The Last Heroes Before Judgement (19 page)

“Here you are master Swillian. No sugars, extra leafy.”

“Thank you so very much!”

“Speaking through your teeth is no better. Most men would much rather you speak plainly, especially busy leaders.”

I let his words die in the fire. The tea was very strong indeed and I had to clear my throat several times from swallowing the bulk of the leaves. Ambassador Crow was very wise. I suspected he kept Slip around as a constant reminder of the obstinate nature of lesser men, and for practice.

“Take, for instance, the mercenaries three. When you first met, was there not a brawl?”

“Most ashamedly so Master Crow. It was their own fault, but I did throw the first punch.”

“Once the boundaries were set, they were immediately disputed over. And yet, after the fray, they show you respect.”

“Only begrudgingly though sir. I have food, they are hungry. For barbarians and for brutes, life is just that simple.”

“That is precisely what I mean. Nations form alliances in the same way, out of necessity. The Chron have our border, and we want it. We say it is to ensure the safety of us all, they say they will keep it safe in our stead. Therefore, we have no reason to fight them, and they have no reason join us.”

Major Swiftblade’s light snoring was temporarily interrupted by his choking back a laugh. I was rendered speechless. I finished my tea in one last gulp and clapped at the man’s brilliance. Slip did the same and Ambassador Crow even took a bow. It was obvious why most men shied away from his flowery speeches but I could not have imagined a better representative of those very freedoms for which our Unified Nations once stood.

“Here you are son, for the labor.”

Master Crow offered me a tip of one copper piece. I pushed it away.

“No sir, I couldn’t.”

“There’s no shame in it.”

“No-no, it was an honor to serve such a wise bringer of peace.”

“You must accept my gift to bring peace to my spirit.”

“Please, give it to the Chron instead. Make a contribution in my honor.”

“Ah, such wisdom trapped in such a young body. You have been blessed by the goddess herself, most assuredly.”

Slip was not so sweet about leaving all the dishes for me as he quite unceremoniously chased after the warmth of his master’s boxed wagon. The truth was, I would have gladly used that coin to gain entrance to the Bully. However, given my propensity towards falling off cliffs, I would have only lost the thing. Ambassador Crow was very kind, so, when I finished cleaning off his dishes, I also dried them, buffed them, and returned them to their proper place inside the chest.

The mercenaries revealed their own expensive property when they were ready to bed down. They had split the cost of a furry elephant pelt. The thing was so massive they draped it over their entire cart to cover them all. I secretly hoped the wind would blow it away in the night. The fire did a good job of melting the ice around it, but that meant I was sleeping on soaking wet grass.

I did not even bother to wake Major Swiftblade for my bed roll. Instead, I piled all the remaining scraps of wood onto the fire. The shell that had once been big enough for both Kru and myself was quickly becoming too small to cover the width of my shoulders. All told, I was angry and lonely and freezing. If not for the tea, I would not have slept one wink.

Thanks to Ambassador Crow, we had fish on our third night. The road crossed paths with a shallow inland fjord. Each cart had to be aided across by our hands, so we stopped there when finished. Pink Pointers were spawning up river with such force the steeds were spooked by the slimy army pecking at their feet with hardened beaks. Shale and his men found it impossible to catch a single one, but the Crow was able to make use of their efforts.

“Excellent team work gentlemen. Did you see it? Only once you had scared them into my hands was I able to grab hold.”

“Yes sir. That was the plan indeed.”

The more Ambassador Crow spoke about peace and cooperation, the more eyes were rolled around in response. Though he was never disrespected, none of the men at arms felt the call to peace. We were surrounded by the untamed wild and spring was finally heating up. Everyone but the sainted emissary was on edge, waiting for the monsters to wake from their slumber and venture out in search of food. Major Swiftblade had even allowed me to ride on his mount, and Eso did not seem to mind my pat-downs and constant supply of compliments. However, he only did so to nap in the day. He wanted to be well rested in case of an attack in the night. He was laying there, hands crossed into the opposite sleeve, trying his best to sleep, when the gods sent their next test.

“Master, wake up. There’s someone ahead on the road.”

“Are they armed? Trample them. If not, keep moving.”

“Sorry sir. Master Crow is calling a stop.”

“Why?”

“Sir, it’s just a little girl. By the light of day! She’s covered in blood.”

The Swiftblade jumped up straight without being bothered by the slowing pace. He shook the sleep out of his eyes, leapt from the cart, and ran to her. After the thundering of hooves had lessened to a dull trot, I could hear her shrieking and crying all the way from the rear of the convoy. Ambassador Crow was fluent in her peoples’ tongue, but asking her what had happened forced her to relive the events. With a final wale, the girl’s rough gasping stopped, and she fell in limp in the Swiftblade’s arms. They rushed her into the boxed wagon and Shale called his men to scout the surrounding area.

“Let’s go Swillian. We don’t know what’s out here, I want teams of two.”

“Slip, stay alert. If you see anything, call it out to us.”

“Johnny, take the lad. I want you’s up that rock and scanning the valley until you are relieved.”

“Yes sir. Little one, you best not move like a turtle.”

Johnny and I raced southwest towards the only nearby landmark, another of those giant stones that could have only been left there by a runaway bit of the glacier. The largest boulder was big enough to hold New Lantya, and it had gathered a small mountain around it over time. Johnny hit the slope with a speed that left me eating his dust.

“Wait, it could be a trap!”

Reasoning with a mercenary was pointless. I could have argued with him all day about the many mistakes he was carelessly making. The rocks he hopped to get across a wide expanse was home to many snakes. He angered them into poking their heads out, so I went the long way around. Johnny rushed into the sapling tree line without checking for a single trap and thus, he set one off. Rocks carved into globes rolled down onto the path and, if not for the curvature of my shell, I would have been crushed. The fool even let out a war cry as he took the summit, then he fell silent. I slowly peeked my head over the crest, hiding in a pile of leaves like a professional.

“Dammit Johnny, you could have called back the all clear.”

“It aint all clear up here sonny. Someone’s been living about this cave.”

The raised plateau was indeed covered in tracks, only, not of the sort made by men. Johnny was standing in the center of a dining area, staring into the small cave opening. He brandished his sword and stepped to it lightly. He smacked the flat face of the sword across the threshold, filling the chasm with a metallic ring. H did so again, verifying the lack of living inhabitants.

“Careful, smells like blood.”

“Yea, and lots of it. Don’t hear nothin’ though.”

“Well, someone set that trap. With the amount of birds that shot into the air, wherever they are, they know we’re here.”

A dense canopy of green spread across the entire valley. It was a truly beautiful sight to behold. It was also terrifying to know that our enemy could have been anywhere, watching our every move. Even with the lengthening daylight hours of spring, the forest would go dark before long. My instincts told me to run while we still had the chance. I decided that it was just the adrenaline rush demanding action of any kind.

“I know, we need light. I’ll go,-”

“What? Go, and then what?”

Major Swiftblade was already approaching on the trail wearing full battle dress. His gauntlets poked out from underneath his robed arms, and the girl was in Ambassador Crow’s arms. Shale was behind them carrying a lighting globe. The cave was about to be cleared in time to retreat back to the sunlight if need be. And, the smile on Shale’s face told me they had already decided to send me in first.

“Well mate, looks like, since you’re the only one wearing armor and all…”

“Yes Johnny, I already know. At least I’m not afraid of the dark.”

“Ha! Not yet you aint.”

Johnny slid his sword back in the scabbard and sat down on a stone. He looked at me with fear in his eyes, shaking his head anxiously.

“You will be.”

“What did she say?”

“A fairy tale about the bears having a civil war at tea time.”

“You cannot be serious.”

Major Swiftblade was serious. Whatever else the girl had said was not for me to know. Someone had to verify the truth no matter what. He even gifted me with his protective mask.

“And the falcon is away. Come, come Matthius. You must be careful but also quick. When her tribe comes to claim her we must have a better story than simply finding her on the road in this condition. And she is Sheek-tee so they are likely to come in force.”

Ambassador Crow handed me the lighting globe from his supply. The little girl was still hanging on to his neck for dear life. She paid no mind to our words, likely because she did not understand them. Everyone else was silent as well, waiting for me to enter the cave like a brave young lad. Clarence and Slip were the only ones still at the convoy. Major Swiftblade and Shale were guarding either side of the opening right at where the sunlight ended.

“Let’s go boy, quit stalling.”

“I will, it’s just, I want. Wait.”

“Running out of daylight.”

The last thing I wanted to do was drown face-down in a pool of blood, so I took the shell off my back. The mask fit better over my face and the shell made a perfect shield. I could not believe I had even pondered crawling in there like a turtle.

“As I was saying, Johnny clearly does not need his sword.”

“Aint no way I’m giving you my sword boy-o. You’ve already gone and cracked your head one too many times.”

“Here, take this rusty stick.”

Shale tossed me his blade. He motioned for Johnny to take his place guarding the entrance and went to sit down with a relaxing groan. I poked the plain sword through the lighting globe’s handle and hung it over my shell as Lieutenant Frostborn had done. There were many a nod at the impressive contraption, but, there was no more reason to stall.

“I’m going in. Johnny, you tap on the rock again ten good times. If someone’s in there, they will try to move under the cover of noise, only to have it suddenly stop.”

“Right sonny. Just uh…”

“I’ll keep count ya dunce. Let’s go already.”

I lit the globe and gave Johnny the nod, stepping forward in pace with each piercing metallic ring. Nothing stirred deeper in the cave and there were few tracks on the floor. The initial entrance circled down and around into the huge boulders that formed the odd mountain. Most of the construction was formed naturally by gaps so that the walls were uneven. Luckily, Johnny lost count and let the twelfth bang ring out just in time to cover the pounding of my boot slamming the bottom of the door jam. I did not even realize there was a door because it had been ripped off the hinges. Pieces of it were floating in the pool of blood in the small anteroom just before the dwelling. The table and chairs and ash paintings on the walls had all been smeared in blood. A play tea set carved from wood was still set out and two stuffed bear toys sat on the chairs. The stuffing was pulled out and coated in blood where their heads and paws had been cut off. I took a deep breath and leapt into the small den. The scene inside was even more horrific. Although there was no threat, I ran out of the cave like a mad man.

“What’s following?”

I could not answer immediately as my mouth was filled with vomit. I emptied the previous months’ worth of food over the plateau before I could muster the will to stand.

“All clear. It’s all clear.”

“Well, what’s the problem?”

I was still spitting furiously. Shale got his sword back and I put the globe in Major Swiftblade’s open hand. He was asking for his mask, but, gladly took both and went in to see for himself.

“Bloody massacre, just like she said. Two bear cubs and a little boy torn to shreds.”

“I need to get back to the convoy now that we have confirmation. There’s something she needs first. Can you go and find her mother’s hair tie? I know it sounds silly but it was hand sown.”

“Yes sir. I will…”

Thankfully, while I was breathing in the fresh air in preparation, Major Swiftblade returned with the brilliant white handkerchief. The little girl snatched it up and began sobbing some more but he also draped her brother’s bear pendant necklace over her head. Ambassador Crow made her hold onto it and act strong. They made their way back to the convoy, guarded by Shale and Johnny. Unfortunately for myself, Major Swiftblade wanted the both of us to go back down and poke around for clues.

“It’s not necessary sir. I can tell you exactly what happened from here.”

“You can tell me while you show me.”

He pushed me in first and even hid the light as punishment. I tried to count the steps but did not start from the same spot. Just as I was about to count thirteen out loud, my boot slammed into the door frame again and I bit my tongue. Major Swiftblade pushed me across the threshold and stood in the center of the small den, elevating the globe to light the murder scene more clearly than I had done myself.

“You know these lands better than I. You have mere moments to identify the ones responsible. The Sheek-tee will want blood.”

“Yes sir, I understand. Just…a moment.”

We had played guards and thieves many times in Ulfbar. I so loved playing the Sheriff’s favored detective. But now, all the clues were truly coincidental and the bodies had left real blood.

“Sheriff Swiftblade, honorable members of the Queen’s detective services.”

I had to slap myself to regain focus. At first, the words came out rushed, but I knew there was no speeding through this game for a nap.

“What do you see, Matthius the Snoop?”

“Firstly, you should see that our crime scene is incomplete. Only one human body.”

“Your witness claims, Father never returned from the hunt yesterday. Only she escaped the evil underBears.”

“Interesting, this tells us they took Mother prisoner, further evidence the perpetrators were men.”

“I knew that. A wild beast does not skin its prey.”

“Yes, but what sort of a man? You see, the cubs have had their paws and heads removed. This tells us we are dealing with wild men, likely bear-kin. They must have worn similar adornments while on the war path. Hence the notion of a civil war.”

“I see. Father hunts on their contested territory and is followed home.”

“And we will likely find most of his body in the surrounding area.”

“But where? I saw no trail of blood. And they parted these cubs for organs.”

He was leading my line of inquiry, always one step ahead. All I could do was nod and hope it came to me, but he quickly lost his patience.

“Boy, what am I saying? Where is the trail of blood?”

“Sir, I don’t know. I thought I could help, but-”

“Look past the door. What do you see?”

“There is no door sir.”

“Then where is it?”

“I don’t know. There a bits of it everywhere-”

“No, not everywhere. Where is the door?”

“I don’t know. Look there, and most is floating in this pool of blood. And these monsters made the bears out here look the same. It was a total massacre that no one saw coming.”

“Matthius, look at me. Why is most of the door floating around out there?”

Major Swiftblade was already at the finish line and still coaxing me across. I knew he was after a predetermined answer but forcing me to reach the same conclusion would not have verified his own. I looked all around the small den but saw no other way in.

“Sir, it can’t be. There is no way-”

“What are you suggesting?”

“You are saying the door was broken out from the inside?”

“Yes, exactly. So?”

“So there is another way in we have yet to find.”

He nodded and raised a brow, so I continued.

“And it was small enough these cubs could run freely to their mother’s den and back.”

Only one small room extended off the main, and it was used to house their food and bed. Seeing the food all in its place was the worst, as it further suggested we were dealing with cannibals. The innocent little bear corpses were blocking the entrance to the inner chamber the whole time. There was not enough room to crawl into it while still in the safety of my shell. Not even the lighting globe made me feel any safer. I slid around in all the blood as much as I crawled, carefully headed down the narrow pass. As much as I had tried to avoid doing so, I slipped down the rest of the way, and landed in a very deep pool of blood. I was coughing and screaming and if the globe did not float I would have died of fright. The sun shone through a few too many holes in the far wall and the rays formed the outline of a rear entrance.

“Major Swiftblade, there’s another way around. Hello?”

He made no call back. The place was all quiet except for the pounding of my heart.

“Major Swiftblade! Hello? I found the exit! Down here! Don’t leave me!”

The boulders that had been stacked up to block the path began to fall away. I forgot to breathe until the Swiftblade poked his head into the opening.

“You took too long. I-I…”

As he ripped the stones out of the way, more and more of the bear’s den came into view. I had managed to find a stone big enough to squat on out of the mess, but my boots were already filled with bear’s blood. My hair was soaked. The taste of it was in my mouth.

“And we have the body of Father. This is clearly where they did the butchering.”

“But why? Why down here in the pit of despair?”

“To keep the bed from getting too messy too soon. From what I could see, they kept that girl’s mother alive for themselves.”

Major Swiftblade was gauging the size and shape of the blades by the cuts they made. I couldn’t look at it any more. I turned away in horror. When I did, the sun itself went out.

“No troubles. Put down the bow. We come in peace. You see? I am unarmed.”

A giant man had blocked the door way. What the shadow showed to be horns turned out to be a cluster of feathers from the striped flume of a raptor. Such adornments meant that he was a leader of the Sheek-tee. He had every right to suspect us of being involved in the massacre, but, as I turned to him, his face changed. All he saw was one more scared child, shaking from the horror of being drenched in blood.