Hunted

by Matt Mememaro

  They ran to the now vacant guard house and out onto the jetty to the closest ferry. Tori picked up a pair of breeches and threw them to Abner. He pulled them on as Gunthos began to ready the ship for sail. Winds roared through the channel, and immediately the sheets began to take wind.

  “All aboard!” Gunthos said. “Quickly, the sooner we’re off this rock the sooner we can get home!”

  “Have you sailed one of these before, my love?” Tori asked.

  “Of course, used to sail the longboats at the Islands all the time!” Gunthos said. “Slightly different ship, but we should be able to get across the channel without too many concerns. My young Hunters burn those other ships! We don’t want a party chasing us!”

  Maxton and Memphis took up shooting positions on the bow of the ship, taking the braziers that were on the ferry and using them to warm the tip of their crossbows. Their fiery bolts then lit up the sky, making pincushions out of the remaining ships at the docks. The sails and mast quickly caught which then raced to the deck of the ships, leaving all four behind in a fiery blaze.

  “I never want to see that place again,” Abner said. He looked over his shoulder, but nobody was close enough to hear him.

  Zarazenih had sat Malvrok down on the deck, tying him to the mast in case of another violent outburst. He still hadn’t stirred. Abner ducked into the cabin, eager to scrub himself clean of the marks that the Lock had left on him, leaving Gunthos with Tori alone at the helm. Memphis and Maxton were left talking amongst themselves as they admired their handy work at the docks.

  Abner stood facing the mirror in the captain’s cabin, seeing himself clearly for the first time in weeks. He stripped the breeches off and once again shivered in the cold his nakedness provided. Dozens of small cuts lined his body, the mud numbing the stinging and his nose now sat in a crooked position, pushed to the side.

  There was a knock on the door. “Do you mind if I come in,” Lois asked.

  “Come in,” Abner said.

  She slipped inside, shutting the door silently behind her. She took one look at his body and shook her head. “Are you hurt?”

  “No, I’ll live,” he said. He looked up and stared at Lois. “Gareth took the amulets from me. Did you go back to the Huntrey with him?”

  “I did,” Lois said.

  “Did he have them with him?”

  “I couldn’t tell. When I was with you I was aware of their presence, but with him there was nothing. If he had them I think he passed them along to someone else.”

  “So who did he speak to when you were with him after my arrest?” Abner asked.

  “A lot of high profile Alilletians, many of the legal counsel, other representatives he had meetings with, I don’t know, Ab! I wasn’t there, only when he came to release me.”

  “Zarazenih was hunting Barros, and he was always interested in the amulets even when we were at West Anacore. Yet he told us to never put them all together. I need to find out who Gareth gave them to,” Abner said.

  “You’ll get your chance, my love,” Lois said. She took a cloth from the nearby table. “We need you to rest for now. And now that I have you back we also have a wedding to plan. I’ll help you clean yourself up.”

  30

  Rebirth

  Abner stood unmoved by Lois’ touch as she moved around with the cloth, scrubbing away the cloth, cleansing his body of the Lock. She began with his face, wiping away as much as possible, continuing to clean the cloth in a bucket of sea water she had retrieved from outside. They remained together for a while, Abner taking solace in her company, not exchanging another word.

  The ship came into land a short time later, Gunthos landing it a kilometer north of the receiving jetty. The party disembarked, Malvrok still out cold, carried by Zarazenih. Their camp remained untouched, Jarral had tended to it and kept the horses well-watered by the time they got back.

  “You got him out then?”

  “Got more than what we bargained for,” Lois said. “We dragged out his uncle as well. We need to get out of here now.”

  “Well you’ll find the horses are full of energy, no Vampires came by in the night and we’re ready to go,” Jarral said. “Sooner we’re away from here the better.”

  “We need to find out what’s happened to Malvrok,” Abner said. “Zarazenih if you’d please.”

  The wolf lay Malvrok in front of the group of Hunters and Abner sat down beside him. He slapped Malvrok across the face, gently at first, before the slaps became vicious. Malvrok woke up, his eyes snapping open, trying to get to his feet to strangle Abner. Eight years of being in the Lock had weakened Malvrok and Abner simply pried his hands away.

  “Get the fuck off me!”

  “Mal, stop! You’re free, you’re out of the Lock and we’re taking you home!” Abner wrapped his arms around his uncle again, staring him in the face. “Look at me, it’s Abner. We saved you from the Lock!”

  Malvrok froze and started to shake. “You didn’t save me, you shouldn’t have saved me, I didn’t deserve to be saved! Take me back!”

  “No listen to me!” Abner pulled him close to whisper into his ear. “Do you remember your brother, Mal, do you remember him?”

  “Barros!” Malvrok said.

  “Yes, keep your voice down,” Abner said.

  “He left me to die. I thought he’d come back for me, I thought he’d save me!” Malvrok said.

  “Yes, but you’re here now uncle. I’m his son, Abner. You raised and trained me, do you remember me?”

  Malvrok stretched out with his hand and touched his nephew’s face. “Boy, I remember you. You survived. I’m so proud. All these years I thought you were dead.”

  “You taught me well, uncle. Lois is here too,” Abner said. Lois waved as she readied her horse.

  Malvrok smiled. “You two look so good together. Is that a ring I see on her finger?”

  “It is, we’re due to wed,” Abner said.

  Malvrok looked up to the sky and smiled again. “Ah wonderful, I hope you haven’t misplaced my invite.”

  “We haven’t, you’ll be front row. But before we get back to the Huntrey I need to know something. Do you remember what Barros wanted with the amulets of Tal’davin? One of the amulets that you left me when the fortress fell?”

  “I remember,” Malvrok said. “He wanted them all to keep them out of the Vampire’s reach locked away. ”

  “To keep them all for himself do you mean?” Abner asked.

  “Yes, that’s the future he had envisioned, even though ever since Lars Hunter walked Taagras we were told nobody should unite them all again. Unless they wanted Tal’davin to return with his Vampire horde.”

  “I thought he died not long after you did, but it’s recently come to light that he’s still alive and I have reason to believe he’s taken the two amulets I found and is now holding them,” Abner said.

  “I’ve thought back to when you were young and when he used to visit me. You changed him Ab, just like the Lock changed me. I feel so much worse, I’m weak. Do you have water?” Zarazenih already held a waterskin at the ready and passed it to Malvrok. “Here you go, uncle.”

  “Uncle?” Malvrok looked up at Zarazenih. “Did Barros fuck an Alilletian I didn’t know about? Gods, he was a busy man.”

  “No, Abner is my biological brother by blood, we share the same mother, however I am more. I can turn into a wolf.” Zarazenih looked at his hand and made his white fur stand out along his arm.

  Malvrok blinked. “I’m not sure if I’m hallucinating or it’s been a fucked up time since I’ve been down in that hole.”

  “Both,” Abner said. “Zarazenih was trying to kill us not too long ago and he was the perfect Hunter killing machine. Like I said, I thought Barros has been dead for the past eight years, thought you’ve been dead for almost ten and within the space of however long I was down there with you.”

  “Two weeks Ab,” Gunthos said.

  “Thanks, Gunner.” Abner said. “Mal, I know you were good
back in the day and with what we’re about to face we could use another skilled man. And I’d love someone to walk Lois down the aisle that we don’t know from the Huntrey.”

  “If I can stand,” Malvrok said. “That fuck took a lot out of me. I’m glad you arrived when you did otherwise I would have been gone. I need to forget that place.” He shook his head and sniffed himself. “Can I get cleaned up or something? I reek of shit.”

  “Jarral, is there anything close by that isn’t in the direction of the Lock?”

  Jarral pointed over his shoulder. “Small lake that way, should be able to get cleaned up pretty well in it.”

  “Alright let’s mount up,” Abner said.

  The waters of the lake were refreshing and further out of sight of both the road and the Lock. They’d travelled ten minutes by horseback, with Malvrok riding on Zarazenih’s back in case he fell, having not ridden on a horse for so long. The sun was passing midday as they all strode into the lake, washing the seawater from their hair and cleansing all traces of the Lock from their skin.

  Jarral pulled a spare set of pants and Hunter’s tunic from his bag that fit Malvrok tightly, and Abner could only see a slightly older version of himself. Gunthos threw Abner an oversized tunic that hug down around his waist whilst the other Hunters refilled their waterskins from the fresh water lake. He pulled it on and climbed onto the back of Lois’ horse with her, using her body to hold himself in place.

  He looked to the north and thought of returning home and about Barros collecting the amulets of Tal’davin, now a concern at the front of his mind.

  31

  Interrogation

  “Abner, my boy! Welcome back!” Crix limped out of the Huntrey to meet the returning party as they rode onto the plateau. “Fuck me, you lot went all out didn’t you? Is that Malvrok Toldar riding a Ghost?”

  “Aye, Crix, you old bastard, it’s me. And if this is a Ghost then I am on it. I’d like you to meet my other nephew, Zarazenih,” Malvrok said.

  With a pat from Malvrok, Zarazenih transformed, first reducing in size so Malvrok could slide off his back before changing into his human form on all fours. He ran his hand through his white hair and stood up, his bright blue eyes staring a hole into Crix.

  “They tell me you’re the one that kept sending them out to hunt me and my brothers.”

  “I did what I had to do to protect my family and the people of Taagras,” Crix said. “I assume since you are here and unarmed, that there is no bad blood between us.” He held out his hand towards the monstrous Zarazenih.

  Zarazenih clenched his hand and smiled. He slid his claws out of his hand. “You have to remember something, Hunter. I’m always armed.”

  “Forgive him, Crix,” Malvrok said. “He’s not a bad kid, just been through a lot of shit. I think we could learn a lot from him.”

  “I’d like to offer my services in any way I can to the Hunters,” Zarazenih said. “I would like to atone for my past deeds and put them behind me.”

  “What could we learn from you wolf?” Crix asked.

  “There are magics inside me that I can’t possibly understand. I would happily give my body to your order by a means of experimentation and discovery. Then if you want me to kill more Vampires, that is an added bonus.”

  “You wouldn’t be allowed inside the Huntrey for some time, and I wouldn’t recommend turning into your wolf form whilst you remain in these walls,” Crix said.

  “If I could, Crix, I’d like some lodgings at the outskirts of the Huntrey. Just inside the wall, but far away from everyone,” Malvrok said. “After the Lock I’d like to be on my own for a while and slowly integrate back into society.”

  “Granted,” Crix said. “We’ll see something gets started for you today. Head inside and get some food into you.”

  “Crix, where is he?” Abner asked.

  “Gareth? Where we left him, down in one of the cells. I take it you want to talk to him?”

  “He took the amulets from me and I need to know where they are,” Abner said. “I have reason to believe he’s been alive and has been biding his time.”

  “Shit, your father? Who told you?” Crix asked.

  “I did,” Zarazenih said. “I fought Barros in the citadel only a matter of weeks ago.” He pointed to the scars on his chest. “These are from injuries I sustained during that fight. Only two things in this world can harm me. Your weapons or the soul of a Vampire.”

  “A Dreyth weapon,” Crix said. “This is worrying. If Barros hasn’t been dead for the past eight years what has he been doing.”

  “Plotting,” Zarazenih said. “He was behind the fall of West Anacore.”

  Crix’s brow furrowed. “Abner, Lois, you need to talk to that piece of shit, now. Find out what he did with the amulets. I’ll inform the Board.”

  The underbelly of the Huntrey was unpleasant to say the least. Abner and Lois’ first steps were ordinary enough, but once they were submerged in the darkness, the overwhelming damp smell wafted into their nostrils. Abner held the torch over his head, a spiders web came across his path. He swiped it out of his way, and the creature fell into the darkness, forgotten.

  Gareth resided at the far end of the jail, in a cell big enough to fit him and not much else. Abner could smell the shit wafting from his cell and his mind was cast back to the Lock. Gareth still wore some of his Hunter’s garb, shreds of it scattered throughout the cell. He sat on the floor, his head between his legs and only looked up when Abner rapped on one of the steel bars.

  “You got out,” Gareth said. “Just another tale for your growing family legacy, whilst mine remains here, locked up!”

  “You did that to yourself. You should have known the Hunters would seek retribution especially if you returned here,” Abner said.

  Gareth chuckled to himself. “Couldn’t be helped. I was sent here by Tal’davin. I only do what he commands me to do. In return he’ll grant me any wish I desire once you’ve fallen. It is the least I could do to honor the memory of my father.”

  “Tal’davin has been dead for over a thousand years. What could an old Vampire deity possibly offer you?”

  “Toldar, he will be dealing with you soon. I for one don’t envy you. He’ll gather all those you hold dear and rally them against you before someone finally takes his offer and stabs you in the back,” Gareth said. “Which is a shame, ever since he took me under his wing I wished it was me that would get the honor.”

  “What are you talking about?” Abner threw himself against the bars. “You took the amulets from me, who did you give them to?”

  “To him.” Gareth started to laugh. “You’ve got no chance to stand against what’s coming Abner. Soon he intends to march against all Huntries across Taagras and burn them to the ground. The Hunters will become extinct and I will rule Alilletia.”

  “Where is he?”

  Gareth shook his head. “After your brother attacked him, Tal’davin has gone underground. You won’t be able to find him until he reemerges.”

  “My brother attacked Barros,” Abner said.

  Gareth shrugged. “And? They’re one in the same. I follow the Vampire, Tal’davin. He follows the Vampire, Barros. They are two sides of the same coin, working to achieve the same ends.”

  “It’s true,” Zarazenih said. “Our father requested he only call him by his name, rather than Tal’davin. I apologize for not telling you sooner, brother. But I was not aware that the name held any meaning. Barros was very selective as to what he educated me in when it came to the Hunters, it appears.”

  “What are you doing down here? I thought Crix wouldn’t let you into the Huntrey,” Lois said.

  “He thought I might be of assistance in the interrogation, but it appears you’ve already found your answers,” Zarazenih said. “I apologize that I was not able to kill him for you, Abner. When we fought there was no visible sign of any amulets, but I could feel power that he shouldn’t have had.”

  “It’s alright,” she said. “We couldn’t h
ave done much anyway.”

  “Ah there she is, the beautiful Lois. You did come after all, acting like your fiancé’s lost puppy. I envy you, Abner, she is a fine woman,” Gareth said.

  “You shut your mouth!” Abner said.

  “It’s a shame he doesn’t pay you as much attention as he ought to, Lois. I know I would especially with what is about to happen in the near future,” Gareth said.

  “Let me open the cell,” Abner said. He held out his hand for Lois to give him the key.

  “Why, Ab? He can’t go free,” Lois said.

  “He won’t be leaving,” Abner said. “Give it to me.”

  “He’s a traitor, but he’s right you know,” Lois said. She shouldered past Abner and slid the key into the lock. “Do whatever you’re going to do.”

  Abner wrenched open the cell door, almost ripping it off its hinges. He slammed it shut behind him and turned didn’t bother to check if it was locked.

  “He’s mad,” Zarazenih said.

  Red filled his eyes and Abner felt a Bloodrush come over him as he looked at the prone figure in the cell. He stepped forward, his boot connecting squarely with Gareth’s cheek. His fist follow and Abner grabbed Gareth by the cuff of his shirt laying him flat in the middle of the cell. His rage struck out at every part of Gareth’s body, turning his face quickly to a bloody pulp, bones snapping under the force Abner inflicted.

  Gareth’s breaths turned to gasps as Abner targeted his lungs, unable to defend himself against the onslaught.

  “Abner, stop! You’re killing him!” Lois said.

  The Hunter finished with two more quick jabs to the side of Gareth’s face before stepping over the broken body of the Councilor. He exited the cell leaving the door hanging open and grabbed Lois by the shoulders looking her dead in the eye.