by N. I. Snow
Jonah let out a groan, and his clouded eyes slowly found Emma. “Em…ma,” his weak voice whispered out her name.
Emma tried to run over to him, but a heavy hand from Zaharak grabbed hold of her shoulder, stopping her in her place. Zaharak rubbed his free hand on the bottom of his snout feigning thought, “You know, High Elder. If the torturer has ruined my wares, I will have to raise my price on the girl.”
Salianos's violet eyes burned with anger and his raspy voice was filled with venom as he growled at Zaharak, “If you are worried about your profits, then by all means look over the boy.”
Zaharak released his hold on Emma and walked over to Jonah. As he approached, Tarline rejoined Salianos’s group, muttering indignantly under his breath. All eyes were on Zaharak as he bent down and lifted the young man to his knees. Jonah's head sank down, chin touching his chest. Zaharak knelt down on one knee to help support the boy so that he would not fall back to the ground. From an inner pocket of his leather jacket, Zaharak removed a small round capsule with a tiny needle at one end.
Salianos narrowed his eyes with suspicion as he watched Zaharak jab the boy with the needle, “What are you giving him, Seeker?”
Zaharak looked over Jonah's shoulder at Salianos and spoke callously to the High Elder, “I gave him ephinious. The boy can hardly sit up, let alone stand; and unlike Tarline, I am not carrying him to my ship.”
The look Salianos gave the Seeker meant he believed him but hardly appreciated his tone. Zaharak returned his attention to the young man who murmured unintelligibly, but the cloudiness in his eyes was fading away. Zaharak bent his head low as if examining the boy's body closely. He reached into his jacket once more and removed a small holopad from it.
Quietly so that only Jonah could hear him, the Seeker's husky voice whispered from the corner of his mouth as he carefully passed the holopad to Jonah, “I understand the fog in your head has not passed yet, but the ephinious will clear it soon. You have no reason to trust me, but you need to listen closely for Emma's sake,” Jonah's head jerked slightly at his sister's name. Zaharak knew he had the boy's attention now. “We have planned for your escape.”
The Seeker stood and walked around to examine Jonah's back. Kneeling once more Zaharak continued on, “On the holopad is a mapped out route you must take without us. When the moment comes, you must run as fast as you can. Do not look back, do not stop. The route will take you to my ship. Do you understand?”
Jonah's head bobbed weakly. Zaharak stood up and walked back over to Emma. He turned to face the awaiting Salianos. “Count yourself lucky, High Elder. Tarline seems to have left the boy in a good enough condition.”
Salianos opened his faded-blue jaws to speak, but was cut off by an annoyed Tarline. The bronze-scarred Elder's half tail twitched angrily as he spoke, “You are the one that is lucky, Seeker. Lucky that I had not killed the boy before the High Elder told me of what you wanted. I would have enjoyed torturing him more.”
Salianos threw the wiry Elder a dark look before returning his attention to Zaharak saying, “Then I trust everything is in order.”
Zaharak glanced quickly at Jonah who tapped at the holopad in his hands. The Seeker nodded at the High Elder. “As expected.”
Salianos turned his gaze to Emma who still was looking at her brother with a horrified stare. “And the girl is fine?”
Zaharak nodded, “You know I make sure my merchandise is well cared for.”
Salianos frowned suddenly, a frown full of suspicion. “Indeed,” Salianos's thin voice chilled Emma, “perhaps too well. Why are her arms not in binders?”
Zaharak shrugged. “She has nowhere to run and hide.” Zaharak nodded to the two cloaked Seekers who stood to each side of the faded-blue Tazalian. “There are three of us more than capable of recovering her should she try.”
Zaharak's reply did not sway Salianos's suspicion by much. The High Elder's gaunt snout twitched. “While I am sure that you are correct, Seeker, there are still some concerns that have come to mind that perhaps you can clear up.”
Zaharak spoke mockingly, “Anything for you, High Elder.”
Salianos glared at him, “Have you seen or heard from Shadonel or Soforin?”
Zaharak shook his snout, his eyes as impassive as ever, “Can't say that I have.”
Salianos narrowed his eyes. “I see.” The High Elder folded his arms across his broad chest. “I know very well your reputation when it comes to delivering your merchandise, but certain issues have arisen, and I have a task for you to complete here and now.”
Zaharak raised a ridged brow. “And that is?”
“Strike her,” Salianos motioned towards Emma, “Draw blood if you can.”
Emma's eyes widened with shock at what Salianos asked. She looked up at the motionless Zaharak with her mouth hanging open. He gazed emptily at Salianos. The Seeker suddenly turned towards the girl so fast that she leapt backward with fright. Then she slowly backed away as Zaharak reached into his jacket. Emma stared fearfully into Zaharak's blank, yellow eyes. He wouldn't hurt her; he couldn't; but deep down she knew he had to do what Salianos told him or their plan would fail.
Emma closed her eyes and ducked reflexively as his hand shot out from his jacket. No pain came. Her eyes snapped open in time to catch the sight of one of the cloaked Seekers collapse with a dagger protruding from his red-scaled chest. Salianos and the others stared at the fallen Seeker with confusion. Zaharak quickly grabbed one of Emma's wrists and half dragged her as he ran for the doorway that led to their escape.
“Jonah, run now!” The gray scaled Tazalian shouted without looking back at the young man.
Jonah managed to get unsteadily to his feet and start running with a painful limp and, before Salianos and the others recovered from their shock, disappeared through a doorway at the far end of the hangar.
The High Elder's eyes blazed with fury and he gnashed his fangs together. “After them! Do not let Zaharak escape with the girl!”
Tigret responded, racing ahead of the High Elder. One hand tore away her long cloak that inhibited her speed. Salianos was close behind her, each of his steps full of fire. Yahrik and Tarline branched away from them, Tarline pursuing Jonah as Yahrik ran toward another doorway. Salianos did not bother yelling for them to stay with him. They could go to the pit of death for all he cared; all he wanted was that girl and that cursed Seeker.
He could see Zaharak and Emma ahead. Focused totally on his target, Salianos dashed past Tigret, failing to notice that she had stopped. He ignored a warning shout from her as he continued running. He was close to catching up, when not hardly a meter in front of him the hall exploded, blasted by the detonators Zaharak had set. The blast rocketed the faded-blue Tazalian backwards landing him painfully on the ground.
Tigret hurried over to help the High Elder to his feet; but when she reached down to help him, he knocked away her hand. Standing up painfully, he surveyed the rubble blocking the hall. His jaws opened and let out an angry screech. He would not lose his key to the Light again, especially not to the son of Lutianist. He would have his claws on the girl when this was over.
On the other side of the collapsed hallway, Zaharak urged the girl to run faster. Emma tried but only succeeded in tripping and falling to the ground. Zaharak helped her regain her footing before they took off in a sprint once more. They hurried through the hall, everything a blur of darkness.
Emma struggling to keep up with Zaharak and stumbling a few more times as they crossed through the round room to the opposite hall. She wanted to stop, but they couldn't, not until they reached the Valkyrie and it seemed years away. To make matters worse, she had no way of knowing if her brother was all right. The medicine Zaharak had given Jonah had restored some of his strength, but he had still looked horrifyingly weak. The only thing she could do now was hope he could make the run and would not be followed.
His chest feeling as though it were being stabbed with a thousand needles, Jonah ran agonizingly through the corridor
s marked on the holopad. Behind him he could hear slow, methodical footsteps. He knew well that their owner could easily catch up to him. For now, though, Tarline seemed content with only tormenting him. Jonah knew that his torturer had come to finish the job he started, but he would try hard not to give brutal Elder the opportunity.
The ragged, young man did not understand fully why the Seeker who had kidnapped his sister was helping them now, but he knew one thing for sure. He had a chance of seeing her again and the torturer was not going to stop him.
Turning right in a round room with three branching hallways, Jonah ran as fast as he could through another corridor. Breath coming in painful gasps, he stopped in a wide rectangular room with a narrow path over a pool of blue liquid. Jonah frowned, something wasn't right. He lifted up the holopad and realized with dismay that he had gone down a wrong hallway at the branch.
“Lost are we?” that all-too-familiar brazen voice echoed behind him.
Jonah nearly fell backwards as he turned to face the scarred, bronze Tazalian who smiled wickedly at him. The Elder walked slowly towards him. “Now the fun can start.”
Bursting from the doorway of the long corridor, Emma and Zaharak skidded to a halt in the round generator room. Past the enormous humming machinery was the lift with smoke rising from the collapsed platform. Stepping slowly from behind the generator was the muscular Elder, Yahrik. He walked stiffly over to the pair, arms crossed behind his back. A scowl crossed his thick snout as he stopped three meters from them.
His deep voice boomed through the room like thunder, “I am disappointed Seeker. I should not have been here before you.”
Zaharak released his hold on Emma's hand. He reached up and grabbed his hat from his head, his golden eyes never leaving the red-scaled Elder. “What if I told you this is all according to my plan?”
Yahrik gazed cautiously at the hat the Seeker toyed with. “So Seeker, what has caused you to tread across fatal waters? Salianos was willing to pay you well.”
“Times are changing. Money no longer interests me.” Zaharak responded, pressing his hands against either side of the hat.
Yahrik snorted, ignoring the whirling sounds emitting from the hat, “Are they truly, Seeker, or are you becoming weak?”
Zaharak crouched into a pose that looked like he was about to pounce, holding the deadly throwing disk behind him. His golden eyes burned with an untamed light. “Shall we find out.”
Yahrik laughed while shaking his head. “I always respected you as a warrior. Fierce like an atyx, and I see you have adopted the ootki fight stance, wild and full of fire.” Yahrik unfolded his arms and brought them down to his side. “It is a shame that I will have to extinguish that flame.”
Zaharak moved first. Spinning his body around on one foot, he threw the razor sharp disk toward the Elder. Emma watched somewhat impressed as the powerful Tazalian leapt at an angle towards the wall to his left. Using his momentum, he ran along the wall before flipping sideways over the deadly projectile. As the disk turned to fly back to its master, Yahrik caught it deftly by the grip and threw it to the ground. The sharp metal blade buried itself nearly to the handle.
Zaharak glanced briefly at the weapon before leaping past Yahrik. The Seeker threw himself onto the side of the generator and began scaling it. He had to defeat Yahrik quickly before Salianos and Tigret navigated the side halls as Yahrik had. Quickly Zaharak climbed with the Elder following below him. The Seeker stopped midway up the towering structure. He waited until the muscular Yahrik was only an arm’s length below him before pushing himself into a back flip. Yahrik bent his head back to watch the gray-scaled Tazalian sail through the air behind him.
Zaharak's booted feet had hardly touched the ground when he bounded for Emma. Covering her with his body he pulled back his jacket sleeve and pressed a button on his wristpanel hidden underneath. A blast erupted at the base of the generator. Yahrik lost his hold on the machinery as it began rocking beneath him and arms flailing as he tried to regain his hold on the generator’s wall, he fell backwards to the ground below.
The Elder landed with a heavy thud. Temporarily stunned, his dark-blue eyes stared up at the generator as it rocked precariously back and forth. Realizing what was happening, Yahrik leapt to his feet, planning to run to safety; but it was too late. Before the Elder could move fraction of a meter, the generator made an eerie groan and began to tip. The strong Elder braced himself and raised his arms to catch the structure, as the generator came crashing down towards him. His knees buckled as the generator pushed down on his body. Tears from the exertion rolled down his snout, which was distorted by an agonized expression.
Zaharak let go of Emma and turned towards the helpless Elder, who strained desperately to keep from being crushed by the machinery. Yahrik's massive arms shook violently as their strength began to fail. Emma felt a mixture of horror and pity. She watched the strong-bodied Tazalian being forced into an Atlas pose as the weight of his burden became unbearable.
The red-scaled Elder's dark-blue eyes stared pitifully at the impassive Seeker watching him. His deep voice was full of agony and fear as he called to Zaharak, “Help me Seeker. I will give you anything. I-I'll let you and your little cub escape. Please help!”
Emma shivered at the cold, heartless reply Zaharak gave the unfortunate Elder, “Who was the weak one, again?”
Yahrik’s eyes widened as he stared forlornly at the dispassionate Seeker. Knowing the gray Tazalian would not help him, Yahrik released his hold. Emma turned her head and tried to ignore the sickening crunch of the Elder's body being crushed.
Zaharak walked casually over to where his throwing disk stuck out from the floor. While he worked at sliding it out, Emma could not help but be drawn to where Yahrik had been buried. She caught a glimpse of a single red-scaled hand sticking out from beneath the rubble. She turned away quickly, feeling sick. She held her arms around herself as if to ward off a chill.
The terrified look that had been on the Elder's snout ate at her soul. His plea for help still seemed to echo around the room.
“Would he have kept his word if you saved him?” Emma murmured to Zaharak, who still had his back to her.
A small scrape of metal against metal sounded as Zaharak pulled his disk free. Standing up he replied coolly, “Yahrik would have promised many things in order to escape his fate only to turn around and break his promises when he was safe. He was always a coward when it came to his own death.”
Emma still did not feel well. Corrupt as Yahrik's life had been, the girl could not help but feel a bit of grief for his death and for Soforin and Shadonel's, or for any being’s for that matter. They all had been living, breathing, sentient beings with their own worlds. Yet Zaharak was able to take their lives as if they meant nothing, were nothing.
Emma looked up at the balcony fourteen meters above them to take her mind off the dead Elder. “So how do we get out of here without the lift. We can't turn back, and I can't climb all the way up there.”
She was answered by an odd sound of metal slicing through what sounded like stone. Frowning she looked for the source of the sound only to be shocked at what she saw.
Zaharak ran the blade of his throwing disk along his back. The sound Emma heard was the blade slicing through the four inch white spikes along the Seeker's spine. One by one the sharp bits of bone fell to the ground until there were none left. Once he finished he pressed a button on the handle of the disk letting it change back into the fedora which he placed over his silver hair. Zaharak stepped over the pieces of what had once been a part of him. Emma could only stare while he appeared as though nothing had happened.
When he reached her he stopped and knelt down on one knee, “I will carry you.”
Emma looked over at the sheered-off spikes lying on the ground, “Your…”
Zaharak raised a hand. “It was necessary. Now hurry.”
The girl hurried around Zaharak to his back. She paused briefly to look at the flat knobs along his spine where s
harp spikes had once been. She couldn’t imagine how Zaharak was able to handle losing parts of himself as if it were only a minor inconvenience. Taking a deep breath, she climbed onto the Seeker's back. She wrapped her arms around his thick neck and curled her knees around his waist as far as they would go. Resting her chin on his shoulder, she recalled the times Jonah would carry her the same way. Those were much happier times.
“Are you ready?” Zaharak asked back over his shoulder.
Emma nodded.
“Hold on tight,” he warned her as he shifted into a crouch.
Emma tightened her grip around his neck as she felt the thick muscles of his back tighten. Despite the warning, she let out a yell when Zaharak leapt into the air toward the wall across from them. When they landed heavily against the steel wall, carried by the momentum of the jump, Zaharak’s claws sank into the metal. Emma's chin banged heavily against the Seeker's shoulder, rattling her teeth. Zaharak did not stop to check on her. From there he dug his claws into the steel to create his own handholds. Hand over hand, he pulled both his and Emma's bodies up.
Emma carefully looked down and saw that they were about six meters off of the ground. Zaharak had cleared nearly half the wall in a single jump. She bet he could have jumped higher than that without her. She was about to look up at the balcony above when she caught the sight of movement.
“There!”
Although she saw the speaker, she did not need to tell Zaharak who that raspy shout belonged to.
Emma watched as the bronze-scaled Tigret bounded up the wall near her. Instead of climbing like Zaharak was, Tigret would push herself into a jump that cleared nearly a meter each time. She continued on at an angle to bring herself closer and closer to the pair. Below them Salianos began climbing hand over hand with a crazed look on his snout.
