Chapter 17 #2
Glasha is near Hazatin, who is having trouble standing with the arrow sticking out of his leg. I’m doing my best to keep my eyes on Firedrum while also trying to search for the archers that are still out in the forest.
“Taking what is rightfully ours.” As Firedrum steps over Wu’dag’s body, I watch the other two officers move to stand behind her. And then behind her, just beyond the camp’s perimeter, is a group of people wearing solid black robes. A dozen at least, barely visible in the darkness. Oh shit.
“This is treason,” Khazak spits at her.
“You’re working for him, aren’t you?” I ask next. “Councilman Murbank.”
Firedrum narrows her eyes at me. “Take out the human.”
“No!” I don’t even see the arrow coming toward me before Khazak shoulder-checks me out of the way, crying out in pain when it sinks into his arm.
“Khazak!” I do my best to scramble to my feet.
“Take the captain and the human alive. The rest are unimportant,” she calls to the group behind her. “Now where did—”
The ground rumbles, strong enough to collapse a few of the tents.
Then it sounds like the trees are moving, which seems crazy, but I watch a tree branch swing out of the darkness and slam into one of the officers at Firedrum’s side, flinging him into some of the robed crowd behind him.
As everyone begins to panic, I look at the ground and see Wu’dag isn’t down for the count yet, his eyes glowing.
“Run,” is all he says after locking eyes with me before the fire goes out, and everything turns black.
The panicked shouting starts immediately, and I instinctively grab for Khazak next to me. This isn’t natural darkness; I can’t see anything.
“Where are they?! Where is the avakesh?!” An unknown voice calls out. Why are they after me and Khazak?
“David, Captain, we must run.” That’s Orim.
A hand on my arm pulls me away, and I make sure to pull Khazak along with me.
Behind me, I can hear the sounds of a struggle, and I can only hope the other rangers can make it out okay.
I try to ignore what I think is the sound of a sword hitting a body and just keep running.
As soon as we are far enough from camp, the world comes back into view, or at least, I can see the vague shapes of trees in the more natural-darkness. Orim is still gripping my arm to guide me, and I’ve still got a hold of Khazak’s...who I am starting to notice is moving slower than the two of us.
“Are you okay?” I turn back in the darkness to ask.
“I think...the arrows...were poisoned,” he breathes out slowly. Fuck.
“I bet I know what with, too.” What is with this fucking flower?!
“Distilled poison acts much faster than plant form,” Orim explains from the front.
“Are you going to be okay?” I remember the struggle it was trying to move him last time. At least I’m in better shape.
“You should...leave—”
“Nope. Still not an option. Try again.” I don’t even let him finish his stupid thought.
“But they—”
“David is right, Captain.” Glad someone agrees with me. “They are looking for you both, which means we must keep you out of their hands.”
There’s no more arguing after that, though I can just feel Khazak’s grumpy face glaring at the back of my head.
We try to keep moving at our current speed, but once the poison kicks in, we have to slow down considerably.
Orim and I move to either side of Khazak to help him, arms over our shoulders, a feat made even more difficult by the fact that I still can’t see shit out here.
We’re still moving north, at least I think so because of all the hills we’re starting to climb. I’m not sure what our plan is. We’re just trying to get as far away from them as we can. Just when I think we might be in the clear, Orim’s steps stutter, and for just a second, he freezes.
“They are following us.” He tries to pick up the pace.
“What?! How?!” Even with better eyesight and hearing, we should’ve put a good amount of distance between us by now.
“I do not...oh no. My compass stone,” he realizes in horror.
“Fuck, what do we do? Toss it?” I can’t even see where I’d throw it right now.
“It is too late. They are already too close.” He sounds torn on something. “You must keep moving while I lead them away.”
“What? No, that’s as bad as—”
“They are getting closer, David. There is no time.” I feel more of Khazak’s weight drop on me as Orim steps away from us. “Go.”
“Orim, you can’t—”
“Go!” he whisper-shouts, and then he’s gone. Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck.
I want to chase after him and stop him, but I don’t want whatever he does here for us to be in vain.
So, I push on and tell myself he’ll be okay, that he can handle himself.
But I’m still not sure where I’m going or what my plan is.
Khazak can barely walk, his movements slow, and I can feel his breathing getting labored.
I’m still going north, but the hills are starting to kill me.
Then the sky rumbles.
Fuck. It’s hard enough being out here in the dark, but if it starts to rain, I’ll be completely blind. Not to mention how much harder it will be for Khazak to move in mud. Now I need to find shelter. Like a cave.
A CAVE! The ruins! I can take us to the temple ruins!
We’re already headed in that direction, and that would make a great place to hide out from the rain and wait until it’s safe.
I smile widely in the dark at my stroke of genius, feeling recharged.
The trees are already starting to thin out, so I know we’re getting close.
A distant flash of lightning illuminates the mountain range ahead of us, and I can see where the temple’s alcove is.
I breathe a sigh of relief when the cave entrance comes into (a very dark) view.
Just in time. There’s more thunder as we enter, and I walk us down the long hallway, figuring we’ll be safe in the bigger room at the end.
I can just hear that piercing noise in my head again when I feel Khazak start to struggle against me, and I panic that it has something to do with the poison.
“Are you okay?” I try to walk us faster; I can put him down once we’re in the room.
“David...” he wheezes out, “why was...the cave...open?”
I freeze at Khazak’s words, then look back to the entrance, barely visible in the darkness. I didn’t even notice. Where were the boulders? Where was the illusion?
Who’s already in here?
I’m stuck in place, unsure of whether to keep moving forward or turn back and take our chances in the coming storm.
I look back and forth three or four times before something makes the choice for me.
Down the hall, the entrance to the temple begins glowing orange as the torches in the room behind it are lit.
Robed figures appear in the doorway, slowly approaching us.
Nope!
I turn us right around and start hoofing it back down the way we came in: the forest it is.
Just as I turn, lightning cracks through the sky once more, and in the flash of light, I see more hooded figures at the exit, already coming toward us.
We’re trapped. Pulling Khazak close, I can do nothing but wait for the bastards to finally catch us.
But like hell if I’m gonna make this easy on them.
Leaning Khazak against the wall, I prepare myself for a fight, pulling out my sword.
“What do we have here?” The first person in robes to exit the room finally reaches us, a familiar voice echoing from under his hood. “You seem to be unable to stop sticking your nose where it does not belong, human.”
“Fuck you.” I grip my sword handle tightly, daring him to move closer.
“Now now, none of that.” The other people in robes gather around him tightly, each drawing their own weapons and caging us in. “I would hate to cause any more death tonight than is necessary.”
As the group closes in and my hope fades, all I can think about is what exactly he means by “necessary.”