Part X

Piet used the confusion brought on by the explosion as a perfect opportunity to strike and quickly dashed through the broken stone gate into the massive chamber behind. Silently Talin fell in behind him surveying the room as he gracefully avoided the crumbling rubble underfoot. As the dust began to clear he could see the forms of six stocky humanoids angrily gathering themselves and preparing to charge while a lone white faced creature stood behind them barking loudly in a foreign tongue.

‘Get the platform. I will handle the others.’ Piet said coldly as he pointed in the direction of the control panel.

Talin watched as Piet pulled up the hood of his cloak further obscuring his features and began to move towards the lumbering group of snout-faced men. A frown passed over his lips as the first creature fell but he put it out of his mind and turned his back on Piet advancing for the controls. As he approached the largest of the strange men Talin waited until the last possible second to draw his blades looking for any sign they could come to a peaceful arrangement.

‘We seek only the boy.’ He called with one arm outstretched in a defensive posture. ‘If you have not harmed him we will forget all of this.’

The large white-faced creature snarled and grunted at him before struggling to speak in a language he could understand.

‘ALL… WILL… END…’

‘What?’ Talin questioned as one of his eyebrows raised.

The large creature did not answer as it retrieved two small mallets from behind the control panel and moved closer.

‘SKAR… KILL’

‘We just want the boy.’ Talin said placing his hands on both hilts preparing for the worst.

He watched as Skar twirled the matching hammers between his thick short fingers while rhythmically advancing towards him. He unsheathed both blades from his shoulders and felt the Allon surging between them as they flared to life with a pale magenta glow. From below the control panel Piet watched as Talin engaged the large creature while still fighting off his own attackers.

His shifting cloak flourished as Piet spun into a roundhouse kick sending one of the snout-faced humanoids to the ground before leaping over the fallen man and engaging another. His twisted blades sliced through the air in numerous feints and counter attacks as Piet fought mercilessly with the four still standing. He focused every muscle in his body as he snapped out a quick front kick sending a reverberating crack through the chamber as the plated armor covering his opponent’s torso broke into pieces sending him stumbling backwards. Without pause he spun his leg sidelong into another of them knocking the oxygen from his lungs as the creature fell in a heap grasping its stomach and retching violently as Piet stood above him. The remaining three put up little fight against just a skilled adversary and before long all six of the snout-faced creatures lay motionless on the stone floor.

Standing still for a moment to catch his breath Piet noticed Tosh restrained behind a strange device and quickly moved to free him.

‘Are you hurt?’ He asked but got not reply.

‘Tosh De’Larus, can you hear me?’ He asked more formally.

‘They…’ Tosh began but trailed off.

‘Is he dead, boy? Where is the other? Get your wits about you!’ Piet grasped Tosh by the shoulders shaking him.

‘They used that device to transport him somewhere.’ Tosh said pointing in the direction of Talin.

The shock going through Piet’s mind was obvious by the expression on his face as he stood up and began to rush towards the white-faced creature still engaged in combat with his friend.

‘We need him alive. Talin.’ Piet called approaching the rear flank of his target.

Skar snorted his disapproval and doubled his attacks swinging the hammers wildly against the magenta glowing blades that arced before him as Piet looked for an opening in his defenses. He slid in beneath the flailing attacks and drove both palms into the creatures’ lower back focusing all of his energy and sending Skar reeling in pain.

A guttural cry rang out through the chamber as Skar clutched at his abdomen and slowly backed towards the control panel with both men advancing hands outstretched instructing him to stop.

‘Talin we must not let him get to the controls.’ Piet whispered keeping both eyes fixed on his prey.

‘Easy, Piet we need a chance at questioning him.’

Skar continued slowly retreating towards the controls growling under his breath as he felt a dizziness passing over him. He stumbled and reached for something to support himself with before collapsing in a heap near the controls.

‘You poisoned him?’ Piet asked chuckling as he walked closer to the snout-faced man.

‘I was not sure if it would work on them but it appears they metabolize the blue tear at the same rate we do.’ Talin said kneeling to check on the odd humanoid.

‘De’Larus, come tell Talin what you told me.’ Piet said moving to the control panel to study the strange markings covering the various keys.

‘I am glad you are not hurt. What is this Piet is talking about?’ Talin asked watching as Tosh gingerly crossed the chamber to sit nearby.

Blue scampered from beneath the prison she had been hiding under and quickly caught up to Tosh barking quietly as she nuzzled up to his back. He reached around and scratched the rough blue fur covering her chin before responding to Talin.

‘They brought us down here in some kind of box and Blue managed to get us out but we were already inside of this chamber. We fought the best we could but before long they subdued us and moved Etian to that platform.’ He said pointing at the platform.

‘They charged it up somehow and then in a flash, just like all their supplies, he was gone.’ He finished before lowering his head.

Talin stood quiet for a long time caught up in his own thoughts before Piet interrupted bringing him back to the present.

‘Where could it go? Why would they want the boy?’

‘I have absolutely no inclination as to where it could go. The only thing it said to me was that all would end.’ Talin responded before the room settled back to silence.

After a few moments it was Tosh that spoke. ‘Why do you want Etian?’

Talin cleared his throat as he watched Piet binding the wrists of the odd creatures together assuring when they wake they would still be restrained.

‘That answer is far too complex for a time like this.’ Piet snapped back before Talin could begin to speak.

Tosh stood abruptly and walked back to the collapsed prison he had been transported here in and began to search for his belongings. In the rear of the box he found a container holding both blades, bucklers and his pack and after a moment had it all secured on his person.

‘I have to go after him.’ He said grasping the hilt between his fingers as it flared with energy.

‘No.’ Talin dismissed him with a waved hand as he looked over the device.

‘I will not stand by while he is in danger that I helped put him in.’ Tosh said trying to muster all of his courage to deepen his voice.

‘The danger that surrounds us all is so much more than any of you understand.’ Talin said still trying to deduce the working order of the machinery behind him. ‘Be quiet for a few moments.’

Tosh grumbled as he sat back down on the cold stone floor with Blue nuzzling up beside him. He sat and watched as Piet and Talin worked over the large device helping them with the order the colors changed and his best idea of which buttons were pressed. Before long Piet believed he knew the firing order and was ready to power up the machine.

‘We should all go through together.’

‘We have no idea what is going to happen.’ Piet barked arguing with Talin behind a furrowed brow. ‘I should go through then you and the boy can follow.’

As they sat debating the best possible solution Etian awoke in a small dark cell with shackles bound to his wrists and ankles. Above him an air vent let in a small sliver of light that carried down through the center of the cell pooling on the floor at his feet.

‘Will nothing go in my favor?’ He mused aloud while checking the integrity of his bindings.

‘Things could be worse. You could be dead.’ A somber voice cut through the small chamber.

‘Who is there?’ Etian demanded against the darkness.

He heard the old man grunt lifting himself to lean forward as the beam of light caught his features washing him with pale luminance as Etian squinted looking over him. His dark ebony skin appeared to glow with a soft radiance as the light trickled over his bushy eyebrows and tightly knotted beard. Etian watched as his large dark eyelids slowly slid open revealing the dull grey pupils beneath and he wondered if the man was blind.

‘You are a wanderer? Where are we?’ Etian asked pondering what he knew of wanderers.

His uncle had told him about the Ilumina men that spent their lives wandering the world in an attempt to seek out untold secrets and wonders. So many adventures the story tellers had chronicled and retold throughout the war-torn south his uncle had said. 'A man needs something to find a little peace now and again.'

‘My name is Anu’Lian. I am no wanderer. I was a trader like my father and his father and where we are I do not know. They speak little to me and even less that I can understand.’ The old man responded coughing into his torn burgundy robe. ‘You should get some rest while you can. They like to get an early start with us.’

Etian wanted to ask what the old man meant but he thought it might be best he did not know and kept silent as he lay down on the cold stone floor and patiently tried to rest while his mind raced with possibilities.