by Garry Spoor
Gorum used to say the same thing about Hunar when Kile first met them.
“Hunar, you remember Daniel?” Kile asked, pulling him forward.
-The scent is familiar,- Hunar said dismissively. She didn’t seem to recognize him or cared to.
“Daniel, you remember Hunar, and this is Rejer,” she said, introducing the two dogs.
Daniel waved nervously. “Nice… nice to meet you again,” he stammered.
“Hunar, where’s Gorum? I kind of expected him to be out here.”
-He… doesn’t’ get out much anymore,- Hunar said. She couldn’t hide the sadness in her voice. The dog seemed worried about her mentor.
“Is everything okay?”
-No. He has trouble walking these days. Most of the time he talks about the end of his cycle. I tell him not to, but you know him. He is not afraid.-
“I got a message from him the other day, from a horse named Nothas.”
-There are nights when he does come out with us, but he doesn’t patrol. He often goes into the barn where it is warm. There he talks with the horses. It was not something we could do until we met you.-
“I’d like to speak with him. If I can.”
-He is in the master’s den. I will take you there. Rejer, continue with the patrol.-
-Why?- Rejer asked.
Hunar quickly turned on him. -Because I said so,- she replied, and the meaning behind those words was clear.
-Yes, Mistress,- Rejer said before backing away.
-I don’t think he will ever take Gorum’s place,- Hunar said as she watched the young dog disappear around the corner of the stables.
“He doesn’t have to take Gorum’s place. You’ve already done that.”
-I will never be as good as Gorum.-
“I think he’d be very proud of you right about now.”
-Thank you, Kile,- Hunar said as she led them down the hill.
Kile grabbed Daniel and pulled him along.
“Where are we going now?” he asked.
“Apparently, to Oblum’s office.”
“What? Are you crazy?”
“I keep telling you, I’m as sane as I can be.”
Which wasn’t saying much.
Hunar led them across the compound and the grounds. They had become all too familiar. As they passed through the list, Kile looked down at her hands. How many times had she had her fingers broken in this very spot or her nose for that matter? She was sure, during her third year at the Academy, she spent more times in the infirmary than her own cell. The list held rather bad memories for her, but most of those were attributed to Master Boraro, her combat instructor. He seemed to delight in making her life miserable. On two separate occasions, he tried to kill her, and once he almost succeeded. Where was that psychopath now, she wondered?
The building they approached was even taller and more ominous than she remembered. It was far from inviting, and the empty windows stared down at her, questioning why she was there. Seldom did cadets see inside this place, not that any of them wanted to. Hunar stopped when they reached the steps that led up to the front door.
-I can’t go in with you.-
It wasn’t that the dog was afraid. Kile was sure nothing frightened Hunar, with the possible exception of losing Gorum. The dog had her orders, and her orders were to patrol the grounds until Oblum came for them in the morning.
“It’s all right. Thank you, Hunar.”
-I will see you again, Kile,- the mastiff said before running off.
She watched as the dog disappeared into the night. For an animal so large, she moved so quietly. Taking a deep breath, Kile climbed the stairs and tried the door. It was unlocked.
“Are we actually going in?” Daniel asked.
“You don’t have to. You can stay here and act as a lookout.”
“Yeah, right, and if one of those dogs comes back, then what?”
Kile didn’t answer as she pushed open the door and stepped into the foyer.
The interior had the stale smell of age, and with no lights, it was nearly impossible to see. Before she took another step, she waited until her eyes adjusted to the darkness. She knew where the office was. She had visited it before, the day they told her of her father’s death. That was also the day Master Boraro first tried to kill her. Funny how things worked out. She looked to the top of the stairs leading to Oblum’s quarters. She could almost hear the man sleeping. It would not do to wake her old headmaster. Explaining their presence would be difficult.
Quietly, she started across the floor but had forgotten about the herd of cattle behind her. She knew Daniel wasn’t going to wait outside for her. That would have been too easy. The sound of his boots on the hard wooden floor echoed in the darkness.
Holding her breath, she glanced at the top of the stairs. When she didn’t see any signs of life, she turned and looked at Daniel.
“Can you make any more noise?” she whispered.
“What? I’m being as quiet as I can,” he said defensively.
It was possible that Daniel wasn’t making any noise and only seemed that way to her because her senses were turned up. She had been in feral mode since setting foot back into the Academy. Ignoring him, she pushed open the door to Oblum’s office.
“Gorum,” she called out in a loud whisper.
-Who is there?-
“It’s me, Kile.”
-Kile. What are you doing here, pup?-
“I’ve come to see you,” she said, stepping into the room. She waited until Daniel stumbled in before closing the door behind them. It probably wouldn’t do much to stifle the noise, but it made her feel safer.
Oblum’s office hadn’t changed much, although it wasn’t nearly as frightening as it used to be. Maybe that’s because, now that she was a Certified Level Three, there wasn’t much the headmaster could do to her, or maybe it was because she saw the other side of Oblum, the side he tried so hard to hide. He was a gentle soul behind a rough exterior.
She found Gorum lying on the couch, which was now covered with a thick blanket. The dog was watching her closely and looked happy to see her. Sitting down beside him, she gently stroked his head.
“Hunar tells me you haven’t been yourself lately.”
-Hunar worries too much,- Gorum replied.
“She cares about you.”
-She does not understand. My cycle is nearing its end,- the old mastiff said with a sigh as he laid his head in Kile’s lap. -I will pass, but with my passing, life will continue.-
Gorum had been the first one to explain the cycle to Kile. She always thought animals were ignorant of their mortality, but in fact, they were well aware of it. They believed life and death were two states of being and that one could not exist without the other. Life would end in death and with death, life would begin again. Such was the way of the cycle. Kile knew Hunar understood this, but it didn’t make it any easier.
-I know you did not come all this way to sit with an old dog.-
“Why not? In many ways, you were my first teacher.”
-I find that hard to believe.-
“Okay, so you weren’t exactly my first teacher, but you were my favorite.”
Gorum laughed. It was sincere, yet sad. -So, what has brought you here, pup?”
“I received your message, the one you gave Nothas.”
-Nothas?-
“Hunter Jax’s horse.”
-So, my warnings did reach you.-
“And the Sons of Terrabin?”
-They are once more on the move and they are growing in number. They are recruiting, even here in the Academy, and they are looking to purge the Guild.-
“Purge?”
-Those who do not follow will be swept aside.-
“What do you mean, swept aside? How can they recruit at the Academy? It doesn’t make any sense.”
-I’m afraid that’s all I know, pup. I feared for your safety. That is why I spoke with the horses. That is why I sent the warning.-
“What does
he say, Kile?” Daniel asked.
“The Sons…”
But before she could finish, the door flew open and the light from a candelabra filled the room.
“Who’s in here?”
“Sir Oblum,” Daniel said, his voice high-pitched.
“Hunter Leary, is that you?”
Oblum lowered the candelabra and Kile got a look at her old headmaster. The years had not been kind to him. He was no longer the bulky, balding, middle-aged man who frightened cadets into obedience. He was thinner now, completely bald, and quite a bit older. His face was ashen and nowhere near as stern as it used to be. The scar was more prominent now: a white line that ran down the side of his face from the center of his forehead to the side of his chin. The milky orb, which served as his right eye, was still a bit freaky.
Oblum held the candelabra out to get a better look at Daniel. In his other hand, he gripped a long knife. It was clear he had expected someone else.
“Leary, what are you doing here?” he asked, placing the knife on the table beside the door.
“He’s with me, sir,” Kile said.
Oblum turned his dead eye onto Kile and raised the candelabra higher.
“Hunter Veller?”
“Good evening, sir. I’m sorry we woke you.”
The old man shook his head as he set the candelabra on his desk. Pulling his robes tighter around him, he cinched his belt. He said nothing as he removed one of the candles and started lighting the sconces, bringing a softer, more tolerable light to the room.
“What are you doing here, Veller?”
“Would you believe I came to talk… to your dog?”
Even after all these years, it still sounded strange.
“From what I’ve heard about you lately, nothing would surprise me,” Oblum said. “How did you manage to get in here?”
“Hunar let us in.”
Oblum paused for a moment and shrugged. “Of course she did.” He made his way around to the back of his desk.
“You don’t seem terribly surprised, sir,” Daniel remarked.
“I’m not. Not when it comes to that one.” He jerked a thumb in Kile’s direction.
Was that an insult, or a compliment?
He opened a large wooden cabinet and pulled out a decanter, as well as three glasses. Holding one up to Daniel, the Hunter eagerly accepted it. Kile politely refused. Alcohol and her feral nature didn’t mix well.
“So, what was so important that you had to break into my office at night to speak with my dog?” he asked as he poured Daniel a drink. Kile had to admire the fact he delivered the questions without pause. Not too many people could have accomplished that.
“I needed to know about the Sons of Terrabin,” she said.
He laughed. “So, it really is so obvious that even my dog notices?”
“What’s obvious?”
“That the Sons of Terrabin have finally taken over the Hunter’s Guild.”
“You can’t be serious,” Kile said. “I heard they were growing in number, but to seize control of the Guild. When did this happen?”
She had only been out of circulation for three months. How much more did she miss?
Oblum sat behind his desk and took a sip of his drink. Kile had a feeling this was all too routine for him.
“It didn’t happen all at once.” He set down his glass. “They chipped away at it, bit by bit, mostly when others weren’t looking. It started with the fall of Andrew Drain.”
“But wasn’t Drain leading the Sons?” Daniel asked.
“Drain? No. Don’t get me wrong, he was a Son, but he took things too far. The Sons of Terrabin are loyal to the crown, maybe too loyal. Drain betrayed them when he collaborated with the other side, so to speak. When Drain fell, Nathan Parker took his place on the council.”
“Nathan Parker?”
The name seemed vaguely familiar, but she wasn’t sure where she’d heard it before.
“Certified Level One Hunter, Nathan Parker. Cut his teeth on bounties, made his way up the council ladder. More than likely, you saw him at your trial.”
“They didn’t actually introduce themselves.”
“Didn’t think they would.” Oblum finished off his drink and poured himself another before continuing. “Parker was always a sneaky Son of a… Terrabin. He prided himself on subterfuge, preferred to stab you in the back rather than fight you face-to-face. Once he was on the top of the food chain, he was like a disease, spreading his hatred. If you didn’t toe the line, if you didn’t fall in step, you were gone, you… disappeared.”
“Disappeared, you mean—”
“Oh, no, no, not like before. Parker’s too cunning for that. You’ll never trace anything back to him. When he wants someone to disappear, he has a whole bag of tricks. He doesn’t have to kill you, he simply has to make your life miserable.”
“But Master Latherby would never—”
“Master Latherby? Latherby’s gone, girl. Didn’t you know?”
“Gone?”
“He was one of the first to disappear. Not that he was around that much anyway. He brought it on himself. Going off, weeks at a time with no word to anyone. Fact is, nobody even knows where he is now. He hasn’t been seen in the last two months. Some are fearing the worst.”
“Wait, that can’t be. Master Latherby is the Guild. How can they get rid of him? Doesn’t he still have supporters on the council?”
“Not anymore. Once Parker took over, he implemented a few changes, all within the rules, mind you. First, it was Amos, who lost his seat because of some trumped-up charge. Next they went after Timon. Parker was notorious for discovering secrets. He must have had a real doozy for Timon as the man simply walked out without saying a word to anyone. And with Rasim gone, that pretty much handed Parker the Guild. The first thing he did was oust Latherby. After that, he started the purge.”
“The purge?”
“That’s right. The purge. He’s planning on cleaning up the Guild from both ends. As I said, if you don’t agree with him, you disappear.”
“What do you mean by both ends?”
Oblum grabbed a piece of paper from his desk drawer. He hesitated before handing it to Kile. “I probably shouldn’t be showing you this, but the truth is, I don’t care anymore.”
On the paper was a list of names, none of which Kile knew. Beside each name was a mark, some in red, some in green, and a few in black. None of it made sense.
“That’s the latest batch of cadets,” Oblum explained. “The ones with the green marks beside their names, those are the desirable ones. They come from wealthy or influential families. Those are the ones the Guild wants. They pass, no matter what. The names with the red marks near them can go either way. If they make it through, fine, they’re of use. If not, it doesn’t matter. As for the black marks, well, you get the gist of it.”
“So, you fail them?”
“No, it’s not that easy. They must be made to quit. It all has to look like it’s on the up-and-up. They have to leave on their own. Sure, some might fail the evaluation examine, but, once they reach the Academy, they are… persuaded… to drop out.”
“That’s horrible. How can they do this?”
“It’s out of my hands, I’m afraid.”
“But you’re the headmaster.”
“Not for much longer,” Oblum said, downing another glass. “At the moment, I’m a figurehead here. I have no real power, not anymore. I’m waiting for the day I disappear.”
“But what about the other instructors? What about Master Adams? Surely he wouldn’t go along with this.”
“He didn’t—that’s why he’s gone.”
“Master Adams?”
“Master Adams, Master Rooquak, Master Folkstaff…”
“Master Folkstaff is in charge of recon groups in the northern base camp,” Daniel interrupted. “He didn’t disappear.”
“Maybe not, but he’s no longer teaching at the Academy, is he?” Oblum asked. “What you have to understa
nd is there are many ways to get rid of someone. Master Rooquak was… persuaded to leave. I’m not sure what they told him, but he didn’t only leave the Academy, he left the Guild. As for Master Adams, well, you know him. He knew every law and code in the book. They had a hard time getting rid of him. In the end, they transferred him. He’s probably pushing papers in the archives by now, assuming they haven’t driven him from the Guild as well.”
“What about Luke?”
“Luke? You mean the stable hand? I haven’t seen him in ages.”
“This is ridiculous,” Kile said, getting to her feet. “How can they do this? I bet Master Boraro is still around.”
“You would think, but no.”
“Really, but I was sure he was one of the Sons.”
“Oh, without a doubt. But he’s on some secret hush-hush mission for the Guild. They replaced him with a Hunter named Grey.”
“Grey?”
“I see you’ve heard of him.”
“Let’s just say we’ve met,” Kile said.
“Yeah, Boraro was called off not too long ago. I don’t know why and I don’t care.”
-He said something about securing a future for the Guild,- Gorum added.
“Securing a future, what does that mean?”
“Sorry?” Oblum asked, looking over his glass at her.
“Gorum said he was sent to secure a future for the Guild.”
“Oh, I see.” He nodded. “Well, that would make sense.”
“I don’t understand.”
“There was some talk, although how reliable it is I can’t say. But the Sons were trying to curry favor with someone. Although, who, I have no idea. But from what I understand, it’s a pretty big deal. A game changer, so I heard.”
“How much of this is true?” Daniel asked. “It sounds more like a bunch of nonsense if you ask me. It’s like some wild conspiracy theory, something Alex might have made up for a good story, but I can’t see it happening. I mean, taking over the Guild and turning it into… what, a private army?”
“It’s not that far from the truth, my lad.” Oblum poured himself yet another glass. “Think about it, Danny. The Hunters are a cross between a well-trained soldier and a mystic. You put enough of them together, who would stand against them?”
“Hunters always work alone. They’d never work together.”
