The Harbinger of Change

by Matthew Travagline

  “He’s gone.”

  “Can’t we just get him another doll?” Roy asked harmlessly.

  Cleo gripped Aarez’s hand, squeezing him as if urging him to stay put.

  The ventriloquist’s tear-laden gaze threatened retaliation. A feral hiss escaped from between his lips.

  She sat with him for an hour, until well after his breathing had calmed. Once she heard the pained moans he uttered as a result of some sad dream, she got up and led Harvey and Roy away from the camp. “I warned you not to encourage him to use his echo,” she said.

  “You’re telling me that he doesn’t know what is going on?” Roy asked, his voice sounding defensive. “That he isn’t responsible? We don’t let drunks get away with that crap.”

  “Yes, he really has no control,” she said. “That’s why I never ask him to perform. What did he even say that was so bad you had to punch him? And please don’t tell me that you intentionally destroyed Lucas.”

  “No,” Roy said. “That was an accident.”

  “So, what did he say?”

  “Let’s forget it,” Harvey said, looking away. “I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did. That’s the lesson here.”

  Cleo was about to say something else when she heard a scream split through the quiet air. The trio rushed back to their camp to find their friend kneeling before the fire, his hands clasped together. A trail of smoke spiraled up from his hands. As she approached, the sharp scent of burning skin again flooded her nostrils. She pried his hands apart to find that he had clasped them around a screw.

  “It’s all that I could salvage,” he said, tears leaking down from his eyes.

  Cleo pulled Aarez into her arms.

  ◆◆◆

  All day, Aarez tracked the sun through the thick clouds that now permanently blanketed the sky. He was grateful that Cleo had offered him an ounce of privacy. If he had wanted, she would have ridden atop Fester with Harvey, but he declined.

  No one in their group wanted to make idle conversation. The only time any of them even spoke was to discuss how far from the edge of the swamp they were. There had not been any chatter since the night before.

  He knew, by the time he stumbled out of his restless sleep that morning, that he would be able to mount his horse and continue along. His mind seemed to heal with the skin on his hands. They both bore hardened scars and while they no longer physically pained him, he felt equally disfigured in both places.

  The screw, a sole remnant of Lucas, lay nestled against his chest, secured to his neck by a thin slice of rope. He had taken to keeping constant life force flooded within it, relishing its warmth. After only an hour, he had already committed its every contour and groove to memory. The screw was branded on his mind as much as on his hands.

  “I don’t care anymore,” he whispered, cognizant of Perogie’s position in relation to Fester and Debs.

  Cleo twisted in her saddle, leaning over the gap and whispering in his ear. “About what?”

  “Anything. Nimbus. I couldn’t care less if Javawooga was real. He could appear from the sky now, claiming the ability to train me in all things echo, and I’d decline. I’m done with Skuddy, with Nimbus. Frankly, the only reason I’m still here right now is because Kiren has Slipper and I’m not that suicidal to leave on my own.”

  Cleo sat staring at him, obviously in shock. The look on her face betrayed fear and confusion. She felt a tear trickle down from her eye, though she made no move to wipe it away before turning back around and looking ahead.

  ◆◆◆

  The closer the travelers got to the tundra, the thinner the trees became and the brighter the day appeared. Harvey called the group to a stop after he spotted a garble of tracks made by a horse and human.

  Cleo dismounted, deciding to continue following the dog tracks while Harvey studied the confusion with the other prints. She walked up to the edge of the tundra, her mouth open in awe at the mass of ice and snow. Abruptly, the trees and ground that marked the swamp ended. Beyond the uneven ice, which marked the border of the tundra and land, smatterings of winterweed heralded the change.

  Spanning every inch of ocean from horizon to horizon sat a glacial sheet of ice that matched the color of the cloudy sky above. Entombed by the thick sheet of ice and an even thicker blanket of snow, it looked desolate. The endless horizon appeared to aggravate the winds, for they wailed and whipped past her ears as if crying from the cold. She squinted, peering deep back along the horizon where she spotted what she imagined to be the first winterbush forests. They proved so pivotal to humanity’s survival during the long years, and their rapid expansion affirmed that before her was ocean.

  “The winteryear,” Roy said as he approached. “It began quicker than anyone was prepared for.” He looked up and frowned at the thick cover of clouds which had maintained a monopoly on the sky. “The fact that the tundra extends this far south this early. It could be troubling. But it could also be a sign of the winteryear’s age.”

  She let the words sit as heavy as the ice around her and provided no conversation, simply watching the curving trail of the sled team as it turned north, parallel with the coast. “He’s headed north,” she said, vocalizing her observation. “We will follow him.”

  Before Roy could respond, they heard Harvey’s voice call over to them. “We all need to see this.”

  Cleo and Roy retreated toward where Harvey was squatted down, eying the mess of tracks on the ground. Aarez stood apart from the three others, his eyes flickering between them.

  “It’s hard to make out what’s happened here,” Harvey said. “There’s a lot of foot traffic. I know for certain, as you both saw, that the dog team continued out to the tundra. But, what happened with Nora is hard to say. Whether she was injured, or attacked, or whether she simply decided to jump around to stay warm. I don’t know. But I do know that she didn’t venture out into the tundra after Gnochi. From what I can tell, it looks like she turned into the swamp, here,” Harvey said, pointing to a handful of hoof prints leading off the path.

  “Why would she do that?” Aarez asked.

  “I don’t know. Maybe she didn’t think that she had enough supplies to survive in the tundra, though I can’t even convince myself that.”

  “She probably had a good reason for diverting,” Aarez said. “Maybe she knew more than we can tell just from the tracks.”

  “So, how do we know which path to follow?” Cleo asked. “Because the sled’s tracks clearly head north once they get onto the tundra.”

  “Maybe she got abducted. Aren’t there rumors of a savage group living in this swamp? Not to mention, we don’t know what kind of people are out moving around in the tundra,” Roy thought aloud.

  “So, which of us will follow Nora’s trail and which of us will follow the dog team? Obviously, Cleo, you’ll want to follow the dogs, right?” Harvey asked, looking to her, but she provided no indication of having heard. “Roy, what are you thinking?”

  “Wait,” Cleo said. “Before you decide, there’s something you need to know.” The swamp’s silence provided the only immediate response to her words. “Her name isn’t Nora, it’s Kiren. She’s not an echoer, but she wanted to hide her identity from you both.”

  “I thought you said she sounded like your mother?” Harvey asked Roy, accusation heavy in his voice.

  “She did. I didn’t see her face, but I know her name was—is Nora. I just assumed.”

  Harvey turned to Cleo, his usually calming auburn eyes simmered. “So, you knew that it was Kiren all along. Lucas was right then. Why didn’t you tell us sooner?” Hurt was plain in his features.

  From the corner of her eye, Cleo saw Aarez flinch.

  “That wasn’t my secret to break,” Cleo answered. “Kiren swore us to secrecy and she didn’t elaborate. She just told us that she couldn’t handle you two right now, so I wasn’t about to force the issue to a front.”

  “So, why tell us now?” Roy asked.

  “Because she could be in danger,”
Cleo said. “And I want you to know all the facts before you make your decision. I don’t know what there is between you two and Kiren, but you should know who she is. Do what you have to do.”

  “I have to go after her,” Harvey said. “I know what I promised, but I can’t carry on if something happens to her.”

  “You can’t go off alone,” Roy said. “I’ll go with you.”

  “No, Roy, one of us has to travel with them. No offense,” Harvey added, “but we are soldiers.”

  “Offense taken,” Aarez spat, standing up and glaring at them. “I’m more than capable of keeping Cleo safe.”

  “Hello, Cleo is right here, you know. Staff-wielder. I’m not some infant in need of your great protections.”

  “In fact, I’ll duel you now to prove that I’m capable,” Aarez said, ignoring her comment.

  “I accept,” Roy yelled.

  Cleo threw her hands in the air in defeat. She sat down on a log by the horses as Aarez and Roy prepared to duel.

  “You sure you know how to use that?” Roy laughed as Aarez unsheathed his short-sword from its scabbard on his hip.

  Without waiting for further introduction, Aarez struck with his sword toward Roy.

  At the last possible moment, Roy raised his own blade and deflected the jab. The two swords met with an unceremonious clash of steel.

  Aarez twirled his arm and his sword wrapped itself around Roy’s blade as if made of taffy. With a flick of the wrist, he threw Roy’s blade into the snow. “I suppose you weren’t ready,” he said, chuckling as Roy retrieved his weapon.

  Cleo noticed how Aarez’s voice had lost its vivacity. And true to his voice, the ventriloquist’s eyes lacked their normal life, though they made up for their pallor by fluttering at the speed of a hummingbird’s heart, following every minuscule movement of his opponent.

  She watched Roy lunge at Aarez, the speed of his own attack evenly matched by Aarez’s deflection. Within the span of a breath, Roy swiped at him from three angles. Each time, he was evenly matched in agility and finesse.

  After the assault, Roy retreated, allowing a few huffs of air to enter his lungs. He stooped over, resting a hand on his knee.

  Aarez took the offensive, so Roy’s break was short-lived. The speed and strength behind his strikes left Roy with little time to recover.

  Harvey inched over next to Cleo and leaned close to her ear. “He’s using his echo?”

  Roy must have pieced that together for himself, for he jumped back and yelled, “You’re cheating!”

  Time seemed to slow as Cleo watched Aarez’s blade duck under Roy’s guard and close in on his ribs. She winced, knowing that he was finished, but when the blade impacted the teen’s coat, it pushed him outwards, instead of burrowing into his flesh.

  Under the force of the swing, Roy stumbled back and crashed into a tree, toppling a layer of snow on his body. He got up, livid enough to melt the snow on his head. He held his ribs with a tender hand.

  “You cheat,” Roy said.

  “My cheating is the only reason you are leaving this battle with a bruised ego, and some sore skin, instead of split ribs.” Aarez sheathed his weapon. “You wanted me to prove that I can look after us. I think I’ve done so. Nothing is going to happen to her. I promise.”

  “His skill is unrivaled,” Harvey admitted. “Imagine him and Zara dueling. It’d be one fight to see.”

  “Fine.” Roy said, massaging his ribs. “As long as you use that in any dangerous situation.”

  “Again, still here,” Cleo said, emphasizing her corporeal presence.

  “It’s always good to have someone watching your back, Cleo,” Roy said. “None of us would doubt your prowess with that staff, but it’s good to have extra support.”

  “We should go,” Harvey said, staring into the swamp in the direction of Kiren’s tracks. He packed their loose supplies away.

  “Where should we meet up?” Roy asked. “After you get Gnochi, and we get Kiren. The manor?” Roy asked.

  “It’s too close to Mirr,” Cleo said. “And we need to avoid any cities. Plus, I don’t want to put Jean and Oslow in any more danger than we already have. I know of one place where we’ll be safe, but we are going to need Gnochi’s help to get there. How about we meet at the place where we made camp before we crossed the Lymar river.”

  “Hopefully the troop movements will free up the bridges,” Harvey thought aloud. “But it’s as safe as any. Sounds good.”

  “So, this is goodbye again?” Roy asked. He wrapped Cleo in a hug.

  “Keep yourselves safe,” Cleo said. She pulled free, then gave a terse hug to Harvey.

  “I’ll see you soon,” Harvey said. “Go save that crazy bard.” Cleo smiled at Harvey’s words.

  Both Harvey and Roy stood before Aarez, unsure of what to say. Finally, Roy offered the echoer his hand, which Aarez accepted with a grin. “I expect a rematch when things settle down and the snow melts,” he said, grinning. “I think my reactions were numbed from the cold.”

  “Deal,” Aarez said.

  Harvey leaned close and whispered to Aarez, so his voice carried to the echoer’s ears alone.

  “I will.”

  With their goodbyes said, they watched Harvey and Roy make quick tracks and bound into the forest after Kiren. Cleo and Aarez then walked with Perogie out of the swamp.

  “We’ll mount up once she’s used to the tundra,” Cleo explained. After breaching the swamp, they stood for a minute, taking in the grandeur of the tundra.

  Billows of windswept snow tumbled across the endless landscape. The distant winterbush forests seemed as though they’d always been a permanent fixture of the landscape, and not the result of a week of snow and ice covering the ocean.

  Cleo approached the seam where the tundra met the rocky beach. She tested it with her feet, finding the ground solid. She slammed her lead-capped staff into the ice to see if it would break under the strong attack, but only a few small pieces chipped off. After a couple nervous steps, and a few jumps, she relaxed. The ground displayed no signs of tension. “Amazing.”

  Aarez urged Perogie forward, though the mare hesitated, no doubt smelling the ocean salt underneath the ice and hearing the distant churning of water, a distance below.

  “Come on, ‘Ogie,” Cleo said, urging the mare. “We’ve got to catch up with Gnochi. We can’t do that without your help.”

  Perogie seemed revitalized by Cleo’s mention of her previous rider. She allowed Aarez to lead her farther into the tundra, quickly learning to trust the snow beneath her feet to hold sturdy. After putzing around, the mare appeared to gain her footing on the new ground, finding the smooth surface more conducive to walking than the swamp mud, despite the extra chill rising through her shoes.

  Cleo and Aarez mounted onto Perogie’s back and began trekking north, following the still preserved trail made by the dogs’ paws and the sled’s tracks.

  After a hard push for an hour, a storm rolled over them, blanketing everything with trail-killing wind and thick flakes of fresh snow. Forward progress ceased. Cleo and Aarez set up a lean-to, under which they sat with Perogie. The wind whipped ferociously at their cover and kicked up snow, clouding their vision farther away than an arm’s length from their face.

  “Shouldn’t we try to make a fire?” Aarez wondered.

  “We don’t have any winterbush. Any other fire might melt through the ice beneath us,” Cleo said.

  “Just snuggle close then. Hopefully this storm will blow past us by morning.”

  Cleo and Aarez lay next to Perogie, sharing warmth. Outside, the storm raged on. Despite the early hour, Cleo fought to keep her eyes open. “We should set up a watch,” she stammered, though Aarez had already succumbed to his fatigue. Even Perogie had dozed off. “Guess I’ll take first shift then.”

  After losing track of time watching the snow fall, her mind drifted. The wind’s endless whistling past her ears became as mellow as the flickering of a fire mixed with Gnochi’s story-voice. Even
though his words remained past the edge of her hearing, she allowed the drone to encompass her.

  A noise outside of their lean-to yanked her from a daze. She sat up, coming face to face with Perogie’s wide eyes. Cleo could not tell how long she had dozed off because the thick clouds that dominated the sky hid any artifact of the sun behind. Peering out of the cover, she thought she spied a flash of movement at the edge of her vision, but she could not distinguish it from the onslaught of snow. Her movement stirred her companion.

  He rolled over and yawned at her. “What’s wrong?”

  Cleo inched out of the cover, then stood up in the storm, turning all around, watching for movement. She saw nothing, though her vision reached only so far in the maelstrom. As she made to return to cover, a whistling sound filled her ears and thick cables wrapped her feet together. A strong force yanked her to the ground and dragged her along the snowy surface. She let out a yelped scream, but the cold ground numbed her lips and face.

  The sounds of a struggle followed in her wake. Aarez’s curses, mixed with Perogie’s nervous whinny, wormed into Cleo’s ears.

  She was pulled to a stop by a brute of a man, though snow frosted her vision and she could make out little of his features. His gaze seemed to rove over her body quick, then he threw a burlap sack over her head.

  Chapter 31

  Stinging air bit into Gnochi’s exposed face as the team of twelve dogs pulled the sled across the tundra. The procession began the moment the sun was bright enough to illuminate the sky from behind its fortress of clouds. Not long after they had started their trek, he realized that they were progressing toward a billowing column of smoke. When he pointed the column out to Ren, the pirate laughed, at first muttering something Gnochi could not hear over the roar of the wind.

  “Probably the lot of them locals burning a forest to stay warm,” he said louder. “We’ll pass by unnoticed. Nothing to worry about.”