Deke Brolin Rhol (18 page)

“That as you said earlier
, would be suicide Palto. Wait until I return. The Swamps of Tiqor are a little over a one day journey from the Valley of Aura. Once I reach our people, I will have them branch off to fight Phanthus. It may give you the time you need to escape the tunnel. You must give me at least that much time before you begin to move.”

Palto said nothing. Jayden knew that he was as stubborn as he and wouldn’t agree. Before he
could respond Jayden continued. “You convinced me in the tunnel to come with you and to save myself for my people. You said they needed a leader, that there was no need to die aimlessly. You saved my life; at least let me have the honor of repaying you. Your people also need a leader Palto.”

Palto smiled to himself. Jayden was a worthy ally. He was already a respected leader among his people and soon his enemies would come to fear his presence in the ranks. He was also wise beyond his years. He knew that his request would not be denied.

“Agreed then, a day, but it will not be wasted. People of Rhol, gather around me. You have much to learn about your enemy if you hope to save your world!”

Palto turned and looked at Mary, Deo and Deke. “You three must find Elissa before it is too late. Without her
, Solharn will have his way with the Balance of Five. Now go!”

“Quickly, follow
me,” Mary said to the others as she began to walk swiftly across the meadow toward the tree.

Mary stopped just before the surging water that disappeared under the tree
’s massive roots.

“Once you enter the water you will be unable to return through this passage. It will seem like an hour
, but you will be able to breathe again in about three minutes.”   

Jayden jumped followed by Oisin
and in seconds they had disappeared without a sound. Mary, Deo and Deke jumped in unison.  Their breath was instantly taken away as the currents hidden within the water sucked them into its depths.

Deke did not know how long he had been underwater. He struggled to breath
e; his lungs were running out of air, slowly being replaced by water. Relief finally came when he began to cough uncontrollably. He spewed the water from his lungs as he fell through the air toward some particularly vile smelling water.

He landed with a large splash and began to trudge through the shallow water causing the deep mud below its surface to release pungent gases that had probably lain dormant for years. The smell was almost unbearable. Looking around he could see no signs of anyone else and worried what had become of them. He could see some scrub brush in the distance giving him hope that dry land lay ahead. The mud was now well past his waist making it more difficult to move his legs through the thick sludge. As he neared the embankment he heard a scream coming from the ot
her side. He knew that scream, it was Mary.

Covered in mud from head to toe Deke climbed up the
small hill using a nearby root as a rope and began to run toward her screams. He strategized how to deal with whatever was causing her strife while he ran. Where were the others?  Where was Deo?

He grabbed a stick hoping he could use it as a makeshift weapon while continuing to run blindly through the thick brush toward the screams. When he rounded the bend he realized he was standing on an island. He could see Deo on dry land across from him. He too must have heard Mary’s pleas for help.

Deke could see Mary swaying back and forth in the water, her arms helplessly flaying away while she was swung to and fro in the murky swamp. Her eyes were as wide as saucers and her face was distorted by pain. He could not see what was causing her distress but knew he had to act quickly. He began to concentrate, to clear his mind.  Deo’s body transformed and then immersed itself into the water disappearing into its depths.

After several seconds the water erupted. Deo had obviously sunk his
teeth into the creature, which had now emerged from the water screaming in a high pitched wail. Its grasp on Mary gave way and she flew through the air landing in the water just short of where Deo had been standing. She was not moving but at least she was a safe distance from the creature’s grasp.

Deke remembered this creature from the walls of the cave when he first landed in this strange world
. The creature’s attention was now focused on him and as it began to move closer it screamed once again in pain. Deo had obviously clamped down again on its grotesque body.

Its mouth reminded Deke of a lamprey eel, round and full of teeth
that were designed to clamp on to its victim and suck it dry of blood. One of the four tentacles which protruded from its blubbery smooth body struck out at him, narrowly missing, as it crashed into the ground knocking him over.

Looking back up he could see a crocodile wrapped up in another of its twelve foot long tentacles. Deke quickly thought of a dragonfly and watched as the creature, somewhat confused, lost its second meal of the day after the crocodile simply disappeared.     

Deke was exhausted; he had over exerted himself and fell to the ground. The creature’s tentacles were reaching out for him again, wrapping themselves around his legs. He kicked wildly in the air fighting to avoid the inevitable. 

He could hear yelling and looked over to see that Deo was once again himself. He was madly trying to distract
the creature, trying to draw it away. But it paid no heed to him and lifted Deke high in the air by his feet. He was upside down, dangling helplessly in the air. Slowly the creature was lowering him down toward its revolting mouth. The creature’s eyes were bulging from the side of its huge head in anticipation of its pending meal.

Deke’s head was mere feet from its putrid mouth. The smell was almost enough to make him pass out. There was nothing more he could do. He had completely
exhausted himself. He had left the safety of Solace only to fail in his journey minutes after. With his last bit of strength he reached for the amulet in an attempt to throw it to Mary and Deo. Maybe there was hope that they would find Elissa. Maybe it was his destiny to save them so they could return the amulet to its rightful owner.

As he clutched it in his hand, he was instantly blinded by a bright light. A horrific pain, unlike anything he had ever experienced before, coursed through his body before complete d
arkness overtook him.

“Jayden are you alright?”

Jayden coughed and spat water from his mouth. “I am fine Oisin. Where are the others?”

“I don’t know. It seems we have been separated. I see no sign of them anywhere.”

Jayden looked around. T
he smell was unmistakable. They were in the Swamps of Tiqor. He looked up to see where they had exited. Water continued to pour out of the crevice in the side of the cliff, which he knew surrounded the swamp. His father had taught him much about the swamps and Jayden knew the cliffs were a telltale sign that they were on the outer edge. The trees were much fuller where they sat, not at all like the brush that grew deep within it, deprived of proper air and sunlight. The lynch grass that grew for miles in front of them also marked the edge of the swamp’s boundaries. They would not have to worry about running into Phits here, only getting through the grass whose purple blades were as sharp as razors.

“The underground cre
ek must have more than one exit,” Jayden said seeing no sign of the others. “It would only have been mere seconds that separated us exiting the underground waterway.   Mary must have been unaware of this. After all she had only travelled through it once before.”

“Where will we find them then, Jayden?”

“We won’t,” he responded.

Oisin looked at Jayden somewhat surprised. “We must try Jayden. They are not from this world and have no idea what they will encounter. Their chances of survival in this swamp are slim.”

Jayden looked at Oisin hating his words as they came out of his mouth. “I am aware of that Oisin, but if we do not reach Aura in time to warn our people of Solharn’s return they will be slaughtered. Deke and Deo have Mary. She has been through the swamps before, and Kiran, I am sure, has prepared her for this journey. It could take days to find them or for them to find us, and I pray they have made the same decision as I.”

Jayden knew Oisin would follow him whether he agreed with his decision or not
, but he hoped he understood the basis for it. He would need Oisin’s help and his trust; not that he would ever question it. He and Oisin had been friends ever since he could remember. Jayden’s father had taken him under his wing. They were relatively the same age, and their friendship had only grown stronger with time.   

Oisin was always a tall
lanky boy, but with striking features. He could stand up for himself in any given situation. The odd thing about Oisin was that he did not have any parents, or relatives to speak of. Obviously he had at one time but if you asked him, he could not tell you a thing for he had no memory of them. It was strange, given that Lealians were so close with one another. It bothered Jayden, and eventually he had gone to his father for answers on Oisin’s behalf. His father had told them that he too had no knowledge of who Oisin’s parents or relatives were. Oisin had simply walked into Leal one day confused and unaware of whom he was. He was obviously Lealian but no matter how hard they searched, they were unable to find any family origin for him. After a few months they had named him Oisin and put him up in a small humble house near Jayden’s. Oisin never really seemed bothered about his family ties but did tend to worry about others. He was very caring and Jayden believed it was because of his past. He did not want anyone else to go through what he had. 

Jayden
was not much different; he too worried a great deal about others and Mary, Deke and Deo were no exception. His father had once told him that the most important trait a leader should have was decisiveness. Make a decision and follow it through. Although not every decision will be the right one, if you believe in it enough and more importantly, if your people believe in you enough it will work out. You will succeed not because the decision you made is always the right one but because the people you lead make it right.

“Which way is it to Aura then?” Oisin asked without hesitation.

Jayden never doubted Oisin’s trust in him, but he was glad to hear it just the same. “We are lucky enough to be on the outer edge of the swamps. Unfortunately we cannot climb the cliffs. It would take too much time and use too much energy. We must head north through the lynch grass. It will lead us to the village of the Kilto. From there it is only another half-day’s journey to Aura.”

“Very
well, let’s waste no more time,” Oisin said as he walked over to the water’s edge and began to rub mud all over his exposed skin. Jayden followed suit. It was the only way to get through the lynch grass without being sliced to pieces. Once the mud dried and caked to their bodies it would act as a natural shield and protect them from the grass that had killed many less learned travelers.

After several hours
, they were safely out of the swamp and happy to be breathing clean air.

“The village is just around the bend. I have not seen it for over a decade and I fear now
it will not be what it once was,” Jayden said to Oisin.

“I remember hearing stories
about its people, very strange and mysterious. Although I am ashamed to admit that, even after hearing so many interesting things about them, I never bothered to journey here,” Oisin responded.   

“Mysterious
but vulnerable is how I would describe them. The Kilto were true to Elissa but I am sure Solharn would have had no difficulty destroying their village and enslaving their people, if they were there. There would have been no point in him killing them; they were no threat to him, or for that matter, anybody. They don’t believe in harming others even in self-defense which makes them easy targets. They live entirely off the land and only eat what they grow. Their homes are elegant, all made out of trite stone, the same as the sacred Amulet of Rhol. At night when the fires are lit from within, their homes glow a light orange. Unless of course it was the fires are fueled by the wood of a Korten Tree which burns blue, making their homes look like great glowing ice sculptures. 

They
are very spiritual, which is why they built their homes from trite stone, for it is believed by many on Rhol to contain great energy. During the Dragon Wars centuries ago they disappeared and were thought to have died out completely. Out of respect Queen Elissa ensured their village was kept in a pristine condition, should they ever return. Many decades passed without any word of them and then one night, perhaps a few years prior to Queen Elissa ordering our retreat, their homes lit up again. They had returned. They would not enlighten anyone as to where they had been, nor divulge the reason for their return. They would remain in their village for six months of the year and then disappear again. As far as I know nobody has ever laid eyes on the mysterious place. Even my father was unable to pinpoint a location. Many have tried following them but have always returned without even remembering the purpose of their journey. It is only a myth of course, but many believe that it is some sort of Divine place.”

“Maybe they returned to help in the battle against Solharn’s armies?”