Enaya: Solace of Time (19 page)

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Light slid across the two little slits of Bancroft’s barely opened eyes. He rolled to his back, grunted in pain, and met the canopy of trees above. Excruciating pain numbed his right shoulder, but it hurt to look down. His large barren hands felt their way across his chest, to his shoulder to feel something rough. Bancroft fingered the object, until he forced himself to look down, and to his dismay, a stick was poking through his shoulder, stained with blood.

There were several large rocks poking from the ground. Bancroft reached for one and pulled himself up. The pain tightened in his shoulder and he screamed until he finally came up against the rough surface. He glanced across his body; his legs were torn and bleeding through the tears in his britches, and his shirt was stained with sweat and dirt and blood.

He looked at the branch sticking through his shirt; parts of skin wrapped around it and chunks of blood stuck to it like glue. He tightened his hand over the branch and pulled, the bark rubbing against the bone, and he relished a hellacious roar. The branch didn’t budge.

He lunged forward and threw himself back into the rock and the branch snapped at the end. Bancroft screamed again, this time almost crying. He brought up his left hand, which was almost like crawling through hell, and he pulled at the branch. This time it moved.

Bancroft screamed and bit his tongue. The branch rubbed through his bone, like a sword piercing his stomach. The pain was sharp and it throbbed. Bancroft spat as the branch slowly pulled, but he continued. Second by second, he tightened his grip and pulled.

“You can do this,” Bancroft mumbled.

The branch twisted and fought to come out, but Bancroft was persistent. He grabbed the branch even tighter and pulled. He tugged and pulled and tightened his grip, but the branch kept refusing. He slung back into the rock again, hitting his shoulder to knock the branch loose, but it still hung in there.

Blood leaked from the edges of the branch. Bancroft pulled again; this time, the branch slid across the bone, across his muscle, and slung out from his skin, flinging a string of blood across the dirt and leaves.

Bancroft took a couple of deep breaths. He rolled to his knees, brought his hands up on the rock, and pulled himself up on his feet. He leaned over the rock, his stomach flattening against the stone, and he stretched his arms out. A stream of blood rolled down the rock.

Bancroft lay there for a few seconds before forcing himself up on his feet. He turned toward the forest of moss and trees. Bright green grass covered the forest floor, and a rabbit hopped between two trees. Bancroft slanted to his side to ease the pain and he started walking.

Chapter 27

Old Man Bancroft

The Ancrya was setting out in the middle of the Ozplesian fields. Locklin, Nile, and Leo were outside stretching and breathing in the cool air as they looked down at the unconscious soldiers they had just brought outside. The mountains circled around these fields, but were far out in the distance. The Ozplesian fields consisted of shrubs and rocks and the only forests were nearly a mile away. There were ponds scattered through the field, and some had small narrow streams that connected to each other.

At one pond, there was a lynole, a four-legged furry beast with horns. Leo watched it for a second before turning to Nile, who was stretched out and had his palms flat on the ground.

Locklin walked around the Ancrya, smoking a cigarette. He looked up to the blue sky and stretched. “Sure is a beautiful place here.”

“I’m going to get you back home,” Nile said to Locklin.

Locklin waved his comment off. “Nah, don’t worry about it, ya know. If I go back to Silvago, I’m in trouble. I have nothin’ there anyways.”

“No, I mean, I’m going to get you back to your time.”

Locklin placed his hands on his hips and looked around the area. “I kinda like it here.”

Leo rested back on his palms, watching the cloudless sky. “It’s kind of sad, you know. There are no more Woodlands, or wagon rides through the valley. Or the annual festivities that go on where you sing and play your guitar, and I read poetry. There ain’t none of that anymore.”

Nile had to let Leo’s words percolate through his mind. “I guess you’re right.”

“Of course I’m right,” Leo said, leaning forward and dusting off his hands. “Where did time go? Yesterday I was at the castle eating eggs and bacon and today I’m on the run from this city from the future.”

“Somebody once told me that what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger,” Nile said, reaching for a pebble. He chucked it across the fields, losing it in a pond.

“I hear ya,” Locklin said, sitting down on the staircase leading up into the Ancrya. He pulled out another cigarette and held it to his face. “I want to be back four years ago.”

“Why four years ago?” Nile asked.

“I have a little girl, Macy, who turns seven next month. When she was only three, my wife left me because I was never home. I’m a pilot and one thing about bein’ in the military is that ya gotta leave when they dispatch ya.”

Nile lowered his head. “I’m sorry, Locklin.”

Locklin clapped his hands together and smiled, fighting back tears. “I haven’t seen her since . . . there’s no use cryin’ about it now.”

“There is always time to cry,” Nile said.

“That was the past, ya know? There ain’t nothin’ I can do about it now.”

Soft footsteps walked down the metallic staircase that extended from the Ancrya. Locklin stood to his feet as Ashera stepped out onto the Ozplesian fields. She stretched, arching forward, and yawned. Leo watched her, getting lost in her beauty. Nile did the same.

“She’s the future Mrs. Leo Connell,” Leo said, rising to his feet.

“Dream on,” Nile said, doing the same.

“Where are we?” Ashera asked, yawning again.

“Ozplesian fields,” Nile said.

Ashera walked to Nile forcefully, like she was about to hit him, but instead, she kissed his cheek. “I want to thank you for letting me come.”

“What about me?” Leo asked, straightening his posture.

Ashera kissed him as well. “And thank you.”

Ashera walked to Locklin, but instead of a kiss, he quickly threw out his hand and shook hers. She laughed, then turned and leaned against the Ancrya. If angels existed on earth, she was one of them. Her curves ran wild through Leo’s imagination, but Nile was able to look at her for her. He still pined over Dywnwen. Ashera yawned, then folded her arms beneath her breasts. Nile caught Leo staring at her, so he slapped his arm. Leo woke from his gaze and shrugged.

Locklin noticed the awkward looks Nile and Leo gave each other. “So, ugh, what about ’em?” he pointed to the soldiers.

“Leave them,” Nile said, staring at them as they slept against each other, the sheets pulled tightly around them.

“I say we burn them,” Leo said.

“Now you’re talking.” Ashera snapped her fingers and flames ignited from her tips. The flames illuminated off her face.

“No!” Nile said.

Ashera dropped her hands and the flames disappeared. “Why not? They destroyed our homes.”

Leo stepped in.” Yeah! Woodlands is gone.”

“I know,” Nile said defensively. “If we kill them then we’re no better.”

“He’s got a point,” Locklin said. “Norcross finds out we kill them, then we’ll have a worse death penalty then we already do.”

One of the soldiers began to wake up and Leo kicked him the face, forcing him back to sleep. He gritted his teeth and spit dashed from his lips. He stood motionless, his chest beating up and down while he stared at the soldier.

The same anger that fed Leo also fed Nile. He would have kicked him not once, but twice. He was surprised that Leo stopped there, since they took all things in consideration. They lost everything, and the worst punishment they got was a kick in the face. Nile knew it was ridiculous, but he fought his anger.

“Calm down,” Ashera said, reaching for Leo’s arm.

Leo jumped at the touch of her fingers. “I’m sorry. I, ugh, I’m just upset.

“Nobody blames ya,” Locklin said, resting on his side against the sleek metal of the Ancrya.

Nile gripped Leo’s arm tightly. He squinted into Leo’s eyes, nodding in suppression, wanting him to know that he was right there with him. Leo took a deep breath and forced a smile on his face. Nile then pulled Leo in for a hug.

“We’ll get back home,” Nile said. “No matter how long it takes, brother, we will get back home.”

“Enough romancin’,” Locklin said, laughing. “Where do we go from here?”

Leo pushed Nile away. “Did you hear that?”

Nile grew startled. “Hear what?”

A faint sound rumbled through the fields.

“That’s a lynole,” Nile said, glancing to one in a nearby pond, splashing water over its body.

“No,” Leo said, frustrated. “That?”

“I hear it,” Ashera said.

Locklin shrugged. “I don’t hear anythin’.”

Nile walked around the airship to see a man staggering across the fields. He fell to the ground, and when he got back up, he took a few steps and fell again. His shirt was torn and he was wearing blue britches with boots. He must have been his kind, the Magical.

“Over here!” Nile hollered. The others ran around the airship and saw the struggling man.

Nile began to dash for him, but Leo grabbed his arm. “Don’t. We don’t know if he is one of us.”

Nile asked, “Do you think he could possibly be one of them?”

The man struggled to get up. “I suppose not,” Leo said.

Nile jolted down the field as hard as he could. He stepped in a small pond and nearly fell, but he got back his bearings and went after the man. He slid to a stop beside the survivor and lifted his head up. “I’m Nile Whitman; I’m here to help you.”

“Thank you, my boy,” the man said with a helpless grin.

Locklin and Leo slid to a stop and quickly helped the gentleman up. The two got under each arm and began to walk him to the airship.

“That!” the man yelled.

“What?” Nile asked.

The man pulled out of their grips and fell to the ground. Blood poured from a wound at his shoulder. He swayed his arms as helplessly as he could, warning them away, but Nile looked up to see the Ancrya. It immediately made sense to him. This was not a helpless man, but a man who must have lost everything.

“You’re with them! That dragon! That monstrous dragon destroyed my home!” he yelled, pulling his arms away as Nile reached down to grab him.

“No, no, no,” Locklin said. “We are here to help ya. Ya got the wrong impression.”

“Help me? You killed my family.”

“We don’t want to hurt you,” Nile said.

The man spat on Nile. “Then why the dragon?”

“Airship,” Locklin replied. “I helped them out. If ya follow us, we have a young lady who is with us as well, and she can tell ya we are not with them, eh.”

“Look at the way we are dressed,” Leo said.

The man forced himself up to his feet, but stumbled a bit. Nile reached out to balance him and the man’s face looked calm.

“I suppose,” he said, out of breath.

Nile smiled. “Where are you from?”

“Azeul,” the man replied. “We were attacked earlier. My family is gone.”

Nile looked to the grass, trying to find comforting words.

“What’s your name?” Leo asked.

“Bancroft,” he replied tiredly.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Nile said, holding Bancroft by the arm as he guided them back to the airship. Leo slid in a mud pile, but grabbed Locklin to keep from falling. Locklin couldn’t help but chuckle. Bancroft placed his arm around Leo’s neck, pulling him up to him, his head getting caught under his armpit. Leo could smell the body odor of a dead carcass, so he puffed out his cheeks and held his breath.

They came around the Ancrya and Ashera hurried into the ship and opened the door to the cabins, watching them stagger with Bancroft up the small staircase and into the ship. Locklin accompanied the older fellow to a bed and set him down. The wound from his right shoulder leaked with blood. Dirt covered him, and loose twigs and leaves filled his hair.

“I’m sorry to intrude, my young friends,” Bancroft said.

“No, don’t apologize,” Nile said, “We are here to help.”

Locklin leaned against the wall. “May I ask, how’d this happen?”

Bancroft, raising his upper body a bit and resting on his elbows, looked at Locklin. “People, in giant birds like the one we are in.”

Locklin lowered his head and crossed his arms. “I’m so terribly sorry, eh.”

“Now this will feel weird,” Ashera said, pressing Bancroft back down on the bed. She placed her right hand over Bancroft’s wounds and closed her eyes. No words spoke, but a white mist formed around her hand that covered the wound. The mist gently rested on his skin, and his skin absorbed it. Once she removed her hand, the wound pulled itself together and healed.

Bancroft looked down to his shoulder and smiled. “Thank you, my dear sweet girl.”

Ashera smiled and helped Bancroft to his feet. He stumbled and fell to one knee. Ashera helped him up again and set him back on the bed, where she went down on her knees and placed both hands on his left leg. She closed her eyes, and again the white mist appeared and was immediately absorbed through his clothing and skin.

“Now stand up,” Ashera said, helping him to his feet.

Bancroft took a step and felt fine. The limp was gone. “Hey!” he shouted in excitement. “Thank you so much. You’ve been the only blessing I’ve received today.”

Ashera blushed.

“How long ago has your village been attacked?” Nile asked.

Bancroft closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. His lips trembled and he fought back the tears. “This . . . this morning. I live but a few miles from here.”

Nile looked up at Locklin. “If it was that soon, maybe we should get this bird up in the air.”

Locklin nodded and rushed to the cockpit and started the Ancrya. The airship lifted off the ground and flew east. Nile sat down and watched Bancroft walk around, getting the feeling back in his legs.

“I fell about forty feet, I did,” he said. “I hit every branch on the way down and luckily, I’m still alive.”

“I hear Azeul is a very beautiful town,” Ashera said.

Bancroft turned to her. “Oh, it is, my dear child, it is. Houses are made of the finest wood from here to Woodlands.”

“Well, that is where I’m from,” Nile interrupted.

“Woodlands?”

“Yes, sir.”

Bancroft chuckled. “Well, I’ll be a dead rat in a bucket. I would never have thought that you, my dear boy, would be from Woodlands. I tell you, it is very beautiful up there where you live.”

“You’re right.”

“But Azeul is very beautiful.”

“You said you had family?” Nile asked.

The jolliness died down as Bancoft backed into a bed and sat down. “Yeah, and I had great family at that, my lad. I had me a beautiful wife and five superb kids.”

“Awww,” Ashera mumbled.

“My youngest five, but I suppose they are all . . . dead.”

Leo sat down next to Nile and listened as Bancroft recounted his story.

Bancroft looked at the floor. He told them what had happened, one sentence at a time. “I was eating breakfast with my family.” Then he looked at the ceiling and paused. “This is hard.”

“Take your time,” Nile said.

Bancroft closed his eyes tightly and nodded. “These monsters engaged our city and killed those who opposed to joining the Lucian Empire.”

“Who was in charge?” Nile asked.