by Andrew Wood
As they approached the spot, a single man stood in the middle of the narrow dirt track. Aside from a few tufts of grass and one or two shallow frozen puddles, it was bereft of anything of note. The bodies had obviously been hastily moved, probably thrown into the trees, where the rest of the gang was lying in wait for them.
Darion did the talking, "What appears to be the trouble?" he asked, but speaking in a strange accent none of them had heard him use before.
"Lost my horse," the man replied.
Mikel looked at him, even his features oozed sleaziness. With greasy pushed back hair and pointy features, he found it hard not to draw his dagger and slit the man's throat where he stood. However, Darion had given them strict instructions to let him handle it, and Mikel knew he was not a man to cross when in a mood.
"Think there's a village a few miles further back that way. You should make it easy by nightfall," Darion said remaining much calmer than Mikel was feeling.
"Hmm. Now there lays my problem," the man replied. "I don't much like walking...and I do quite like the look of your horses, so I think I might have to take them."
Darion remained silent, and Mikel knew that within a few seconds everything was going to get crazy, and readied himself to act.
"I'm afraid I am not of the same opinion," Darion said, suddenly dropping the accent. "Now I suggest you move you're ugly little head out of my way before I am forced to remove it from your scrawny little body."
It was clear Darion's words were exactly the kind of reaction the man had been hoping for as he gave a big smug grin. Mikel looked on, 'If only he knew what was going to happen' he thought. Suddenly, the man talking darted forward grabbing Melia from her horse and reappeared some twenty yards away. Caught completely by surprise she screamed, and Mikel turned to see dozens of men appear from the trees, some with swords, and others with crossbows. "Think we'll keep this one," the man said referring to Melia, "Kill the others."
Mikel dropped down from the side of his horse, avoiding a bolt from a crossbow aimed his direction. Zack darted Melia's direction, grabbed her and teleported her back to the group again. The look on the man's face was certainly a picture, as it all happened so quickly and unexpectedly. Another bolt was fired Danton's direction, but before it got to him, he vanished from sight and it passed through where he had been just a second earlier.
Darion was in his element as he merely waved away two bolts, quickly followed by sending the two men firing them flying backwards. He stayed atop his horse and turned his head quickly as a man wielding a sword approached him roaring loudly. Darion did not flinch as the weapon was swung at him; he simply flicked out his hand once more sending both man and sword skittering down the track.
Mikel could sense Shadow was nearby and moving ever nearer, he however had his own matter to deal with. A rather large bullish looking man was charging straight at him wielding as big a sword as Mikel had ever seen. He concentrated on that mass of sharpened steel and as the man got ever nearer roaring his own battle cry, Mikel struck. Using his power to move objects, he moved his hand aside, something that did not really affect the magic being cast, but most magicians did it nonetheless. The man attacking had the look of complete surprise as the two handed sword he was holding aloft suddenly pulled him down to the floor.
Mikel felt a smug satisfaction, although it was short lived. The man in question merely let go of the sword and pulled a dagger from his waist instead. Mikel sighed, "Give me a break," he uttered to himself. This time the man launched himself towards Mikel, and the youngster had little option but to dive out of the way. He felt the air forced from his lungs as he landed heavily, rolling over he turned to see the man not giving up and ready to leap atop of him. Mikel concentrated, using his power almost instinctively to survive. He thrust a hand out and watched on thankfully, as the attacker was launched several feet in the air, before landing some twenty paces away in a heap. Mikel stood, dusting himself down feeling not only relieved, but also with a touch of self-satisfaction.
Danton, who had disappeared near the start of the fight, suddenly came into his own. He reappeared in front of the remainder of the attackers. Mikel, Zack and Melia turned as they heard a sound reminiscent of a thunderclap, and watched in awe as the man with them launched a vast wall of energy. Almost blinding to the eye, the power spread outward, knocking down most of the remaining attackers in a single swoop. The enemy teleporter had clearly seen enough and disappeared off into the distance. Zack watched him, and stood to give chase, but was persuaded otherwise by Melia, "Let him go...He could lead you into a trap Zack," she warned. The young royal nodded and turned his attention instead to the fighting still taking place.
After just a few minutes, most of the attackers were down, although a few managed to escape off into the trees. The track was strewn with men, a few still groaning from their injuries, most though were stationary. Danton rushed over to Zack and Melia to check they were all right, before doing likewise with Mikel. Darion was happily seeing that those attackers still breathing did not do so for much longer. Mikel watched the old man seemingly have no remorse in finishing a man's life, before he stood and wandered over to the man that had attacked him. He looked down and could tell by the position the body was lying that he was dead, judging by the way the head was twisted Mikel assumed he had a broken neck. Killing another human being was something he did not like having to do, but when he thought about it, it was something he was forced into; it was a matter of kill or be killed.
Mikel turned to see Shadow darting out of the tree line, and he turned his head to see where he was going so quickly. The attacker who had made himself invisible when the trouble had started suddenly reappeared with a dagger in hand right behind Darion. Mikel started to shout a warning to the old man, but before the words had even left his mouth Shadow sprung into action. The man's life was over in split second as the powerful jaws of the leaping dire wolf clasped around the attackers throat, almost ripping his head completely off. Darion turned to see what all the fuss was about as the limp body of the attacker dropped harmlessly to the dirt track.
Mikel rushed over to Shadow and ruffled his fur behind his ears, before looking at Darion. The old man said no words, but by the look he gave, it was clear he was thankful for what the wolf had done.
"Is that what you were doing skulking around the trees?" Mikel said to Shadow. The wolf looked up at his master and Mikel got the image of a person hiding.
"I think we have someone else hiding," he exclaimed to the rest of the group. Shadow sent a further picture, a memory almost, of what he had seen. "I think it's a child...over that way," he pointed.
"Come on boy," Mikel said asking Shadow to lead the way.
Melia and Zack walked over to the side of the track and could see where the bodies of the previous travellers had been thrown. The half-naked corpse of a woman with her throat slit, lay beside a middle aged man and what she thought looked a boy probably no more than thirteen or fourteen years old. Zack walked up behind her and placed a comforting hand around her shoulders. Melia however stepped away from it as she knelt down to the bodies so unceremoniously dumped. She covered the woman as best she could, and pulled the man's cloak up over his head.
"We should probably bury them, it's the least we can do," Zack said looking down at her.
Melia moved onto the body of the boy, and rolled him over to look at his young face. She felt something strange, a feeling, and it took a few seconds for her to realise what it was, "Zack he's still alive!"
Melia immediately placed her hands on the cold flesh of the boy. She sensed deep into his body, a very feint heartbeat, teetering on the very edge of death. She took a deep breath and got to work.
The young lad had been stabbed in the gut, probably trying to defend his mother. Melia started work there, repairing the wound a little at a time. Zack stood silently by watching her work this small miracle, hoping she could save the boy. Once the stab wound was closed, Melia needed to concentrate on getting the bo
y's blood circulating around his frozen pale body. She would have to work quickly making sure the blood circulated to the most vital parts of the body first.
Mikel squeezed between two trees and Danton followed suit. Shadow stopped beside a thorny looking bush and he could just make out something behind it. He was too large to get through, and so knew he would have to coax whoever was hid behind it. "Hello..." he said, "My name is Mikel." He could see the shape move and a young face peer back at him through the bushes.
"It's a young girl," he said turning to Danton stood behind him.
Mikel quickly returned his attention to the girl cowering away behind her rather prickly hideaway. "The nasty men have gone...come on you look cold," he added struggling to think what to say.
Mikel stood and turned to Danton, "You'll have to try...I am not really very good with children." Suddenly he felt something grab his trouser leg, and he turned to see a young hand holding tightly too it.
"Better than you thought," Danton said with a wry smile.
The girl looked up sadly, her tear stained young face had clearly been forced to witness things no child should. "Are my mummy and daddy dead?" she asked. Mikel wanted to tell her to the contrary, but he knew they were. He bent down and picked her up, "I am so sorry..." he replied feeling a lump in his throat. He looked to Danton for a little assistance and the man duly obliged by reassuring the girl she would be safe now.
"Is that your doggy?" the girl asked pointing down to Shadow. Mikel chuckled, "Well I'm not sure he likes being called a doggy, and no he is not mine...it's a little more complicated than that. Let us just say he is my friend." He realised his explanation was probably as clear as mud, but the girl seemed content with his reply. "Will you be my friend too?" she asked.
Mikel smiled, "Of course I will, and so will Shadow and Danton," he added as an afterthought.
They learned the girls name was Tia and she was six years old. Mikel brushed her dark wavy hair from her dirty face to reveal a pair of big brown eyes, and carried her out of the trees back onto the track, to see Darion setting light to a pile of bodies. Mikel immediately covered Tia's eyes, thinking one of those dead might be her mother or father. He looked around for Melia, thinking she might be kind enough to check Tia over for any injuries. Darion was far too busy burning the dead to even notice them walk pass, and if Mikel did not know any better he was certain the old man was actually enjoying himself.
Mikel found Melia crouched down beside the body of a young lad.
"Samuel!" Tia cried out recognising him.
Melia turned to see Mikel behind her holding a young girl, "Is he...dead too?" the youngster asked her.
Melia shook her head, "Not if I can help it," she replied in a defiant tone. "I have done all I can, but he is very weak. We need to keep him warm and rested," she added getting to her feet.
"Samuel is magic like you," Tia blurted out.
Mikel looked at her, his surprise quite clear, "Really?" he asked her.
Tia nodded and explained it was for that reason they had fled the Capital. Her mother and Father had told her the nasty king there would take Samuel away and make him fight if he found out about his magic.
Mikel tried to hand Tia over to Melia but the youngster seemed quite insistent she was staying with him. She held her hands quite firmly around his arm, and in the end, he was forced to concede. "Seems you have a friend," Danton chuckled. Melia placed a hand on the little girl's forehead and closed her eyes. She cast her senses out and checked to see if she was hurt in anyway. Aside from a few small scrapes and scratches, probably caused by crawling through the thorny bushes she was fine.
"The question is what do we do with them now?" Zack asked.
"Take them with us of course," Melia snapped a little more harshly than she actually meant. Zack held his hands up defensively, "I was only asking...I was not going to suggest leaving them."
Melia smiled apologetically, before kneeling back down to the boy still unconscious on the ground. She asked for Danton and Zack to pick him off the cold dirt track and wrap him in blankets, before checking him once more.
The group sorted themselves out and prepared to move out again. It was clear Darion was not happy they were now two more in number, but he was unanimously shouted down when he suggested dumping the pair at the next village. There had been a moment when Mikel thought the old man was going to lose his temper, but fortunately, matters calmed themselves before they got too heated. As a result, of the new additions, Zack was tasked with holding the boy known as Samuel up, riding close beside Melia. Mikel had little choice in Tia sitting up on his horse with him, and although he made out that he was not happy about it, deep down he didn't mind. The poor little girl had seen enough traumas for a lifetime in just one day; the least he could do was be there for her now.
Chapter 18.
Maxim felt a substance being sprayed near his nose, and he knew his captors were once more trying to keep him unconscious. Using just a small amount of magic, he whisked the fine droplets in the air away from his face. His knowledge of magical skills may have improved during his period of forced sleep, but unfortunately, his ability to come up with a suitable escape eluded him. The past few hours he had lain atop the bed listening and sensing the movement of those around him.
Twice he had felt the touch of a hand on his arm and the sense of magic being used to once more slow his heart rate down in a bid to keep him in his coma like state. Both times, he let whoever was trying to do so cast their magic, and although he was unsure how he had done it, both times he had remained in control. His heart rate had never actually slowed anymore but he made the healer touching him believe it had.
He was uncertain as to exactly how long he had been held in his current state, but one thing he did know and that was he did not intend to remain so for much longer. His stomach was empty and he felt hungry, worse still was the thirst he felt. Left as he was, he realised within a day or so he would probably have dehydrated completely and likely died. This matter of fact had made him all the more angry, and although he never thought himself a vengeful person, those keeping him like this would regret doing so.
He felt a hand nearing his skin once more, probably to once more check his heart was beating so slowly he was incapable of anything apart from breathing. He had decided enough was enough and it was finally good to make his escape. Using the power of fire, he manifested flames about his arm as the hand moved to touch him. He heard the scream of a woman as his eyes flickered open.
At first, everything was a little blurry, and he was dependent on his magical abilities to let him know where people in the room were standing. Aside from the poor woman crying in pain at her blackened hand, which he now removed from the equation, there were two guards at the doorway. Before either of them could as much as move to act, they were turned into flame. Maxim took little notice of their cries, these people were there to hurt him, and he was only doing what he must to escape.
His legs felt a little wobbly as he walked slowly towards the doorway, with the guards now silent and little more than smouldering corpses on the singed floorboards. The woman healer who had been first to feel his wrath whimpered and looked up to see him leave the room. Maxim walked out into the corridor, not rushing, determined not to fall foul of any tricks this time. He used every sense at his disposal to detect exactly where people were in his vicinity.
To insure nobody got close to him, he manifested a barrier of air around himself. Invisible to the naked eye, this was something he had discovered during his slumber. He had learned that air was made up of tiny minute invisible bits, and if he compressed them together really tightly, he could make an impenetrable shield around him. The first to be bemused by this was a soldier in the corridor who leapt out at him, in a rather pathetic attempt at grabbing him. The man in question simply bounded off him and on to the floor a few yards away. Maxim turned his head just a little to see the look on his face, before casting him a smile.
Shonna was chatting w
ith Gorius, discussing of possible ways to keep their prisoner under their control. He had asked whether should knew of any old artefacts or spells that might do as he needed, and she was wracking her memory trying to think of something. "Davan located several items from a time when magic was the norm," he told her walking about the room in circles. "There must be something out there that can aid us," he added stopping in his tracks.
There was shouting and screaming outside in the corridor and he knew immediately what was happening. "He's loose again isn't he?" Shonna asked. Gorius looked pained at her, "This time we will have to kill him...If we can't have him...no one will," he replied defiantly. Shonna nodded and gave a small smile, and although she was glad Gorius had finally seen sense, saying and actually doing might prove worlds apart. The young elementalist was powerful, as much as any she had known or seen even during the last conflict. She would however do everything in her power to help her king and country.
Maxim waved away the few attempts to grab him, and a young teleporter got more than he bargained for as he ended up flying backwards in to the wall. He retraced the same route as his previous failed attempt at escape, and once more found himself outside staring at the space where once there had been gates. He headed for the gap but was forced to stop as a wall of flame appeared in front of him. After another wave of his hand, Maxim was a little dumbfounded. His control of fire appeared to have no effect on the flames now moving slowly towards him. Although every ounce of common sense in his mind told him to turn and run, some small part told him to proceed as he had been.
