The Gathering

by S L Dearing

  "I hate this shift."

  112

  Sean led the group towards the old zoo area. The rusted cages were locked along the rocky enclosures, which were covered in graffiti. The old roads were gone and brush had grown wild and thick on this side of the mountain.

  "Bev? You getting anything?"

  Beverly shook her head.

  "No, Captain."

  They slowed their horses and looked at the chaparral and pines that littered the area. Henry Forrester rode his horse forward and then stopped. He appeared to be listening to the air and then a smile spread across his face. He looked at his father.

  "What is it, Henry? What do you hear?"

  Henry laughed and shook his head.

  "Not hear, smell."

  Sean and Jeb looked at each other and then lifted their noses into the air. Jeb began to laugh as Sean shook his head.

  "Wow, that's some serious cologne."

  Beverly smiled as she and the soldiers caught the wind.

  "My goodness, Scott."

  Sean laughed and headed down the hill. Within a few minutes he saw their horses and rode faster to meet them.

  Elian looked up and waved his arms excitedly. Ian and Scott looked up as well and stopped their horses. Scott had grown paler and had begun to sweat. He smiled weakly at the sight of his father and brother, and then he began to lose consciousness. Ian saw him and moved forward.

  "Scott!!"

  Elian glanced around and saw the wound in Scott's side was seeping, through the gauze. Elian jumped off his horse and ran to Scott, catching him as he slid from his saddle.

  Jeb Forrester urged his horse on faster and slid off the animal as he reached his son. Within moments, Beverly and Sean had reached the boys as well.

  Beverly knelt beside the unconscious Scott, lifted his shirt and removed the gauze. The seal that Alia had made had completely re-opened. Beverly laid her hand over the bleeding gash and closed her eyes. She began to hum and speak softly under her breath and from under her hand came the purple glow. She continued to chant until the color had returned to Scott's face and he opened his eyes.

  "Thanks, Bev. That's a lot better."

  "Oh, good, Darlin', your Sara will be pleased to know that. Now, Ian, come here."

  Ian slid off his horse and Beverly healed him as well.

  "Thanks, Bev. I guess our trip was cut a little short."

  Sean stepped forward and shook Ian's hand.

  "Maybe, but your mom'll be glad to have you back and so will Kaley. What happened?"

  Scott started to stand, but was still dizzy. Jeb held him as Beverly leaned on her staff.

  "Careful, Mr. Forrester, you've lost a lot of blood. Be patient. My goodness… you young folk."

  Scott smiled.

  "Sorry… we got ambushed."

  Ian was stretching his newly healed shoulder.

  "Yeah, our group was caught off-guard and Scott and I dropped the ball basically, but Alia was able to seal the wounds for the most part and Elian brought us back."

  Sean smiled and shook his head as he looked at Scott.

  "Well, with all that cologne you've got on, I'm not surprised you got ambushed."

  They all laughed. Scott smiled.

  "I like the way it smells… and so does my girl."

  He broke into laughter as Jeb and Henry looked over at Elian. Henry walked over to him and extended his hand.

  "Thanks, Elian."

  Elian looked down at Henry's hand and smiled. He took it and held on.

  "You're welcome."

  Sean then put his arm around Elian and squeezed his shoulder.

  "It must have been hard to leave the party to bring them home. I know they'll get Albie and bring him back, El."

  Elian smiled and nodded. Sean continued.

  "Well, that being said, I know one person who is gonna be thrilled to see you."

  Beverly smiled.

  "Mmm, your father has been horribly worried about you and your brother. I know that having you back will give him the comfort he needs right now."

  Elian smiled.

  "He's ok, then?"

  Beverly smiled.

  "Oh yes, he's been quite a help around the hospital, trying to keep himself busy."

  Elian dropped his head.

  "I just wish I could've brought Albie back to him."

  Beverly reached over and lifted Elian's chin.

  "That apparently was not your job. Your job was to bring these two young men home, and you did it well."

  Elian smiled at her and felt a pat on the back. Jeb looked down at him.

  "Thank you, Elian."

  "You're welcome."

  Sean and Henry helped Scott stand and then mount his horse. Then they helped Ian.

  "Ok, everyone, let's get back to the village. Mr. Leforge, please take the lead,” Sean said.

  The young soldier nodded and rode off. Sean nodded to the other soldiers and motioned for them to hang back, as the rest of them rode for the Fail.

  113

  Alia stared at the gate before them. She felt her blood boil as she stared at the decaying body of the priest and, above it, the head of Ferage. She urged her horse forward and through the arch.

  Myron, Grant and Larry followed Alia. The troops that had come with them were Jones, Molly, Tanner, Sam and several of the Fail soldiers. Todd and Quinn had stayed behind with Connie and Vance. No sooner had Alia and her group entered into the castle quad then they were surrounded.

  "Are we going to play or are you going to come quietly, Mrs. Stark?"

  Alia looked around and then up at the hulking man before her. His eyes were ice blue.

  "Well, I suppose that depends on you."

  Blaylock grinned.

  "How so?"

  "Will my soldiers remain unharmed?"

  Blaylock shrugged.

  "It's really not my call, but sure, why not? Ok if we put 'em in a cell?"

  Alia looked around them. Their enemy was all around them. They were all armed and prepared. Molly had been right.

  "I'm sure that would be fine."

  Blaylock raised his arms and stepped forward.

  "Fantastic! So let's all dismount…slowly, and we'll get this party started, huh?"

  Alia turned and nodded to everyone to dismount. Blaylock walked up to Alia and grabbed her face.

  "I would've taken you more for a fighter… guess I was wrong."

  Alia wrenched her face free and stood silently glaring at him as a Horde guard tied her hands behind her back. Blaylock grabbed her arm and dragged her towards the entrance of the castle. When he got the main door, he stopped and turned.

  "Take them all to the dungeons and lock 'em up."

  He started to walk through the door, but stopped and turned back.

  "And don’t touch them! Any of them!"

  He walked through the door as a collective groan moved through the Black Horde and the Fail soldiers all looked at each other.

  From outside the gates, Connie and Vance watched. They could see they were safe… temporarily, and they began the wait.

  114

  Albie sat at the kitchen table and picked at the sandwich in front of him. He had a knot in his stomach as his guilt weighed heavily on him. He looked up when he heard footsteps, then frowned as Rona walked into the kitchen. She raised her eyebrows, but walked past him to the refrigerator.

  She opened it and looked around, then took out an apple. She closed the fridge and sat down at the table across from Albie and smiled at him and then bit down into the apple, still smiling as she chewed.

  Albie looked back at his uneaten food.

  "So, do you love it or what?"

  Albie again raised his eyes to Rona's, but said nothing.

  "Have a nice visit with Mommy?"

  Albie stared, and then as he began to open his mouth, Anne walked into the kitchen.

  "Don't you have something to do, Rona?"

  "Sure… enjoy mommy and me time."

  Ron
a stood up and walked out of the kitchen, still smiling. Anne watched her leave and then sat next to Albie. She softly moved his hair from his face and smiled.

  "I'm sorry we didn't get to catch up when you got here, Sweetheart, but now you have all my attention."

  Albie pushed the plate away from him and turned to face his mother. She looked at the plate.

  "Are you not hungry, Darling?"

  "No, Mother, I'm not."

  Anne looked at her youngest son. She was taken aback by the emotion on his face.

  "I'm sure this is all a little confusing for you, Albie, but…"

  "How could you stay here? How could you stay here with these people, Mother? There's a dead priest hanging from the gate. They killed a unicorn… I didn't even know they existed, but there it is. And they killed it. They may have killed father and Elian, Mother. Did you know that? I want us to leave here… please."

  His mother's face was different than he had remembered. Before she had always been soft when she had dealt with him, but now there was something else behind her eyes. It frightened him. She took his hand and held it firmly as she smiled at him.

  "Albie, Darling… we can't leave. I don't want to leave. This is my home and for reasons you couldn't possibly understand, I like it here."

  "It's him. That Master you introduced me to. He's the reason you left. He's the reason you stay."

  Anne shifted in her seat. She had forgotten how long it had been and how old Albie was now.

  "Yes. He is the reason that I stay. The reason we are all alive. He is powerful, Albie. Very powerful. You would do well to remember that, Son."

  The tone in her voice made Albie look away from her.

  "Why does he want Mrs. Stark, Mother?"

  Anne tilted her head and cracked her neck.

  "That's the Master's business, Albie. Why do you care so much about Alia Stark?"

  Albie shrugged his shoulders.

  "No reason. She's just always been really nice to me, that's all."

  Anne glanced over at her son and knew that she was beginning to lose her hold on him. She turned back to him and closed her eyes. She traced a circle around the back of her hand, quietly whispering. Albie tried to see what she was doing, then felt a little dizzy and sat down. He couldn't remember what they had been talking about. Anne spun around smiling.

  "Do you still paint, Darling?"

  Albie smiled, looked up and nodded.

  "Oh, excellent, come with me. In my room, I have an easel with paints and brushes. Come and show me what you can do."

  Albie smiled and they stood up and left the kitchen. He had forgotten his guilt and felt safe with his mother. He felt happy.

  115

  Rebecca and Rachel sat quietly eating their lunch. Rachel looked up at her friend and sighed. Rebecca looked up from her food and smiled.

  "Yeah?"

  "I… I just…"

  "What, Rach?"

  Rachel looked at her friend. Her eyes began to well up and she looked down at her food. Rebecca reached across the table and took Rachel's hand.

  "What?"

  "I feel horrible."

  "Why?"

  "Because my family is fine."

  Rebecca shrugged.

  "Why would you feel horrible about that?"

  Tears slid down Rachel's face.

  "Because… I … I …"

  Rebecca squeezed her friend's arm.

  "Because you were glad it happened to someone else? Because you thank God that it didn't happen to you?"

  Rachel burst out sobbing and nodded her head. She covered her face with her hands as Rebecca stood up and walked to the other side of the table. She sat next to Rachel and held her.

  "It's ok, Rach. I would've felt the same way if I was in your shoes."

  "I'm not a good friend… or a good girlfriend. I suck."

  Rebecca laughed and pulled Rachel's hands from her face.

  "You totally don't suck. You're a little selfish sometimes, but you don't suck."

  Rachel stopped crying and sniffled.

  "I'm selfish?"

  "Yeah."

  The girls looked up to see Corey and David sit down next to them. Corey smiled at Rachel and moved the hair away from her face and placed it behind her ear. Then he leaned in and kissed her cheek.

  "I'm sorry."

  "For what?"

  "For being so selfish."

  Rachel started to cry again. Corey looked at David and shook his head. David smiled and shrugged as he took Rebecca's hand. Corey wrapped his arms around Rachel and held her against him as she cried.

  "You're not selfish, Rach. Crazy, but not selfish."

  Rachel sat up and looked at him.

  "I… I… I haven't been… there for… you."

  Corey shrugged and sighed.

  "Ok, maybe not, but you can now. Besides, I've been kind of distracted by taking care of my mom."

  "I'm sorry."

  Corey smiled and wiped the tears from Rachel's face.

  "Stop apologizing. C'mere."

  Rachel fell against him and he held her until she stopped crying. Corey let her up and handed her a handkerchief. She sucked in deep staggering breaths as she blew her nose and wiped the wetness from her cheeks.

  David looked at Rebecca.

  "I guess it's a family thing. I haven't really been there for you either."

  Rebecca smiled and leaned into David's chest. He wrapped his arms around her and smiled.

  "I'm ok… at least I think I'm ok," she said.

  "Well, let me know if you're not."

  "I think I'd like to stay here for a little while if you don't mind."

  David shrugged.

  "No, I don't mind."

  Corey smiled and took Rachel's hand.

  "C'mon, Rach, I'll get you an éclair."

  "All you ever think about is your stomach."

  They stood up and walked out of the Dining Hall, as David and Rebecca sat quietly, holding one another. He gently rested his face against her hair and closed his eyes. He prayed they would all be home soon.

  116

  The Horde guard dragged Coeli into the torture area, which was surrounded by cells, and handed her to Blaylock, who was sitting at a table eating an apple and smiling. He took a bite and grabbed Coeli.

  "Pretty, isn't she?"

  The prisoners stared silently at Coeli. From the back of a cell came a voice.

  "Get your hands off her."

  Coeli closed her eyes and looked away. Blaylock looked down at Coeli and then back to the cell.

  "Interesting… come out, come out, wherever you are…"

  A hand appeared on the cell door as Sam looked out at Coeli.

  "I said, get your hands off her!"

  Coeli looked back and smiled, as tears began to slide down her cheeks. Blaylock motioned to the Hordesmen.

  "Get him out of there and hold him."

  Coeli pulled against Blaylock's grip as the soldiers pulled Sam out of the cell. Blaylock smiled and looked around.

  "Anyone else?"

  "Yeah, get your hands off her."

  Blaylock looked behind him as Tanner pressed his face against the bars. Blaylock smiled.

  "Him, too."

  Coeli shook her head as Tanner winked at her. She turned back to see Sam. He smiled at her.

  "I love you."

  She smiled.

  "I love you."

  "Ok, this one is the boyfriend… this one must be the brother. Excellent! Take them to the outer chamber and take her back to her cell."

  Blaylock looked down at Coeli and then brought her close to his face and inhaled deeply. She shuddered and tried to pull away from him and he laughed. He shoved her to the Horde guard and walked out.

  "Man, I can't wait to taste her."

  Coeli yelled as they dragged her deeper into the halls of the castle. The soldiers had taken Sam and Tanner and tied them to metal rings protruding from the stone walls of a separate and larger cell. Then they ripped the
shirts from their backs and left.

  Sam looked over at Tanner.

  "What the hell, Man?"

  "No, shit. How the hell did he know who we were?"

  "Your tells, Gentlemen."

  The deep voice oozed over them like cold slime. Tanner wrenched his head around and saw several Horde guards dragging his mother into the cell and then throwing her to the floor.

  "Stop it!"

  Alia lifted her head and immediately understood.

  "No!! Stop this!!"

  The Shape smiled and lifted his hand. From behind him came two Hordesmen with leather whips and buckets. They each set the bucket down and took a position on the outside of the prisoners.

  The Shape motioned for Blaylock to come forward.

  "Thomas, please lift our guest up so that she can see clearly."

  "Stop this!! What do you want me to do? Tell me!!"

  The Shape merely smiled and nodded to his men. They stepped forward and began to strike Sam and Tanner. Their skin became instantly red and raised as the leather straps struck hard and fast. Soon, tiny bits of flesh were pulled from their backs with each strike and blood began to flow freely from the gashes that now appeared.

  Tanner never made a sound and Sam closed his eyes and dreamt of home. Alia watched, helpless and pleading. The Shape never asked a single question. He never made a command. When Alia tried to look away, Blaylock would pull her face back to watch. Eventually the Shape ordered the beating to cease. Alia felt relief, as she believed their torment to be over.

  "Buckets, please."

  Her relief turned to horror as she watched the Hordesmen pick up the buckets and throw the contents on the boys’ backs. They both lurched and screamed as salt was dumped into their wounds. Then the soldiers pressed the sodium into the lacerations.

  "Stop this!!!"

  "Well, if you insist. Put the young men over there and Thomas, put Mrs. Stark in their place."

  "No!!"