Part 20 (2/2)
Riding within the car is one of the monstrosities he saw when he had been on that other plane of existence. That time when Igor had showed up and rescued him. Unlike the shadows which had traveled along the edge of the tunnel, this monstrosity sees him. Its red eyes are fixed directly upon him, steeling the will and strength from him by the second.
Suddenly, it gives out with a mammoth roar which thunders through the tunnel and makes jelly of his muscles. He begins backing away down the tunnel from the approaching nightmare. That's when he notices the shadows have begun to leave the edge of the platform and are now making their way toward him.
Fear courses its way through every nerve in his body. It's all he can do to keep his legs moving. He turns and starts running down the tunnel when his legging again becomes ensnared by the chain pulling the boats along. Losing his balance, he falls into the water and once he rights himself, frantically tries to pull his legging from the chain.
Back down the tunnel, the monstrosity is now out of the boat and coming toward him quickly. There's no way for him to escape. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees the girl turned toward him, a look of pleading upon her face. Then the shadows block the sight of her as the monstrosity draws near.
Evil, malignant evil, radiates from the creature as it reaches its hand out toward him. His heart freezes in his chest and a scream is ripped from his throat as the creature's hand draws near.
AHHHHHH!!.
He starts awake and bolts upright on his cot. His breath comes in rasps as the fear continues to course its way through him.
His tent flap opens and Jiron rushes through with a knife in either hand. ”What happened?” he shouts as he looks around for an attacker.
”She needs my help!” he cries as he begins to calm down. His breath continues to be labored as the fear starts to dissipate.
”Who?” he asks as others crowd the entrance to his tent to see what the commotion is about. ”Who needs your help?”
”I...” he starts to say but the memory of the dream is already beginning to fade. ”I... don't know.” Like sand slipping through your fingers, the dream which had been so clear earlier is now all but gone. All that's left are small fragments: golden hair, fear, and a sense that something needs to be done and done soon. But just what eludes him.
”I can't remember,” he tells them as he puts his face in his hands. Breathing steadily, he brings his nerves under control.
Putting his knives away, Jiron turns to the others congregating at the tent flap and says, ”He's alright. It was just a dream.”
From outside the tent James can hear the sound of the others muttering as they head back to their tents. He takes his head from his hands and sees Jiron, Delia and Miko there just within his tent. ”I appreciate your concern,” he tells them, ”but I'm alright.”
”You gave us quite a fright,” Delia says, worry still in her eyes.
”Was it a vision?” Jiron asks.
”I don't know,” he replies. ”I can't recall.”
”Dreams of that intensity usually are,” Miko says in a tone sounding very sure of what he's saying. ”Try to hang onto the memory next time, it could be important.”
”I'll do that,” he says. To Jiron he asks, ”How far away is dawn?”
”Still a couple more hours away,” he replies. ”You should try to get a little more rest if you can.”
Laying his head back on his cot, he glances over to them and says, ”I doubt if I'll be able to right away.”
”Get what you can,” Delia tells him and then gestures for everyone to leave the tent.
”I'll try,” he a.s.sures her as they file out through the tent flap. The last thing he sees before the tent flap closes is Devin's face gazing in at him with concern, then the flap closes.
Lying on his cot, he tries to recall the dream but is unable. After awhile, he yawns and actually returns to sleep for a little bit before the call comes for the camp to awake.
Chapter Fourteen.
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Despite repeated questioning by the various members of their group, he's still unable to recall anything but a vague feeling of unease about the dream of the night before. Finally he just quits trying.
It doesn't take them long to pack everything and be on their way shortly after sunrise. James continues checking his mirror frequently for any forces which may be heading in their direction. The force behind them that had trailed them throughout the day before continues to keep a discreet distance behind them. From what the mirror shows, their number has swelled dramatically through the night. Their plan must be to crush Black Hawk between their force and those waiting for them at Al-Zynn.
James scrolls the mirror as far south as he can and finds units moving in the general direction of Al-Zynn. It appears all is going as planned, the Empire believes they intend to sack Al-Zynn and are moving every available unit there.
They keep a moderate pace, neither rus.h.i.+ng nor being too slow. As best they can, they try to maintain a course that will take them a little west of Al-Zynn rather than directly toward it. If the Empire realizes they are not entirely on a straight heading, with any luck they will simply write if off as they don't know the exact way.
By late afternoon, James has been able to acquire Al-Zynn in his mirror. The flurry of activity surrounding the town shows that they believe an attack is imminent. Troops are moving toward it from all directions, including a sizeable force from the direction of Korazan.
”Hope that's the majority of the garrison at Korazan,” Illan says when James informs him what is transpiring there.
”With any luck, they won't realize what we are up to until it's too late,” replies James.
”When they do,” comments Jiron, ”everything at Al-Zynn will be sent after us. They aren't likely to allow us much time at Korazan for what we intend.”
Nodding, Illan says, ”That's why we are only hitting the slaver's compound, killing all the slavers and freeing the slaves. Those who wish to come with us we'll arm with the weapons found at the compound.”
”Can't imagine anyone wis.h.i.+ng to remain behind,” states James. ”They would only be made slaves once more.”
”Never know,” Illan replies.
All day long there are no further opportunities for attack. The caravans and patrols must have been diverted to prevent them from falling to them as they head south. By early evening, it's determined that Al-Zynn is a little over four hours away. Scouts have reached the city and reported back that breastworks are being dug between where their force now lies and the walls of Al-Zynn.
James turns to Illan and asks, ”From their perspective, would it seem reasonable for us to stop here, seeing as how our scouts have returned and reported what they saw at Al-Zynn?”
”Yes it would,” he replies. ”Now that we 'know' what we are up against, it would be reasonable for us to stop and a.s.sess the situation.”
”Very well,” James says. He checks his mirror for hostiles in the area and finds more units stationed in and around the town of Al-Zynn than previous. To the east and west of their position is fairly clear, the only units he discovers are smaller bands on their way to reinforce the town. The force that's been following them remains at the same distance they've been since the chase began.
”Looks like we may be okay until the morning,” he tells Illan as he puts his mirror away.
”By then it will be too late for them to do anything,” Illan replies. Raising his voice, he hollers out to the rest of the riders following along behind, ”Bring 'em to a halt! We stop here tonight.”
As Devin begins to take his tent down from the pack horse to set it up, James tells him not to bother. ”No tent tonight,” he tells him. Lowering his voice he adds, ”We're not going to be here all that long.”
”Yes, sir,” he says.
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