The morning dawned sunny and clear. The temperature had already risen quickly, foreshadowing the hot day to come. Once awake, James peered from beneath the bush to discover where the river had brought them. Off to the west rose the mountains they passed through the day before, still close enough to be imposing. On the opposite side of the river stretched a road matching its course as it made its way from the mountains. On this side, grass covered hills rolled northward with a scattering of the occasional tree.
“Looks like if we stay on the river we’ll continue to follow the road for a while.”
“Good,” replied Miko. “I would just as soon not walk.”
“Me too. Let’s get the boat back onto the water and see if there’s a town where we can get a couple of fast horses.”
Putting their things back in the boat, they pushed it to the water’s edge where Miko hopped in first. James pushed the boat out onto the water before he jumped in. As the boat floated from the shore, Miko took the oars and brought the boat to the middle of the river. Adding his efforts to that of the current, he kept a steady rhythm with the oars as they moved along.
They hadn’t gone far before a column of dust came into view rising in the east. It was the result of hundreds of men marching eastward along the road with a wagon train trailing along behind.
When James realized they would shortly be drifting past an army on the move, he took the oars from Miko and brought them to the north shore, beaching their boat. “Think that’s the Empire’s army?” he asked Miko after they got out.
“Could be,” he replied, staring at the men in the distance. “Hard to tell from here.”
“I think it would be wise to assume they are the Empire’s for now,” James suggested. “We better leave the river and head overland.”
Miko took the bags from the boat. “Yeah, let’s hurry and get out of here.” He looked back at the soldiers. “Wonder where they’re going?”
“Don’t know, but we better find some horses soon or we’ll never get ahead of them and beat them to the City of Light.” He picked up his backpack, slung it across his shoulder and set out to the northeast. He angled slightly more north than east to put distance between them and the soldiers.
While they walked, James kept an eye on the ground and gathered several fair sized stones, placing them in his pocket.
Miko saw what he did and asked, “Expecting trouble?”
“Never know,” he replied as he bent down to pick up another, “but it’s best to be prepared.”
“Wish I still had my crossbow,” Miko said, thinking of the crossbow left under the stairs with the rest of their things in the abandoned keep.
They traveled for no more than half an hour when dozens of people appeared on the horizon. Some were running but all were making the best speed they could. Several had small children in tow, others were burdened with bundles either tied to their backs or carried in their arms.
“Must be refugees fleeing from another town the Empire has taken,” James guessed. “Or is about to.”
“What’ll we do?” asked Miko, obviously concerned as he saw how the refugees were headed their way.
Behind the fleeing people and riding hard to overtake them were six riders wielding clubs. As the riders reached the stragglers, they struck them in the head, felling them. Then they left them as they raced to the next fleeing refugee.
Behind the riders rolled three wagons, each trailing a line of naked people, both men and women of varying age. Out in front of each wagon walked two people who, when they came to a felled refugee, slapped or hit them until they regained consciousness. They were then pulled to their feet, stripped of their clothes and had their hands tied behind them. After that they were taken and added to the line of naked people behind the wagon.
“Slavers!” James said in disgust. He watched as a woman carrying a baby was felled by a blow to the head. As the woman collapsed, the baby flew out of her arms and struck the ground; its cry was heart-wrenching. The mother didn’t lose consciousness and crawled to her baby, wrapping her arms protectively around it. In a vain attempt at escape she tried crawling away. When the wagon arrived, one of the men pulled the baby out of her arms. James heard the woman’s scream as she hung onto her child. The man struck her across the face with the back of his fist and ripped the baby from her arms. With the mother’s pleas falling on deaf ears, the man returned to the wagon and handed the baby to someone inside. He then returned to the wailing woman, and dragging her by the hair, took her to the rear of the slave line trailing behind the wagon. There she was stripped and put in line with the others.
“James!” Miko said as he pulled on his arm insistently, “we have to get out of here!”
Shaking his head, James said, “No.” He turned his head to look at Miko and said, “You don’t have to stay.” Turning back toward the oncoming horsemen, he reached inside his pouch and readied several stones in his left hand. He then took one in his right and started walking toward the horsemen.
“Crap!” he heard Miko say behind him as the boy followed him into battle.
One horseman fast approached a man who carried a bundle on his back. The man looked back and saw the horseman almost upon him. Tossing the bundle aside, he broke into a run. The horseman raced forward and raised his club to bludgeon the man to the ground. Suddenly, something struck the rider in the chest, went through his leather armor and blasted out the back. He looked at his chest for a moment in disbelief before he toppled off his horse. Death took him before he hit the ground.
Another saw his partner fall and cried out, alerting the other riders. He hooked his club to the saddle and then drew his sword. He looked for whoever it was that had killed his partner. Seeing James standing defiant when everyone else fled, he kicked his horse and charged straight at him, sword raised to cut him in half.
James cocked his arm and let fly another stone, striking the charging rider through the forehead and blasting out the back of his head. Like a rag doll, the rider fell from his horse.
“Miko,” James said over his shoulder, indicating the horses of the fallen riders, “don’t let them run off; we’ll need them. Also, search the dead riders for valuables or any papers.” Not looking to see whether or not Miko did what he asked, his attention remained focused on the four riders racing toward him, swords raised.
James concentrated and let the magic flow.
Crumph!
The ground under two of the charging riders erupted, throwing debris, horses and riders into the air.
James turned to the remaining two riders who were almost upon him and threw another stone, catching one in the chest, creating a hole as it exited. James jumped to one side, and rolled on the ground when the remaining rider struck down at him with his sword. He felt it pass as it came within inches.
The rider turned and tried to trample him with his horse’s hooves as he lay on the ground.
James rolled out of the way quickly and then tried to stand. One of the horse’s hooves clipped him in the side of the head, knocking him down, causing the world to spin wildly.
He saw a blurry horseman with sword raised, ready to finish him off. Sure that his time had come, James was surprised when two other blurry shapes jumped up and grabbed the rider, pulling him off the horse.
Another blurry shape came over and asked, “James? You okay?”
“Yeah,” he replied as he sat up, recognizing Miko’s voice. “The horse clipped me in the head. Be okay in a few minutes, I hope.”
“Thank you!” a woman cried as she knelt down, putting her arms around James and giving him a big hug.
As his vision began to clear, he saw many people around him, all expressing their gratitude. He then realized they were the people who had been fleeing the oncoming slavers. Miko stood there with two horses, smiling broadly.
The two riders who had been knocked off their horses by the erupting ground had been torn to pieces by the refugees. Several people walked toward him from the dead bodies, each w
ielding a bloody knife or stick.
“We need to free the people in the slave lines behind the wagons,” he said, trying to get up.
“Already being taken care of,” a man said as he pointed to four horses racing toward the wagon. Riding each was a man who earlier had been fleeing for his life. Now with a sword in their hands and vengeance in their hearts they rode to free their neighbors and friends. Others followed on foot to give what aid they could.
James regained his feet and looked at all the faces. Some smiled but others had seen too many horrors to ever smile again. “Where are you from?”
“Pleasant Meadows,” answered one woman. “It’s further downstream where the road crosses the river. The Empire was seen last night headed in our direction and everyone fled.” She looked at James and said, “I guess we were fortunate to flee this way.”
Many people around agreed.
James looked off toward the wagons and saw that two had already been liberated. The people in the slave lines were being untied and led this way. The four riders closed fast on the remaining wagon, engaging the two men on foot as they tried to make a stand. One rider was struck and fell from his horse while the remaining riders struck and killed the last of the enemy.
“You better make as best time you can before the Empire sends scouts out this way and discovers what has happened,” James said. “If you follow the river toward the mountains, you’ll find an encampment of soldiers at the beginning of the Pass. They look to be friendly. You definitely don’t want to be here when the Empire shows up.”
James motioned to Miko and he brought over the horses, giving him one. James swung up on the horse and looked at the people that surrounded him. Miko mounted as well.
“Good luck,” he said to them, “and God speed!”
“Where are you going?” asked one of them.
“City of Light,” Miko replied, getting a stern look from James.
“You mustn’t go there!” one man insisted. “The Empire will surely not stop until they take the City. It is the key to the entire southern region of Madoc.”
“He’s right,” another interjected, “their forces are swarming this area, looking for anyone they can enslave. You’ll never make it.”
“I appreciate your concern, but we must.” Turning to Miko he said, “Let’s go,” as he headed his horse toward the northeast. The people surrounding him made way and soon they were galloping across the hills with cries of gratitude following them.
When they’d traveled a ways and were out of sight of the people they just aided, James stopped his horse and confronted Miko. With anger in his voice he said, “You never, NEVER! tell anyone our business unless I tell you it’s okay to do so. Do you understand?”
Withering under James’ stern glare, Miko said defensively, “But who are they going to tell?”
“How about the Empire for one! If those poor souls back there get recaptured, the Empire is going to want to know what happened to their men.” Pointing back the way they had come he continued, “One of them is bound to tell them who it was and where we are going. What someone doesn’t know can’t be tortured out of them!”
“I don’t think they know our names,” Miko said in his defense.
“True, but they know what we look like and they know where we are going.” Shaking his head, he continued, “Miko, you need to learn when to talk and when not to. Our lives could very well depend on it.” Pausing for a moment, he looked in Miko’s eyes to see if he’d gotten his point across, “Okay?”
Feeling like he’d let his friend down, Miko hung his head and said, “I’m sorry. I’ll try to do better.”
“Don’t say try,” James replied kindly, “try means you expect to fail.” He put his hand on Miko’s shoulder, gave him a smile and then turned his horse and kicked it into a gallop.
Miko silently vowed silently to himself not to let James down again as he raced after his friend.
Figuring the Empire’s forces were to the east and south, James headed even further to the north. The terrain slowly turned from hills to a rolling plain, tall grass waved in the summer breeze.
They made good time for several hours, when Miko suddenly yelled, “James, look!” as he pointed to the south.
Off in the distance, column after column of soldiers marched northeast. The dust they kicked up could be seen for miles.
“They must be headed for the City of Light,” observed Miko. “Think it’s the same ones we saw earlier?”
“Doubt it,” stated James. “We’d better hustle if we’re going to reach the City of Light and still have time to get out before they arrive.”
James angled them now almost due north and they rode quickly until the soldiers were no longer visible. They then went no more than a couple more miles when out of the north appeared a score of horsemen headed south, right for them.
James immediately veered to the east and brought his horse to a gallop, trying to put distance between them, hoping to remain unobserved.
Looking over his shoulder, he saw the riders turn to give chase. From behind he heard Miko cry out; his horse had put a foot in a gopher hole and snapped its leg. Crashing to the ground, Miko was thrown off the horse and sailed through the air before landing hard upon the ground.
James quickly raced back to where Miko scrambled back to his feet. Reaching down, he swung the boy on the horse behind him. Looking northward again he saw the horsemen approaching fast. He kicked his horse in the side and they raced toward the east, the riders continued to follow.
“James!” Miko hollered. “They’re gaining.”
“I know,” he replied. “We’re not going to outrun them, not riding double.” Regardless, James continued to ride hard, prolonging the inevitable.
Miko started shaking James’ shoulder, “James, I don’t think they’re the Empires’ soldiers.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes,” Miko responded. “Their uniforms are different than the ones we saw marching earlier.”
“Madoc’s?” James asked over his shoulder.
“Could be. They’re not from Cardri.”
James slowed his horse to a canter then turned to face the oncoming riders, finally bringing them to a stop. They dismounted and waited for the riders to approach.
The riders slowed their advance to a trot. When they reached James and Miko, they encircled them while two men with crossbows took aim and waited. One rider, an officer by the embroidery on his uniform, came forward. “Who are you and what business do you have in Madoc?”
“Then am I safe in assuming that you are not of the Empire?” James asked.
“That is correct,” the officer replied. “Now answer the question!”
“My name is James and this is my traveling companion Miko. We are on our way to the City of Light with a package to be delivered to the Great Library.”
“What package is so important that it requires you to pass through a war zone?”
Shrugging, James said, “I don’t know, only that the Custodian of the Royal Archives in Cardri requested that we deliver it.”
The officer signaled for his men to stand down and the crossbowmen to lower their weapons. “Let me see this package.”
James reached into his backpack and brought it out, the seal of the Archive Custodian clearly visible. He handed it to the officer.
The officer took the package, gave it a cursory examination. The seal he studied a bit more carefully, then handed it back. “Okay, so you have a package bearing the seal of the Royal Custodian, but there is no proof that you are the couriers.”
“Well, no, that’s true,” James admitted. “But I assure you that we are.”
Miko nodded his agreement.
“I don’t have the time or the manpower to deal with you right now,” said the officer, “so I will take you at your word. A spy from the Empire would have a more plausible reason for being here than that. Now,” he continued, looking intently at James, “on your way from the Pass, did you see
anything of the Empire’s forces?”
James told him of the columns of men they saw before leaving the river.
“Damn,” the officer exclaimed, “we were hoping they hadn’t yet moved that far. What else?”
His men crowded around to hear what James had to say. “We ran into people fleeing the fall of a town called Pleasant Meadows,” he explained, though he left out the part he played in their escape. At the mention of Pleasant Meadows, several of the men cursed and James could see anger and sadness appear on many faces.
“And then not too long ago we saw a second army heading northeast.”
“Dire news indeed. You may go on your way, though be careful. If Pleasant Meadows is taken then they are most likely continuing up the road to the City.” Pointing east the officer said, “They will be using the road due east of here, so it would be best if you were to make almost due north and hope to swing around them.”
“Thank you, sir,” James said, and then looked over to Miko’s horse on the ground, in great pain. “What about our horse?”
The officer looked at the animal and then gave a signal that was followed by two crossbow bolts striking it, one in the head and the other in the chest, bringing an end to its pain. “Hate seeing a horse suffer so,” he said. Then to James he continued, “Can’t spare one for you, sorry. You’ll just have to make do with what you have.”
He signaled his men and then mounted up. “Good luck,” he said before he and his men rode off toward the south at a gallop.
“Grab your stuff,” James told Miko. “We’ll have to ride double, at least until we can acquire another horse.”
Miko collected the few bags he had and took them to James’ horse where he secured them behind the saddle. James mounted, then reached down a hand and Miko swung up behind him. “Still better than walking, eh?” he said as they headed northward.
“A little bit,” Miko replied. “How far do you think the City is from here?”
“I’ve no clue. Maybe a couple days, maybe more if we have to detour around any of the Empire’s forces.”
They made good time, even riding double. The ground leveled off until it was fairly flat, with tall grass swaying in the summer breeze. They continued their course for another two hours until they saw an unusually large congregation of birds off to the east. Curious, James angled in that direction to take a closer look.
They found close to fifty of the Empire’s forces, dead and bloating in the sun. The birds squawked and took to the air as they came near. The smell of rotting corpses was nauseating so they kept their distance.
“Looks like the Empire took a beating.”
“Good!” Miko exclaimed. “Serves them right.”
They circled the field of battle for a ways but failed to find anyone other than the Empire’s men. “Either Madoc was really fortunate or they took their dead with them,” James reasoned.
“Yeah,” Miko agreed, “the losers tend to stay where they fall unless their rotting corpses will bother someone.”
Not seeing anything else of interest, James once more turned and made speed northward.
During the ride, Miko eventually nodded off, head lying against James’ back. He dreamed of his life before James when he lived on the street and had no one to trust. In some ways he was glad to be gone from there, but in others he missed his old life. No one was ever trying to kill him, at least not seriously.
Deep in a dream about him and a friend filching fruit from a merchant’s stand, he was startled out of his reverie by the sudden motion of James jerking his arm forward. “What’s going on?” he asked sleepily.
James pointed off to the right where he had dropped a rabbit with one of his stones. “I figured it was time for dinner.” He then broke into a smile as he added, “Didn’t mean to wake you.”
“Wasn’t sleeping,” Miko exclaimed defensively, “just thinking is all.”
James grinned knowingly. “Let’s take a short break and have dinner.”
Miko swung down, with James following. While James got the rabbit ready for dinner, Miko made a fire from some of the dried grass and small sticks in the area.
James watched him as he put the fuel for the fire together. “Make sure you have a bare area around the fire, we don’t want to start a wildfire.”
“Wildfire?” Miko asked.
“If you catch some of the grass on fire, the wind can blow it along and before you know it the entire grassland is aflame”
“I’ll be careful,” Miko said as he struck flint and made a spark. He then blew gently to coax it into a flame. He gradually added more fuel.
James noticed with worry at the smoke rising like a signal to all in the area that they were there. “We better eat fast and leave before someone comes to investigate.”
Miko glanced at the smoke rising like a beacon, “Should I put it out?”
“No, just use the driest grass you can find and that should minimize the smoke,” James replied. “Besides, we need to eat or we’ll be too weak to defend ourselves in an emergency.”
James found a fair-sized stick and impaled the rabbit upon it, using it as a skewer to cook the rabbit. When the rabbit was done, he extinguished the fire by kicking dirt over it until the smoke stopped.
They ate in silence, all the while keeping watch for anyone approaching. Once finished, they remounted and proceeded on again, riding quickly until it grew too dark to see. They made camp, staking the horse out near them.
“We’ll take turns keeping watch.”
“Alright,” agreed Miko. “Do you want me to go first?”
“No, I’m not that tired,” he replied. “You go ahead and sleep. I’ll wake you when it’s your turn.”
Miko settled in and was soon asleep.
James watched the stars overhead, marveling how different they were from the ones at home. At midnight he woke Miko for his turn.
“Now don’t fall asleep,” he told Miko who had a hard time keeping his eyes open.
“Don’t worry,” Miko assured him, as he stifled a yawn, “you just get some sleep.” He began to pace around the camp, keeping himself awake.
James listened to Miko’s steps for a few minutes before sleep took him.
As the sky brightened, James awoke to find Miko asleep a few feet away. Shaking his head, he nudged him in the side with his foot. “Wakey, wakey, sleepyhead.”
Miko’s eyes shot open and he quickly sat up, “I fell asleep!”
“Yes, you did,” James said to him. “Luckily nothing happened, this time. Let’s get going.”
Feeling bad, Miko got the horse ready. Soon they were mounted and making good time northward.
They kept alert for others on the plains. Once during the late morning they had to veer farther to the north when they encountered a force over three hundred strong marching from the southeast. They pushed the horse hard for a short time to put distance between them, only slowing down to a canter once the forces vanished from sight.
They came across forces on the move later in the afternoon, but this time they were coming from the northwest going generally eastward. “Must be reinforcements on their way to the City of Light,” observed Miko.
“I think you are right,” James agreed. “Still, let’s give them a wide berth, we don’t want to be mistaken for the Empire again.”
They backtracked half a mile before they proceeded to the northwest for another two miles. Once they put Madoc’s army behind them, they turned more easterly. Keeping a hurried pace, they pressed on for several more hours.
When the sun dipped toward the horizon, a great body of water appeared to the east. A road ran along the shoreline upon which streamed many people from the south. Most were on foot while some rode in wagons or pulled carts. Those on foot carried bundles while the wagons and carts were filled to overflowing with belongings.
Coming to the road, James inquired of one traveler, “Where are you coming from?”
The man looked up at James with a face totally lacki
ng in hope or joy, “The City of Light,” the man replied despondently.
“It’s fallen already?”
Shaking his head, the man said, “No, at least not when I left. But those you see here didn’t want to stay and be there when the Empire besieged it.”
“It is certain then that they mean to take the City?”
“That’s the rumor.”
“Then the Empire hasn’t yet reached the City?” James asked anxiously.
“I don’t think so. They said our army was going to engage them in the field before they could reach the City. With our allies and mercenaries, they hope to stop them before they get that far.”
“How far is the City from here?”
“It’ll probably take you a day on horseback,” he replied. “I’ve been on the road two days, headed for relatives up north.”
“Thank you for your help.”
The man continued on his way.
“Still a ways to go,” Miko said.
James said, “But at least we’re close, and unlikely to run into the Empire’s forces along the way. Unless they are already besieging the City of Light by the time we get there.”
“Let’s get as much distance behind us as we can before dark,” Miko suggested.
“Good idea,” James replied. He looked at the sinking sun. “We probably only have a couple of hours left anyway.”
They continued down the road. The other travelers were all going in the opposite direction; they were the only ones foolish enough to be going south. James and Miko had little trouble making their way through the people who moved aside when they saw them coming.
Once the sun was close to the horizon they made camp near the water’s edge amidst a group of trees. James took a long stick found near a tree. He waded out into the lake and returned with a fish for dinner.
Both were ravenous. They hadn’t eaten since the rabbit the night before. Once the fire was going well and the fish was cooking, they sat back and watched the people on the road as they passed by. A few glanced in their direction but none approached.
After they ate, James had Miko take first watch. When asked why he replied, “Maybe you’ll stay awake better if you take the first one.”
Miko set his mind to not falling asleep again this night.
Seeing that Miko understood he continued, “Wake me around midnight, sooner if you think someone is approaching.”
Nodding, Miko said, “You can count on me.”
“I hope so,” James said. “Don’t let me down.”
“I won’t,” he replied. “You just get some sleep. I’ll stay alert and keep the fire going.”
Lying down, James contemplated again the wisdom of going to a city that will most likely be under siege. He felt that this was something he must do, though it scared him to death. Get in, get out, he told himself as he drifted off to sleep.
“James! Wake up!”
Startled out of sleep, he bolted upright and looked around the campsite. Miko sat by the tree where two men held him, one with a knife to his throat. A third man came toward him, a long sword in hand.
“Stay right there,” said the man who approached, “and your friend won’t get hurt.”
James remained still and the man slowed his pace once he saw that James would cooperate.
“Lim, get the horse,” he said to one of the two men holding Miko, while still approaching James.
Lim released Miko and walked to the horse. The other remained with Miko, his knife still held to the boy’s throat.
The man with the long sword came toward James and raised the point to rest against James’ chest. “Give me all your gold.”
James removed his coin pouch and handed it over to the man who looked inside. Smiling at the coins and gems he saw, he said to his partners in glee, “Looks like we hit the jackpot this time!”
They both grinned and laughed at their good fortune.
James concentrated and formed a spell, then released the magic. From the direction of the lake behind him, a squishing sound began as if someone walked in boots full of water. From out of the darkness lurched a slow moving man- shaped glistening, shimmering form.
The man guarding Miko saw it first and let out a cry of fear.
The man with the long sword looked up from the contents of the pouch and saw it approach. Letting out a startled cry he backed away, not realizing that he had just removed the sword from in front of James’ chest.
James waited until the man backed up several feet. He quickly bent over and picked up a stone. In one fluid motion he arched his arm back and threw it at the man guarding Miko. Distracted by the sight of the water creature the man failed to see it coming and the stone pierced his chest. The light in his eyes quickly vanished as he slumped to the ground, dead.
Rolling away from the man with the long sword, James maintained his concentration on the creature. It continued its advance, steadily closing the gap.
Eyes wide in fear, the man raised his sword and struck but it had little effect. The sword simply passed through the water.
Seeing one of his partners lying dead and another battling a creature that was unaffected by the sword, Lim screamed in terror and raced off into the night, leaving his partner to his fate.
The man turned as the water creature lurched forward and touched him on the arm. Unable to break the contact, the man watched in horror as the water from the creature spread along his skin, moving to envelope his entire body in a thin, watery layer.
Miko stared in frightened awe as the man became completely cocooned by the creature. Gasping, the man’s mouth opened in a vain attempt to breathe. Water from the creature flowed into his lungs and he spasmed as he choked. Finally, his eyes rolled up and he collapsed.
When he hit the ground, the water from the creature lost its integrity and splashed away.
Gasping from the exertion of having maintained such a spell, James almost passed out but somehow retained consciousness.
Miko closely examined the man killed by the water creature. He turned to James. “He’s dead!”
Nodding, James sat there and tried to keep the world from spinning.
Miko took James’ pouch from the man’s hand and brought it over. “The other man fled into the night.”
“That’s okay,” said James. “I doubt if he’ll be back anytime soon.”
“What was that thing?”
“I suppose you could call it a cross between a water elemental and the blob,” James replied. “It’s something I cooked up a while back for a game a friend and I used to play. It was almost more than I could control though, it kept trying to lose cohesion and break apart.”
“Whatever it was, it sure was impressive,” Miko said. “It sure scared them.”
“That was the idea.” He laid back and could feel himself beginning to slip back into sleep. “Miko, you’re going to have to keep watch till morning,” he told him, yawning. “I’m not going to be able to stay awake.”
“That’s okay,” he replied. “You go ahead and rest, I doubt if I could sleep now anyway.”
James closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep.
Miko dragged the dead men out of camp but not before going through their pouches and removing anything of value. Once the camp was cleared of dead bodies, he began to walk a patrol to stay awake. He managed to remain awake until morning.
Chapter Twenty-Four
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