The End of Surrender, page 17
part #4 of The Stalwart Link Series
Someone was charging with Leo’s old spear. Leo kicked it away and countered with his own successful lunge, then he spun around and put the blade through the body of the already injured barbarian on the ground. There was no mercy for these men who had tried to kill his father during a negotiation, a betrayal worthy of death.
There was just a moment for Leo to check on the army he’d passed through earlier. As he suspected, Rizan must’ve sent a message to his brother through their stalwart link because a large group of soldiers had turned around and would soon be upon them.
“We have to go,” Leo announced.
Darren looked over at the same sight. He let out a guttural scream as he threw the man in his way aside and charged Rizan. But the older barbarian deflected Darren’s first attack and kicked Leo’s father in the stomach with surprising speed. Darren doubled over for a moment, and it looked as if Rizan would stab his blade through Darren’s spine, but Darren managed to crash into the barbarian and take him down before he could finish the attack.
The two large men grabbed each other’s arms as their weapons fell. But Leo knew that there was no time for this. Darren had only tackled him to save himself from being impaled.
With Rizan distracted, it was finally time to take out the others. “Now, Lane!” Leo announced as he wrapped Artistry around the legs of every enemy, ignoring the creatures that Erisena still had under control.
Leo fortified the link with everything he had, knowing Rizan would soon try to break it. Their enemies went still for breath, then slowly toppled over in unison with their arms flailing. Leo checked on the dozens of soldiers charging and was horrified to see they were seconds away.
“We have to go, Father!” Leo shouted as he started toward Darren.
But Darren managed to get on top of Rizan without Leo’s help and strike him in the side. Rizan flinched from the blow as Darren slipped his arm out of Rizan’s grasp. Darren got up and grabbed his sword as he ran toward Leo, while Leo grabbed another sword from the ground.
They all sprinted away, but Erisena and Lane weren’t fast enough. Running backward, Leo extended his link to the legs of the few men about to get their hands on the two women. They froze with a jolt, but many more were right there to take their place.
“Let them go!” Rizan shouted, and his men began to slow. “If they want to enter the rift, then let them. There are better things for us to do while they die in the dark realm. Just stay behind them to make sure they don’t circle back.”
The line of barbarians spread. Leo thought about turning around and telling Lane to help him lock these men in place, but soon he noticed the familiar feeling of someone messing with the Artistry he gathered. He noticed one woman just behind the men, her hand outstretched toward Leo. She would prevent a link.
“Is everyone all right?” Darren asked.
No one voiced a complaint.
“Leo and Lane, can you keep all of us protected with Artistry when we enter the dark realm?”
“We should be able to,” Lane said.
“Then that’s where we’re going.”
Leo wanted to be excited about seeing his brother again, but the very fact that Rizan had told his men to allow them to “die in the dark realm” brought on nothing but fear.
It was a long run through Jatn. Leo wanted to see much more of the city. He wanted to find his aunt and Gartel and asked them about everything that had happened here, but the barbarians stayed close behind. There was no stopping. From what Leo could see, it did appear that the city was mostly just as he’d left it. There were many people in the streets, but most of them looked different than the normal citizens of Jatn. Some had tattoos on their necks and faces. These people glanced at Leo with sneers as if they knew something he didn’t.
Leo’s thoughts went to many different places during the long run. He wondered about his older friend Edward who had trained with Leo and Andar for more than three years before all of them had left to collapse the rift in Analyte territory. Soon after arriving, and failing to fight back the kasigerr guarding the rift, Edward had gone back with twenty thousand human soldiers to fight the barbarians. Did Edward have any idea what had happened to Leo and Andar since he’d started the long journey back to the capital? Could Edward be on the way with thousands of troops to aid Leo’s father in taking Jatn?
There was no way to know, but if Leo had to take a guess, Edward was still traveling north to reach the capital without a clue as to what had happened since he’d left. Many of the soldiers led by the prince probably would’ve turned back to join Darren, especially if they’d known what their fallen commander, Jarrel Marks, had attempted to do to the Analyte people.
Leo directed his anger at the barbarians. They claimed to fight for equal rights, that all they wanted was to live on Aathon, and yet they were the ones who’d opened the great rift in the first place. They would kill everyone allegiant to Leo’s father and even tried to assassinate him during a peaceful negotiation. They were just as bad as Jarrel Marks and all the men who followed him. When would there be an end to these merciless killings? It seemed like the lack of empathy was the real issue. If the barbarians actually cared for anyone other than themselves, then peace might’ve been reached. Leo knew his father did not want to take back the city by force. No one among them longed to fight. The barbarians had taken advantage of this, but they wouldn’t anymore. Leo was tired of being merciful, and he was certain his father felt the same way.
Darren jogged with a look of disgust in his eyes, beneath his lowered brow. No one spoke. It would only make matters worse. They were not prepared for a trip into the dark realm. They did not have food or a way to make light. Leo had a nearly empty water pouch in his pocket, as he assumed the others did as well, and Andar could be many miles away from the location where the rift would lead them.
Even worse was that for every day they spent in the dark realm, about twenty-three days would pass in the light realm. Their army could be decimated by the time they returned. They could’ve lost the entire war.
Leo was enraged by the time they reached the cavern on the western side of the city. There were two barbarian guards outside, and Leo would’ve gladly engaged and ended their lives if it wasn’t for the barbarians behind Leo shouting something that encouraged these two to move out of the way.
“We need to slow as we enter,” Darren said. “The ground is slippery.”
Leo had only been in here once before, and he had been in too much of a panic to rescue Andar to remember much about the place. The only thing that stood out in memory was the warm and wet air, and the darkness that awaited deeper inside.
Darren stopped within the cavern where the lanterns sat on the ground. “We face our enemies if they will engage us.”
The tunnel was narrow, preventing them from being surrounded. Leo turned with his father and drew his weapon. There were at least twenty barbarians in rows, but they did not press their advantage.
Darren motioned that he might charge, but it did not seem to scare them. They sneered, some laughing, but still they did not attack.
“Erisena, do you have a creature that will assist us?” Darren asked.
“It is not worth the risk. My creature could die, and there is no reason to kill these men. They will let us go into the cavern.”
“That’s what they want,” Lane said. “They expect something to kill us in the dark realm. I bet a trap has been set.”
Leo said, “We need to go in anyway for Andar, trap or not.”
“That’s true,” Lane answered, “but we may be able to enlist the help of our army if we slay this group in front of us.”
“This battle is a risk on its own,” Darren said. “And getting back to our army is a second risk. I say we take the rift. Once we get Andar, we will reunite with our troops.”
“And what about the possible trap?” Lane asked.
“We survived their first trap. We will survive another. Leo and Erisena, turn around and walk deeper into the cavern. Lane and I will follow.”
Leo feared his father might be making a sacrifice, for Leo and Erisena were the most likely to survive in the dark realm if only two of them could make it. But he hesitantly obeyed, turning with a look over his shoulder.
The barbarians made a shooing motion as they mocked Darren and Lane going into the cavern. Soon all four of them were headed deeper in, two lanterns shared between them. They could still hear the barbarians laughing behind them, but at least that made it clear they were not following.
“I don’t remember where the Tisary is,” Leo admitted. The first time he’d found it, it was because of the stalwart link relaying Andar’s panic. He would use the same link to find his brother in the dark realm, but it still eluded him here.
“I can lead us there,” Darren said, reminding Leo of something he’d long forgotten. His father wasn’t just familiar with the cavern entrance, he knew these caverns as well as he knew his sword. He’d worked as part of the Digging Guild, excavating in search of the Tisary for many years.
Leo’s father had spent the majority of every day underground in these dark, damp tunnels. Leo couldn’t imagine the kind of toll that would take on a man, but his father never showed even an inkling of annoyance toward the situation. There was no doubt that he did not enjoy it. Darren had always sacrificed so much for Leo and Andar, and even now he would do anything to ensure they were safe.
Not only us, Leo realized. He’s doing everything he can to make sure we win this conflict against the barbarians, just like he did everything he could to make sure we defeated the kasigerr and closed the rift.
As badly as Leo wanted this to be over so that he could relax, he wanted it even more so for his father to finally live a day for himself. Did Darren even know how to enjoy himself without worry? The happiest Leo had seen him was each time they’d reunited after Darren was forced away. Leo could think of nothing stronger than his father’s love.
It was a long and slow jog through the caverns, but eventually Darren said, “It’s just ahead.”
They made a turn, and Leo felt an abundance of Artistry coming through the short tunnel. There was a dark opening ahead. As they made their way inside, a glimmer of light on the other end signified the portal. The level of Artistry here was so intense that Leo found it difficult to focus on anything else. He felt like he could link a hundred things together with ease. No, he could do more than just link. He didn’t know what yet, but he became excited at the possibilities.
Lane made a sound of shock.
“What is it?” Darren asked.
“The amount of Artistry in this Tisary has increased by major amounts.”
“It’s the source,” Leo realized as he approached the same hole from which he’d helped Andar escape more than three years ago. “They must’ve reached it.”
What’s more, Rizan’s brother must’ve touched it in order to heal his Esitry sickness. And it seemed to have worked.
Did this mean KRenn could’ve been saved by coming here? It was a sad thought.
Leo leaned over the hole. It was far too deep for him to see all the way down, but there was more Artistry coming up from it than he had felt in his entire life.
“If any of us come out with Esitry poisoning,” Darren said, “we can use it. For now, we go into the other realm and find Andar. Depending on how far away he is and how long it takes us to return, we will plan accordingly.”
Leo stepped back from the hole. He noticed Lane and Erisena nodding. They didn’t have any food between them, but at least they had two lanterns.
“The dark realm,” Erisena said with a hint of a smile. “I always wondered if I might one day visit it. Perhaps I should lead us after Leo senses Andar’s direction? I know some about the other realm from my creatures.”
“Yes,” Darren agreed. “Leo, you will go first so you can protect yourself with Artistry. Erisena will follow, then myself. Shield us as soon as you possibly can. Lane, you will be last. Everyone needs to count to ten before entering. Is everyone ready?”
Darren had his eyes on Leo. He nodded to his father, but Darren approached.
“I will see you in the other realm.”
They embraced.
Leo faced the rift and wondered how best to enter. The bottom of it was about a half foot off the ground, enticing Leo to run and jump into it, but would that make the rift less likely to support him? It already looked somewhat unstable as it shrank and expanded like it was taking breaths. Artistry came out each time it expanded. Some was sucked back in as it shrank. When was the best time to jump in?
Leo made his decision and took a bit of a running start. His senses overwhelmed him as he neared the rippling sphere of red and black. The white lines shooting across it became almost too bright for him to look at as an intense ringing sounded deep in his ears. He felt dizzy, the world turning as he tried to keep on a straight path, or perhaps it was just that his vision had locked onto the moving portal, which confused him. He barely had the mindset to surround himself with Artistry, but he managed it.
Suddenly he was within the portal without remembering jumping into it. A strong force took him, pulling every part of his body with such speed that his muscles couldn’t hope to move a limb against it. He wanted to scream out of fright, but his jaw was too heavy to control. He felt as though he could barely breathe. His life was slipping away. It was so intense that he almost forgot to look. Flashes of white and red intermixed with streaks of blue.
The various colors flew past him at dizzying speeds, though the shape of them made it seem as if he was in a tunnel. They blurred together, until they evened out into a bright white. Then blackness took over as Leo’s vision began to fade, and soon he passed out.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
As Leo’s senses returned, the first thing he checked was his shell of Artistry. It was still intact, though weak and thin. He secured the shield of energy by adding density as he glanced around. He seemed to be sitting on grass, but the blades were thick and blue, providing more of a cushion than the green grass of the light realm.
The strangest sensation of all was how light he felt. At first he thought it was in his mind, but after getting up and taking a few steps he remembered KRenn mentioning something about the lighter pull of the earth here.
The horizon was a beautiful golden red around the glowing crimson sun that seemed to be setting rather than rising. There were no clouds, but there was a harsh wind.
As the ringing in his ears came to an end, he began to realize that it was not normal wind whooshing around him. It was coming from the portal just behind him. It looked different from the side, its edges blue like the grass below, but it still rippled and breathed in the same manner, surely connected to itself on the other side.
Leo had just begun searching for the stalwart link when there was a flash of light from the rift. It spewed out Erisena. The Analyte woman was passed out as she rolled across the grass. Before helping her, Leo made sure to feel for the cocoon of Artistry around her that Lane had made. Like Leo’s had been when he emerged, it was still there but weak.
He reinforced it as he dragged her to a safer location. She awoke with a gasp.
“Leo?”
“I’m here. We’re fine.”
“All right,” she said with a relieved breath.
He helped her up. She glanced around and said something in Analyse as she marveled.
Leo shut his eyes to focus on the stalwart link.
“Come on,” he whispered.
But he felt nothing.
There was another flash, and Leo’s father tumbled out from the rift. Two lamps rolled out with him, one broken already. But the other remained intact.
Erisena helped Leo drag Darren’s unconscious body out of the way for Lane. His cocoon of Artistry needed the same repairs as Erisena’s, but it was not an issue to maintain three of them. Fixing one at a time was as easy as putting on layers of clothing, which Leo wished he had more of in that moment. It would be a little while before the cocoons needed any maintenance, because Leo made sure the Artistry was packed densely.
Darren’s eyes popped open. He held his head as he sat up.
“Everyone all right?” he asked as he glanced around.
“Still waiting on Lane, but we’re fine,” Erisena said.
Lane made her entrance then, and Leo repeated the process from before.
Lane looked the most frightened when she awoke. “Gods, I thought I was going to die.”
“Yeah,” Leo agreed, “it’s not pleasant.”
“We only need to make one trip back,” Darren said as he helped Lane up. “Then none of us should have to enter a rift again. Leo, do you know where Andar is?”
“No, the stalwart link still hasn’t reformed yet.”
Darren hummed with worry.
Leo looked around for any immediate danger. If a trap awaited them, it was not near the rift. There seemed to be no creatures within sight, perhaps all too scared of the rift. The ground was covered in lush grass, though Leo couldn’t see over the tall hills that rose up before the horizon. There was a forest perhaps a mile the other way.
Leo’s father took out a compass as Erisena picked up the unbroken lamp.
“It looks like north is almost the same in relation to the sun as in our realm.” Darren pointed. “So if the sun is setting now, as it appears, then it sets to the east, or northeast, to be more exact.” He had a concerned look as he glanced at Leo. “Anything yet?”
Leo shook his head.
There was a flash of light like a strike of lightning in the distance. A thunderous crash followed that turned everyone to the east. A familiar silhouette blocked out the sun.
“The kasigerr,” Darren said. “This way.” He ran toward the forest.
The beast was behind the hills, at least a few miles away. Deza must’ve made a rift for it to return to the dark realm. This must be the trap. Deza expected the kasigerr to kill them here.
