When he reaches the top, he tries to pull the ladder up but one of the soldiers has already gotten a hold of it, preventing him from retracting it.
Next to the trapdoor he sees a chest. Taking hold of it, he pulls it over to the trapdoor and drops it on the soldiers below. He hears it crash down the stairs and into the soldiers, followed shortly by curses and one cry of pain.
Having only seconds, Jiron quickly glances around and the only exit visible is a small window on the far side of the attic. He quickly picks up several other things of moderate weight and throws them down in quick succession at the soldiers below before running over to the window.
The window is hinged and he’s able to swing it open. Sticking his head out the window, he looks down and sees a straight drop to the street below. Looking up, he sees the edge of the roof a mere two feet above the window. Pulling himself to a sitting position on the sill, he reaches up and grabs the edge of the roof, quickly pulling himself up. A crossbow bolt hits the eave next to where he’s climbing up onto the roof. Glancing down, he sees a dozen soldiers there watching him, two armed with crossbows. Another thud, and he feels a crossbow bolt embed itself in the backpack.
Finally gaining the roof, he rolls away from the edge and the deadly barrage coming from the streets below. The roof is shrouded by thick smoke coming from the fire not to far away. He pulls out the cloth again and wraps it once more around his face, trying to keep the smoke out of his lungs. In a low crouch, he gains the center of the roof and quickly surveys his options.
A narrow alleyway separates this building from the one behind it, the buildings on the other sides are too far away to attempt to jump across. Keeping low, he runs and leaps across the gap to the other building, landing easily. Looking back, he sees a soldier gaining the roof by way of the window in the attic. He sees Jiron and pauses as he points to him, shouting to the soldiers in the streets below. Then he starts running toward him as another begins to climb up from the attic.
Glancing across the roof to the other side, he sees that the buildings continue along close together for a while. Having no other choice, he runs and begins jumping from rooftop to rooftop as he tries to find a way out of this situation. After jumping to the third building, he begins to feel the heat of the fire and realizes that it has reached the edge of town and is consuming the building at the end of the row he’s been jumping across.
Looking behind him, he sees several soldiers running and jumping from building to building behind him. With no other choice, he races toward the end of the line of buildings and the fire until he reaches the last building that’s yet to catch fire. He slings the backpack over his shoulder and turns to face the oncoming soldiers. The heat from the fire consuming the building behind him is almost intolerable as he awaits their arrival.
When the soldiers get to the building before his, they stop and begin shouting to him. Unable to understand what is being said, he just stands there with his knives ready, planning to sell his life dearly.
A popping noise behind him causes him to turn his head and look. The building he’s standing on has now caught fire and the fire is creeping closer to where he is standing. He tries to take a step away from the flames, but the roof under his foot cracks and then caves in.
He falls through the roof to the floor below, smoke and fire are everywhere. He hits the floor hard and then comes up quickly as he looks around for a way out, the thick smoke stinging his eyes. Spying a doorway, he makes his way toward it through the smoke. He begins coughing, the smoke is so thick here, it’s even getting through the cloth tied to his face.
Passing through the doorway, he finds the hallway to his left is aflame, the heat from the flames searing his skin. A sudden thought crosses his mind, something James had said before he left, ‘Someone needs to go and retrieve it. Or at least destroy it and the papers it carries.’ The backpack! He takes it, throws it into the flames and watches for a brief moment as they begin to consume it and the letters inside.
Turning, he runs down the hallway away from the flames to the stairs, where the smoke is billowing up them like a chimney. With no other choice, he races down through the dense, hot smoke, barely able to see and coughing as his lungs try to expel the smoke.
At the bottom of the stairs, the flames wreathe one end of the hallway, the heat causing his hair to begin to curl and smoke. Unable to even see any longer through the smoke, he turns and moves in the opposite direction, away from the flames. Putting the heat behind him, he keeps one hand in contact with a wall as he moves blindly down the smoke filled hall. Suddenly, he feels cool air hit his face and is able to breathe a little better. Running, he makes it through the front door where he collapses on the ground, coughing and gasping, trying to get the relatively clean air into his lungs.
He hears a footstep beside him and looks up to see the officer standing there with two men holding crossbows aimed at him. The officer says something in their language and two of his men grab him and bring him to his feet as they carry him toward the jail.
Chapter Nine
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The following morning when James wakes up, his first thought is on Jiron and how he’s making out. Hope he makes it back soon, he thinks to himself. Getting up, he walks over and looks at the small pond that has developed over night. A small stream has begun to run the excess water off into the desert. It doesn’t get far before being reabsorbed back into the ground.
Waking everyone up, he then gets grain for the horses while the others have a quick meal before getting on the road.
“Wonder how Jiron’s doing?” Cassie asks.
“I’m sure he’ll be alright,” Tinok assures her. Looking over to the pond, he says, “Pretty impressive!”
“Yeah,” agrees James with satisfaction and pride. He’s created a new oasis here in this desolate land. Once the horses are fed, he takes some rations for himself and eats them quickly.
After everyone is finished eating he begins to get the horses harnessed to the wagons with help from Delia, while Tinok fills all the water bottles from the newly formed pond. By the time the sun has completely topped the horizon, all is ready and they begin to roll down the road. This time Tinok rides point, while James drives the lead wagon, with Delia and Cassie bringing up the rear with the other.
They travel for about two hours before they begin to make out a green oasis with several palm-type trees and bushes surrounding it ahead of them. A small town has grown in the vicinity, from the apparent age of some of the buildings, the town must have been here for a very long time. As they draw closer, they see a large gathering of people at the edge of the oasis.
It soon becomes apparent that all is not well here, people are heard crying and wailing. The group by the oasis has their attention focused on a man in robes speaking animatedly to them. As they pull closer to the town, James asks someone what’s going on but no one understands him, they speak the Empire’s language.
“Something’s obviously got them upset,” Delia comments as she pulls her wagon closer to James’.
“Wonder what?” he replies as he watches those gathered over by the oasis.
Tinok pulls up close to them and says, “That guy they’re listening to seems to be some kind of priest or leader or something.”
“I think you’re right,” agrees James.
As they enter the town, a man comes out of a store and stops when he sees them. Gesturing animatedly, he tries to tell them something but no one understands him.
“We don’t understand what you’re saying,” James explains to the man.
The man pauses a moment and then continues in their tongue, “You must leave this place!”
“Why?” James asks.
“We are cursed,” the man says tragically. “We have lost the favor of the gods and bad things are happening.”
“What do you mean?” Delia interjects.
“At first, we thought nothing about it,” the man explains. “One of Azrahn’s ewes went dry
and several people took sick, but we just thought they were normal occurrences, these things happen from time to time you see. Then last night, our oasis, the oasis that has sustained our people here for a hundred generations, went dry.”
James feels a shiver go up his spine as he remembers tapping the underground water the day before.
“Zalim, one of our town leaders has sought the counsel of our clerics but they all say the gods are not doing this, that we have not displeased them.” He stands there, wringing his hands as he continues, “But most of our people feel an atonement of some sort will bring back the water, I fear what they may do in their fear.”
“James…” Tinok starts to say when James shushes him quickly, shaking his head indicating he should say nothing.
“I must go,” the man says. “Please leave before anything should befall you!” With that, he turns and hurries over to where all the people have gathered by the oasis.
When they are once more left alone in the street, Tinok asks James, “Did you do this?”
Nodding his head miserably, he replies, “Most likely.” Feeling ashamed for the pride he felt earlier at his accomplishment, he looks to the people whose lives he’s ruined.
“Can we do anything to help these people?” Delia asks from her wagon.
“I wouldn’t even know how to fix this,” admits James. “This is what happens when you use magic on the natural order, people suffer. Trying to quench our thirst, I have inadvertently destroyed this village and hundreds of lives. We weren’t even that bad off. Had we simply continued down the road another few hours, we would’ve come to this town and had enough water. No one would’ve been hurt.”
“Don’t blame yourself,” Delia says, trying to console him. “You didn’t know this would happen.”
“That’s right,” adds Cassie. “You were trying to do what you believed was right.”
“They may find the other water down the road and move their town there,” suggests Tinok.
“Maybe,” says James, not feeling any better about the situation.
From near the oasis, James suddenly hears a woman begin to wail, while at the same time, several others begin shouting. Jumping down from the wagon, he runs over to see what is happening.
“James!” Delia shouts to him. “Come back!”
But he pays her no heed, as he continues on toward the oasis.
Everyone gets down, except Cassie who stays with the wagons, and follows behind him.
As he draws near the gathered crowd, he can see the same man is still addressing the people. In front of the speaker, kneeling on the ground, is a man whose hands are tied behind his back. A woman at the front of the crowd looks to be crying and pleading as she attempts to go to his side. Two men hold her arms tightly to prevent her from reaching the bound man.
Seeing the man he talked to earlier, James works his way through the crowd to his side. “What’s going on?” he asks him.
Glancing at who is addressing him, the man says, “Roland there,” indicating the man being held, “is going to be sacrificed to the gods come sunset.”
“Why?” James cries incredulously.
“To appease them,” the man explains. “He’s an outsider that came to live with us a year ago. He took a wife,” he says as he indicates the wailing woman, “and now has a son, very sad.”
“Why are they sacrificing him?” he asks. Looking over his shoulder, he sees Tinok and Delia are moving through the crowd toward him.
“Because he is odd,” the man says. “Always has strange notions and makes the weirdest things you ever saw. When the oasis went dry, people began talking and have come to the conclusion that a lot of unusual things have happened since his coming. So they believe his presence among us has angered one of the gods and that his sacrifice will bring back the water.”
“What do your clerics say?” James asks.
“They say it will make little difference, that the gods aren’t angry,” he explains. “But the people are scared, they must do something.” The speaker continues talking and James watches the crowd around him as they hang on every word that he is saying. “Hassin there,” the man says, pointing to the speaker, “has been the one convincing everyone to sacrifice Roland.” He leans closer to James and quietly says, “There’s been little love lost between those two.”
“I see,” says James, understanding coming to him.
“The people here,” he says, gesturing to those around him, “are really a quiet, peaceful lot. But they’re scared and need an outlet for their fear, and I’m afraid Roland will be that outlet.” James can see a tear begin to roll down his cheek.
James stands there a moment and looks at Roland, then at his wife who’s beside herself with grief. He then comes to a decision and says, “Thank you for explaining things to me.”
“You’re welcome,” the man replies.
Turning, James heads back toward the wagons just as Tinok and Delia reach his side. Moving to follow him, they ask what’s going on but he tells them to wait until they’re back at the wagons.
Upon reaching the wagons, he gathers them all together and explains to them what the man told him. “They’re going to sacrifice that man for something I did. I can’t allow that to happen,” he says with determination.
“What are you going to do?” Delia asks.
“At sunset, they’re going to kill him. I mean to stop it,” he explains. “I can’t let his death be on my hands.”
“How?” asks Tinok, as he once again mounts his horse.
“Let’s go down the road a ways,” James says as he takes his seat on the wagon, taking the reins. “Then I’ll tell you.” With a flick of the reins, he gets the wagon rolling and soon they’re past the town and heading south down the road again.
Once they’re a mile out of town, James calls a halt and everyone gathers around him once again. “I plan for us to travel until a couple hours before sunset. Then I’ll return on horseback in an attempt to rescue him while the rest of you make camp for the night.”
“I’m coming too,” Tinok says.
“You need to stay with the girls,” James tells him, “in case there are bandits or something.”
“I’m sure we’re going to be alright,” Delia says. “Besides, we need you to make it back. We should be okay for a few hours.”
“Alright,” James agrees, “I definitely could use the help in this venture.”
Grinning, Tinok says, “Better than just riding guard on a bunch of wagons.”
“We’ll see,” he says as he flicks the reins to get the horses moving once more. For the next several hours they roll on down the road until the sun begins to descend to the horizon and it’s time for them to head back. They pull off the road and while the girls set about making camp, James saddles one of the spare horses. With a quick goodbye, he and Tinok are off as they race back toward the oasis.
They get to the town just as the sun nears the horizon. The town is eerily quiet as they pass the first couple of buildings. At the oasis, they find the entire town assembled to watch Roland’s sacrifice.
They tie their horses to a post at the edge of town and walk the remainder of the way to the oasis. They see Hassin in front of the crowd and his voice can be heard loudly and clearly as he speaks to the people. Though they’re unable to understand what is being said, the meaning is unmistakable as they lead Roland over to stand before Hassin.
The crowd becomes even quieter as they make him kneel before Hassin. James looks for the woman who had been making the scene earlier but she’s nowhere to be found. They must’ve removed her so she wouldn’t spoil the proceedings.
James whispers to Tinok, “Make your way as close to the front as you can. I’ll create a distraction and you get him out of there.” As Tinok nods and begins to make his way closer to where Roland is kneeling, James grabs him by the arm and says, “Don’t kill anyone.”
Tinok winks at him as he pulls away and enters the crowd.
James skirts the edge o
f the crowd until he comes near the now dry oasis. Looking over to Hassin, he sees him draw a long knife and approach closer to Roland. Holding the knife high, he begins speaking loudly to the gathered people. James begins to concentrate…
“…now, with the spilling of the cursed one’s blood, our gods will be appeased and life will flow back into our oasis!” Hassin, exuberant and ecstatic, raises the knife high as every eye in the crowd is upon him.
Suddenly, the mood of the crowd alters and they begin to murmur. He looks to them and their eyes are no longer on him but are looking at something behind him. Irritated at being interrupted in his moment of retribution on the man who had wronged him, he turns his head to see what they’re all looking at and his eyes grow wide at what he sees.
Lights, many lights are glowing above the oasis. Pulsating, they begin moving in an intricate pattern over the oasis, as if they’re dancing to the beat of unheard music.
Tinok is amazed by the dancing lights, and then he looks over and sees James’ eyes closed as he concentrates on maintaining the spell. Knowing this is his friend’s work, he begins to edge closer to Roland.
The murmuring begins to grow as the crowd continues watching the beautiful pattern of lights. As the lights continue to swirl, their pattern begins to tighten as their dance brings them closer and closer together. The lights begin to change from their brilliant colors, turning a darker, foreboding color. Suddenly there’s a brilliant flash as all the lights come together, and where many lights once stood, now only one remains, a dark sphere that pulsates a red, purplish glow.
Tinok hears the crowd’s murmur of wonder begin to change to one of fear and uncertainty. He shoves his way to the front of the crowd, now only feet from where Roland kneels. He sees Hassin has turned toward the sphere, intent on what it’s doing. The two men who are guarding Roland have also turned to watch it, Roland momentarily forgotten. Glancing over, he sees James staring at him and then he sees his head nod before closing his eyes once more.
Fires of Prophecy: The Morcyth Saga Book Two Page 12
