by J P Nelson
It was only by happenstance Rahno found him, for he was in one of the networks of rooms they had found and used for officer’s quarters and storerooms. Rahno was running down the corridor when he saw Jha’Ley and group enter his quarters.
Upon entering his room, Jha’Ley was startled to find four men inside, all with backpacks and crossbows at the ready. Corporal Carlson was on his knees before Jha’Ley’s footlocker, the lock busted and laying upon the floor.
As Jha’Ley entered, in a hurry and followed immediately by Yeau and Ottus, all four men turned to the door where Jha’Ley stopped and with hands up demanded, “What are you doing here?”
Carlson did not hesitate and was perfectly calm, “The maps, where are the maps?”
“You want … what good would they do you? Unless you have a way to get out of here …”
“That is none of your concern,” he persisted, “The maps …”
They could here footsteps coming down the corridor and Carlson pulled the trigger of his weapon. The bolt hit Jha’Ley dead center of his leather chest guard, knocking him into the wall where he slid to the floor. Ottus took a bolt in the shoulder which had been aimed for Jha’Ley, but missed when the commodore was knocked aside, and another deep through the side transecting his entire middle. Yeau had turned with upraised hands, partially deflecting a bolt into the wall but not without a cut along his torso.
Carlson’s conspirators took to drawing blades, but Fizer knelt in the doorway and raised his left palm toward one while reaching under his elbow with right hand … a metal spike whizzed from inside his sleeve and impaled one’s arm into the wall.
Yeau lunged at his man and pressed his sword arm across his body, then levied a left-right-left punching combination into ribs, head and belly, then jumped up with his left knee and crossed the inside of his right foot into the man’s head turning him completely around.
Rahno was through the door with Vedoan Dirk drawn, clashed steel with the man in the middle of the room, slid the serrated edge under the arm severing the artery, then shoved him into the wall.
Carlson had some article in his hand and ducked out a narrow back door of the room.
Rahno started to run for Carlson when Fizer yelled, “No, wait!”
Rahno hesitated, then a moment later screams were heard from down the narrow passage.
Fizer moved his fingers over his head and said, “He tripped a trigger. The bastard is being bathed in a salt solution I whipped up. He will be dead in two minutes … slow-w-w death.”
Rahno was thinking these things when he was alarmed at the sound of wings, like a big bird, only he couldn’t see. Then he heard a voice as if it were far away say, “Easy, sergeant, do not shoot.”
Then from ten feet away, a figure about six marks tall began to appear on the rock wall before him.
Chapter 66
TO RAHNO’S AMAZEMENT the little figure was Telroy.
Rahno exclaimed, “What in name of---?”
Telroy said, “Hold the thought …” as he held his stomach in nausea as he slowly grew back to normal size. Holding out his hand and bending over, he threw up and shook his head.
Spitting and wiping his mouth, he looked around irritably and said, “I need to introduce you to someone …” waving his hand around he said, “This is Mahrufael.”
A large white bird slowly appeared, then reached wings out and the shape shifted into an elf. Men were running toward Rahno as he in turn held his hand up and called out, “It is Telroy!”
Questions and curiosity were in the air, but it was not a time for talk. Telroy asked as he looked at the aftermath, “What happened? Who is in charge? Is Commodore Jha’Ley …”
“For now, I am in charge. There are only forty-one of us left to defend these walls.”
Rahno was talking quickly, “Captain S’Getti lies on the edge of death with infection and is not coherent …” seeing the anxious question he continued, “… the commodore is not here. Come with me and we will talk of it.”
Mahrufael said, “We must make haste, sergeant, we have over two hundred men waiting eight miles away on the river … they need to come in if it is clear.”
“Then let us get them here.”
Rahno gave Guen instructions and left him in charge of the watch, then turned to speak to Mahrufael, only the elf had his head bent and eyes closed.
Telroy thumbed at Mahrufael, “He is talking by the mind …”
With rapid step they transcended the stairs as Rahno led the way to S’Getti’s quarters, all the way bringing the two up to speed.
“It turned out the commodore was wearing that medallion of his, and while the bolt head stuck in his chest armor, the medallion stopped it solid.” He glanced back, “It did not even scratch the piece. But Ottus is dead.
“Carlson’s accomplices had no answers, except they thought Carlson was working with someone from Vedoa. He talked them in with promises of riches and that kind of shite. They did not know anything else about him, except he had coin.
“After Fizer cleared Carlson’s body for search, we found a small device that looks like you twist … but nobody knows what it is for.”
Mahrufael asked, “Where are the other men?”
They had reached S’Getti’s quarters. Rahno looked from under his brow and said, “The commodore does not waste time. After we got what we could from them, they were stripped, searched, then they were run through.”
Telroy wanted to know, “And the commodore …?”
“By late morning yesterday the twelve of them left.”
Mahrufael mused, “Therefore they have more than a day out in the wilderness.”
“Yessir.”
Rahno cleared the men and Mahrufael bent to examine S’Getti. Scratching his nose he offered, “This is out of my expertise,” then he glanced reassuringly to the men of the room, “but there is someone with us who can help.”
Looking to Rahno he asked, “May I see the device you found?”
___________________________
When Rolan knelt beside Captain S’Getti he already knew what was necessary. With gentle hands, he unwrapped the dressing covering the putrid smelling stump directly below the left knee. S’Getti made no sound, he just lay there unconscious.
Without explanation or question Rolan cupped the wound, closed his eyes and bowed his head.
Rahno asked Caroll, who was standing beside him, “Is he praying?”
“It is possible, yet he reaches into his own center. From within he shall lend forward.”
Puss expelled from the wound, then the remaining fragments of bone and tissue came together to form a clean scar.
Rising up to wash, Rolan suggested, “He will be weak until the regaining of fluids and much rest, but he is well.”
Feila had already assembled a meeting in the bunker which served as the mess hall, she was waiting for Rahno. As he entered with Caroll he was offered a mug of tea at the table and she began, “Let’s take no formalities, we have met, we know what has transpired, now we are going to get to it.
“We have a team down below clearing the path for both vessels and a team on each making sure they are still seaworthy.”
She looked each man in the eye as she asked, “Do any of you have a problem with me being in charge?”
There was a moment’s hesitation as she wasn’t of Vedoa and had no direct authority.
Feila was not rude or harsh, but she was abrupt, “Speak, men, now. I am two seconds from taking my crew, calling this a training exercise and getting out of here.”
From all across the table were the unified voices of affirmation.
“We know something of trolls, and you haven’t seen the real ones yet …”
Startled looks passed from one to the other of the expedition crew as she continued, “… I have no interest in defending a castle we do not need and cannot keep. This is a rescue mission to bring you boys home. Now this is what we are going to do …”
She went into concise detail
with no punches pulled. Afterward Rahno asked, “Can we salvage our Balder Bows? They are top-of-the-line weapons and we have used all ammunition on the walls, so they will give us no aide from above. It would be prudent to not leave these in enemy hands.”
Her reply was matter-of-fact, “If you can disassemble them and load to ship before we bring the others back, fine. But we leave as soon as we reel the others in. Understood?”
“Aye!”
Rahno was in sudden motion as he began giving orders. If anyone were looking down from above, it would appear an army of ants had gone into motion to raid a picnic.
Feila looked to Albri, “Are we ready to lay out assignments?”
In S’Getti’s quarters, Fhascully looked into his eyes as the man came around, “Do not rise, captain. Your body is healed, but you must regain your strength.”
S’Getti looked to the bloody rags in the naturalist’s hands, “What … dast you design … with such tarnished linen?”
With a grim smile he replied, “I am going to carry the blood of the fallen to smite the enemy.”
As Fhascully left he bumped into Caroll, “My friend, I have heard you speak of skill with the round shield.”
“This is true.”
“I have possession of a worthy shield which you may fancy to employ. If you like it, it is yours.”
“But … what of your own armament?”
“I have what I need, what I know.”
Caroll followed Fhascully to his quarters where he took the proffered shield with a solemn nod. Fhascully explained the weapon as Caroll tried it upon his arm and smiled in appreciation.
“I offer royal gratitude.”
After he left, Fhascully reached into his duffle and retrieved the old object, then he caressed and spoke to it, “It has been long …”
Removing his glasses and stripping his tunic, he knelt and put his middle, ring and outside fingers into the blood. An ancient mantra crossed his lips as in a diagonal pattern he began to draw lines across his face and chest.
___________________________
Through the thick stands of evergreen and oaks Jha’Ley ran in a zigzag pattern with dao-sword in hand. Behind him were several trolls of varying sizes, how many he did not know. One dove to tackle him as he veered sharply, the troll to crash into a tree.
Running to a slim trunk, he grasped the young oak and vaulted in a spiral arc and slashed a human-sized troll in the belly, jumped in a flying spindle, landed, then bounded in the opposite direction, just missing a javelin throw by the slimmest of margins.
How long he could keep this up he did not know … he saw no end in sight.
Vaulting a ravine, yet another troll reached to grab him as he ran three steps up an inclining tree and did a back-flip over the charging brute. As the troll rebounded from running face first into the tree, Jann Raul slashed deep into both hamstrings … then slipped and fell backwards down a steep hill, still slick from un-melted snow.
He rolled twice trying to get to his feet, then landed inside a bank of snow at the bottom. Ungainly he fought to get out, but a hand grabbed him as he heard Toagun’s voice, “Down!”
Jha’Ley dove for cover as the Sealer suddenly stood with his Beckerson at steady aim, and caught one troll in the chest as it came slipping and sliding down the same hill. A second bolt caught another in the throat as it did a full 360˚ flip backward, flew fifteen feet down the hill and landed on its face to slide another twenty-five.
They paused for a moment and checked around. Toagun broke his weapon open to reload while making comment, “These are my last two. You okay?”
Nodding, Jha’Ley replied, “Yes …” then shaking his head in anger he added, “… walked right into it … outsmarted in every---”
“No! It was an excellent plan. They didn’t second guess us. Haven’t you noticed? They don’t think that fast on their feet. They move well to their plans, but someone else has to be laying it out. No, they knew what we were doing. They could see, somehow. Trolls aren’t supposed to be that smart, let alone magic savvy.”
“Yes. But these are.”
Jha’Ley took another deep breath and looked at Toagun, “I still owe you a jug of brandy.”
Caught off guard, Toagun chuckled, “Yup, you do. And I aim to collect. We going south anytime soon?”
Jha’Ley looked about to get his bearings, “We lost two, but I think they got the others.”
“Three, but yeah.”
“You know what? I don’t think they would expect us to make another try …”
“You know what? I figured you would say that. We could use more men.”
“We need a miracle.”
That’s when the dark green lightning split the sky with screaming thunder. Both men crouched low and looked upward.
Jha’Ley exclaimed slowly and emphatically, “Ho-ol-ly Fenko!”
Toagun thought long and hard, then his lips curled into the hint of a smile, “You asked for a miracle?”
Jha’Ley looked at him.
“Unless I’m way off base, I’ve seen that effect before. C’mon, let’s move. We might make this happen yet.”
___________________________
One to two days would lend Jha’Ley’s team as much as thirty to fifty miles in one direction, providing they had no trouble. Who knew how much farther prisoners may be kept. It was known most trolls liked human meat second only to elf, but it was surmised they preferred it fresh. The rescue force was counting on the trolls keeping their prisoners alive, at least for the time being.
Fifty-two people were assigned into four units to find Jha’Ley, his team, and the prisoners he himself had set out to find. There were two units of twenty-four, one headed by Fhascully and Caroll, another headed by Feila and included Albri and JéPahn. Mahrufael and Gordi were designated the heavy-hitters, U’Lahna and Tammin were the areal reconnaissance.
Feila turned to JéPahn, “Now, how long will you be able to hold this mind-link?”
“Me and the four of you … maybe two hours, give or take.”
She nodded. Then they saw the smoke.
Albri backhanded Gordi on the arm, “Look … reinforcements?”
Gordi stared and chewed his lips in thought, “Feila? I can’t read it, but I think we have some more major problems. I got a strong hunch we don’t have much time.”
Feila answered, “I think you’re right.”
She looked around, “Alright, we have multiple messages to alert Rahno … either to render us support, or to immediately vacate. The idea is to get out with a head start.”
Turning to Tammin she said, “Change of plan. We need you to do your fastest bird-thing and check that out.”
“You vant ah shou’d pe inwisiple?”
“I just want you to be fast. Use your own discretion. With all the magic going on here, I don’t know why they would use smoke signals, but … JéPahn? You ready?”
JéPahn stepped up center and put his right hand out. The four others whose thoughts he would join together were U’Lahna, Caroll, Feila and Tammin. They placed their hands over his and he put his left on top. Focusing inward he touched their forward thoughts. For a brief period of time they would be able to communicate with each other without words.
Tammin stepped away to do his thing, but saw Mahrufael, “You like pird?”
The elf smiled and nodded, “Yes, I liked the bird. It was very well done.”
The Alterer gave a slight grin, then crouched low and leaped upward, transforming into a black-winged eagle as he did so. With grace, beauty and majestic power he flew into the skyline.
Tammin had always liked birds, the Lowsin Crow being his favorite. But he had seen one of these eagles while coming up the river. It seemed a logical choice and his crow was not suited for this climate. Now was a time for distance and speed.
He was somewhat enjoying this venture. It was indeed a change of pace, and it was the first time in many years he had been trusted. Tammin realized it felt good. Not that i
t was a temptation to change his lifestyle … still …
Mahrufael watched Tammin’s eagle-form rise, taking a moment to appreciate the articulation of the black wings in contrast with such breathtaking beauty of this arctic forest. Then he turned attention to another beauty which had taken his breath … U’Lahna.
The elf-woman was tired … beyond tired … she was exhausted. You don’t push to the brink of your abilities for several hours straight, sleep a few hours and then jump up to stretch out and do it again. Also, she had always worked alone, or with aid of one or two students, never as a team.
U’Lahna was not pleased with the notion of someone in her mind, hearing her thoughts, or anything else. Father had constantly warned her of such. ‘The most dangerous powers,’ he said, ‘are those of the mind. In the Day to Come, our greatest adversary will be exponent of such powers.’
Her gut instinct, however, was to trust JéPahn, and Mahrufael was a confidant of Logan. Feila, Albri, Caroll and even Gordi represented themselves as his friend, as well. U’Lahna had not yet met Logan, but it was in her plan. There were questions for which she hoped he could supply answers. But that was for another time.
She became more at ease when it was explained the four she would be linked to would not be able to read her mind, but only such surface thoughts she chose to send their way. U’Lahna in turn, would only hear such thoughts they chose to send her. Very well, she was a very private person.
U’Lahna’s spear was named N’Sehlien and she was bonded to it empathically. The shaft was of a silver colored wood and the head seemed to be made of chiseled stone, not steel, but to touch it, it had the feel of rough gold. The whole thing was just under eight feet from tip to tip, with a shaft diameter just over one and a quarter-inch.
N’Sehlien had a lot of interesting properties, not the least being able to widen to four marks at shaft, eight marks across the blade, flat across the one side with roundness on the other.
