Sunweaver

by Ryan W. Mueller

  "You're still making it sound too easy," Tiran said. "Sun Guards are highly trained professionals. They won't fall for such a simple deception."

  "That's the beauty of it," Arna said with an unnerving smile. "It looks like the work of ordinary bandits. We don't always go in with a plan like this. You're right. They are trained professionals. But they've been trained to expect more sophisticated plans from us. By doing this, we'll catch them off guard. While they're looking for bandits, we'll free the prisoners and get out of there."

  "I still think it could easily fail," Tiran said.

  "Of course it could," Arna said. "All plans can fail. Do you think I like the idea of doing this with people I don't know, people who are Sunweavers?"

  "Is that why you're acting so coldly toward us?" Deril said. "Because of an accident of birth?"

  "Because you're part of the privileged class. You don't understand what it's like for the people you allow your fellow Sunweavers to persecute. Don't try to equate the situations."

  "Let's not argue," Deril said, stifling his urge to keep doing so. "We're on the same side. It shouldn't matter whether someone is a Sunweaver of Fireweaver. In the end, we're all people, and none of us want to see anyone suffer unnecessarily."

  Davin put a hand on Deril's shoulder. "Well said."

  Arna glared at Deril and Tiran. "Sondir made me work with you, but I don't have to like it. In the end, we are Fireweavers, and you are Sunweavers. You can't expect people to forgive centuries of persecution."

  "Perhaps not," Deril said, trying to imagine how he'd feel if he were a Fireweaver. In truth, he'd had an easy life. Perhaps he didn't understand anything of how Arna felt.

  They went over the rest of their plan to intercept the caravan, then departed with a few supplies. It was the first time Deril had left the Brotherhood headquarters. As they walked through the streets, the world seemed an alien place. He'd kept up with news, and he hadn't heard anything about his father, but he still wondered what he'd missed.

  The four of them acquired horses from stables at the edge of the city, then started southward along the main road between Hyrandel and Illindel. They didn't know where they'd intercept the caravan, so they remained alert the entire time.

  Too often, they rode in tense silence. Davin shared occasional conversation with them, but Arna remained cold and distant. Deril disliked her more and more.

  Outside the city, the air grew a little cold. Deril hadn't spent much time on the roads. He preferred to stay close to the warmth of Sunlamps. There were a few along the road, but not as many as he would have liked. With a shudder, he wondered how cold he'd feel when he entered the Frozen Lands in search of his father.

  But would that ever happen?

  No matter how much Davin and Arna believed in their plan, there were so many ways it could go wrong. Then Deril could end up arrested, or dead. Was gaining the Brotherhood's trust worth taking such a risk? A part of Deril wanted to go to the Frozen Lands right now.

  But he also knew Sondir was right. They wouldn't last long in the Frozen Lands without help.

  The party rode for a day. From time to time, Arna used Blue/Purple Fireweaving to communicate with other Fireweavers, trying to figure out the caravan's location.

  That afternoon, she called the party to a stop. "We should be close to the caravan now if my sources are correct."

  The four of them stopped in the middle of the road and began their combined Yellow/Green weave. Deril had never worked with Fireweavers before, so he didn't know how he expected it to feel. To his surprise, the experience was no different from manipulating the ground with other Sunweavers.

  Was there as little difference as Fireweavers claimed?

  The weave was a delicate process. They didn't want to manipulate the ground yet. Instead, they wanted to prepare it to change. Davin and Arna would hold the power of the weave within themselves and unleash it at the right moment, obstructing the caravan's path.

  "We're ready," Arna said. "Now get off the road and out of sight."

  This part of the road wound through a forest, so there were plenty of places to hide away from the road. Deril and Tiran maneuvered their horses between the evergreen trees, going far enough from the road that no one would see them unless they made big movements. They dismounted and waited. Deril felt like he was going to throw up. Was there any way they could do this without killing anyone?

  Deril peered through the trees, trying to calm his churning stomach. He and Tiran both remained silent, and Tiran looked pale. Deril shivered as a cold rain began to fall.

  At last, the caravan appeared around a bend of the road. There were four wagons in all. The one in the lead contained a contingent of four Sun Guards. Behind that were three wagons, all covered. Two probably belonged to merchants, but one of them surely held the prisoners.

  Which one was it?

  Soon the ground rumbled, and a giant wall of rock rose, blocking the entire road. The wagons were too large to leave the road and maneuver between the tightly packed trees.

  Time to move. Tiran motioned for Deril to follow, and they crept toward the road. Raised voices, tight with anxiety, came from in front of them. The Sun Guards were taking positions around the caravan, scanning their surroundings for danger. Deril and Tiran stood with their backs to trees, peering through the branches. How could they do this?

  "Any ideas?" Deril whispered as he counted the Sun Guards. Eight that he could see. It appeared now that the back two wagons belonged to merchants, who were looking around with pale, worried faces. So the prisoners had to be in the second wagon, probably surrounded by two or three additional Sun Guards. Too many by far.

  Tiran pushed aside a branch. "Sorry. Can't think of anything."

  "Someone check the forest," said a female Sun Guard. "I think I saw movement."

  She pointed right where Deril and Tiran were standing.

  Chapter 23: A Foiled Plan

  Deril froze, his heart pounding in his ears as he tried to think of some way out of this situation. The female Sun Guard stepped closer, and Deril made his decision.

  "We don't mean any harm," he said, praying his ruse would work. "We've been following a group of people we thought were Fireweaver bandits. Now we know, and they're close. We have to act quickly."

  "I don't believe you," the woman said, narrowing her eyes as she and two other Sun Guards stepped between the trees. "Prove you aren't Fireweavers."

  "We're going to weave shields," Deril said. "You can read our heat signatures."

  Deril nodded to Tiran, and they did the weaves. One of the male Sun Guards stared at them for a few long moments, then said, "They're Sunweavers."

  "That doesn't mean they aren't affiliated with the bandits," the woman said, her gaze severe. She stepped closer, pointing at them with her sword. "Who are you two?"

  The other man was staring at them with a curious frown. He looked vaguely familiar, and Deril worried he might have once been stationed at the Temple of Aralea.

  "Wait, I recognize you," the man said. "You're Deril Anduri. What are you doing out here following bandits?"

  Deril's heart pounded. "Can you keep your voice down? The people we're following can't know who I am. Tiran and I are working as spies, trying to get information on my father's kidnapping. Tiran's a Sun Guard. You can trust him."

  The woman turned to the man who'd recognized Deril. "Are you certain it's him?"

  "I spent seven years at the Temple of Aralea. I think I'd know the Sunlord's son."

  "All right, I trust your judgment." She turned to Deril and Tiran. "Do you know where the bandits are, or what they want from us? And do you think they have something to do with the Sunlord's kidnapping?"

  Deril fought down a wave of panic. "We're following every lead we can. Captain Hanir has allowed us to undertake this mission. If you trust his judgment, you can trust ours."

  "I do trust him," she said. "Now let's look for these bandits."

  "We'll help guard the prisoners," Tir
an said. "You can find the bandits."

  The woman narrowed her eyes. "How did you know we were carrying prisoners?"

  Deril's stomach lurched. "We are acting as spies. We've gathered some intelligence from the people we're spying on. They know you're carrying Fireweaver prisoners, so we know."

  "That seems logical," she said, though she didn't sound convinced. "You may help guard the prisoners. It would probably be better if you didn't put yourselves at risk trying to apprehend the bandits. You can leave that to us. Your mission is too important."

  Deril exhaled with relief. He couldn't believe she'd accepted their story. Being recognized might have saved him this time

  But long could he depend on that?

  Then, of course, they still needed to free those prisoners. How could they do that without implicating themselves? Deril turned to Tiran, hoping for reassurance, but Tiran shook his head.

  The man who'd recognized Deril led them back to the road, where the caravan waited for the wall of rock to subside. The merchants stood outside their wagons, looking about their surroundings, their faces lined with worry. The Sun Guards Deril had seen before had all moved away from the caravan, scanning the woods for the bandits. Deril prayed that Arna and Davin had concealed themselves.

  Or at least that Davin had. He didn't care about Arna.

  Two Sun Guards remained, the ones guarding the prisoners. They stood outside the caravan's second wagon with drawn swords. The Sun Guard accompanying Deril and Tiran cleared them to help stand guard, then joined his comrades in the search for the bandits, leaving Deril and Tiran alone with the other guards.

  Surely they could handle two Sun Guards. But how could they do it? Deril couldn't bring himself to harm these men who were simply doing their jobs. Yes, the fate of the world was at stake, but was the world worth living in if people had to abandon their morals?

  Deril wanted to confer with Tiran, but they had no opportunity. He'd have to think of a plan on his own, or hope Tiran could come up with one. How could they gain the trust of the Brotherhood now?

  Well, it started with freeing the prisoners.

  Deril turned to one of the guards. "How important are these prisoners?"

  "They are typical Fireweavers. No more important than those we usually bring in."

  Tiran looked at Deril with wide eyes, as though he disagreed with the plan Deril had formed. Deril knew it was impulsive, but they had little time to accomplish their mission. Unless Tiran could think of something better, this was the best plan they had.

  "Then it wouldn't be all that bad if we took them off your hands?" Deril said.

  "I don't understand what you're saying."

  "It's part of our cover as spies. We have to make the Brotherhood appear that we support them. It's the only way to get the information we need, the only way to save my father before it's too late. I doubt these ordinary Fireweaver prisoners are worth risking the fate of the entire world."

  "It's not our decision to make," said the other guard. "You'll have to ask our captain."

  Deril didn't like the sound of that. The captain didn't seem the type to give up her prisoners without a fight.

  Deril waited, trying not to panic. A few minutes later, the captain and the other Sun Guards returned, thankfully without Davin and Arna.

  "We must have scared them away," the captain said.

  Deril couldn't waste time. He stepped toward the captain. "I have something to ask of you, and you probably won't like it."

  "Go on."

  "We need to take these prisoners from you."

  "Well, you can't," she said. "They've been sentenced to death for their crimes. It's the law." She gave them both a stern glare. "Why do you need them?"

  Deril explained the situation, praying she would understand.

  "This is asking a lot of me," she said. "I could get in trouble."

  "I know," Deril said, keeping careful control of his tone. "But I'm not exaggerating when I say the fate of the world may be at stake. The only way to gain the trust of these people is to do as they've asked. It's better if no one gets hurt in the process. These prisoners are only two Fireweavers, two among so many. I doubt they make much of a difference."

  "But freeing them does," the captain said.

  Tiran stepped closer to her. "The first oath you take as a Sun Guard is to protect the world. That comes before serving your Church, before serving your government. You might not like it, but it is your duty to let us take these prisoners."

  The captain stepped a few paces away, looking up in thought. When at last she turned back to them, she said, "All right. You may take the prisoners. We will have to fabricate a story that there were too many bandits to fight. It will be a hard story to keep, and I doubt all our superiors will believe it. I'm risking a lot here. Don't make me regret it."

  "We'll do our best," Tiran said. "I can promise that.

  Deril glanced back toward the rest of the caravan. "How are you going to keep the merchants quiet?"

  "They don't know that these people are prisoners," she said. "Don't worry about that. Just take your prisoners and get back to your work as spies. Before I change my mind."

  "Thank you," Deril said, hastening to the back of the covered wagon holding the prisoners. Inside were a man and woman bound in thick ropes. They tried to look up, but blindfolds covered their eyes.

  "What's happening?" the woman asked.

  "We're getting you out of here," Deril said. "Getting you to the Brotherhood."

  "How'd you get them to agree with that?" said the man.

  "It doesn't matter," Tiran said, untying him. "The important thing is you're free."

  Deril unbound the woman and helped her out of the wagon. Both prisoners looked shaky on their feet. Outside, the Sun Guards looked on, their eyes narrowed in anger and confusion. Deril could understand. No matter the circumstances, any Sun Guard worth holding the title hated to see a Fireweaver go free. Deril couldn't decide how he felt about it.

  "Get going," the captain said.

  "Thank you again," Deril said. With the prisoners at their sides, he and Tiran walked off into the forest north of the road, looking for Davin and Arna. Once they were a good distance from the caravan, they removed the prisoners' blindfolds.

  They wandered for a long time, the cold rain soaking through their clothes. The prisoners, who hadn't given their names, looked miserable in their light clothing.

  By the time they found Davin and Arna, the sun had sunk low in the sky, and the cold rain had intensified. They were all shivering despite their Yellow/Blue weaves.

  Arna looked on with narrowed eyes, standing within a thick cluster of trees. "What happened back there?"

  "We were discovered," Deril said. "We had to improvise."

  "I'd like an explanation," she said.

  Davin put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently. "Relax. They're on our side. We don't need to spend our time interrogating them. We did what we came for. That's what matters."

  "And how much suspicion did we draw?" she asked with a fiery glare. "This is why I don't like working with people I don't trust. People I don't know." She turned the glare to Deril and Tiran. "I didn't trust you before, and I trust you even less now. You're going to explain what happened, or you're not going to leave this forest alive."

  Tiran stepped forward, holding out his arms in a calming gesture. "There's no need for threats."

  "What's going on here?" asked the male prisoner. "I thought you were working together."

  "We are," Davin said. "I'm afraid Arna has problems with trust."

  Arna drew her sword, stepping toward Deril and Tiran. "Maybe I do, but misplaced trust kills you when you're born with our curse. No matter what you two do, you are still Sunweavers. The enemy."

  Deril retreated as Arna advanced. He didn't like the hard look in her eyes, or the fact that she'd called him the enemy. In truth, he suspected he was her enemy. Arna seemed the ideal candidate to be one of the members of Halarik's Chosen hi
ding within the Brotherhood. Deril had to watch her.

  But first he had to survive this encounter.

  He wove Yellow and Blue within him, erecting a shield between himself and her sword. The tip of the blade stopped dead at the invisible barrier.

  Arna's smile was chilling. "Good. You don't trust me either."

  Deril returned the smile, just as coldly. "It would be foolish to trust the woman who called me an enemy and tried to put a sword to my throat."

  "Fair point," she said.

  "This is getting ridiculous," Davin said. "Let's work through this calmly." He turned to Deril and Tiran. "I'm asking, not demanding. How did you get the prisoners free?"

  Deril exchanged an anxious glance with Tiran, praying that his friend would have an answer to this predicament. Right now, Deril's mind was blank. He could think of nothing but his pounding heart and the wild-eyed woman threatening to kill him. Even though he had the feeling he and Tiran could win a battle, he couldn't let it come to that.

  Deril took a few deep breaths. "As I said, we improvised. Your plan didn't work. They immediately searched the area, looking for people trying to hide themselves. They found us."

  "And they didn't kill you," Arna said, advancing a step closer. "I find that hard to believe."

  "As it happens, one of the Sun Guards knew me," Deril said. "So they believed us when we told them we'd been following you, suspecting you of being Fireweaver bandits. We stayed with the caravan while they searched the woods for you. Only two guards remained, keeping watch over the prisoners. We moved quickly and managed to free the prisoners. We hurt the guards but didn't kill them. Then we took off into the forest, looking for you, heading toward the place where you said we'd meet up afterward."

  Arna lowered her sword. "I think you're lying."

  "The story works for me," Davin said. He turned to the two prisoners. "Does this version of events seem right?"

  "I can't be sure," said the woman. "The shields the guards wove around us blocked most of the sound. We had no idea what was going on. We only noticed these two men when they came in to save us. We were blindfolded at the time, so I couldn't tell you what the site looked like. They took off the blindfolds once we were farther away."