“Hold your breath!” The shout came from Lorne, who had just appeared on the stairs. They barely had time to understand his words when violet smoke invaded the place. The troll staggered and finally fell.
Kyla flew downstairs with the bow, ready to fire, and Theo followed. As soon as they emerged on the highest floor of the prison, they were greeted with arrows. Kyla diverted and retaliated but struck no one. Theo jumped down the stairs and saw his enemies; there were four sermerios and one lizard that threw himself at him, and he backed away. In the meantime, Kyla was flying and shooting arrows aimlessly, because if she stopped flying, she would be an easy target.
Too many! She thought in despair.
She was panicking! The noise of the battle downstairs invaded the room, and for a second, the sermerios stopped shooting. It was then that she had her chance; one of her arrows pierced a sermerio in the throat, and he dropped to the ground right away.
The others fired again, but she could not fly in circles for eternity.
Kyla flew over them, wielding the two daggers she carried under her skirt. She stuck a dagger into one sermerio’s throat, but the other sermerio was faster; he evaded her attack and suffered only a slight scratch. Then, he whipped her, and she fell to the floor, feeling her entire body tremble.
Theo and the lizard studied each other, walking slowly in circles. Neither of them attacked. From time to time, the lizard would open its mouth and make a small movement forward, wanting to instigate Theo into attacking it. But the tiger continued to merely study his enemy. Theo knew what he had to do; he should strike the lizard in the back because once it was immobilized, it would be easy to kill it.
However, nothing distracted the animal and Theo could not stop thinking about Kyla. He did not know what was happening to her, because he kept his eyes on the lizard. The noises and shadows around him made it difficult for him to concentrate. He struggled to focus on the animal in front of him. He heard a scream and got tired of waiting. Kyla might need help. He stepped forward, and the lizard ran at him, but Theo had it all figured out; he jumped over the animal and planted his claws in its back.
The wound was shallower than he meant for it to be. I didn't know its skin was so thick! Theo thought.
The lizard let out a high-pitched sound and shook its body, throwing Theo off. The animal flung itself at the tiger, aiming for his throat, but the tiger straightened his body, and the lizard bit his left paw instead.
Theo took a few steps back. It did not hurt too much, but it was poisonous, and he knew it.
The fright and dread did not last long. It does not matter anymore... it's over for me! Theo thought.
Theo had nothing left to lose. He jumped towards the lizard and buried his teeth in its neck. The animal got up and scratched him on the back, then bit him again, but Theo was already condemned, so it didn’t matter. He tucked his teeth into the lizard’s skin and pulled the lizard's head off.
On the other side, the sermerio tightened his whip increasingly. Kyla felt herself suffocating. Her muscles wanted to leap out of her body. The daggers slid from her hands. She saw the sermerio's feet approaching. She thought of Theo. Is he still alive?
With the whip in one hand, the sermerio took the sword he carried at his waist and placed it against Kyla's chest, while stepping on her hand, trying to get her to drop the dagger.
“Who's behind this?” He loosened his whip enough, so she could speak. Kyla coughed, her throat burning and her eyes watering. “So?” The sermerio asked with a remarkable calm, but Kyla could only hope for someone to come and help; someone had to come! What if we die?
This thought petrified her. The sermerio lost his patience and slipped the sword into her flesh. Her breathing ceased. “Speak!” he shouted.
While she was desperately struggling to come up with something, she saw big teeth sinking into the sermerio’s neck. The whip and sword slipped from his grip. When the sermerio collapsed on the floor, Kyla saw Theo behind him. Theo was heavily injured.
As soon as the troll fell to the ground, Lorne motioned for everyone to go upstairs before they could breathe in the smoke.
Upstairs, they found Kyla, still in spasms from the shock of the whip, and Theo in her arms. The man had an undefined shape; some parts of his body were human, and some were still a tiger. There was a wound on his arm, and his back was torn.
“What happened?” Hubert asked in a trembling voice.
“The lizard... I... I don’t know...” Kyla could not speak; Lorne noticed blood trickling down her chest.
“We must go! The guards will not sleep forever. Search for your friends, fast! They should be here; this was the only floor with sermerios.”
It did not take much searching. Virginia cried out for Steven as soon as she recognized him. He asked Habel for the keys and rushed to the cell.
“Is Richard with you?”
“No, he's downstairs.”
Hubert wrapped a cloth over his face and ran downstairs with the keys, shouting for Richard, but there was no answer.
Maybe he inhaled the smoke and passed out.
He tried to look inside the cells, but it was all dark. He felt his throat closing; he could not stay there for long. Then, he saw a hand reaching out of a cell. It was Richard! He was wounded and unconscious, but he was alive.
Lorne took Theo in his arms and Hubert did the same with Richard. They ran down the stairs through the smoke that covered the prison. When they arrived at the tunnel entrance, they saw all the soldiers still unconscious, but some of them were already stirring, as if they were about to wake up. They rushed, one by one, through the gates, and reached the forest.
“Where are we going?” Virginia asked as they ran.
“Lorne's ship,” Steven replied.
“Ship? Who is Lorne?”
“It's me,” Lorne said.
They ran in silence for a while until Steven found the courage to ask, “Where is Lácio?” He was apprehensive about the answer; even after what he did, he didn’t want anything bad to happen to him.
“I assume he's somewhere in the city. He had no other choice; the sermerios in the market saw us... even if he changed his mind, he could not go back.” After a minute of silence, she spoke again. “I had no intention of running away. You should not have come.”
“I know. But I came anyway... and you were not too reluctant to flee.”
Virginia did not answer; she knew it was true.
Steven changed the subject. “And Ivy, where is she?”
“They tried to control her, but they couldn’t; she flew away.”
“Do you think she's coming back?”
“She always comes back,” replied Virginia, with a laugh.
Chad had done as Lorne told him. He was watching the forest the whole time, and when he saw them, he jumped for joy. The ship was powered by propellers; all he needed to do was light the fire that made the water boil and the propellers work.
As soon as they boarded, they left immediately.
“Excellent work,” Lorne said to Chad, making the boy smile.
Chapter XI - Lorne’s Plan
Richard sweated and raved on one of the two wooden beds in the cabin. Theo was on the other. A round window revealed the river outside. Everyone but Lorne, Kyla, and Azura were around the beds.
“What did they do to him?” Chad asked.
“The sermerio dragged him through the desert until they reached the Oasis. I guess he only gave him enough water so he would not perish,” Hubert replied.
Richard could see figures in front of him and hear voices he did not recognize. They looked like ghosts in a dream. He wanted to scream, but all he could do was moan in pain.
Chad gave him some water and then moved to help Habel, who took care of Theo. Habel's leg was bleeding, but she ignored the pain to help him. She wiped his wounds gently, and from time to time, she wiped away a tear that dropped without her consent.
Steven tried to treat Richard's wounds, but he did not kn
ow what to do with the arsenal of plants Lorne had given him. When he saw Kyla enter the room, he demanded frantically, “Do you know how to use these things?”
“Azura is coming to help; she and Lorne are preparing an antidote for Theo. His problem is much more serious; your friend will have to wait for a little while.” Seeing his desperate look, she continued, “But, I can give you a hand.” She knelt near the briefcase full of small bottles and picked up glass by glass, looking carefully at the contents of each. She kneaded flowers, added a rosy liquid, and pressed everything until it was the consistency of ointment. “This will help treat the infections if it's not too late.”
Steven and Hubert spread the cream on Richard's wounds. Even though he did not understand what was happening, Richard felt a great relief. His muscles relaxed, and he fell asleep again.
The door opened. Azura and Lorne entered and asked everyone to leave. They positioned themselves on either side of Theo's bed. Azura had a small glass with white liquid inside. She forced him to drink half the glass, then placed her hands over his cuts. Lorne did the same. They whispered, “Háiljan,” and made circular movements with their hands.
Half an hour later, the two wizards were sweating. Lorne thought it best for them to continue later. He took Azura's hand to stop her. “You're still not well enough for something that requires so much power. He must be slightly better; we can continue tomorrow.”
Azura did not want to stop. She knew the man was a friend of Habel's, but she felt so weak that she could not say no. Lorne helped her up, and they headed for his room. When she was in bed, she gave him a smile. “Thank you.”
“You know, I do nothing for free.”
“I do know...”
Tiredness overcame her, and she fell asleep.
****
They were all in the corridor of the cabin. Kyla was arguing with Habel because she wanted to take care of her leg, and Habel would not let her.
“It will be fast,” she insisted. “It will not take long. Sit down.”
“I'll sit down after I know Theo's okay!”
“They'll find a way. Calm down.”
“I cannot... it's my fault... I had two Asclepius stones, and I used both on two strangers! One who prefers to die, and another who is a traitor.”
At the same instant, Habel felt all eyes on her—especially Virginia’s and Steven’s. She turned away from the group, limping and leaning against the walls. Kyla followed.
Habel felt so angry at herself in that moment, she could not even apologize for what she had said. True, she regretted having used the stones on Virginia and Lácio. If she still had at least one of them, Theo would already be safe. His words still echoed in her head: They could be our only salvation.
“You used the stone on one of them?” Kyla asked, placing a hand on Habel’s shoulder.
Habel explained how she’d made the decision, and that she felt like a complete idiot for doing so.
“No point in thinking about it now,” Kayla replied. “You thought you were doing the right thing...”
Habel let out a bitter laugh. “I saved the life of a woman who wants to die, and a man who would turn us all in if he could. Theo was so cross when he saw...”
Lorne appeared at the end of the hallway. His face was tired, but he did not seem to have bad news. Habel felt her legs tremble.
“I expect he'll be fine,” Lorne said. “Continue to apply the balm for the wounds. Tomorrow, Azura and I will continue the ritual for the poison. We have to rest.”
“And Richard?” Steven asked.
“He is malnourished, but none of his wounds seem deadly. I cannot waste energy on him. Keep up with the plants. He should be safe for now.”
The night was long. Habel let Kyla heal her cuts but did so only because she wanted to watch Theo sleep. She remained by his beside all night, occasionally giving him water and spreading the balm on his wounds.
Steven did the same for Richard, but they did not talk. He did not know what to say. Even the word “sorry” seemed meaningless.
****
A day passed. In the morning, Lorne made sure the ship was on the right route, and at night, he took a moment to rest. He knew he couldn’t drain his energy, because he might need to use magic at any moment, since there were surely people after them. The ship sailed at maximum speed as it moved out of the desert. The Oasis River stretched as far as the Silent Forest. If they continued, they could easily get to Sermeria, but they would be easy targets. He needed to get out of the river as fast as he could.
During the night, Chad felt very agitated and could not sleep. Since Lorne seemed to be the only one who had nothing to gain from his death, he was the only one who offered security to the boy, and he wanted to be close to him all the time. He was afraid of falling asleep and something terrible happening.
“It's time for kids to sleep,” said Lorne, sitting in a chair with his feet on a bench, smoking a cigar.
“What are we going to do now?” the boy asked shyly.
“First, we have to mislead everyone who is after us and then... I have to send you guys back.”
Chad's eyes glinted. “So, it's possible? Can you do that?”
“I think so, but do not get too carried away. We will have to get into Sermeria.”
Chad's face changed completely; his eyes filled with horror. It was as if someone had announced they would hang him.
“I know it is not what you hoped,” Lorne said. “I thought I would come up with another solution, but I found none.”
“We will die!”
“Let's not feel defeated just yet.” Lorne tried to smile, but could not. “Go to sleep. Enjoy the comfort of the ship, because soon, it will end.”
****
Thomas was admiring the ship's sails and enjoying the breeze. He liked the ship; it looked like his own.
“So, you're on our side now?” Hubert asked.
The pirate turned to him. “We're literally in the same boat.”
“That's not what I asked. I still can’t figure out why you did not turn us in.”
“It's simple; I do not wish to become a slave in the hands of those tailed people.”
“You found out about that...”
Thomas only raised his eyebrows, and Hubert became satisfied that he did not have to worry about him—at least not at that moment.
When the sun was rising, Hubert entered the sickroom. Habel had tried to keep her eyes open, but she could not. Steven was sleeping with his head hanging. Hubert woke them both gently and suggested they go rest.
Habel was a little reluctant but went.
“I'll take care of him; trust me,” Hubert said.
The others met at Lorne's dormitory for breakfast. Virginia entered nervously. She did not know what she was doing there. Part of her felt good about not being on her way to death anymore, but another part thought that she was doing everything wrong.
Lorne welcomed her with a smile. “It was you I wanted to talk to.”
Virginia froze. What did that man expect of her?
He gestured for her to sit down. “I heard about your mission. Could you tell me why the sermerios wanted the minotaur dead?”
“He had something they wanted.” She did not know if she should say more than that.
“And what was it?”
“A piece of a staff.”
Lorne looked at her as if expecting to hear a further explanation.
“I do not know why they wanted it,” she said. “I understand it had some sort of power...”
“You're as suspicious as he was,” Lorne said, amused.
Virginia did not understand.
“Rhod was his name, was it not?” Lorne asked.
“You are the wizard he had spoken of; the one who would take me back.”
“He didn’t even tell me your name. Our means of communication did not allow us to go into details.”
“Is he alive?”
“No. You sacrificed yourself for nothing. The serm
erios found him and killed him. That's how they discovered that you did not finish the mission. Now, they have one piece of the staff. Maybe even the whole staff.”
“Why do they need this thing?”
“Because King Grant wants to be immortal,” Azura replied.
Her appearance was much better. She wore clean clothes. Her hair was clean and brushed. She was still bruised, but the color was returning to her skin.
Lorne continued, “A goddess created this staff, and it bears the power to hold your soul without cutting the thread that binds it. So, you become immortal.”
“And if the staff breaks?” asked Virginia.
“If the staff breaks while the individual is being killed, the person dies. But, if it breaks at any other time, the soul returns to the body without further damage.”
“What about sending us back? Have you done this before?”
“No, he has not,” Azura said.
Lorne grimaced at Azura and responded, “I never did, but I'm confident I know what to do, and it will work.”
“How are you going to do it?” Virginia asked.
Lorne exchanged complacent glances with Chad. “It's better to go into those details when we’re all here,” he replied. “Now, let's take care of Theo. See you later.”
****
By the end of the day, Theo was looking better, and Richard awakened for a moment, looking frightened, as if he’d had a long nightmare.
“It's all right. We're all here. Rest,” said Hubert.
Richard turned away and slept again.
It was already night when Lorne called everyone to his cabin. “What do you guys know about the portals?” he asked.
“There are three,” Steven replied promptly. He wanted to show he was not ignorant.
“Very well! Do you know where they are?” Lorne asked condescendingly.
“No...”
“I imagined not. The only portal we know is the location of is the one in Sermeria. The others have been forgotten. My initial intention was to discover another portal, and the reason I had not yet taken Azura out of that prison is because I had not yet found that portal. So, when you arrived, I could not refuse such welcome assistance—but that does not change the fact that the only portal I know of is the one in Sermeria.”
The Fourth World Page 10
