Chapter 26
Dark and Stormy Night
Alexander Gorman placed his fingers on her eyelids and slid them shut. This young lady marked the sixth person they had found slain on the side of the road since their encounter with the Dead Suns outside of Lasticall.
"Rest in peace," he said as he stood and dusted off his hands. Such a shame. She was a beautiful young girl with much life left to live.
"Seems like they are on a killing spree," Nezzer Trock said. "I found Raptilian tracks once more. They are headed for Dead Marsh."
"At least we have yet to find the bodies of King Graystone and Sestian Ferrini," Alexander said. "Let us hope we find them before these vile beings do."
"I do not believe them capable of harming Azonis or Thaddeus, especially with the company they keep," Nezzer said.
"Let us hope not. Galdarath is not ready for its king to perish just yet, nor is Lasticall, I assume," Alexander replied. "Mount up. We ride for Dead Marsh. The sun is falling fast."
With the setting of the sun came the rains. It was the most violent storm either Alexander or Nezzer had ever witnessed. The heavy rain acted like a drawn curtain before them limiting their visibility. The lightning nipped at their heels, and the thunder shook Calencia to its core.
"We must find shelter!" Nezzer yelled.
"No! We keep moving!" Alexander replied.
Nezzer's horse reared back as a bolt of lightning struck a nearby tree. "This is insane! I doubt they are traveling in such weather. I am sure they stopped to seek shelter!"
"Let us hope so. We may have a chance at getting ahead of them!" Alexander yelled to be heard above the storm.
They rode on for another hour, but covered little ground. The storm's fury was too great. Nezzer saw a small house off to the right of the road. A dim light shone through its windows.
"Look!" Nezzer cried. "We must seek shelter! This storm is too bad!"
Something deep inside of Alexander told him to keep moving. He wanted to make it to Dead Marsh as soon as possible. He had to warn Thaddeus about the men who were seeking him. Against his deepest intuition, Alexander broke off from the main road and rode toward the small house.
They tied their horses to the hitching post beside a brown mare. Alexander banged on the front door and a voice called out, "Come in."
Alexander and Nezzer stepped into the house and shook the rain from their bodies.
A small fire crackled in the fire place. Fresh flowers sat in a vase on an end table. The home was rather small, but warm and dry.
"Come in and take a load off," said a well groomed man. "You must be weary. Are you hungry?"
"Yes," Alexander replied. "Thank you for your hospitality, good sir." One should never turn down food when in another's home.
"Well, come on in and have a seat. I have a pot of soup on the stove," the man said as he limped into the kitchen, clutching a cane in his left hand.
A moment later he reappeared with two ceramic bowls full of hot soup in his right hand, with his thumb in one bowl.
"There you go," the man said as he placed the bowls in front of them, smiling from ear to ear. He licked the soup from his thumb and asked, "What would possess the two of you to be out on a night like this?"
"The storm turned violent in a hurry. Before we knew it, we were in the middle of the worst storm either of us has ever seen," Alexander answered.
"You are from Galdarath?" the man asked.
"I am. How did you know?" Alexander asked, squinting his eyes.
The man replied, "Your armor."
Alexander smiled. "Do you live here?"
"I do not. I was returning home from Dead Marsh when this storm blew in. I spotted this house from the road. The door was unlocked so I let myself in," he replied.
"Where is home?" Nezzer asked.
"The Free Lands, outside of Galdarath," he answered without hesitation.
"Have you saw any others on the road to Dead Marsh?" Alexander asked.
"Now that you mention it, I crossed paths with a Human and Raptilian. They did not appear friendly. I just kept my head down and rode past them," the man answered. "A very scary looking duo."
Alexander and Nezzer gave each other a concerned look.
"How long ago?" Alexander inquired.
"It was early this morning. They should be in Dead Marsh by now, if that was where they were heading," he answered.
"Consider yourself lucky, friend," Nezzer said.
"Why so?" the man asked.
"The two you saw are murderers. They have left a wake of death behind them," Alexander explained.
"Oh dear. I will count my blessings tonight," the man said.
"I am sorry. We haven't introduced ourselves. My name is Alexander Gorman, and this is Nezzer Trock of Lasticall."
"The name is Trevor, and the pleasure is all mine."
They spent the next twenty minutes finishing their hot soup and downing three bottles of dandelion wine between them. Trevor proved to be a very interesting individual. He was a traveling jewelry merchant from the Free Lands. When asked to see his wares, Trevor informed them that fortune shined upon him in Dead Marsh, and he had sold his entire inventory.
"If you do not mind me asking, what business do you have in Dead Marsh? You are a long way from Galdarath, and it is not often that one sees one of King Thaddeus's guards traveling with an Engenium," Trevor said.
Alexander decided he would not answer this question truthfully, but before he could fabricate an elaborate story, Nezzer, feeling the effects of the wine, spoke.
"We are seeking King Graystone and Sestian Ferrini. We fear them in danger," Nezzer blurted out.
"You do?" Trevor asked as he stood. "Why?"
"It seems that the Raptilian and Human you passed on the road are seeking them as well," Nezzer said as he let out a loud belch. "They are murderers. We have followed their trial of bodies from Lasticall."
"Nezzer!" Alexander said. "That is enough. Stay your tongue."
Trevor paced back and forth beside the table. Alexander did not like the sudden mood change in the room. The sense of comfort had fled.
"And they are murderers you say?" Trevor asked.
"Yes, murderers," Nezzer replied.
His cane, Alexander thought. A moment ago he was using it in his left hand, now it is in his right. Alexander's hand flashed to the hilt of his sword and he shot up from the table, sending his chair flying out from under him.
"Nezzer!" Alexander shouted. "To arms!"
Trevor stood motionless, grinning.
Alexander became aware to the fact that Nezzer had not stood. He looked over to see Nezzer face down in his bowl of soup. Blood gushed from his neck where a war axe rested snugly. A Raptilian pulled the axe from his neck and wiped the blood on his pants.
"Not murderers," Trevor stated. "Assassins. The Shadows to be exact."
Alexander charged forward and made three quick slashes with his sword. Trevor stepped back and pulled two falcatas from behind his cloak. Alexander Gorman rushed forward again, but this time Trevor met him. He checked each of Alexander's strikes and retaliated with five of his own. Alexander blocked Trevor's first and second strikes with little effort. He feigned low with his right and when Alexander dropped his sword to block, Trevor drug the falcata across his face. Alexander stumbled back, blood pouring down his cheek. Trevor's next two strikes landed on each side of Alexander's neck. He pushed the blades deeper into the soft of his neck, applied ample pressure and brought them out.
Alexander's face went expressionless, and he collapsed onto the floor. Trevor sheathed his swords, unsheathed his hidden blade, and cut another mark across his stomach.
"Zeez are ze royal guardz?" Zathillius asked. "Zey did not even put up a ztruggle."
"This one tried," Trevor said as he sheathed his blade back into his cane.
"Thaddeuz haz not made it to Dead Marzh. Zey muzz ztill be out on ze road," Zathillius said.
"There is a village not far fro
m here. Rand, I do believe," Trevor said. "We should check there."
"I iz ready to ridez," Zathillius replied. "Ze zight of king'z blood exzites me."
Trevor Metzger and Zathillius Kraven left the small home whose only occupants were five dead bodies. They met the storm's fury head on and made the slow journey to Rand, which was less than a league away.
When they arrived at Rand, the pitch black sky emptied its bowels. They crept up the hill to the village's entrance, but an obstacle blocked their path. From the shadows, a few feet away from the front gate, Trevor and Zathillius listened intently to a large group's conversation.
"I knew we should not have let him into our village again!" a man yelled.
"He is not acting under his own will!" Lot rebutted. "It will be over soon, I promise."
"Should we help Locmire?" Oggy asked.
"No. He said to stay here," Urganox replied. "We really do not know what we are dealing with."
"I knew she seemed odd. I did not like her from the moment I met her," Azonis added. "I should have Rasmere go fletch an arrow in her and end this folly!"
"Let your own arrow loose," Rasmere said. "I no longer serve you."
"Enough!" Lot roared. "It will be over soon. We wait."
Zathillius whispered to Trevor, "That iz ze brother of Thaddeuz. We'z should take him now."
"Do you seek death on this night, friend? Look at the company he keeps. We may kill him, but we would have no chance of escape," Trevor replied. "It seems that Thaddeus may be an easier target. Shall we go see?"
Trevor and Zathillius snuck along the thin ledge outside of Rand's walls just long enough to get out of sight of Lot and the others. They scaled the wooden wall and leapt down onto the muddy street. Through the black night, they could just make out the shape of three figures.
"This does not look much better," Trevor said. "I do not think that engaging in battle with a Wizard would be wise."
"We'z needz to ztrike. Now!" Zathillius said.
"Very well," Trevor said.
Zathillius pulled his bow from his back and notched an arrow. As he took aim, Locmire placed his hands upon Thaddeus and River's head. The torrential downpour made it difficult to line up a shot, but being the skilled assassin he was, Zathillius, now confident with his shot, let loose his arrow.
When the arrow was a fraction of a second away from impaling Thaddeus, the Human King and Mage collapsed to the ground.
"I mizzed. I never mizz." Zathillius said with a frown. "But zey are on ze ground. No better time to ztrike."
"No!" Trevor said as he stayed Zathillius with his arm. "We need to leave. The time is not right. The odds are against us. We will follow them when they leave."
As they turned to leave, they saw the Wizard blow a hole through the wooden wall.
"What is he doing?" Trevor asked.
A moment later, Locmire had a squealing pig in his arms and stepped through the breach in the wall. When he returned, the pig was nowhere to be seen.
Zathillius and Trevor scaled the wall once more and disappeared out of sight into the darkness.