Springing over thirty feet in the air, a Yularian snake flipped through the air in an acrobatic sequence of moves before splashing back into the lake. The aquatic Ov’Unday species had been entertaining the travelers during their feast as locals enjoyed getting to know the Nums, as well as Ericc and Grewen.
Several of the agile winged sea snakes coiled around Gluic, as she stood up to her waist in the lake. Yularians covered her and flapped their brightly colored wings as the elder Num reached out with her arms.
Brimmelle sniffed at the food with hesitation. If it weren’t for his stomach growling, he would most definitely have passed on the odd-looking fruits and vegetables. “Mother, stay away from those creatures. Who knows what they are capable of?”
Avanda cracked opened a nut to find sweet tasting berries inside. “This is amazing.” She had to try a taste of everything available, while stuffing several of her favorites in her pouches for later.
Ericc bit into a sour melon, and spit it out. “I can’t eat this.”
Thorik handed him a stock of a local vegetable. “Try these. They have a spicy bite to them, but very enjoyable.”
Tasting it, Ericc found it to be true. “Why are you doing this?”
“Doing what?” Thorik replied.
“You risked your life to warn me in the Southwind mines, and then again in Corrock. What do you owe me?”
“You, nothing. I made a promise to your father to protect you from Darkmere.”
“Why?”
“Because of what happened. His death.”
“If Darkmere killed my father, why do you have a debt to him?”
Thorik squirmed slightly. “Darkmere didn’t actually kill your father, directly...”
“How do you kill someone indirectly?”
“Ericc, your father and I were deceived by one of his minions and baited into his trap. Once we met him in combat at Weirfortus, the dam broke and Darkmere escaped, knowing Ambrosius would do the right thing and try to hold back the waters from the dam’s reservoir. In doing that, your father prevented a flood from destroying the kingdom.”
“I don’t understand. Holding back the water wouldn’t have killed him, only letting go and being crushed by it would. But then the flood would have occurred.”
“Not if the reservoir doors were shut to prevent it.”
“How was he able to close them while holding back the water?”
“He wasn’t.” Thorik rubbed his strained eyes as her recalled the event. “I was responsible for closing the door behind him.”
“You trapped him in?”
“Yes.”
“You killed my father.”
“No, it’s not like that.”
“And now you feel by protecting me it resolves your transgression.”
“You don’t know what happened. You weren’t there.”
“If I had been there, I would have helped my father out instead of letting him die so you could survive.”
“Ericc! Stop it. I loved Ambrosius as though he was my own father. He believed in me. He trusted me. I would have done anything to save him. But I couldn’t. It destroyed me to close those doors. When he asked me to protect you from being sacrificed, I gave my word and I mean to live up to it.”
Ericc absorbed Thorik’s words. “I don’t know what to say.” Standing up from the group, he began to walk toward the lake, but stopped and turned back for a few last statements. “Thorik, I envy you. You lived my life. My father treated you as his own son; you traveled together and fought together. He praised you and taught you, and in the end he asked you to take his life to save others. I wasn’t a part of any of it, the joys, the sorrows, the victories, the failures. I have no memories of my father like you do. I missed it all.”
Turning, Ericc walked out by Gluic who was now covered with Yularian snakes, all flapping so hard that she had been lifted up several feet above the water’s surface.
“Feed me,” bellowed Santorray from the side, still strapped to the makeshift litter.
The order went unanswered again for the fourth time, but the Blothrud was not going to lower his voice and ask nicely, regardless how hungry he was.
Before he ordered food for a fifth time, he noticed a commotion among the Ov’Unday. Something was wrong.
A strong low drum beat pounded away, stopped, and then pounded again. It was their warning drum. An announcement to take cover for some, a call to arms for others.
The Ov’Unday grabbed nets and rudimentary defensive weapons and raced for the edge of the village.
Santorray stretched his neck around to see what was happening. “They tracked us here.”
Thorik looked at the first set of hills waiting to see what would come over. “Who?”
Grewen watched as well. “Whoever won the battle which we escaped from.”
A mass of figures appeared at the hill’s crest, as the army approached the village.
Waiting for a signal, the first line of attackers finally launched forward after a blaring howl was heard from behind them.
Racing down the hill, Brandercats and giant hogs were followed by a line of Krupes.
The Ov’Unday stood steady, wasting no energy on rushing toward them. Conserving everything they could until it was required.
The Del’Unday front line reached their victims.
Mognin’s tossed out nets to capture Brandercats, while grappling with the hogs as they hit their defensive lines. In spite of their size and strength, the Mognins couldn’t contain them all. Several broke through and headed for the village, intending to create disaster.
The line of Ov’Unday was now broken as many chased the Del’Unday down, and others held the captive Dels at bay.
By this point, the Krupes had a military line up ready for attack. A second howl was called out, summoning the first line of attackers to return to their posts. Those not restrained by the Ovs did just that.
Bellfor stepped forward to discuss the Ov’Unday’s surrender.
Coova slowly approached the halfway point to meet the Blothrud in hopes of determining how to avoid a bloodbath.
Even from a distance, Santorray could see the talk was not going well. “Cut me free. I can stop this,” he said to Thorik.
“How?” the Num asked.
“Don’t ask questions, just free me.”
Grewen shook his head at Thorik and Santorray. “Allow the Ov’Unday to take care of this in our own way.” He then headed over to stand with his people.
The leader from the Ov’Unday returned to his council of leaders. “They want Ambrosius’ son,” Coova informed his council.
A Clupper shook his head. “We granted him sanctuary.”
“He has resident rights. Trewek promises protection,” said a Mognin.
Coova listened to their comments. “They will attack if we refuse.”
“They most likely will attack after we give them what they want.”
“That would be characteristic of them,” Coova agreed.
“We easily outnumber them ten to one.”
Looking at the huts and families that lived in them, Coova sighed. “Even at those odds, we will lose family members. Are you willing to risk losing your wife or child over this boy we don’t even know?”
The discussion continued among the leaders as Santorray argued with Thorik over his own freedom.
Thorik finally gave in and pulled out a dagger to cut through the straps, but then stopped himself before doing so. “These are not your people, you told me yourself that you’re not Corrockian.”
“I’m not, but I have a better chance of stopping a battle than these mogs and Gathlers.”
They watched as Coova returned to Bellfor and signaled there would be no deal.
A sigh of relief came from Thorik until he saw Bellfor decapitate the Gathler for refusing his offer. Coova’s body fell to the ground.
The Ov’Undays gasped at the atrocity, as well did Thorik and his family pod.
It was now the responsibility of the second
in command to walk up to Bellfor and answer his offer. A Clupper stepped forward on all four of its hooves. His large tusks could be used as weapons if need be.
“The offer has now changed,” Bellfor told the Clupper. “The boy must accompany a dozen of your adult males. My troops crave fresh meat.”
Appalled, the Clupper snorted loudly. “We will not give into your demands. Any attempt on my life or any of our people will be the end of these negotiations. You know as well as I do that your army is too small to take us on.”
“We’ll see about that.” Bellfor raised his sword to strike, only to stop at the sight of the creature behind the Clupper. He struggled to understand what he was seeing. A Blothrud was entering the open land from the Ov’Unday side.
Thorik had cut Santorray free of his restraints without receiving permission. The Num could not stand by and see the slaughter continue. He needed to trust Santorray to resolve this.
Dealing with the severe pain of his wounds, Santorray tightened his jaw as he put on a façade of being fully healed. Strutting up to the Clupper, he patted the Ov’Unday on the back. “I’ll take it from here. Go back to your people.”
Hesitating, the Clupper eventually trusted Santorray and backed off, returning to the other leaders. He didn’t see how it could hurt their efforts to allow the two Blothruds to talk.
Bellfor spit on the ground near Santorray’s feet. “What kind of Fesh are you, a Blothrud living among the Ov’Unday?”
Stepping on the ground where the saliva landed, Santorray kicked the ground to cause dust to fly. “You question me? You will not address me until I ask you to.”
Infuriated at Santorray’s condescending tone, Bellfor swung his weapon hard, only to be stopped by two sabers. “How dare you talk to me in such a manner. I am Bellfor, champion of Corrock.” A second swipe of his weapon was stopped as well.
Santorray blocked two more quick blows before speaking. “Does Corrock no longer follow Ergrauth?”
“Damn those who speak Ergrauth’s name while standing with his enemies. Corrock will defend him to our death and after.”
Santorray’s defensive moves to block the relentless attacks caused his wounds to open and begin to bleed. The pain was overpowering as he fought to appear in control. “Then back down and heed my command. I am a messenger of his voice.”
“You’re a lying Fesh with no honor.”
Ripping off the bandages from his shoulder, Santorray exposed an open wound next to a symbol branded deep into his red skin.
Bellfor was stunned at the marking, holding his sword firm against Santorray’s sabers instead of placing another attack. “You are an Ergrauthian Elite? What would one of our lord’s supreme defenders be doing in these parts?”
“To question me is to question Ergrauth himself.”
Bellfor pulled back and listened as he eyed the mark. If it were truly an Elite, his words would demand authority. Anyone caught impersonating an Elite would be sentenced to an eternity of shame and torture in Ergrauth’s city.
Santorray allowed Bellfor to get a long look at the branding on his shoulder. “I am here to take Ambrosius’ son to Surod to put an end to this prophecy once and for all.” He covered his wound up to stop the bleeding. “Your attack here is defying Ergrauth’s wishes and my plans to carry out my mission.”
Bellfor stayed silent and backed up a step. He realized the danger he put himself into by striking an Elite. It was a potential death sentence.
Santorray stepped up to Bellfor. “Listen closely. I will have the Ovs release our people, then you will return to Corrock to put your efforts into rebuilding that pathetic city into something that is grand, something we are proud to call ours, like it once was. Do you understand my orders?”
Arms at his side, Bellfor nodded. “Yes, Elite. But what shall I tell Darkmere when he arrives?”
“Tell him to meet Santorray in Surod at the Eve of Light.”
Chapter 34
Family