Flash Fiction #705 -- A second Tale of the First Alliance/3

 

Despite knowing that the Ice Sprites were nowhere near this dry, hot lowland, Callum still looked for bright spots in the landscape and sky.  Their allies rarely left the highland snowfields.  Callum had first considered running to higher ground, but the enemy drove them downward instead.  They'd had no choice.

Heavy boots stomped along the nearby path, but none of the berserkers came closer. Many of them growled and yelled. They occasionally howled, but they kept moving onward.

Callum had to force himself to stop listening to the drums.  They kept wandering back into his thoughts so that words were hard to hear in his own head.  Think! Thunk.  Move thunk away thunk.  Damn drums!

"No, wait!" Callum caught Ryson by the arm and then snared Kono.  "We have to stop the drums!"

"They have guards," Kono said.  "We won't have any better luck with them than going after the army."

"Not them.  The drums."

"The guards, the drummers --" she protested.

But Ryson nodded with more enthusiasm than he'd had since they left the castle.

"The drums control them," Ryson said with a frantic look through the bush. "If we can silence enough of them, some others will start losing the beat, and the berserkers will fall out of formation.  The drums -- "

"Let's do it," Callum agreed. He crawled out.  Another group of drummers drew closer.  "Kono, you --"

"If you say I need to stay hiding --"

"You will have to guard us both."

"Oh."

"Whatever you do, don't pick up a drum," Ryson said.  He prepared to stand.  "Neither of you. Don't let them touch your skin.  They can claim you."

Then he threw himself out into the path of oncoming drummers.

Callum and Kono growled identical, impolite words, but it was too late to stop Ryson. He had already drawn the attention of three drummers and their companions.

"You idiot! I had a plan!" Callum shouted and kicked someone coming at him with a knife.

"Good," Ryson replied and ducked under a spear.  "We need a plan."

"A bit late," he answered.

"Go for the heart," Ryson ordered.

"I thought we were attacking the drums."

"Yes. The drum's heart."

Of course.

At least Ryson made quick work of demonstrating the attack. He squatted and soared like a frog -- a big frog with two sharp blades -- and stabbed straight into the drum with one hand and into the chest of the drummer with the other hand. Both drum and drummer fell dead at Ryson's feet as he stood again.

"Now he's just showing off," Callum stated.

They were fast in the middle of a battle with no time to discuss fighting styles.  Callum noted one important fact, though.  The berserkers, with no enemy they were pointed at, were not good at fighting one-on-one.

Their leader was not directing anything.  What was he doing if not trying to capture or kill the prey they had so close?

"Aiiieeeai!"

It wasn't until that moment that Callum realized the army was not after the three of them.

"Callum!" Ryson shouted as he snagged Kono and dragged her along.  "Did you hear --" 

"Battle cry of the Dradeni desert tribe.  I suspect we fell into a trap meant for someone else."

Kono killed another drum and a companion while Callum took on the drummer. By then, they had welcome company as a dozen Dradeni rushed down the trail and pushed back the next line of drummers.  Callum had the feeling they'd been watching; they killed the drums first. Then they shoved berserkers at each other and let them wear down the number of enemies. It looked the wiser way to win this battle, but Cullan didn't think they would hold Ryson back for long.  Even the queen fidgeted.

Two older Dradeni backed away from the last of the battle and crossed to where the three stood, still gasping.

"Lord Tsak," Ryson said as he and Callum gave polite bows.

"How is it that anything survived with these two rogues involved? And the queen in their company?  This must be fate that your council hired us to find you, Queen Kono." 

Flash Fiction #704 -- A Second Tale of the First Alliance/2

 

Ryson could hear a distant voice, but the calling of the drums overlaid it so that he couldn't understand --

"Need you!"

Ryson grabbed at the words, his hands moving and latching on to an arm, the grip so tight that he felt someone flinch.  Callum.

"Don't leave without me," Kono said.

"Won't," Ryson whispered.  "Be fast."

"Put the bar into place.  You'll hear me coming back."

Kono left.  Ryson almost lost himself to the drums again.  Callum had sealed the door and gone strangely still, and Ryson stumbled across the room and caught tighter hold of him again, fearing that the drums would call him away.

"Callum, don't leave me!  Don't let them take me again!"

"Hell! Why didn't you say they were the ones who held you?"

"Denial is a shield," he mumbled. The drums grew louder again, but this time his rage drove them away.  "Careful.  I must be careful and not draw them to me. Stronger than when I escaped.   I will not be one of them."

"I will do what I can to keep you safe," Callum promised.  He helped Ryson to the chair.  "This should help."

Callum put a hand to Ryson's forehead.  He almost jerked away -- he let no one touch his face.

"Be still, Ryson.  I am not used to this yet."

"What --"

Magic.

Ryson froze in shock, which was probably better than forced cooperation.  Callum had magic -- powerful magic that held no hint of harm.  

A strong mage for the realm of light.

How the hell had this happened, and he never noticed?

Callum had just learned part of his own secret. They might have an interesting conversation about all of this at some point. This was not a time to reminisce about the changes in their lives. Callum had just put a shield around his heart, blocking that steady beat of the drums that were drawing him.  His thoughts came with new clarity as well. 

The locals were not the only ones who needed to get out of this town.

Callum leaned out the window and then drew on so much magic that his hands glowed.  Ryson dared not move, but he felt the power of the spell and knew it was to give those escaping more strength and resolution to escape.  It was quick, powerful, and Callum faltered so much he would have fallen out the window if Ryson hadn't caught hold of him. 

"Grab whatever you can in food," Ryson said, and made a quick scan of the room. He looked out into the dark night.  The street was far busier than he had expected, since the village looked so small. 

Quick, light steps sounded on the creaking stairs and down the rug-less hall. Kono.  Both of them knew that sound.  Ryson threw the bar aide and jerked the door open.  Kono almost fell into the room.

"Which one of you –"

"Callum," Ryson answered.  There was no reason to draw this out.  "We can discuss it on the run."

"None of us can run at this point," Kono replied with a look at the two holding each other up.  "Maybe we should hide instead."

"We can run," Callum said.  "Just not far.  So, we must escape in a direction they don't expect.  Run and then hide."

"You mean to run toward them," Kono said, her voice a whisper now.  "That's insane."

Callum and Ryson looked at her.

"Let's go then," she answered, grabbing some bread and stuffing it into a pack with more viciousness than it deserved.  "Insane.  Suicidal."

"Do you have a better idea?" Ryson asked.

"Standing in the middle of the street and throwing rocks at them is the only insanity that would top your idea."

Callum nodded.  "We might still get to that stage."

The drums were closer.

Flash Fiction #703 -- A Second Tale of the First Alliance/1

 

 

 This was not the best lodgings the three had ever taken, even in desperation. On the good side, the Queen was too tired to do more than grunt as she fell onto the lumpy bed. Ryson had made his way to the shuttered window despite the lack of light. Callum stumbled against a chair rather than found it.  He sat down and stayed there despite the seat sinking dangerously low.

 Ryson clearly intended to take the first watch. Callum didn't even argue.  He closed his eyes.

It was not the most comfortable sleep, often interrupted by odd noises, including the baying of a dozen donkeys. Callum couldn't say he was sorry when Ryson woke him to take over the watch.

Kono lifted her head, mumbled something vaguely impolite, and went back to sleep. Callum met Ryson at the window where a sharp breeze rustled leaves in nearby trees and blew debris down the deserted street.

"Storm at dawn," Ryson predicted.  Callum nodded, remembering his cousin's uncanny ability to predict the weather.  Ryson looked outside for a moment and nodded. "Either we leave now and try to outride it, or we sit it out here for the day."

"Stay," Kono said as she sat up.  "We might make some plans if we can stay still long enough to discuss what we think we are doing.  From your tone, this won't be an easy storm.  I would rather have even this flimsy covering than none at all."

Callum had to stop himself from countering her idea with one of his own. It wasn't her status as queen that made him rethink his instant response. That was something the three of them had done throughout their childhood.  This was not a time for games.

"Get more rest," Callum suggested.  "There could still be trouble."

Neither argued, although Ryson looked anxious.  Ryson settled on the floor by the chair and pulled his dark cloak up over him.   He could have gone to sleep, but Callum doubted it.

What a mess.

The three had known they had enemies everywhere in the castle.  They had not known their strength until the Queen's Guard fell, holding back the Council's newly gathered followers.  The guard had provided them with a way to escape.  All they had to do was get to an ally.  Any ally. 

He and Ryson were not enough to keep Kono safe, but at least they could guard her back and let her sleep in relative peace for a few hours. There was an odd feeling of calm in this nameless town, even with the storm inching closer to their refuge.  He could hear the thunder long before Callum picked out the glow of lightning.  Both seemed far away and muted, the thunder echoing back and forth as though trapped in a rock-walled canyon. It would have been mesmerizing if Ryson had not suddenly sat up with a cry of despair.

"Ryson!" Kono stumbled from the bed and tackled Ryson before he could get to his feet. "Ryson, wake up!"

A nightmare, and Ryson was not waking from it.  His cries of despair would draw some attention.  He was not responding to Kono.

"The drums!"

"Ryson, there are no --"

Then he heard that strange, echoing sound again.

"Berserker drums," Callum said and tried to keep calm in his voice. "Wake everyone.  Tell them to run."

"They can't escape fast enough," Kono replied.

"Then leave them to die in their beds," Callum replied, speaking more harshly than usual.  "We can only do so much, Kono.  Get the inn started and send them to go after others.  Tell them to listen to the thunder if they don't believe you.  Don't leave the building.  Come back for us.  Ryson!  We need you!"

Kono paused by the door. "Don't leave without me."

Flash Fiction # 702 -- Remember

 

 

"Gather your tools and your manuscripts!" The woman stood on the stage while the volcano grumbled behind her. Ash shot cloud-like into the sky. A small river of lava snaked its way toward them.
The ground gave a violent twist and brought down a few walls.

"To the ships! Gather your families and get to the ships!"

They'd grown used to listening to Gaia over the years, and they did as she ordered.  

Gaia walked alone through the abandoned city. The echoes of the inhabitants were already fading – but she had sent out the people.  They would not forget Atlantis.


 

Flash Fiction #701 -- Adventure

 

 

Kane liked adventure, so each year he walked until a foggy lake blocked his path.  The trail split around the lake, but fog obscured the distant view in both directions.

Tall weeds grew in straggling patches except for the deer path on the right.  That proved the best inducement short of a very long swim straight across the fog-obscured weather. He took the deer paths and fought birds, squirrels, and deer for berries for more days than he could count. 

Following the path around the foggy lake eventually brought him to the original trail.  

Enough adventure.

Time to go home.