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, 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.
Turning, James heads back toward the wagons just as Tinok and Delia reach his side. Moving to follow him, they ask what’s going on but he tells them to wait until they’re back at the wagons.
Upon reaching the wagons, he gathers them all together and explains to them what the man told him. “They’re going to sacrifice that man for something I did. I can’t allow that to happen,” he says with determination.
“What are you going to do?” Delia asks.
“At sunset, they’re going to kill him. I mean to stop it,” he explains. “I can’t let his death be on my hands.”
“How?” asks Tinok, as he once again mounts his horse.
“Let’s go down the road a ways,” James says as he takes his seat on the wagon, taking the reins. “Then I’ll tell you.” With a flick of the reins, he gets the wagon rolling and soon they’re past the town and heading south down the road again.
Once they’re a mile out of town, James calls a halt and everyone gathers around him once again. “I plan for us to travel until a couple hours before sunset. Then I’ll return on horseback in an attempt to rescue him while the rest of you make camp for the night.”
“I’m coming too,” Tinok says.
“You need to stay with the girls,” James tells him, “in case there are bandits or something.”
“I’m sure we’re going to be alright,” Delia says. “Besides, we need you to make it back. We should be okay for a few hours.”
“Alright,” James agrees, “I definitely could use the help in this venture.”
Grinning, Tinok says, “Better than just riding guard on a bunch of wagons.”
“We’ll see,” he says as he flicks the reins to get the horses moving once more. For the next several hours they roll on down the road until the sun begins to descend to the horizon and it’s time for them to head back. They pull off the road and while the girls set about making camp, James saddles one of the spare horses. With a quick goodbye, he and Tinok are off as they race back toward the oasis.
They get to the town just as the sun nears the horizon. The town is eerily quiet as they pass the first couple of buildings. At the oasis, they find the entire town assembled to watch Roland’s sacrifice.
They tie their horses to a post at the edge of town and walk the remainder of the way to the oasis. They see Hassin in front of the crowd and his voice can be heard loudly and clearly as he speaks to the people. Though they’re unable to understand what is being said, the meaning is unmistakable as they lead Roland over to stand before Hassin.
The crowd becomes even quieter as they make him kneel before Hassin. James looks for the woman who had been making the scene earlier but she’s nowhere to be found. They must’ve removed her so she wouldn’t spoil the proceedings.
James whispers to Tinok, “Make your way as close to the front as you can. I’ll create a distraction and you get him out of there.” As Tinok nods and begins to make his way closer to where Roland is kneeling, James grabs him by the arm and says, “Don’t kill anyone.”
Tinok winks at him as he pulls away and enters the crowd.
James skirts the edge of the crowd until he comes near the now dry oasis. Looking over to Hassin, he sees him draw a long knife and approach closer to Roland. Holding the knife high, he begins speaking loudly to the gathered people. James begins to concentrate…
“…now, with the spilling of the cursed one’s blood, our gods will be appeased and life will flow back into our oasis!” Hassin, exuberant and ecstatic, raises the knife high as every eye in the crowd is upon him.
Suddenly, the mood of the crowd alters and they begin to murmur. He looks to them and their eyes are no longer on him but are looking at something behind him. Irritated at being interrupted in his moment of retribution on the man who had wronged him, he turns his head to see what they’re all looking at and his eyes grow wide at what he sees.
Lights, many lights are glowing above the oasis. Pulsating, they begin moving in an intricate pattern over the oasis, as if they’re dancing to the beat of unheard music.
Tinok is amazed by the dancing lights, and then he looks over and sees James’ eyes closed as he concentrates on maintaining the spell. Knowing this is his friend’s work, he begins to edge closer to Roland.
The murmuring begins to grow as the crowd continues watching the beautiful pattern of lights. As the lights continue to swirl, their pattern begins to tighten as their dance brings them closer and closer together. The lights begin to change from their brilliant colors, turning a darker, foreboding color. Suddenly there’s a brilliant flash as all the lights come together, and where many lights once stood, now only one remains, a dark sphere that pulsates a red, purplish glow.
Tinok hears the crowd’s murmur of wonder begin to change to one of fear and uncertainty. He shoves his way to the front of the crowd, now only feet from where Roland kneels. He sees Hassin has turned toward the sphere, intent on what it’s doing. The two men who are guarding Roland have also turned to watch it, Roland momentarily forgotten. Glancing over, he sees James staring at him and then he sees his head nod before closing his eyes once more.
This is it! he thinks to himself. Suddenly the sphere begins to bulge and change shape, the people in the crowd gasping at the sight. He runs the few feet to Roland and quickly severs his bonds with his knife.
Roland looks at him, fear in his eyes. “Come with me if you want to survive,” Tinok whispers to him. With sudden understanding that he may not die, he nods and quickly gets to his feet.
Over at the oasis, the sphere has begun to form into the shape of a humanoid creature, with glowing red eyes and two foot long horns sprouting from its forehead. The crowd has begun shouting in fear as panic erupts. All thought of Roland’s sacrifice is abandoned as the people begin to flee the area.
Hassin turns at just that moment and sees Tinok there helping Roland to his feet. He shouts out, but is unable to be heard over the cries from the crowd. He advances on Roland with the long knife, intent on killing him.
Tinok sees him advancing and is able to easily deflect the long knife with one of his own. Remembering what James told him, he strikes out with the blunt end of his other knife and connects with Hassin’s temple, dropping him to the ground. The two men there with him are oblivious to what is happening to him as they continue to watch the creature take shape.
“Let’s go!” he hollers to Roland as he directs him over toward James. He looks over his shoulder at the now fully formed vision of Hell that is walking out of the oasis toward the panic stricken people who’re fleeing for their lives. You’re good, James.
Reaching James, they turn and race through the town together, toward where the horses had been left. They help James, as he is still trying to maintain the hellish vision. Throughout the town, cries can be heard as some people race back to their homes, slamming and barring their doors. Others just race out into the desert as fast as their legs can carry them.
When they reach their horses, Roland says, “I don’t know how to thank you!”
James opens his eyes just as a flash of fire comes from the creature and then it slowly disappears. “We’ve got to get you out of here!” he says to Roland.
“I can’t leave!” cries Roland. “Not without my wife and child!”
“But they’ll try to sacrifice you again if you remain,” Tinok exclaims. Then he looks in Roland’s eyes and sees the determination there.
“Do you have a horse?” James asks him.
“Yes, I do,” he replies.
Turning to Tinok, he says, “Go with him and get his family, then meet me back here.”
He gives James a nod then turns to Roland and says, “Lead the way.”
Roland hurries down the street, followed closely by Tinok. They soon leave James behind as they turn down another street, making quick speed through the darkened town. He goes past several more houses and then turns down one more side street, stopping in front of the third house. The light from a single candle comes through an open window and voices can be heard coming from within.
They look through the window and see his wife sitting in a chair surrounded by three men, one of whom is Hassin. He’s yelling at her, gesticulating wildly with his hands, obviously demanding to know where Roland is.
She just sits there crying, not saying anything as she glances through the doorway to where the baby lies. Tinok can hear the baby’s wail.
Smack!
He backhands her across the face when she fails to answer his questions. Not waiting to see more, Roland runs over and slams open the door with his shoulder, bursting into the room and tackling Hassin.
Seeing him come crashing through the door, his wife cries out, “Roland!”
Tinok is right behind him, knives flashing from the light of the candle. He immediately engages the other two men, the same two who had been guarding Roland during the ceremony.
They quickly draw their swords, but the speed of Tinok drops one of the men to the floor with a stab through the chest before he even gets his sword all the way out of its scabbard.
The other guard tries to slash at Tinok but he parries the sword with the blade of one knife while striking with the other one. The guard steps back, blood now oozing from a fresh wound in his left shoulder.
Roland is on the floor, struggling with Hassin for control of the long knife. Curses from the two men fill the house as they roll back and forth.
The guard grabs a small chair from the floor and uses it as a shield as he strikes out with his sword.
Tinok easily blocks the thrust, but is unable to adequately close with the man as the chair is keeping him at a distance. He continues exchanging blows with the man when suddenly Roland’s wife comes up behind the guard and strikes him across the back of the head with the long handle of a broom.
The man is dazed by the blow and Tinok easily gets within his guard dropping him to the floor.
Tinok comes over to the struggling pair on the floor, neither one has been able to gain the advantage over the other. Laying his knife across Hassin’s throat, he looks into his eyes and can see him contemplating different courses of action and their consequences. Suddenly, he makes his decision and releases his grip on the knife. His eyes flick murderous hate between them both as Roland gets to his feet, holding the knife.
Roland looks and sees his wife standing there with their baby clutched in her arms, eyes filled with uncertainty and fear, her face turning red from where Hassin had slapped her. She says something to him and he goes over to her, replying in the same language. Giving her a hug for reassurance, he speaks to her again and she nods a reply as she goes and gets a satchel which she begins to fill with clothes and other things.
Turning back to Tinok, who still has his knife to Hassin’s throat and his knee on his chest, he asks, “What are we going to do with him?”
“You know him better than I do,” replies Tinok, never taking his eyes off his captive. “Should we kill him or not?”
At that, Hassin’s eyes widen slightly but gives no other response to what is being said.
“I hate to kill someone who’s helpless to resist,” Roland replies. “Even one who tried to kill me.”
“I have no such qualms about this piece of trash,” Tinok says seriously. “Take your family outside and wait for me.” He looks intently at Roland then turns his attention back to Hassin.
Roland takes the satchel from his wife and then ushers her out the front door, closing it behind them.
Once the door is shut, Tinok turns his attention back to Hassin and says, “Since your people destroyed my city, I have been waiting for my revenge and the time has come for a part of it.” Looking into eyes now filled with fear where contempt and hate had been, he continues, “This is for my little brother.”
With a quick motion of his hand, he slits Hassin’s throat and stares into his eyes as the life slowly leaves them. Choking and gasping from the blood filling his lungs and spreading across the floor, Hassin tries to stop the bleeding with his hands, but is unsuccessful. Tinok gets up and stands back as he jerks in his death throes until finally becoming still.
Wiping his blade on the dead man’s shirt, he says to the now lifeless body, “Thus begins my revenge for the destruction your people has brought unto mine.” Turning his back to the room filled with death, he goes to the door and leaves, joining Roland and his family outside.
Roland leads them around back where there’s a stable with two horses inside. Roland saddles them while Tinok keeps an eye out for anyone coming. When he’s done, he helps his wife up onto the horse and then hands their baby up to her. Swinging up onto the other horse, he takes her horse’s reins and leads them out to where Tinok is waiting at the front of the house.
Moving as quickly as they can, they make it back to where James is waiting.
“Any trouble?” he asks Tinok.
“None worth mentioning,” he replies as he mounts his horse.
Roland just glances over to Tinok but says nothing.
The baby starts crying and his mother bares a breast and begins to feed it as they ride through the town. Riding as quickly as they can, they clear the edge of town, which by now is completely deserted. Everyone has either fled or is in their homes with the door barred.
Moving quickly along the road for a couple hours, they come to where Delia and Cassie wait with the wagons. James is relieved when he sees the wagons and girls are fine and undisturbed, he had been worried about them. The girls have a fire going, and Cassie is awake as they approach. When she sees who it is, she wakes up Delia, saying excitedly, “They’re back!”
Delia wakes up, happy at seeing them back unharmed, but surprised at the appearance of his wife and son.
“We couldn’t leave his wife and child there,” Tinok explains, “so we brought them with us.”
Cassie comes over to help his wife down from her horse and coos when she sees the baby. “Can I hold him?” she asks.
His wife, understanding her request, nods her head and hands the baby over to her. Cassie takes the baby and holds it close going “Gootchi, gootchi, goo!” and other inane child noises. The baby laughs, obviously they’ll be getting along.
Once they have all the horses settled for the night, they gather around the fire and Roland asks, “I appreciate you rescuing me and all, but why did you do it?”
They look at each other and leave it to James to answer. “We did it because we didn’t feel it justified for you to be sacrificed in vain.”
“How do you know it would’ve been in vain?” he asks.
James looks at the others and says, “Well, you never know for sure of course, but we just felt that it was wrong this time. After all, even your own clerics were talking against it.”
“True,” Roland admits.
“Now what do you plan to do?” Delia asks. “Is there elsewhere you can go? Family?”
Shaking his head, he says, “I have no family, at least not around here and Ezra, my wife here, all her family is back there.” He points back to the town they just rescued him from. At the sound of her name, she smiles at him.
“Does she understand what we’re saying?” Cassie asks.
“A little,” he replies. “She’s been picking it up from me over the last year, ever since we got married. She doesn’t speak it too well, but is able to understand most of the words being said.” He looks over to her and she just smiles and nods her head in agreement.
Sighing, he says, “I really don’t know what we’re going to do, I just know we can’t go back home, not with the dead bodies there.” He puts his arm around Ezra and continues, “Hassin has many powerful friends and they would cause no end of trouble for us, maybe even kill us.”
“Well, you’re welcome to come along with us,” James offers. All the others nod their agreement for the idea.
“We don’t want to be a burden,” he says, “but we don’t have any other choice. Thank you.”
A small laugh erupts from the baby where Cassie has him in her lap, playing with him. Ezra smiles fondly at the sight.
“Just where are you heading?” Roland asks. “Are you traders?” He glances over to James, not really believing that they are, what with the display back at the oasis.
“Not exactly,” James replies. Then he smiles and says, “Now just where are my manners. My name is James and Tinok here you’ve already met.” Tinok nods his head, Roland returns the gesture. “Here is Delia,” who gives him a smile, “and the one who’s taken over your son is Cassie.” Cassie gives him a big smile and says, “Hi.”
“My name is Roland,” he says to the group. “I am originally from Cardri but for one reason or another wound up here where I met Ezra, the light of my life.” He gives her a kiss which causes her to blush slightly. “That little wiggle worm that your Cassie is holding is Arkhan, Arkie for short.”
“Arkie,” coos Cassie to the little baby, “what a cute name.”
“We’re currently heading south,” James tells him, “going by way of Korazan. We have some packages to drop off there, and then we’ll see.”
“Then I think we’ll come along,” he says to them. He goes over to Ezra and begins talking to her in their language as they get Arkie settled down for the night.
Everyone is pretty tired and begins to get ready for sleep. Delia draws James away from everyone else and asks, “With what we’re heading to, do you think it’s wise to have them along?”
“Probably not,” he replies. “But they’re better off than they were. Besides, we’ll have more of a chance of not standing out if we have others with us.”
“Maybe,” she says. “I’ve also been going over the items we’re carrying as well as the delivery orders and it turns out we’re carrying some very high priced items.” She looks at him and continues, “The person who actually owns this may come looking for it.”
“If so,” James says, after contemplating what she just said, “he’ll have to find us first.”
“Maybe we should hire some guards?” she suggests.
“We’ll look into that when we get to the next big town,” he replies.
“That may be wise,” she agrees as they make their way back to the group. Ezra and little Arkie have already lain down near the fire and the rest have bedded down as well. James and Delia join them, the last thought going though his mind before sleep takes him is what’s going on with Jiron.