“Depending on which route she takes to enter Vinafor,” Colonel Pfaff said, “we will need to guard Ramaldi Pass or the road down from Sebastian Pass.”
“Ramaldi Pass will have to be blocked regardless of her route,” stated the Ranger. “It is the most likely path for the Federation to reinforce the garrison here in Waxhaw. Do we have troops up there?”
“We have quite a few,” answered Crusher, “but they are still under the control of General Cornalos. No one has approached him yet about joining the patriots. Perhaps it is time to do so.”
“I cannot address that with the knowledge I possess,” replied Shawn. “I can only advise you to move with caution. We know that King Daramoor is trying desperately to discover who you are. Would General Cornalos bow to Daramoor’s needs?”
“I am not sure,” admitted Crusher. “I think General Cornalos is a decent man, but he is not much of a leader. When the Federation took over Vinafor, Cornalos followed every one of Daramoor’s orders without question. The thing is, I think Cornalos would also follow Queen Romani’s orders without question, and he would be happier doing so. I do not think he likes King Daramoor.”
“But he obeys him,” cautioned the Ranger. “Tread softly with him.”
“I will,” agreed Colonel Pfaff. “Well, at least you are now aware of our current readiness. We should get this information to the queen.”
“That is what our little friend here is for,” grinned Shawn. “Carry the images to the queen, Droplet.”
“It shall be my pleasure,” saluted the tiny man. “She shall know every little detail.”
Droplet leaped off Shawn’s shoulder and darted through the window. Colonel Pfaff watched in awe as the fairy disappeared from sight.
“They are amazing creatures,” the colonel said. “I can understand why you kept them secret from me, but I am glad that you changed your mind.”
“The queen has the greatest respect for you,” smiled Shawn. “Now I do as well. I know that you would never endanger Droplet by mentioning his existence.”
“Absolutely not,” vowed the colonel.
A loud knock sounded on the door, and Shawn leaped to his feet and drew his sword. He moved silently across the floor and put his back to the wall beside the door. Colonel Pfaff drew a knife from his belt and walked slowly to the door. He opened the door and immediately stepped backwards. An officer stood in the hall, and Crusher waved him into the room when he saw who it was. The officer entered the room silently and closed the door. He glanced at Shawn and nodded in greeting.
“We have a problem,” stated Major Stark. “Corporal Aniello was trying to recruit Captain Terazini. It was a trap.”
“Who is Aniello’s contact?” asked Crusher.
“Sergeant Zito,” answered Major Stark. “He has already been ordered to go into hiding.”
“Aniello is a smart man,” frowned Colonel Pfaff. “While his only contact might have been Sergeant Zito, I am sure that he knows other patriots. He might even suspect that I am Crusher. His deference to me whenever we meet leads me to believe so.”
“Where is Aniello now?” asked Shawn.
“He is in a closed down shop near the docks,” answered the major. “That is where the meeting took place. I would have expected them to take him into the palace, but they have not moved him. I have men watching the shop.”
“They fear that we would assassinate him,” frowned Crusher, “and that is exactly what we should do. How many men are with him?”
“Captain Terazini and two of his men,” answered Major Stark. “Should I order our men to attack the shop?”
“The docks are too busy for an assault.” Crusher shook his head. “Every man we send in there would immediately be identified. We would then have a dozen Aniellos being tortured for information.”
“This is a situation that you must address,” declared Shawn, “and you have to do so quickly. They will surely torture the corporal to get whatever information they desire.”
“Get archers on the rooftops between the shop and the palace,” ordered the colonel. “If Aniello is brought out, they are to kill him. If they can also kill Captain Terazini without getting caught, they are to do so. That also goes for his two men. Let whatever Aniello said die with him.”
“The shop that Aniello is in has a secret door from the shop next door,” the major volunteered. “I could sneak in there and try to take them out. I might even be able to save Aniello.”
“No,” Crusher replied quickly. “You know far too much about the patriots.”
“Draw me a diagram,” Shawn said as he sheathed his sword.
The major started drawing the diagram, but Crusher’s eyes grew wide with disbelief.
“You are not going in there, Shawn,” stated the colonel. “You know as much as I do and more. That is crazy.”
“I can take out three soldiers,” Shawn replied with confidence. “It is what I am trained for. If anyone can get Aniello free, it is me.”
“But the risk is too great,” protested Crusher.
“There is actually little risk,” countered the Ranger. “If I fail in the attempt, I will be dead, and dead men do not talk.”
“This is where the hidden door is,” the major said as he pointed to his crude drawing. “It comes out in a closet. You will only have about five paces between you and the soldiers, so there will not be much time to separate your enemies. There will be little time to pull your sword out of one of them before you need it to defend against another.”
“Then I will not use my sword,” Shawn replied. “At five paces it will be hard for me to miss with a Lanoirian star.”
“I would like to go in with you,” declared Major Stark. “I can watch your back.”
Shawn hesitated before shaking his head. “I can use someone behind me, but you are not the one. Can we recall Sergeant Zito before he gets too far away?”
“He has not gone far,” stated the major. “I know that he would want to be one of the men to save Aniello. The two of them are very close. I will send word for him to meet us there.”
“You should stay away,” objected Shawn.
“I have to get the archers set up anyway,” countered the major, “but you won’t see me anywhere near the shop. I will have Sergeant Zito meet you near the blacksmith a block away from the docks. Do you know where that is?”
“I know it,” stated the Ranger.
Major Stark nodded and exited the room. Shawn checked his pouches for stars and checked his knives.
“I do not like this,” declared Crusher. “You are too valuable to me and Vinafor.”
“The patriots will not survive if you are identified,” retorted Shawn. “Whatever the outcome, you need to halt your recruiting for a while. King Daramoor is getting increasingly interested in finding out who you are. Let’s get Aniello back and eliminate the snoopers. After that, we can talk about growing the organization.”
Colonel Pfaff wanted to continue objecting, but he knew that Shawn’s mind was made up. He stood silently as the Ranger turned and walked out the door. Shawn Cowen moved quickly through the streets of Waxhaw, but not so quickly as to draw attention to himself. By the time he reached the blacksmith, Sergeant Zito was waiting for him. While he knew Zito informally, the sergeant was unaware of his involvement in the patriots.
“You are going in behind me, Sergeant,” Shawn said with authority. “Lead me to the closet, but stay behind me once we get there.”
“You?” balked the sergeant. “You are not even Vinaforan.”
“True,” smiled the Ranger, “but I am leading this rescue. Have you ever used throwing stars?”
“No.” the sergeant shook his head. “But I know how to throw knives. Is that our approach?”
“I plan to come out of the closet fast,” stated Shawn. “Two stars will claim two of the soldiers. I will then be going for my sword, so leave me room to get to it. If your knife beats my sword to the third soldier, I will buy you an ale.”
“Then you will owe me an ale,” grinned the sergeant. “I’ve got two hands and a knife will be in each one. Follow me.”
Chapter 28
Death in Waxhaw
Major Stark arrived on the rooftop and knelt next to one of the archers. He stared down at the street as Sergeant Zito and Shawn Cowen left the blacksmith shop and headed for the rescue attempt. The major looked up and scanned the rooftops. It was difficult to see the men he had put in place, but he nodded with satisfaction that the entire area was covered.
“Those are two brave men,” Major Stark said softly as the Ranger and the sergeant disappeared into the shop that connected with the one that they planned to attack.
“Where are they going?” asked the archer.
“To rescue Aniello,” replied the major.
“Rescue Aniello?” echoed the archer. “That is insane. I thought we were supposed to kill him.”
“Only if Daramoor’s men try to take him to the palace,” replied the major. “Besides, the attack is not insane because of the man who is accompanying Sergeant Zito. He is quite a warrior. The two of them can take three soldiers easily enough.”
“That might be true,” frowned the archer, “but there is more in that shop than three of King Daramoor’s men.”
“What are you talking about?” the major asked anxiously.
“Don’t you know?” gasped the archer. “Three more men have since entered the shop. Captain Terazini sent one of his men to the Temple of Balmak. He returned with the priest and two black-cloaks.”
The major stared at the street in horror. “Those black-cloaks are mages! Our people don’t stand a chance.” The major leaped to his feet and started running for the stairs. “I am going in,” he called back to the archer.
* * * *
Sergeant Zito led the Ranger into the closed down shop. He silently led the way through the shop to a closet and opened the door with a finger to his lips. Shawn Cowen nodded in understanding and passed by the Vinaforan patriot. The Alcean stepped into the closet and felt the far wall. It took a moment for him to feel the hidden latch, but he silently slid it open and stepped through to the closet in the shop next door. Voices immediately came to him. He listened intently as his hands reached into his pouch and grabbed two Lanoirian stars. A loud slap filled the air, followed by a short cry of pain.
“Enough,” a low voice commanded. “While I usually enjoy seeing such a display, there is no time for it today. This man’s contact is probably already on the run. We need the information quickly. Get out of my way.”
Shawn pictured the hostage bound to a chair with a soldier standing before him. When he heard the words spoken, he pictured another soldier stepping forward with a knife or other implement to torture the young corporal. Shawn couldn’t allow the knife to come close to the corporal and still expect to save him. He knew that he had to act quickly.
“I am going in now,” whispered Shawn. “It will be a noisy entrance to draw them away from Aniello.”
The Alcea Ranger used his boot to kick open the door of the closet. His eyes took in the room instantly, and fear gripped his heart with what he saw. Instead of the three enemy soldiers he had expected to see, he stood opposing three soldiers, two black-cloaks, and K’san. The Ranger had felt fear before, but he never let the feeling paralyze him. Shawn made an instant change to his plans as his six opponents turned towards him in reaction to the noise of the closet door opening.
Shawn charged out of the dark closet, both arms extending before him. He snapped his wrists, and two Lanoirian stars sped from his fingertips. The enemy froze in surprise, but only for a moment. Both stars impacted the intended targets, and the two black-cloaks cried out in pain. One of the black-cloaks stared at the ceiling as his knees buckled, a star imbedded in his forehead. The other black-cloak gurgled as his hands rose to the star imbedded in his throat.
Time seemed to slow for the Alcea Ranger as he charged forward. He saw the two mages start to tumble to the ground, and he saw the Federation soldiers clawing for their swords, but what caught his attention the most was the rising arm of K’san, and Shawn was heading straight into it. Shawn veered to his left as his hands reached for his sword. He got his hands on the hilt of his sword, and he dove for the floor as he pulled it free of its sheath. The dark room lit brilliantly as a blinding ball of fire soared over his head. He felt the heat of the magical projectile as he slammed to the floor and slid past the enemy.
Shawn’s head hit the wall beyond K’san. His sword slipped from his hands and his head swam with dizziness. The Ranger concentrated on the sword and forced his mind to focus as he gripped it. He rose to his knees to strike out at K’san, but a second ball of fire slammed into his chest. The force of the projectile slammed the Ranger into the wall, and the brilliance blinded him. He could feel his chest burning, and a scream escaped his lips.
* * * *
Sergeant Zito stood in the dark of the closet. He held a knife in each hand as the Ranger kicked open the closet door. From his position at the rear of the closet, the sergeant could only see K’san and the two black-cloaks. He frowned in confusion at their presence, but he knew that it was too late to withdraw. He watched as Shawn raced into the room, and he saw the stars strike the two mages. As the patriot stepped forward to throw his knives, a brilliant light flared in the room. Sergeant Zito brought his arms up to shield his eyes and stepped back into the darkness. He blinked rapidly, trying to restore his eyesight.
The blindness only lasted a moment, and the sergeant stepped forward again. The soldiers and K’san were facing away from him, and the sergeant wasted no time. Although the enemy figures were shrouded with a fuzziness brought on by the brilliant flash, the sergeant threw one of the knives at the enemy. He saw it strike a soldier in the back as he switched the second knife to his right hand. He threw the second knife at another soldier and immediately reached for his sword. The second knife struck home, and the sergeant raced out of the closet.
A second flare of light filled the room, and the sergeant’s eyes were blinded by the brilliant spell. He heard the scream of the Alcean warrior and knew that Shawn had been struck down. Running blind, Zito held his sword before him and continued charging. He smiled inwardly as he felt the sword impale someone and then strike something hard. He heard a cry of pain and opened his eyes. A vague figure stood before him, the lifeless body flush against the wall his sword had imbedded into. As his eyes cleared, he recognized the body of Captain Terazini impaled on his sword. He tried to pull the sword free of the wall, but it would not budge. Looking to his right, his mouth opened in horror as he saw K’san raising his arm towards him.
The sergeant let go of the sword and stumbled backwards away from the towering priest. K’san’s face held a scowl of rage as his arm straightened towards the sergeant. Sergeant Zito backed into a piece of furniture and froze in horror as he prepared to die. Unexpectedly, the priest’s arm faltered and began to fall. Sergeant Zito frowned in confusion as he watched the blade of a sword emerge from K’san’s chest. The tall priest’s body sagged and slowly collapsed to the floor. Zito stared in horror at the figure behind the priest. Shawn Cowen released his hold on the sword through the priest’s body. With a fire consuming his chest, the Alcea Ranger smiled thinly and collapsed to the floor. Sergeant Zito raced across the floor and slid to a halt next to Shawn’s body. He tried to beat out the fire consuming the Ranger, but it was no use. Shawn Cowen was dead.
Sergeant Zito knelt unmoving for a moment alongside the body of the Ranger. Unexpectedly, he heard a noise off to his right. He whirled towards the noise, rising to his feet. Another Federation soldier had entered the room through the closet, and the sergeant realized that he no longer had a weapon. His eyes darted around the room for something to defend himself with.
“Easy, Sergeant,” the new arrival said. “I am Major Stark, and I am a patriot. Is Shawn dead?”
The sergeant stared at the major for a moment of indecision before he realized that the off
icer knew Shawn’s name. He nodded silently in response to the question.
“Untie Aniello,” ordered the major. “We need to get out of here quickly, but do not let the corporal leave without me. We have archers on the roofs, and it would not be healthy for him to step out in the open until I give a signal.”
The sergeant didn’t move, and Major Stark looked on in understanding.
“He will be missed,” the major said sadly, “but he would want us to carry on the struggle. Get Aniello untied. I want Shawn’s body removed from here, and I want all of our weapons retrieved as well. I will go get a cart.”
The major disappeared and the sergeant got to his feet. He retrieved one of his knives out of the body of a soldier and then walked to the chair that Corporal Aniello was bound to. He cut through the ropes securing the corporal and then shook him to awaken him. The corporal moaned in pain and eventually opened his eyes. He glanced around at the bodies littering the floor and shook his head in confusion.
“Zito? What happened?”
“A patriot died today,” Sergeant Zito said sadly. “Can you walk?”
“Yes.” The corporal nodded. “They just slapped me around a bit. Who is he?” he asked as he nodded towards Shawn’s body.
“A man who gave his life for yours,” the sergeant replied vaguely. “Don’t waste it by making such a foolish recruitment attempt in the future.”
* * * *
Deep in the Forest of Death, D’Lycind was admiring his creation. D’Artim stood alongside his fellow demon as they discussed the latest Claw of Alutar.
“He is much more appealing than Wycaramor,” grinned D’Lycind. “Wycaramor is old, balding, and fat, but Lycindor is young and athletic. His long blond hair will drive human women to their knees.”
“The Claws are not meant to be worshipped by human women,” retorted D’Artim. “They have only one purpose for being. Do not forget that.”
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