Ra' van (Book Three of the Items Trilogy)

by H. Lee Morgan, Jr

  He quickly surveyed the area and spotted a squad approaching and he dove into a nearby alley that offered no light. As the three warriors, specialist and healer passed his location he became pleasantly surprised that this part of the city didn’t smell unpleasant. But he had something to do and little time to accomplish it for in a few short hours war would begin.

  The standard boots that all within the guard were issued were good for keeping grip on many surfaces, but on hard ground such as roads they made quite a bit of noise so Marlin took his off and slid on soft leather boots that softened steps. The small pack over his shoulder would only be a hindrance so he stuffed them in a crack with the boots and began approaching the stunning white palace while avoiding constant sweeps of the Guard. The attire will do little good if they catch him.

  Dawn began to approach as Marlin managed to get as close as he dared for hundreds of the greatest warriors in all of Ra’van stood surrounding the palace, making it impossible to approach any further.

  Movement from the entrance caught his eye as a thin man not of Ra’van’s native blonde hair and blue eye stock exited the palace. Familiar hair and dark blue eyes struck Marlin to his core more than seeing Lily being taken.

  Darkness still saturated the city and Marlin chose to follow the man. Ten minutes later he noticed a change in his behavior as the man began looking over his shoulder casually, but Marlin knew better. The man entered an alley and Marlin knew he wouldn’t come out the same way and hurriedly circumvented to the other side and saw a dark form hunched over in a waste bin, Marlin slipped behind a box and waited. There was a sound of rummaging like metal, a deep sigh and stealthy footsteps approaching.

  At the last moment Marlin swept his foot, making the man trip and fall on his face. Marlin flipped him over and grabbed the wrist holding a foot long bar capable of turning water into ice, even inside a human body. “Easy, Brother!” Marlin whispered and held Pirn down till he recognized what he said.

  When Pirn realized who pinned him down he froze like the water his item creates. His eyes went wide moments later and his quivering voice asked hesitantly “It cannot be… Marlin is that really you?”

  To prove it he made a ridiculous face like their father always done to cheer them up as children. Pirn caught himself before roaring in laughter and revealing their location. Marlin released his hold and pulled away when he realized his brother hadn’t been corrupted. Pirn sat up and smiled.

  They stared at each other for a short time, seeing the differences in each other after being ripped apart. Pirn was always the taller older brother and fine wrinkles on his young nine-and-twenty face from all he has endured and the grief caused by one man’s influence. Pirn lost much weight and looked slightly malnourished while Marlin grinned playfully and had built up much muscle to look like a formidable opponent.

  “What are you doing here?” Pirn asked in a whisper.

  “My best friend is in there” Marlin jerked his head towards the palace. “and I’m going to do whatever it takes to get him out before they publically execute him. By the way, can you tell me anything about his situation?”

  “So it’s true, you’re fiends with that Alex fellow?” Marlin simply nodded. Pirn looked away and shook his head. “There is a man trying to help him and he brought me in to do what I could. He’s doing as much as he can to keep your friend alive, but it doesn’t look good. Nearly every Kings Guard is here to see that he doesn’t do anything against Runkamon.”

  Marlin sighed with equal problem of the situation. “I hope this person you’re speaking of is reliable.”

  “He is.”

  “What kind of involvement did he involve you in?”

  Pirn shrugged off his heavy pack and brought it around. It was undoubtedly Alex’s pack he made from the skin of a deer. “I was told to flee with this pack as soon as my orders were complete and was about to take an emergency exit only a few know about. I was told to take these far away from the king’s clutches.” And he opened it.

  Immediately Marlin’s eyes widened in shock for before him was the all too familiar amethyst pommel of Alex’s sword. Another one of similar design sat beside it, but it had a grey stone and a darker silver color for the wire-wrapped hilt. And a third sword of nearly half the length of the other two held a eyeball sized ruby within. Marlin reached forward and withdrew his best friend’s sword and knowing it truly was from the greater weight of a sword of equal size. “It’s definitely Alex’s… How did you come by this?”

  “Veign, the man who is helping Alex, had me get them. I figured they wouldn’t be stored in the weapons or interrogation and confiscation room since he must be a person of significant value and the king likes to take trophies they must be stored in the royal treasuries. The room is guarded by two lower level Kings Guard who are usually sitting down, playing dice most of the time. They were hesitant several days ago when I brought them a meal, saying we were short staffed and a slave couldn’t deliver their meal. What they didn’t realize was I drugged their food with a sedative, used their key and entered the treasury without raising an alarm. You wouldn’t believe how much wealth is in there, but I couldn’t afford to take any. It was all too effortless finding what Runkamon treasured most since he is more a conqueror than king. Right in front, on a large pedestal were these three swords on display with these strange bracers beside them and this large pack holding other things. It was displayed like spoils of war.

  “I left, locked the vault and returned they keys to the guards and hid the pack in a safe spot around the corner. I had to reawaken the two and as you’d expect they weren’t happy they fell asleep, but the man with the keys checked and found it where he left it and didn’t suspect anything had been taken.

  “The next day the king found out about their incompetence, but Veign poured something on the pack and me and I wondered why until I saw a gigantic Makkian scenting the trail for what I took. I was afraid, truly and very afraid just to look at that thing, but then the beast appeared to be confused after it left the palace and couldn’t find it. In its anger is disemboweled the first person who strayed too close…”

  Before Pirn could react Marlin pulled the leather pack closer and began rummaging inside. In it were three pair of bracers, a molded leather shoulder perch, two rings with one made of silver and had the engraving of a leaf and the other a gold band with a ruby engraved with two dots and a line bridging them, the talon of a Fury, an old broken fang that could only have come from Elo and three other things that didn’t belong. “Two things are missing. Alex’s gold medallion he turned into necklace and a Xeal seed. Where are they?” He asked.

  Pirn looked confused. “I know not of a medallion, but Veign took a large looking seed when we met. Are you saying that enormous nut was a Xeal seed?”

  “It was… I’ll tell you all about what my life has been like later. What I need is information. Why did this Veign take the seed?”

  “Your guess is as good as mine… The Kings Guard are different and I’ve had to learn the hard way they don’t need to explain themselves. They are all about results and failure isn’t an option.”

  Marlin sat for a minute and contemplated all he learned from Pirn. He cursed for there were so very few things he could do, but he’d first need some way to get past men and women who will kill him without effort if he approached the palace.

  Only a few minutes passed when a brilliant idea struck Marlin, and one that had to be acted on immediately. “Brother, I know our reunion is short but there is something I need you to do. Take this broken fang, flee to the escape plan out the city, but run towards Freelan. Yell for three names that you should be brought to. Remember them. They are Yort, Quinn and Teem. I know, with little doubt that this fang belongs to Teem’s father. I will warn you he will be a Beran lord and know his father’s tooth by look and scent. When I’m not off fighting with Alex Quinn is the man I traveled beside many times, but Yort is a truth seeker. Answer his questions quickly and ask him to see Allahandra or Rakkia
n as a matter of great importance to save Alex. That will give you their undivided attention. You must lead them to this hidden path your taking for I doubt they know. You must hurry and explain the situation. You might be afraid, but this will be our best chance. Go now, I’ll hold on to the swords and bag to quicken your pace.”

  “I trust you, brother. You’ve grown assertive since last we spoke. If we make it through this we need to not separate for awhile.”

  “My wife might get jealous.” Marlin grinned as his brother chuckled.

  “Farewell… and don’t die.”

  “I’m a fool, not suicidal.”

  Pirn quickly left the alley and stuffed the fang in a pocket while Marlin wrapped the metal in cloth so they didn’t make a sound. Pirn found the smuggling hatch an old acquaintance let slip years ago and ran for all he was worth down the musty path. Marlin slipped into a silent house as close to the palace as he could and entered an attic without alerting the sleeping nobles. He peeked out an access hatch to find the slightly slanted roof of a four story building. He could do as he did with the wall, but there would need to be a distraction to draw away the attention of all the level five guards on the ground.

  Now all he could do was wait and hope his brother succeeds.

  Chapter 25

  “You are by far the most stubborn man I’ve ever had the pleasure of torturing, but our time is now at an end.” The palace torturer explained. “My job, sad to say, is incomplete for the very first time, but your strength has been diminished greatly. You can no longer hold yourself up and your attacks are useless and quite literally pitiful. At least the healers have done a good job putting your body back together and have cleaned you up most remarkably. You cannot resist the king no more than any of us. I learn much about those I train and your will is amazing, but if you don’t give in your going to be killed.”

  “Better to die a man than serve a rat!” Alex spoke.

  Many of the Kings Guard who had been commanded down here these past weeks began admiring Alex’s convictions and those words he spoke might be his last, but they’d never forget them.

  Veign noticed the small change in his fellow warriors over the past few days, but knew it was too soon to bring any of them in because for years they had been emotionally and physically beaten as Alex was, but over a longer period of time. If only it would last another week. He complained futilely. I could sway two or three and it would be enough. With the first horn blow to sound the joined battle ten minutes ago, all plans were halted.

  Two women slaves in tattered dresses came in and waited. The torturer said “Do your duty.” And they entered with livery clothes of deep purple. They began dressing him into the lavish clothing, fit for a royal. While they dressed him they managed to do so without taking off his wrist and ankle bindings and the torturer left the dungeon after seeing their job reach completion.

  After a minute the women scurried out and the ranking officer looked down the hall and ordered “Veign, since you handle the prisoner best, it is your responsibility to control him. Get him and we’ll go up to the royal garden as ordered.”

  “Sir!” he saluted and stepped forward, into the cell.

  The warrior marveled at how excellent he looked after all he endured, but knew deep inside he was wracked with pain. But through the pain Alex’s glare hadn’t lost any of its intensity. Veign reached down for both the wrist and ankle bindings and with some effort, lifted him over his shoulders. “Be strong.” He whispered.

  Alex barely nodded and through the eyelets if his helmet Veign noticed.

  Veign stepped out with Alex over his shoulders and the captain smirked “Showoff!” and turned to the others. “Alright men, you know what to do. Make sure this deceiver doesn’t manage to escape and don’t allow anyone near till the king tells us otherwise! He is still dangerous, don’t forget it.”

  “Sir!” They said in unison.

  It didn’t take long for them to go up the steps and exit the dungeon and enter the main hall of the castle. The constant pungent smell died almost instantly, but the effects lingered. Veign and Alex were quickly surrounded by twenty Kings Guard while another hundred watched them from the hall. Veign kept quiet as he followed the others.

  Upon the stairs the sounds of all their boots created a moment of opportunity. Veign met Alex’s calm and confident stare and whispered “Struggle hard!”

  Immediately Alex wrenched his arms and legs out of Veign’s nonexistent grip and fell off his back. Surprised yells deafened out any singular source of noise. Alex slammed painfully into the marble stairs. And almost as quick Veign and two others jumped atop him to stop any escape attempt, causing further pain as his head slammed against the stone.

  “This is the only weapon I could sneak in for you. And break the skin in your teeth quick!” Veign whispered directly in Alex’s ear while he slipped the Xeal seed into the prince’s large hand, after taking it out from between the seal of his armor at his hip. He then broke a tiny Strength Restorer solution pumped into a large seed of a pumpkin. “Breathe deeply and slow, it might help to clear…”

  Alex broke the pumpkin seed skin and a small gush of liquid escaped. He swallowed the contents knowing he’d survive if he had taken poison, but came to trust Veign.

  “Up! All of you up!” Ordered the angered captain. Last to follow was Veign. The captain stared directly at both the foolish prisoner and the courier. “Get a better hold of him or else. The king doesn’t want him dead yet and if he dies by falling down the stairs it’ll be your head.”

  “Aye, sir.” Veign answered and this time carried Alex beneath his right arm like a sack of vegetables.

  A half hour later they stopped and the commander yelled “Weapon’s check!”

  They all knew what he meant and brandished all weapons. Veign simply spun, showing all his armor remained equipped and he never carried a weapon for his fists and kicks were more than deadly.

  Veign quickly remembered why he chose the seed after Pirn’s successful thievery. Very few knew what a Xeal seed looked like and the one in the pack was by far the largest he’d ever seen. And if any researched Alex as he had they’d know why it was in his pack. Everything else looked to be a weapon or could be used as such and none were allowed to carry any weapon into the dungeon that wasn’t an item. Veign found that even a sharp knife couldn’t cut through the seed’s shell so he gambled big and miraculously figured a way to conceal it beneath his contoured armor. It grew painful against his hip, but a specialist didn’t stop him when he could detect foreign weapon not of item. Not even a wooden spoon could enter, but a seed almost half the size of a palm wasn’t a weapon, but Veign knew in the hands of a Furion anything is. The Strength Restorer solution he had been saving for nearly five years in the emergency that he hadn’t the strength to move. It gives a burst of clarity and focus to the mind so that the body could further fight. It cannot be used often and will wear off quickly and make the user so exhausted he won’t be able to resist sleeping, rendering him helpless as the effects wane. He could only hope everything worked out.

  “Everything is accounted for. Alright men let us proceed!”

  Alex swallowed dryly as he lifted his head when Veign grabbed him securely behind the neck, but didn’t do it painfully. Dozens of feet stomped heavily against the short flight of stairs and an intense ray of morning sunlight stung at Alex’s eyes since he hadn’t seen any daylight in a very long time. It was so intense that all he could do was hear the sounds of everyone’s marching, but the sounds changed from walking on stone to the crunching of grass. The sudden change made him peek down and see lush grass.

  Still inside himself he thought, What was that he gave me? Already the pain dulled and strength returned to his limbs, but the mild headache prevented him from accessing his full potential. I’ll take it. Every little advantage helps.

  The small burst of bland liquid helped him think much more clearly and rationally and even aided his vision to not be quite so painful in the sunlight
and allowed him to open them nearly instantly.

  Before his eyes lay an enormous contradiction.

  He had been taken to one of the most stunning and vibrant gardens he had ever seen before, but everything else seemed wrong. Hanging from five chains from five surrounding towers was a naked man. Four chains secured a limb while the fifth chained around his neck. Blood and grievous wounds marred every inch of flesh. The man still clung to life, barely, as his stomach expanded and contracted to explain he breathed.

  Dangling from the same tower that strangled the marred man hung an enormous carcass of a skinned beast without a head. Its size explained it was once a lord. Kings Guard filled nearly every available space between each tower, making it impossible to commit suicide by throwing yourself off. Only the outer area stood the Guard, leaving the large inner garden open.

  Two large striped Makkian stood, staring at Alex. Only one seemed arrogantly satisfied, the larger male. Standing atop the male’s head was a large, creepy looking Fury lord. Standing before the three Fiends were four human figures. Zara stood tall and proud, but sad eyes revealed inner turmoil. A meaty arm draped around her waist and it drew Alex’s eye to an extremely overweight man who looked as if it hurt him to stand. Even with a strong breeze he sweat profusely. Deep purple robes wrapped around the man’s advanced girth and he looked as if he had never or could never wear normal clothes. His smug demeanor seemed to permeate the air as repulsively as his smell. The man seemed to have swam in perfume to disguise a repulsive body odor.

  It didn’t help.

  The next one set Alex’s veins afire for it was none other than Peile, wearing his clear glasslike helmet and the blues, grey and gold colorings reflected somewhat off his general’s outfit. Blue eyes stared conceitedly out from behind the eyelets.