by Heidi Skarie
“Yes, it’s fortunate I was carrying it. The knife has belonged to the Marsindi line of rulers for centuries.” He recited the verse engraved on the blade from memory, “To the Lord of Jaipur, Master of the Rose, Swordsman of Spirit, Goodness begets Goodness, Evil begets Evil.”
“Is the knife a psychic weapon?” Toemeka asked.
“The knife has no power of its own,” Michio said. “It draws energy from the person using it. That’s why the purpose behind its use is so important. The heart and intent of the user is reflected in the knife. Look, we can’t let those criminals get away. Let’s split up. Erling, go after Zanton; I’ll go after Cadmus and Toemeka can find Zac and his men.”
“No, we need to stay together,” Toemeka said. “Cadmus could circle back and try to capture me again.”
“Toe’s right,” Erling said. “It’s too dangerous to leave her and the baby unguarded. Take them back to the house and I’ll go after Zanton and Cadmus, so we don’t lose them.”
“You can’t track both men,” Toemeka said. “They went different ways. None of us are safe while either one is alive. Michio and I can track Cadmus while you track Zanton.”
“Toemeka, if you come with me, you have to promise to stay out of the fight,” Michio said.
“Neither one of us is going to fight him. We’ll just track him and let Captain Zachary and his men know his location.” She pushed a button on her communicator and gave Zac their location, then she and Michio headed in Cadmus’ direction.
“Let’s just leave Cadmus to Zac and his men and go home,” Michio said. “This is no place for Baymond.”
“I won’t do anything to put our son at risk.”
“You just brought him into the middle of a deadly fight with three sorcerers.”
“What else could I do? They were about to kill you.”
“I’m grateful you saved my life, but I could never forgive myself if anything happened to you or Baymond. Let’s head home.”
Torn, she shook her head. “Cadmus will have a spacecraft nearby. If we don’t stop him, he’ll escape. We can’t let that happen. We need to end this now. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder, afraid of him capturing me again.”
“Nor do I.” They continued hiking in the same direction. It was dark in the forest and Toemeka stuck close to Michio. Branches grabbed her clothes and the uneven ground made it hard to not to trip.
Finally they emerged from the woods and found themselves at the base of a high cliff wall. The sky was starting to lighten in the predawn.
“Where did he go?” Toemeka looked both directions, then gazed upward. Above them, Cadmus was scaling the nearly vertical rock wall. “Up there! He’s getting away.”
Michio followed her gaze. “Stay here. I’ll follow him.”
Toemeka clasped his arm. “Be careful. Here, take the blaster.”
He took the weapon and starting scaling the mountain.
Further up the cliff wall, Cadmus spotted Michio and pulled out a blaster.
“Look out!” Toemeka screamed.
34
Final Battle
Blaster fire rained down the cliff wall toward Michio and pieces of rocks sprayed out, forcing him to retreat under a rock overhang. Higher up the cliff, Cadmus start climbing again. Michio leaned out from behind the overhang and fired back. Cadmus returned fire and Michio drew under the overhang.
Toemeka realized Michio couldn’t reach Cadmus without fully exposing himself as he scaled the steep rock wall. Diving back into the woods, she found a tree with a stout limb to hang the baby carrier on. She hesitated to leave her sleeping baby, but he seemed content, swaying gently in the tree. Toemeka kissed his soft cheek, before heading back to the rock wall where Michio was held at bay.
At the cliff base near the woods, she found a narrow crevice in the side of the precipice that reached all the way to the top. She squeezed into the fissure and started climbing using both sides in her ascent and moved steadily upward.
Finally, she reached top of the crevice and peered over the edge. Cadmus wasn’t in sight. She climbed warily onto the clifftop and gazed over the edge. Cadmus was a short distance below her, nearly at the top. When his hand grasped the edge of the cliff, she stomped on it and he withdrew his hand. A moment later he thrust his torso over the edge of the cliff, grabbed one of her legs and yanked on it. She screamed as she fell to the ground and was pulled toward the edge of the cliff. He let go of her leg and scrambled up beside her, then pinned her beneath him. “I didn’t expect to recapture you so easily,” he snarled.
“You haven’t captured me!” She tried to buck him off.
“You never give up, do you?” Cadmus stood and jerked her up after him. Grasping her wrist in a vise-like grip, he gazed over the edge. Below them, Michio was ascended the cliff wall.
Cadmus draw his blaster out of its holster and aimed at Michio. Toemeka threw herself against him, screaming, “Michio, watch out!”
Cadmus jerked away, releasing her. She lost her balance and tumbled toward the rocky edge. Cadmus dropped the blaster as he grabbed for her and the weapon clunked to the ground, bounced and dropped over the edge. Cadmus pulled Toemeka to him. “You little fool, you could’ve killed yourself.”
Her heart hammered wildly as she realized how close she’d come to falling. Cadmus turned toward the cliff edge to check Michio’s progress. Toemeka spun away and started running. She heard him right behind her and sprinted forward, wanting to give Michio enough time to reach the top. He grabbed a fistful of her hair and her head jerked backwards and she stumbled to a stop, panting for breath.
“Let her go!” Michio yelled as he scrambled onto the top of the ledge. Cadmus put a knife to Toemeka’s throat and turned to face his enemy. Her knees felt weak as the cold steel touched her skin.
“Throw down your weapon or I’ll slit her throat,” Cadmus growled.
Michio tossed down his blaster.
“He’s bluffing,” Toemeka cried.
Cadmus tightened his arm around her chest. “I’d rather you were dead than belong to another man.”
“And I’d rather be dead than belong to you!” Toemeka spat.
“Start down, Kimes, or I’ll kill her.”
Michio lowered himself over the side. Something inside Toemeka snapped as she saw him disappear from view. She grabbed the knife blade with her left hand and with her right pushed Cadmus’ hand away from her throat. The knife cut into her palm as she continued struggling against Cadmus.
“Let go of the knife!” Cadmus exclaimed.
“So you can slit my throat?”
“I’d never kill you.”
Panting in frightened gasps, she said, “Why should I believe you?”
“You haven’t much choice. Why don’t we both let go of the knife at the same time?”
She hesitated a moment, then nodded tightly. She released the blade, but kept her right hand over his on the handle.
Together they threw it to the ground. Cadmus reached down to pick it up and Toemeka kicked him in the side of the knee. He cursed and reached for her and she punched him in the nose. He slugged her hard in the stomach. She collapsed on the ground in agony.
Michio climbed onto the ledge a few feet from them. Cadmus charged at him. The two men fought at the cliff edge, exchanging a series of blows, as Toemeka gasped for air.
Michio chopped Cadmus in the side of his head, then swept his leg into the side of Cadmus’ leg. Cadmus’ leg buckled. He cried out as he lost his balance and tumbled over the ledge. He screamed as he plunged toward the ground far below.
Michio squatted beside Toemeka and drew her into his arms. She burst into tears, shaking uncontrollably. He kissed her and she held tightly onto him. His arms felt safe and strong, easing her distress.
“You’re bleeding, sweetheart. Let me see your hand.” He cradled her injured left hand in his. Blood flowed from the cut across her palm. He wrapped his handkerchief around it and tied it securely.
/> “We’d better get back to Baymond.” She wiped the tears off her cheeks. “I left him in his baby carrier, hanging from a branch.” Then a terrible thought struck her and she scrambled to her feet in a panic. “What if Cadmus isn’t dead? What if he hears Baymond crying and hurts him?”
“Cadmus couldn’t survive such a fall.” To be sure, Michio stepped closer to the edge and looked down. “He’s dead. How’d you beat me to the top of the cliff?”
“I climbed up a crevice. It’ll be the best place to climb down as well.” She led him to it.
“Can you climb with an injured hand?”
She looked down at the blood-soaked handkerchief. Her hand was throbbing and her stomach still ached from being slugged. “I don’t have a choice; our baby’s down there.”
“I’ll go down first. If you slip, I’ll block your fall.” He climbed into the crevice and went down six feet before looking up at her. She backed over the edge and started down, using her right hand and left forearm.
“Are you all right?” Michio asked.
“Just keep moving.”
Toemeka hated the slow decent for she wanted to get to Baymond as soon as possible. As soon as Michio hit the ground, he reached up and grasped Toemeka around the waist, lifting her down beside him. She looked over at the base of the cliff where Cadmus’ bloodied broken body lay sprawled on the ground. She half-expected him to jump up and charge at her. “Are you sure he’s dead?”
Michio walked over and checked the body. “He’s dead all right.”
“Thank God.” She ran into the woods and over to Baymond, still asleep in the carrier.
Michio arrived moments later. He lifted the carrier off the branch and put it on his back.
“Let’s find Erling,” he said. “He may need our help. I saw flashes of light coming from that direction.” He pointed east.
Before long they entered a deep gorge ten feet across at the base. Rainwater started pouring down the sides of the rock walls in small waterfalls and soon they were slogging through water. Rounding a bend, they saw Erling and Zanton off in the distance. They were fighting with death swords.
“Stay here with Baymond,” Michio said.
Toemeka helped remove the baby carrier from Michio’s back. Baymond began crying and she lifted him into her arms. .
“Shh, don’t cry, little one.” Toemeka held Baymond close and began swaying back and forth to calm him. “Mommy will take care of you.” Blood from her injured hand stained his clothes.
“Stay back,” Michio said. “I’m not sure what kind of powers Zanton has.”
“I will.”
His intense green eyes stared into hers. “Promise me no matter what happens, you’ll stay out of this fight.”
Their eyes locked and she nodded. “I promise I’ll stay here with Baymond, no matter what.”
Michio drew her and the crying baby close. “Thank you. I don’t want to worry about you and Baymond while Erling and I fight Zanton.”
Michio released her and started toward the fighting men. Toemeka held Baymond to her heart as she waded through the water to wait under a rock overhang.
***
Michio hurried down the gorge, relieved his spirited wife had agreed to stay out of the fight. When he reached Erling and Zanton, Erling called out, “It’s my fight, Mich.”
Through the driving rain, Michio watched the two men fencing in rainwater that had risen over their shoes. He moved closer, not willing to let Erling die for the sake of honor, bravery, revenge or whatever other reason Erling might have for wanting to fight Zanton one-on-one.
In a flash Zanton’s sword opened like a pair of scissors. Erling snapped opened his own death sword in a similar fashion, slid his blades between Zanton’s and gave a sharp twist. The sword flew out of Zanton’s hand and disappeared into the water.
“It’s over, Zanton,” Erling said. “Surrender.”
Zanton’s eyes narrowed into slits and negative power gathered around him.
“Use magic and you’ll have me to deal with,” Michio yelled over the wind.
Zanton looked from Michio to Erling, his expression livid with rage.
Erling lifted his sword toward Zanton. “Surrender or die!”
Zanton raised his hands in the air, apprehension mirrored in his eyes.
“This time you won’t remain King of Hakluyt,” Erling said. “You’ll spend the rest of your life in prison.”
The fight over, Michio glanced around uneasily. The way the rainwater cascaded down the rock walls, he knew the water in the gorge would keep rising. They needed a way to get out of the narrow canyon. He spotted an incline nearby where they could climb up and pointed to it. “Take Zanton to the top. I’ll get Toemeka and the baby and join you.” When he started back the way he’d come, he found himself walking against the rushing water. Staring through the heavy downpour, he spotted Toemeka, sitting under a rock overhang, near where he’d left her.
Naturally she kept her promise this time, he thought with alarm, when she and Baymond were in danger of being swept away by the rising water. He shouted her name, but his voice was drowned out by a loud clap of thunder that sounded like gunfire right next to him. He redoubled his efforts to fight his way through the water toward them.
Finally, she spotted him and stood up with Baymond clutched to her chest. She started toward him through water that was up to her knees. . Michio almost reached her when he heard a roar. Behind Toemeka a wall of water hurtled down the gorge.
Toemeka heard it too and started running. She tripped and she fell in the water with the baby. Michio grabbed her as she swept by, pulling her and Baymond out of the water.
“Look! A ledge!” he shouted to be heard above the roar of the water. He kept a hand on her upper arm as they pushed their way through the rising water. They finally reached the ledge. Michio boosted Toemeka onto the ledge. She switched the baby to her left arm and reached out to him with her uninjured hand. “Grab on!” she screamed.
Just then, the wall of water hit him and he was swept down the gorge. He went under and swam back to the surface, gasping for breath. As he approached where he’d left Erling and Zanton, he saw Erling on higher ground, holding out a branch.
Michio grabbed it as he came by. The thundering river tried to pull the branch from Erling’s hands, but he managed to pull Michio toward the bank. Michio found a foothold in the rocks and started ascending the gorge wall. Torrential water poured down and it felt like he was crawling up a waterfall. Michio found another handhold in the slippery rocks and took another step upward. His arms and legs ached with the effort as his right foot searched for another indent in the rocks. He found one and rested a moment before continuing his climb. Finally he was able to grasp Erling’s hand and was pulled onto the ledge. Spent, Michio panted for breath, grateful to be alive.
“Can you see Toemeka?” Michio asked.
Erling craned his neck to look down the river. “She and the baby are still on the ledge.”
Michio shifted position so he could see her. He waved, hoping she could see him and would know he was all right. Returning his attention to Erling, he asked, “Where’s Zanton?”
Erling pointed to the top of the gorge. “Up there. I knocked him out with the sword hilt.”
Winded from his wild ride down the river, Michio followed Erling up the rocky wall, battling the pounding rain as he climbed. At the top, Michio scanned the mountain for Zanton.
“Hell, he’s gone,” Erling said. “We’ll have to go after him once Toemeka and the baby are safe.” They ran along the gorge edge until they spotted Toemeka and the baby seven feet below them. The river rushed by, carrying broken branches and other debris, barely inches from the top of the ledge where she stood.
Michio lowered himself over the edge and let go, dropping onto the ledge. Toemeka rushed over to him with the baby. She was soaking wet from the rain and her hair had come loose and hung in clumps around her shoulders.
“I thought you drowned,” she c
ried.
“Erling rescued me. We need to get you and Baymond off the ledge.”
Erling called down to them. “Hand the baby up to me.” Erling lay down and reached over the edge of the gorge. Michio took Baymond from Toemeka and held him up high enough for Erling to reach him. “I’ll set him down, then help Toemeka.” Erling disappeared from view, returning a few minutes later. Michio hoisted Toemeka so Erling could grab her hands and pull her onto the ledge beside him.
The rain had slowed to a drizzle, but the river was rising over the top of the ledge and Michio knew he didn’t have much time. He jumped up and grabbed the ledge edge. It crumbled under his hands and he fell back down.
“Erling, can you give me a hand?” he shouted, wondering why neither Erling nor Toemeka had reappeared.
***
Toemeka lifted Baymond off the ground right as Zanton stepped into view. She gasped and took a step backward.
“Erling!” she exclaimed. “Zanton’s here.”
Erling spun around to face Zanton.
Toemeka felt negative energy gathering around the sorcerer. She focused within and visualized a shield of Light surrounding her, Baymond and Erling. She was aware of Baymond as a higher spiritual being, strengthening the shield.
Zanton raised his hands in the air. “Samrat Condor, God of Darkness, I serve only you. Give me power to defeat your enemies.” He hurled spears of psychic energy at them. They hit the shield of Light and dissipated. Zanton began chanting in some unknown tongue. A black cloud of swirling energy formed and began to take the shape of a large monster. It stood more than twenty feet high and had three fanged heads and a large tail. The wraithlike shape pulsed with energy as it advanced toward them.
Toemeka clutched the baby and continued to fill herself with positive energy.
Erling drew his death sword and stepped forward to meet the beast. The creature ripped it from Erling’s hand, then grabbed him and flung him to the ground. Erling lay there, stunned, as the creature turned on Toemeka.