Chapter 10
Once Marlin and Alex walked away from camp and through the woods they began the insane plan. The moment they entered the well traveled road, Alex leaned heavily on the staff when people were close enough to see. He held it mainly in his right hand. Alex slowed his walk to half his usual gait and even bent his head forward to hunch his back. The look had to be sold. Marlin stood casually and walked by his friend’s side wearing his pack and both of the half filled water skins. His right hand was casually holding his collapsed rod and his eyes scanned everything in the distance. He had to look the part of an experienced mercenary.
They decided since he was going to be lame, Marlin would be the one to carry his pack since Alex’s was larger and being lame meant it would be impossible to carry such a burden on a cripple. Also Shade didn’t want to be left behind so his big brother came up with a solution to that minor detail. Shade wouldn’t be left unless absolutely necessary.
Simply peering at the ground, Shade was walking under him while keeping pace. The early eastern sun forced Shade to stay mostly to his left, but if you weren’t looking carefully enough you’d never know his shadow was any different. Alex smiled, knowing Shade was going along with them. Shade remained silent because there were some people who were also heading towards the city. They didn’t break their cover once.
Two hours later they eventually arrived at the bustling city. So many people were coming and going the three of them were shocked at such numbers. They didn’t break character once though the city was indeed impressive. The front gate was menacing looking. It was made of solid metal and they were coated with deadly spikes on either side of the gate and underneath. Smooth holes in the stone ground alerted that the gate closes every night. A moat surrounded the entirety of Central City as Marlin helped Alex up onto the drawbridge, when the ledge seemed too difficult for a cripple to achieve on their own. Some local people watched, but didn’t seem interested enough to see if they required help.
Two Royal Guards were staffed on each side of the outer gate and another four stood protectively on the inside as well. When they were close enough to the gate Alex stopped and pointed a shaky finger towards a Guard, who took notice as well. Marlin knew the drill after the night’s strategy and rehearsal of the plan.
Marlin left Alex’s side as he remained hunched on his staff. It amazed the fisherman how defeated and willed his friend portrayed someone with such perfection. If he had an item he’d fit right in with the specialists class. Marlin mused, but remained impassive during his approach of the Guard.
He walked right up to a guard and said “Sir, please come with me for a moment. My client needs to ask you a question.”
Shade remained motionless in his shadow and Alex’s. If he moved in his shadow the disguises would be ruined. As Marlin and the guard walked up to Alex, Marlin stood a half step behind the guard while carefully clutching his item, should the situation turn into a bloodbath. The guard was attired just as all the other Guard’s were. He had a spiked baton hanging from his wrist and dark green eyes took in the odd sight. He was skilled in combat because he didn’t focus on one particular thing. He was at least five-and-thirty years and built lean.
Once he stopped the Guard stated “This person said you needed to speak to me.” Alex nodded weakly, without releasing the tension in his shoulders which kept him hunched. “Out with it, I must return to my post.”
Alex made his voice weak and shallow. “I’m sorry, but I have been traveling for over a month. I needed to ask if I had missed the execution of Lily of the Blood Moon. Did we make it in time or was my trip made in vain?”
The grin on his face made Alex want to ruin it irreparably with his staff. “Nay, you made it in time. In fact, you made it with six days to spare.”
“Thank you. I’m glad to have made it.”
“If I may ask, what happened to you? And why have you come on a journey in such a weak condition?” He was sounding curious, but Alex knew he was interrogating him should this be a hoax.
“I was kicked in the back by a gelding as a child and I couldn’t be brought to a skilled healer in time before my back had fully recovered. The only thing our local healer was able to do was remove the horrendous scar, but my splintered bones and nerves were irreparably damaged. And as to why I’m here, Lily was the one to kill my friend. The general was once camped in my village when I was younger and he didn’t make a joke at my disability. I wanted to come here to see her leave this plane of existence once and for all. It is the very least I’m able to do for him. He deserves no less from what befell him.” Pointing at Marlin Alex said “And I had to hire his services so that I could get here safely and in time.” He sighed heavily, sounding like Alex meant for the execution, but actually meaning it for the rescue. “I made it.”
Looking up, the Guard was nodding. “He was truly a good man. He was strict about sacrificing yourself to help others. He was even the one who talked me into enlisting.”
“You’re right. I’d enlist too, but…” He waived Alex off.
“Tell me, is this your first time here?” Alex nodded while shifting his staff to the other side. “Well, there are many inns that are filled because of the event. Do you have money?” he shook his head and looked up at Marlin.
“This man paid me everything he had just to get up here. I have spent all but four silvers.” Marlin reached into his pocket to show the remaining coin. “What will that get us?”
The guard laughed. “About half a piece of straw apiece; I’m sorry, but the two of you will have to find your own way.” He then smiled. “The execution will be held in six days time and it will be carried out after the sun finally sets. Good luck gentleman.” He turned and marched back to his original station.
They all began walking again. This time they made it inside the city and everything was being looked at for an advantage to be exploited. Alex continued to walk while still pretending to rely on the staff.
Inside the city was similar to Nicronane’s Trade City. The stone road here was of a darker brownish color. The houses and shops ranged between one and three stories. There were peddlers and traders selling their wares and the businesses held the same symbols of their trade. The place remained cool, even with the sun almost completely overhead. It was an interesting place to go. Person after person walked around them as they kept walking deeper, becoming just another face among the vast crowd while visualizing any advantages that could be exploited.
The differences to Trade City was that nearly a quarter of the total local population were actually Royal Guards and the two enormous buildings towered over all the others of the city. Some guards patrolled the streets while some stayed in uniform to do what they wanted. There were so many trained eyes that the pressure weighed heavily on them. The two prominent buildings were easily seen from so far were straight down this very road.
Once they were firmly blended in with the bustling crowd they eventually found a place between two buildings and took it to find privacy. Eventually they made it down the alley and found another street. It was less crowded, but they kept searching for a more secluded location. Almost an hour later they came upon a small street that was desolate and rundown. It looked completely abandoned because much was neglected, but they didn’t take any chances and only spoke in whispers.
Knowing things were clear for the moment Alex straightened up and stretched out his sore and tense muscles. “Shade?” he whispered and a head slowly came up from the shadow. Once his gold eyes locked onto Alex’s it was time to really get started on the plan. “You know what to do. Search every road, building, and anything else you think that we can exploit or use to our advantage. Keep sharp and we’ll meet back at the clearing tonight.”
Shade nodded and submerged his head into his shadow again. Then he was off to begin his search, a large shadow streaked away.
“Alex, did you see that gate? What if we try and rescue her and they lock it? What would we do then?”
“Marlin, do you think so li
ttle of yourself?” Grinning came easier with Marlin around. “You said that your fishing line won’t ever break under any circumstances. The day we attempt the rescue, we’ll disable the gate and your unbreakable item’s line will keep the gate up. Once we leave, you’ll release the gate’s weight and it will remain closed, locking our enemies inside their own city.”
He laughed. “You are truly devious.” Then Marlin looked up and down the street. “We had better start doing our job else Shade won’t be happy with either of us making him do all the work.” Alex agreed and they started walking once again.
They finally made it down the main road and saw what made this place have such an undignified reputation.
The prison itself took almost three hours for the two of them to walk completely around its perimeter. As Alex walked casually through the city streets, not acting with his staff, the layout of the prison, and other buildings, began to form in his mind. Small holes for ventilation dotted the prison and fifteen levels were easily seen, but couldn’t be exploited. The layout of the prison was a simple rectangle, but the size of the building was the largest that either of them had ever seen before in a building. The fortified walls were made of a gray stone and anyone could walk up and touch its cool surface. There wasn’t a fence surrounding the prison fortress.
The very front of the prison was malevolence at its worst.
The front metal door of the prison was only accessible by walking onto a horrific stage by taking an thin row of steps to the platform. There was a large courtyard below, where the common people could stand and witness the daily gruesome executions. On the stage held both torture and execution items for the prisoners. There was a noose for hanging, a guillotine for a clean beheading, a chopping block shaped with a hole for the face to go in and what turned their stomach the most was they actually had a rack with a person already in it. The woman on the stage was stripped naked and had her arms and legs tied on either end while slowly being pulled apart. There was no helping the unfortunate woman. Marlin and Alex quickly moved away as she screamed in frightening agony, when the crank was turned again. That stage was both a ghoulish display and a death sentence, for those who remained inside the prison.
Alex began acting again as a cripple again as they walked out the gates and the darkness took over. They learned as much about the prison as they could for the day. They continued playing their parts in this way until they were far enough away from the city to not be seen. They discussed what had been seen inside and decided how things could benefit or be a detriment their plan. It wasn’t long until they managed to get back to camp again.
Grass was torn up to reveal the dark soil underneath and large enough to be able to draw a map of the city. While Alex did this Marlin got the fire running again and went back to fishing.
A few hours after the grass was dug up and the land cleared did Shade walk into the camp, looking pleased. “Alex, what did you do to the grass?”
“I pulled it up so we could make a layout of the city itself. I’ve yet to start drawling. What did you find out?”
He grinned. “Many things. There is only one bit of news that’s bothering me. I first ran the entire perimeter of the city to see that the entrance we went into was the only one large enough for a person to get through. There are many smaller tunnels throughout the city used for refuse. I did as you said and entered the second largest den of the city. I found the storage area where they keep the prisoners items. I even found the two you drew for me. Lily’s white swords are definitely being held there. I did as you said and left them there until everything is complete. I also memorized as much of the city as I could. There is much we need to do.”
After Shade rested and ate, he gave a proper layout of the perimeter of the city. With the end of his staff Alex began drawling the layout and with Shade’s guidance, a rounded rectangle began to appear. Marlin pitched in as they drew in the roads and buildings that they saw. Very slowly, the shape and scale of the city became clearer and more accurate.
Over the next five days they painstakingly worked on the map and thought up any distractions that could be used to aid their escape plan. They focused mostly on the exit strategy and how they’d escape the fortress of a city alive. They factored in troop deployment, movements and how to keep the guards occupied. Marlin came upon a stroke of luck at the tavern when he overheard that only one guard would be stationed at the gate during the execution. That would be Marlin’s primary prerogative. The sand drawling was an almost perfect representation of the city after five full days of critical study. The three constantly studied the turns, alleys and side streets incase they couldn’t run directly down the main street. Marlin’s main task is support and exit. Alex’s task was diversion and defense while Shade’s was about retrieval and safety, the most difficult and crucial task of all.
During the night, when they needed a break, Marlin asked Shade for permission to spar with Alex. Shade wrote in a patch of dirt saying it would be a good idea to hone one’s skills before a fight. They began to spar, but Marlin only fought with his extended cane and not his bobber that changed weight. It was great practice at how to wield the new staff more efficiently. Marlin was truly a strong opponent and he bested his younger and larger friend at almost every move. Alex lost count at how many times he found himself planted on his backside. Shade laughed constantly as Marlin showed why he was an expert warrior.
Just before daylight on the critical day they began implementing the final stages of the plan. While it was still dark and the guards changed shifts, Marlin and Alex crossed the wooden drawbridge silently. The Guards left the gate up because they were expecting a large crowd for tonight’s main event. Marlin extended his pole and flung the line over the bridge. Once the three pronged hook latched onto the base of the gate, in a discrete location, he placed his pole between the cracks of the wood that made the support framing of the outer wall, which was under construction to be made of stone in three months time. The coloring of his russet item matched well with the wood so it wouldn’t be seen clearly. They devised the string in a way that the wall itself would hold the gate in place rather than ripping his item from the wall when they made their hurried escape.
While the patrols were still busy with the shift change, Marlin and Alex slipped inside the gate and cut most of the portcullis rope that held the balancing weight, to keep the gate from falling. They cut just enough so that you wouldn’t notice the slice unless you looked at it up close. Then they sabotaged the drawbridge mechanism to remain down for the escape. Once that was finished they hurried back across the drawbridge just moments before the relief guards made their way to their stations and the two of them waited in the distance for the sun to eventually arrive. Marlin complained that he felt naked without his item, but he knew there wasn’t any more options at the moment.
Alex’s heart began racing with a stream of adrenaline throughout the day as he, Shade and Marlin separated to do their individual tasks.
Alex’s job was to make unforeseen diversions, if there were seers near. It is impossible to be seen, or so he hoped. Every refuse tunnel he found was plugged up by whatever was handy and he changed the exit paths of the sludge slightly. Mostly wood panels and wadded clothing were easily enough to come by for use in stopping up the holes. While the city was bustling he stole drawstrings from all the clothes lines he found in the city. He wove the individual strings together and found some nails someone had forgotten to use. Holding the bundle of string, he’d walk across the street while letting a single strand fall behind. He would then use his feet to bury the line inside the spaces in the road. Alex did it along the entire road in long uneven sections. He was then able to tie the final end of the string on the gate’s massive portcullis weight that was still hanging by a thread. He also attached the special end of the cord to another surprise. By the time he finished with the arduous tasks, the sun began to dive over the side of the western walls.
Waiting in the gathering crowd of the courtyard, Marlin
approached his friend. He took his pack off and said “I’m finished on my end. How about you?”
Alex nodded absently, watching for any sign of change on the stage. “Did Shade pull through and meet you at the plaza?” Speaking cryptically was the only option he had because so many others were around them.
No one would be their ally in this crowd of brainwashed fanatics.
Marlin grinned while opened the bag. Shade’s job was to get Lily’s two short swords from the barracks holding room. Shade was unable to bring any objects into his shadow so he devised a way to hold something in the space between his large shoulders. He must have been quick and stealthy to smuggle the blades out of the guard’s barracks without being seen. Alex wondered if he looked like a shark with his fin breaking the surface.
“I’ll be ready when the commotion picks up.” Marlin admitted while closing the pack. He then started casually walking down the road. Alex lost sight of him as he made his way towards the gate.
Slowly the courtyard began to light with burning torches and the execution stage became lit brightly enough to show the stage to the people. The area became saturated with an ominous and flickering orange glow. The tortured woman from earlier was no longer on the rack, but her fresh blood remained from being ripped apart. Alex’s heart went out to her. Then more and more people began coming into the courtyard, looking excited for the upcoming execution. Many Royal Guards mixed in with the everyday people. The air buzzed with all the excited voices blending together. People young and old came to witness the gruesome event with savage hunger. Alex pitied all these wrongly programmed citizens and wished they knew what it was like to have true freedom in their lives.
Alex stood at the very end of the tightly crammed crowd and waited. The packed group would make things easier for them and more difficult for the Royal Guard to mount a counterattack. Alex stood in the back center of the road, now standing tall as he waited for it to begin.
The wait wasn’t all that long.
A hush settled over the crowd as a trumpet sounded from a man in the center of the stage. He was a Royal Guard and the trumpet was his item. Alex remembered reading that musical items can either be weapons or for healing. He hoped it was the latter because there were scary stories that came from the weapon type music. His voice boomed as he stood at attention. “Good People! We have all gathered here today to witness the execution of Lily of the Blood Moon! Remain silent as we make final preparations!”
Then the large metal door of the prison opened inward and a line of Royal Guards came out in a single procession. They all marched in unison because the sounds were holding a steady, primal rhythm. They broke to either side of the stage and lined up against the stone wall. Each one wore an expressionless mask as they turned to the crowd to stand at attention. The trumpet user walked away and took his place in line. Then all noises stopped; except for the hissing, flickering torches.
First came out a slender man, carrying a piece of parchment. He walked directly between the guillotine and the chopping block to abruptly stop. He was the one who would recount the crimes that were committed. He then turned his back to the quiet crowd as the executioner came out wearing a back hood and a gigantic axe rested in his meaty hands. The crescent blade was as long as a man’s torso and the shaft was as tall as the wielder. He was a giant among men, including Alex. He stopped, planted the butt of the item on the wooden stage as he also turned his back to everyone.
The man with the paper ordered “Bring out the prisoner!”
A worried sense of excitement filled Alex as two men carried out a limply hanging body with metal shackles binding the hands and ankles. He couldn’t tell if it was really Lily because she was clothed in a burlap sack and the head was also masked by another soiled sack. The body looked too puny, but from where he stood in the back, everything looked slightly undersized and surreal.
The silence grew to deafening levels as the two guards dragged the person up to the chopping block. They kicked behind the knees of the prisoner and straightened the person into an erect, kneeling position. Then the two guards walked away to stand with the line. The man with the parchment grasped the head covering and yanked.
Immediately Alex recognized her, but what he saw made his heart beat almost out of his chest in an untamable rage. How dare you!!! His blood began boiling as he began to see red around his peripheral vision. What he saw made him want to kill every single person on stage and even the crowd would face his wrath.
He wanted their blood. The rage was fed with a need for vengeance.
Lily’s beautiful white hair was covered in matted blood and he didn’t want to imagine anything else. Her beautiful face appeared sickly pale and bony features dominated under her skin. Her left eye had completely swollen shut. Alex recognized that she was being starved here and given only what she needed to survive up to this day. On the side of her throat was a large purple bruise that had only recently begun to heal. Her only unharmed open amethyst eye said she still remained sane and strong, but for how long remained a mystery. He wanted so badly to get her out of here. Soon she would be.
The man with the parchment turned to the crowd and began reading aloud what was written. “Lily of the Blood Moon, You are here by sentenced to death by beheading, by order of King Runkamon himself. The charges for your crimes are as follows. One, for killing your commanding officer and a ranking general of Gagiat. Two, for disregarding a direct order from that said general. Three, for disavowing yourself by saying that sacrifice to your people is meaningless and should be abolished. Lastly, for killing other members of the Guard until they manage to capture you.” He dropped the parchment to his side and turned upon Lily. “Do you dispute your charges?”
Despite her deprived physical condition her voice was as musically clear as when Alex first heard it on the island. “Nay, they are correct and I would gladly do it all again given another chance.”
He turned to the crowd. “You have all her blatant disregard for the law! We all must sacrifice for one another so that our lives hold meaning in the next life. Without sacrifice we are no better than fiends.”
Alex whispered inaudibly to himself. “Nay, because fiends have more honor than any one of you. They at least are better than those who are brainwashed.”
The man turned and grabbed her hair. He then wrenched her forward and because of her weakened state she couldn’t struggle away from the block. Her head was placed in the recess of the wood. That way, the executioner can get a clean cut over the back of the neck. The man continued holding her hair as he commanded “Do It!” The axe wielding executioner lifted his item and walked forward. Alex watched in growing terror and raging anger as the man carefully stood at the correct distance as well as have the correct stance to deal a final and fatal blow.
You have done this form of execution many times before, but this one will be stopped. Alex thought silently.
He raised his arms over his head and arched his back.
Such profound rage couldn’t remain quiet any longer as that powerful feeling overcame him yet again. He took a sudden deep breath while everything went silent and waiting for the end of the fair warrior. She won’t die!
Alex yelled at the top of his lungs. “SHADE! NOW!!!”
The plan had finally begun.
Now it was our time to take the offensive.
Untamed Gift (Book One of the Items Trilogy) Page 10
