by Moore, Scott
When Abrie opened his eyes, he put the mask of determination back onto his face. “Where was his last reported whereabouts?”
Malik marveled at how fast Abrie could pretend everything was the same as before.
“Rumors say he came over the mountains. I do not know if this is possible. I have known very few stories of men who have tried this feat. All I have heard ended the same, with the death of those foolish enough to try.”
“So, there is a rumor he came into the kingdom of Opallum but no rumor where he is?”
“That is all we have.”
Abrie pushed from the table. “I thank you. Not just for the information but also for supper and a quick reprieve.”
Guinn poured the contents of glass number three into his mouth. Malik had not taken another drink of his own wine; noticing this he placed it back onto the table.
“You’re welcome, Abrie. Do you not plan to stay the evening?”
Abrie stood to his feet. “Unfortunately, that will not be possible for us. I believe we had better continue our journey.”
They were not going to Blithe, that Malik was sure of, but where else did Abrie want to get to so soon?
“Why are we not spending a night under the roof of a friend?” Malik asked.
“A friend? Not two hours ago you stood out front of the door complaining about the home.”
He was right. Malik had complained about the home hours before.
“That was before I knew what it was.”
Abrie pushed his chair back under the table. “Well your incessant need for only the beautiful things in life will be your undoing.”
Abrie placed his hand on Mollie’s shoulder. “Time to get going.”
Mollie didn’t argue. Minnow’s Creek had killed her fight. It had destroyed her in more ways than even Malik could understand. Killing a man had squashed her spirit.
“Mollie, we could avenge everything,” Malik pleaded one last time.
Mollie didn’t reply, she turned her back to him.
“Malik, let us gather our things and get back out onto the road. We can still make it a few miles before nightfall,” Abrie said.
“We can’t even leave Habre.”
Guinn laughed. “If Abrie has a mind to leave, it would take all of Queen Taharris’ army to stop him from doing so.”
“What does that mean?”
Malik wondered if that would become his favorite phrase.
“To the mules,” Abrie replied.
Guinn walked them to the door of his home. Outside, the mules were still where Malik had left them, tied to the post. Malik grabbed their tethers, pulling the two animals free. Then he turned to walk beside Mollie. She continued to pretend like he wasn’t there. He said nothing. They would follow Abrie to wherever he guided them. Then life would return to normal. Malik would forever be nothing more than a sad, regretful, bard.
Chapter 12
Monster
Guinn had been right. Abrie navigated them right out of Habre. Not a single guard even looked up from their perch. Abrie guided them through the weaving check-ins around the guard towers and then right out to the traveling paths. Not one alarm sounded, not a single yell echoed, and before Malik knew it, they walked back to Bently’s Kingdom as if they had never even left.
Abrie didn’t let them stop until they reached the border. Once they were on the other side, Abrie permitted them to set up a small camp, but refused to let them start a fire. Malik thanked the Saints that it wasn’t cool outside. Not that it would have mattered to Abrie. Once he decided to do something, nothing would work to change his mind.
Malik unburdened the mules while Mollie set to making the pallets. Abrie grabbed a book from his satchel, before lighting a small candle to read by. He would say nothing more about their trip to see his old friend, or the Tempre Warriors. Silence would hang until morning. Mollie and Abrie seemed rather content to keep it that way. Malik had a hard time not yelling at them both. He had not felt such emotion since the night his family had died. It felt like something had been ripped out from under him. Something he could not defend on his own. He hunkered down, curled into a ball, and pretended that nothing mattered.
It should have been easy enough. It was what he had been doing since he had first met Abrie; just tucking his head, closing his eyes, shutting his mouth, and keeping his thoughts to himself. He wished it could have been different. Silly thoughts had filled his head, making him think it could have been different this time. However, he had always known in the back of his head. Nothing would change. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever.
Malik took the last crate off Sally, putting it down. Malik was too unmotivated to brush the mules. Abrie preoccupied himself and wouldn’t notice. They would live without a night’s brushing. Malik turned to walk away; Callie brayed at him.
“Brush the mules,” Abrie said, not bothering to look up from his book.
Malik sighed. “Callie, I will push you off a ledge someday.”
Malik grabbed the brush, finishing his portion of the chores. He bristled at the day’s events, getting the hardest chore again didn’t help.
Malik ran the brush over Callie’s hide. She brayed as if it were the greatest thing to happen ever. Malik wished someone else would do the brushing. He wished he could curl up, close his eyes, and fall into sweet blissful sleep. Instead, he brushed, listening to Callie, annoyed that he was there.
After Callie, he switched to Sally and rubbed her down. Sally was quiet, and although he still didn’t want to brush her, at least she gave him that. Malik put the brush into the crate when he heard something off in the distance. He looked back over his shoulder to see if Mollie or Abrie had moved. Abrie still read but Malik could tell he had paused. Mollie finished with the pallets, staring up into the night sky. Malik did not move, listening for another noise. When he did not hear one, he moved toward Mollie. Maybe he could still convince her to follow him to Blithe. Or at least, maybe he could convince her to talk Abrie into guiding them to Queen Taharris.
Malik was about to sit down when he heard the noise a second time. This time it was loud enough to bring Mollie from her daze. Malik strained his eyes, looking off into the pitch-black. Seeing nothing, he looked to Abrie. Abrie had put down his book, not bothering to save the page. Abrie leaned forward, pulling his lyre case closer to him. Malik’s heart jumped. If Abrie reached for his lyre case, then he expected something more than a raccoon or opossum.
“What is it?”
Abrie waved his question off, pulling his finger to his lips to hush Malik. Malik took the cue. This was one of those times that Malik didn’t want to argue.
All was quiet for over a minute. Malik figured that it had been some animal wandering around for food. Once they had picked up the scent of humans, they had turned around in search of easier prey.
Abrie did not seem to think so. He unclasped the latches on his case, flipping it open to reveal the unstrung bow.
“Go grab your bow.” He waved to Malik.
Malik looked back out into the black. There was nothing out there that he could see but he could not see far. He wondered again if Abrie had better night vision than he did. He looked to Mollie who looked as confused as he was.
“Mollie, you should grab your sword too.”
Mollie didn’t move to answer his order. She hesitated to touch her sword again in real combat. She had tested her mettle against Abrie since the night at Minnow’s Creek, but any talk of real combat made her freeze in fear.
Malik stood, walking over to his smaller bow’s case. He flipped the latches, hoping that he would not have to use it. He was ready to grab it up when he heard the third noise. This time it sounded like it was right on him. He could almost feel the vibration as it ran chills across his spine. His flesh rose in goosebumps and before he could look up, he heard the roar that sent him stumbling backward.
Malik screamed, loud and terror filled. He crawled back on his hands and knees. He could see the outline of something. It was
gigantic, bigger than its nine-foot friend from before. This creature moved from the shadows. It was deep black with white slashes across its chest and thighs. It towered like a walking tree. Malik wished he had at least grabbed his bow, but in his fear, he had left it behind. Now, the monster stood over his case. The second roar was communication to Malik that he would be the first to die. The monster looked ready to lunge when Abrie shot it with the first arrow. No signs of anguish or pain flashed across the monster’s face.
Its claws reached up, yanking the wooden shaft from its shoulder. The wood snapped like a twig, falling to the ground. This beast would not be as easy a kill as its friend. Malik scooted back farther, creating distance between them.
“What are we going to do?”
No one answered. No one said a thing. A second arrow struck home in the monster’s belly. It screamed out in pain but didn’t slow. A third arrow landed inside the creature’s guts. Malik hoped that it would fall from the wounds, but the creature swiped, and two arrows fell to the ground.
The creature bled a dark black ichor. It did not seem to affect the creature beyond that. Abrie let fly a fourth and then a fifth arrow. Both hit near the open wound, but one bounced off, having hit a bone. The other drove deep into the creature’s skin but only angered him. The monster kicked over the supply crates as he moved forward. He grabbed one throwing it toward Abrie. Abrie ducked to the side, almost dropping his bow. With some luck, he was able to keep hold of it. Abrie shot a sixth arrow into the beast, hitting it just above the knee. The creature growled, echoing into the night.
So far, the arrows had only angered the creature. It was far stronger than the other of its kind. Malik tried to stand but his legs wouldn’t obey his request. He wondered if he could make it to his bow without the creature realizing, but his legs felt like they stuck in sticky mud.
Malik looked over his shoulder. Abrie fished out more arrows from his case. He couldn’t find Mollie. She had been behind him, but she was gone now. She wouldn’t have run, or at least Malik didn’t think she would have. However, since she had killed that man, she wasn’t the same. The old Mollie would have stayed to fight. He had seen her fight these creatures alone. Would this Mollie run away? Had she gone to hide in the darkness? Malik wasn’t sure if he was mad at her. If he could walk, would he have run off into the night?
Abrie shot a seventh arrow into the monster’s stomach. The creature picked up another crate, throwing it again at Abrie. The monster didn’t have to worry about Malik. No one had to worry about Malik ever. Malik froze when the time came to do something.
The crate missed Abrie by about a foot, going over his head and breaking in the distance. If nothing else, this monster was going through their stores. Malik glanced over to Callie and Sally who were still rooted to their spot. Callie had lain down on the ground, digging her muzzle into the damp dirt. Sally turned away, pretending that none of this was happening.
Malik wondered again where Mollie had gone. He wanted to know how far she had made it. Would she be able to get away once Abrie and Malik were dead? He hoped she would be able to. He did not hold it against her.
Abrie shot another arrow at the same time the creature threw another crate. The two pieces of wood met in the air, the crate knocking the arrow aside, still moving through the air. Abrie couldn’t duck. He had moved but his body wasn’t fast enough to get out of the way. Abrie went down with a grunt. He was not dead, but the air had knocked from his lungs.
Malik figured this was it. He hoped the Saints would judge him fair. Malik wasn’t one to pray, but he hoped that the Saints would still have pity on him.
The creature made a few more steps forward, figuring it had won. Abrie no longer filled it with arrows, so it had nothing left to worry about. It could take its time dissecting Malik and then go after the fallen old man.
Malik pushed back a few more feet. He could only prolong this a bit longer. The creature knew this, as it reached him. It bent down almost taunting Malik.
Malik decided he at least wouldn’t cry before his death. Then he heard a scream. He expected it to be his own, his mind rebelling against his will, but it wasn’t his.
The creature had screamed a blood-curdling scream. Malik felt the black ichor hit him in the face. He held back the bile coming into his throat. The smell was atrocious.
Malik saw the glowing blue and purple blade sticking out of the creature’s midsection. Behind the monster stood Mollie, holding the sword her father had given her. The black ichor coated its metal and somehow it was even larger than it had been before. Even stranger than the size change, was the fact that it was brighter than the night’s stars.
The creature had enough time to look down at the protruding metal before it fell to its knees, dead. Mollie pulled the blade free. Standing there, in front of Malik, she looked like a saint. She was beautiful, her hair moved in the wind, and she glowed like the moon. Malik laughed. It was the only reaction that seemed right to him. He laughed until he could laugh no more. Then when he came to his senses, he ran over to check on the fallen Abrie.
Abrie was still alive but his leg swelled, and his knee looked black. Malik didn’t feel any breaks. Abrie could sit up with help.
“We lost most of our supplies.” Abrie said.
Always practical, Malik thought. Abrie had seen death moments before and all he cared about was making sure the supplies survived.
“We can replace those.”
Abrie shook his head. “I feel like maybe we should walk tonight.”
Malik wasn’t sure Abrie could go anywhere with that knee, but the older man proved him wrong by getting up. Abrie winced and let out some strange noises but he got to his feet. He looked over at the monster and then at Mollie. Mollie wiped her blade off on the ground, shoving it back into its protector on her back. Something about her had changed. She may not have been the old Mollie, but that look of determination was back in her eyes.
“Let’s get to the nearest town,” Abrie said.
Malik and Mollie grabbed the mules, heading off behind him.
“Where are we going?”
Abrie moved slow. His bad leg dragged behind him, making a line in the dirt.
“Just to the next town.”
Abrie was straining, Malik could hear it in his voice.
“How far is that? How far can you make it?”
Malik wasn’t sure Abrie would make it to the next town. He wasn’t sure he would make it another step but Abrie struggled on.
“Under ten miles.”
Malik knew that Abrie was stubborn. He knew that he would push himself to the brink, but at some point Abrie’s mind would lose to his body. He would fall and then what would they do?
“Why don’t you ride the mules?” Malik suggested. “Callie is already used to carrying supplies. We don’t have supplies, so she is unburdened.”
Abrie took a deep breath, pulling up. Abrie’s face was beet red from exertion. The monster may not have broken his bones, but Malik knew there was something wrong with Abrie’s knee.
“I don’t see that it could hurt,” Abrie agreed.
Malik knew the pain must be horrendous for Abrie to agree to his plan without a fight. Malik motioned Mollie over to help him hoist Abrie up onto Callie’s back. The mule did not balk at the weight. No one had ever ridden Callie before, but she didn’t hesitate to adjust herself, continuing.
Malik took over the lead. Abrie had said ten miles to the next town. All he had to do was follow the path. This one would lead them to a town or a village.
After helping, Mollie went to the back of the line. She followed at a distance behind Sally who brought up the rear. Abrie wasn’t in a talking mood, but he was alert. Malik kept his eyes peeled. He listened for any noise out of the ordinary. If another monster attacked them, there wasn’t any way they would survive. Abrie was in no condition to fill it with arrows as a distraction for Mollie. Malik knew that Mollie couldn’t beat the monsters alone. However, the first time her sword di
dn’t double in size or glow either.
There had been no time to ask her about the sword after the fight. Everything moved along so fast. He wanted to ask her now, but he knew that they needed to get shelter. Malik followed the path until they reached the first fork. There he read his options of towns. To the west was Seline and to the east was Lake Bridge. Malik had no way to tell which was farther away. He turned to get advice from Abrie but along the way the old man had fallen into a slumber or passed out from the pain.
“Mollie,” Malik called back, waiting for her to catch up to them.
“I don’t know either of them,” she answered when she was close enough for Malik to ask her.
“Well, then I guess we can’t make a wrong decision.”.
Malik preferred to head toward the east. Abrie wouldn’t be there to council him against it and Mollie tried her best to become a mute. He took the path toward Lake Bridge. Whatever was there would be enough to get Abrie some help and get them sheltered. Anywhere was better than out here with the creatures.
It was almost morning by the time the town came into view. What Malik had imagined as a fishing village off the lake, was nothing more than an abandoned mining town. Still, upon approaching it closer, Malik saw spots of campfires all across the area. He saw hundreds of men and women in armor walking along the old abandoned buildings.
Malik’s heart froze in mid-beat. This used to be a village or town where they could have found help. Now, it was nothing more than a stopping point for all the mercenaries from Opallum coming to fight for their chance to join the Tempre Warriors.
Chapter 13
Sweet Tongue
“We should avoid this place,” Mollie said. Malik agreed. There would be nothing here for them. No doctors, medicine, or help would come from these men and women.
“We can turn around and hope that Seline is better suited for our needs,” Malik said.
