bred to be the perfect assassin. Strong, limber, and very intelligent, they were sent after the leaders of the opposing side. Many fell in the events leading to the culmination of the war in which the powerful mass weapons were unleashed.
“I believe that the creature you saw was a bhorgabir, or bhor for short,” Dr. Walt continued. “It seems one may have survived the Great War. He would have to be hundreds of years old, though. Nothing in this book says anything of them living so long.”
“Perhaps many of them survived and continued to breed,” Torim Jet said. “I am not sure if I like better the idea of a centuries-old assassin or a colony of assassins.”
“I like neither,” Dr. Walt said. Palusa Filk agreed wholeheartedly.
Chapter 23
Sam was exhausted. They had been traveling hard for several days now. He was so anxious about catching the force that destroyed the hapaki community, had such a strong feeling they were just about to catch them that he had convinced the others not to go back to Whitehall. Instead, they slept a few hours and then were up again, pushing on, going ever forward. It was obvious that he had misjudged the situation.
“Sam,” Nalia said softly, “we must allow the rakkeben to rest. Whether we stop here or go back to Whitehall, they must rest. We do not have enough food to stay another night away from the fortress. We must reprovision.”
Sam rubbed his eyes. They felt like they were filled with sand. “I know. I was so sure we were close.”
She moved a stray wisp of hair from his face and kissed him, a quick peck. “I know. You are perhaps over-anxious. We will catch them, but we must make sure we are in condition to do battle when we do.”
It wasn’t anything he hadn’t told himself several times a day since they started. He could still feel the anger burning in him at what this Baron Tingai had done to the hapaki. Continued to do to the hapaki, for all he knew.
Sam looked at the others in his small party. Rindu, Nalia, and Skitter were all sitting and watching him as the last rays of the filtered sunlight reached their way through the foliage. They had not complained, not once, though he could see they were as tired as he was.
The rakkeben were lying on the ground, resting. They understood his urgency and Shonyb kept the others moving, but he had been pushing them too hard. He saw that now. “I’m sorry, everyone,” he said to no one in particular. “Let’s go back to Whitehall, have a nice meal, and get a full night’s sleep. You’re right, it’ll do us no good to catch up to the kidnappers if we’re too exhausted to fight them. Just stay where you are while I learn this place. We’ll be back home in a few minutes.”
When they returned, Sam whispered to Shonyb, “I’m sorry for pushing so hard. Go and rest. We’ll take it easier from now on, okay?” The big wolf looked into his eyes, made a humming noise, and licked his face. Then, turning, she headed toward one of the bigger parks, the one the rakkeben favored for sleeping.
Skitter headed off to the temporary den he had made in another of the parks. I understand why you were so anxious, Sam, he sent. Thank you for caring so much about my people. A strong feeling of affection came through into Sam’s mind. He formed a small smile as he saw his friend leave.
Hand in hand with Nalia, Sam accompanied Rindu into the keep. They would eat a quick dinner and then he would fall into bed. When they got to the dining hall, though, he found an unexpected gift.
“Brother Torim,” Sam heard Rindu say, “and sister Palusa. Glad is my heart to see both of you.”
Sam felt Nalia’s grip tighten as a small, silver-haired woman in Zouyim robes launched herself at Rindu, wrapping him in her arms and hugging him. He looked to Nalia and saw her face expectant, her mouth compressed in what could only be nervous tension, her eyes focused on the ground.
The woman—Palusa, Rindu called her?—released the older Zouy and looked toward Nalia. Her eyes grew wide and she rushed to the Sapsyr, drawing her into a hug that looked to be even more bone-crushing than the first. “Nalia? It is you, is it not? I almost did not recognize you without your mask.”
Sam felt Nalia’s hand relax and then she let go of his to wrap her arms around the Zouy. Her eyes squeezed shut as she held the other woman.
Nalia opened her eyes as their embrace ended and she smiled, causing warmth to rush through Sam. “Palusa Filk,” Nalia said, “this is Sam Sharp. He—”
“I know of Sam Sharp,” Palusa Filk said. She saluted him formally and bowed low, “the Hero of Gythe. I have heard much about your exploits. It is my honor to meet you.”
Sam felt as if his face was on fire. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Palusa Filk. Please, though, none of that stuff about being a hero. Mine was the least part of what happened. The Zouyim and the Sapsyra are the real heroes of Gythe. I’m honored to meet you, and to see you again, Torim Jet.” He smiled at the older Zouy.
Nalia hugged Torim Jet and frantic conversation ensued, Nalia speaking quickly with Palusa Filk, Torim Jet and Rindu conversing with each other, and Sam chatting with Dr. Walt.
“What are the guards for?” Sam asked the doctor, pointing toward the five men surrounding Dr. Walt.
“Oh, an assassin tried to kill me last night. Danaba decided it would be good to have me guarded around the clock.”
“Danaba? Danaba Kemp? He’s here, too?” Sam asked, excited.
“You bet your little booties, he is,” Danaba’s voice preceded the man. “How are you Sam? Or should I say Hero of Gythe?” He laughed his booming laugh.
Sam turned and saw Kemp, wincing. “Please, don’t start everyone saying that. Please.”
The shorter man patted Sam on the shoulder. “Oh, I’m just teasing you. I won’t actually call you that. After all, it was only because of me that you were able to kill that bastard.”
The room became quiet. Nalia looked toward Sam, gauging his reaction. Sam sighed.
“He was my uncle, Danaba,” was all he said.
For the first time Sam had ever seen, Danaba Kemp was actually speechless.
“I…uh…I didn’t know,” Danaba said softly. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. You couldn’t have known. I didn’t know, either. He had been tortured and driven almost insane. At the end, he came back to me, if only for a moment. He took his own life, his conscience not allowing him to continue living. I like to remember him as he was, not as the thing he became.” He paused for a moment. “On the other hand, you can call Shordan Drees six kinds of bastard if you want. I won’t mind that at all.”
Danaba laughed and slapped Sam’s shoulder again. “That I will, Sam. That I will.”
Nalia patted Cleave’s shaggy head. Sam had transported himself, Rindu, her, Skitter, and the three rakkeben to the location they left the evening before. They had stayed in the dining hall conversing with Danaba Kemp, Torim Jet, and Palusa Filk for an hour or so longer than she had planned, begging their pardon to leave so she could get some sleep. She felt adequate this morning, still slightly tired but much better than the previous day. It was amazing what a full night of sleep could
do for a body. Almost a full night’s sleep.
The small party headed east on the trampled path the large force had made, just like the previous days. She wondered when they would reach the people who had destroyed the hapaki community. Would it be today? Anxious feelings to engage them in combat rushed through her, causing her hands to tighten as if holding her shrapezi. The hapaki were an honorable people, even if not human. She shared Sam’s anger at what happened, but did not show it like he did. With a lifetime of controlling her emotions, it was to be expected that she did not show them as readily.
She looked to Sam. He was conversing with her father softly before starting out. His gestures, his facial expressions, so familiar to her after all this time, still held her attention and fascinated her. She could watch him for hours, never getting tired of doing so. Her mother used to stare at her father when he was talking. Was she thinking or feeling the same thing Nalia did in those times? She wished she could ask her mother about it, and about so many other things.
Nalia shook her head, not wanting her thoughts to go down that path. Sam and her father were finishing their conversation. He looked at her and smiled. Her heart felt as if was floating upward. She smiled back at him and saw him take a deep breath. She loved it that she affected him so. What had she ever done without him?
Sam and Rindu mounted their rakkeben. Skitter was already in place in his litter on Shoynb’s back. She took the hint and mounted Cleave. As they headed out for another day of tedious travel, she wondered what the end of the chase would look like. Would the three of them be enough to defeat such a large force?
Long odds were nothing new to any of them. Even Sam, who had less experience than she and her father did, had been tested when they were in Gythe the last time. His skill had only increased while in Telani. She did not worry about him as much as before. Still, how large an army could the three of them battle? Perhaps they would find out soon.
In the early afternoon, the small party crested a hill and a view of a valley leapt to meet them. The path of devastation wound its way down onto the valley floor and went through what looked to be a village. It surprised Nalia because she had seen no roads or anything else that would indicate that there were dwellings near, especially not a large grouping of them. She could see no less than twenty structures nestled amongst the trees.
The three looked at each other, then alternated between looking at the buildings, the surrounding area, and each other.
“I think we need to be careful,” Sam said. He spoke softly to Shonyb. “The rakkeben don’t seem to sense anything dangerous, but I’d rather be sure.”
Nalia and Rindu just nodded.
The party set off down into the valley at a slow walk, their heads swiveling as they went. They made it to the level of the village without mishap. With their new vantage point, the details of the buildings, closer now, could be picked out. All of the ones visible were made of rough-hewn wood, log cabin style. They were generally squarish, but there were two of them that were long rectangles, low to the ground. Nalia could only count three that had more than one floor. Many had obvious fire damage and more than half the doors seemed to have been broken, as if being kicked in.
“Oh no,” Sam said as he scanned the scene. “It’s like with the hapaki dens except that it was probably easier to kick doors in and take the occupants than to dig up an entire community. Let’s see if we can find any survivors.” He leaned over and took Nalia’s hand and squeezed it. “Be careful.”
She chuckled at that. “I will,” she said, smiling at him.
They dismounted and headed toward the center of the village. When they had only taken two steps, all three rakkeben suddenly started growling, their hackles rising. Their heads turned toward the same area, just off to the left. An answering growl, much deeper, sounded from that direction.
“I wouldn’t move if I were you,” a man’s voice said from the trees. “Put your weapons down.”
Chapter 24
Nalia realized that she had drawn her shrapezi. Sam was holding Ahimiro in a guard position as well. Rindu was standing there, as if the rakkeben and whatever creature that was in the forest were not growling.
“I won’t tell you again,” the man said, “put your weapons down or we’ll loose the arrows we have pointed at you.”
Rindu looked at Nalia and then at Sam. His face showed no emotion. He knew as well as she that unless there was a large force in the trees—something that wasn’t possible because the rakkeben would have sensed or smelled them—they could not shoot enough arrows at them to prevent them from dodging them all.
“Who are you?” Rindu said in the direction of the voice.
There was a whispered exchange that seemed like arguing, but Nalia could not hear it clearly with the animal growls. There was a pause.
“We live in this village,” the voice said. “Who are you?”
“We are following the force that made this path,” Rindu said. “They attacked a community of friends and we plan to rescue the captives. We mean you no harm. We are simply passing through and wanted to help any survivors here. We will be on our way.”
There was another pause. The growling in the trees lessened slightly. There was another whispered conversation.
“What other community? There are no other towns or villages for two hundred miles.”
“It was a hapaki community,” Sam said, “more than a hundred miles to the west. Their dens were dug up and the hapaki taken captive. Listen, we don’t have time for this. If you don’t want our help, we’re leaving. I’m sure you recognize that one of my companions is a Zouyim monk and the other is a Sapsyr. You would be mistaken to think you could survive attacking us, even with the beast you have. We will leave now.”
With that, he turned his back and began walking around the village, keeping to the edge of the path. Shonyb growled once more, sniffed, and followed him.
Nalia looked at Rindu. He shrugged slightly, put his hand on his rakkeben, and followed Sam. With one more look toward where the voice was, she turned and did the same.
“Wait!” a different voice said, a woman’s this time. “Wait. Maybe we can help each other.”
The bushes parted and a young woman stepped out, dressed all in green with a bow in her hand and the fletching of more than two dozen arrows poking up over her right shoulder. A man with an exasperated look on his face followed her, also carrying a bow, his other hand on the fur of the largest bear Nalia had ever seen.
The man lifted his hand from the bear and grabbed the woman’s wrist, trying to pull her back. She shook his hand off and took three more steps toward the party. The man eyed the three of them warily and the bear growled low in its throat at them.
The two people were obviously related. They shared the same angular features and the same wavy hair, hers a bit closer to auburn and his redder. Whereas he was large and muscular, she was muscled but toned instead of bulky. He looked like he was as strong as an ox and she looked as supple and quick as a viper. They both had green eyes, hers shining bright in the afternoon light and his paler.
They both wore garb that made Nalia think they were hunters. Snug leather pants, green sleeveless tunics, and high boots that looked to be functional for traveling through the forest without being heard. The way they held those bows—which were exquisitely made—she knew they were skilled with them. The weapons almost seemed part of them.
The bear, on the other hand, Nalia could not figure out. It was as large as the rakkeben, probably outweighing them by several hundred pounds. It stood there on four paws, alternately sniffing at her and growling.
“We’re sorry for the rude welcome,” the woman said. “But we just returned from a hunting trip and found our village destroyed, all the survivors carried off. We were just checking for anyone left when you showed up. Despite my brother’s blustering, we do know of the Zouyim and the Sapsyra, the protectors of Gythe. It has been years since anyone has really seen them.”
She stopped then, a
nd shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I’m showing bad manners. I am Inoria Dinn, and this,” she patted the man’s arm, “is my brother Emerius. Oh, and that’s Oro. He’s our friend.”
Nalia saw Emerius watching her intently. She ignored him. “I am Nalia Wroun. This is my father Rindu Zose and our companion is named Sam Sharp.”
“Sam Sharp?” Emerius said. “The Sam Sharp, Hero of Gythe? The one all the traders are talking about?”
Nalia saw Sam flush. “Yes, that is he.”
“Funny, I thought you’d be older,” Emerius said, and then turned to Nalia.. “You must be the pair that we have heard all the stories about. The Lone Zouy and the Faceless Sapsyr. But all the stories say that you always wear a mask, that you never take it off.”
“I have taken it off now,” she said.
Inoria sensed her tension. “Em, mind your manners. We’re in the presence of legends.” Turning to them, she continued. “It’s an honor to meet all of you. Maybe we can go to our house and see if any of the furniture has survived. It’s just over there. We can tell you what we know and, like I said before, maybe we can help each other.”
“That sounds like a good idea,” Sam said. “Is Oro going to have problems with the rakkeben?”
“No,” Inoria said happily. “He’s really very gentle, unless he thinks we’re in danger. Then, um, he’s not very gentle at all.”
Just then, Skitter poked his head up from the litter strapped to Shonyb, trying to get a better look. Inoria’s eyes grew wide. “Oh my. Is that a hapaki? A real hapaki? I’ve never actually seen one before, just heard about them in old stories.”
Sam smiled and put his hand on Skitter’s head. “This is Skitter. He’s an old friend. He is the true Hero of Gythe. Maybe I can tell you about it some time.”
Inoria kept her eyes locked on Skitter and said, “I’d love to hear it. Come on, we’ll see if there is any tea that wasn’t stolen or destroyed.”
Harmonic Magic Series Boxed Set Page 70