Chapter LXI
An Assault to the Empire
Adriaas took deep breaths to calm herself, relieved they had rehearsed the unfolding of these events, like a previously played game.
First, it was Elchome and Vulnic’s turn to step out of their hiding spots, donned in uniforms and armed like any Elkrachet soldier. Adriaas couldn’t see them, but listening to their performance made it clear why they were so confident.
The brothers’ task began by stopping the vehicle as soon as it neared the tree and corn line, ready to inspect it. As the carriage slowed, she overheard their conversation.
"Evening, driver. We’d like to see your documents, if you’d be so kind," Elchome’s voice called out.
Adriaas knew that another group of Kapas had kidnapped the checkpoint guards during their lunchtime shift change, a clever strategy explaining their unimpeded arrival.
As the sound of various pairs of boots hitting the ground reached her, she realized the carriage was well-guarded.
"What’s the meaning of this, guards?" a person with a tone of superiority demanded.
Vulnic walked from his side towards their leader.
"I apologize for the inconvenience, sir. Security has become tight in this area, with plenty of robberies to watch for. We need to see your documents as a mere procedure to confirm the cargo you’re carrying is the correct one. The Empress Guard ordered us to wait for your party and escort you to the castle in Bistonia. It’ll be on us if we arrive with the wrong group of people. You come from Maferdia, correct?"
Elchome paced up and down the road, inspecting the horses quietly before continuing the conversation.
"Show me your documents and I’ll show you mine, simple as that," he replied.
Vulnic and Elchome were prepared for the occasion, having received their fake IDs from Jetzim just hours before.
"Filinar, show him the paperwork and the inventory. Lads, make it quick and please, don’t escort us. It’ll be counterproductive. Either stay or join our ranks, but don’t slow us down. We've been traveling for days, and the last thing we need is delays," the officer commanded.
Adriaas recalled the parts of the plan she had committed to memory.
"We appreciate the warning and gladly will join your ranks, Sargent Humbiel. Our instructions are to return with your group. The context of how we do it is irrelevant," Elchome responded with firmness as he walked confidently to the rest of the procession behind the carriage.
The procession included two cargo carriages, each pulled by a pair of enormous horses, with four horsemen protecting it. Adriaas and Pemula watched the brothers cross the volcanic stone road headed to the cornfield, last in the line.
Both women stealthily moved away from the procession, careful not to draw attention to themselves. They slipped through the shadows, weaving in and out of bushes and disappearing among the cornfields. Maintaining a low profile was crucial as they trailed behind the group of Elkrachet soldiers.
As they approached the bridge, Adriaas braced herself for the imminent chaos. Without warning, a deafening explosion shattered the air, engulfing the surroundings in a dense cloud of pink smoke and dust. The bridge crumbled thanks to Gidit and Indictur’s explosives, sending the first pair of horsemen hurtling into the abyss. The desperate cries of the horses reverberated in Adriaas’s ears, tormenting her soul.
A pang of conscience gripped her as she questioned the necessity of causing harm. “Couldn’t we have achieved our goal without inflicting suffering?” her voice laced with dignity. The sight of injured horses and the potential loss of life weighed heavily on her heart.
Pemula’s expression turned grim. “Perhaps, but the impact wouldn’t have been the same. Come, they’re dealing with the other guards now!”
With resolute determination, they forged ahead, ready to confront their enemy head-on. The acrid scent of concrete filled the air as they closed in on the collapsed bridge. By the time they arrived, their comrades had incapacitated the remaining guards. Adriaas took a moment to ensure the fallen guards were still breathing, finding solace in their survival. They set the next phase of their plan in motion.
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Gidit and Elchome commandeered the carriage, while Pemula and Adriaas mounted a grey horse, and Vulnic and Indictur climbed onto a brown one. There was no time to waste, their plan had unfolded smoothly, leading them to embark on a journey to a secluded camp deep within the forest. Adriaas’s veins pulsed with adrenaline, intoxicated by the taste of success. She reveled in the newfound freedom as the horse galloped behind the carriage, savoring their triumphant escape. Briefly closing her eyes, she basked in their achievement, until a sudden jolt of the horse snapped her back to reality.
As they neared the forest, Pemula maneuvered to avoid the cause of their abrupt halt. A swarm of unexpected reinforcements were after the carriage they now possessed. The rebels exchanged worried glances, fully aware of the challenge that lay ahead. They quickly realized that finding an alternative route was their best course of action. Quickly turning the carriage around, they raced back on the dark stone road.
“What’s our next move?” Adriaas felt desperation, seeking guidance amidst the chaos. But the urgency of the situation stifled any immediate response.
"Should we abandon the carriage and vanish into the depths of the woods?" Indictur's voice pierced through the urgency, resonating with a sense of imminent danger.
Lost in their own thoughts, they pressed on. Finally, Gidit spoke up, contemplating their options. "Perhaps we can circle around and find one of the secondary roads," she said, a glimmer of hope igniting in her voice. "Maybe one of the older routes can still serve our purpose."
Adriaas couldn’t resist glancing back at their pursuers, despite the inherent danger. She counted at least twenty soldiers, ten of them mounted on horseback and the rest on foot. Adriaas harbored a deep concern for those bows and arrows, and now four of the horsemen took aim, their deadly projectiles whizzing close to them. Yet, the rebels dodged the arrows, maintaining their breakneck pace. Their pursuers gained ground with each passing moment.
Vulnic and Pemula exploited their riding skills and pushed the horses as fast as they could. The carriage with Gidit and Elchome maintained the same velocity. Adriaas and Indictur exchanged worried yet hopeful glances as they rode on the backs of their horses.
The fields beyond awaited, half dry and burnt by the sun. The dust and the smell of dirt made her want to sneeze. As she closed her eyes to do so, a sudden break nearly threw them from their horse. Only when Adriaas recovered did she comprehend what had happened. Soldiers who seemed to know their destination blocked their path.
"Abandon the mission and flee! Hide, and remember what to do if you're captured," Elchome's voice boomed, desperately reaching each member of the group as Gidit and he tried to liberate the horses from the carriage.
She was told the instructions days before, but Adriaas’s mind was blank.
"Capture those furkanos and make the empress proud!" one guard chanted, while the rest hurled insults.
There was no alternative but to follow Elchome's orders, unless they wanted to get captured and possibly executed. In order to survive, the rebels fled with the horses, leaving the cargo behind.
Adriaas could see Gidit and Elchome freeing the horses from the cargo and leading the soldiers in a different direction.
"Our chances will improve if we go different ways." Pemula said as she galloped away from the small army that chased them.
Adriaas could’ve thought this was a nightmare if it weren’t for her sped-up heartbeat. They rode into the woods, trying to keep up with Vulnic and Indictur's horse while furious Dobermans dogs neared them.
"We must reach the valley beyond the forest and split."
Focused, they kept going towards their new target, horses galloping behind them.
A soldier's arrow reached their mount’s leg, making Pemula and Adriaas’ horse clash, making them roll ten meters on the ground at great speed. As her left side hit the grass, Adriaas knew her left arm and a couple of ribs broke in that instant, worsening with every turn.
"Pemula!" She managed to gasp. On the ground, breathless and in too much pain to move, she kept calling, worried for her group. She waited for a response, digesting sensations as a feeling of dizziness overtook her. The pain was unbearable as Adriaas tried to breathe.
“I’m okay,” came the response from Pemula. “Keep talking, I don’t see you.”
“You better have something for the pain. I can’t move like this.”
“I got a pill in my bag,” Pemula responded. “Where is it?”
She must have been searching when they finally arrived. Adriaas looked up as a blurry figure approached, raising a shiny stick that landed on her head, causing even more pain and making everything go dark.
“Bring the platform and place them inside,” a raspy voice commanded. “Activate the cage.”
Adriaas's head spun as she pretended to be unconscious while someone carried her body, provoking even more pain. Biting her tongue, she maintained silence as her body was placed on a warm surface, experiencing no desire to move or think.
Moments later, Pemula's resolute voice reached her ears. “What are you doing, furkano? Do you want to die today?”
Laughter filled the air as Pemula was thrown into a cage, causing a ripple of movement that intensified Adriaas's agony.
“Are you alright?” Pemula asked with urgency as she leaned closer.
“No, do you realize what just happened?” Adriaas gasped for breath, struggling to get the words out, she felt like vomiting.
Pemula, who had managed to reach her bag before being captured, tended to Adriaas's wounds as Vulnic and Indictur were thrown into the cage without mercy by six other soldiers. All of them bore injuries from the intense chase.
“Keep it quiet furkanos, unless you want to get killed before being judged for your crimes to the empire,” One of the soldiers said as he closed the gate before them, laughing at their situation. “Did you truly think it was possible to take such an important cargo for us? Naïve extarri.”
As soon as the first one entered the cage and saw his friend, he got next to them, eager to help.
"We're furked, someone had to betray us.” Indictur stated in a hush.
“What are we going to do? These cages are unbreakable.” Vulnic said, keeping the low tone and studying the structure of their confinement.
“Where are Gidit and Elchome?” Pemula asked, straightening up Adriaas’s left arm and offering a piece of rugged cloth. “Bite it, try not to make a sound. It hurts like a ruskian.”
The cage door closed, sealing their fate as a sharp, deep, and tortuous pain took her consciousness away before she could hear an answer to that question, overwhelmed by the trauma to her body.