Holding the reins of their trackers to keep them from getting to far ahead, the four warriors followed it through the forest of Fedrul until the came to a strange dome of dark shadows. They stopped confused at what they were seeing. How this possible? It was night but these were not normal shadows. There was nothing here to cast these shadows. No light, just a wall of darkness.
"What is this?"
"I do not know." Fal said. Moving closer, he reached out to touch it.
"Do not touch it!"
"I cannot find out what it is without touching it." Fal said angrily with his hand still held out. "I feel no heat coming from it. Memu will want to know what it is. I have to touch it."
Still a bit hesitant, Fal let his finger touch the shadow. It was icy cold to the touch but there was no pain. He stuck his hand right in.
"Nothing but shadow."
Moving forward, Fal stepped up and right through the shadows and disappeared into the darkness. Fear of the unknown slipped in and nagged at the two warriors. They looked at each other unsure of what to do but to scared to try going into the darkness themselves.
"Come ahead." He called from the other side. "There is something here you need to see."
Gripping their weapons, together the two warriors stepped through the shadow and emerged on the other side. As they opened their eyes, far off in the distance they saw a huge structure. Tall towers coming from what looked to them like a manse bigger even then the one Memu had just captured. This must be where the Humans are.
"We found it," Fal told the others. "We must tell Memu."
As they turned and went back through the shadows, the night was quiet and nothing moved anywhere around them. There was no wind or animal activity when suddenly something jumped out of the brush ahead of them. Without even thinking, a warrior fired his weapon and blew a dera to pieces as it tried to get out of their way.
"You fool!" Fal snatched the staff from the warrior. "Have a care! Do you want the Humans to know we are here."
"And what do I care?" The warrior said taking back his weapon. "We are hunting them remember. They run from us."
"Not all of them are running." Fal warned him. "Remember the things in the sky. They could be out here too. Do not be in such a hurry to die, Humans are not the only things out here."
"What else could possibly attack the Savonti?" The warrior laughed.
"Me."
From above, Yaru hung down and slashed out with his energy blades and sliced down through the warriors head. As he fall, Yaru and Gabor dropped out of the trees and attack. Gabor with his staff and Yaru with his blades. Diving for cover, a warrior was hit in the back blasting a hole right through him. Slithering with unbelievable speed, Yaru caught up with Fal and wrapped him in his coils. As Fal tried to bring his weapon around to blast Yaru, the Savonti lord sliced up with his blade severing the warriors arms. As he increased the pressure, Fal screamed as his bones began to snap and break. Dropping the dead warrior, Yaru turned to see the last warrior jump on his tracker and go galloping off through the forest away from them.
"He is getting away!!"
Raising his staff, Gabor went down on his knee and took careful aim. He took a deep breath and pulled the trigger. A shot went out and streaked at the fleeing warrior. Just as it was about to strike, the tracker dipped and the bolt hit the warrior in the shoulder. He flinched but didn't fall from his saddle. As Yaru and Gabor watched the Warrior ride off, they knew they this was trouble. He had gotten away and now Memu would knew where to find them.
"We should get back." Gabor said. "There's nothing we can do now. Memu will be coming. We should get everybody ready."
"We will be ready friend," Yaru held his hand out to help Gabor up. "We are strong and we have the White and Grey."
"I hope it's enough."
As Avar winged his was through the night, Savonti warriors below took shots at him. After his escape from Daru's manse, Magu's sky warriors and Daru's warriors were out close on his trail. He zig zagged left and right to avoid staff blast from the air and ground. He tried again and again to camouflage himself but he was to nervous and anger for that to work. His only chance was to find a place to rest where he could calm himself down for his cloaking abilities to work. But Avar didn't know if he had that much time. Daru's warriors would march soon and they would head right into Fedrul where the Humans were hiding. Somehow he had to find a way to warn them of the coming attack. Sacar had given his life for Avar to escape and he would not fail him now.
As Avar streaked through the forest, he looked down and saw a series of caves below him. That could be his answer, if there were any Nevac down there that could help him. Dropping down into the trees, Avar found a cave entrance and hurried in. The cool darkness of the cave felt good to him. He hurried down deeper into the cave and sent out a call for help. As he listened for a response, he heard the Savonti enter the cave. He wasn't that deep in so he knew he better get moving before they caught up with him.
As Avar ran through the cave, he called out in the clicking tone his people used for help. It didn't take long for someone to answer.
[WARING! THEY COME BROTHERS. BUT WE ARE PREPARED THIS TIME. WE THE NEVAC WILL NOT STAND BY AND WATCH AS THEY KILL OR HATCHING'S AND DESTROY OUR HOME. THIS TIME WE FIGHT BACK. OUR BROTHER SACAR IS DEAD AT THE HANDS OF THE SAVONTI. NOW IT IS THEIR TURN TO DIE. COME OUT AND HELP ME TO AVENGE OUR DEATH.]
One by one invisible to the eye, they came out. At first small pockets of Nevac, but those pockets gradually grew bigger and bigger. They moved silently through the cave until the enemy was surrounded, then they waited for the order to attack.
Outside, scores of warriors gathered in front of the cave armed and ready to go in and kill. They had done this before. They knew the Nevac wouldn't hide, they would just huddle in groups ready to be cut down. Staff weapons would be useless against the insect so each warrior was armed with a hacking sword.
Dressed in black scale armor, Koru one of the only lords that had joined Daru of his own free will climbed down from his tracker. He waved to his warriors to follow him.
At the cave entrance he stopped and turned to the warriors behind him.
"Lord Daru orders us in after the weak Nevac." He looked over the crowd of fifty warriors. "It seems our last hunt did not finish them all. Well today ends the Nevac on Pentanthin. Kill them all and be done with it for good. Hai Daru!!"
In a salute they all slammed their fist into their chest and followed Koru into the cave. It was dark in the cave but the Savoni eyes needed no light to see. In small groups, Koru sent them out to kill the prey and find Avar who had escaped into the cave. Koru remembered the last time they had gone into the caves to hunt the Nevac. It had been a glorious day. He as a young lord had killed many himself. His power of the paralysing web had wrapped itself around many of them to trap them before he took his sword and killed. For ages he had worn his belt made of Nevac eyes. The many faceted orbs looked like gems on a chain around his waist. It was his favorite trophy and now he was about to get another one, only this one he planned to be much bigger.
With his sword in hand, Koru and his warriors stalked through the cave. Not far from the entrance the tunnels split off in five different directions. Being the only lord, Koru chose the center tunnel and sent warriors into the other four tunnels. Feeling confident in the kill, none of them moved with silence. Not that it would have mattered since the Nevac were all around them from almost the minute they stepped into the dark cave.
As the Savonti hunted, every now and then a Nevac would drop his cover and show himself then run deeper in drawing them in on the chase. After passing a chamber of glowing crystals, Koru felt something was wrong. They should have found a few Nevac groups cowering by now. Something was different. They didn't run last time or hide. They had been easy to find. This time except for and occasional flash of a sighting, they had found nothing.
Koru stopped and turned around looking carefully at the walls all around him. Suddenly something moved. It jumped out at a warrior and started slashing at him tearing him to pieces right in front of Koru's eyes. As a warrior leaped at the Nevac, it disappeared.
"Spread out!" Koru shouted waving his warriors on.
[IT IS TOO LATE. NOW WE HAVE YOU.]
As hundreds of Nevac appeared the attack began. Warriors screamed as Nevac sickle like appendages ripped and sliced into the horrified warriors. Of the fifty warrior's only one, Koru made it back to the entrance. Unfortunately for him, that was as far he got before Avar stepped out and sank his bloody rap into his chest and killed him. As Koru fell, a group of Nevac shed their cloaking and stood over the dead lord looking down.
[OUR REVENGE IS COMPLETE.]
[NO.] Avar said as he faced his brothers. [THIS IS NOT OVER. WE WILL NOT BE SAFE UNTIL THE SAVONTI ARE NO LONGER IN CONTROL OF PENTANTHIN.]
[WHEN WILL THAT BE?] Asked a young Nevac.
[SOON.] He said. [VERY SOON. RIGHT NOW THERE IS SOMEONE THAT MUST BE WARN THAT THE SAVONTI ARE COMING. GATHER OUR PEOPLE FROM OUT OF THE DEEP. HAVE THEM READY. WE WILL BE NEEDED SOON.]
Dressed in his battle armor Daru stood and watched as Koru and his warriors entered the Nevac cave following the escaped Avar. This should be easy even for a fool like Koru. All he had to do was go in, find Avar and bring him back. A simple task for a simple lord. So simple that one of his lieutenants with a few warriors at his side should be able to do it. While he was there, Daru had told him to hunt down any other Nevac he found and kill them. Koru loved his last Nevac hunt, this should be enough motivation to get the simpleton to do as Daru ordered.
From his throne Daru watched as Koru found the cave and entered. That was where his vision stopped. Because of the heavy concentration of Pentanthium he couldn't see through the walls. But there was another way. Closing his eyes, Daru slipped deeper into concentration. He sought out the one link he needed. He reached out and touched Koru's mind so he could see through his eyes. As the darkness of the cave came into his view, Daru watched and listened as Koru ordered his warriors about. He watched as Koru took the center tunnel following the ghostly image of a Nevac. He watched them go deeper into the cave while all the time he felt something wasn't right. The Nevac weren't acting normal. They hide instead of acting in their normal pacifist manner. That's when Daru realized it was a trip.
As Daru watched, the first Nevac attacked. It leaped out and with its sharp rapiture claws, it stabbed and killed a warrior. Koru tried to get has warriors under control to fight back but it was no use. Hundreds of Nevac came out of the shadows to attack. Grim faced, Daru watched the slaughter. He ordered Koru to abandon his warriors and get out. Koru dropped his weapons and ran. He passed back through the twists and turns where his warriors were being killed until he found the cave entrance. Daru felt the relief in Koru's mind as he saw the starlight shining into the cave. Then suddenly Avar, the Nevac they had been chasing appeared in front of the scared warrior. As he raised his rap, Daru fled from Koru's mind to keep from feeling the death strike.
Jumping up off of his throne, Daru kicked over a table then grabbed a chair and threw it against the wall smashing it in his rage. This was all wrong. This is not how it's supposed to go. His forces are not supposed to fail!
Calming down Daru walked to his balcony window and looked out. Below he saw his warriors gathered in formation. There were hundreds of them there ready to moved out at his command. He had taken almost all of Pentanthin and now only a hand full of lords remained, the Nevac and the Humans. Well it was time he used the lords he had put his collar on and the armaurk Human. It was time to end all this madness and take his place as Pentanthin's first Overlord and he knew just how to start.
[Magu.] He sent out.
[Yes my lord." Came his answer. [How may I serve you?]
[Find the Human and bring him to me.] He ordered. [And get my ex lord brothers ready for their next battle, it is eime we finish this.]
[Where should I search?] Magu asked. [He could be anywhere in the forest.]
[He is with Loc in Serul.]
[And what of Loc anf Trela?] Daru could feel the vicious intent in Magu's mind. [Bring Trela back. I do not care what you do with Loc.]
[As you wish Lord Daru.]
Getting Trela out of the Academy wasn't as easy as Zarin thought it was going to be. There was no problem with Shayn or Ono and everyone else was too busy to really care. Lady Kordova had called for Zarin and made him promise to keep an really carefully eye on Trela. She couldn't read from her what she had planned but there was no question that it was a betrayal at some point. Probably when they least expected it.
Zarin avoided his father at all cost. He knew what he would say if he knew where he was going. Lowell Testa had just lost his wife. There was no way he would allow his son to go on such a dangerous mission, even if it was to catch her killer. He would want Zarin here where he was safe. But with the Savonti on Pentanthin, there really wasn't anywhere that was completely safe.
His problem was his friends. No matter what they all had agreed on, taken everyone with him was just not a smart idea. A small group of five could travel much more safely and faster then the ten of them. Reno, Craven and Zark would be coming with him. Reno and Zark for strength, muscle and a strong sword would always be useful. Plus the two warriors could keep watch on Trela. Craven would be an asset with magic since his Grandfather might have magical knowledge that might be needed. Azeal will be their guide to the lair of Seru and that was all Zarin had planned to go on this mission. Now all he had to do was break it to his friend.
"You have to be kidding." Dack said angrily. "Wasn't it you that said we were all in this together. That was a great speech, too bad you didn't mean it."
"I meant every word I said." Zarin explained. "You yourself said this was a crazy idea. It is crazy and we can't all risk our lives on it. Besides, can you imagine how easy it will be for the Savonti if we are all out there hiking through the swamp."
"He's right." Luke cut in. "If Daru caught us, we would be just what he needed to get Shayn, Ono and Gabor down without a fight."
"Dack, you know there are to many of us to go on this mission. We'll need to be fast and stay hidden to succeed."
"What about her?" Thalia pointed to Trela. "How do we know she won't give you away to the first Savonti patrol she see's?"
Zarin looked at the Savonti queen sitting basking in the heat of the two suns. She looked up at Zarin and smiled seductively then pulled her cloak down exposing her bare shoulder. Thalia stepped between Zarin and Trela blocking his view.
"I think I should go." She said frowning at Zarin. "She can't work that spell or whatever it is on me."
"No." Zarin said sternly. "I think she wants us out there. I don't know why, but I think she'll get us to where we want to go."
"And what happens when we get there?" Reno asked.
"The trap will be sprung." He said. "We just have to make sure there's a way out. We leave in minutes, we meet at the gate."
As everyone left, Thaila and Trip stayed behind to try and convince Zarin they should be included. After changing his clothes, Zarin grabbed his sword and placed it in the scabberd. He turned around to the door and realized they were still there.
"For the last time." He said. "I said no. Shayn and Ono will need all of you here. The attack could happen any time now."
"That's not why we're here." Trip said as he pointed to Zarins pocket. "That is. What are you going to do we it? Are you taking it with you?"
"Of course. This ring is not getting out of my sight."
Thalia looked at Zarin as she was about to explode. Her eyes said everything without saying a word
"This is crazy." Dack said. "If you take the ring, you could be delivering it right into Tabor's hands. What if he uses it against you?"
"He can't." Zarin explained. "Lady Kordova and Shayn made sure of that. I'm not sure whats about to happen to any of us. But I have to do this. I can't let Tabor and his crazy actions control us or harm another person we love. Take care of everyone for me until I get back. Then we'll be going home. And don't forget, I love you all."
With that said, Zarin turned and left. With the ring in his pocket, he was off to put an end to the fighting that obsessed them all for so many years.
On the border of Gukul and Fedrul in cave guarded by Vak the warrior Magu left in control of the lands once ruled by Lorg Guku, sat the collared ex Savonti lords. They were all tired from battles they had been sent. Weru stood and watched the door struggling against his collar to feel the energy that radiated from everything. He couldn't feel anything anymore. No animal life or insect life. He wanted to feel something that could show his power was working. Unfortunately there was nothing to siphon. Without an order from Daru or Magu, he couldn't steal the energy for his own use at all.
Feeling defeated he stared out at the night and did something that a Savonti lord never did. He wished for help. Help from anybody. Right now he would even take the help of a Human. As Weru stared into the darkness, he heard voices. It was that maknesi Vak. But who was he talking to.
"So the mighty Redu has return." Vak said. "And who is the Human with you?"
"He is the one Lord Daru sent me to bring back." Redu said. "I caught him in the field trying to get away. I thought if I brought him back, I could prove myself to Daru."
"This is one if the Humans Daru is afraid of?" Weru listened closely. "He does not look so fearsome."
"I do not know the mind of Daru." Redu said. "I only obey his orders."
There was a few silent seconds beforew Vak spoke again.
"I was told to kill you if you returned." Vak said. "But I think I will let Magu make that decision. Take the Human and join the others. Magu will be here soon. He will decide your fate."
As Weru backed away from the cell doors, Redu and a bald human in rags was pushed into the cell area. A warrior opened the door and pushed the two in and slammed and locked the door. With his hand out, Redu helped the Human to his feet. As he looked up, Weru was coming at his with hate in his eyes. He reached out and pushed the Human out of his way and threw a punch at Redu. Redu stood there and took the punch knowing it wouldn't hurt him. But before Weru could take another swing, Redu grabbed his arm.
"You are allowed one strike." He said. "Only one."
"You fight on the side of that maknesi Daru?" He pulled his arm free. "And you come back in here with us? Are you mad?"
Redu grabbed him and pulled him off his feet and held him in front of him. Weru thrashed trying to get himself loose from the strong warrior. As he pulled him close. Redu whispered something.
"Maru says Nazun. Remain silent if you wish to be free."
Weru looked deeply in Redu's eyes to see if he was serious and could be trusted. There was a fierce fire burning there. Weru nodded and Redu put him down. With a fist to his chest, Weru turned and went back to the other lords and pulled them together in a hushed group.
[Are you sure this is going to work?] Ozmun asked as he and Redu took a seat in the corner.
[Yes.] Redu sent. [Daru wants you very bad. Magu will take you to him.]
[And what if he reads my mind?]
[I have been assured that because of this.] Redu tapped the salvation stone on his chest. [Our minds are closed to his invasions and his collars will not work on us anymore.]
[What about them?]
[Daru has no reason to read they're thoughts.] He said. [We prisoner ex lords are beneath him. He thinks he is in total control. He will send Magu. He will not come himself.]
[I hope you are right,]
As Yaru and Gabor entered the gates of the Academy, one of Gabors men hurried to greet them. He took Gabors tracker and gave them both water.
"Where is Captain Testa?"
"Where else?" The clansmen pointed. "In his tower watching the night where he always is."
"Come with me Yaru." Gabor passed the canteen back to the clansmen and they went on up into Testa Tower. As they entered, both Savonti and clansmen greeted them as they passed. From the top, Lowell looked down and waved them on to the top of the wall.
"Any news?"
"Bad news I am afraid." Gabor looked down not wanted to see disappointment in the captains face. "Memu knows we are here. He will be here in a few frames."
"Then we better be ready." Lowell smiled. He looked at Gabor who reminded him so much of Zarin after he had done something he thought would upset his father. "Gabor, have faith. We always knew one of these bastards would find us. Aren't you sick of hiding? Wouldn't you rather get this over with now?"
"Yes Uncle." He smiled back. "At least it is just Memu."
[It's worst then that.]
Just then Thalia flew in in her raven form and lit on the railing. She hoped down and shifted back to normal.
"Daru is on his way here too."
"And how would you know that?" Lowell asked her.
"I have friends here on Pentanthin who hate the Savonti tven more then we do"
"It's not possible." Yaru said in shock. "In thought they were all dead."
"Who?" Gabors asked confused.
"Them!" Yaru's tail darted from side to side with excitement. "Who on Pentanthin would hate the Savonti even more then Humans?"
"Is this some kind of puzzle?" Lowell asked. "I'm not good at puzzles."
"The Nevac!" Yaru said. "The Nevac live!!"
"I thought they all were killed in the great hunt."
"No," Thalia told them. "Many lived. They went deeper down in their caves into hiding. But now they're tired of hiding and being afraid. They want to fight, to help us."
"We'll take whatever help we can get." Gabor said feeling more hopeful. "Thalia, the Nevac well be your responsibility. We'll dress the Savonti here on our side in Yaru's colors. Make sure they don't attack them. And tell them of Lesu and Maru just to be safe. Yaru, gather all the Savonti here and make sure they are ready. I'll go warn Shayn and Ono and send the Dragons out to the wall. Uncle, the wall is now yours to defend. Najan ur najan!"
