The Last Heroes Before Judgement (33 page)

The first snowfall blew in quickly and did not stop for two whole days. The clouds parted in time to show a dark night, blanketed in snow and shadow under the black new moon. However, the Ambassador’s convoy was incapacitated. My shell had blocked the snow so well that the first flakes to land on my face woke me up, and I let the others know that they had been buried. The sniffles hit, but I made a habit of blowing it out over the cliff and spitting up everything that coughed its way out of my lungs. The Lady Dooza took care of Jyetta and herself, leaving me with the mercenaries. Hoss moaned incessantly and complained about his joints. Jim became a whiny little tot. His body shriveled up and the wheezing prevented him from speaking. My fever broke during the first night. The collective white glare from the chest deep snow also healed my claw marks almost entirely on the second day. Everyone slept in on the fourth day, myself being the only exception.

My water proof boots cleared the serpentine during the morning exercise. The sunlight filled me with more energy than I had had in quite some time. I dug out a path for Dooza to visit her hens. They were not happy about the late cleaning and it was a struggle to dig deep enough to treat them each with some giant earthworms. I uncovered and cut the firewood. The axe was plenty loud, yet it disturbed absolutely no one. While the eggs baked over the fire, I stomped my way to the stables. Eso had not waited for the little human. He was out in the open field and grazing in the areas that had already been dug up by the bison. I woke up the Ambassador’s steed all of a sudden, causing him to skip away out of instinct. They had accrued quite the mess about their stalls and needed a fresh supply of water. Once I was good and tired, the others began to stir. Jyetta was first to brave the outside. I found him with arms spread wide, soaking in the sun.

“You stink.”

“You can use your nose again.”

“I am healed, no thanks to you.”

“You still haven’t forgiven me?”

“All that preaching you did about getting it out of the way. Look at you, not so much as a runny nose.”

“I was sick too- for a day.”

“Now, you have become the monster that refuses to die.”

“Don’t be so dramatic.”

“Don’t be so stoic.”

“You weighed the cost versus the benefits. You knew what you were getting into, and now, you are completely fine.”

“You see, there you go, blathering on about the greater good.”

“Always so peaceful and wise. I am glad you feel better, Master Ambassador.”

“I hate you so much right now.”

He stalked back to Dooza’s door and opened it up on her. She stepped aside and met my eye, unashamed of having been caught in the act of eavesdropping.

“You just do not understand women.”

Right after she slammed the door, the two of them started telling jokes at my expense. They yelled and laughed loud enough for me to hear, as if they expected me to listen. The Lady Dooza was spot on, I did not understand either of them one bit. I washed up in the healing pool and scrubbed all my scabs out, despite the inevitable burning from the hot salt. I was looking forward to a night without snores and coughs, but Major Swiftblade had other plans. While I was scrubbing my shells I heard his boots stomping up the serpentine. When he came back down, he had Jyetta with him.

“Welcome back sir.”

“Inspection failed.”

“What? My shells are spotless.”

“Your face has grown over.”

I threw down the worn brush and rubbed my chin.

“Damn.”

“Gentlemen, the real Monster Hunter was so kind as to find us some food.”

Major Swiftblade tossed a huge haunch of fresh bison on the ground next to the fire pit.

“That’s a fine round of loin there Major.”

“Right you are boss.”

“Get to cooking. We must leave before dark.”

“We? Are you leaving me again?”

“I will guard to the trees. You will continue unto Embraun.”

“Yes sir.”

“That’s right, Matthius. You’re all mine for the next week so you had better remember who’s in charge.”

“That would be me- wait.”

Major Swiftblade pointed at Jyetta, whose reaction was to plant his hands on his hips and raise his brows. The Swiftblade squinted and Jyetta chomped his teeth at the pointing finger.

“You are a freak?”

“Why, yes I am.”

I was minding my own business getting the fire lit when he turned his finger at me.

“I knew it.”

Jyetta and the mercenaries exploded with laughter. Major Swiftblade left me there to be the subject of his joke, which did not end until the whole party was bent over coughing. Jyetta saw fit to refer to me only as his lover. Hoss mocked me by telling Jim sweet nothings and acting out repulsive poetry. It was good to have everyone in such high spirits. I managed to convince Hoss to make Jim wash the dishes while I ran out to gather tall grass for the steeds. Before we left, I remembered to give back the chest of dishes from the House of Crow. Somehow, the gift blew back in my face. At the sight of the thing, Jyetta burst into tears and pounded on my chest.

“Oh, you bastard.”

“You must take it back, Jyetta. Slip gave his life to keep it safe.”

“That is because he knew nothing else. All Slip ever wanted was the finer things in life.”

“Don’t we all?”

“No, not like he did. This is exactly what I mean. The finer things, like silk pillows, expensive glassware and silver spoons.”

“He would have been killed in the ambush, no one could have escaped. This is a miracle. This is his parting gift.”

I slid the chest into the boxed wagon and helped Jyetta step inside. He tried to kick the box back out. The sound of glass breaking made him gasp. I had spent all that time cleaning the chest and everything inside, scrubbing the stains out with all my might, and had not so much as scratched a spoon. Jyetta opened the box to see what he had done. A single teacup had broken in half and, try as he might, he could not make it whole. I quietly closed the door so he could cry in private.

“Poor girl. The tea party is ruined.”

“Shut your face White Coal scum. Ambassador Crow was twice the man you will ever be.”

“Jim, the boy lost his father.”

“Right you are boss. So sorry, so out of line. Won’t happen again.”

I was glad to see them suddenly have a change of heart, however, it was the voice of Gojinus that had convinced them to show respect. Major Swiftblade had heard everything from his mount atop Eso, waiting just in front of the Ambassador’s steed.

“Why don’t you put all that anger to good use?”

“Doing what sir?”

“Pulling the wagon is going to cause that poor steed to collapse. Someone needs to help push from behind. Eso will lead from the front- as is his way.

I huffed in disbelief- the way Jyetta would have. Major Swiftblade did not bother with me any further. He pushed forward, consigned to suffer the cold spray of plodding through the fresh powder. Bringing up the rear, I discovered why. The Lantos had designed a hand and foot hold on either side of their upgraded boxed wagon. I was able to push from behind both sets of wheels and even in the dead center. Hopping on for a ride, my weight counter balanced the riders up front, preventing us from sliding sideways. Luckily, to start, the convoy rushed downhill. Immediately after, for every yard rolled, my back payed for it dearly.

Parts of the road had been cleared by the bison, meaning that all of the other creatures were on the road in large numbers. Steeds and raptors and furry elephants all followed behind the bison, as it was the path of least resistance. The massive necks of the bison dug up the snow to get at the grass and the raptors pecked at the many piles of dung. Eso was old and loud. His stomping and huffing convinced most of the beasts to move and Major Swiftblade dismounted to bully the stragglers. We rested at the tree line when it was all over.

“Not long until sunrise. Get some rest while you can.”

“Yes sir.”

“Have fun in town, it may be your last time.”

“My- my, so positive master.”

“You’re the one walking back alone.”

Eso was more aggravated then tired. The mighty horned steed was looking forward to the return trip, charging through the cleared road with increased speed. No other beast dared to block his path on the way back to base. I did not fully understand the coded message, but it would surely turn out to be a test. Isolation had finally become a friend of mine. The mercenaries were so untrustworthy that I took my nap on top of the wagon. Rightly so, because they woke me up by rolling out before first light. Tall trees blocked most of the snow from the road. I only had to push through the occasional ice coated stream and the heavy drift. We did not experience any trouble until the third day. I was pushing us uphill when the call went out.

“Bear.”

“What?”

“Bear- bear- bear!”

“Where?”

Jim screamed as though he had been bitten, but it was just a broken wrist. The old male was injured and hungry, risking it all for a bite of man flesh. The Ambassador’s steed was filled with adrenaline so we thwarted his charge by accident. The poor bear slammed the cart and took a sword through the shoulder, and then we ran him over. I stopped pushing and they sped off in case of any more surprises. The frozen sword broke off at the hilt with the blade buried deep enough to immobilize the bear. Just as Gojinus had done for his bull, I ran to the beast’s side and plunged the tiny remainder of a blade into the back of his head. Knowing some other animal would only cut themselves and end up with an infection, I cut the blade out of the corpse. That’s when I saw the circular wounds. Only sharpened reeds could have left him covered in so many cuts, a telltale sign of the Scarlet Opa. I smiled deeply, and closed the bear’s eyes for the last time.

“Got ‘em running scared. You hear me, you idiots? I know you are afraid! I know what makes you flee so far east! One little turtle keeps you at bay? What will happen when we find your den? The Drakkah will burn you all!”

I stood on the bear and called out to the snow covered canopy. Few sloths would remain so far north to endure the harsh winter, and the eerie silence was not their style. The thought of fighting the Opa with a sword in the full light of day had me cackling with bloodlust. However, I did not smell the rotten eggs of death, so I trotted onward. Once the convoy made it into wolf territory, we were far enough south and east that I need not push from the rear. There were no further incidents, until we reached Broad Wolf Crossing. Not only were both shores frozen solid, but the small bit of exposed water was rushing past with a dangerous speed. Blood, fur, feathers, and arrows littered the pure white snow.

“Who done all of this?”

“These are not Sheek-tee arrows.”

“Is it an ambush?”

“We would be dead by now. Just in case, we push across first.”

“Well, get to it.”

“This will take all of us. Jyetta?”

I knocked on the wagon door. There was no answer. I knocked harder and faster until he threw the door open angrily.

“What?”

“Take my shell. Get on the roof. Lie down flat.”

He wanted to argue until he saw the mess in the snow. It was no easy task getting the wagon across. I had to go completely under to stop it floating away with the current. Jim was not very strong but we needed Hoss to weigh down the front. By the end, I was ready to turn into a statue made of ice.

“Go it slow until dark. If I don’t catch up, its two days back to Embraun. Don’t stop.”

I threw the shell over my head and traced the trail of blood north before Jyetta could refuse. The mess disappeared too quickly on the eastern shore, so I crossed back. With a running start, I slid right across on my back shell without a problem. The cold convinced me to follow the trail directly, and I did not realize what had happened until I ran into Bratley full stop.

“Owie- sorry bub.”

“Matthius? Oh, thank the scales. It’s alright boys, he’s one of ours.”

His party let off the pressure on their bows. I could not see them, but I heard some of them suck their teeth at losing permission to kill. The trail ended a few feet past us in the forest. One wolf lay dead from a broken neck. Next to him was the Scarlet Opa the pack had killed as revenge.

“Never seen one in the day before now. This thing is much larger than I had originally anticipated. Just look at the size of its feet.”

“Damn thing buggered up the whole hunt. I don’t care what it is, just wish I could have killed it myself.”

I recognized the voice and giant build of the man. He was bigger than an Opa, not in height- in mass. His red hair disappeared into his beard. As for the competition for the burliest man in the hunting party, he won it outright. Still, he stared at the mark on my chin with an obvious disdain.

“Master Tremaine, I presume?”

“Do not speak my name, marker.”

“Would you prefer I break your arms?”

“Typical Swillian, no respect.”

He spat on the ground and stalked back to the hunting party. They had only bagged one giant stag so far. Given that their back packs were still swollen with provisions, they had only just gotten started the day before.

“That’s one for the ages. Never seen a man insult a Tremaine and not end up a bloody mess of broken bones.”

“They send a lot of business your way, Doctor Prinn?”

“That they do, boy. That they do.”

Doctor Prinn was bent over the Opa, rubbing its shoulders and parting its hair in places. I knew immediately what had happened, though, I was not sure if it was safe to say out loud. Bratley accurately interpreted the look on my face.

“What do see?”

“Best to leave that for the privacy of the council.”

“No, it is best to first tell a professional. That way, your inference can be analyzed.”

“Yes sir.”

While the rest of the party told jokes at my expense, I removed the shell. Prinn noticed the claw marks on my abdomen but did not see the full extent of the wound until I removed my Chron vest. I brought the lion tooth forward to dangle over my chest, and every one fell silent. Bratley smiled from ear to ear.

“There goes my favorite tall. You killed that long tooth?”

“And, they were there.”

“To witness?”

“They were hoping to catch me in a weakened state.”

“What happened?”

“After I killed the beast, they fled, like cowards.”

“How?”

“My shell is the single greatest weapon they have ever seen.”

“And, this one, in particular?”

Doctor Prinn caught on to where I was leading. Slowly nodding, he helped me to finish.

“They threw spears at you?”

“Tall reeds, hollowed out and sharpened at both ends.”

“How did you know that?”

“They held him down and broke his right arm in several places.”

“The slashes down the back are your surest sign. The price of failure, which they learned from us.”

“What’s that now?”

I turned my back on them and Prinn agreed that the patterns were too similar to be coincidence. Only two of the hunters were Lokah. Upon seeing the scars, they spit, slandering the Slorrick sun worshippers for their madness. For once, none of the grey skins took offense. I continued to stare north, squinting against the bright snow. Bratley trusted my instincts and asked for answers.

“What do you see?”

“Nothing.”

“Amazing. I did not notice.”

“What is wrong with you Lantos?”

“Nothing.”

“Exactly, no stirring. Not a single noise. Did the beaver smack their tails at your approach?”

“Not that I remember. We did not leave the road until we crossed the river. Then the noise of the fray...”

“What is it, boy? Don’t make me set Leona on you again.”

“The Opa cannot swim, sir. They are either in the trees above us, or this one was exiled for his failure. Either way, they ran from our valley and never came back.”

“If the tall reds come to hide in the Holy Land, we will know.”

“Would you? And the bear-kin?”

“That is a Sheek-tee problem.”

I got dressed and huffed away the manly portrayal of arrogance. None of them understood at all. Slaying the Opa War Chief was the one mission remaining in which I might reclaim my honor. Still, more than one man flicked his eyes to the canopy.

“Seriously, have Leona take a look at that wound. It looks deep enough to have damaged an artery.”

“You know your slices, Master Surgeon. Took a week to stop bleeding.”

“That’s my tall. Took to the hilt like a fish in water. Smashing display, Matthius.”

“Thank you, Sir Bratley. To be clear, when I get to town, I should check in at the secret headquarters?”

“That’s right. You will be welcomed with open arms, I’m sure.”

“For the most horrifying of reasons, I’ll bet.”

“Don’t forget your sword.”

Doctor Prinn looked around in the snow. Bratley met my eye and we shared a very deep laugh.

“I haven’t got one.”

“What? But, the long tooth? How are you still alive?”

I held up my fists and feinted towards the good Doctor. He fell back in the snow, getting his bum all wet and cold. Even Lord Tremaine laughed at the show of force. The little turtle, surprisingly, lifted their spirits. However, as they rallied to continue the hunt, I had to chase after the scared mercs. They had not stopped, nor did they slow when I had caught up. Jim turned when I shouted. They pretended not to hear. I chased after the boxed wagon, losing more patience with every step. Eventually, I sprinted at them full force and launched myself up onto the roof in a single bound. Jim and Hoss laughed, but the noise frightened the steed into a gallop. We went as far as the next gathering of grass. The poor thing desperately needed a break, and we were finally safe.