Ch13: A Way Out

Copyright © 2013 by P.A. Lackey

All rights reserved.

No part of this story may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. 

Chapter Thirteen: A Way Out

The town sat silently upon the shore of the island, where the ocean whispered the sound of its steady waves from the darkness that concealed it. There were no lights in that place as the place was dead. Only toward the center of town could light be seen, for the leather soldiers had decided to make camp there as long as they were upon the island. Arius was dismayed about the amount of hostiles that had moved to the island.

The raping of a hanging sign against a chain-link fence sounded to their right due to the wind. Arius imagined a dark creature to leap out from the darkness as soon as they passed by the ally, but all remained still. Brockumus was ahead of him, and surveyed the area for their destination. The beach was just around the corner, for he could see a sudden blackness in the distance. Docks were consumed into the abyss.

Around the building, they made way toward an old boat house sitting off of the water. Jayvolni was supposed to be inside as they had communicated through the wheel upon arrival to town. This would be tense, for he would have to work with those who thought him a traitor.

The door to the boat house creaked open, and Brockumus led the way in, glancing to the left and the right. A boat sat in the middle of the room where ocean water calmly swept back and forth bobbing the boat up and down. A large door sat in front of the boat closing it off to the vaster ocean beyond.  At first the place seemed empty, but then Arius felt someone lurking in the far shadows across the room.

“Were you followed here?” Jayvolni asked, uncloaking himself from the shadows.

“No,” replied Brockumus. “Where are Dueson and Ruekrow?”

“Gathering essential supplies. We can leave as soon as we have them.”

“So the boat is good to go?”

“I patched it up, but it needs fuel. Hopefully the brothers will be able to locate some.”

“What about everyone else,” Arius chimed in. “We won’t leave without them.”

“The others will be here,” replied Brockumus. “Thorim is shortly behind us. It’s Rie and Grem I’m unsure about.”

Brockumus had contacted Rie shortly before arriving to town in order to persuade them to meet at the docks. The two mercenaries were reluctant to cooperate however as they had decided to take matters into their own hands. Apparently their ship’s beacon had been washed ashore, but the leather clad soldiers had seized it before they could. Rie and Grem planned to steal it back, but that meant waiting upon the island even longer.

“I heard over the wheel,” said Jayvolni. “They think they can retrieve the beacon.”

“It’s dangerous, but without it I’m afraid we would be stranded here forever.”

“I must say, I doubted the reality of finding it,” said Jayvolni. “But even so, we can’t stay here for long. If they don’t make it back by morning, then I’m afraid we have no choice but to leave.”

“That’s a lot of ground for them to cover,” said Arius. “Is there any way we can pick them up.”

“I have a feeling that as soon as we get into the ocean, we’ll want to get as far away from here as possible. I don’t want to leave anyone behind, but the two decided to go on their own, and thus far don’t seem in want of aid.”

“To be fair,” began Brockumus. “It was you that first broke up the group.”

“We needed a way off of this island before things got too dangerous, and now look at where you are.”

“I suppose they will be saying the same if they get back with the beacon.”

“If,” emphasized Jayvolni.

Brockumus let out a deep sigh before asking, “what can we do to help?”

Jayvolni turned his eyes down as if perplexed by the question, but staring them back in the eyes he replied, “Find out where Dueson and Ruekrow are at, and help them bring back supplies. What we need more than anything is fuel, so that is the real chore.”

“Sounds good,” Brockumus glanced toward Arius.

The two left the boat house where Arius moved his gaze to the distant moon which now glistened over the ocean waters. Before the clouds had masked its glow, but now it was left bare. Arius gripped his rifle, and wondered how much they would sacrifice just to save their own lives. Would they leave some behind, or would they pull through as a team? These were mercenary men however, and they knew little about teams. 

Be sure to check out  my book, Ground of Oam, here.

Ch11: Stories Told of History's Day

Copyright © 2013 by P.A. Lackey

All rights reserved.

No part of this story may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. 

Chapter Eleven: Stories Told of History's Day

Night had encroached upon them, and the five found themselves a few meters from the Gray Tower. A starry sky seemed to move above the trees as the planet continued its rotation, and the moon had for a short time been up. No fire stirred before them, as they wished to avoid attention. Thus they ignored the cold which impinged their bodies.

Naturally the tower would have provided ideal shelter for the five, but it would have left them cornered if the enemy were to come upon them. Therefor Thorim thought it wise to keep a distance, though no one felt comfortable by it. There was a killer among them, and Arius knew that the others distrusted him. Even Thorim who was reluctant to accuse him, remained suspicious. Arius could tell by the way he behaved. Wary glances, and uncomfortable silence were a giveaway.

Gruegon and Brockumus kept watch for the night, though no one slumbered. Camus was the fifth mercenary among them, and even more than Arius, was probably the quieter of the bunch. He had over the trip developed a bond with Gruegon just as Rie with Grem, and Jayvolni with Dueson and Ruekrow. Arius supposed that Brockumus was his new friend during the trip which left Thorim as the loner. He didn’t seem to have any one friend among the mercenaries, but acted as their leader alone. Arius could only wonder what their commander was thinking.

A sharp clicking sounded in the camp, and they all reached for their wheel. A palm sized device that clicked off an encrypted message. The shape of it was a wheel, and engraved symbols ran around the rim. The top part of the wheel turned to press upon the bottom part, and a message was dialed from Jayvolni. It was their method of communications, as they had no radio or com. The wheel operated by a type of magnetism which only the corresponding devices were linked to, thus they were able to communicate no matter what their distance from each other.

“He has found a boat by the docks,” Thorim spoke aloud. “but it’s condition is in need of repair.”

“If he succeeds in repairing it,” said Camus. “Will we leave with him?”

“Our priority is the mission, but he is right to say that staying is dangerous,” replied Thorim. “We will go if we must.”

Another message clicked through the wheels, and Arius noted it as from Grem. The two had nearly made it back to the crash site, but there were many leathered savages there. It would be dangerous, but they dared to proceed in hopes of finding the ships transmitter.

Thorim replied with a warning, but they refused to take heed from their old commander. They were on their own now, and only communicated to remain informed. All became silent as soon as communication was over.

The insects upon the world had taken to their chirping for the night, and now Arius’ mind began to wonder. He thought of his future wife, and despaired for the great distance between them. Could he ever get back to her, or was his destiny there among men who did not trust him. Was all this really a ploy of his future father in law of riding him forever? Heat flashed through his body as he looked back upon his gullibility. Yawen Waid, the father of his future wife, had tricked him. Arius had trusted the man, and at one time considered him as a father he never had, but now he realized the usury.

Arius’ thoughts soon turned to the mission which Thorim thought so highly of. It was true, they were there to make history, but perhaps it was their demise they would find instead. They were hunting a man of legend, long thought dead. What would his business be there, and what was he planning?

Arius recalled the stories taught to him as a child. A plague that devoured worlds, turning brother against brother, son against father. The great Plaigeanic Wars led by the Lord of Plagues, as the adversary called himself.  Worlds were in peril against his corrupting hand, and plague like armies, but a deliverer came to free them from the Lord of Plagues. Archaies was his name, and by his hand the adversary was put to death, the plague done away, and peace restored. Now here they were several hundred years later, hunting the man they once adored. The man Archaies, the one they once called deliverer. 

Thanks for stopping by, and sorry for the late post. Be sure to check out my book, Ground of Oam which is available for both Kindle and Paperback on amazon.