Holding his arm tight across his chest, the man keeps his head down while he answers. Jiron has to really strain to hear what was being said. "Then that night, all hell broke loose. We heard shouting and fighting and when it was calm again, there was a hole in the wall of the jail and several of the soldiers were dead."
"How could people in cells have caused all that?" he looks intently at the man. When the officer pauses for an answer, the man looks up but just shakes his head. The officer continues, "Did the townsfolk help them?"
"Oh, no!" the man cries. "We did not! We didn't even realize they had anyone there until after it was over." He looks to the officer, hoping to be believed.
"Then what?"
"You're men gave chase as the prisoners fled up into the mountains," the man replies, bowing his head once more. "Some time later the soldiers returned, several of them having been killed I heard. The next morning, the officer in charge took his whole garrison up after them, but none came back. Shortly after that, the fire swept down the mountainside, almost like magic, engulfing tree after tree."
"Magic, you say?" the officer asks intently.
The man looks up at the officer's eyes boring into his, "It seemed like it, as fast as the fire spread."
"Hmmm," the officer mumbles as he thinks to himself. "Let him go," he says to his men who then release the man. To the man he says, "If you and your folk had a hand in the killing of my men, I will cut the throat of every man, woman and child here and raze this town to the ground!"
Fear in his eyes, the man exclaims, "We didn't!"
"We'll see," and then waves his hand, dismissing him. The man turns and flees down the street as fast as his legs will carry him, never once looking back.
The officer and his men confer for a few minutes and then return inside the jail.
"Damn!" Jiron quietly exclaims. Why did he have to say 'magic?' Hopefully they won't put, as James says, two and two together. Why did he have to say 'magic?' Hopefully they won't put, as James says, two and two together. He continues watching but everything remains quiet. His horse remains tied to the post outside the jail, along with the others. He continues watching but everything remains quiet. His horse remains tied to the post outside the jail, along with the others.
Figuring on a wait before he'll be able to reclaim his horse, he looks through the house and discovers some bread and fruit in the kitchen. He pulls a chair close to the window so he can keep an eye on what's going on outside as he eats.
Nothing of interest happens while he's eating, soldiers continue to come and go from the jail, and the occasional townsman runs past carrying a shovel or some other item used to combat the fire. After he's finished, he tries to think of a way to retrieve his horse while he sits there looking out the window. The last twenty four hours begin to catch up with him and he finds himself yawning and rubbing his eyes.
Deciding on a short nap since he has to wait anyway, he climbs the stairs to the second floor and finds a bedroom with a suitably large bed. He places the backpack beside him on the bed as he lies down and then takes out one of his knives, keeping it in his hand in case of trouble.
Closing his eyes, he quickly falls asleep.
Voices from below waken him. He sits up abruptly and then makes his way to the bedroom door to listen. He can hear two, maybe three people downstairs talking in the Empire's tongue, soldiers most likely. Returning to the bed, he grabs the backpack and then silently makes his way to the top of the stairs.
Looking down, he can see one of the soldiers with a partially filled sack in his hand, opening drawers and looking through them. Occasionally, he would take something out and put it in his sack. Looting, Jiron thinks. The soldier says something to the others and then makes his way to the stairs, looking as if he means to go up to the second floor.
Thinking fast, Jiron hurries into the bedroom again, flips a coin on the bed and then swings the door all the way into the room as he hides in the space between it and the wall. Shielded behind the door, he listens to the footsteps of the soldier as he comes up the stairs.
His heart beating fast, Jiron hears the soldier coming down the hallway toward him. When the footsteps come to the open door, he hears the soldier pause and then gasp as he sees the silver coin sitting on the bed. Jiron then hears him enter the room, hurrying over to pick up the coin to put in his sack.
As the soldier reaches the bed, Jiron silently comes out from behind the door with both knives drawn. Catching the soldier by surprise, he's able to quickly take him out with minimal noise. Easing the dead body of the soldier onto the bed, he takes back his coin and then returns to the hallway, shutting the door behind him.
Returning to the top of the stairs, he listens as the other two are still rummaging around downstairs. One of them raises his voice and then pauses. He speaks louder this time and again pauses. The two down below begin whispering among themselves and then Jiron hears them both hurrying to the foot of the stairs.
Jiron returns quickly back toward the room with the dead soldier and enters a closet sitting across the hallway from the room. He closes the door just enough to leave a thin opening through which he can see out. Looking out through the crack, he observes the other two coming down the hallway, going from room to room as they holler for their companion. When they come to the room where the dead body lies, they both rush in. He hears them say something and then a moment later one of them exclaims and they begin to hurry out of the room.
When the first one exits and is close enough, Jiron kicks the door to the closet open, catching him in the shoulder, causing him to stumble and fall to the floor. With both knives drawn, he advances on the other soldier as the man exits the room.
Having seen his friend being knocked down by the swinging door, the last soldier draws his sword and thrusts at Jiron's midsection.
Easily deflecting the blade with the knife in his right hand, Jiron slashes with his other, scoring along the man's forearm. Keeping an eye on his companion, he presses the man with a series of attacks which soon has him bleeding from several different wounds.
The soldier on the floor gets back up and advances on Jiron with sword drawn, coming to his partner's aid. He thrusts at Jiron but fails to connect when Jiron twists to avoid the incoming blade.
As the blade goes past, Jiron strikes out and stabs the man in his exposed armpit, puncturing a lung. The man goes down coughing and blood begins welling out of his mouth as his lungs fill with blood.
Seeing his partner fall, the remaining soldier goes back into the room where the dead soldier lies, and then grabs a chair and throws it through the window. As the window shatters, he runs over to it and begins hollering to someone outside. He then turns and looks at Jiron with an evil smile and says something to him in his language.
Realizing he's about to be inundated with soldiers, Jiron turns and races for the stairs, hoping to escape the house before they make it inside. When he reaches the top, hears the door downstairs slamming open as many soldiers rush into the house. He turns and sees the remaining soldier coming out of the room, sword drawn and ready.
Looking around, he sees a trap door in the ceiling down the hallway, past the soldier. He throws the backpack at him, causing him to move to avoid being hit. Jiron advances upon him fast with a flurry of attacks that soon has him lying dead on the floor. Picking up the backpack again, he races to the trapdoor and pulls on the rope attached to it. He can hear soldiers running up the stairs.
The trapdoor comes down and a step ladder unfolds, allowing access to the attic. As he begins to climb the stairs, he hears someone shout behind him. He turns and sees enemy soldiers running down the hallway toward him.
When he reaches the top, he tries to pull the ladder up but one of the soldiers has already gotten a hold of it, preventing him from retracting it.
Next to the trapdoor he sees a chest. Taking hold of it, he pulls it over to the trapdoor and drops it on the soldiers below. He hears it crash down the stairs and into the soldiers, followed shortly by curses and one cry of pain.
Having only seconds, Jiron quickly glances around and the only exit visible is a small window on the far side of the attic. He quickly picks up several other things of moderate weight and throws them down in quick succession at the soldiers below before running over to the window.
The window is hinged and he's able to swing it open. Sticking his head out the window, he looks down and sees a straight drop to the street below. Looking up, he sees the edge of the roof a mere two feet above the window. Pulling himself to a sitting position on the sill, he reaches up and grabs the edge of the roof, quickly pulling himself up. A crossbow bolt hits the eave next to where he's climbing up onto the roof. Glancing down, he sees a dozen soldiers there watching him, two armed with crossbows. Another thud, and he feels a crossbow bolt embed itself in the backpack.
Finally gaining the roof, he rolls away from the edge and the deadly barrage coming from the streets below. The roof is shrouded by thick smoke coming from the fire not to far away. He pulls out the cloth again and wraps it once more around his face, trying to keep the smoke out of his lungs. In a low crouch, he gains the center of the roof and quickly surveys his options.
A narrow alleyway separates this building from the one behind it, the buildings on the other sides are too far away to attempt to jump across. Keeping low, he runs and leaps across the gap to the other building, landing easily. Looking back, he sees a soldier gaining the roof by way of the window in the attic. He sees Jiron and pauses as he points to him, shouting to the soldiers in the streets below. Then he starts running toward him as another begins to climb up from the attic.
Glancing across the roof to the other side, he sees that the buildings continue along close together for a while. Having no other choice, he runs and begins jumping from rooftop to rooftop as he tries to find a way out of this situation. After jumping to the third building, he begins to feel the heat of the fire and realizes that it has reached the edge of town and is consuming the building at the end of the row he's been jumping across.
Looking behind him, he sees several soldiers running and jumping from building to building behind him. With no other choice, he races toward the end of the line of buildings and the fire until he reaches the last building that's yet to catch fire. He slings the backpack over his shoulder and turns to face the oncoming soldiers. The heat from the fire consuming the building behind him is almost intolerable as he awaits their arrival.
When the soldiers get to the building before his, they stop and begin shouting to him. Unable to understand what is being said, he just stands there with his knives ready, planning to sell his life dearly.
A popping noise behind him causes him to turn his head and look. The building he's standing on has now caught fire and the fire is creeping closer to where he is standing. He tries to take a step away from the flames, but the roof under his foot cracks and then caves in.
He falls through the roof to the floor below, smoke and fire are everywhere. He hits the floor hard and then comes up quickly as he looks around for a way out, the thick smoke stinging his eyes. Spying a doorway, he makes his way toward it through the smoke. He begins coughing, the smoke is so thick here, it's even getting through the cloth tied to his face.
Passing through the doorway, he finds the hallway to his left is aflame, the heat from the flames searing his skin. A sudden thought crosses his mind, something James had said before he left, 'Someone needs to go and retrieve it. Or at least destroy it and the papers it carries.' 'Someone needs to go and retrieve it. Or at least destroy it and the papers it carries.' The backpack! The backpack! He takes it, throws it into the flames and watches for a brief moment as they begin to consume it and the letters inside. He takes it, throws it into the flames and watches for a brief moment as they begin to consume it and the letters inside.
Turning, he runs down the hallway away from the flames to the stairs, where the smoke is billowing up them like a chimney. With no other choice, he races down through the dense, hot smoke, barely able to see and coughing as his lungs try to expel the smoke.
At the bottom of the stairs, the flames wreathe one end of the hallway, the heat causing his hair to begin to curl and smoke. Unable to even see any longer through the smoke, he turns and moves in the opposite direction, away from the flames. Putting the heat behind him, he keeps one hand in contact with a wall as he moves blindly down the smoke filled hall. Suddenly, he feels cool air hit his face and is able to breathe a little better. Running, he makes it through the front door where he collapses on the ground, coughing and gasping, trying to get the relatively clean air into his lungs.
He hears a footstep beside him and looks up to see the officer standing there with two men holding crossbows aimed at him. The officer says something in their language and two of his men grab him and bring him to his feet as they carry him toward the jail.
Chapter Nine.
The following morning when James wakes up, his first thought is on Jiron and how he's making out. Hope he makes it back soon, Hope he makes it back soon, he thinks to himself. Getting up, he walks over and looks at the small pond that has developed over night. A small stream has begun to run the excess water off into the desert. It doesn't get far before being reabsorbed back into the ground. he thinks to himself. Getting up, he walks over and looks at the small pond that has developed over night. A small stream has begun to run the excess water off into the desert. It doesn't get far before being reabsorbed back into the ground.
Waking everyone up, he then gets grain for the horses while the others have a quick meal before getting on the road.
"Wonder how Jiron's doing?" Cassie asks.
"I'm sure he'll be alright," Tinok assures her. Looking over to the pond, he says, "Pretty impressive!"
"Yeah," agrees James with satisfaction and pride. He's created a new oasis here in this desolate land. Once the horses are fed, he takes some rations for himself and eats them quickly.
After everyone is finished eating he begins to get the horses harnessed to the wagons with help from Delia, while Tinok fills all the water bottles from the newly formed pond. By the time the sun has completely topped the horizon, all is ready and they begin to roll down the road. This time Tinok rides point, while James drives the lead wagon, with Delia and Cassie bringing up the rear with the other.
They travel for about two hours before they begin to make out a green oasis with several palm-type trees and bushes surrounding it ahead of them. A small town has grown in the vicinity, from the apparent age of some of the buildings, the town must have been here for a very long time. As they draw closer, they see a large gathering of people at the edge of the oasis.
It soon becomes apparent that all is not well here, people are heard crying and wailing. The group by the oasis has their attention focused on a man in robes speaking animatedly to them. As they pull closer to the town, James asks someone what's going on but no one understands him, they speak the Empire's language.
"Something's obviously got them upset," Delia comments as she pulls her wagon closer to James'.
"Wonder what?" he replies as he watches those gathered over by the oasis.
Tinok pulls up close to them and says, "That guy they're listening to seems to be some kind of priest or leader or something."
"I think you're right," agrees James.
As they enter the town, a man comes out of a store and stops when he sees them. Gesturing animatedly, he tries to tell them something but no one understands him.
"We don't understand what you're saying," James explains to the man.
The man pauses a moment and then continues in their tongue, "You must leave this place!"
"Why?" James asks.
"We are cursed," the man says tragically. "We have lost the favor of the gods and bad things are happening."
"What do you mean?" Delia interjects.
"At first, we thought nothing about it," the man explains. "One of Azrahn's ewes went dry and several people took sick, but we just thought they were normal occurrences, these things happen from time to time you see. Then last night, our oasis, the oasis that has sustained our people here for a hundred generations, went dry."
James feels a shiver go up his spine as he remembers tapping the underground water the day before.
"Zalim, one of our town leaders has sought the counsel of our clerics but they all say the gods are not doing this, that we have not displeased them." He stands there, wringing his hands as he continues, "But most of our people feel an atonement of some sort will bring back the water, I fear what they may do in their fear."
"James..." Tinok starts to say when James shushes him quickly, shaking his head indicating he should say nothing.
"I must go," the man says. "Please leave before anything should befall you!" With that, he turns and hurries over to where all the people have gathered by the oasis.
When they are once more left alone in the street, Tinok asks James, "Did you do this?"
Nodding his head miserably, he replies, "Most likely." Feeling ashamed for the pride he felt earlier at his accomplishment, he looks to the people whose lives he's ruined.
"Can we do anything to help these people?" Delia asks from her wagon.
"I wouldn't even know how to fix this," admits James. "This is what happens when you use magic on the natural order, people suffer. Trying to quench our thirst, I have inadvertently destroyed this village and hundreds of lives. We weren't even that bad off. Had we simply continued down the road another few hours, we would've come to this town and had enough water. No one would've been hurt."
"Don't blame yourself," Delia says, trying to console him. "You didn't know this would happen."
"That's right," adds Cassie. "You were trying to do what you believed was right."
"They may find the other water down the road and move their town there," suggests Tinok.
"Maybe," says James, not feeling any better about the situation.
From near the oasis, James suddenly hears a woman begin to wail, while at the same time, several others begin shouting. Jumping down from the wagon, he runs over to see what is happening.
"James!" Delia shouts to him. "Come back!"
But he pays her no heed, as he continues on toward the oasis.
Everyone gets down, except Cassie who stays with the wagons, and follows behind him.
As he draws near the gathered crowd, he can see the same man is still addressing the people. In front of the speaker, kneeling on the ground, is a man whose hands are tied behind his back. A woman at the front of the crowd looks to be crying and pleading as she attempts to go to his side. Two men hold her arms tightly to prevent her from reaching the bound man.
Seeing the man he talked to earlier, James works his way through the crowd to his side. "What's going on?" he asks him.
Glancing at who is addressing him, the man says, "Roland there," indicating the man being held, "is going to be sacrificed to the gods come sunset."
"Why?" James cries incredulously.
"To appease them," the man explains. "He's an outsider that came to live with us a year ago. He took a wife," he says as he indicates the wailing woman, "and now has a son, very sad."
"Why are they sacrificing him?" he asks. Looking over his shoulder, he sees Tinok and Delia are moving through the crowd toward him.
"Because he is odd," the man says. "Always has strange notions and makes the weirdest things you ever saw. When the oasis went dry, people began talking and have come to the conclusion that a lot of unusual things have happened since his coming. So they believe his presence among us has angered one of the gods and that his sacrifice will bring back the water."
"What do your clerics say?" James asks.
"They say it will make little difference, that the gods aren't angry," he explains. "But the people are scared, they must do something." The speaker continues talking and James watches the crowd around him as they hang on every word that he is saying. "Hassin there," the man says, pointing to the speaker, "has been the one convincing everyone to sacrifice Roland." He leans closer to James and quietly says, "There's been little love lost between those two."
"I see," says James, understanding coming to him.
"The people here," he says, gesturing to those around him, "are really a quiet, peaceful lot. But they're scared and need an outlet for their fear, and I'm afraid Roland will be that outlet." James can see a tear begin to roll down his cheek.
James stands there a moment and looks at Roland, then at his wife who's beside herself with grief. He then comes to a decision and says, "Thank you for explaining things to me."
"You're welcome," the man replies.