Shieldwolf Dawning (29 page)

Brin tread carefully on his way to her. He held out his staff. "Grab onto this."

Samarra struggled to keep herself from being completely submerged, but the more she moved, the deeper she sank. Frantically she reached out as far as she could and grabbed onto the end of Brin's staff.

"Hurry. I can't hold on for long," she called out.

The bands on Brin's face turned dark as he struggled to pull her out of the quicksand. At first it was a challenge to move, but Samarra eventually made headway, inch by inch out of the pit. With a feat of strength, Brin pulled her free. Samarra lay on her stomach, catching her breath.

"Thank you," she said. "You saved my life."

Brin sat down. "We're even, then."

Samarra wiped the wet sand off her uniform. "I guess we've hit the Pits of Sand."

"No kidding." Brin chuckled. He readjusted his glasses and pointed at the Shieldwolves. "It looks like the area over there is clear, but I bet the next few metres are hiding more pits. We'll have to be extra careful on our way through."

"And the good news?"

Brin rubbed his snout. "Hmm… The good news? The good news is that I haven't heard any shrieking for a while."

Samarra panicked at the thought of Watchers. "I wonder if Ember and Bodhrain are still alive."

Although Brin was quiet, Samarra knew exactly what he was thinking because she was thinking the same thing. Ember and Bodhrain were gone. In silence, Samarra pushed on. Brin tested the ground with each step. They stuck to each other like glue. Slowly they weaved in and out of narrow spaces to avoid the quicksand traps. A few steps later, Samarra looked up to see a monstrous three-headed serpent pummelled through the air by a fireball.

She gasped. "What's that?"

The creature hit the ground and thrashed wildly before flipping upright. It reared onto its thick tail and came crashing down on a group of Shieldwolves. Its three mouths snapped open and blasted the Shieldwolves with green vapours. The Shieldwolves broke formation and scattered in every direction, trying to dodge the creature's breath.

"That's a reptreis." Brin prompted Samarra to keep moving. "My Ma told me all about them."

The Shieldwolves who had been caught in the vapours were slowing down until they froze in place like statues. "What about that?" Samarra asked. "What's going on?"

"The poison in a reptreis's breath paralyzes anyone trapped in it. Poison is already absorbing into their armour and entering their bloodstreams. Be careful." He moved around a pit. "When we get to the other side, we should stay put and wait for them to take it down."

Samarra hoped she could make it to the other side in one piece, but she was having a hard time concentrating. She couldn't stop thinking about the Watchers. The commotion up ahead was an even bigger distraction. An onslaught of fireballs and shards of ice launched into the reptreis, yet it remained upright and unharmed.

"That thing's tough." Samarra stepped around the final pit and hopped onto safe ground.

"Its thick skin, almost like rock, is highly resistant to damage." Brin kept them on the outskirts of the battle. "I bet they've been fighting it for a while."

The reptreis whipped its long necks around and screeched. Another round of poisonous vapours blasted out of its mouths. Most of the Shieldwolves dodged the serpent's deadening breath. The unluckier ones eventually fell into a state of permanent paralysis. Samarra rushed forward when Shieldwolf Longmane came running into view, but Brin pulled her back.

"Wait," he said. "They don't need our help."

Shieldwolf Longmane drove his staff into the ground. Ancient words of power spun on his lips. He called to the sprits of the earth and air in a speech that was sometimes swift and sharp like the wings of a needletail, and then as cold and rough as a jagged rock. He made a sign in the air, and three large circlets took shape from the rocks around him. With a wave of his staff, he pitched the circlets at the reptreis and anchored its three necks into the air.

The creature thrashed its enormous tail. The ground thumped and boulders shook. Shieldwolf Longmane recited a battle cry and charged at the reptreis. Samarra looked on with bated breath.

The reptreis lifted its tail into the air and brought it down hard on Shieldwolf Longmane, who instantly summoned a shield of rock from the ground to protect himself from attack. The reptreis steadied itself and opened its mouths. Samarra's heart raced. She knew what was coming.

As quick as a flash, Shieldwolf Longmane dispelled the shield and plunged the end of his staff into the creature's heart. The reptreis's eyes widened in surprise and agony. It retaliated. The creature broke free of its bonds and thwacked him away with its powerful tail.

Time seemed to slow down. The reptreis stumbled and crashed to the ground, twitching wildly as it clung to the last moments of its life.

Samarra whimpered and her heart quickened.

"Oh no…" Brin murmured.

Not far from the reptreis, Shieldwolf Longmane, as silent as death, lay facedown on the ground.

Caverns of Azalor

Samarra raced to Shieldwolf Longmane, but a veteran stopped her approach to make way for two healers. The healers kneeled down beside the unconscious man, pulled off his visor, and checked for a pulse and broken bones. They turned him over and peeled the cracked armour from his right arm to reveal a deep gash.

"He has not been poisoned, but he has lost a lot of blood," said a healer, putting pressure on the wound. She coated a thick strip of gauze with soothing oils and bandaged Shieldwolf Longmane's arm to stop the bleeding. The healers bowed their heads and called on the powers of the Reflection. A muted green light formed at their fingertips and wrapped itself like a ribbon around Shieldwolf Longmane's body. In a matter of minutes, he opened his eyes.

"What happened?" he asked weakly.

Samarra exhaled; her heart was calm.

"You lost a lot of blood and fell unconscious." The healer wiped his brow. "All is well now."

Shieldwolf Longmane sat up and touched his bandaged arm. He stretched his muscles and smiled. He seemed as good as new.

"Thank you." He stood up with help.

The healers bowed slightly. "At your service," they said in unison before they left to tend to the others.

Shieldwolf Longmane adjusted his uniform and pulled his hair back from his face. Then he noticed Samarra and Brin standing nearby. "You should be on your way to Shieldwolf Proper by now." His expression was stern. "Where are Ember and Bodhrain? Did you run away from them?"

"No." Samarra backed away defensively. Something shook in her and she began to cry. Fear, shock, sadness — all the emotions she had been bottling up came rushing out. She raced through her words, jumbling through sentences as she explained what had happened. Brin joined in and hiccupped through his version of the story.

"Samarra, stop." Shieldwolf Longmane placed his hand on her arm. "Take a deep breath and start again, one at a time."

"Go ahead." Brin fiddled with his glasses. "You tell him."

When Samarra had collected herself, she recounted the morning's events. Brin interjected every now and then to add things she forgot to mention. Shieldwolf Longmane listened attentively.

"He said the Watchers were coming… and then he flew off to help her." Samarra sniffled. "I was scared. We had to leave or the Watchers would have gotten us too."

"You did the right thing. In fact, I am impressed you made it this far on your own. Very brave. You should be proud of yourselves for that."

"We should?" Samarra wiped away the tears streaking down her cheeks. She suspected she looked a mess.

Shieldwolf Longmane nodded.

"So what do we do now?" Brin asked.

"We want to go with you, Shieldwolf Longmane," Samarra pleaded. "You can't send us back. Not now."

"I cannot take you with me." Shieldwolf Longmane was adamant. "It is far too dangerous for swains."

"But the Watchers are coming!" Samarra grabbed his hand, but pulled away instantly at the shock of touching him. "It's just as dangerous to go back."

"Is it?" he asked. "Look around you, little one."

Samarra could sense the doom taking everyone in a firm hold. Shieldwolves filed through the area; some were hurt, others had escaped unscathed, some were paralyzed, and some had died. The two healers who had tended to Shieldwolf Longmane were huddled in a circle with several others. Samarra could hear them clearly.

"There is nothing we can do for them," one said.

"The paralysis is irreversible. They will be dead within the hour," said the other.

"We have lost at least fifty from my last count."

"They will have to remain here until we return for their bodies."

"We will give them a proper burial when this nightmare is over."

Shieldwolf Longmane moved to Samarra's side.

"It is evident that a small escort will not suffice to take you back, and I cannot spare more of my battlegroup to accompany you," he said. "We have lost enough lives. I need as many hands as possible for our impending task, but—"

"We came this far on our own. Please take us with you." Samarra grabbed his arm, clinging to him. "We won't be any trouble."

"We can help," Brin said.

"Please." Samarra was again close to tears. "We're here now. Let me help you find Cass. He's my brother."

"All right," Shieldwolf Longmane said after a while. "But you must promise me one thing."

"Yes?" Samarra would have agreed to almost anything.

"For your own safety, you must remain in the centre of the battlegroup at all times."

Samarra nodded.

"Be ready to head out soon. I hope to leave this area before the Watchers are upon us."

Shieldwolf Longmane made his way to the reptreis. He grabbed one end of his staff and heaved. After three tries, he pulled his weapon out of the beast. He wiped the blood off the smooth wood, then joined a group of Shieldwolves who had congregated nearby. They congratulated him and he responded with a solemn laugh.

One of them pulled up a map on his tablet and marked areas of importance. Shieldwolf Longmane pointed to the old wooden bridge stretched across a precipice. They spoke at length.

Samarra nudged Brin. "Are you ready for this?"

He played with his glasses nervously, shaking his head. Samarra squeezed his arm to reassure him. She looked up at the sky for perhaps the twentieth time that morning. The sun still arced low and cast long shadows on the ground. Samarra closed her eyes and thought of her brother. He was still alive — she could feel his presence in her heart. She jumped when a Shieldwolf appeared at her side.

"Take this." He handed Samarra a staff. "It is unbound, but it will serve your needs as a fighting stick at least."

"Thank you." Samarra hoped she wouldn't have to use it anytime soon.

Before long, the Shieldwolves had assembled themselves into one large battlegroup spread out across the area in many rows. Samarra and Brin had been assigned to the party that guarded the healers. They would be traveling in the middle of the battlegroup, where they would be better protected from attack. Shieldwolf Longmane was in the front lines, leading the battlegroup to the bridge.

Samarra focused on her
left, right, left, right
as the Shieldwolves marched on. When they reached the bridge, Shieldwolf Longmane motioned for everyone to stop. Samarra had to stand on the tips of her toes to see what was going on. Wanting a better look, she grabbed Brin's hand and dragged him through the crowd, making sure to stay out of Shieldwolf Longmane's line of vision. On the other side of the bridge was a small opening cut into a limestone cave.

"The Caverns of Azalor," Samarra heard someone say. Shieldwolf Longmane crossed the rickety bridge to test for safety. The structure was barely wide enough to fit two. Satisfied that it could hold their weight, he returned to the battlegroup and gave further orders. The battlegroup was getting into position when a Shieldwolf called out an alarm. "The Watchers are coming!"

Samarra looked up in horror. An audible gasp washed over the shamans. On all sides, dark shapes were winging their way toward the bridge. "In battle formation," Shieldwolf Longmane ordered. He backed away from the edge of the precipice.

Everyone rushed around to form three concentric circles. The strongest and largest Shieldwolves stood in the two outer circles, while the healers and the less experienced rushed to the centre. Samarra tried to push through to the centre of the battlegroup, but she and Brin were shuffled farther and farther away until they were standing on the outskirts of the group, close to the precipice. Samarra ignored her nerves and held out her staff, poised for attack.

The Watchers made their descent. Samarra felt the temperature plummet on their approach.

"On the count of three," Shieldwolf Longmane shouted. He was in the outer circle. "One…"

"They're getting close," Brin told Samarra. His voice faltered.

Samarra could hardly breathe as the Watchers moved into a v-shaped formation and charged through the sky with lightning speed. She put on a brave face, though her legs felt like jelly. "Just hold onto your staff real tight and remember what we were taught."

"Oh, my Reflection," Brin prayed.

The moment Samarra saw the Watchers in their entirety for the first time, her spirit went numb, only to be replaced with nausea and terror. When Merganser had first told her that she would be joining the Shieldwolves, the reality of it all had not sunken in. Living the life of a shaman had sounded like an exciting adventure. Even basic training had been fun, but today was totally different. Samarra had never been in a situation like this one. All the other times had been games, harmless because she had been fighting against her fellow swains, or dealing with the Sairfangs, who were no threat compared to what she was about to face head-on. The Watchers were killing machines summoned from the Flux with the purpose of wiping out Shieldwolves. Samarra saw her life flash before her eyes. This was the real thing.