We Hear Chants (Indigenous Encounter Book 3), page 14
As Makhpia Luta bent over, Tyler pushed the club away and rolled out from under him. He scrambled to his feet, running as fast as he could to put as much distance between himself and his enemy. Makhpia Luta lifted the club, roared with anger, and began chasing Tyler around the arena. Soon, he was right behind him, swinging his club like a maniac. Unable to outrun him, Tyler decided to face him instead. He raised the hatchet, blocking the club from cracking his head open.
Makhpia Luta bared his teeth, growling with rage. His face, which had seemed so calm and peaceful when Tyler walked into the arena, now looked terrifying. Tyler pushed back the hatchet with all his might and succeeded in shoving him away. He ran as fast as he could to get away from his ferocious opponent. His lungs burned and his legs ached, but his sheer terror propelled him forward.
Makhpia Luta’s extraordinary strength baffled him. His fast reflexes and agility made him invincible. Tyler felt helpless. Defeating Makhpia Luta felt like an impossible task, and he wasn’t cut out for it. Panic gripped him as he felt himself slowing down. Makhpia Luta was gaining on him, getting closer with every second. Tyler tried his best to speed up, but his legs refused to cooperate. Exhaustion weighed down on him, and there was nothing he could do to fight it.
“Come back here!” yelled Makhpia Luta, clawing at the air to catch him.
The wooden fence seemed to spring up in front of Tyler, and he pivoted to avoid running into it headfirst. Makhpia Luta let out a crackling laugh as he ran toward Tyler with the club raised. In one lethal blow, he would put an end to Tyler. Prepared to embrace death, Tyler squeezed his eyes shut. The scream that came next caught him by surprise.
His eyes sprang open. Makhpia Luta had dropped to his knees, and the club had slipped from his hand. His face was contorted with pain, eyes bulging. For a moment, Tyler couldn’t make sense of what was happening. Makhpia Luta’s eyes rolled back as he collapsed on the ground, and Tyler gaped at the three arrows stuck in his back. He looked up and saw Akecheta sitting on a tree outside the wooden fence with his bow.
The rebellion had begun.
Akecheta cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled at his men to charge into the arena. At the podium, Chief Chaska sprang to his feet.
“What is the meaning of this? Kill this man!”
He gestured at his guards to go after Akecheta. Before they could nock their arrows and aim at the rebel leader perched on the tree, the wooden fence of the arena began to shudder. At first, Tyler thought it was an earthquake, but when the fence collapsed, he saw the sea of rebel warriors who’d knocked it down. They spilled into the arena, hacking off the chief’s loyalists who tried to stand in their way.
Grabbing his hatchet, Tyler joined the rebels in battle. He swung at one of the guards barreling toward him, chopping his spear in two. As the guard stared at his broken weapon, Tyler swung the hatchet again, hitting him in the head with the wooden handle. The guard sank to his knees and fell to the ground. Looking up, Tyler saw another guard charging toward him with a spear. He spotted his abandoned shield on the ground and quickly grabbed it.
He lifted the shield to block the spear while he swung the hatchet, chopping off the man’s hand. The guard let out a blood-curdling scream as he stared at the stump. Tyler punched him in the face, bringing the screams to an abrupt end. As the man fell to the ground, Tyler marched ahead.
He fought off more guards as he made his way toward the podium where Chaska was standing. Overwhelmed by a desire to punish the cruel chief, Tyler wanted to be the one who killed him. The guards held him back from reaching the podium and confronting Chaska, but he was soon joined by Ian. The two of them fought the guards together and soon made their way toward the tribe’s leader. A guard attacked Ian from the back, hitting him in the head with a club. As Ian lurched forward, Tyler pivoted and struck the guard with the hatchet. He knelt next to Ian to check on him.
Ian looked dazed and had trouble getting up. As Tyler sat holding his friend, Chaska grabbed a dagger and lunged toward him, but Akecheta jumped in front of him, deflecting the chief’s dagger with his spear. He kicked the chief, sending him stumbling backward. The chief dropped the dagger as he fell to the floor. He immediately tried to pick it up, but Akecheta kicked the weapon out of his reach.
Akecheta punched the chief in the face, then grabbed him by the collar and lifted him up. “You’re the most despicable man I’ve ever met,” he said. “You’ve made our tribe suffer for ten long years. Now, you’ll meet your end.”
But just before he could stab the chief with the spear, the chief took a knife from his belt and jammed it into Akecheta’s chest. He shoved him away and scrambled to his feet. Tyler let go of Ian and rushed toward Chaska. If he didn’t act quickly, the chief would run away.
Tyler picked up Akecheta’s spear and drew it back over his shoulder. “Stop!” he yelled.
The chief froze with his back toward Tyler. Slowly, he turned to face him.
Tyler drew the spear a few inches back, ready to send it zipping through the air toward Chaska’s chest.
Chaska held up his hands. “Now, son, I’m sure you don’t want to do anything you might regret,” he said. “Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you’ve won the battle. My men are still out there fighting against the rebels. They won’t spare you and your friends if you hurt me.”
Tyler loathed the sight of him. He detested his attempt to manipulate him even when he had no way out.
“Come on, now,” said Chaska. “Be rational. It’s easy to get carried away.”
Tyler wanted to laugh in his face. How could the chief be so delusional? He was about to let go of the spear when an arrow struck his arm. He dropped the spear and screamed in agony, and the chief seized the moment to escape. Tyler fell to the floor, yelling for someone to stop him.
Wapasha was by his side a few moments later. He took hold of the arrow and yanked it out. Tyler struggled to keep his eyes open; the fighting had left him exhausted. He just wanted to close his eyes and fall off to sleep, but the nagging feeling inside his chest kept him awake and restless. He kept pushing Wapasha away as he tried to bandage him, insisting that he needed to catch Chaska.
“He’s gone, Tyler,” said Wapasha. “The battle is over. We’ve won.”
“We can’t let him get away,” said Tyler. “He has to be held accountable for his wrongdoings. We have to send someone after him. Let me go! I want to finish him off once and for all!”
Wapasha placed his hand on Tyler’s chest and held him down. “You’re in no position to get into another fight.”
“But… the chief. I need to go after him.”
“You must stay here,” said Wapasha firmly. “You’ve sustained serious injuries and you need treatment. Our soldiers have already gone after Chaska. It won’t take them long to find him and bring him back.”
Disappointed with himself, Tyler lay still on the floor, allowing Wapasha to look after his wounds. He closed his eyes and listened to the cacophony of sounds around him. The rebels seemed to have won the battle, like Wapasha had just told him. The healers were busy taking care of injured soldiers; he could hear them moaning in pain. What had happened to Ian?
It took a lot of effort for him to open his eyes. “Where’s Ian?” he asked.
“He’s all right,” said Wapasha. “He took a hit in his head that made him pass out, but he doesn’t have any other serious injuries. The other healers have taken him into the hut to have a look at him.”
“And what about Wambleeska?” Tyler felt another surge of panic.
“He’s doing well,” replied Wapasha. “He’s making good progress. His wounds are healing, and he’s gaining strength.”
Tyler didn’t think he could stay awake much longer. He thought he might slip into unconsciousness at any moment. He opened his lips and asked, in a feeble voice, “What about Michelle?”
“I’m not sure who you’re talking about,” said Wapasha.
Of course. Wapasha didn’t know about Michelle or John. He worried about what might’ve happened to them. Had John recovered from the mysterious illness that had befallen him? And what about Laura? Had she gotten out?
As those questions whirled around in his mind, he could feel himself slipping away. His eyelids began to droop, and he murmured Michelle’s name. The next moment, he lost consciousness.
13
Pale morning light streamed in from the smoke hole above, and Tyler’s entire body ached. His vision was blurred. His throat felt parched. He stared at the tiny patch of blue as he tried to find the strength to get up.
Michelle leaned over him, but it took some time for her features to come into focus. Tyler felt his heart glow with happiness when he saw her. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and pull her into an embrace, but it hurt so much. His movements were slow and laborious. Michelle seemed to notice him trying to get up and immediately put her hand on his shoulder to stop him.
Tyler held her hand. He looked up at her and grinned. All he wanted was to be with her. She stroked his cheeks, smiling softly. “How’re you feeling now?”
“I don’t feel any better, but I’m glad to see you,” he said. “I’m so happy that you’re here.”
“I was so worried that I might lose you last night,” Michelle said, her eyes brimming with tears. “I’m glad you’re okay. I was terrified when I saw you last night, covered in bandages. My heart almost jumped into my throat when Wapasha told me you’d gotten your nose broken while fighting with Makhpia Luta and got hit by an arrow while you confronted Chaska.”
“Chaska.” The name left a bitter taste in his mouth. “He got away.”
“Yes, Wapasha told me you wanted to go after him, but it wasn’t possible. You were in no position to get into another battle. Chaska would’ve taken advantage of your weak condition,” said Michelle.
Tyler closed his eyes and drowned out the commotion outside. He replayed his confrontation with the chief in his mind. For the first time, he’d seen fear on the chief’s face. For once, his mouth wasn’t twisted into a gloating smile, and he wasn’t tossing snarky remarks at the people around him. Anger surged through Tyler as he thought about how the chief had tried to manipulate him, and he cursed himself for hesitating to kill him.
“Did anyone go after him?” he asked. His eyes shot open when Michelle didn’t respond for a few seconds. “Did he get away?” he asked again in a sharp tone.
He could feel his temper rising. What was the point of the rebellion if someone as despicable as the chief couldn’t be brought to justice? He pictured the man stealing someone’s horse and riding into the wilderness to escape the Miniconjou. He had spent ten years of his rule despising the weak, but when it was time for him to face the music, he had made a run for it.
“They sent men after him, but they couldn’t catch him,” Michelle said quietly.
Tyler cursed under his breath. How could the rebels be so incompetent? Chaska wouldn’t rest easy. He’d cook up some plan to return to the tribe and attack the Miniconjou. Tyler seethed with anger as he thought about how close he’d come to killing him. If he hadn’t gotten struck in the arm with an arrow, he would’ve succeeded in putting the ruthless chief to death.
“There was nothing that we could do,” Michelle explained. “So many of our men were injured. We had to look after them, and with Akecheta dead, there was no one to lead the army. Finally, Wapasha stepped forward and ordered two warriors to go after Chaska. The warriors chased him for a long time but couldn’t catch him. The chief was joined by his loyalists, who fled the village.”
“He won’t leave us alone,” said Tyler. “He’ll reassemble his army and attack as soon as possible. We must be prepared.”
Michelle squeezed his hand. “Please don’t worry yourself with such thoughts right now. Everything is alright. The Miniconjou are finally free. They are no longer oppressed by a ruthless tyrant. There were celebrations in the village last night after the battle ended. Women and children danced in the streets. There was a big feast, and everyone looked so happy. Families were reunited as the slaves were freed. Oh, I wish you could’ve been there to see it! I was moved to tears!”
It was good to hear about the tearful reunions between family members. Tyler was glad the slaves were finally able to get out of the prison where they’d been trapped for a decade and given proper food to eat.
“What about Skah—I mean, Laura? Did she find John?” he asked.
Michelle’s expression darkened. “Yes,” she said grimly. “John was extremely sick. Laura was devastated when she saw him.”
Tyler propped himself up on his elbows. “What? You mean the bracelet didn’t heal him?”
Michelle chewed her bottom lip as she bunched her brows. “The gemstone would glow brightly for a few minutes, but then the light would flicker to a stop.”
Tyler considered this. Maybe the disease John was suffering from was too strong, and the bracelet was unable to heal him. He got up as panic rippled through him. Michelle watched him with a desperate look in her eyes, as if she wanted to reach out and stop him, but Tyler rushed out of the teepee.
The sight of the village lying in ruins before him made him stop in his tracks. Smoke rose from burnt teepees. The wooden fence around the battle arena had collapsed. Several teepees lay torn, and there were large piles of ash everywhere.
“Did we really win?” he asked Michelle as his heart fluttered.
“Yes,” said Michelle. “But Chaska’s guards made sure to cause as much damage as they could before fleeing the village.”
Tyler stared at the devastation for a moment longer, a hopeless, sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach. Finally, he tore his gaze away from the ruin and walked toward the teepee, where he knew he’d find John. He pulled back the flap and saw the old man lying on the floor with his eyes closed. His lips were parted, and he moaned every now and then. Laura sat beside him, holding his hand. Tears flowed down her cheeks.
Ian and Wambleeska sat on the other side with forlorn looks on their faces. Tyler knelt beside John, overwhelmed with emotion. He couldn’t bear seeing his friend in such a pitiful condition. He wished there was something he could do to help bring John out of his misery.
“The medicine you made for him earlier,” he said, turning to Michelle, “did it make him feel better?”
Michelle’s forehead creased and she shook her head. “No,” she replied. “I was quite surprised when it had no effect on him.”
“Has Wapasha taken a look at him?” he asked Wambleeska.
Wambleeska nodded. “He said he couldn’t do much.”
Tyler’s throat closed up and he scrubbed a hand over his face. They desperately needed to find a cure for John’s illness. “Is there nothing that we can do?” he asked.
Laura wiped the tears from her face. “We’ve tried everything.”
“We can’t just sit here and let him die like that!”
Ian stood up and looked Tyler in the eyes. “I think you need to calm down,” he said quietly. “We must accept reality. There’s nothing we can do to save him.”
“Shut up!” Tyler yelled.
How could he be so calm when his own uncle was on his deathbed? Why didn’t Ian feel the same desperation that Tyler felt? Why didn’t he feel an equally strong urge to heal his uncle and restore him back to health? Everyone was acting like John’s death didn’t make a difference. He wanted to scream at them for not caring enough. How could they just let him die like that?
Michelle touched Tyler’s shoulder, but he shoved her hand away. She recoiled with a hurt expression on her face.
“Tyler,” said Ian, “we’re all trying our best.”
“The bracelet was our only hope,” added Wambleeska. “But even that failed.”
“We should go to neighboring villages and find other healers. We might find someone who could help us,” Tyler insisted. “We could get him back to the pedestal, get him through the portal and bring him back to Wyoming. He could get treated there!”
His mind scrambled for more ideas. He looked at the others, hoping they would contribute suggestions, but they avoided his gaze. He couldn’t bring himself to believe that John wouldn’t make it. They could do something to save him if only they tried. The longer they sat around doing nothing, the more frustrated he felt with them.
“Tyler…” John murmured. His voice was so feeble that at first, they didn’t hear him. “Tyler…”
Laura looked up at Tyler with wide eyes. “He’s calling you.”
Stunned, Tyler slowly walked toward John, feeling dazed. His feet felt like they weighed a ton; it took an incredible effort to lift them and step toward John. He knelt beside him and leaned over with his ear turned toward John.
“Tha… Thank… you…” he mumbled with great effort. His fingers twitched as he slowly lifted his wrinkled hand.
Tyler gripped his frail hand, his eyes filling with tears.
“Thank… you…” said John, “for… keeping… your promise.”
Tears spilled down Tyler’s cheeks. He couldn’t bring himself to say anything. “I’m so sorry,” he finally said.
Slowly, John shook his head. “No… you did more… than enough… You saved Laura…”
Tears formed in John’s eyes and spilled over his wrinkled cheeks. Tyler stood up and walked out of the teepee as Laura wrapped her arms around her father and began to cry.
Outside, Tyler stared out vacantly at the destruction left behind by Chaska’s men. He replayed the times he had shared with John in his mind. The old man’s incredible courage, motivation, and persistence had left Tyler in awe. He didn’t lose hope in the most challenging times and continued to power through even in the bleakest moments.
When the rest of them were about to give up and return to Wyoming, John was the one who’d kept pushing forward, driven by the desire to see his lost daughter again and bring her back to Wyoming. His perseverance had made Tyler remain steadfast in their quest.
