He now believed in magic. He couldn’t believe how strange this all was. He decided for the safety of the book and himself that this was the best way to hide the book. He would fold it up and place it in his back pants pocket like a handkerchief and button the wooden button. No one would ever know it was there.
With this decided in his mind he settled back into the soft blanket and furs of his bed and stared into the flames licking at the air in the fireplace. His eyes grew heavy and he couldn’t fight it any longer. Nick tumbled into a comforting sleep. Warm relaxed and safe, for now.
Chapter 11
The Mines
Nick woke to the delicious smell of bacon. Vidian was cooking breakfast and Rhen was nowhere to be found. Nick jumped quickly out of bead and offered to help Vidian. She declined his help with a smile and told him he could wash up in the washroom.
Nick did just that. He slipped into the room that Rhen had shown him yesterday. He quickly disrobed and stepped into the recessed floor and the water started to flow. When he stepped under the flowing water it took a moment to catch his breath. The water was not freezing like the water out of your house in the winter, but it was not warm either. It felt so good to get clean. He found a strip of linen that he assumed was to be used to towel off. He snuck a long drink from the spout in the stone sink and slipped back into his clothes.
When he returned to the living area, Rhen had returned from where ever he had been. He was sitting at the table and raised his eyes and hand to Nick and forced out “morning” through a mouthful of fluffy biscuit. Vidian motioned to Nick to sit down on the other side of the table and he did. Sitting in front of him was a plate full of the same fluffy biscuits that Rhen was eating covered in a white gravy with a small pile of bacon. Nick was in heaven. He loved bacon anyway, but the white gravy and biscuits were delicious. Nick really was starting to like Vidian. Not only was she beautiful, but she had been so respectful and kind to Nick. She was taking care of him. Ever since he held her that night as she sobbed, he could feel something growing inside her. He wanted to get to know her more.
After breakfast was done and they had all eaten, Nick helped Vidian clean the dishes and put everything away while Rhen sat by the fire. Nick had notice that Rhen wanted nothing to do with the cooking or cleaning at each meal. He assumed it was a cultural stereotype. Nick was more than happy to help. He always had pitched in at home. He had plenty of good memories talking with his mom and dad about school with his hands soaked in suds at the kitchen sink. Several times he ended up with bubbles on his head and in his ears for starting a kitchen water fight with his dad.
Suddenly Nick felt the pain in his throat and tears welling in his eyes. Luckily no one was looking at him. “Will I ever see them again?” he thought. “What if I don’t make it back?” Things felt way too real for a moment and Nick lost himself in the fear of loss.
The sound of Rhen clearing his throat brought Nick back to the kitchen table with Rhen. Rhen looked up thoughtfully at Nick, “I think I found a way to free a group of prisoners this morning. There is a small creek bed that twists and turns its way down the mountainside to the entrance of the mine. I got up early this morning while it was still dark and worked my way slowly down it. It is unguarded and comes out about 75 feet away from the tunnel that leads to the cells. I think we can sneak in and down to free a small group of them when night falls. We just need to wait until it is late. Wait until the guards are asleep. There will be only a few watching the entrances. The night watch only has three Dead Ones that rotate through the mines at night. The mines are too big for three people to keep an eye on. This will give us plenty of time to get down the tunnel and free the first cell we come to. The key will be to keep them quiet and not alert the guards. The cells are close enough to the main cavern that any noise will echo loudly.”
“There are only three guards?” Nick asked. “Yes, but they are Dead Ones. Three Dead Ones are more than enough if they find us. The other twenty to thirty guards will be sleeping in the quarters just one hundred feet in the other direction of the entrance. If they are alerted, we will be cut off trying to get to the creek bed and out of the mines.” Replied Rhen.
“Do you think it will be hard to keep the miners quiet?” asked Nick. “No, they will do anything to get out of that place. But if we are caught, the punishment will be terrible.” Answered Rhen.
“Then we won’t get caught.” Said Nick resolutely.
They spent the rest of the day going over and over their plan and looking at all the possible outcomes and scenarios. At last the sun started to sink into its soft pink bed and they felt confident they would change someone’s life for the better that night. Nick started to feel nervous. He had butterflies in his stomach. He had never done anything that could get him killed if he were found.
They put together a small pack with some food and water and Rhen handed a knife to each of them. When he saw the knife in his hand he realized things were much more serious than he had thought before. This knife was more of a small sword. It had a hilt like a sword and a small leather scabbard with a belt to strap around his waist. Nick realized he needed to get his mind straight. This knife was to hurt someone that might try to kill him, no would kill him. “Am I really willing to kill someone if I have to?” he asked himself. He wasn’t sure what the answer was, but he knew if he wasn’t, he would be the one that would die. The knots in his stomach seemed to grow tighter. The only thing that made him feel better was thinking of the people that were suffering in the mine. The stories that Rhen and Vidian had shared were terrible and he knew something needed to be done.
As they climbed out of the entrance to Rhen and Vidian’s home the sunset was almost turning to a night sky. They worked their way to the North and eventually found steeper terrain with trees and brush. Nick couldn’t see it all in the dark, but he could smell the sweet smell of pine and juniper in the air. The steep slope of rocks and trees came to a more gradual incline and eventually flattened out.
“This way” Rhen whispered from up ahead. A hand reached out in the dark and grabbed Nick by the collar of his shirt just as his right foot slipped on some loose dirt and he started to fall to his right. “Are you ok?” Asked Rhen. It was his strong hand that had caught him. Nick didn’t answer out of embarrassment. Rhen stopped Nick and asked him to look out to his right. “Can you see where you almost went?” Rhen asked.
“You almost fell down there. It would have made quite a noise.” Nick squinted into the dark. After a moment he realized what Rhen had meant. Out in the blackness Nick could make out some yellow lights below. Nick had almost slipped off a ledge that dropped down about three hundred feet. As Nick squinted at the lights he realized they were ten or twelve torches spread across the area below him. He could only see a circle shape near each torch that also gave off a faint light.
“I see the torches, but what is the other light?” Nick asked quietly.
“It is the tunnels into the mines. The tunnels are lined with torches every fifty feet.” Rhen responded.
“Now no more talking once we enter the creek bed up ahead and watch your step, a loose rock rolling will alert them we are coming.” Rhen’s voice said much more serious than before.
Just then the moons light started to radiate over the mountain peak and Nick could see a little better. The ledge he had almost stepped off dropped straight into the area where the small torches dotted across the small valley floor. From what he could tell they were high in a Mountain area. The mines were nestled between two mountain peaks. Nick could make out the creek bed ahead they were about to enter. He could make out a few turns before it started into some taller trees.
After a few minutes they had made their way into the creek bed and worked their way over a few fallen trees that lay across creek. As Nick straddled one of the logs he heard a cry that froze his blood cold. It was a loud screeching noise. It made the hair up on his arms and neck stand on end.
Rhen held his hand out toward them to stop and hold
still. Nick felt so vulnerable with his leg swung over the dead tree and his chest and arms wrapped around it to let him down onto the other side. Rhen was looking about to see where the sound had come from. Just then they knew. They saw the light of a torch coming from where they had been just moments ago when Nick had almost plunged into the valley below.
Nick could make out the shape of a man with a shorn head holding the torch high and looking around on the ground. He saw him lean his head back and arch his back as he made the same screeching sound again. That is when he saw one for the first time. The man was holding onto what seemed to be a rope. When Nick heard the noise, he knew it was a chain. Something was chained to the end of it. All Nick saw was a large black shape about the size of a small female lion. The torch light gleamed off what looked like black skin. Just then it reared back on its hind legs and extended its black wings. It curled its head toward the sky and let out a loud screech of its own. It was bone chilling. Nick new it was a venti. The sound was indescribable. The knots in his stomach had now paralyzed him with fear.
The creature was excited and smelling the ground. It was obvious that it could smell something. The man holding onto the chain reached out to its neck and Nick heard the chain drop to the ground. His heart froze in his chest and he held his breath. He clenched his eyes shut bracing for what was coming next.
Just a few days ago, Nick would have never dreamed such an animal existed. He was having a hard time dealing with it as a reality after seeing the scales and claw. Now he knew they were real, and he was about to be killed by one.
The Venti bolted into the tree line and a moment later there was a human scream. Nick had opened his eyes and looked in the direction of the scream. The partial moon had crested over the mountain peak now. There was enough light to give more detail to what was happening just a short way up the hill. He could see the pale light of the moon reflecting off the creatures glistening skin. It was dragging something almost as large as itself. Then Nick could see. It was a young woman. It had her leg in its jaws and was dragging her limp body out of the trees.
The creature’s master stroked its head and put the chain back on it. He pulled something from a bag at his waste and tossed it on the ground for the animal. It quickly snatched up whatever it was and lifted its head back as it chewed and swallowed it. Nick was disgusted at the strange sounds that the creature was making as it swallowed its prize.
A few moments later the man seemed to survey the area. His gaze stopped and held in their direction for a moment. Nick could faintly make out a scowling face covered in black tattoos. The man was shirtless with a leather strap that crossed over his left breast. He could see two large pouches tied at his waist to a leather belt. As he turned to his left Nick saw, hanging across his back was what looked like a battle ax.
The man pulled on the chain of the venti and they started to disappear toward the mine. As they descended, Nick realized that there was a crude trail with wooden railings leading to the dark valley below.
Rhen, Vidian and Nick all held very still for what seemed like forever. No one dared make a sound with that creature around. Eventually when Rhen felt it was safe motioned everyone to gather close together. “I thought we were done for.” Said Rhen. “Had that venti picked up our scent we would have had no chance of escape. They track humans better than a hound.”
Nick was still in shock from what had just happened. His heart was still pounding, and he didn’t feel safe at all. “You did really good.” Rhen complimented Nick as he patted him on the back. “I was worried you might try to run and draw attention to us, but you played it perfect.”
Nick wanted them to think he was just playing it cool and didn’t mention anything about being frozen with fear. Nick was sure he couldn’t have moved even if he wanted to.
“That poor girl must have tried to escape.” Said Vidian.
“She must have gone missing today, because that venti was not here yesterday. I bet she went missing and they sent for one to track her and bring her back.” Rhen added.
“Do you think she is still alive?” Nick asked.
“Yes, she is alive. They wouldn’t kill a perfectly good slave unless they must. I can’t say that she isn’t hurt. By the way it was dragging her in its mouth, I am sure it will take a while for her to be up and about. I would have done something, but there is no way we could take on a venti and a Dead One. The whole mine would have been alerted and we would be captive.” Said Rhen.
“We all know what to do, so let’s get this done and get back home.” Said Vidian.
Vidian didn’t seem so confident with her last statement. She seemed shook up with the introduction of the venti into the plan. Nick was really having second thoughts about the whole thing now. His confidence had left completely, and he realized that he had no experience in such serious circumstances. His life was truly at risk.
The knots seemed to get worse and worse. As they started to work their way down the creek bed. The trek to the bottom seemed to take forever as they slowly moved over the rocks. Each time someone would stumble or snap a stick they would hold completely still and listen for signs that someone had heard. Eventually the creek bed leveled out and they could see the light from the tunnel torches where the people were being held.
They could see a clump of bushes and rock where the creek bed opened to the small valley floor. Rhen motioned them all to take cover behind the rock. They silently slipped into their position to watch the open area in front of the tunnel entrance. They watched the Dead One enter the mine with his prisoner. The Venti was not with him. After he went in, the only sign of life was the flickering of a few torches spread out through the open space. Nick could see the jagged mouth of the tunnel now. He felt panicked thinking about going down the tunnel and getting trapped inside.
After waiting and watching for guards the three slowly crept out of their hiding place and headed into the tunnel. The walls were jagged and cold. The floor dropped at a very steep incline. Some areas were steep enough that steps had been carved into the rock to make it passable. Torches were lit every 50 feet giving light to the path.
The deeper they went into the mine, the damper it became. Soon the walls became wet and the trail became slick. There were no sounds coming from within the mine. The only thing Nick could hear was his own breathing and their own light footsteps. Occasionally, one of them might slip and make enough noise for Rhen to stop and scowl at them.
Nick had no idea of how far they had descended into the mine, but he imagined it had to be at least four-hundred to five-hundred feet. The walls of the tunnel started to narrow, and Nick started to feel claustrophobic. Suddenly Rhen threw his hand up for them to stop and pointed to his ear with a finger to his lips.
Nick strained to listen. He heard nothing at first. Then he heard an unnerving laugh. It wasn’t a light-hearted fun laugh, but a man’s gruff voice. It was laughter of someone up to no good and laughing at the expense of someone else.
Rhen began to move forward slowly. The tunnel turned sharp to the left just in front of them. As they worked their way around the corner the laughter got louder. The tunnel opened into a small cave where four other tunnels all converged. There was no sign of any one else but now they could hear mumbling and laughter. Whoever it was they were close.
Rhen reached up and took the torch from the wall in the small cave. He dug it around in the dirt on the floor of the cave until he was able to smother its light. The cave went dark and the far-left tunnel entrance seemed to light up as the torch went out. There was no question of where the voice was coming from now.
Nick was impressed at the way Rhen just seemed to know what to do. He was not much older than him but had obviously had enough life experience to handle about any situation. It almost made Nick feel bad for him. He had to grow up so quickly to survive and protect his sister. Nick realized how sheltered he had been his whole life in comparison.
Rhen slipped silently to the mouth of the tunnel to see what he could. T
he other two followed him. At the mouth of the tunnel they could hear clearly now. “Oh, the things I’m going do to you missy.” said the horrible voice. The tunnel dropped down about five feet very steep and then opened into a wider room. They could see bars in front a large dark opening. Nick assumed it was where the slaves were kept. He could only see one man up against the bars. His arm was reaching through in the direction of the woman on the ground. Tears were running down his black and dirty face. The pain in his eyes was terrible to see. They were full of horror, longing and hatred all at the same time. The tear-stricken man cried out “Stop, please stop!” Spit shot from his lips in his desperate and intent plea to stop the man.
The evil looking man stopped and spit in the direction of the bars. And yelled “Quiet!” He hovered over the woman on the ground pacing in a circle. A terrible grin as though he were thinking to himself about the fun he was about to have.
The woman on the ground was conscious, but she had a deep gash on her upper thigh on the front and on the back. Blood was coagulating but still freely flowing into the dirt. She was wearing tattered and dirty brown trousers with a shirt that seemed to be made of a white or tan linen that had long been blackened by working in the mines.
“Try to escape on my watch will you. Had I not caught you I would have paid dearly when she found out. I am going to have to teach everyone a lesson through you.” The man grinned an evil grin. His voice was hollow and eerie. His appearance was frightening. His eyes did not seem normal. The pupils were clouded and almost gray. The whites were yellowed, and his skin color was pale with a hint of green. Nick could see immediately why they were called they dead ones. There were scars all over his uncovered torso. Some looked like burns, some were long cuts and the one that was most disturbing was what looked like a huge bite mark over his right shoulder that went down into his chest area. What wasn’t covered in scars was covered in black cryptic looking tattoos.
The Scent of Death Page 11
