by Dave Hazel
“I understand. So are we gonna take him?” Mykal asked.
“I’m thinking we should split up. There are two things I’m concerned with Myk,” Denny sighed. “One is safety. Gimme your word you’ll be extra careful and avoid Sosos at all costs and I won’t have a problem splitting up for a short time. We’ll have to go slow for Baby Ray. So I’ll send Kurt and Boris with you. Swear to me you’ll watch them like they’re your own children.”
“You know I’m good for that. What’s your other concern?”
“Lt Light. The convoy is vulnerable since they don’t know about the Sosos. As soon as you warn Towbar’s people, which he says shouldn’t take too long, you gotta get to Lt Light.”
“I agree. We’ll keep trying to make radio contact. Maybe somewhere in the hills they’ll be able--”
“I’m sorry to interrupt guys,” Roy Jr. broke in. “But I heard we’re splitting up to help Towbar, and I would like to know if I could come along with you Myk?” He looked at the ground, avoiding eye contact. He still wore Nelson’s flack vest and carried the green helmet by the straps.
Awkward silence filled the air. Mykal looked to Denny, Larry and then to Boris. Roy Jr. still hadn’t apologized for two previous assaults. “I don’t have a problem with you coming as long as you don’t clobber someone when you get ticked off.”
“Myk, I’m totally, one hundred percent sorry about that,” he said and rolled his head. “I’m embarrassed and ashamed of myself for losing it like that. I’d like to give you a reason for my actions but my daddy taught me a long time ago, that excuses don’t explain and explanations don’t excuse. So all I can say is I’m sorry and give you my word that I’ll never act like that again. I never had anything against you. I really like you military guys. I just got upset.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m fine with that,” Mykal said. He smiled and received Roy Jr.’s out stretched hand demonstrating his forgiveness. “We need each other.”
“Let me go tell my daddy I’m going,” Roy Jr. said. He made eye contact and smiled. “Baby Ray’s gettin’ better. I wanna get away for a while to clear my head. Thanks. Really, thank you.”
Denny waited until Roy Jr. couldn’t hear him. “Are you sure about taking him?”
“Yeah, I think so. Like he said, he just needs to get away to clear his head. It’s rough for him to see his baby brother hurting. It’ll be alright. If not I’ll dump his ass out there,” he kidded getting Denny, Larry and Boris to laugh.
Towbar used a dagger to draw a map in the dirt. The giant explained his objectives. Boris left to get Kurt and to make sure they had what they needed for the vehicle.
2.
Nearly everyone gathered for Mykal to summarize the mission. “So this is the plan, we’re going through the hills to warn two villages out there,” he pointed to the dirt map Towbar carved. “The two villages are fairly close to each other and once they are warned we’ll get out of the hills and drive straight across a flat open land to the base of the mountains. At the mountains then we’ll warn the main town along the foot of the mountains, right so far?”
“Yes, my friend,” Towbar answered and nodded.
“Then you’ll have them send messengers out from there to warn other towns and villages, right?” He waited for the giant’s approving nod. “We’ll come back this way and Denny will be out of the hills by that time, moving toward Light and the convoy.”
“That is correct.”
“From there we can go along the hills till we come around the other side and meet up with Lt Light and his men. Looking at this map, this big area of hills is like an island in a sea of flatland so they should be easy to find. All we gotta do is stay along the outer edges of the hills and just follow along until we find Light and his men. It’s like a big circle for us.”
“How long do you expect us to take going through the hills?” Denny asked Towbar. “I’m concerned going through the hills at a slower pace with Sosos possibly roaming around.”
“With my beasts we would go through the hills in a half day at a forced march. There will be no need for a forced march. I suggest you will reach the other side of the hills by sunset.”
Denny looked at the dirt map. “Then all you want us to do is follow your tracks and after we’re outside of the hills we’ll start toward Lt Light and we’ll meet up by tomorrow evening?”
“Yes. Taking into consideration any unforeseen situations to delay us, I say we should meet the day after tomorrow. Kotan is my second in command,” Towbar said and placed his hand on the man’s shoulder. “I explained to Kotan where you desire to go.”
“We will find your friends,” Kotan spoke confidently.
“Kotan will be in charge of my people during my absence. I have given him orders to follow your instructions, Denny. I would advise you to listen to his counsel. He knows the land. He knows the Sosos. He has been fighting Sosos all his life. Kotan is a great warrior. I do not say that lightly.”
“Good.” Denny gave a quick smile and nod to Kotan.
Mykal eyed Kotan, he, like any other big burly warrior, looked small standing next to Towbar. “Let’s get going,” Mykal said when Boris and Kurt pulled the Marshal’s car over to them. “We’ll try to keep in radio contact but don’t be surprised if we lose you in those hills.”
Mykal watched Roy Jr. hug his father and brothers. Roy Jr. carried the Thompson machine gun with plenty of ammo and the Ithica 37 riot gun. Over the flak jacket he wore he a bandolier of fifty shotgun shells. Roy Jr. winked. “I’m ready for war.”
3.
Towbar directed Kurt’s driving. They traveled back the same direction Mykal and the others fled from the first encounter with the Sosos. They turned south into the hills before they reached the location where they left Nelson’s body. Towbar led them along natural lanes and valleys between hills.
Travel between the hills turned bumpy and unpleasant at times, not like the flatland they had been used to. They managed to keep the vehicle at a steady speed of 25-30 mph. A couple of instances the car slowed to a crawl due to natural ruts in the ground. No one rested. They all watched for Sosos. Though they could easily outrun Sosos, they didn’t want to be surprised.
The sun rose high in the sky. Another hot day lay in store for them. Early in the day it became miserably hot. With all the windows rolled down hot air blew into the car. The stench of sweat soaked into heavy cotton fabric made the car smell like a locker room. Towbar appeared comfortable and not bothered by the heat. They wore flack vests over uniform tops and shirts. Towbar rode bare-chested.
“Phew, I can’t take this anymore,” Roy Jr. wiggled out of his borrowed flack jacket. “I don’t understand how you can wear these in the heat.” He wiped the brow of his forehead but it quickly re-moistened.
“Go ahead and take your gear off,” Mykal said to Kurt and Boris. “You three crammed up front gotta be uncomfortable. Don’t tell Denny I said you could take off your flack vests,” he added and set his helmet on the floor. “The first sign of trouble get it on. If you guys get killed I wanna show Denny the arrows went through your vest, got it?” He joked.
“Should I put the air on for a little bit?” Kurt asked.
“Only for a minute,” Mykal replied. “Gotta conserve gas.”
Everyone rolled their window up. Mykal had to show the giant how to operate his window.
“You’ll get a kick outta this,” Boris turned to look at Towbar. “When it’s hot outside we can make it cool inside.”
Towbar looked confused when the cool rush of air flowed into the back seat. “How do you change the weather when the gods determined it to be hot? It must be magic.”
“No, it’s called an air conditioner,” Kurt said without looking back. “When it’s hot out we can make it cold. When it’s cold out, we can make it hot in here.”
“Ahhhh, that feels nice,” Boris said and buried his face into the vent in front of him.
“Quit hogging all the air Porky,” Kurt chided Boris.
Boris ignored Kurt and inhaled the cool air. He continued to smile with pleasure. “Ahhhhh.”
“It’s not magic,” Mykal said to reassure the naive hulk.
“If it is a trick of the mind, and not magic as you say, then the gods would be amused. Can you perform this any time?”
“Only inside the car. Believe me I wish I had a portable air conditioner,” Mykal chuckled. “It’s hard to explain how it works but please believe me, it’s not magic and it’s not a trick.”
All enjoyed the confined cool breeze. They rode in silence. Occasionally Boris made radio checks to Denny. The reception weakened the farther they traveled. Though silent in their private thought world, they all stayed vigilant.
Sometime later, Towbar broke the silence. “I find this hard to believe,” he said. He studied the position of the sun. “No, I must be wrong.”
“What is it? Are we going the wrong way?” Roy Jr. asked.
“No, we are near the first village. It fascinates me how fast we traveled. I am pleased. Your craft will save many of my people. The sun has hardly moved. I am indebted to all of you.”
“What will the people do once we warn them?” Boris asked.
“My hope is they will leave the area and join forces with me at the Pass.”
“The Pass?” Kurt asked.
“The Finger Mountains serve as a barrier to keep the people of the north out of our land. There is only one entry point through the mountains. It is called the Pass. It is an opening that winds all the way through the mountains. Some say that in ages passed it was a great river. I have never seen water there. Because of its importance most of our battles are fought at the Pass. Those who control the Pass control entry to my land. I will explain more as we draw near to the Pass.”
“Whadda ya mean you hope they will leave?” Kurt asked.
“Some of the towns and villages are hidden from the Sosos. Sosos do not concern themselves with towns and villages from a strategic stand point. They want to kill and destroy everything in their path because they are evil and take great pleasure in killing. They believe they will receive a greater reward in the afterlife for the more people they kill. My concern is that you encountered Sosos in the forest and in the hills when they attacked you the first time,” he said. “They do not normally approach through the hills. They typically travel through the flats and go straight to the Pass, thus your countrymen, Light and convoy, would be in danger.”
“So you mean the convoy might be okay?” Boris asked.
“I would assume so since the Sosos tried to disguise their arrival by going through the hills. The ultimate goal of Sosos is to march on to the Pass and fight for control of it. If the Pass falls then the Finger Mountains as a barrier will fall. The proper name for the Finger Mountains is the Krackstor Mountains, originally named after a Dwarven king of many ages ago. However, Dwarves and Elves moved from our land long, long ago.”
“Wait a friggin minute,” Kurt cut in with an irritated tone and slowed the vehicle. “Are you seriously trying to tell us that Elves and Dwarves are real and live in this land? I suppose next you’re going to say that fire breathing dragons are real and live around here too, right?”
“I did not say they live in this area,” Towbar replied calmly. “They lived here ages ago. To answer your question, yes, dragons and Elves and Dwarves are real. Yes, they still exist though they live on the other side of the world. This is another reason why we fear Zizmon-Tarl. It is known that many of the intelligent creatures from that side of the world have formed alliances with him. The Dwarven and Elvish people are good people as history has it, so I do not know if they have formed alliances with Zizmon-Tarl.”
“Let’s talk about the Pass,” Mykal changed the subject.
“The Pass is the only passage through the Finger Mountains. We call them the Finger Mountains because the mountains are like long fingers spreading across our land. They are a natural barrier that can not be crossed by climbing. If you look you can see the mountains,” he pointed through the windshield. “They are steep and extremely high. In most places the climb would be straight up. It is much too difficult for an army to scale. In most places the mountains are twenty to thirty leagues deep. The only possible way through the mountains is through the Pass.”
“Leagues? What the hell are leagues in miles?” Kurt asked.
“I think there are three miles to a league. Or something like that.” Boris answered Kurt. “But that’s in our world.”
“I know not what a mile is,” Towbar said. “To continue, if one should try to go around the mountains that would not work. To the west the mountains become deeper and the land to the far reaches of the west turns into desert wasteland. To the east one would follow the mountains until one would eventually drop into the ocean. The only logical place is to go through the Pass.
“As I said, I hope my people will join us at the Pass to help defend the Pass until my soldiers arrive from the south. Some will not stay at the Pass. They may choose to go south to the Great Walled City to protect their families. Some may not leave their homes at all. Sosos have always failed in the past. Now it appears they broke the routine and initiated their attack much sooner than expected. My situation is desperate.”
“When you say they always failed in the past, don’t they ever change it up?” Boris asked. “You’d think they’d learn.”
“We have been at war with Sosos for as long as anyone can remember. Sosos attack every seven to eight years. The wars last a year or two. The final battle will always be fought near the Pass. To give you some insight, previous final battles have had as many as five hundred thousand warriors on each side. We have always been victorious,” Towbar boasted and beamed with pride. “We fight for our freedom. We fight for our families and our homes. We fight for survival. We stand to lose everything.
“Whether they are truly spurred on by Zizmon-Tarl or just acting on their evil nature to inflict pain and suffering, they started their attack years early this time. The King’s armies have always arrived in time to intercept the Sosos. This time they have taken us by surprise.”
Kurt tried to look back at the giant. “I know you said the mountains are too treacherous to climb over, but why haven’t they gotten some ships and gone around by the ocean?”
“Sosos have no ships. They fear the water. If they die in the ocean they believe their souls will be lost under water and will never be allowed to enter paradise. There is not one known account of Sosos ever taking ships into the ocean in an attempt to conquer us by water. Sosos also fear the dark. Their belief is their souls will wander in limbo forever if they are killed in battle at night. You never have to fear an attack at night.”
“So we’re dealing with a bunch of superstitious whackos?” Boris chuckled. “That’s both good and bad.”
“There have been tales from long ago that Sosos have tried to scale the mountains. Only few in number had survived to escape. Some say the Dwarven people still live high up in the mountains and it was the Dwarven people who destroyed the mountain climbing Sosos. Others say strange creatures live high up in the mountains and destroyed the Sosos. I tend not to believe either only because I have never seen any evidence.”
“Have any of your people seen these strange creatures or any of these Dwarves?” Kurt’s tone flowed with skepticism.
“No. There is no proof if that is what you ask. These histories and accounts have been handed down through the ages. Through all the battles, over all the many wars, over all the many years, millions have died on both sides. The grass around the Pass should be red for all the blood that has been spilled.”
“If the Sosos are looking to take control of your country, why are they attacking with such small numbers?” Mykal asked.
“The forces we have encountered are just feeler groups to determine what forces oppose them. I assure you, to the north will be numbers advancing to make these current Soso numbers of no consequence. Within days, possibly weeks, we will see the fu
ll force approaching the Pass. They will be eager to fight, eager to inflict pain, misery and death. Sosos are not afraid to die. They believe they earn paradise when they die in battle. They also believe their reward will be greater for every person they kill. Sosos also believe if they die before taking a life, or if they die by the hand of a woman or a child, they will spend eternity as a slave to those who have killed many. They call it ‘dying a fool’s death.’ Sosos have many strange beliefs. Forgive me.” Towbar shook his head. “My thoughts jump from one subject to another. There are many things I wish to tell you. I will have to explain subjects as they present themselves.”
“That’s alright, this is all new to us, so we need all the info we can get,” Mykal said. He was more confused than ever as to how they could have ended up in such a strange predicament. “One thing I’ve been curious about though, we haven’t seen any animals except for the ones you brought with you.”
“Some believe animals have fled this land because of the evil the Sosos bring into this area. Sosos kill animals and people alike. They kill for the enjoyment of destroying life. They kill because it pleases their gods. I will not utter the names of their foul, hate-filled gods. They are evil. Most would say they are pure evil just like the Goblins, Grubs and Orcs. Goblins, Grubs and Orcs were here ages ago and continually warred with Elves and Dwarves. The stories have it that Goblins, Grubs and Orcs died out before the Elves and Dwarves moved away. I have never seen either. I heard of them only from history that has been handed down.”
“Wait a minute,” Kurt huffed. “Do you expect us to believe this stuff about Dwarves, Elves and whatever else you said?”
“I care not what you wish to believe, Kurt. I am relaying the tales of the land.”
“Come on Kurt, let’s hear the man out,” Boris said.
“As for the Goblins, Grubs and Orcs some believe they did not die out. Rather they joined other evil races around the world. Zizmon-Tarl would have had a challenging task to make alliances with the various sub-humans. Many of the humanoid races hate all forms of life and war with each other. Kurt, please follow around this hill along the path,” Towbar pointed. “Jamison is the first village we will enter.”
