The Last Heroes Before Judgement (39 page)

Four days crawled past my eyes. No sun, only cold rain and grey skies. The count ended at fifty one. The Lady Dooza assured me that no more rams would be migrating south this season, according to the spirits. I was grateful, for each sacrifice cost us dearly. Operating the dilapidated cremation machine took a full charge from the cartridge. By the end, there were none remaining. I spent the fifth day cleaning the cannon and the cart. The rain water helped to wash away the blood, and make the faded stains grow wider.

“Soon, you will have to burn the cart as well.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Aw, why so sad?”

“Just, still waiting for that final test is all.”

“Oh? Have you spent all day on the ground?”

“What?”

Dooza walked away humming so I gave chase. On the third tier, she gestured to the east. The convoy Major Swiftblade had left to guard over was approaching, and had been in view all day.

“Why did you not tell me? I have to shave and scrub my shells.”

“Just thought you would have felt him by now?”

“The Swiftblade does not use the hilt in that way.”

“What hilt? Dogs do not wear hilts.”

“Kru?”

She had no idea what she had done. There was no more time to clean. I focused hard enough to see Kru on the ground. He was sniffing at the piles of waste on the road, and then, his tiny image disappeared behind a wall of tears. I leapt from the cliff, sliding down the vertical rock face faster than I ever dared to do before. Landing hurt my ankles, and still, I did not bother to slow. I ran east on the road, the fastest my legs had ever moved. Dooza was calling from behind, the Swiftblade calling from up ahead. Despite his small legs, Kru blew past Eso.

“Kru- you remember me!”

The tiny pup had grown up, and his voice knew only how to bark like a real dog. It took us nearly an hour to reach one another. When I was finally close enough, he jumped up into my arms. I landed on my back. Kru was so excited that he whined while licking my face. I pet him behind the ears and down the length of his back. Even full grown, Kru was just as slight and agile. Standing, his back rose no higher than my knees. Standing on top of me, due to his short length, his paws were heavy on my chest and digging into my groin.

“You didn’t get that big. You’re gonna be a puppy forever, aren’t you boy? Yes, who’s a good boy? I missed you too.”

“Did you leave my weapon unguarded?”

“Sir.”

I had to struggle with Kru to stand. He was clawing at my side for more attention as I handed Major Swiftblade the key to his quarters.

“The Drakkah is cleaned and locked up. We are, however, completely out of ammunition.”

“Yes, for now.”

“To whom do I owe this honor? Is that the Princess?”

I tilted my head back down the road. He had rode Eso ahead and the boxed wagon approaching was the same upgraded model lent out to Ambassador Crow. Though, there were no mercenaries present. The Royal Guard, wearing full plate armor, drove the wagon.

“Worse, that noisy little Bahgeshi boy grew up and now he will never stop with that pirate voice.”

“Senjay? Senjay!”

“Yes, and your favorite little. Kru cannot ride with the tiny man, so start walking back now or you’ll be out here while we’re all eating dinner.”

“Yes sir.”

I saluted Major Swiftblade unnecessarily. He shook his head and stifled a smile. Kru and I trotted on down the road alongside Eso. The pace was easy, too easy. When Bratley’s over protected wagon caught up, the convoy rushed past.

“Well then, since it’s just the two of us.”

I found a stick to throw for fetch. Thankfully, someone had taught Kru how much fun it was. We played and ran in circles all the way back. Senjay and Bratley were still waking up and stretching their legs. Kru ran to Bratley and sniffed him all over. I thought he had learned a bad habit but he was after the purse of dried fish eye snacks.

“He still likes fish eyes.”

“Matthius? You haven’t aged a day you little runt. Come here mate, let me look at you.”

“Look at this. I was wondering where Mother Moon was sending all her power.”

Hugging Senjay felt strange. We both, initially, moved to salute the other. He had shot up to be slightly taller than Major Swiftblade, and his muscles had finally swollen to catch up. I knew living closer to the sun made one taller. His suit of armor was richly made of tough gator skins, and he had long given up on wearing his shell. Bratley was doing his best to laugh it off, but Kru knocked him over the way he had been trained to do.

“Alright, get him off. Get him up, please.”

“Kip-kip.”

As ordered, Kru ran to Major Swiftblade’s side. Not even the battle hardened Monster Hunter could help his self. He dropped down and pet Kru for being a good boy.

“Now, to business.”

“What?”

“Matthius, you should know by now. You got your reunion. If anyone is watching, that is all they will see.”

“Ha! Who cares? What do you need me for?”

Senjay had clearly been used just as much. He put his hand on my shoulder and we both looked down on Bratley. He straightened his little clothes, extending his hand out towards the wagon. His guard had not yet dismounted. They were busy speaking to themselves in hushed tones.

“No, use Shale’s cart. You need the space and we have no further use for it.”

“Yes sir. Gentlemen, do be gentle.”

“No.”

Senjay kicked the wagon repeatedly, grinning much too wide. Someone stirred and moaned. Major Talon woke in a fury, punching the inside wall and yelling.

“What do you want?”

“Bertrada, I have a gift for you.”

“I don’t want it.”

Senjay put a finger to his lip so I knew not to laugh. She rolled her way out of the back space and opened the door whilst rolling her eyes.

“What? Charles!”

Kru howled from all her sudden movements. The Lady Bertrada flew from the wagon into the Swiftblade’s arms. They climbed the serpentine and properly enjoyed their vacations.

“I wanted to tell her this morning, but, she pulled the night watch.”

“Obviously, the beauty sleep worked in her favor. Does she always operate without clothes and leave her cannon behind.”

“Fortunately, yes.”

The joke convinced everyone to laugh, including the guards. Senjay winked up at them. At least one was a female. Fully grown and more confident than ever, his idea of charm was more brutish than mine. Bratley had us lift three humungous water jugs out of his wagon. They were empty and required a much thicker hand woven cover to protect from breaks. The Lantos were smart enough to provide straps with a tightening axle. Eso was not happy about being latched to Shale’s cart.

“Woah, be calm. No saddle, no bit. You’re a good boy too. Calm, be calm.”

“You have had no one else to speak to, have you?”

“Oh, no.”

“The absolute worst punishment for this one.”

“Bratley, you have no idea.”

“Oh yea, I made friends with a furry rhino and the frost wolves across the Sheek-tee valley. And the wild steeds, and Dooza’s blue clucks.”

“You see? He cannot handle isolation like this. You have driven him mad.”

“Sounds to me like he made do.”

“I did. I did. And not just with the Sheek-tee. I met the Chron, and the Lokah, and saw how the Seals train. Phenomenal, the way Zara-grast maintains the respect of those giants.”

“Ah, Zara-grast. So angry, so conniving. Let’s get to it before he shows up and ruins everything.”

“I knew it. We are after those damned creepers.”

“Yes. Our reconnaissance shows they make a final sweep of the shoreline in the angled light before sunset. So, we really must get going.”

“Will you ride in the cart with me? Eso guides his self anyway.”

“Come Kru.”

Bratley nodded and hopped in his wagon. At Senjay’s order, Kru ran up and leapt all the way into the rear of Shale’s cart. It felt very freeing to ride through the tunnel for a change. Catching up was a fun exchange of showing off scars and yelling curses over the loud thunder of hooves. Senjay had lived like a pirate in Guuwa- drinking and fighting and working the crowd. The Zonyans had come to accept both him and the union. Neither of us focused on the mission, as the truth remained hidden from us anyway. Still my best friend, he would never have mentioned my mark. I recounted the tale for him- just to avoid any awkward staring. The bastard, he had fought in the pits and won a horde of gold. Better, he had earned a title- the greatest treasure of all. The Zonyans and the Lantos agreed, the knockout king had returned.

“Senjay Stonefist? Oh my, can I have your autograph?”

I learned about the alligator style of grappling in the darkness. Senjay extended his arms and legs out long like the mouth of the great scaly reptile and clamped down on a single limb. The point of the move was to block the flow of blood through the arteries. True to the name, the move ended in a powerful death roll to snap the bone.

“My arm! I give up. Owie. Kru, no.”

Every time I was planted on my back at some odd angle, Kru would jump on my chest to hold me down. It was a fun game. We did not stop until the last rays of sunlight had crept into the tunnel.

“Almost to the end.”

“Where are we going?”

“The Frozen Chalice Sea. The tunnel lets out at the shoreline where the Seals train.”

“I thought there was too much salt for any creatures but bottom feeders and sharks.”

“Mostly, yes.”

“But, there are seals?”

“No. The Lokah train their Commandos here. Sergeant Zara-grast calls them Seals. You would like him. He is a little Lokah that shouts threats like Major Bloodaxe.”

The steeds slowed to a stop. Bratley’s guard let us know to stay on the road as they dropped down onto the slick rocks. Eso understood to turn and stop us looking back into the tunnel. Then he stomped to be released from his harness. As soon as he was, he ran along the sandy beach in search of a fresh water stream. The guards were confused because they did not know Eso.

“You let a horned steed run off? Are you mad?”

“Let yours out as well. Eso will bring him back after they drink and feed.”

“Do you have any idea how much gold- hey, stop that!”

“Settle down Sabrina. Take the boy at his word.”

“So, Sabrina is it?”

The female guard slammed her fist into the chest plate of her male counterpart. Apparently, she had been trying to keep her name out of Senjay’s mouth. Bratley walked sideways around the boxed wagon without so much as noticing the banter.

“Bratley, what do you see?”

“Oh? I’m sure it’s nothing. Let’s get to it. The traps are strapped to the roof.”

“Senjay, watch this.”

I poked Bratley to ensure he paid attention. Just a few quick paces to the front wheel, then I leapt up to the chest high crest. Planting a single toe for just a moment, I made the next leap to the roof with no hands. Senjay was so much taller, he scoffed at my running start. He blew a kiss at Sabrina and flipped back to tap the crest of the wheel from a standstill. With one hand, he threw his body up to me and we fell back in the center of the roof, barely missing both of the traps.

“Ha, nice try sweetness. Now, hurry it up. We are out in the open.”

“Agreed. It worries me. Please hurry.”

Bratley was not nearly as amused as we were. He was nearly shaking from staring into the forest, though I sensed and saw nothing.

“I swear, officers- they get younger every year. You two use those damned hilts to play circus freaks like some children.”

“It’s true. I was only seventeen spring melts. Can you believe it?”

“Ugh.”

The guards were responding to their charge’s worries appropriately. Senjay looked at me and rolled his eyes around. When we got the traps down, we pushed the boxed wagon back around next to the road. Senjay ordered Kru to guard the cart, to which he happily obliged. Bratley was trying so hard to feel his way through the world that it gave me pause.

“So, where are the creepers?”

“Creepers on land?”

“I don’t know. I can see nothing.”

“What is going on?”

“I do not know.”

He had his hands outstretched and his eyes squeezed shut. I carefully placed my hand on his shoulder and he jumped. I backed away and gestured towards the wagon.

“Would you like the high ground?”

“Yes.”

Bratley took a deep breath, struggling to calm his mind. Senjay just looked confused, shrugging and holding up his hands. I gave the little Lantos a boost on top of the boxed wagon. He too flipped back with an expert use of the hilt, and stood to continue scanning outward, all with his eyes shut.

“There’s nothing more we can do for him. Come, let us prepare these traps.”

“We are hunting Creepers? What exactly is this all about?”

“Ha! I forgot to tell you about that first week. We set out from the west gate in a convoy of three. That cart there belonged to Shale and his mercenaries. You know how the White Coal are, they had spent their entire advance and did not even bother with supplies...”

Senjay was enthralled by the tale that never ended. He was so engaged that I kept speaking and growling and slashing without interruption. We gathered clams and small sand bugs for a while. Then we smashed them all over the boxed crab cages. Once the creepers made it inside, the door would be forced shut and not open until we untied the trip line. They were both tied off and ready to drop in before Bratley finished reaching out with his mind.

“If the Creepers smell blood, they will come. I mean, if they are here, they will come.”

“To the breaks, all hands.”

Senjay and I raced to the knee high levels where our feet would still be protected by the boots. The tide was coming in early because Mother Moon was already fading into view in the northeast sky.

“Is this far enough?”

“Honestly, I saw one push a phoenix carcass to shore by accident from his frenzy. I am more concerned with their ability to control lightning.”

“I, for one, am thankful. Without them, we would have to lug around iron cannon balls like those stupid Swillian barbarians.”

He was confident, but I threw my cage much further out to sea. They sank down with each turn of the tide. Mine clearly crossed over the dip into deeper waters so I pulled my rope tight to keep it from going too far down. Meanwhile, Senjay pulled his cage back for a second throw. The trap was nearly to his hand when a creeper leapt out and tried to steal it away.

“Yea, look at that. I already got one.”

“No, you led one to us. Back away Senjay, back away.”

The flat monster bit down with the many rowed, serrated edged teeth of a sea monster. It tugged the cage backwards with its long tail and flapped its waterborne wings as hard as it could. Senjay stepped towards it while I was hopping back to get my knees out of the water.

“Come on you ugly fishy. Come to daddy.”

“No!”

Senjay stuck his hand down in the water and creeper began to shimmer from within its inflating abdomen. Its tail clenched into a spear, pointed towards Senjay’s hand, and lit the water with a bolt of lightning. Senjay’s body snapped to the position of attention. Even with the hilt, it took him a long moment to roar out from pain and surprise.

“I warned you.”

“The bastard stole the trap too? What are these things?”

“Demons that work for the Lantos.”

“I agree.”

“Oh, I felt the door swing inward. Here, help me. Hurry.”

A creeper had made his way into my trap and he wanted out. Senjay grabbed the rope just in time. Then he flicked his eyes around and decided to let go, running behind me to be closer to shore.

“Not again mate. You don’t have to make me walk the plank twice.”

“I warned you. Fine. Just pull. Pull. Pull.”

We moved as one, slipping on the rocks to step back in between steady heaves at the wet rope. We were nearly to the tree line before Bratley opened his eyes. The guards stood up and removed their helms to look on the monster with awe and disgust. It could not use its tail to shock anyone outside of the water, so it tried to hide. Less than half of the cage was still submerged before it gave in, tucking tail and flattening down as best it could.

“Would you look at those scarlet locks in the sunset? Hello, Sabrina.”

Sabrina tucked her red hair under her helmet and sat down. Bratley called to the other guard, a giant black man named Boar, to help him down off the wagon. He whispered a few words, then ran over to observe the creeper. He got too close. His leather boots were half submerged, and the angry monster let him have it. When he finished stiffening, he let out a scream and ran straight towards us and the safety of dry land.

“Can you believe these animals?”

“Funny- I have been asking my Seals that same question for two straight hours.”

“No.”

Bratley’s heart sank, and his head along with it. The sun finally dropped down behind the glacier far off in the south, just as Zara-grast stepped forth from the tree line. His largest recruit joined us, a massive Lokah woman wearing the thin seal skin short pants and short shirt. She was holding a phoenix the size of the littles and covering his eyes.

“Ugh. You cannot be on another cycle so soon? Where is Corporal Trenz? Fetch your superior at once.”

“You looking for this, poacher?”

“Yes- yes, ma’am.”

“Bratley? You let this girl shut you down like that?”

Senjay snapped his fingers in Bratley’s face, turning to the Lokah woman with his jaw high.

“Trainee, release our property at once.”

“Will you make me?”

“As you wish.”

Senjay showed the giant woman as little mercy as any man. Before I could step in the way, he circled behind Bratley and threw him into Zara-grast. Utilizing the distraction, he ducked under to get his arm between her and the giant bird. Then, he pushed them apart while hooking her knee with a sweeping side kick. She fell flat on her back and the phoenix leapt into the sky. It circled around angrily, shrieking at all of us, the Shimmering Creeper, and whomever was still hiding in the forest. One of the other Seals stepped out, and everything changed. She was the fierce and beautiful corporal that I had first seen as a training corporal months prior. Not only did she wear the swirling silver implant and the pale white armor of Orcana bone, she had her very own set Drakkah gauntlets.

“Lieutenant Flora! You see this?”

“Get up, Baby Seal. But you, you fight well Commando. Father, is he coming?”

“No, ma’am. The grey skins are sitting this one out- like cowards.”

“When were we going to learn of this?”

All of the warriors could feel me trembling with rage. They stopped the mindless game and followed my glaring eyes to Bratley.

“I knew nothing. How did you come by the Drakkah? I didn’t know.”

“The price of undeserved pride, Lantos pawn. He-olt of Kowena decreed his army unfit for battle. Nineteen of the Drakkah were gifted to my Seals as repentance. The pass has melted, the air has gone warm. We march to Hi-yadora, and set sail for the highlands.”

Zara-grast pulled a secret whistle from his hair, tied in the back the way I did with my lion tail. His whistle was tiny and it whined in an extremely high pitch. Much more powerful than some silly tooth, the signal initiated the night time march. Hundreds of Seals, fully armored and in rows of two, stepped from the tree line. The flood of Lokah warriors did not end for quite some time. They maintained a distance between pairs in case of an attack. Their officers each rode a small spotted pony from the northlands. They had the gauntlets on their arms, and protected the supplies for their small squad. Each time one passed by Kru, they reached out to pet him and occasionally offer a treat. Fourth from the front, smiling proudly from under a fresh face of ink, rode Trenz. Newly appointed lieutenant, his prize for not hesitating to march to war along with the first wave.

“Why did I not know? Is this a test? Don’t go sweetness, I’ll march to war with you.”

“Yes, we are here. Let us go.”

“No!”

Bratley, Zara-grast, and Lieutenant Flora screamed their answers at us in unison.

“My grandfather is High Priest He-olt!”

“Exactly. Your safety was included in our contract.”

“But then, I will be the only one here guarding the west.”

“Exactly.”

“What can I do all on my own?”

Zara-grast reached out with his little finger, clucking his tongue loudly and poking me right in the Swillian spot on my chin. I was so angry I contemplated biting his finger off.

“The same thing Gojinus would do- fight to the death.”

He leapt onto the back of his massive female corporal and they ran off northwest, Lieutenant Flora nodded to us and I saluted her out of instinct. She turned her head away from the gesture, unwilling to show me the same respect for having been left behind.

“They are going to send me back to Guuwa- I can just feel it! Ugh. Let’s hurry this up.”

The creepers filled our fishing area as the night set in. The line of Seals ended and they marched south with heads high. We felt more like errand boys. Even the phoenix was bored with us, flying south to watch over the real troops. Bratley was no help, and his guards were covered in metal armor, making the exercise that much more dangerous. We had to pull a third creeper to shore three times as the Lantos only wanted the larger females. I celebrated the final catch loud enough to rile up the others. It failed to lighten the mood, but Eso returned with his fellow steed.