by David Ekrut
“What in the Lifebringer’s name?”
“It’s barred from the other side,” the innkeeper explained.
“Dorum. Get your axe.”
“We’ll have to fight our way free,” Jax said, moving toward his room.
“Wait,” the kid said. “There might be another way.”
“There isn’t,” he said, not hiding his annoyance. “They are coming in and—”
“No,” Elwin said. “I can get us out of here with an incantation.”
Jax felt his heart sink. He’d been quick to believe the kid when he claimed to know where they could find artifacts because he couldn’t see any deception, and he was far too young and manicured to be adept at being duplicitous. However, he had never considered the possibility that the kid’s head was cracked.
“I know how it sounds,” Elwin said, quickly, “but I am training to become a magus. Have you heard of the Words of Power?”
An axe struck the door. Then two axes.
“Curse it all,” Jax said, “we don’t have time for thumping fairytales.”
“The dragons use the incantations,” Elwin continued. “That is what they are doing when they appear and disappear. They are using something called a dimensional folding. I can do it. I can get us to the street outside.” The last he said without conviction.
“Can you use a sword?” Jax asked.
“Yes,” Elwin said. “But if you let me incant us out of here, I may not have to.”
“Maybe we should try it,” Daren said at the precise moment the axe head split the door.
Any eye peeked into the gap. “I see them!”
Jax flicked a dirk into his hand and threw it. The small blade disappeared into the hole. A man screamed in pain. Feet moved in haste. The gash in the door was large enough to see several armed guardians.
“Take him to a healer,” a voice commanded. “Get that door down. Now!”
The hammering of axes redoubled their efforts.
“Help me with this,” Jax said, pushing the couch toward the door.
Daren pushed on one end. “This is a lost battle. We cannot hope to take so many.”
Once the couch was in place, Jax took several steps back. Another gash appeared in the door. He sent another dagger. This time it struck a shoulder. He threw four more before feet scrambled back. Taking stock of his ammunition, he realized the futility of fighting this way. He had four dirks and two daggers left.
Feeling ten kinds of a fool for giving any hope to this, Jax turned to Elwin. “You have about twenty seconds, kid. Speak your words.”
“Come close,” he said, offering a hand to each of them.
“When this fails,” Jax said, taking his hand, “We should retreat into the far room. That way, we can fight them just a few at a time.”
When Daren joined them, Elwin closed his eyes.
Jax watched the axe heads penetrating the door. He could see into the hall, but he could not make out any of the men. Hands moved into view. Thwack. Thwack. Then the bodies retreated. No vital organs stayed in front of the doorway for long.
Elwin started mumbling in an foreign tongue.
The top of the door fell inward. A face appeared in the opening. Eyes widened as they fell on their odd circle. A crossbow appeared, aimed at Daren’s back.
Jax tried to free his hand from Elwin to flick a dagger into his palm, but the kid held tightly. The thumping fool was going to get them all killed.
“We need to retreat!” Jax said.
Then the room went dark. He could feel nothing. This was it. This was what death felt like. He was so cold. Then heat overwhelmed him.
He stumbled on a cobbled road. The sun was high overhead. In the distance, he could hear shouting. He recognized the wall to the Lord of Wiltshire’s compound and the row of houses. This was where they’d climbed over earlier. He no longer held Daren’s hand. The big man leaned against a home, eyes wide and face pale.
Several feet away, a woman huddled against a wall, clutching a small child to her chest, mouth agape and eyes wide with fear. When Jax saw her, she flinched.
“Seeker-touched! The accursed are here! Help!” She ran, dragging the child behind her.
He looked up, expecting a dragon to come. It didn’t. Whatever Elwin had done, it wasn’t taming.
“Dragons take me,” Jax said. “You were telling the truth.”
The treasure was real. This kid could give him the edge he needed to defeat his father.
“Yes,” he said, as if Jax was simple. “I was. But we need to go.”
“I agree,” Jax said. “Can you do that thing to get us out of the city?”
“I don’t think so.” Elwin took a step and stumbled. He shook his head as if dazed. His eyes cleared, and he said, “My head still hurts from earlier. I tried to incant us away when we were at the manor. It didn’t work.”
“So you did lie. You gambled our lives on thum—”
“Stop,” Daren said. “It worked. Besides, you cannot chastise others on gambling. Not you.”
“Fine,” Jax said. “We will have to leave our supplies, but the wagon is half our disguise. Without a barrel, how are we getting this one out of the city?”
“I’ll be your prisoner,” Elwin said. “Bind my hands and say you are escorting me to Alcoa.”
He thought of a dozen ways that could fail, but he could not think of a better plan. And it might just work. Pulling a bit of rope from his pack, he cut off an adequate length to bind Elwin’s hands. He left them loose enough to be slipped in a pinch. Then, he pulled paste and horse hair from his pack.
“What’s that for?”
“Don’t move.”
Jax worked the beard onto Elwin, then used his mirror to place a shorter one on his own cheeks. Neither were perfect, but they would hold up to a bit of scrutiny.
“It itches.”
“Don’t thumping touch it,” Jax said, swatting his hand. “It dries quickly, but it’s best not to test it for half an hour or so. Let’s go.” Jax moved west, away from the market.
“Through here,” Elwin said, pointing to an alley.
“Road’ll be faster,” Jax argued.
“That woman ran toward the mob. She’ll be back any second. We’ll be spotted.”
Unable to disagree with the logic, Jax followed the kid through the alley. He meandered north, coming to another main road. Several people took notice of their crossing. To maintain appearances, he gave Elwin a shove, indicating he should take the road now.
“Keep moving, prisoner.”
Elwin took the hint, pivoting north, but Jax realized immediately, this was the wrong thing to say. Two men stopped in their work, atop a house. They stood, holding new tiles, and looked down at Elwin.
“Is that an accursed?”
The other man spat.
“No,” Jax said, quickly. “He is wanted for questioning. That is all.”
Three more men stood beside a wagon filled with more of the red tiles. They walked around, staring at Elwin as well.
He nudged Elwin to keep going. The kid walked with a stiff gait, clearly not wanting to turn his back on the men. Jax didn’t either, but he was playing a role. An inquisitor would not think twice about a few law-abiding citizens. Still, he glanced back.
The tilers had climbed down a ladder and joined their comrades on the road. They walked behind Jax and Daren. Ahead, he saw planters working in a front garden. Near them, a team of cobblers worked on the road.
“Just a prisoner,” Jax told them as they stood from their labors. “Needed alive for questioning.”
These workers joined with the tilers and followed along behind. He could hear their mutters but could only gather the gist of their conversations. The words accursed and inquisition were spoken liberally with hanging and beheading.
Jax wanted to get off this main road, but he could not without drawing even more attention. It would lead him to the northern gate. He had no idea how to get past the guardians blocking the exit, but that would be a problem for when they got there. Glancing back, he saw the group following had doubled.
Trying his best to look commanding, Jax gave directions, giving Elwin the occasional push for theatre. Right at the crossroads, left at the fork. Despite his efforts to avoid populated areas, the crowd swelled to a mob. He’d feared this, which was why he’d acquired the coach. Unfortunately, the wagon and the better part of their travel supplies were outside the inn, probably being thoroughly searched and pilfered by the guardians.
A woman stepped into their path, eyes glaring daggers into Elwin.
“Who is this?” she demanded.
“Just a prisoner.”
“Dragons took my family because of scum like him.”
Daren stepped forward. “We are on urgent business. Please step aside.”
The woman’s scowl deepened. “Ain’t happening.”
“Just hand him over,” someone shouted.
Jax held his hands high and raised his voice. This was a big gamble, but he saw no other way. “Listen all. I hear your pains, and I understand. We are hunting a Seeker-spawn, last seen in these parts. But it is not this man! He is working with us to find the accursed.”
“Why is he bound?” a woman called.
“You are ruining everything,” Jax said, tone filled with condemnation. “This man came to us. His neighbor hides the Seeker’s spawn in his cellar.” Jax pulled the loose bindings from Elwin’s wrist and held them for all to see. “We did not want to alert the Seeker-touched to our coming. Now he must know what we are about. If he gets away, I will have each of you flogged.”
Some people backed away, far less certain than before.
“I want justice. Same as you!” Elwin called out, anger clear in his words. “We hunt the accursed. Who here is with us?”
“Me!” a man shouted.
“Where?” demanded another.
“Outside the city walls,” Elwin said, walking forward.
Jax followed, surprised to see the ruse working and more than a little impressed to see the kid adapt to the situation. He glanced back. The crowd followed. They called out their intentions to hunt down the accursed. Their numbers swelled to the hundreds. Jax could see no way to quit this charade. They wanted blood and would have it. These people would follow them to the abyss and back if it gave them an outlet for their anger.
Elwin slowed as they approached the city gate. The two guardians attending it glanced at each other, expressions painted with deep uncertainty. The tall wooden doors to freedom were stretched wide. Jax felt the urge to run. None of these people could hope to keep pace with him. But Daren had a limp.
Jax leaned in close to Elwin and whispered without moving his lips. “Stall them.”
Elwin’s expression flashed a moment of fear, but he recovered quickly. Turning his back to the guardians, Elwin raised his hand in an attempt to quiet the crowd. Begrudgingly, they stopped their shouts and turned to listen.
“Remember,” Elwin said. “These people are dangerous and full of guile. They must know we are coming by now.”
The crowd murmured. Jax heard the word dragon several times.
While their focus was on the kid, Jax took several steps backward, studying the portcullis above the opening. The pulley was likely operated by the eloiglyphs on the wall. And the iron chains holding it in place were crafted from the Elements. But by the Seeker, the hinges had rust on them. He felt a surge of hope and excitement. Elemental wrought items didn’t rust. From his days with his merchant father, Jax recalled something about moving parts being difficult to craft.
“Do not fear the dragons,” Elwin continued. “They are the Lifebringer’s justice and only come for those who serve the Seeker.” More murmurs. Elwin spoke over them. “It is so. Have you not seen them avoid harm to the innocent? We will hunt the Seeker’s spawn to the edges of Arinth. By the Lifebringer’s mercy, we shall cleanse these lands of their taint. Are. You. With. Me?”
As the crowd cheered, Jax leaned closer to Daren. “Don’t look yet, but when I move, I need you to swing your blade as hard as you can at the bracket behind you holding the portcullis in place. I’ll get the one on this side.”
Daren gave the barest of nods.
Elwin raised his hands, a smile on his face. The kid was really doing well in this role. Once they stilled, he said, “Gather weapons and come back here. We need to form parties of five and scour the woods. Hurry, before the enemy gets away!”
“Wait!” A shrill voice called.
The crowd quieted. A woman pointed at them, a sneer on her face. Her words were quiet but filled with accusation. “I know you. You’re Elwin of Solsec.”
The rest of the mob only stared, confusion clear in their expressions. Jax turned, following their gazes to Elwin. His heart lurched. Elwin still smiled, not realizing only half his beard remained on his clean cheeks. The glue hadn’t held. Seconds. They would have seconds.
“Now,” Jax called to Daren.
He sent a dirk into the leg of the guardian closest to him. He grabbed Elwin by the shoulder and shoved him through the gate.
Even before Jax had given the word, Daren’s fist crunched into the other guardian’s nose. The man’s limp form flew backward. Daren pivoted, drawing his sword in the same motion. He struck the bracket, taking a chunk out of it.
Jax drew his saber and swung at the remaining bracket. A small piece fell. The portcullis held firm. Jax yelled, “Elwin, go!”
The boy turned and darted away from the gate. Faces in the mob turned to one another, sharing in their confusion. Jax hacked at the iron bracket, his touched weapons chiseling out infinitesimal bits from the iron. As Daren’s bracket fell, the confusion faded from the crowd.
“We’ve been fooled,” the woman called. Jax recognized her. She was the first who’d stopped them on the road. “It’s them. They are the accursed!”
The sudden violence had stunned them, but one by one they snapped out of their daze, taking strength in the woman’s accusation. They would have their blood. Soon.
“Help me!” Jax called.
“Move back!” Daren yelled, sprinting toward him.
In the same moment, the crowd surged forward. Though few carried weapons, Jax knew there would be no battle. The vast numbers would overwhelm them in seconds.
Jax jumped backward, clearing the way for Daren. Gripping his giant sword in both hands, Daren leapt. His corded muscles flexed, pushing the bounds of the inquisitor’s robes. The blade crashed into the bracket, showering the area in sparks. A chunk flew into the wall.
But the cursed thing held.
Panic threatened to take root. The front of the crowd was less then six paces from the gate. Daren reared for another attack. The angry shouts of the mob sounded like a battle cry.
“Go!” Daren screamed, still running toward the crowd.
Jax hesitated. Of all the ways his journey could end, being torn apart by a mob never made his list. But he couldn’t leave the man. He wouldn’t.
A firm grip pulled his arm. Jax turned to see Elwin’s wide eyes staring at him. His lips moved, but Jax couldn’t hope to hear him.
Daren’s sword struck the bracket like a gong. The hinge flew free. The portcullis dropped like a guillotine, piercing through one unfortunate man in the lead. Bones crunched and cracked when he was driven into the ground.
Jax couldn’t move. He could only stare as the crowd fell backward. A wave pushed back by an unyielding cliff.
“Let’s thumping go,” Elwin said.
Sheathing his blade, Jax turned to follow behind the other two. What in the abyss had he gotten himself into?
Before they’d gone twenty paces, a shout
chased after them.
“Quick! To the western gate. They are getting away!”
Chapter 31
Unerring Foresight
Dear Anetia,
Yes, you are correct. Abaddon is called the Father of Falsehoods for a reason. I have not forgotten who he is. But, no, I am not worried he will read my writings or journal entries. I have convinced him that his intrusion would spoil the experiment, but as a precaution, I create a temporal stasis each time I update my logs and write my letters from a pocket in time removed from ours. No one can enter the temporary sub-plane without my knowledge. This is just one of many little tricks I have learned from the Keepers. They acquired it from the jaunters and more secrets besides. Imagine what you could discover if you were to join me here.
~R., 2996 A.S.
~
Zarah knew right away, this was a Vision.
Of all the Visions she had seen over the years, this was the first she was aware of while it was happening. Instead of entering the shadow realm, as per usual, she had entered a dream state. Only, the events seen here would come to pass. Like all those before it, the future of this Vision would be unavoidable.
She also knew when she woke, her essence would be drained. What would that do to her ability to see future paths while awake? The ability had manifested after a month of not taming and likely had something to do with her unspent essence. Not that it mattered this moment. She needed to take full advantage of this Vision and solve the other problem when she woke.
Her awareness hovered above a massive city. She had no body, but she could see and hear as if she did. Tall aeries surrounded her, cave-like structures resting atop smooth podiums that protruded from the mountain far north of the city. Each was made of a different colored stone, and positioned above the largest of the manor homes in the city. Gargantuan dragon statues rested inside several of them.
Far below, she could see herself, walking between two large buildings. She willed herself lower and watched future Zarah look cautiously around a corner. Seeing herself in this way felt surreal. Her dress, the same one she had acquired from the farmer, looked haggard and worn. She waited for Feffer to appear, but he never did. Her stomach felt ill at the implication.
