Martyr (The Martyr Trilogy) (7 page)

Thinking
the horrors at an end, I tried to shake my head free of the vision, but it
wasn’t done with me.  I heard again a rumbling of earth, and watched as the
body of Tal-Makai was drawn toward the monster, rolling over tiny stones and
pebbles.  As it came near, roots from the monster’s body reached eagerly to
receive it.  Stone plates were shifted aside as the body of Tal-Makai was taken
into the monster’s body.  Dirt and stones filled in around it, essentially
burying him in a living tomb.  The lifeless eyes of Tal-Makai stared out
through a slit between the stones of the demon’s face, lit with an unnatural
orange glow. And everywhere, the cruel and mocking laughter.     

Suddenly
I was back in the present, with Reya.  She was crying.  Shocked, I realized
that I had not only been watching the scene unfold, but had known Tal-Makai’s
thoughts and feelings.  I even thought I felt for a moment the sting of that
horrible blade in my chest.  I was also surprised to realize that I knew how
Tal had felt about Reya.  Instinctively I put an arm around her to comfort
her.  She leaned her head against me and sobbed softly.  After a few moments,
she composed herself, gently lifted my arm from her shoulder, and turned to
face me.  “It was a long time ago,” she said.  “It’s just hard to see it
again.  Tal was desperate to stop Magus.  We all were.   You cannot begin to
imagine the horrors he has unleashed on the world.  Tal, like all of us, just
wanted it to end.  In his desperation, Tal made a tactical error.  It cost him
his life and weakened the resistance.  It also made Magus that much more
powerful.”  

“That…thing…”

“Is
not Tal.  Tal is dead.  Yet it somehow draws strength from his body, perhaps
from his essence.  Just pray you never come face-to-face with it.  It is enough
for now that you have seen what you have seen.  We’d better be on our way.  We
can talk more about all of this when we reach camp.”

“Wait,
one more thing I just realized…the grass was green in the vision.”

“Yeah,
Magus did that too.  He cursed the vegetation hoping to starve the puurr-deer. 
He knew they were our most powerful allies.”

“Puurr-deer? 
So that’s what they’re called.  And….wait….are you saying we have other allies
like them?”

“Not
like them, but those who resist Magus are more than you might think.  C’mon, we
need to get going.”

We
had no sooner resumed our journey than we heard a buzzing sound that started
softly and far away, but quickly grew to a deafening roar.  It was a jarring
sound, but one that I recognized from my own world.  Seconds later my
suspicions were confirmed, as a helicopter passed over us in the clearing where
we had stopped, billowing thick smoke and barely clearing the treetops.  A few
seconds after it passed out of sight, there was a single loud scraping sound
punctuated by several sharp cracks, and then silence.  Reya turned our mount in
the direction we had seen it go and headed out.

7

The
chopper had come to rest in a small clearing amidst a grove of spruce
saplings.  The landing had snapped a few of the smaller saplings and the
vehicle smoldered still, but appeared largely intact save for some cosmetic
scratches raked into the weathered paint of the fuselage.  The fact that it
ended up in a space scarcely larger than the craft itself was a testimony
either to exceptional piloting, or incredible luck.  It looked like the kind of
helicopter I remembered seeing in films of the Vietnam War.  Reya brought the
mount up to within a few meters of it, then slowly reached down and drew her
bow from the sling along the animal’s side where it hung, all the while watching
for any movement.  She nocked an arrow and brought the weapon to bear on the
cabin of the vehicle. 

She
didn’t have to wait for long.  A bulky figure dropped to the earth on the far
side of the ‘copter, and presently the cockpit hatch on our side opened.  A
more graceful frame slipped nimbly from the pilot’s seat and dropped the few
feet to the ground, landing in a feline crouch.  For half a second I thought
she was trailing a black cape, but immediately realized my mistake as an
impossible quantity of thick, dark hair settled about her shoulders and around
her small face a couple of moments after her body touched down.  She wore an
oversized military helmet covered in green camouflage material, and a matching
vest covered with dozens of pockets of various sizes, every one of which bulged
with something interesting.  A few odd apparati jutted out of their respective
pockets, revealing buttons, knobs, and dials galore.  The remainder of her
lithe form was covered in a close-fitting black jumpsuit, the base a
clunky-looking pair of late-issue canvas and leather army boots.  It looked as
if she had just come from the going-out-of-business sale at a military surplus
store and had bought the lot.

As
she stood, I momentarily lost her soot- and grease-streaked face in the black
cloud of hair that floated around its periphery.  As she took a few steps in
our direction a breeze wafted it back and I could see that she wore a filthy
pair of goggles of the kind worn in high school wood-shop classes and usually
labeled “protective eyewear”.  She tried in vain to wipe the blackened lenses
with her two index fingers, a comical gesture that reminded me of a pair of
tiny windshield wipers working frantically to restore visibility during a heavy
downpour.  She then abandoned this effort and instead pulled the goggles away
from her face entirely and set them to rest on the front of her helmet.  Her
eyes were the same almond shape as Reya-Mana’s, only larger, softer, and of a
decidedly brown-gold hue.  Framed by her dark lashes and brows, and set off as
they were against the sooty blackness of the surrounding skin, they were
stunning. 

My
eyes flicked to Reya, who met my gaze for the briefest of moments then turned
her attention quickly back to the scene before us.  Even from my skewed
perspective at her back, Reya seemed for the first time in my experience
somehow other than entirely sure of herself.  But she lowered her bow and
muttered the command to our mount, and we both descended to meet the
newcomers.  By this time the other passenger had come up to stand beside this
odd female.  He was a giant of a man, clad more simply than she in a
surprisingly clean white tank, brown slacks, and army boots of a more vintage
style.  Spotting a dirty flak jacket on the ground behind him, I realized that
he must have stripped it off after exiting.  He was dark and brooding, all
rippling muscle topped by a neatly-shaved head.  A heavy brow and chiseled jaw
dominated his countenance.  Reya extended a shaky hand, never breaking eye contact
with the younger woman.  The latter clasped the offered hand tightly in both of
hers and shook it enthusiastically, if a little too much so.  Then in a
somewhat husky but cheerful voice, she declared, “I’m Maya!  This is Doog. 
We’re resistance!”

“Uh…,”
Reya shook her head once briskly as if to dismiss a thought and then resumed,
“Yes….Yes, of course.  I assumed as much, but…where did you get that?”
indicating with a little jerk of her chin the downed chopper. 

“Oh! 
I found it!  We found it, Doog and I!”  And then, dropping her head toward her
left shoulder, she squinted one giant eye and peered up at Reya with the other,
then continued in a small voice, “I mean we stole it.”  Then suddenly louder, 
“But we stole it from Magus!”

“Well
then, that crime is officially pardoned!” replied Reya.  Everyone chuckled, and
it went a long way toward relieving some of the tension.  “Sorry, I should have
said…I’m Reya.  And this is Justin.  We’re not far from our camp.  You could…”

“I
know,” answered Maya, “I saw your tents from the air.  I was trying to bring
‘er in there, but…,” she screwed her face up and simultaneously shrugged in a
goofy yet slightly adorable way, then, “I’m a lot better at take-offs!”

“I’m
not about to complain,” said Reya.  “You’re already one-hundred percent more
pilot - and more air support – than we had a few minutes ago.”  Her eyes
scanned the clearing.  “And I think you’re a fair bit better at landings than
you let on.  My men will come back and see what can be done about this bird. 
Just make sure you take the keys, and follow us.”

“Sure,
but how are we supposed to…” 

Just
then Reya tilted her head back and produced a hollow sound deep in her throat. 
The beast mimicked the sound, both of them tossing their heads back in unison,
an unearthly tone filling the woods.  Before long we could hear the cracking of
small branches and a second puurr-deer burst into the clearing.  Gesturing
toward it, Reya stated matter-of-factly, “Your ride awaits.”

At
the pace of the massive deer we were entering the outskirts of the camp a mere
few minutes later.  As before, we were thronged by members of Reya’s entourage,
but I was spared the awed exclamations of my initial visit, as they seemed
eager to extend hospitality to their new guests.  I was of course attended to,
and more than a couple of giggling children carried my travel packs away and
offered me food and drink.  When we had all dismounted Reya allowed the crowd
to envelop Maya and Doog, who were quick enough to make their own
introductions.  As they moved away en masse, I saw two people approach Reya.  I
recognized them as Greda and Denkel.  They each drew close to her in turn and
hushed conversations ensued.  I was not able to catch enough words to know what
was being discussed, but it didn’t seem to have anything to do with the new
arrivals.  One after the other they finished their business with Reya and
bustled off to disparate points within the camp.

Reya
turned her head to me but kept her eyes fixed on a clod of topsoil on the
ground between us.  “Lots to do tomorrow.  Best get something to eat and get
some sleep.”  She turned as if to head off toward the main camp. 

Lunging,
I caught hold of her sleeve at the elbow and stayed her.  “Not so fast!  What
aren’t you telling me?”

She
drew her lips into a tight line and made as if to pull away and continue on her
intended path, as if she hadn’t quite heard me.  But I held her fast, and so
she soon relented, sighing and turning back to face me.  “OK, but not here. 
Walk with me.”  She led me along the main road I had first come in on, away
from the noise of the camp.  “Greda thinks we need to move soon.  There have
been more sightings of unnatural creatures like those dogs.  And Denkel was
just telling me…”

“Not
about that!” I interrupted.  “That girl.  Maya.  She looks just like you!  A
slightly disheveled version, maybe, but it’s unmistakable.  And you acted
strange when you saw her.  It’s not a coincidence, is it?  Do you know her?”

A
pause.  Then, “She’s my daughter.”

“But
she doesn’t seem to know you.”

“She
doesn’t know me.  That’s probably why she’s still alive.  And I’d like to keep
it that way.  I just wish she hadn’t come here.”

“I
don’t understand.  How could you not be happy to see your own child?”

Reya
answered sharply, “Be careful what you say, Justin.”  Her voice edged with
pain.  “There are things you don’t know yet.”

“I’m
sorry, I didn’t mean anything by it.  There’s a lot I don’t know yet.  I’m
trying to understand.”

The
fire slowly burned out of her voice as she continued.  “There was a plague, a
virus.  Almost a hundred years ago.  It was worldwide.  Almost everybody was
touched.  In a matter of weeks all but a very tiny portion of the world’s
population was dead.  It was the greatest tragedy in the history of the
world.   Only the strong survived, those who had some kind of natural immunity
or resistance to the bug.  I’m guessing this didn’t happen in your world?”

“No,
thank God,” I said.  “Not yet, anyway.”

Reya
continued, “A broken people who had trusted in science now turned once more to
religion for answers, for hope.  Many trusted the Deity of ancient times, the
One believed to have made the worlds.  We know him as Chaer-Ul.  A few chose
rather to blame him for what had happened.  So it is to this day.  Magus was
one who preached a new religion.  A religion of his own making.  He proclaimed
that Chaer-Ul had not only permitted the disaster to occur, he had actually
initiated it, a sort of population control plan.  He discovered old and
forbidden ways of reaching into the realm of spirits.  He spoke with lesser
gods and they lent him their powers.”

“This
explains a lot, but what does it have to do with your daughter?” I probed.

“I
was married years ago, before I met Tal.  I came to trust in Chaer-Ul, but my
husband did not.    I persuaded him to let us join with a resistance group for
mutual protection.  In those days, as now, most of the resistance consisted of
Chaer-Ul’s faithful, but some number simply wanted to be free, and saw Magus’
cult as the greater threat to that freedom.  My husband was a natural leader,
and easily rallied men who were willing to fight – and die if necessary – to
remain free.   Our camp grew too large, and eventually attracted the attention
of Magus’ spies.  When he learned that my husband was amassing a small army,
Magus made him a prime target of his offensive.  He reserved his greatest
hatred for the followers of Chaer-Ul, but would tolerate no form of heresy.”

“Which
he defined as any deviation from his teachings,” I offered. 

“Exactly,”
she replied.  “He sent assassins – fiercely loyal members of his cult, whether
from faith or fear – and attempts were made on my husband’s life.  He managed
to evade them at first, but they were persistent.  Ultimately, one of his own
inner circle betrayed him, and he was slain one moonless night.  Shortly
afterward I discovered I was pregnant.”

“With
Maya,” I said.

Reya
nodded.  “The attacks didn’t stop, and when they realized I had assumed the
mantle of leadership in the wake of my husband’s death, I found myself in the
crosshairs.” 

“I
think I’m starting to understand,” I said.

“The
idea of being away from my baby was unthinkable.  But Magus’ spy network was
extremely efficient, and as the months passed he came to be aware that I had
had a child.  One night we captured one of his men inside the camp.  Not here,
but an earlier camp, farther to the east.  He carried blankets and changing
cloths.  It was a kidnapping attempt.  He hadn’t been able to find Maya, but it
was too close.  I was forced to consider the fact that this child would ever be
in danger as long as she was near us.  I had family living just outside one of
the great cities to the south.  It was a quiet place, quite secluded.  I
brought her there to live, and my family raised her as their own.  She was to
learn nothing of us, the resistance, or Magus.  But as she grew, she proved to
be an exceedingly clever child.  And Magus’ infamy grew; it was impossible for
her not to learn of him, and of the good people who refused to submit to his
new law.  She knew nothing of me or of her father, but when she came to be of
age she joined her local resistance movement.” 

“She
is a remarkably bright girl,” she went on.  “My family has sent me regular
updates over the years.  And a few times…,” here her voice was thin, cracked a
little, “…I traveled there and watched her, unseen, from a distance.”  Now the
corners of her eyes were moist, I could see her swallowing hard.  Collecting
herself she added, “She is amazing with machines and gadgets.  No doubt she got
that chopper running.  Magus doesn’t have any sophisticated aircraft, and
nobody with the knowledge to fix them.  That kind of technology was lost with
those who died from the plague.  This could be a huge tactical advantage for
us.  But now…,” she trailed off, sighed deeply, “chance has brought her right
back into harm’s way.”