by Jon F. Merz
“Only because you were letting the entire forest know we were there.”
“I doubt that.”
Kancho helped himself to a shell full of soup and squatted next to Ran. “The real question is what we’re going to do about Malkyr. He’s wounded. Which means his ability to travel is seriously affected. If he can’t make his own way out of here, then we’re all in trouble.”
Ran chewed on the crab meat. Already, he could feel the effects of the soup hitting him. He felt more energized and at the same time, his body wanted to rest. Overhead, the sky had brightened, but not enough to let the sun shine through the darker clouds. “I suppose we can see how he is tomorrow morning.”
Kancho slurped some of the soup. “Vargul is most likely dead.”
Ran looked at him. He thought about asking why Kancho thought so, but decided against it. They were both warriors. And Kancho seemed pretty sure of it. “We can’t say we didn’t try to reach him.”
Kancho shrugged. “Of course we can. We went as far as was prudent. But my reason for coming on this trip was not to have to save some fattened merchant from the northlands.”
“Why are you here?”
Kancho slurped more soup and shook his head. “Not yet, Ran. I don’t know you well enough. And something tells me that you’re not being entirely honest about who you are. So I’ll keep my secrets as well.”
Ran smiled. “Fair enough.”
The afternoon passed uneventfully. Malkyr ate more than his fair share of the soup, but Neviah didn’t complain. Jysal ventured into the periphery of the swamp a few times and returned with more roots and herbs whenever she did. These were added to another soup that Neviah created for supper. Bits of driftwood kept the fire fed, but Ran wondered how long they would be able to keep that up. The swamp would yield far less dry firewood than the beach.
As the sun started to set, the band of travelers gathered around the fire, trying to stay warm. Despite the flames, the fire seemed incapable of warding off the night chill. Jysal drew close to Neviah to share warmth. Malkyr complained about the cold.
Ran waited until the daylight had vanished before asking Malkyr. “How are you going to get us out of here?”
Malkyr smirked. “Not much I can do about the situation right now, what with this bum leg of mine and all.”
Kancho shook his head. “We cannot stay here. We are exposed to the elements. We cannot venture into the water to reach the Aqaria. That means our only option is to take to the swamp tomorrow and make for the woods beyond it.” He eyed Malkyr. “Tell us what you know of this area. Who lives in these parts?”
Malkyr’s smile vanished. “This is the land of Kan-Gul.”
Ran looked up. “The man you spoke of on the boat when we were at sea?”
Malkyr nodded. “The same. But he is no man. Some say he is beholden to some strange dark lord, the likes of which very few have even heard of.”
“What of this dark lord?” asked Kancho. “If he is a god, why trouble himself in the affairs of mortals?”
“Kan-Gul seeks to appease him through terrible sacrifices.” Malkyr shrugged. “Of course, this is all hearsay. Legends that drunken sailors spout in the taverns that line the docks. Still, no one I’ve known of has ever ventured here and returned home before.”
“If he offers sacrifices to his god,” said Neviah, “then what does he get in return?”
Malkyr fixed her with a hard stare. “You should be careful of asking questions that might earn you an answer you wished you’d never heard.”
Neviah shook her head. “I am the sworn protector of Jysal. It is my duty to know of and understand any and all threats that may arise to confront us. The whims of some strange lord in a foreign land do not frighten me.”
“They should,” said Malkyr. “It is said that Kan-Gul has an army of the undead at his command. Terrible soldiers who have risen from death to serve once more under their lord. They are unfeeling creatures devoted only to killing and eating that which they kill.”
Kancho gripped his sword a little tighter. “I have never seen a man with his head taken from his shoulder rise and walk again.”
Malkyr’s smile danced in the firelight. “Perhaps you have not seen all there is to see in this world then.”
“Perhaps, but it will be a strange day indeed when my blade severs a head and yet that foe remains alive.”
“Words are just that,” said Malkyr. “And when given around a warm fire, they are little more than sound. We will see if you are as good as you claim if we encounter Kan-Gul’s hordes.”
Kancho nodded slowly. “And I look forward to that day.”
“Well, I don’t,” said Jysal suddenly. “I have no interest in claiming the thought of such creatures does not terrify me.”
Malkyr bowed his head. “Forgive me, my lady. I never meant to scare you with such tales.”
Neviah frowned. “I’ll bet.”
“They are just stories,” said Malkyr. “Legends, if you will. As I said, they are the fodder that drunken minds conjure up in the sweaty mead halls. Pay them no mind.”
Jysal eyed him a moment longer and then moved a bit closer to Neviah.
Kancho cocked an eyebrow. “It would appear that our story time is now concluded.”
Ran nodded. “It’s better that we sleep anyway.” He looked at Malkyr. “Are you tired?”
Malkyr shook his head. “Not even faintly. I’ve been resting all day, and, frankly, I’m tired of sitting on my backside.”
“You’ll do well to stay on that backside,” said Neviah. “If you start the bleeding again, you may die.”
Malkyr sighed. “You changed the dressing on it earlier and there was no blood.”
“Yes, but you could do something to start it again. Stay where you are.”
Ran sighed. “You can still take a watch. The rest of us will sleep while you take the first shift. Wake me in two hours and I’ll relieve you. We’re not going to lay about like we did last night.”
“Agreed,” said Kancho. “We’re lucky we’re all still alive and weren’t killed during the night.”
Malkyr stretched his arms overhead. “Very well. You lot rest. I’ll take my turn same as any other.”
Ran and the others arranged themselves around the fire. As he peered into the trees, Ran saw the mist descending once more.
CHAPTER SEVEN
It was not Malkyr but the warmth of the morning sun that woke Ran finally. He sat up immediately. Malkyr hadn’t roused him for his shift last night. Ran glanced around. Aside from the still slumbering form of Jysal, the beach was deserted. Even the embers of the fire had died down to nothing but cold bits of charred wood. Ran’s hand went immediately to his sword, which he was relieved to see was still by his side. He got to his feet and scanned the sand for any signs that would tell him where the others had gone. He frowned at the sight of the smooth beach, undisturbed except for where the waves of the sea gently licked at its shoreline.
Ran moved to Jysal and paused to gaze at the curves of her body. She was exquisitely beautiful, but Ran shrugged the thought from his mind and squatted next to her. “Jysal. Wake up.”
Her eyelids fluttered open, and it reminded Ran of a butterfly flicking its wings in the lazy summer. She smiled. “I don’t suppose it’s breakfast?”
Ran frowned. “I wish it was. But I’ve got bad news. We’re the only ones here.”
Jysal jerked upright. One glance told her everything she needed to know. “Where did they run off to?”
Ran shook his head. “I have no idea, truly. I only woke up a few moments ago myself. The last thing I can remember is telling Malkyr to wake me up in two hours so I could take my shift on guard duty.”
“That’s all you remember?”
Ran frowned. “I remember seeing the fog last night. Right before we fell asleep.”
Jysal nodded. “I remember that fog, too. It was with us the first night as well.”
“The night we lost Vargul,” said Ran.
“Do you think they’re connected?”
“They have to be,” said Ran. “There’s nothing else that could really explain it. It’s not as though our fellow castaways are going to abandon us. Neviah would lay down her life for you. That’s fairly obvious.”
“She is my protector,” said Jysal. “Her job is to make sure I get to the temple. She takes her role very seriously.”
“She seems like a formidable warrior,” said Ran. No sense in annoying Jysal with useless platitudes. And Ran could see that Neviah would be a handful if it ever came to combat with her. Better, Ran decided, to treat Neviah with the respect she deserved rather than try some of the silly machismo he’d seen during the course of his travels. He sometimes found himself wondering if it wasn’t just insecurity that made men think less of women. As if admitting they were equal would somehow disrupt the essence of who they were as men. To Ran, such sentiment made no sense whatsoever. If your opponent was a good warrior, then the least you could do was respect them for their prowess. Better to give them the respect they’d earned than underestimate them and find yourself on the end of their blade.
But Ran knew that logic was often in short supply when it came to the mind of a fighting man. It was a weakness his elders at the school had often taught him to exploit for his own purposes, whether in combat or in the art of gathering information.
“Where could they have gone?” asked Jysal. She patted the sand next to her. “I mean, Neviah was resting not more than a few feet from where I lay. I would have heard any sort of noise, wouldn’t I?”
Ran knelt and examined the sand again, but, apart from a shallow impression where Neviah might have lain, there was no sign of a struggle. “I think we have to operate on the assumption that they were taken in a way that would not wake us. Or them.”
Jysal shook her head. “I don’t understand.”
“I think they were all still asleep when it happened.”
“The mist.”
Ran nodded. “Fog, mist. Whatever it is, I think we can also safely assume it’s not natural. And given the tales Malkyr spun last night, the likely culprit would seem to be that man Kan-Gul.”
Jysal shuddered despite the warmth of the encroaching day. “I don’t what it is, but the thought of him unnerves me.”
“We don’t know what he’s like aside from Malkyr’s description,” said Ran. “But he’s got our friends, hasn’t he? And I don’t much like the idea of him being able to pluck people while they sleep and drag them away as captives. Seems like an unfair fight to me.”
Jysal got to her feet and brushed a few clinging particles of sand from her tunic. Ran tried to keep his eyes from watching her. He didn’t succeed.
“Do you think that this Kan-Gul character sent his minions to the beach and had them carry off Neviah and the others?”
Ran pointed at the sand. “I doubt it. There are no tracks anywhere.”
“Might the wind have blown them away?”
“Some perhaps, but not all. And it would have needed to be strong wind to do that.” Ran glanced skyward. “I think the answer is probably that Kan-Gul sent something flying this way. They could swoop in and pluck them right off the sand and be gone without making much noise. If the mist somehow subdued us all like a drug, the others wouldn’t be in much shape to battle them off.”
“Their weapons are gone as well,” said Jysal. “Do you think that was intentional?”
“I slept with my hand on my sword,” said Ran. “It’s likely that Kancho did as well. And Neviah would be armed.” He sighed. “But I doubt it matters. Once they wake up from their slumber—assuming this happened during the dark of night—then I’m sure they won’t have their weapons on them by now. Kan-Gul will have made sure of that.”
“We’ve got to get them back,” said Jysal.
Ran smiled. “A minute ago you were telling me that you didn’t want to meet him.”
“Yes, well, whether or not I like the idea, it’s got to be done. I can’t leave Neviah to some awful fate. I’m not even certain of the way to the temple I’m headed to, especially now that we’re so far off course.”
Ran nodded. “We’ll get them back.” He felt certain that the universe in its infinite wisdom would consider the removal of Kan-Gul necessary so as to better promote harmony. At least, he hoped it would.
Jysal was looking at him oddly. “You’re a difficult man to figure out.”
Ran felt the weight of her stare and looked away. “What do you mean?”
“I mean you talk like a warrior, yet you don’t appear to be as forthright as Kancho. He’s a professional warrior even if he thinks he’s hiding it. Whatever agenda he’s got, it seems to be something he won’t likely share with anyone anytime soon.”
“Especially if we don’t find him in time,” said Ran.
“Don’t dodge the question, Ran.”
He smiled. Something about her tone reminded him of Cassandra. He sighed, seeing the image of the princess in his mind. The two of them could no doubt find many adventures to occupy their time. And who knew? Perhaps something else might develop between them in the meantime.
Ran would never escape the reach of his clan, but if he chose to settle elsewhere, he could continue to serve them by sending information from time to time. And if they sent any operatives into the area, he could provide them shelter and security.
“Ran.”
He blinked. “I’m afraid I’m not sure what you mean.”
Jysal frowned. “I see Kancho isn’t the only one keeping secrets on this trip.”
“Secrets keep you alive,” said Ran. “If you’re too exposed, then your enemy will know the means by which your death can be brought about.”
“Spoken like a keen strategist,” said Jysal. “Which, of course, doesn’t even come close to answering my question.”
“Exactly,” said Ran. “And I have a better idea, anyway. Why don’t we concentrate on finding our friends, and then later on you can worry about who I am?”
Jysal seemed about to protest that idea, but then stopped when she looked in Ran’s eyes. “You and Kancho explored yesterday. Are we heading back that way?”
Ran frowned. “It’s a muddy swamp, and then the ground climbs up into a dense forest. Can you handle wading through muck for a while?”
“Of course, I can.”
“Mosquitoes, too,” said Ran. “They’re thick under that canopy. I’m afraid there’s not much I can suggest unless you want to coat your skin with mud.”
“Do you think that would make me look better?” Jysal smiled at him.
“It would be a shame to cover up your beauty,” said Ran. “But if you would be more comfortable that way, I would certainly understand.”
Jysal laughed. “Thank you for the compliment, I think.”
Ran bowed his head. “We can take the path Kancho and I started yesterday. Stay close while we’re in there. We didn’t go too far before the trail went blank and we were forced to turn around and come back.”
“We’re not turning around this time, though, are we?”
Ran glanced at the waves battering the wreck of the Aqaria. Their choices were limited. Stay here and wait for the mist tonight, swim out to the Aqaria and risk death, or venture into the swamp and forests trying to find their way to Kan-Gul’s lair. Ran thought about the words from one of his teachers. Whenever the options facing you are equally bad, any choice will be the best, provided you are not immobilized by indecision.
So be it, he thought. “We’ll head through the swamp and the forest. Kan-Gul must make his home somewhere within a short distance of the coast. Something tells me he will need to have supplies brought in from time to time. And any traders will need to pass through the harbor that Malkyr had been aiming for after that storm blew us off course. We’ll go as far as we can before making camp for the night.”
From inside her tunic, Jysal produced a slim dagger. She hefted it in one hand and then slid it through the belt of her tunic. “I’
m armed, just to let you know.”
Ran nodded. “Where did you hide that?”
Jysal smiled. “That’s one of my secrets.”
“Fair enough. Let’s go.” Ran led her into the trees at the edge of the beach. They walked a few hundred yards, and then the land sloped down into the mud and grime of the swamp. Behind him, Ran heard Jysal take a breath and mutter something. “Are you all right?”
“This smell,” she said, wrinkling her nose. “What in the world makes such a stink?”
“Decomposition,” said Ran. “With all of this water, the roots and plants tend to decompose and give off swamp stink. You’ll get used to it if you try not to let it bother you.”
“I feel like I can’t take a breath without vomiting,” said Jysal.
“I know the feeling,” said Ran. “Now come on. The sooner we’re through this part, the better.”
They walked another twenty minutes through the knee-and thigh-deep stagnant water. Twice Ran heard the hissing of a snake in the nearby area, but they were not accosted as they plowed on. Each step Ran took seemed to suck at his legs, and given the lack of food they’d had, he was worried about becoming too exhausted to be much good in case they ran into danger.
For her part, Jysal seemed to not complain too often. Ran found himself surprised that she did not protest much as they made their way through the swamps. He heard her slapping her skin from time to time as mosquitoes hounded them both with ravenous appetites. But otherwise, she was as quiet as she could be, a fact Ran appreciated as he tried to sense whether there was danger around them.
The entire locale seemed even more ominous than it had yesterday when Ran had trekked through here with Kancho. Again, the lack of life made him wonder what could have snuffed out the essence of the place so easily. Certainly, he would have expected more than just snakes.
Gradually his feet found firmer footing as the land started to ascend out of the swamp. Ran took a final step out of the water and then collapsed on the grassy bank nearby, trying to draw more air into his lungs. He was soaked with sweat as the sun overhead heated the entire area into a humid sweatbox.
