The meal continued with only trivial conversations that steered clear of the topics on everyone’s mind. The last scraps of food soon vanished and the Fledglings returned to clear away the plates.

The Matriarch stood, regal and full of grace, despite Trey feeling like he could explode from overeating. “Go now and rest. You will have a busy day tomorrow since we cannot convince you to stay. Everything you need will be provided for you so don’t worry.” She turned to Dawn. “Please escort our guests back to their lodgings.”

Dawn curtsied respectfully then motioned for the boys to follow her again. They passed through the palace in silence, moving considerably slower than before the meal. The second that they reached the surface, the cold hit them like a physical blow. The dark sky and blowing wind felt like ice against the skin. Dawn hadn’t been joking when she had said that the boiling days were countered by freezing nights. Trey was thankful for the many layered robes that he wore over his normal clothes.

Snuggling deeper into their robes, the teens made their way back to the guest lodging at a brisk walk. The village was empty of people now. Once there, they thanked Dawn and bid her a good night. Dawn muttered a reply then sped off back toward the Teiidae Palace.

Once they were inside the boys found that their weapons had been returned during their absence. Small packs filled with basic survival gear and food had also been prepared for them and had been left beside the door. They were worries for tomorrow though.

Deciding to make the most of what comfort was available before they hit the road again, the boys all slumped off to bed. The strange hammock was surprisingly comfortable after the fight to get on it had been won.

An hour passed and a bitter coldness filled the air. Unable to get comfortable in the chill, Trey flipped himself out of the hammock and padded back into the common room. Pux was asleep on one of the shelves at the back of the room. There was a fireplace which Trey filled with tumbleweed from a nearby bucket then set it alight. A warm glow began to emit as the flames gained ground. He gazed out of the window to see similar glows from the other buildings.

So many thoughts and feelings drifted through his head in a confused mess but weariness clouded them. Trey collapsed onto a cushy armchair as his strength left him. The warmth of the fire washed over him like a heated blanket. Before he had even realised it, he was asleep.

Trey was woken by the loud voices and bangs of Billy and Zak moving around the room, arguing as always. Groggily, he rose from the chair and yawned. Judging by the light flooding through the window it must have been around midmorning. Heat was already thick in the air.

Billy and Zak were both already packed up and ready to go. Between the yellow robes, the multiple weapons, and the new supply packs, the teens were looking somewhat encumbered. Seeing Trey on his feet they ceased their bickering and turned to him.

“Dawn is waiting outside. There is a ship waiting to take us to the outskirts of the desert as soon as we’re ready,” said Billy. He finished inspecting his bow then threw it over his shoulder before fastening his short sword to his belt.

“Right,” nodded Trey.

He quickly set about collecting his gear. A few minutes later he too was loaded up. “Come on,” he said, fearing that he had already wasted too much time. He silently cursed his own inability to wake up.

They left the building and found Dawn waiting patiently outside. The morning sun made her skin shine and her amber eyes seemed to sparkle when she looked up as they approached her. The rest of her face remained impassive.

“Are you ready?” she asked. The boys nodded so she turned and walked away, motioning for them to follow.

She led them around the domes to try and avoid the other Heptalli and stop them from noticing her. After a brisk walk they reached the dunes that formed the village’s walls but still the girl didn’t slow.

Before them was a fifteen foot wide sandstone slab set within the dune. A smaller section had been cut into a door that slid inwards as Dawn pushed it. They entered and Trey closed the door behind him as he stepped into a simple corridor with a single door at the end which the girl was already walking through. The boys jogged to catch up with her.

They emerged into a small hanger that contained six of the transport speeders and about twenty of the smaller skirmishers. Even the biggest was many times smaller than the imposing ships that were nestled into the four corners of the village. A guard stood at either side of the door they had come through while some mechanics busied themselves with various things around the room. The thing that Trey was focused on was the ship in the centre. It was painted in the same red as what the royal family wore and was overlaid with a golden lizard at either side.

“Ready the ship,” Dawn ordered the men around her.

“Yes milady,” chorused every mechanic in the room. 

The mechanics did checks on the crimson ship and the launching platform that it was connected to, then opened the wall in front of the ship that was actually a movable sandstone slab that blended in with the rest of the dune. All of this took several long minutes that the teens spent watching the magnificent engineering. Pastrino didn’t have anything comparable.

“The ship is ready to launch milady,” informed one of the mechanics. 

Without a moment’s hesitation, Dawn climbed up onto the ships deck and waited for Trey, Billy and Zak to join her. It was big enough to comfortably carry around a dozen men. Once they were all up she gave the order to launch and moved to a spindly wooden wheel that was fixed to a stand. Several levers were positioned around it.

A mechanic started a countdown. “Launching in: Three. Two. One. Release!”

One of the men pulled a lever on the launch pad, there was a click then the ship shot forwards. Trey and Billy clung to the railing to fight the intense momentum that pulled at them while Zak waved enthusiastically to the diminishing village. Dawn stood proudly at the helm, completely unfazed by the speed, drinking from her flask with eyes fixed firmly on the horizon ahead.

After adjusting to the speed, Trey and Billy stood up straight and staggered to the helm which Dawn was turning to steer the ship just like a captain would at sea.

“Geez, I’m glad I’m out of there,” Dawn stated as she adjusted some levers and turned the helm.

“Why?” asked Trey. “You keep saying that you want to leave and I understand your reasons but it’s a dangerous world. I don’t want to be away from home like this. Once you come of age you can do whatever you want anyway.”

Dawn shook her head, the movement causing some of her red hair to fall across her face. “From the moment I was born I was ‘destined’ to be the Matriarch, then the Elder of the Heptalli. I want to be an adventurer, travel the world, explore new places, that kind of thing. Nobody cares about that though. I was born into the alpha bloodline, I have to live and die like one. I have to stay in the desert all my life, which is the exact opposite of what I want. I’m trapped in a cage of sand and destiny. My mother and grandmother will never let me see the world, that’s why I’m coming with you,” she added in a happy voice.

“You’re doing what!” exclaimed Billy. “The Elder, your own grandmother, said you had to return once you escorted us to the desert’s edge.”

“This is my chance for freedom and adventure.”

“Your people will think we kidnapped you and will kill us.” She just smiled sweetly and shrugged.

“I say she comes with us,” Zak shouted in an over dramatic way.

“I don’t even know why you’re with us, you just keep following us,” complained Billy.

“Oh yeah?” roared Zak. He spat at Billy’s face but they were going so fast it shot back and hit Zak in his own face, causing him to stagger backwards and fall off the ship.

Billy only just managed to catch him by the ankle. Zak’s head was still in the sand below though, being dragged along. He looked quite comical hanging from the ship, head in the sand, arms flailing, being dragged at high speed while constantly spitting sand from his mouth. Billy thought about pulling him up but decided against it. He was having way too much fun.

Trey was watching the scene in front of him and turned to look at the girl. She was smiling and laughing, looking truly happy for the first time since they met. It was then Trey made his decision.

He walked over to the girl. “I know we’ve done the whole introduction thing but let’s call this a non-business meeting.” He held out his hand. “My name’s Trey and for lack of a better person, I guess I’m in charge. We probably should return you to your village, but I’m not going to. You can come with us as long as you want. Just remember we’re going on more or less a suicide mission.”

He kept telling himself that he was helping her because it was the right thing to do and not because she made his head feel light.

Dawn leapt to her feet and hugged Trey tightly. His face turned a deep red.

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” she repeated excitedly. She pulled away and recomposed herself. With a small smile she took his hand and shook it. “I’m Dawn. It’s nice to meet you all.”

Zak was back on deck and he and Billy had just watched the sudden mood change in the girl. Zak laughed at the look on Trey’s face when she hugged him while Billy looked rather jealous.

“I’m Zak and this is my subordinate, Billy,” was Zak’s introduction. Billy smacked him in the head.

She chuckled slightly before scanning the area around them. It all just looked like sand to Trey but Dawn seemed to know where they were. “

We’re not far from Onlasar. This is our fastest speeder so we should be at the desert’s edge before the end of the day,” she informed them. “I don’t know what kind of reception we’ll receive when we get there though.”

“Wait,” said Billy, his eyebrows furrowing. “If you can’t leave the village then how come you can work this ship and know exactly where you are?”

“I’m a Matriarch in training. We lead battles from the front lines. With the Flesh Eroders becoming increasingly more aggressive, the Heptalli need a strong leader. I need to know the desert like the back of my hand and need to learn every skill that I expect my men to know.”

“That sounds pretty adventurous to me,” Billy countered.

“The other tribes are only causing us trouble because my mother refuses to make any decisive actions against them. When I take charge I’ll take over the entire desert. I won’t have the knowledge though unless I learn from real warriors. I need ideas, strategies and inventions from the rest of the world to succeed. If not, the Heptalli might not see another generation.”

“So you want to become a warlord?” smirked Zak. “That’s cool. Pretty hot too.”

Billy moved to hit him again but this time Zak countered and flipped him to the deck. As he gloated Trey smacked him across the back of the head instead.

“So, great mistress of the sands, what do you know about Onlasar?” Trey asked, turning to Dawn.

“Everything that is in a book,” she replied with a frown. “The Heptalli have trade links with the city and on occasion our leaders will meet so I know everything a leader should know about a neighbouring power. I’ll tell you what I can.”

Previous – Chapter 20. Heptalli.

Next – Chapter 22. Onlasar.

As it happened, the market was a minute’s walk from the guest lodgings. It was a wide open area filled with wooden stalls that displayed all manner of wares. Mostly it was foods of different varieties, intermittent with more specialised stalls like the tailors and blacksmith. Sweet smells drifted from perfume and lotion vials while crafted reptiles were being created left, right and centre. Everything sold was local to the desert. Trey only recognised a few items that travelling merchants had brought to Pastrino to trade.

They approached the first vendor who sold scraps of brown meat skewered on long cactus needles. Dawn bought three and handed them to the boys. The taste by normal standards was fairly bland but they tasted heavenly to a hungry teenager.

“It’s napka meat,” Dawn informed them as she continued to lead them through the market. She pointed to a strange looking animal beside one of the stalls. It looked like a giant hairless rat with leathery skin. “We raise them for food and leather. Since the only meat in this desert are lizards and napka we don’t have much choice in the matter. Lizards are holy so we couldn’t eat them.”

She showed them some bamboo like stems that grew nearby. Each stalk had several bright red flowers dotted randomly along it.

“This is the gafui plant. It grows quickly and is full of nutrients when you eat the main stem. It tastes foul but luckily those flowers are filled with flavour so when you cook them up together it isn’t too bad.”

Wherever the group passed, eyes followed them. Whether this was due to the boys being outsiders or Dawn being with them, Trey wasn’t sure. Probably a bit of both. He looked over to the girl. She had said a lot but it had all been information. Not once had she stopped acting the dignitary and revealed her own personality. Her eyes never took in her surroundings, always just fixed at an indeterminate spot ahead of her.

Billy seemed to be thinking along similar lines. “How come you’re so intent on leaving here. It’s a nice place and you have everyone’s respect. That’s all I’ve ever wanted from life. This action lifestyle we’ve been living the past few days is just too much to cope with.”

“You’ve never wanted to see the world? Meet new people? Experience everything the world has to offer?” the girl rounded on him. Her attitude was fiery, showing real emotion for the first time.

Her questions startled Trey. He had never really wanted to leave Pastrino. Leaving his bed was trouble enough. He didn’t feel any need to explore the city, let alone the world. As long as he had a bed and food then he could not see what could be better elsewhere. 

“I hear you,” remarked Zak loudly. “No single place can contain my energy and ambition. Staying in one place is pointless as there is nobody new to fight. I’ll battle the strongest men and monsters that the Sprites can throw at me and I’ll never stop moving! We have eyes in the front of our head to see what is before us and aspire for the horizon rather than looking back at what we have left behind! That and it would look kind of funny if they weren’t.”

“I’m not sure if that was deep or just crazy,” commented Billy passively. It was clear that he was considering the words though.

Dawn shook her head with a sigh. Looking up at the sky she pushed the subject aside. “It will soon be dusk. When the sun goes, so does the heat. She paused for a moment then sighed. “The Matriarch wishes to speak with you. You have all been invited to feast at the Teiidae Palace.”

Trey’s ears suddenly perked. “Feast?”

“Yes. As the leader of the Heptalli it is her duty to meet with visitors and to make any decisions that may be needed. The Elder is more like an advisor,” Dawn explained.

“I suppose we can’t decline without causing insult,” sighed Billy. He looked like Trey felt: tired, dirty and weary of their situation. Zak looked as though he was on a field trip.

Dawn shook her head. “That would cause grave insult indeed.”

Trey shrugged. “We need all of the support we can get. If eating a feast pleases a ruler then I suppose we just have to make that sacrifice. Anyway, how bad can talking with one woman be?” A raised eyebrow was Dawn’s only response. The three boys exchanged glances but the appeal of a real meal was too good to pass up.

“Lead on.”

The Heptalli princess led Trey’s group back through the cluster of buildings until they once again stood before the large dome where the Elder resided.

“Is this your palace?” asked Billy. “It didn’t look big enough to contain much more than we saw earlier.”

Dawn frowned. She motioned for the boys to follow her as she made her way around the dome, away from the entrance that they had used earlier.

“Heptalli legend says that the Amion Desert was formed long ago when the ocean rushed forth to deliver our saviours into the heart of Farava. That is why we refer to this land as the sands of deliverance. The ocean receded over the years but this area remained flooded. It became known as the ‘little sea’. The first Heptalli settled beside this giant lake and continued to move with the water as the lake slowly faded. After hundreds of years, only this section where our village is retained any water. three hundred years ago that too faded..”

“That’s interesting and all but what does it have to do with this palace?” Billy pressed.

At that moment they reached the opposite side of the dome and came face to face with two giant lizards in battle, standing on hind legs forming an arch. They were made of smoothed sandstone and formed a second doorway between their colourful bodies. Two armed guards stood before the lizards but bowed as Dawn approached and let them through unhindered.

She led them into another large chamber set out for guests to wait within, much like the one at the other end of the building. This one was decorated with a vast array of colours and statues though to contrast the modesty of the Elder’s side.

Rather than the single door opposite them, there was a stone staircase that descended down into the earth. Two more guards blocked the way but again moved aside to let them past.

“After settling here our ancestors discovered several buildings buried underneath the sand. Over several generations these were excavated and renovated to form the Teiidae Palace for the royal family’s use,” Dawn continued as she took them down the lantern lit passage.

The stairway ended and Trey, Billy and Zak gaped collectively. The room before them was a long chamber with walls of purest white inlaid with pictures in gold and crystal. Reptiles and Sprites populated the room in masterful works of art while strange glowing stones bathed the room in a gentle amber light. At the far side of the room was a slender throne made of solid gold. Upon it was sat a crimson robed woman that could be none other than the Heptalli Matriarch.

Trey recognised her as the woman they had met on the ship. The woman was tall and slim with dark, red-brown hair and a face that was a near match to Dawn’s. The same amber eyes watched them while identical red lips smiled lightly. Despite her beauty she had an air of command that permeated every feature and movement.

Dawn stepped forward. “I bring the guests from Pastrino, Matriarch,” she said formally. “I present you the young masters Trey Sted, Billy Delb, and Zak Malma.”

The three teens bowed clumsily. Under the woman’s stare they became very self aware.

“Greetings,” said the woman in a melodious voice. “I am Rose Rayin, Matriarch of the Heptalli. I have been informed of your plight and would like to offer you the utmost support while you are passing through our land.

“Thank you,” Trey managed, unsure of the correct responses when addressing royalty.

Zak had no such problems. “So, where’s this feast then?”

The Matriarch offered them a small smile. She stood and descended from the throne. Nodding to Dawn, the girl opened a door to their left. The Matriarch glided through then Dawn ushered the boys in behind her before closing the door after herself.

Within was a single, large circular table of polished wood. The white walls were broken by coloured panels while the ceiling was painted to depict a midday sky. More of the glowing crystals offered calming light throughout the room.

Out of the dozen chairs around the table, only one was occupied. The Elder was seated on an overly cushioned chair at the far side of the room beside a small fireplace that spread warmth through the air. The Matriarch placed herself on the older woman’s left while Dawn sat to the Matriarch’s other side.

Zak swung himself into the seat directly opposite Rose. Trey and Billy took the chairs to either side of him nervously.

Pux scrambled from Zak’s pocket and stood upon the table. “Begging your pardon, my ladies. Is a smaller chair available?”

Dawn looked shocked by the tiny man’s appearance. Rose’s features remained carefully neutral but Solaris’ wrinkled face lit up with recognition. “A Yuxova. How interesting. Your kind has not walked the desert for many years now.”

“We are in troubled times, Elder,” said Pux respectfully. “It is good to know that the ancient ties are not forgotten though.” He bowed with a smile and a small flourish of his arms. “I am Captain Puxalotu Wutoxa, at your service.”

“What ties would these be?” queried Dawn. Her eyes had yet to cease their study of Pux.

The Elder settled deeper into her chair and took the tone of a teacher. “When the Heptalli first moved to this land they made an alliance with the native Yuxova. They taught us how to train the desert animals while we gave them knowledge.”

“It was the Heptalli that brought us out of the dark days. Until then, all knowledge outside of survival had been lost to us,” added Pux reverently.

“In that case,” spoke Rose, “You are welcome at our table, Captain Wutoxa.” She rang a small silver bell and the door opened as a young woman around Dawn’s age entered. Her yellow robes were tied with a crimson cloth around her waist and right arm while her raven black hair was braided and wrapped with a red ribbon.

“Sky, tell the other Fledglings to bring out the food. Be sure to bring Captain Wutoxa suitable seating and cutlery,” Rose instructed.

“Yes, Matriarch,” the girl replied before rushing from the room.

Silence hung for a moment until Billy tried to break the ice. “What did you mean by ‘Fledglings’?” he asked, more to pass time than through genuine curiosity. He just wanted to eat then go to sleep. Trey was grateful as he himself was no good with words while he was sure that Zak could offer no suitable conversation.

Rose paused to piece together an answer that they would understand. “In your culture I suppose that the Fledglings would fill the role of servants. We don’t condone such a life of servitude though. Being a Fledgling is more of a rite of passage. When Heptalli children reach their first decade of life they become Fledglings, serving the royal family until their fourteenth year, when they take up an apprenticeship in their chosen field. Even Dawn served her time as a Fledgling to learn the key skills of life.”

Trey was about to continue the topic when the door opened again and a dozen Fledglings, both male and female, swept into the room carrying plates, platters, cups and bowls piled high with all manner of food. One carried what looked to be a doll’s table and chair that were placed beside Pux. The table was set and each person was given an empty ceramic plate and five small thimble-like items made from bone or ivory with conical points that were several inches long. The assortment of food all smelled so nice to an empty stomach.

Trey didn’t recognise most of what was on offer but he didn’t care. Some of it was clearly meat and that was all that mattered. A Fledgling filled his glass up with a pale, sweet smelling wine while the Elder recited a prayer of gratitude to the Sprites.

After a brief hesitation, the three boys followed the women’s example by placing the small bone cones onto each of one hand’s fingers. Securely in place, they were able to pick up the sliced food and eat it with their hands.

There were portions of napka meat, bulbs from a large desert flower that tasted faintly sour, brightly coloured petals that were like sweets on the tongue, and juicy wings and breast from some oversized bird or other. Trey also noted some things that he recognised, most likely traded produce from outside of the desert.

It took an annoyingly long time to master the strange eating implements. While the concept of picking food up with fingers seemed simple, getting the food from the plate to the mouth was surprisingly tricky. Trey fumbled clumsily but determinedly while Zak simply stabbed the food. Billy was the only one with the finesse and patience required, his nimble hands making light work of the task.

“About Pastrino,” began Rose. This brought instant silence. “I am sorry. Pastrino was once a close ally to us. These are dark times indeed.”

Billy set his food down and fixed the matriarch with burning eyes. “Will you help us to save them?”

Dawn looked expectantly over at her mother while the Elder simply continued eating, her eyes firmly upon the food.

Rose met his eyes levelly. “My duty is to my people,” she answered calmly. “If we were under threat then we would fight, but to leave our homes to fight on foreign soil against an enemy that we have little chance to defeat would be a callous waste of life. If the Seshikedasu was here to lead us then we would know that it was the time of war. We will support you, but I cannot force my men to die in a far off land to save people who have long since cast us off as savages. Pastrino certainly wouldn’t exert itself to protect us,” she finished impassively.

Dawn’s face tightened, taken aback by the words. “But they are innocent people in need. I thought that our creed was to protect life!”

“Exactly,” stated her mother. “You must understand, Dawn, that all life is precious. If a single man was in danger, would you risk the lives of many others knowing that while you may save that first man, others might die to achieve it? If I send our warriors into the Shadow Lands to free the Pastrinians, many would die. Perhaps more than we could ever save.”

“But…” started Billy but the Matriarch continued over him.

“That isn’t to say that I don’t care, nor am I ungrateful for the help that you three provided against the Eroders. You bought me enough time to create a counter strike and helped to lessen their numbers.”

Billy’s face paled and he shoved his remaining food aside. The Elder noticed and offered him a small smile. “Your first kill?” she asked gently.

“First person,” nodded Billy weakly.

“It becomes easier over time. Too easy I fear. It’s when killing no longer sickens you that you should become worried.”

Zak shrugged. “It’s kill or be killed. Never worry about living,” he muttered between mouthfuls of food. Trey really couldn’t get his head around the boy.

Previous – Chapter 19. Village in the Dunes.

Next – Chapter 21. Royal Destiny.

Trey opened his eyes and a wave of confusion hit him. He wasn’t on the Heptalli ship anymore. He was out in the middle of the desert. He couldn’t recall the transition from one to the other. The last thing he remembered was the Heptalli in red saying ‘lunch time’ then his fingers began to glow blue. Her fingers started to glow blue, he corrected himself. The voice was definitely a woman’s.

“Hey, Trey, you’re finally awake,” said Billy. Trey shielded his eyes against the light and looked around. Billy was standing beside him, wearing a yellow robe rather than his normal woollen attire. He helped Trey get to his feet.

“What happened?” Trey asked, trying to fill in the blank spots in his memory.

“That woman put a sleeping spell on us to keep us out of the way while they sorted the aftermath of the battle. We’re at their village now. The spell wore off ages ago, you just naturally slept afterwards.”

“Oh,” Trey muttered. “Why would they need a camp when they have a huge ship?”

“It’s a big tribe,” replied Billy simply.

Trey yawned as he surveyed their surroundings. They seemed to be inside a giant sand crater. Then he realised it was more of a valley made from two giant dunes. He looked to the side and saw that another dune started at either side, effectively boxing them in. The valley was filled with sand domes which he presumed were the Heptalli buildings. At the corners where the dunes met were slight gaps that the Heptalli had used as shelters for their sand ships. At one corner was the big ship that the boys had travelled on. In the other three corners were smaller ships, about half the size of the first one. That put it into perspective how enormous the valley truly was.

“How come they left me outside instead of in one of the domes?” Trey asked. Every movement brought a sharp stinging pain from his sunburned skin. “It’s baking out here.”

“We were left outside too. It’s because they’re not sure of us yet. They want us to see their Elder to determine if we’re trustworthy. Now you’re awake we’re going to be led to that big dome in the middle of the camp,” Billy said as he pointed towards the biggest dome.

A young man dressed in the yellow robes walked towards them. He had a lean build and a mass of dark hair that framed his angular face. “I will take you to the Elder.”

They were just about to set off when Trey realised that they were missing companions. “Wait, where are Zak and Pux?”

“Oh, yes,” stated Billy. “They think he’s our leader. He wouldn’t let go of that damn axe when they confiscated our weapons and somehow he ended up in a duel with the Heptalli champion and has been sparring with him since.”

“Is he safe?” asked Trey.

“Yes he’s safe. These dumb people almost worship him,” replied Billy bitterly.

“Seriously?”

“I’m afraid so. He’s meeting us at that big dome. Pux is with him.”

Trey decided to don the yellow robes that were offered to him like Billy as the sun shone brightly above, roasting anything unprotected. The robes covered his entire body except for his head, yet they were pleasantly cool. The material was a thin silk that sat in many layers, each movement sending air twisting through the individual folds and overlays of fabric.

In the time it took to reach the Elder’s dome, Trey had learnt that the Heptalli guiding them was called Soih. He explained that his name was a Heptalli word for great heat. He was born on the hottest day for generations. Out of all the births that week he was the only survivor because the heat had killed the rest. He informed them that most Heptalli names had meanings behind them.

Trey also learned that the Heptalli were lizard worshipers. Most of the sandstone domes that they passed had decorations depicting various reptiles. He had even seen a few live lizards roaming the village. 

Tan skinned, yellow robed men, women and children went about their lives but kept their distance from the two boys. They eyed them cautiously with nervous glances.

When they reached the Elder’s dome, Trey was amazed. The entire surface had patterns and images of reptiles and people, strange flowing writing, and what looked like bloody handprints clustered across the wall which Soih informed them were left by every Elder since the dome was built. The entrance inside was a huge lizard head with its mouth open. Its tongue was stuck out and rested on the ground, acting as a ramp into the building. They stepped inside into a spacious chamber that had a desk in the centre and stone benches in a ring around the wall. At the opposite side from where Trey stood was another door that bore no decoration at all, just plain wood.

A few of the benches were occupied by Heptalli members. One was taken up by Zak and his axe. He sat happily swinging his legs and sucking on a large pink lollypop. Pux was standing on his shoulder, his eyes constantly scanning the room for any sign of danger. Sat on the next bench was a tough looking Heptalli who was pouting. Soih went to the desk at the centre to speak with the women behind it. Trey and Billy went to join Zak.

“So, what have you been up to?” Trey asked after a brief nod of greeting.

Zak removed the lollipop from his mouth then took a deep breath. “They tried to take my axe off of me but I wouldn’t give it them and then I annoyed the tribe’s champion and we had a duel but he was under orders not to hurt me so I won him then he got moody so I got to keep my axe then he said he’ll give me a lollipop if I shut up but that just made me more hyper and then we came here and met you and started talking about how I won him and got a lollipop and came here and met you.” He finished his rant and began to breathe again.

“Oh, by the way, they think I’m the leader so I don’t want to disappoint them.”

“Nice try,” answered Billy.

Soih returned from the desk. “Now you may enter through the Elder’s door. Show respect. If you try anything funny, you will die,” he said in a serious tone.

They stood up and approached the Elder’s door with all the eyes in the room following them. Trey slowly opened the door and stepped inside. The room beyond was small and dark, lit only by candles. Around the room’s circular walls were shelves holding strange items that Trey couldn’t begin to guess the purpose of. On the floor were several well-stuffed pillows, and on the pillow furthest from the boys sat an elderly woman. Behind the woman, another door.

The woman looked ancient. While Mr Malma had been very old but retained a level of youthful appearance, she seemed to have embraced age, her face a mass of wrinkles and her hair a pure white. She was small and frail looking but her general manner was imposing all the same. Everything about her screamed knowledge and wisdom. She wore crimson robes rather than the commonplace yellow ones.

“Welcome,” she croaked. “Please take a seat.”

The boys complied. The candles burned with a strange scent and the items on the walls were casting flickering shadows across the room. The whole scene looked strangely ethereal as though they had just stepped into a dream.

“Welcome to Reptia, home of the Heptalli tribe. I am Solaris Rayin, Elder of the Heptalli. What brings you young men to the desert?” she asked, getting straight to the point. Despite her age, her voice was powerful. “It is a dangerous time to travel alone.”

“I am Trey Sted and these are my friends Billy Delb and Zak Malma. Our home was destroyed and our people killed or taken by monsters,” Trey answered sadly. In all the recent chaos he had had little time to dwell on the matter. In the peace of the room, the memories screamed in his head.

“And where might that be?” she questioned. “Your accent suggests the West country.”

“Pastrino,” Trey replied.

Worry lines began to etch the old woman’s face. “Do you speak the truth?”

“Yes,” answered Billy.

“By what force could such a city have been destroyed?” she inquired, her voice tightening.

“Big scary demonic people with cool weapons,” chipped in Zak enthusiastically.

The Elder frowned. “It sounds like you are speaking of the Forukks. If that is true then we are all in grave danger. The last time they openly walked through Farava the land was nearly destroyed. We were only saved because of the Seshikedasu.”

“The what?” asked Billy.

Her frown deepened. “The ignorant people of old called him the Sword Summoner because of his ability to call forth an ancient and magical blade. They couldn’t think of a more original name.”

“We know of him. In-fact, Zak here is his descendant,” said Trey, his mind working overtime. He had learnt more history over the past few days than his entire lifetime of schooling.

“That would explain a lot. It can be no coincidence that he is standing with us now,” mused the woman as she eyed Zak. “But what is it that you are trying to achieve. Do you want safety, revenge or maybe a new life somewhere else?”

“We head for Onlasar to warn them, then with their aid we’re going to go and free our people,” Trey explained. In all honesty he hadn’t thought much about the next step, but he knew that he couldn’t live with himself unless he had at least tried to save his mother. Now that he said it aloud it all seemed a bit unrealistic.

“That is a noble cause, but a foolish one which will end in certain death without a Sword Summoner. One of those hasn’t been seen in this land since the fall of Lanstiro almost eight hundred years ago.”

“I don’t care,” answered Trey bluntly. “They destroyed my home, massacred innocents and took my mother into slavery. I can’t stand back and do nothing.”

“I would advise you not to go into battle without the Sword Summoner but I will gladly give you transport to Onlasar and a bed for the night.” She rang a small bell by her side and waited.

The door behind her opened and in walked a girl. Her fiery ruby red hair flowed around her body as she walked. Amber eyes shone from her lightly tanned face. Red robes adorned her body like the Elder and the woman who cast the sleeping spell on them back on the ship.

The Elder spoke to the boys. “This is Dawn Rayin, my granddaughter and heir to the Heptalli throne, so to speak.” She turned to the girl. “Take these young men to the guest lodgings so that they may rest. In the morning I want you to get a pilot to transport these boys to the outskirts of the desert near to Onlasar.”

The girl hesitated. “I heard your conversation about the Forukks and how these boys are going to try and fight them.” She looked to the Elder for some reaction but the woman simply sat there with an expressionless face so the girl continued. “I was hoping that I could escort them. I need experience if I’m ever going to become Matriarch and it will show they have the blessing of the Heptalli so the lizard Gods will look kindly upon them.”

“You must one day become Matriarch of the Heptalli, then the Elder, so we need you to be kept safe.”

“Yes but without experience how will I become a good leader or Elder,” she argued.

“How will you be a good leader or Elder if you are dead,” the Elder countered.

The girl sighed. “Better dead than caged for life.”

For a few minutes the Elder seemed to fall into deep thought. She finally sighed. “I will allow you to take them to the desert’s edge but then you must return.”

“Thank you Elder,” the girl replied respectfully.

“I know this isn’t the life you wanted, but it’s the path that destiny has laid down for you. The fate of our entire tribe rests on your shoulders. You are the only one who can lead them when I die and your mother becomes Elder.” The old woman spoke with a delicate understanding but made her intentions clear. The girl’s life was already decided.

“I understand.”

The old woman finally turned back to the boys. “Is this alright with you?” she asked them.

“Yeah, sure,” answered Trey nervously.

She addressed the girl again. “Then go. After all, these boys are representatives of their city so this can count as your experience. Show them the village and give them what equipment they need,” commanded the Elder.

The girl nodded then left without another word. Trey, Zak and Billy bowed respectfully to the Elder before following. She led them through the assortment of buildings at a brisk pace. People gathered as they passed, all bowing their heads to the girl. She snorted and increased her pace. An awkward silence fell between the group as the girl didn’t seem to want to talk while Trey, Billy and Zak were too intimidated to attempt a conversation.

She stopped outside of a highly decorated dome that was set slightly apart from the other structures. Flags, shields and symbols bearing various emblems marked the place out as a shelter for foreign dignitaries.

Dawn took a small key from her robe and slid it into the lock. She opened the door then took another key that hung just inside and passed it to Trey before motioning them through. Inside was a mess of different styles and designs. Practical elements of Heptalli desert design formed the basic layout but everything else was a mesh of mixed cultures. The floor was covered by Pastrinian wool carpets, the curtains were made from Onlasarian silk, the wooden furniture seemed ornate and unnecessarily complicated, a sign of an overseas design. The bookshelf contained leather bound volumes in a dozen different languages.

“We rarely have guests but when we do we learn what we can about their culture and try to make them feel at home without making things feel too familiar,” explained Dawn. “It’s all too gaudy if you ask me, but most tend to find it interesting if nothing else.”

The bedrooms were similarly disjointed, but unlike the common room, they were sparsely filled, a hammock, desk and draws being the extent of each room’s furniture. The boys each claimed one as their own before rejoining the girl in the corridor.

“Is there any food?” Trey asked, his stomach strongly informing him that they hadn’t eaten in days.

“I have an emergency Mega-bar that’s been in my pocket for three years,” Zak offered, holding out a crushed bar of fat, oats and an assortment of other unidentifiable ingredients. It looked like the kind of thing that would cure hunger permanently, assuming that hunger was not a problem in the afterlife.

“I’ll pass,” muttered Trey. Just the look of the thing made him feel sick. 

Dawn looked faintly disgusted at Zak then turned to the door. “You can get some food from the market. The Elder asked me to give you a tour so the market is as good as any place to start.”

Previous – Chapter 18. Slaves or Slaughter.

Next – Chapter 20. Heptalli.

The march was becoming unbearable. The further west that they were led, the more the sky was hidden behind a brooding black storm cloud that consumed the heavens. The air tasted acidic and was thick and heavy, each breath like a lungful of stale broth. Very little light managed to evade the dust and what did seemed somehow duller. Everything appeared as a faint grey.

Several of the Pastrinians that had been taken had now died. The gruelling march, lack of food, water, sleep, and the constant fear of the Forukks had gotten to the people. Their leader had been killed and they had lost all hope.

Sarah helped those she could but it made little difference. She was still hopeful that somehow they would return home, she had to be, but her forced enthusiasm did nothing to alter the minds of the others. She was attending to Mrs Daine, the baker, who had sprained her ankle on the uneven ground, when suddenly a strange dizziness overcame her.

Her vision became wavy, then in the next second she could no longer see what was in front of her, but rather behind her. She felt as though she was moving at great speed back the way they had come. She saw Pastrino zip past, then the fields and woods beyond. Then, when she reached the desert, she abruptly halted.

Two ships stood before her locked in combat. Her perspective zoomed further in to focus on a figure on the larger of the two. Though blurry, she could tell it was Trey. She tried to shout but found she had no voice or body. In the distance the sand began to come together to form a giant shark. It sped towards the ships, exploded and engulfed the vessels, Trey and Sarah included.

After a period of darkness, colour flashed back into existence. Blurred images fought for dominance. Sarah managed to fully awaken herself. Mrs Daine was standing over her with a worried look on her aging face.

“Sarah, what happened? Are you okay?” she asked in a concerned voice.

“I’m fine. I just had a dizzy spell,” she replied as she rose to her feet, supported by Mrs Daine.

“Are you sure you’re okay? Your body became rigid and your eyes went all funny, then you started to mumble ‘Trey’ and fell to the ground. His loss must be a huge burden on your mind.”

After Sarah had finished persuading Mrs Daine that she was fine, she moved onto the other ill or injured people. Her mind was off task the whole time but she kept up a brave, hopeful front for all the lost souls thrust into a seemingly hopeless situation. It seemed appreciated and slightly lifted the moral in the makeshift camp.

“Form a line, maggots,” roared one of the Forukks. Mr Xion stood at his side, as he had been since his betrayal. “We march in two minutes. If you’re not ready, you’re the next meal. This is the last march to the outskirts of Lanstiro.”

There was a hustle of activity as the captives gathered what few possessions they owned and formed a line two people wide. The line shuffled forward with mixed emotion. Some were dreading their arrival, others were just relieved the march was coming to an end.

They walked through the night and the early hours of the morning until the Forukks halted the march. A few feet ahead of the front pair was an imposing cliff that appeared to drop away into thick darkness. The bottom couldn’t be seen by human eyes.

“This cliff marks the edge of Lanstiro territory. As soon as there is enough light for you gut bags to see by, we head down,” growled the lead beast.

The humans waited anxiously as the sun slowly rose through the sky, like a ghost when seen through the thickening cloud. Only faint light made it through but that was all that was needed to see the desolation around them. No sign of nature remained..

“Make your way down,” instructed the Forukk snappily.

Carefully the slaves began their descent. The rocks were easy enough to grip and there were plenty of foot holes but the sheer effort was taking its toll on the weary humans. To make matters worse, many of the gaps were inhabited by a wealth of distorted insects that were easily the stuff of nightmares. Many a hand had groped for a hold and quickly withdrew after feeling something move or hiss.

Sarah was making good progress. She almost lost her footing and fell when she heard a horrific scream. She whipped her head around just in time to see to see the priest, James Homme, fall from the rock wall, trying to regain a grip. When he realised it was useless he brought his arms in from their frantic flailing and positioned them in prayer. No Sprites came to his aid. He hit the floor with a bone chilling crack. Sarah actually wished she couldn’t see the ground now.

The rest of the climb went by without another incident. Sarah worried about how the lieutenant would manage in his condition but the man arrived at the bottom without trouble. Once everyone was back on the ground they were about to bury James’ body like the religious man would have wanted, but the Forukks took the body and threw it on the food cart.

Just visible on the horizon was a black tower. As they walked closer a gigantic wall also came into view, blocking sight of the main castle. It was a massive construct of stone and metal that looked capable of withstanding any siege weaponry imaginable. Warped roots covered the ground where grass should be, their blood red hue the only sign of colour in sight. They spread out from the fortress like a cancer.

The captives carried on until the wall towered over them, casting an imposing shadow across the already darkened land. Spikes jutted out at random angles, many with odd decapitated heads from various creatures, most of which nobody had never seen before. They were led around the fortress’s outer wall until they reached a colossal door.

After a brief moment the door silently eased open. It was surreal watching such a large, heavy door open without a single creak or groan. As it opened, hot air gushed out, hitting the captives like a hammer after they had been in icy cold since entering Lanstiro territory.

If the human’s breath hadn’t been taken by the hot air, it was by the now visible fortress. It was a monstrous pentagon taking up a vast amount of the room inside the outer wall. Buildings surrounded the castle in a ring, huddled up to the main fortress like flies to a corpse. They ranged between rundown shacks and solid stone constructs. There was nothing to provide colour anywhere. The only movement came from the Forukks that skulked around the buildings. Other humans could be seen too, some dejected slaves on errands while others glared at the newcomers from grimy windows, quality black robes cloaking their well-fed frames.

Stood just within the door was the strangest human Sarah had ever seen. He was unnaturally tall at almost eight foot high, but was not well proportioned. It was as though his body had been stretched out, making him thinner than should have been possible. His eyes were entirely black and his skin was the purest of white. Needles adorned his mouth rather than teeth and his nails were like a great bird’s talons. No hair covered his head. He wore fine, jet black robes with a blood red inner lining. An intricate design of white spirals were carved into his skin, blending perfectly together and looking somehow natural.

“Welcome to Lanstiro. My name is Maklar and I shall by your guide, adviser and general information dispenser,” the curious man droned in a strange, indescribable tone that sounded like several bugs rapidly flapping and scraping their wings together. The sound seemed to get inside the very bones, grating against the mind with enough force to feel almost physical.

“It is your given task as slaves to do as your masters request, be they human or Forukk. Jobs you will be attending to include construction, personal service, cleaning, pleasure, entertainment, and any other tasks that your masters can imagine. You will be housed with the other slaves in the slave barracks, unless you are chosen to serve a specific master, then you will be accommodated accordingly.”

“Other slaves?” asked Dennis Riley, a young teacher.

The strange man, Maklar, smiled. “Yes. Other raids were carried out on minor towns and villages within the local vicinity, and we also have a few scouts and travellers that were foolish enough to have wandered too close for the Lord’s liking. Now if there are no more questions I will show you to the building that will become your home.”

Maklar led them without speaking again. Little groups started quiet conversations as Maklar didn’t seem to care, unlike the Forukks who had punished talking. He led them to the opposite side of the city from where they had entered, then motioned to a large, three story building built from half rotted wood.

Opening the flimsy door, Maklar broke his silence. “This is where you will be staying while not working or attending to other activities. As well as the three visible stories there is also a basement. Housing within the building works on a class system. You will start on the ground floor which is simple and cramped. If you do good work or are recommended by a Master you will move onto the second level and so on. If you displease the Masters you will be moved down to the basement. That is not advisable,” he added.

The Pastrinians made their way inside and took their places next to any unoccupied beds. They were simple beds with thin grey covers and an uncomfortable looking thin mattress. There were no windows. The slaves already there wore plain grey robes. Some had slight variations or accessories. In a corner near the door was a staircase, leading to the upper levels, whereas in a back corner was a trap door, which led to the basement.

The trap door was suddenly thrown open and a man’s head popped out. “Oi! What the hell going on? I’m trying to sleep, you inconsiderate pigs.”

Sarah looked to where the man making all the commotion was and froze. Anger rose within her. “Y-you. I-it’s you. You!” she screamed.

Previous – Chapter 17. Tribal Wars.

Next – Chapter 19. Village in the Dunes.

By Trey’s reckoning it was nearing night. The temperature had slowly been dropping for nearly an hour. There were no windows in the cell the group were being kept in but he could tell that the sun was still out from the light filtering through the gaps in the wood from above.

The mood in the cell was sombre at best. They hadn’t eaten or drank since sun up that morning, their weapons had been confiscated, and they were going to be eaten by a tribe of cannibals. The word unlucky just didn’t quite cut it for the situation.

Other than the thuds from rough skinned feet above and the unintelligible speech of the tribal people, the only other sound was the groan of the wood around them and the constant noise of the sand scraping against the outer walls as the structure pushed through the dry sea.

A new sound echoed into the prison, shattering the uneasy quiet. The three boys looked up, startled. There, stood in-between two of the door’s battered iron bars, was Pux.

“You look like you need a bit of help,” he laughed. He leant casually against the bar, his tiny hand rested lightly upon the pommel of his sword. The weapon was slimmer in design than the usual broad and long swords popular throughout Farava. The Yuxova blade was built to stab more than to slash. The hilt and pommel were polished ivory.

“Pux, thank the Sprites you’re here. Hurry up and get us out of here,” Trey said.

“Quiet!” warned the Yuxova. “Someone’s coming.”

Pux darted behind a bucket as a heavily built man stepped into view. The man had a menacing smile etched onto his ugly face and was licking his lips hungrily. He tapped his crudely made mace onto his hand as he approached the boys. He stopped, pulled out a bulky key, then inserted it into a hole in the cell’s door.

He gave an evil chuckle as he shoved them out of the prison. “What a good day indeed. We will eat well for the first time in weeks,” he said with a greedy smile. His accent was strong, his mouth not quite adapting to the Faravian language.

They were led along the corridors the same way that they had been brought in. As they emerged from the dark under level, the moon greeted them, its full sphere hanging watchfully in the heavens above. Its light cast the surroundings in a mystical silver glow. It gave the gathering of cannibals a spectral appearance. There must have been at least fifty of them.

“We’re almost back to the pit,” announced the skull wearing leader. He spoke in the boys’ own language so they could hear all of the dreaded words he was about to say. “I sent a message forward and an inferno is already ablaze ready for our arrival.” The tribal people all cheered.

“Chief!” called a man from the top of a mast, interrupting the speech. “There’s a Heptalli ship on the horizon. A big one.”

“Oh, this day just keeps getting better,” the leader said with a hungry grin. “Men, the good old Pit’ll have to wait. We’re going hunting!” The surrounding tribal members cheered again, clashing their weapons together as they bayed for blood.

“Full speed straight at them! Soak in the blood of our enemies,” the leader bellowed.

The ship in question came into view after cresting a large dune. It was smaller than the Flesh Eroder’s craft but seemed sturdier built. Its streamlined design looked far closer matched to a real sea faring vessel. It too appeared to have giant wheels to help it through the sand.

A sudden excited hustle began on deck. The boys were tied to the mast with thick rope. One man was left to guard them. He was a large man whose muscles were unnaturally large and his features looked as though they had been sharpened. He held a huge battle axe that looked like it had been stolen from a noble, its black steel etched in silver and gold, while its deadly sharp blades curved elegantly before coming to abruptly brutal points. It looked heavy to even his substantial muscles. The brute sneered at them angrily.

The deck shuddered as a monstrous cannon fired at the Heptalli ship. It boomed like thunder and the crew cheered as they watched the stone sphere hurtle towards its prey. An explosion of sand indicated a miss, but not by far.

“Prepare the Death Riders,” roared a nearby man.

Several thuds reverberated through the ship’s hull. After a second, five small sand vehicles sped into view past the edge of the ship. They were thin, metal constructions with the pilot sat in the middle of them. A large lance like spike reached forwards from the front of the crafts and a triangular blade stuck out at either side. The pilots were no less equipped. Each held a halberd in their hands and seemed to steer the crafts with their legs.

The Heptalli ship released its own fighter craft in defence. The odds seemed against them. They were made from wooden plates and seemed more bulky than their enemy’s counterparts, smaller but less aerodynamic. They did have an outer ring made from metal to aid in attack but their pilots had no visible weapons.

The two forces rapidly reached each other and showed no signs of slowing. At the last available second the Heptalli ships zipped to the side as the enemy ships powered forwards. The ensuing battle was like a deadly dance as the Heptalli wove around the stronger opponents, their speed and manoeuvrability surprising for their size. Offensive capability had obviously been disregarded for an edge in agility. Despite the blocky design, intricate inner mechanics must have been contained within. The plates moved like fishes’ scales, allowing the crafts to flow around the dunes with the grace of dolphins at play.

“There are women and children on that ship,” stated the eagle eyed Billy.

“We have to help them or they won’t stand a chance,” Trey said through clenched teeth.

“We can’t even help ourselves, let alone a whole ship full of people,” replied Billy angrily. He looked at their guard again who was staring hungrily at them. “We won’t even be able to get past this guy, so we can forget trying the rest of the tribe onboard.”

“Maybe if I glare at him and think angry thoughts my will power will kill him,” suggested Zak.

“Good luck with that,” answered Billy sarcastically. Zak glared at the guard with a strained expression on his face as he concentrated on thinking angry thoughts. The guard stood unmoving.

Billy scoffed. “I can’t believe you actually thought that might work you idio-”

The guard dropped to the floor. Blood pooled around his body despite there being no visible wound.

“Ha! See. I’m totally amazing and you thought it was a stupid idea,” laughed Zak. Billy seemed dumbstruck, totally lost for words.

“Now we just need the ropes cutting and we can help,” Trey said into the sudden silence. “Help me try and loosen them.”

“Let me think more angry thoughts at it and then I’ll be the greatest ever,” shouted Zak in a slightly insane voice.

“Or we could just get Pux to cut them once he gets his sword from that man’s spine,” replied Trey as he tried to edge away from Zak. He was not having much luck with it.

“We could do that but I prefer my idea,” pouted Zak.

“Ah, so you noticed me did you, lad?” said Pux as he walked over the guard’s body, wiping crimson blood off of his blade on the man’s shirt. He hopped down and ran over to the ropes which he tried to cut but failed. “It’ll take too long for me to cut it like this. I’ll be back in a minute,” he said as he scurried out of sight.

“How long do you think it’ll take for him to come back?”mused Billy. He looked over to Zak who was still thinking angry thoughts at the rope. He then looked at Trey, and saw nothing. Billy looked all around but couldn’t see any trace of him.

“You can get out anytime now,” said Trey who was sat on a crate near the edge of the ship.

“What? When? How?” Billy stammered. Zak was still staring angrily at the rope, oblivious to everything else around him.

“I used the giant axe that landed near me to cut the ropes,” Trey explained. The mention of the words ‘giant axe’ had snapped Zak out of his angry thoughts and caused him to jump up and charge towards the weapon.

“You won’t even be able to lift it let alone use it, you fool,” scoffed Billy as he collected the ropes for later use.

“Dinner is escaping!” roared a passing by tribal man whose full attention hadn’t been on the battle between the two ships. He dropped the wood he had been carrying and drew his sword with a snarl. Within five seconds about twenty warriors had assembled around the three boys and totally surrounded them.

Previous – Chapter 15. The Sealess Beach.

Next – Chapter 17. Tribal Wars.

Fire!”

The sinister growl echoed around the clearing, spooking the birds from the trees. Before the echoes faded they were replaced by the sharp twang of crossbow bolts.

“Yaweearr!”

For a moment Trey thought it was some random, suicidal attempt of Zak fighting off the projectiles, but when he didn’t feel any pain his brain processed that the sound was too high-pitched to have come from Zak. He opened his eyes. To his surprise, all of the bolts were being carried away by brightly coloured birds. The Forukks themselves were fighting against a tide of the birds that pecked at their eyes and exposed hides.

“Calomahii!” screamed several of the birds in some kind of battlecry.

“Oh sweet. Little men are riding those birds,” called out Zak, pointing excitedly.

Zak was right. Small men about the size of a man’s index finger were riding the birds while shooting little bows at the patches of bare Forukk skin. They wore armour of leaves, shells and bone, and all had tanned skin.

One of the little men manoeuvred his bird around the Forukks and made it hover in front of the three boys. It called out to them in a voice that sounded like the thing had just breathed in a large amount of helium. “

Hey! Big people, run for your lives. We’ll take care of these oversized rats. Get out of here now!”

Taking the strange little man’s advice they turned and ran through the trees in a direction they hoped was east. The sound of battle slowly faded into the distance as they ran further from the encounter. They could barely breathe from the effort but they continued their sprint, then the sudden lack of ground in front of their feet caused them to skid to a stop.

Billy and Trey both managed to slide to a halt but Zak was still running full pelt while watching the clouds above him. He somehow managed another few feet while running on air before plummeting to the ground below. There was a dull thud.

Trey walked up to the edge and gazed out into a huge expanse of sand as far as his eyes could see. The Amion Desert, known locally as the sands of deliverance. It was a large body of sand that separated Pastrino land from that of Onlasar. Down far below, Zak was embedded in the sand. “Hey Zak, are you okay?” he called down.

“Aaww,” was Zak’s reply.

“Is that a yes or no?” asked Billy in an unconcerned voice. There was silence for a few seconds then Zak managed an answer.

“Wow. That was so fun. Hey, guys help me get back up so I can go again.”

“I’ll take that as a yes he is okay,” Billy sighed.

Trey took a closer look at their surroundings. It was quite a drop from where they were to the sand below but they could make it. Zak had already proven that much. There was also a small path down that ran along the cliff, but a large rock blocked the way. It looked easy enough to climb.

Somewhere there should have been a route known as the Traveller’s Pass, a staircase carved into the cliff which was used by traders. Most bypassed the desert by sailing the River Rike instead. Trey wasn’t sure where this pass was though, and he had the daunting feeling that the Forukks were on their trail again.

“Come on, we’ll take the path,” he told Billy, a nearby howl lending haste to his decision.

It only took a few minutes to reach the boulder. Trey looked back to see the Forukks just emerging from the trees; less in number then when they attacked in the forest. Many of them looked like they had injuries but at this range he couldn’t be sure. He was sure on one thing though, he was not about to wait and look. They both started to climb, finding plenty of gaps to hold onto. Slight tremors passed through the stone, causing the boys to halt at the top.

The Forukks were far too close for comfort. One released a blood-curdling howl that caused the rock to shake more. Then it started to rise. Trey realised too late that they were standing on a stone troll’s shoulders.

Its body cleverly mimicked the rocks of its surrounding area. Its huge arms looked able to crush anything within its grasp. Simple yellow eyes stared dumbly before it. It was clearly aged as its rocky skin was cracked and faded in certain sections. They were rare in these parts but this particular one looked at home in its surroundings and was not happy about being disturbed.

Even the Forukks stopped in near disbelief as the troll took in the situation before it. It didn’t seem to notice Trey and Billy, and even luckier, it looked to have a dislike for the Forukks. It picked up a rock and threw it like a skimming stone at the closest Forukk, taking its head off in a spray of bone and brain. The troll lurched forward, hands clenched.

“Come on, we’ve got to jump,” said Trey.

“No way. That’s the kind of thing Zak would do.”

“Well it’s either that or we just sit here on a troll while it’s attacking a pack of Forukks.”

“I’d rather do that then do something that Zak thought up. He just wouldn’t shut up about it.”

They didn’t have time to argue so Trey grabbed Billy’s arm and jumped. The wind blew through his hair wildly and his eyes watered so all he could see were blurs around him. He was starting to enjoy free fall, until he reached his destination of the ground. The instant he impacted with the earth, everything went black.

* * *

Trey awoke with a violent pain in his neck and Billy and Zak standing over him, arguing as always. Spitting out a mouthful of sand he sat up slowly and looked around. Only two things seemed odd. One was the body of a Forukk sprawled out nearby. The second was the small man standing on Zak’s shoulder.

Trey didn’t want to listen to Billy and Zak argue so he stood up and walked over to the Forukk body. Neither noticed, and considering he was directly below them, it showed their minds weren’t focused.

The body looked like it had been through a lot. Its otherworldly eyes were pecked and swollen, it had a deep claw wound across its chest, and it looked like it had been crushed by the troll. It didn’t have any sword wounds so he presumed it had been thrown off the cliff.

Looking at a bloodied up monster corpse wasn’t Trey’s idea of fun so he walked back over to his companions to inspect the small man, now jumping about on Billy’s head, much to the teen’s agitation.

Zak suddenly realised that Trey wasn’t on the floor anymore and walked over to him asking, “How did you get over there?”

“I walked,” Trey replied simply.

“Well even I could have guessed that, it’s just that you landed head first. I’m surprised you didn’t break your neck.”

“I’m just lucky I guess,” Trey muttered as he soothed his aching neck. He certainly didn’t feel lucky. “Who’s that little man trying to light a campfire on Billy’s head?”

The creature in question was a humanoid about the size of a mouse with plain brown hair, red tinged eyes and slightly pointed ears. His clothes were a mixture of furs and sewn foliage of subtle browns and greens. There was a slight green tinge to his tanned skin.

“He’s trying to do what!” shouted the unsuspecting Billy. “I’ll kill you, you little…”

Billy swatted wildly at his head, missing the miniature man at every opportunity. He merely dodged the first few attacks, jumped onto Billy’s hand, slid down his shirt then, made a leap of faith, somehow gliding towards Zak. Upon closer inspection, Trey noted that he had small webbed sections on his clothes so he could glide. He landed on Zak’s leg and scrambled up onto his shoulder. Billy raised his fists threateningly to the man and stomped towards him.

The little man pulled a sharpened sword from its scabbard and pointed it at Billy. In a high-pitched voice he shouted “I’ll teach you to pick a fight with a Yuxova captain. Bo-bo, attack!”

Out of the sky dived a small blue bird wearing makeshift armour made of nutshells. It swooped down and started to peck at Billy’s face. Unable to swat the bird away he resorted to running around in a circle screaming until the Yuxova called it off.

After everyone had settled down and Bo-bo the bird was happily seated on Billy’s head, Trey decided to get some details on their small guest. “So, little man, who are you?”

The Yuxova suddenly stood up straight and pushed his chest forwards proudly. “I am Captain Puxalotu Wutoxa. I am the lowest Captain of the Forest Guardians.”

“Why did you come to the desert with us, Pux?” Trey asked.

“My name is Puxalotu, long haired human child.”

“Well what’s wrong with Pux?”

“It’s not my name.”

“It’s close enough.”

Puxalotu ignored Trey and answered his other question. “As for why I’m here with you, I am tasked with protecting the forest. Our Lord Prophet remembers stories of the last time those beasts wandered this land. The forests burned, the trees were felled and our men were brutally murdered. I know from the Shadow Walkers that your city, Uraxi, or Pastrino as it’s called in your tongue, has been destroyed. Our forest will be next. You seem to be on a mission against them so I will aid you.”

“We’re not on a mission against them. We’re just trying to get to safety,” Billy blurted out.

“The Lord Prophet said that you were on a quest so you are on a quest.”

“What ever you say Puxy,” Billy replied.

“I said my name is Puxalotu!”

“So? It’s too long. If we need your help quickly we don’t want to be shouting Puxalotu,” argued Billy stubbornly.

“Okay. I’ll make you a deal. You can call me Pux if I can call you shortened versions of your names too.”

“Deal,” chorused Zak and Trey the second the Yuxova soldier had finished speaking.

“Wait a second. That’s not fair. You aren’t calling me Bill,” Billy protested. “Plus those two don’t have shortened versions.”

“Tough, BILL,” goaded Zak, enjoying every second of Billy’s agitation.

“Damn you all,” Billy muttered angrily.

“So we’re agreed,” interrupted Trey to avoid another argument.

“We can call our little friend here Pux on the condition he can call us shortened versions of our names.”

“In other words he calls me Bill,” grunted Billy.

“Exactly,” added Zak happily.

They walked on for a while following Pux’s advice on which was the best path east, Billy and Zak arguing the whole time. Pux was setting up a small tent on Billy’s head and Trey continued reading ‘The Arts of Nimula’ with a running translation from Zak again. Questions about the Yuxova were occasionally asked of Pux which he gladly answered.

The further they walked, the more the heat increased, sapping at their strength and drenching them in sweat. Only Pux had any water while nobody wore suitable clothing to shield against the scorching sun. Conversation died as saliva evaporated from their mouths.

After a while, Zak broke the silence. “This beach sucks. No sea, no food, and no scantily clad women.”

“What beach?” Trey asked, feeling confused.

“This beach,” Zak said as he motioned the desert surrounding them.

“This. Is. A. Desert,” stated Billy very slowly like he was addressing a small child.

“Shut up BILL,” taunted Zak. “There’s lots of sand so it’s a beach.”

“Look, firstly you can get rock beaches that have no sand, secondly there’s no sea,” argued Billy.

“Fine, it’s a sealess sand beach,” reasoned the other teen.

“That makes no sense,” scoffed Billy.

“Neither does the sign on that ship’s flag,” shrugged Zak.

“What?” said both Trey and Billy in surprise.

They looked towards where Zak was pointing, and sure enough there was a ship. It was actually sailing through the sand. It had a complex wooden structure with giant sails that billowed wildly in the wind, and just like Zak said, it had a flag with some strange symbols. The wood was old and sun bleached while the design of the hull seemed to be a mesh of several styles of seafaring ships. Snarling fangs had been carved into the bow of vessel like the maw of a giant shark.

“I wonder what those symbols mean,” wondered Billy aloud.

Pux squinted up at the cluster of strange shapes. “Hmm. I would say it’s a desert tribe inscription, Flesh Eroders, I believe. It roughly translates to “You can run, but you’ll just die tired,” he explained nonchalantly.

“They sound nice. Let’s hitch a ride,” Zak said with a grin.

“Are you crazy?” roared Billy. “They sound like they’ll kill us in the most painful way imaginable then use whatever remains of us on spare parts for the ship.”

“It doesn’t matter anyway,” observed Zak excitedly. “They’re about to run us over.”

The ship suddenly increased its speed and made a quick turn until it was pointed directly at the group. Sand flew around it in vast clouds that obscured the cantankerous vessel in a murky veil. Trey could just make out massive wheels under the colossal structure.

“Sprite damn it!” shouted Billy as he leapt from in front of the ship. Trey did the same. Zak just stood there waving at it.

Several spikes were mounted onto the front of the ship at an angle to avoid snapping on dunes, but instead of Zak being impaled on them, he just lifted his foot and stepped up onto the first of the fearsome metal points and began to climb with ease up to the ship’s deck.

As for Billy and Trey, after narrowly avoiding being crushed or impaled by diving to the side, they were caught in huge nets that hung from the ship’s sides like drooped wings. After a futile attempt to untangle themselves, the nets were lifted up onto the deck. Zak was already there, with five swords aimed around his body. Billy and Trey were welcomed similarly after the nets were removed from around them. Pux was nowhere to be seen.

All of the men surrounding them had bald heads and many had disfiguring scars. They all had tattoos depicting death, carnage or general articles of fear like snakes or giant spiders. More than one of them had sharpened their teeth into vicious fangs. They wore a tough, leather like material as clothing, probably from some desert predator, that covered vital areas of the body but left large amounts of tanned skin bare. Each held in his hand a weapon ranging from swords, spears, axes or anything that was heavy and dealt a devastating blow. The men had huge muscles to compensate for the heavy weapons.

Women were also mingled in with the men. They had long, wild hair unlike their male counterparts. They carried weapons too.

The three boys were tied up with thick rope and shoved around as the tribe’s people moved them about, seemingly trying to decide the best course of action. They spoke in a strange, harsh tongue that even Billy, who actually paid attention in language class, couldn’t fully decipher. He caught the odd word or two but not enough to make much sense. Trey was completely at a loss. He regretted ignoring the lessons on desert tribes and their languages now.

A very tall man, dressed like the rest but with the addition of a skull helmet, skull shoulder pads and skull shin pads, walked up to the teens. He must have been high up in their ranks. He also seemed to be able to speak the same language as the boys, although his accent created a harshness to even the softest of words.

“Looks like we’ll be eating well tonight,” he boomed.

The other members of the tribes seemed to understand it as well. They all cheered as Billy, Trey and Zak were led to an under deck cell.

“Nice,” stated Billy, sarcasm dripping from the word.

Previous – Chapter 14. The Road to Abyss.

Next – Chapter 16. Captured.

Pleasant was definitely not the right word to describe Sarah Sted’s journey so far. She and the other captives from Pastrino had been walking non-stop all night and day, and the only food that they had been given were scraps of stale bread which the Forukks wouldn’t eat. If it didn’t drip with blood then they wouldn’t touch it. 

“Time to rest the puss bags,” ordered the lead Forukk, its voice so deep that it was hard to listen to.

“Why?” questioned one of the other officers scathingly, its voice little more than a series of angry grunts. “They can walk for days more before needing a rest.”

“Our lord wants them intact and usable when they arrive,” growled the first. “They will rest for five hours each day, then walk the rest of the day and night.”

Sarah overheard this with dread. Since the attack was in the evening most people were wearing either slippers or no footwear at all. Only a few of the captives had been prepared for travel, and even they were starting to struggle with the blisters. Those without footwear were in constant agony.

Sarah felt so helpless and alone. She had no way to fight back, no friends to talk to, and no way to know if Trey was still alive. He was alive though. She could feel it within her.

Her mind was still in turmoil though. Aside from the pain of witnessing her friends deaths and not knowing where Trey was, she also knew that the Forukks had no use for slaves. Only food. The mention of a lord set her mind racing though. 

Sarah, like the other slaves, gladly welcomed the rest. But none of them could sleep. Most were terrified or brain dead. Those ones had submitted, given up hope. Tomas Aslon certainly had not.

He was the School Master and before that a Pastrinian scout. He was strong and kind, a rare combination in recent times. His bravery and will to fight back was what set him apart from the others. He was soon looked upon as the leader of the brow beaten Pastrinians. The actual lord was nothing more than a grovelling cowered in hard times.

She glanced to the side, spying out the lord amongst the rest of the dejected herd. His fine clothes were torn to rags and his hair was matted with dried blood. His eyes were void and his body shook uncontrollably. Tears stained his face and a constant low moan escaped his lips. He struggled to control his own mind, let alone a city’s population.

Sat beside the lord was an officer from the City Guard, Lieutenant Gapon. The man had several broken bones yet was still able to keep up with the rest of the captives. Sarah was amazed that he could walk at all. Despite how pitiful the lord had become, Gapon stayed at his side and watched over him. The Lieutenant deserved someone better to give his loyalty to.

Disgusted, she turned her attention back to Mr Aslon. He had gathered a crowd around him and addressed them in a confident voice. “The Forukks dislike the light,” he told them. “We outnumber them five to one. If we strike in the daylight, we may stand a chance at victory.”

As he spoke a lone dark figure moved away from the group and towards the Forukk guards.

* * *

The amber flames from a small fire the humans crowded around were nearly dead. A large group had gathered to listen to Mr Aslon’s plan.

“We have a chance of escape. Some of us will die but if we do not take the risk we could be slaves for all of our lives, or worse.” Some nods of agreement appeared as he said this but many had their distaste of the idea clear on their faces.

“We’ll all be killed if we try,” moaned someone in the crowd. Sarah suspected that it was the goldsmith, Beldon Dale.

“I would rather die free than live in chains,” replied Mr Aslon.

More of the assemblage nodded their agreement. Now the majority of the crowd were in his frame of mind. He looked across all the faces in the group, knowing full well that they looked to him to guide them to safety; he also knew he would guide many to their deaths. That was the price of freedom, but it had to be paid.

“So are we decided?” he asked to the entire gathering.

There was a brief pause as the crowd murmured amongst themselves. One arm rose into the air, closely followed by a second and third. Within seconds hundreds of arms reached out towards the sky. Some kept their arms at their side with a disdainful look on their faces. The majority rules.

“Alright. We’ll act at first light. That will give us a full day of sun to make our escape.”

“Where will we go?” asked a voice from the group.

Mr Aslon didn’t answer. In truth he didn’t know what to do or where to go. The crowd was becoming more disheartened by the second. He thought that he had lost their confidence until Sarah Sted stepped forwards to address the congregation.

“We’ll head back to Pastrino, there are weapons there.”

“What! We’re not going back to that death trap. We got massacred last time and we had more men and weren’t fatigued!” shouted Martin Seeda, a tavern landlord.

“True, but we are all awake this time and we would all be prepared. Plus we could send someone to Onlasar to tell them of the threat, maybe move everyone east just to be sure.”

From the back of the crowd a dark figure made its way to the front. It was Mr Xion.

“And who is to lead us in this uphill battle. Our old commander is dead,” he asked.

Mr Aslon stepped forwards. “I shall lead you. I’m a veteran scout who knows a thing or two about battle.”

“Thank you for that Tomas. Guards, he is your rebellion leader.” Mr Xion gave an evil smile as three Forukk guards headed for the front.

The crowd was horror struck. No one dared to move. Mr Aslon knew he stood alone. As the first one drew near he punched its ugly face with all his might, causing the beast to stagger back then fall over a log. Before he could react to the other two he was being held firmly by them in iron grips. Then the first Forukk got back onto its feet and stomped back to him. It raised its fist and was about to strike when Sarah jumped in the way, taking the full brunt of the attack. It was not meant to kill but still sent her flying back. She skidded across the floor, landing in a heap several feet away.

The beast raised its arm again, this time its clawed fingers not clenched. It lunged its talon like hand into Mr Aslon’s chest then withdrew it in a shower of blood holding his heart. Mr Aslon was still alive as he helplessly watched the Forukk eat the organ. As the Forukk took its last bite, Mr Aslon’s entire body went limp.

The Forukks unceremoniously dumped his body in their food store and went back to their duties. Mr Xion accompanied them. Coughing, Sarah struggled to her feet. Around her the crowd was disbanding with downcast eyes. The battle for the people’s will was lost. No one had the courage to fight any more. They all seemed to accept their fate. Not Sarah though. She was not about to give up. Now wasn’t the time though. She would see what her future would hold and she would stand and face it. Her journey would be terrible and her destination would be far worse but what choice did she have? This was only the road to Abyss.

Previous – Chapter 13. Forest Fight.

Next – Chapter 15. The Sealess Beach.

Trey was nice and warm in his comfortable bed and didn’t have a care in the world. He was content in his dream about a huge roast dinner with potatoes, a juicy chunk of chicken breast, stuffing, and Pastrino puddings.

Trey had just finished eating the roast dinner when, out of nowhere, a magnificent quadruple chocolate gateau appeared before him. Even more to his delight, he was still tucked up in his bed while eating this kingly feast. Just as he was about to take a gigantic bite from the gateau, water suddenly gushed in all around him, drowning him. In a flash he had woken up from his feast dream, now he was back in his normal room yet he was still drowning! The last bit of air escaped his lungs.

Trey awoke again, this time into reality. Foul monsters towered over him. He almost had a heart attack until he realised the two ugly creatures looking down on him were Billy and Zak.

“Hey, you’re awake. Took you long enough. We couldn’t get you up so we did what your mum does,” Zak explained while indicating the cup on the floor and Trey’s sodden clothing.

“I hate you guys. I was having an amazing dream about being in my bed, dreaming about having a huge roast dinner and a quadruple chocolate gateau,” Trey said longingly.

Billy frowned. “Who has a dream about being asleep, having another dream?”

“I once had a dream about having a dream about turnips,” replied Zak casually.

Trey shook his head. “That could only happen to you, Zak.”

Billy sighed, ignoring the banter. He still looked miserable. His eyes seemed glazed. He was clearly still worried about his parents. He turned to Zak. “Do you think that your family are all still alive? Except for your Granddad.” He instantly regretted bringing up the old man but Zak seemed nonplussed.

“I don’t have any family left.” Zak shrugged nonchalantly. “My mother died in childbirth and I never knew any of my grandparents except for old man Garvel. As for my father, he hates our heritage and has disowned anything that hints at our roots. That includes Granddad and me. After Mum died he moved away to be where numbers and contracts rule rather than swords,” He suddenly paused a moment, listening. “Did you guys hear that?”

All was silent. Nothing moved. Even the wind became still. Then Trey saw a glint of metal in the distance and knew it wasn’t good.

Trey quietly instructed them what to do. “The Forukks seem to have followed us. Get ready to run.”

No sooner had the words left his lips when a Forukk charged into the clearing. It was not the same as the other Forukks they had seen before. It wasn’t as bulky and its armour seemed thinner, more flexible. In each hand it held small, jagged, sickle like weapons. The other noticeable differences were its feet looked better adjusted to running and its helmet, unlike the bear like helmets the normal Forukks wore, looked more like a dog. Its horns were pointed backwards instead of the forwards pointing ones of the larger beasts that were meant for impaling.

“There’s only one. We can take it easily,” Billy said as he grabbed his bow.

Trey calmed himself enough to analyse the beast before him. Taking what he knew he made a quick assessment. “It must be a scout or a tracker.”

In one fluent motion the Forukk had crossed the gap between them and slashed at Billy. The boy only just managed to defend himself with a hastily drawn dagger. The next second the Forukk had slashed again and this time disarmed Billy. Trey shoved his sword through the beast’s stomach only to anger it. With one swing of its arm Trey was thrown into a nearby tree.

“Why is it always left to me to get us out of tough situations?” Zak muttered before throwing the biggest rock he could carry at the Forukk’s head. The beast somersaulted into the pond. Zak followed it at breakneck speed, jumped into the air, and slashed at it with both of his swords. After flying another few feet he crashed into the centre of the pond.

The Forukk bellowed a thunderous howl then its body fell to pieces and splashed noisily into the water. The clear liquid began to froth and darken around the beast’s body, slowly expanding out to the pond’s edges.

After a frantic swim to the side Zak just managed to climb onto the shore, narrowly escaping the tainted water’s spread.

“Let’s get out of here,” he shouted. The others didn’t need telling twice.

They jogged for a few minutes through densely packed trees without seeing any sign of being followed so slowed to a steady walk. A quick glance at the surrounding area showed no threat so they relaxed slightly, each person busying themselves with their own things.

Trey was reading: ‘The Arts of Nimula’ and understanding very little of it. The few sections not written in Pretita script were cryptic at best. Zak provided a few translations, surprising Trey and Billy with his knowledge. The fact that he could understand the script of the Old Kingdom at all was unusual but his insights into the past was unbelievable. Even the scholars knew little else than the Old Kingdom of Pretitanous was established in the Second age and was eradicated by the Klades.

Billy was cleaning his short sword while Zak was humming a crude sailor tune to himself when not helping Trey. All kept glancing around themselves nervously, eyes and ears peeled for any sign of danger. Enough light seeped through the green canopy above that the path was clear to see. Despite this, the light cast menacing shadows, turning every branch and bush into a daunting villain.

They were all brought back to reality when Billy asked, “How many more do you think are following us?”

They slowed, paranoid eyes scanning every leaf. “Most scouts work in teams. I’d say there is at least one left,” Trey answered. He’d been thinking it through since their encounter.

Zak pointed behind him without looking, a grin on his face. “You could just ask them.”

Trey and Billy looked behind them to where Zak was pointing and immediately wished that they hadn’t. Stood in the branches were more of the scout Forukks. Trey counted five of the beasts. In unison all three boys turned and ran further into the forest.

“We can’t outrun them,” heaved Billy after a few minutes of full out running. Several bloody lines marked his face where branches had sliced at his skin during their dash. Trey and Zak bore similar scratches.

Trey risked a glance behind him. One of the Forukks was running silently just a few feet away, its speed far surpassing that of the teens. It sprang into the air and raised its weapon, preparing to cut Trey down on its decent.

Time seemed to slow down as Trey watched the beast fly towards him. His mind was blank, scraped bare by sheer terror. The trees were just distant blurs seen through the corner of his eyes.

What happened next took his mind several extra seconds to work out. The Forukk gave a howl of triumph as it slashed down at its prey, but at the exact same moment a different howl came from the trees, closely followed by a flash of grey fur.

Instead of the bite of a blade in his back, all Trey felt was a splash of blood slowly soaking into his clothes.

Is that it? Am I dying? Trey thought to himself. He felt confused and didn’t really have a clue what was going on. Running into a low branch somehow cleared his mind.

He wasn’t dying, he wasn’t even hurt. He looked back again to see a wolf with ragged grey fur ripping the throat out of the Forukk. Black blood oozed across its silky coat. For the second time, a wolf had saved his life. Trey silently thanked the Sprites.

“One down four to go,” laughed Zak excitedly.

“That’s still enough to kill us easily,” replied Billy as he released an arrow behind him. It harmlessly hit a branch.

Trey tore at his pocket to remove the book that was nestled within. His shaking fingers managed to free it. “I’ll try to use Nimula. We need that kind of power.” He fumbled clumsily through the old book’s pages as he ran. “Let’s see, this one should do it.” He read a passage, the words meaning nothing to him. The words flowed from his mouth yet felt sharp to his tongue. Strangely, the sounds hurt his throat when he spoke them. Each syllable drew his entire focus without him directing it there. His pulse beat to the tempo of the chant and his blood felt charged with static. He wanted to throw up but his body felt out of his control.

One of the Forukks in a thorn tree suddenly started to look like it was spasming until Trey realised it was supposed to be some kind of very bad dance. Then in a particularly complicated movement it separated its legs too far and fell very painfully on the thorny branch. It gave out a surprising and very uncharacteristic high-pitched scream then gracelessly slid into a thorn bush below him.

Trey’s head started to spin and all he could see were strange images of ancient runes imprinted into his retina. His legs felt like lead so running became almost impossible, but still he ran.

“That spell was so cool,” said Zak. “What was it actually meant to do?”

Between heavy breaths and almost constant panting Trey managed to say “Tried Dangerous Blast… Must have said one above… Dance… Just as good.”

After taking his mind off of running just long enough to speak, Trey lost his balance and crashed to the forest floor. As it was summer there were very few leaves to cushion his fall and the few that there were mostly ended up in his mouth. He spat the leaves out and rolled over to face the sky. Instead of the sky he could only see two Forukks towering over him.

He turned his head a bit more to see Billy and Zak attempt to jump in the air and kick the two Forukks in the head. They landed about three feet away. After a quick recovery they were back up, swords at the ready and preparing to strike.

A brief but intense fight was fought around Trey until the two boys were pinned against a tree. Zak had been holding his own against the Forukk’s savage attacks but had been knocked back after having to jump to Billy’s defence. All seemed lost until Zak managed to distract the beasts momentarily with a rubber duck pulled from one of his pockets. Billy and Zak stabbed their blades into the creatures’ feet.

Both boys used the Forukks’ second of weakness to hack them up, narrowly avoiding hacking each other in the whir of blades.

“Do you think we have time to gather up all this gear?” Zak asked hopefully. He pawed over the corpses’ weapons and armour like a child in a toy shop.

“No,” replied Billy bluntly. He scowled as he tried in vain to wipe the stinging black blood from his skin.

“We don’t have time,” a fully recovered Trey said. “The fight isn’t finished yet.”

The last Forukk emerged from behind a large tree trunk. It gave an angry growl and raised its weapon as it walked towards the boys.

“Ha! It thinks it can win us. It’s three verses one. We’ll hammer it!” Zak started to shout.

Before he had finished his sentence, all around them Forukks started to flood through the trees. Five of the heavier Forukks and six of the scouts came into view. The normal ones were armed with large axes while the scouts had twisted versions of crossbows. They were totally surrounded. There appeared to be no chance of escape. No chance of victory. One of the larger Forukks stepped forward.

“Fire!”

Previous – Chapter 12. Escape.

Next – Chapter 14. The Road to Abyss.