by Joseph Lallo
"They came, they came from the south. Elites. We didn't have time! We were unprepared! How could we be prepared? The Elites are after the Red Shadow, not the Undermine! They haven't been in the Low Lands for over a year! It must be a second squad. It must be! And they are coming. They are coming for you, Myranda," Caya said, almost in a daze.
Myranda let the words enter her ears, but paid them no mind. There was a job to do. Everything else had to wait. She focused her mind around the crystal and chose the appropriate spells, casting them with equal care. The dutiful healer kept at it, making sure that every last wound was closed before she let the things that had been said enter her mind.
"What is going on? Who are the Elite?" she asked.
Caya rubbed her restored legs.
"The Elites. They are the very best of the old guard. A soldier who survives a dozen battles is a veteran. Two dozen is a legend. When a man passes into the realm of myth, he is made a member of the Elite. To form a second squad to find you, you must be worth more to them than even I had thought," Caya explained.
Myranda's head was spinning. Some of it was due to the effort of casting the spells. Mostly it was the harsh reality that was crashing down around her. She had only vaguely heard of the Elites, but she shuddered to think of the man they sought. The Red Shadow. The assassin. How could she have done something to become as highly sought as he without knowing it? The man had killed colonels, barons, ambassadors! All she had done was find a sword!
"They dismantled the headquarters. Barely escaped with my life. Lost three good men. They will be here in hours. We need to evacuate," Caya said.
"Evacuate! We cannot evacuate! What of my books!?" Wolloff said.
"Leave them!" she demanded.
"I will not!" she said.
"You must choose between your books and your life," she said.
"My books are my life!" he proclaimed, no hint of humor in his voice.
"I cannot afford to lose you, Wolloff. Move now! Time is wasting!" she commanded.
"The books are irreplaceable. They are one of a kind. If I lose them now, the knowledge within them will be lost forever. You say that you cannot afford to lose me, but it is my knowledge of these books that you need. I will not leave them!" Wolloff said.
The two strong-willed individuals launched into a simultaneous debate, both unwilling to wait for the other to finish talking. Myn became agitated, baring her teeth and scratching at the floor, ready to take action if the argument became anything more. The sound of the helmet dropping to the floor drew Caya's attention.
"Where did this beast come from?" Caya demanded.
"She belongs to Myranda. Keep your hands away from her mouth," Wolloff said.
"And the helmet? Where did she find it?" she asked.
"Some time ago, there were some soldiers to the north of here. The beast had a run-in. What does it matter?" he said.
"That is certainly an Elite helmet! They came so near to you and I was not alerted!" she cried out.
Immediately the two started yelling again. As the endless arguing raged, Myranda's mind was working quickly. There had to be some sort of solution. Slowly an idea revealed itself. It was not a perfect one, but time allowed for little else.
"Wait!" Myranda yelled.
The two turned to her.
"If we ran. All of us. Right now. What would we do?" Myranda asked.
"There is a safe house to the northeast. We would head for that. Then I would contact some of our field agents to gather enough intelligence to make a decision where to go next," Caya said.
"And how would we get there?" Myranda asked.
"With a lot of legwork and all of the luck in the world, we just might make it there with our lives," she said.
"Then we stand to gain little by running, at least together," Myranda said.
"What are you suggesting?" Wolloff said.
"They want me, right? In fact, you just might have been left alive simply to lead them to me," Myranda said.
"I had considered that," Caya said.
"Then if they find me, they will look no further," she said.
"No!" Caya said. "We need you. I won't let you turn yourself in to save us. If you do that, you seal our fate more surely than their swords ever could."
"I am not suggesting that I give myself to them. I just want them to find me. We have one horse. Yours. These men are in full armor and are likely well-equipped, am I correct?" she offered.
"Very well-equipped. It might be weeks before they need to resupply," Caya said.
"Then they are weighed down. If I go with no supplies and no armor, then I can certainly outrun them. All I need to do is let them see me, and then lead them away," she said.
"But where will you go? The safe house? Myranda, the Undermine is in chaos after this attack. If you hope to find any sanctuary, I must be with you, or you will never be trusted," Caya said.
"No safe house. If I take refuge with your people, then this will only happen again. Maybe in weeks, maybe months, but it will happen. I refuse to have my life be a burden upon you. Do you have a map?" she asked.
"Of course," Wolloff said, revealing one and spreading it on the table, knocking the contents to the floor.
"We are here, correct?" Myranda asked.
The two others nodded in unison.
"Then it can't be more than two days at full gallop to the eastern forest, Locke's Forest," she said.
"No horse, not even mine, could spend two hours, let alone two days at full gallop. The poor thing is dead on her feet as it is," the Undermine leader warned.
"I've learned a few spells that should keep her moving," Myranda said.
"Mmm. Full gallop . . . day and night . . . with no equipment . . . Perhaps you could make it in two days," Caya conceded.
"Do the soldiers patrol Locke's Forest well?" Myranda asked.
"They patrol it constantly," she answered.
"But do they patrol it well?" Myranda asked again.
"That forest is a quarter the size and has at least as many trees as this one. I would wager to say there aren't enough soldiers in the world to patrol something that dense well," she said.
"Then that is where I will go," she said. "I have Myn. She can hunt and start fires. I need no supplies to live. The forest is dense. If I stay alert, I know I can stay away from them."
"Are you certain you want to do this? These are Elites. They will not give up. They will find you," Caya warned.
"There can be no other way," she said.
"Very well, then. I will tend to the horse. Wolloff, give her anything she needs," Caya ordered.
"I have precious little for myself, you know," Wolloff said.
"Now is not the time for selfishness, Wolloff. You will be reimbursed when the Undermine gets back on its feet," she said.
"The Undermine has never been on its feet," he said. He turned his head and looked unhappily at Myranda. "Come, time is wasting."
He led Myranda through the door that had not opened since she had arrived. Unlike the other rooms, this one was meticulously clean. One side was much like a closet, hung with white robes like the one he wore. The other had numerous exquisite amulets and scepters. He carefully pulled a robe from the many and smoothed the wrinkles. He then selected a small, delicate locket. Finally he uncovered a small, sturdy chest that bore a lock, but no means to open it. He whispered a word or two and the works of the lock clicked open. Inside of the chest was a handful of gems far clearer and much larger than any to be found upstairs. A few more words and the locket unfolded like a flower blooming. He placed the gem inside. It clicked shut of its own accord.
"Put this on," he said, holding out the robe.
She slid her arms through and pulled it shut. He then draped the locket about her neck.
"There. I bestow upon you the white robe of the healer. You know all that you need to undo the work of all but the most monstrous of plights. This locket will aid your focus. You hold the distinction of being the only st
udent I have ever had to reach this level in less than five months--you've done it in three. Congratulations, you've set the bar quite high," he said.
Caya returned, slamming the door.
"Wolloff, you are low on oats, barely enough for Wind Runner. Myranda, to the map. You need to plot out a course of action. This will be no normal chase. You need alternatives for every step of the way," she decreed.
Myranda joined her by the table. They proceeded to trace out the course. It would be more or less a straight ride from forest to forest. There was a scattering of towns that would have to be avoided. Caya spoke in an endless string of orders and dictation. She was clearly a strong leader and knew just how to get things done. It was difficult to believe that minutes ago she was near death. Her devotion was admirable.
"What of the beast?" Caya said.
"Pardon?" Myranda replied.
"The dragon. We've yet to enter her into the equations. The success of your escape depends upon a minimally encumbered mount. The creature could add enough weight to give the Elites a chance to close the gap when my horse begins to tire," Caya said.
"I have seen the beast run. She will keep up on her own," Wolloff said.
"Fine. But I want to make this absolutely clear. If she falls behind you will leave her. Sentiment is death on the battlefield," she said.
Myranda assured her that she would, but in her heart she knew she couldn't. She prayed that she would not have to make that decision.
#
Within the hour the freshly anointed healer was astride the horse and headed toward the Elite, Caya's voice still in her ears. She was to turn east with all of the speed that the steed could muster at the very instant she noticed even a hint of the plume atop the helmet of an Elite. Until then there was nothing to fill her time but a tense wait, and a few simple spells to restore her horse for the run. When she'd whispered the final spell, admiring the relative ease that new amulet provided, she turned to her companion. Myn sat on the ground beside her, still bearing the helmet in her teeth.
"Are you going to carry that with you for the entire trip? We will have to move very quickly. I hope you can keep up," she said, eager to break the silence.
As an answer, Myn's head shot up. She smelled the air and stood, dancing about anxiously. Myranda saw nothing, and heard only the tapping of icy rain on the needles of the trees. She climbed down from the horse and put her ear to the cold ground. Faintly, almost silently, she could hear--or, more accurately, feel--the steady beat of dozens of hooves. Myn scampered up a tree and trained her eyes on the south. Her keen sight must have caught something between the trees. Something she hated. The dragon leapt to the ground and streaked southward.
"Myn, no!" Myranda called out.
Her faithful friend skidded to a stop, and looked to her pleadingly, her eyes fairly begging to be allowed to do what her heart demanded of her, to get revenge on those that had taken something dear from her. Myranda looked her in the eyes.
"Myn, we cannot. Not now. Follow," she said.
Reluctantly the dragon returned to her side, clamping her jaws onto the helmet as a replacement target. Myranda watched the trees in the distance. Soon the sound of hooves was booming in her ears. She wanted to run, but she had to be sure that they followed her, and did not continue on to Wolloff's tower. A minute more. A second more. A heartbeat more. Now!
One horse and rider came into view. It was a woman, it seemed, though her height and grace, even in the split-second that Myranda had seen her, betrayed her to be an elf. Myranda spurred her horse to the east. Myn ran beside her. She could match the speed of the horse with little effort, though carrying the helmet and glancing back at her pursuers regularly gave the dragon some difficulty.
The wind tore by them with twice the bite it would have had if they were standing still, and the rain and snow saturated them in minutes, but those were the least of her worries. Myranda turned every few moments, remembering more of the words of Caya.
If you have a chance to escape, you may not know immediately. Those men are riding war horses, bred for strength. Wind Runner is a messenger horse, bred for endurance. It will seem that they are keeping pace with you, and they may well be, but the sprint will wear down their horses quickly. The gap between you should start to widen quickly and suddenly. If it doesn't, then you are done for.
Every few strides, Myranda judged the distance. Her heart pounded harder with each glance that didn't show any headway. Finally, just when her own steed seemed at the brink of collapse, the followers seemed to stop entirely. Their horses broke stride and faltered. Even with Wind Runner slowing considerably, the Elites were out of sight within minutes.
Some relief came to Myranda, but not much. She knew that now the soldiers had seen her. They had followed her trail this far on descriptions alone. If she did not take every advantage she had at her disposal to keep her distance, they would be upon her. And so she continued to spur on her horse. The animal was exhausted and had not had a proper rest in days, but it had to continue, or they would both be caught.
When Wind Runner had run for the better part of three hours, it became clear that, despite her spells, the creature needed to rest. There was no sense destroying the beast now, or she would be stranded, and Myranda was little more than a novice in the ways of magic. Her own strength would need to be conserved as well. The Elites must have fallen an hour or more behind by now; perhaps she could risk some rest. A small stream, surrounded by the very most persistent of weeds, presented itself as the logical place for the group to catch their breath. The horse and dragon gulped at the water. She stood, stretching her legs and trying to keep the rain and ice from her eyes. Myn managed to snatch up a rabbit that foolishly wandered near while Wind Runner ate the weeds most greedily. Myranda had no food of her own, but the constant fear had left her without an appetite. She could not take her eyes off of the western horizon.
Myn had just begun to gnaw upon her precious toy again when Myranda's eyes locked onto something that she could not identify. The sun had long ago set, making it difficult to make out anything more than shapes. In the distance, far off, there was what looked to be a faint, twinkling star . . . but it was on the ground. For a moment she stood in awe of the bizarre sight. She knew, though, that regardless of what it was that was growing nearer to her with each passing instant, with her luck it could not be anything but bad news. She looked to the horse, still weak from the run. Her eyes turned back to the odd sight. It was white with a dash of blue, a single point of light with a barely visible trail behind it. She was reminded of the crystal that Wolloff used. The same light would glimmer briefly in it when he would cast a spell.
"We have to leave now," she said.
She climbed to the back of the steed, with Myn wearily gathering up the helmet in her teeth. She gave the beast a kick, but the mare would not budge. It could not go on. The breaking point had been reached. Myranda turned an anxious eye to the west again. The light was closer, there was no question, but what was it? For once, fate conspired in her favor. A single, powerful bolt of lightning jumped silently from cloud to cloud, brilliantly illuminating the field for an instant. In the heartbeat that the truth was visible, the answer was burned into her eyes. The elf, the leader of the Elites, was riding toward her, a bare crystal held over her head, summoning an unnatural speed that pushed her horse forward at easily twice the rate that Myranda's own could ever hope to muster.
Myranda froze in terror at the sight. There was nothing she could do. Their leader would be upon her in no time. A monumental crack of thunder shook her from her stupor and frightened the horse into motion. Myn quickly bolted. Somehow despite the long run, the young dragon was still able to match the speed she'd managed before. Myranda clutched her pendant.
There was no choice now. The time for magic had come. Enhancements such as the one the Elites must be using were not included in her education, but spells of healing and recovery could bring a strength and energy to her mount greater than many day
s rest could provide.
She locked her mind into the purest state of calm that circumstances would permit and began to speak her spells. One to eliminate the weariness, another to ease the pain. After a handful more, Wind Runner was running as fast as she ever had, but Myranda was much the worse for wear. She nearly lacked the will to remain on the steed's back. Slowly, she turned to see how close the enemy had become. Not more than a hundred paces separated them now, and the gap was closing with each stride. Myranda closed her eyes and prayed. There was nothing more she could do. It was in the hands of fate now. Or perhaps not.
Myn turned to face the elf. Her teeth still clenched about the helm, she sprayed forth a stream of flame from her nostrils. The enemy horse panicked, and at the unnatural speed, could not maintain control. The pursuing horse and rider tumbled to the ground. Myn dropped the chewed helm and locked her eyes on the new prize. With one powerful bite, she clamped onto the elf's helmet and tore it from her head. The horse, mad with fear, galloped wildly away. Myranda called and the dragon hurried to catch up, a fresh trophy in her teeth and a dazed and angry soldier in her wake. The elf looked after the escaping pair, but was helpless to follow. Safety, at least for the moment, was theirs.
The night passed with Myranda slowly regaining enough strength to recast her spells. In time, even Myn could not keep up with the mystically-aided horse. She leapt onto Wind Runner's back, but it did not slow the beast as Caya had feared. To the contrary, the clutch of the dragon's claws urged the horse forward faster than any spur could.
By first light, the forest that should have been more than a day away was in sight. Such was the ability of a tireless steed. Of course, the toll that was spared the mount was taken on the rider. Myranda was barely awake, each stride threatening to knock her from the beast's back. As she fought for each moment of consciousness, she also wrestled with what she had seen. That soldier, the elf woman. Sometime, somewhere, she had seen her before. The image of her face burned in Myranda's mind. Something from long ago.
The dappled shadows cast from the branches passing overhead prompted Myranda to wrestle her eyes open again. They had arrived. Wind shook the clinging remnants of the night's rain from the trees. The horse, sensing that this was indeed their destination, had slowed to a trot, then to a walk. Myranda stopped the steed entirely. She didn't so much dismount the creature as fall from it.
