Without looking, a nearby Natural gestured lazily at me. A tree limb snapped out, taking me square in the chest and sending me sprawling. I gritted my teeth. A little more anger seeping into me. I willed Skill into my right hand, pain tracing raw lines where it had been overworked. I really should be resting.
My current target and his large tree branch were winding up for another swing. I waited patiently. I couldn’t imagine what was going through his head as I stood there. Maybe he thought he had hit me hard enough to daze. Whatever it was, it didn’t change his mind on trying again. On came the branch, groaning and protesting against the rough treatment. A faint whoosh sung out as it passed through the air. With knuckles extended, I struck out at the oncoming wood. The entire limb shuddered with the impact of energy a few arms lengths away, immediately being followed by an ear splitting sound as it exploded into splinters.
Pieces of wood flew back at the group, embedding themselves into them. Nothing fatal or even debilitating. But definitely painful and probably quite the wake up call. The earth worker stood very still, his body a pincushion of splinters. He was pierced through with a few larger shards that definitely would be causing some pain. Either way, he was done moving until they were removed.
Apparently the commotion had distracted Volant’s combatant. A shout announced the poor man’s sudden removal from the ground. The other two were quick to attack despite all this. Twin bouts of water shot from their hands, one for each of us. Water was a surprise, but there was nothing original about their attack. I ducked, rolling quickly to the side and throwing my knife. It hit nothing, and I cursed softly at the too heavy hammer sword. A second knife was in my hand by the time I was up. I was impressing myself with how easily I’d reacted.
With a grunt for good measure, I hurled the second knife at the Natural trying to blast my friend. The knife hit hilt first unfortunately. But at least it did hit him. The pommel bounced of his head, making his eyes roll back as he slumped down to a boneless heap.
Volant dodged in my direction as I turned back, a cupped hand of tornado like wind circling in his palm. He rolled to his feet and tossed the vortex high above the Natural, who looked up. In what had to be one of the best uppercuts the world had seen, Volant slugged the Natural who had been trying his best to track the vortex above him. The man dropped to the ground to join his friends.
I threw my final knife, making it stick nice and solid like into the door right next to the fifth Natural’s ear. He squeaked, took one look at his broken comrades, and fled down the stairs the way we’d come up. I looked back towards Andreska’s group who seemed too quiet, too soon. Only one dead lay with them, the man who Sliva had attacked. The rest were all kneeling, weapons thrown haphazardly in a pile before them. The groaning men brought back images from the day before, all the dead and dying so a rich man could get richer. My heart broke a bit further. A bit too far. A pathetic noise escaped me, the sound unmistakably sad and broken.
Volant shook his head sadly. “Don’t worry Nil. We’re almost finished.” He started towards the crew, feet heavy. “Maybe this’ll be the last for a while.”
Sliva had reverted back to her sly and cheerful self. She studiously cleaned the axe as we walked up. “Good job there,” she said. “Between my momentary loss of composure,” she nodded at the obliterated corpse to her side, “and you fellows’ display, these cowards gave in without a fight.”
“Too bad,” one of the enforcers chuckled, slapping a kneeling man upside the head. “Could have been fun.”
Seeing the look on both our faces, Andreska took pity on us in a strange display of motherly care she’d so far avoided. “You both are to stay and guard these ones. They move, feel free to stab them in the kneecaps or something.” She strode towards the side door, a hand signal indicating her men to follow. “We can handle the rest. Anyone gets out, discourage them from leaving.”
The group tromped towards the main door. Muffled noises echoed from within the tree as they moved further up through the inner residence. We marked their progress as the sounds grew fainter. Seems there were a few more men inside than anticipated.
Hoping us to be distracted, or tired, one of the Equals bolted. He made it about five paces before both Volant and I let into him. My hammer sword slicing through the man’s right ankle while a simultaneous gust of wind knocked him over the fence at the perimeter. His scream only stopped when he hit something down below and out of sight. My bulky sword skid off the side behind him, lost in a sea of leaves.
I glared at the rest of them. “Someone tries something again, and we kill the rest of your friends. Got it?” I snarled.
Quick, nervous nods answered back.
More time passed. No more shouts, clangs, or curses could be heard from within. An almost dismissed squeak caught my attention from the mostly secret door. A man with frizzled, thin hair, and a patchy beard peeked out from the entryway.
“Gods,” groaned one of the Equals. “There he is.”
Volant was quicker than I was, his rapier materializing in his hand as he ran towards the man. My heart was getting heavier with each moment, and I realized I could barely stand.
One of the men moved as if he was going to get up, and I turned to him, pointing a finger. “Straight through the heart if you even think about standing,” I growled. Not knowing I was at the end of my rope, the man settled back down, face even paler than before.
It didn’t look like Volant had the state of mind to be able to kill again either, instead slashing his sword across the calf of whoever this man was, effectively putting him down. His pained cry was enough to bring Andreska’s head peeking out of a window high up in the tree.
“We got him,” I hollered up to her. “Whoever he is,” I mumbled to myself.
Volant had dragged the man back to sit with our other prisoners by the time Andreska and Sliva, plus the enforcers, came piling out onto the terrace again.
“That’s him,” Sliva confirmed. Before anyone could say anything, she hefted her pole axe, swinging it down in an executioner style arc. No preamble or warning.
Volant winced at the impact, while I shut my eyes. As casually as going to the market, Sliva had ended the man’s life. It was quick and brutal. It was terrible.
“That’s that then,” Andreska said, though she looked far from pleased. With a roll of her shoulders, Andreska turned to the men who had just seen their employer butchered before their eyes. “You gents are free to go. But, if any of mine are harmed after this, I will personally hunt each and every one of you down and do worse than your most terrible nightmare to you and your family and friends.” She gestured to Volant and I, “these two will be around Erset for the near future. If either comes to harm, I will assume someone here was involved. Again, you will be hunted. Your best interests are now hoping nothing befalls them.” She pointed at the gate. “Scram.”
There was almost no hesitation as everyone who could took off at a run.
When the last footsteps faded, she turned back to our group. “Thank you for your help Sliva.”
“Anythin’ for an old friend,” Sliva replied. “I’ll see you around, Dresk.” Lanterns bobbed in the distance, our commotion having attracted the rest of Erset’s Guard who had been presumably holed up in the barracks waiting for us.
“Can you take us back to the fallpacks?” Andreska asked me.
I thought for a moment, orienting myself along our route. “I could do that. No problem.”
“Then after you.” She gestured back the way we’d come.
Sliva had already slipped off, taking a different route.
Thirty-eight
Just where we’d left them, the fallpacks hid tied to a branch, though dawn was lessening the shadows that had obscured them so well. Our two leftovers were tied together like a pair of lost birds. We weighed them down with every spare weapon and cloak of Andreska’s crew, and then the twin and another like-sized enforcer tied their packs to the free pair. There was still a noticeable lack of w
eight in their steps as they practically glided across the ground in synchronized movement.
“You two stay safe this time. And no running away, I’ll get to the bottom of this and deal with it.” Andreska then hugged Volant briefly before jumping off the bridge to disappear among the foliage. After the last enforcer jumped, and the last snapping twig was silenced, Volant let out a deep sigh of relief.
“Your mother scares me,” I said with utter sincerity as we walked back towards my parent’s home.
Volant grinned a little. A bit of pain disappearing with the smile. “Yup, me too.”
My stomach protested against both the lack of sleep and physical exertion. Despite the nausea I’d felt earlier, nothing but food seemed to be in my mind. I looked down at my blood spattered cloak and shirt. I shrugged both off, tossing them over the nearest bridge and down onto the forest floor.
Eying me curiously, Volant began to say something but stopped himself.
“I want some food,” I said. “Doubt anyone wants to sell to a bloodstained, sleep deprived maniac.”
“That seems a fair point,” Volant agreed.
It took a good while until we found a suitable shirt for me. Then a good bit more time sneaking into the shop we found the shirt in. Once clothed, it was light enough out for the few people who worked the higher levels to be opening up their pits and grills for a bit of cooking. I led us up one of my more favorite stairs, one made entirely of wood that had a spot you could see my thinking rock on the eternity river.
Smells of roasting honey drifted down to us, leaving no doubt which direction we were headed. Lighter scents of charred fish accompanied the honey, and the sound of sizzling eggs finished off the experience as we exited onto the upper market. A few sleepy eyed people were already lining up at the woman’s stall where fish were being grilled. A couple at the Honeyman’s grill, and none at the Eggstravaganza as Phillip always referred to his own stall. He even had a sign hanging off the front.
One thing I hadn’t missed- the Erset breakfast of choice. Fish and fermented beans. Terribly healthy. Horribly smelly. Instead of pursuing the traditional fare, we headed to Phillip’s, with Volant giving a longing look towards the honey griller.
“We’ll grab some of that too, no worries you sweet toothed cloudling,” I said before turning to Phillip to continue speaking. “For starters,” I said to the egg supplier, “I was never here. I’ll be honest, we’re in hiding.”
Volant rolled his eyes at this but again kept his mouth shut.
“Sure thing Ni-…umm, sir,” Phillip said. His fat, jolly chin bobbed happily. “What can we get ya today?”
At Jorcum’s Higher Learning Academy, we didn’t have to eat fish, and had eggs on a regular basis. But just the standard variety. Phillip, on the other hand, truly had a diversified selection to choose from. “Two of everything, and add a bit of spice on the side.” I dropped a few coins onto his counter, nearly twice what the meals were worth. I winked at him conspiratorially. “No change, you ken?”
He smiled affably and went about cracking eggs two at a time, the smallest barely larger than his thumb, the largest roughly the size of his meaty fist. When he had a dozen eggs frying, I turned to Volant. “There’s duck, chicken, quail, that six legged running bird thing-” I snapped my fingers, trying to come up with the name.
“Indido?” Volant suggested helpfully.
“Yes, that,” I agreed. “Some rock bird, depending on which one he found, and owl eggs.”
I took the wood plate piled with over-easy eggs from Phillip. Carrying this over to the stall Volant had been edging near, we ordered a few pieces of thickly cut toast slathered in enough honey to cause a bee to question the meaning of life. With our bread and eggs overflowing, we went and found a secluded corner to eat. Everything was devoured quicker than you could blink an eye. I gave the tray back to Phillip, still licking decadent honey off my lips. Stomach satisfied, my mind drifted back to finding a bed.
It looked like Volant was in agreement. Also licking at leftover honey, his eyes fluttered shut involuntarily. People were beginning to show up in larger numbers, but many where whispering, looks of excitement and fear being exchanged between neighbors. Volant’s darkly tanned skin and white hair stood out against the crowd of pale and dark haired people of Erset. Anyone close enough would be picking out his Wydvis eyes in short order, and then there would be no question about him being from the sky city. As soon as someone connected last night’s attack with a lone airship, Volant would be mobbed.
“With haste,” I said indicating the stairs we came up. “News is spreading. I’m tired. Another cell would only upset me.”
His eyes widened a fraction, taking in the people taking him in. “Ya, let’s get.”
My parent’s house was close enough that I doubted we’d be seeing anyone else that may recognize me. Volant drew a few more gazes, but generally people were too absorbed with their own frenzied gossip to take much notice. Bright, dappled sunlight was dancing around the walkways as well, casting shadows that did an excellent job of concealing our features. A few patrols went by, groups of three or four Guards, scared and alert. These ignored us, most likely looking for the much larger forms of Andreska’s sailor enforcers, if they even knew who they were looking for. We gave them a wide berth anyways, until finally arriving at my home. No locked doors, of course. We stumbled in on tired feet, barely getting boots off before finding the most comfortable looking pieces of furniture to pass out on.
Rough hands woke me after what felt like immediately after falling asleep. I tried to brush them off, but was summarily yanked to my feet. My head was clouded after being woken too soon, but my heart skipped a beat or two when I saw the hands holding up my left arm. Again, my parents were standing by, watching with horrified expressions but doing nothing as I was dragged out of the house between the two burly Thumpers. Marching across the bridge towards us was none other than Sliva, looking just as tired as I felt, but having far more command about her presence.
“Not another step without my express permission,” she barked at the men carrying me. Behind me, Volant let out a brief and quiet chuckle, which she ignored. “We do not drag citizens and their guests about, even in a situation like this.”
I got my feet under me, standing up a bit straighter, confusion giving way to a smoldering fire in my belly. If this continued much further, I was going to do my best to turn the whole neighborhood into splinters.
“Citizen,” she said addressing me with a salute. “Would you please allow us to escort you to the council chamber? There was an incident we’d like to discuss with you both.”
Slowly, I pulled my arms out of the silent men’s grasp. They let go just as slowly. “That sounds like an enlightening experience,” I replied once free. I looked back, and Volant was likewise shrugging off the pair of men holding him.
“Most appreciated. Please, follow me.” Sliva pivoted, long handled axe flashing at me from its sling across her back. Just like last night, she was wearing the standard black uniform, her hair tied into a neat and utilitarian bun on her head. Sliva said nothing else as we made a steady pace towards the council’s meeting tree. Bridges swayed underfoot as we moved higher and higher.
I worried for a moment about Volant trying something heroic, or foolish. Hand behind my back, I twitched and turned my fingers. Wait and watch, I signaled.
Erset’s council hall was already crowded by the time we arrived. Only four of the counselors were present. An empty spot sat right in the middle of the oval room. Realization clicked. Last night’s coerced assassination. There was no way I ever trusted Volant’s mother again. Anyone who willingly brought her son to a councilman’s assassination was too insane for me.
Along with the two of us, a slew of Equals stood in a corner. A well-worn path in the wood led directly from the heavy, unnatural iron doors and this we walked down towards the raised seats of the council. Only a few Guards were in the room, along with a couple dozen citizens and lower rank
ing officials.
A narrowing beam of light matched the sound of closing doors behind us. Dull, sliding locks confirmed this moments later. The room was a few shades darker now, only lit by the small, high up windows lining the walls. Woman, man, open chair, and then woman sat the order of the council members. They were all well past their prime, and looked to be functioning on just about as much sleep as we’d had. They acknowledged Sliva, and turned their attention on us.
“Let’s start this off with a bit of honesty,” Sliva began. “These two were a part of Councilman Turk’s death, along with the various traitors for the Equal cause.” She took a step closer to the raised seats. “Now, this was really a favor to us, as you know.”
All four cast sideways glances at the unhappy looking Equals.
“With that said, we are in a bit of a predicament. Murder has been committed.” Sighing expansively, Sliva waved a dismissive hand. “I can’t really accept punishing them. But we can’t exactly give them the thumbs up, either.”
“And how do you know this?” asked the man wearing what looked to be a women’s jacket.
Sliva didn’t even bat an eye. “Because I was there too, of course.”
Shock spread across the men’s faces. The women though, seemed far less surprised by this news. The four bent their heads together, and began having a rather heated discussion in low voices. While they argued, Sliva turned and winked at me with the same carefree energy she’d shown the night before. It was only for a moment before she was the respectful and serious Elite again.
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