The Willbreaker (Book 1) (23 page)

              Brandon looked confused. If the miners did not kill them, and he did not kill them, then what happened? The Bauth’Dok were not near death and Brandon never saw one die. They seemed to ignore pain and were not fazed by the miner’s small attempts at fighting them.

              “What happened after they hit me, after I ended up right here?" Brandon interrupted. “Bear with me, I’m a little confused.”

              "Well,               they hit you twice, the first time after you stabbed the thing in the chest with your pick, and the second time after they killed . . ." the miner hesitated, and continued. "After the second hit, we could see you on the floor. Looks like they busted you up pretty bad. The one that hit you picked you up, and the other one moved over to you. It was dark, and it was hard to see. I’m not really sure what happened, but right after that, both of the guards crumpled into piles on the floor. They just fell over, just like that. You stood there a second, then you collapsed. It was the weirdest thing I have ever seen. And they are good and dead, we checked."

             
I thought I was dead. I remember feeling the pain. I remember I was ready to die. Rage. I remember the rage like a scorching fire. It was awesome, and terrifying at the same time. Rage, and more rage, then it was all gone. What is going on?
As Brandon sat there, he did not think of the power that pulsed within him, the power that healed his wounds.

              "Is everyone else . . .?" Brandon left the question unfinished, but he still had to hear the answer.

              The miner knew what he asked. "Yes, I'm afraid so. None of your friends made it. I'm so sorry."

              Brandon brushed the dirt off his clothes as he got to his feet. He did not know what happened, but he knew time ticked away. "I don't have much time. I have to kill the Bauth'Dok king before anyone else dies." Brandon walked past the miners to the bodies of his friends. "I'm sorry, brothers. It was an honor to know you. You will never be forgotten, and your deaths will not be in vain." Reaching down to pick up one of the black Bauth'Dok hammers, Brandon turned and headed into the exit shaft.

              He walked with determination towards the processing pools. Brandon passed the tents where the two Bauth'Dok previously stood guard and moved along the wall. If he stayed close to the wall, the creature at the pools would not be able to see him. Within minutes, Brandon moved into the processing pool area. Ahead of him, on the edge of the pools, a Bauth'Dok stood guard. The creature pointed his trexalite-tipped staff into the pools, moving the raw metal from one pool to the next.

              Brandon closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Gripping the hammer in both hands, he set forth towards the creature. His feet moved him quickly, and the closer he got, the more he reared the hammer back, ready in an instant to swing the heavy weapon. As Brandon approached the creature, he walked sideways; the hammer cocked back all the way behind him. The Bauth'Dok moved the bits of metal around, and did not even know what hit him. Brandon bashed the mighty hammer into the back of the creature's head, breaking it open like a watermelon as its body crashed into the second and smaller pool of clear liquid. Foam and froth erupted around it, hissing and spitting the liquid about the pool. Brandon jumped back, avoiding the splashes of bubbling liquid that jumped up on the ground in front of him.

              "Wow, that was easy," Brandon said to himself. He wasted no time and continued into the city. Florian never took the men deep into the city. Brandon's only memory of the path to the throne room still held strong from his trip there yesterday. He knew he had to keep moving uphill.

              Brandon sprinted to the edge of city, facing the back of a building. He needed to look into the streets to get a feel for his location. Brandon took a fleeting look into the street. Empty. He dashed in between two more buildings that lead to another street. Brandon turned to head into the next street.

              Brandon heard metal tearing through flesh as his entire upper body went numb from shock. Stranding in front of him, next to the corner of the building he had gone around, the black-crowned Bauth'Dok King waited. Brandon took in a strained breath, eyes wide. Brandon tipped his head downward, looking at himself, to see the hand of the king pull back from his body. As it parted, Brandon saw the hilt of a sword sticking straight out between the center of his chest; one inch of red-glowing metal showed between the hilt and Brandon's flesh. The tip of the sword protruded two feet out from Brandon's back and dripped with warm, fresh blood. The Bauth'Dok king tilted his head, slowly hissing and clicking its tongue.

              Edward Poggintop and Jasmine Vylar traveled to Victorville after concluding the creatures known as the Bauth'Dok captured, or killed, their friend Brandon Pike. Edward's sister, Arleena, had the gift of Vision. Edward did not know what they should do or how should they help Brandon; he needed the advice of his sister.

              Upon arrival in Victorville, Edward discovered that his sister now had a boyfriend. Donald Granitefist, the weapons master of Victorville and his sister’s new true love, had renowned sword skills and was the one Edward sought out to help Brandon with his sword skills.

              Jasmine, the shape shifter, originally planned to stay with Edward and Brandon until she found something more promising, but something about Brandon drew her attention. Something about him made her want to stay around. After Brandon's disappearance, Jasmine found herself worrying about him, concerned for his well-being, and felt she had an obligation to ensure his safety. Brandon and Edward freed her from being a captive of Aurora Arclight. She would not rest until she returned the favor.

              Edward spent three nights telling his sister and Donald of their trouble. He told them everything he could remember, even the small things, of their journey since leaving their hometown; the Blade Maidens, the Bauth’Dok, and Brandon’s disappearance. It did not take them long to decide they needed to look for Brandon. The prophecies wrote about him. Donald offered his assistance, as a favor to Arleena, which pleased and reassured Edward. Donald, a champion amongst men, had experience and skill in battle that would be invaluable in breaking Brandon out of the Caverns of Ril'Kaloth.

              Arleena gathered the saddle bags and packed meats, cheeses, and breads from the cupboards. Edward rolled up the wool blankets that draped across the back of Arleena’s rocking chairs. Donald left to gather his things. Not one spoke as they packed. Edward concentrated on getting enough gear for the trip, and apparently Arleena’s deep concern about the situation kept her focused on her current duties.

              They moved the bags to the horses as Donald approached on Brare, his satin-black Percheron. Edward looked up and realized how imposing Donald seemed. He had a towering stature. His striking, straight, white hair reached halfway down his back, tied in a ponytail near his neck. His full suit of steel armor, polished to mirror shine, reflected the days light across the houses as he rode. His horse had armor as well, shining steel armor with golden rivets. His horse carried an array of different weapons along his rear haunches. A spiked steel mace hung loosely from Donald’s hip. Edward could sense Donald’s gift. His gift came in the form of Body Enhance, strength.

              When Arleena spoke, “The horses are nearly ready,” Edward snapped out of his stare and quickly tied the knot on the blanket roll. Donald hugged Arleena tightly and kissed her, and Edward said his goodbyes. A few more moments and they were off.

Edward, Jasmine, and Donald rode five days to edge of Lake Septa, where they caught a ferry into Daladin Bay. They stayed and restocked their supplies, then from there, their journey took them another two weeks to edge of the Paraline River. It had been a rough ride; the woods were thick, overgrown, and pushed those who tried to pass in every direction but the one they tried to follow. Luckily, the three travelers rode along an old trader's road, which lead them to the river’s edge.

              Once at the river, the group dismounted and walked their horses. Jasmine's blonde hair draped over the top of her plain, grey robes as she walked with Edward, who left the hood of his cloak down on his shoulders. Donald walked behind them, watching the woods and the river as if something would rush out of them.

              After traversing the river’s edge, Edwards spotted a ragged clearing through the woods, on both sides of the river.

“That must be the roads they use to travel,” he said, pointing to the pathway.  Edward and Jasmine tied up Baby and Firecracker to a stout oak along the riverbank, while Donald roped Brare to another. Brare seemed more interested in eating the tall grasses than anything else.  Edward rubbed his chin with his hand, trying to figure out how to cross the Paraline River without the current sweeping them miles downstream.

They placed their small tents along the tree line and covered them haphazardly with sticks and branches. Donald ventured into the woods and checked the perimeter for danger.

Once their camp had been built, Edward and Jasmine sat on two overturned pieces of wood and snacked on some of their pack meat. Donald stayed on his feet, staring into the thick woods.

              "How in the world are we going to get across? The Ril'Kaloth Caverns up are there," Edward said, pointing to the top of the mountain that spanned across from them.

              "We couldn't swim? Or build a boat?" Jasmine asked.

              "No, the current is much too strong; we'd be miles down shore before we could get to the other side, if not farther. That is the reason why people have not built or expanded across the Paraline, well, besides the Bauth'Dok."

              Donald walked up beside Edward, and studied the shoreline. Pointing at a small boulder near the river’s edge with his chin, Donald said, "Tie your rope around that rock, and tie it tight. I will throw it across the river. We can anchor the rope to a tree on this side, then it will just be a quick scoot across the rope, and we are there."

              Edward's mouth burst open as he stared at the round boulder, which stood four feet tall. "That
rock
? That is no rock! That thing has to weigh five-hundred pounds! You can throw that across the river?" Both Edward and Jasmine looked at Donald intently.

              Donald's charismatic smile grew. "Of course, Edward, my friend. I'm a Gifted too, remember? Grab your rope." Edward looked back towards Jasmine.

              "I guess we will see what a class four Body Enhance of Strength can really do, eh?" Edward smiled, anxious for the coming event, as he scuttled over to Firecracker to grab the rope. Donald walked over to the rock to inspect it.

              Edward hurried over, and tied the rope around the rock, placing numerous knots and many loops around it trying to ensure that it would not break free. After a moment, Edward finished and looked up at Donald.

              "Okay, now it's my turn, huh?" Donald said, smiling. He bent down, back straight, and dug his fingers underneath the large rock. With a strained grunt, Donald's legs went solid as the veins in his arms erupted. The rock rose off the ground until Donald had it in his arms, pressed against his face and chest. He took a few slow steps towards the river, feet sinking heavily in the sand, and leaned with the boulder to increase his speed. His small steps turned into leaps and with a rigid yell, Donald hurled the rock into the air. The huge rock flew across the river as if launched by a catapult. The rope behind it shook and gyrated as the massive stone pulled it behind. The boulder cleared the river with ease and nearly disappeared as it sunk into the ground on the other side with a loud 'thump!'

              Donald's face lit up. "Told you I could do it." Edward erupted with laughter, hitting his hand down on his knee. Jasmine clapped her hands excitedly.

              Donald grabbed the loose end of the rope and tied it as high as he could around a stout birch tree. With a final yank on the knot, he joined Edward and Jasmine.

              Donald and Jasmine extinguished the fire and covered it in dirt. They tucked away all the meat and cheese they could carry in their pockets and collapsed the tents.

Edward rubbed Firecracker’s jaw, “It’ll be okay. We’ll be back.”

              They walked to the river line.

              "Ok, I'll go first," Donald said as he pulled down on the suspended rope over his head, testing it to see how far it bent. Satisfied with the tension, he grabbed the rope with both hands and threw his feet over the top of the rope.

              "Wait until I am across, then it's your turn." He hung upside down, moving his hands and legs in unison, as he scooted himself across the river. Edward did not think he could make it; the trip took Donald twenty minutes to get across. He sighed, and threw himself up on the rope after Donald dropped off on the opposite side of the river.

              An hour and a half passed by the time the three made it across the Paraline River. The three horses watched from the other side. Donald unhooked his mace, eyeing the surrounding trees. Donald, Edward, and Jasmine moved towards the spiraling road that wound around the mountain, up towards the Ril'Kaloth Caverns.

              All three were cautious, looking at every nook, around every tree, and listening to every sound as they walked. There could be Bauth'Dok anywhere. Edward’s engaged his sensing power, and he thanked Donald for helping them.