by B. T. Narro
Suddenly everything was clear to him. This part of the mountain was precious to the Marros. They had to keep it protected from the explosions, and his father must’ve realized this earlier. He planned to use their own explosion to destroy this setup that must’ve taken them years to assemble.
“I still have control,” his father announced. “The hole is not that deep.”
There was no more time to argue. Desil had to veer off to make it to Leida’s cave in time. He shot a look behind him.
“Beatrix, faster! The Marros will come investigate at any moment.”
“Everyone else with me,” his father ordered in an almost unfamiliar voice.
“Are you sure it won’t explode?” Kirnich asked from the back.
“I’m sure. Get ready to keep them off me!”
Yelling to his father now would alert the Marros, but Desil almost did so anyway. Wade was not a violent man, but anger had a way of changing everyone for the worst. His father became as stubborn as he did aggressive when something triggered him. The causes were always just, unless drink was involved. The child or children who were taken must’ve affected Wade more than Desil had realized.
“Please don’t do what you’re thinking,” he risked calling softly.
His father glanced over without his anger softening. “Focus on Leida,” he snapped.
It wasn’t long before Desil got to the base of the mountain. He had to ignore his worry about his father, for the challenge ahead of him would certainly be the most difficult of his life. At least the early climb would be easy even for Beatrix. It didn’t become vertical until about halfway up. So why did she have such a terrified look as she came to Desil’s side?
“You go first,” he said, “so I don’t move too fast and cause us to separate.”
She went up the rocky slope hand-over-foot and made quick work of it, but then she stopped to look at the sky for Marros.
“Just keep going,” Desil advised her. “Don’t stop, and don’t look down. I will check the sky for them to let you know if any are coming.”
“I can sense them when they are near.”
“So why stop to look around? Go!” She still wasn’t moving. “Go, Beatrix!”
She grumbled a curse and fumbled for a handhold. Here was where the real climb would begin.
“It’s easy to grab because I’m softening it,” Desil told her. “You don’t need perfect holds. Keep going.”
She reached up and curled her fingers around something that looked stable from Desil’s view. But instead of pulling and then getting her feet up, she just looked around more without moving.
“What are you doing? Go!”
“I don’t have a good hold yet!”
He could barely refrain from cursing at her. Soon Marros would be swarming them. Should he go alone after all? No, he had no way of defending himself or Leida from being pulled off the mountain.
“Just dig your fingers and toes into it and climb! There is no time for hesitation.”
“I can’t do this, Desil.” She sounded like she was about to cry.
“You have to, so you can! Letting Leida and me die is not an option. Dig!”
Beatrix groaned with effort as she kicked into the soft side of the mountain and pushed herself up with her foot. She let out a small yelp of fear as she jabbed her hands into the flexible rock and stopped once again.
“That was good, keep doing that!” Desil urged. “Now left foot, then left hand.”
She kicked her other foot in and pushed herself up, then grabbed hold with her left hand.
“Other side,” Desil instructed. “That’s all this is, hand over foot. You can do it!”
She gained confidence in her movement as she scaled the mountain. Soon they were a third of the way up. Suddenly she slowed. At least it gave Desil time to look down to see what was happening with his father and the others. He saw Wade climbing out of the hole in the sand with Kirnich helping him up. Desil’s father had one hand holding the cluster of black vines against his shoulder.
“Are they coming yet?” Beatrix asked, the wind picking up.
Desil looked over each shoulder. “The sky is clear.”
She returned to her same speed, letting out grunts with each jab of her hands. Desil caught glimpses of blood on her palms and was glad she hadn’t mentioned it. He knew she could do this. The question was whether she would let herself believe it.
They were getting close to Leida’s cave when the deep voice of an Lmar froze both of them. With dread in his heart, Desil checked over his shoulder.
Marros washed over the mountaintops and swooped down like waterfalls, an Lmar leading the charge. Fortunately, none had noticed Desil and Beatrix, even with her red cape whipping in the wind. He cursed himself for not telling her to remove it.
“Keep going,” he told her.
“It’s getting more difficult.”
“You can still do it.”
Hundreds of Marros descended down toward Desil’s father as he set the eppil vines at the base of the other mountain and opened his arms to gesture at it. Immediately it began to glow as if it would explode. The Marros halted so violently that many wings got entangled and the creatures fluttered down in a chaotic mess. They separated as quickly as they could to fly away while Desil’s father dropped his arms, and the shock of black color returned to the plant. The creatures called out to each other and turned back.
Basen and Adriya shot fireballs up that exploded into groups of them, while Kirnich sent an arrow through the wings of two birds with one shot. Wade sounded like a madman as he yelled something, stilling Desil’s heart as the worry for his father returned. The Elf was putting the eppil plant in a backpack for Wade. Soon Desil’s father would start to climb.
The faster Desil got Leida, the faster he could get to his father. Desil caught up to Beatrix in a blink as he continued to soften the mountain in front and above him. Around Beatrix’s fluttering cape, Leida’s face popped out from the cave.
“Thank the stars!”
“Tell us when they’re coming,” Desil called out to her.
Leida looked out as shock struck her. “Now!”
Desil turned his head to see six of them headed for him and Beatrix. This was the whole reason he’d brought her. He looked up to check if his psychic was ready. The scream of terror she then let out was the opposite of comforting.
Desil took out his knife and turned as far as he could with his feet still implanted in the rock. He swiped at the oncoming claws, the blade connecting. One Marro screeched as it drew back, but another one immediately took its place and tried to grab Desil’s hand holding onto the mountain. He swung his other arm up to stab the creature in its leg, but not before it ripped open the back of his hand.
“Pain them, Beatrix!”
She was doing nothing but clinging to the mountain and screaming as a Marro had hold of her cloak.
“Pain them, or we die!”
Her scream transitioned into a shout of aggression. All six Marros shrieked as they dropped from the sky.
“I knew it was a good idea to bring you!”
Beatrix looked down with a proud grin, but shock took it away. She clung to the mountainside as she let out a string of curses. “I can’t do this anymore. I’m going down!”
“I told you not to look down! Nothing’s changed. You can still do this, and it isn’t much farther!”
She pressed her body against the side. “No, I have to go down. Move!” She started to come down toward him. “You will have to come back for Leida.”
“Don’t take another step toward me!” Desil raged. “We will climb until we have her. It’s the only way! Beatrix, stop! Stop!”
She said nothing but curses as she continued down toward Desil.
“They’re coming again!” Leida called to them.
“Beatrix! You must—”
She shrieked in terror.
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
Desil had little time to shift his body into
a more defensive position as the Marros came for him and Beatrix. He gripped the rock until his knuckles were white and got ready to kick at the incoming pair of claws when a burst of fire disoriented him. The blast knocked his body into the soft rock of the mountain. He looked up to ensure Beatrix wasn’t about to fall—no, she clung too tightly to be moved by anything—then checked on his next attackers.
The body of one smoking Marro fluttered down while the others swooped above him and Beatrix.
“Watch out, Leida!” Desil yelled.
She blasted the creatures again, taking down another that fell past Desil.
“Beatrix, keep going or I swear I’m going to stab you!” he screamed.
“No, you wouldn’t!”
“Use psyche and find out. I’m coming now!”
Her shrieks paused, then started again with twice the volume. She cursed at him as she reached up and dug her fingers into the mountainside. Above her, a stream of fire came out from the cave and scared the Marros into veering off.
They circled back a moment later, but Leida was ready with another fireball and blasted one. There were only three left when they flew into the cave and disappeared.
There was no more time for delays. Desil sped around Beatrix.
“Pick up your pace,” he yelled on the way past.
“Slow down!”
Desil screamed as something grabbed his shirt and tried to pull him off the mountain. He gripped as hard as he could in reflex, but only one hand remained deep enough to hold on. He was losing his grasp as the Marro continued to tug, the bird screeching in his ear.
“Pain it!” he yelled to Beatrix. Teeth bit down on his neck and caused violent pain.
The Marro screeched again, in agony this time, as it released him. Wet with sweat and blood, Desil wiped his free hand on his pants and went right back to climbing.
He looked down to check on Beatrix; she was too slow. He wasn’t immune to the feeling of terror at realizing just how high he would fall if he slipped, but his anger toward the Marros beat his fear. All he and Beatrix were trying to do was get Leida back. She probably wasn’t even useful to the Marros anymore! Why try to kill his group? He could understand his father’s rage after being forced to live here for a year.
Desil saw another of the creatures coming for him and paused his climb to draw his dagger again. Beatrix needed to catch up anyway. Desil pretended to be afraid as he pressed close to the mountainside.
He waited a breath, then twisted with a quick slash. He severed one of the beast’s toes, claw and all. It flew away shrieking, but two more were coming to take its place.
“Bea—”
The creatures stopped mid-flight as pain hit them.
Beatrix finally picked up her pace. The two of them got close to the cave, and Desil heard the sound of Leida struggling. All that was left between him and her were a few yards of sanded-down mountainside, as even and slick as Desil had ever seen.
“I can’t make it!” Beatrix insisted.
She might be right this time. “Stay here and keep a good hold. I’m not going to be able to make the rock soft once I’m in the cave.”
She wouldn’t stop muttering curses as Desil transitioned onto the most difficult part. Pain shot down his arm each time he rammed his fingers into the softened stone. He had to get them in at least to his middle knuckles to ensure he wouldn’t fall as he shifted each foot. His toes were easier to bury in the mountain as he kicked with nearly all his strength, but he still felt a fall to his death coming at any moment.
He scaled quickly, draining much of the little stamina he had left.
“Hurry up!” Beatrix yelled. “I can’t hold on much longer.”
Bastial hell, and he was still softening it for her. The fear that she would fall finally hit him, halting him for just a blink as he thought about changing his plan. No, this was the only option.
“Please hold on,” he told her as he continued.
A moment later he had his hands on the floor of the cave and was pulling himself up. Leida was running around flailing her arms at the three Marros as they swarmed around her and made small strikes with their claws. They looked to be trying to grab her when Desil jumped on one’s back. He didn’t hesitate as he plunged his dagger into the back of its skull.
Wings engulfed him as the other two switched their attention to him. They batted him against the wall with the strength of Kirnich’s punches. He managed to get his dagger up. One of the Marros pricked its wing on his blade and hopped back. Leida kicked the other in its little tail hard enough to knock its head into the wall. It jumped back like the first. Both hopped out of the cave without looking back.
Desil threw his arms around Leida. Joy washed over him as their eyes met. He stole a kiss from her lips without hesitation. Just as she began to kiss him back, Beatrix screamed.
“Desil, Desil, Desillllllll!”
“We have to go.” He pulled Leida toward the edge. “I know it’s frightening, but—”
“I can climb down. Don’t worry.”
“DESIL!”
He cursed. It sounded as if Beatrix was about to fall any moment.
Desil got his legs over and kicked his feet into the softened precipice. He looked below him as he made his way down and saw Beatrix pressing her cheek against the jagged stone. If he had a moment to be proud, he would’ve been of Leida as she followed him quickly and seemingly without fear.
Beatrix was muttering to herself as he got close enough to hear her: “Desil, you bastard, I’m going to haunt you if I die. I swear to all the gods and stars and whatever has power in this damn forsaken world I will—DESIL!”
“Bastial hell, I’m here. Don’t you notice it’s soft again?” He started to climb around her.
“Thank the gods!”
“Marros!” Leida yelled.
Desil looked over his shoulder expecting to see three, maybe six at most. Instead, an entire cloud of them was coming.
Beatrix shrieked. To Desil’s surprise, she then screamed at him.
“I’m going to die here and it’s your damn fault!”
He took that to mean there were too many for her to pain. He needed an idea now more than ever.
“Desil, what do we do?” Leida asked.
“Hurry up, Desil!” Beatrix yelled. “Think of something!”
A plan came to him.
“Leida, I need you to make the stone as close to liquid as you can, but only near the surface. Do it now.”
“You know I can’t do much!”
“Just put everything you have into it!” It’s the only way. “And climb down here next to me.” She made her way there as he continued. “Everyone hold on with everything you’ve got. I’m talking about sticking your knees and entire arms into it when we begin to move.”
“Move?” Beatrix yelled. “What are you talking about?”
“Just hold on, dammit! And pain any Marro that comes close!” He growled as he put his entire strength into forcing the surface of stone to break down.
Both Beatrix and Leida yelped as the three of them started to slide.
“Hold on!” he repeated. They were barely moving, yet he had already put all of his effort into it. “I need more, Leida! Closer to liquid!”
There was no way the two of them could turn rock to liquid, and it was a good thing because it would cause them to fall instantly. As Leida groaned and strained, the rock looked as if it was beginning to melt, yet it remained intact with the solid stone behind it.
They started to gain some speed. “That’s it,” Desil said. “No more and no less, Leida.”
He kept the partially melted stone at the right consistency with subtle changes to the surface and the mountain just behind, ensuring they didn’t fall too quickly and disconnect from the mountain. It was loose enough for them to slide down through it. But the Marros were still coming. A shadow fell over Desil.
Beatrix let out her longest scream yet. Desil couldn’t tell if it was out of fear, concentrat
ion, or anger, as it sounded to be a mix of all three. The Marros shrieked and yelped, tortured by the psychic’s pain, yet more kept coming as Beatrix lost her breath screaming.
By then the three of them had picked up enough speed for the Marros to have trouble attacking. The birds gave up clawing at them and turned around. Desil could barely see through the cloud of wings to find his father on the other precipice about halfway up, shoving the glowing eppil plant into the softened mountainside. Marros swarmed him as well as the rest of the group below. The battle between claws, swords, and fire looked like complete chaos.
The mountain below Desil began to slope outward, making it too difficult to keep up his manipulation of only the surface. “Stop now, Leida.”
Desil could feel the difference as she did so. Her power was nowhere near his, but everything she could do, she’d learned quickly. If he had the luxury of being impressed right now, he would be. Instead, he ensured the transition of melted to softened stone was slow so as not to trap any of their limbs. The three of them came to a stop but were able to scale the rest of the way, moving faster the farther they went as the degree of the slope lessened.
When they reached the sweet ground, Desil bolted toward the group trying to protect his father. A fireball sailed over Desil’s head and cleared a small cloud of Marros, but it also drew the attention of many trying to find a way into the battle. They soared toward him. Desil ducked under the first set of claws, then feigned one way and went the other to dodge the next. He used his dagger to fend off the third, then glimpsed the horrible situation in which his father was trapped.
There was a hurricane of Marros around Desil’s comrades, while his father had been picked up by an Lmar. The beast seemed to be holding him near the eppil plant, which went from glowing brighter to dimming, then back again. As Wade struggled in a hopeless attempt to get free, the Lmar slammed him against the mountainside.
Wade yelled out, “They aren’t scared of the explosion anymore! He won’t drop me until I take the plant out. All of you must run! You hear me? Run!”
Wade had implanted the black vines into the mountain, near the lowest akorell metal. The explosion would surely destroy all when it brought down a chunk of the mountain.
