Finally, Max found his courage and made a quick decision. “We better just tell them.” He walked to where the commotion brewed, and boldly addressed the crowd. “Excuse me. I have something very important that needs to be said. Excuse me.” After the brief moment it took for everyone to even realize that Max was speaking, everyone stopped their chattering and turned to look at their young neighbor, who was now flanked by Brian and Mathew. “The goddess will not be protecting us tonight or any other night to come.” The hamlet folk collectively gasped and their faces showed a mix of confusion and anger amongst their number.
Valia shot Max a look that turned from quizzical to angry in just a few seconds as revelation came over her of what those words really meant.
Max continued, “The beast was banished a few nights ago. You all remember when little Haley was lost outside of the hamlet as night fell. Well, Brian and I stopped the beast so that she and her father could live.”
They all looked at each other quietly, then looked back to Max as Brian nodded in acknowledgement. “We did it to save them. We knew we could save them. We couldn’t just let them die with the knowledge that we knew how to save them.”
The silence of the folk quickly turned into arguing, loud voices, and some continuing silent shocked individuals. All three boys saw the way that Valia glared at them. The three boys nodded in decision that this would the best time for a retreat to allow the townsfolk to make sense of the situation and come to a grips with the revelation. Ultimately, Max knew that the boys made the right choice in opting to save the girl. The people here could not hide forever from the outside world.
They rounded a corner of a house and were now out of sight of all the arguing locals. “You boys are nothing but trouble. I should have known you would cause something like this. This little sanctuary has been safe for generations from all manner of troubles, now you have brought all that to an end.” The voice was aged, a voice of great experience. Max was not surprised when he turned to find Ole’ Gran standing there, looking at the trio derisively.
“We had not a choice in the matter. We could not let an innocent little girl die.” Mathew’s voice leap frogged out of his mouth with some level of courage.
“But you’ve now doomed the rest of us to her fate. In time, the violence and creatures that permeate the outside world will flood this place just like all the others!” She shook her head with disappointment. “I’m leaving it to you boys to use all that troublesome knowledge of yours to help protect this place until a solution can be found. Get to the trap makin’ and the battle preppin’.”
#
She left the boys to themselves after that statement. All three joined the hamlet folk in preparing traps and spears. Meanwhile, a group of hardened men including the lumberjacks, Karind, the younger and the elder, made their way out of the hamlet to draw off the raiders. Some of the people looked at that with anger, while others respectfully nodded at them. Those that remained behind got down to their elbows in preparing for the inevitable push into town of the outsiders.
At one point, during the preparations, Brian disappeared, heading in the direction of the forest. He returned to help set up a few of the traps before the sun fully set. He was quieter than usual. He didn’t have much to say to Max or even Mathew, who had always been Brian’s good friend. He did mutter a few things to himself. After they all returned to the hamlet, he walked off by a large tree, found a hefty stick, and started tossing it up and down in the air to himself. He continued to mutter.
The next morning, Mathew and Max met up in their usual spot behind the theater, but Brian was nowhere to be seen. Not long after, Brian’s mentor, Lelamar, came bursting through the door to back stage and rushed to the center of the hamlet.
“What was that about?” Mathew asked of Max, quizzically.
Max strained to hear, but the volume of Lelamar’s yelling made it less difficult, “the armor is missing, and and I can’t find Brian anywhere. He must have taken it.”
Mathew seemed surprised, “Brian was acting strangely when he left, after the way the folks around here have always treated him. Do you think he’s up to something? He even stole the armor that was on display on the stage.”
Max thought back to the way Brian had been feeling when he last saw him. It was hard to focus and really understand those waves of energy on the spot. To think about them in the past without having specifically noted them was just about impossible.
“It’s hard to say. I have a feeling we will see Brian again though. You can ask him for yourself why he left and what he’s been up to.” Max wasn’t sure himself, but it was best to keep building the confidence up for both their sakes.
#
Days of grueling anticipation passed as Max continued to help shore up the defenses. He still saw no sign of Brian’s return.Max didn’t want to think it, but Mathew said it for him, “Did Brian abandon us after all? I thought in his performances he’d learned courage.”
Mathew meant the comment just for Max, but several others overheard him. Simrou, an older farmhand, leaned up from securing a sharpened log in the battlements facing the western woods, “Good for nothing boy, that Brian. Couldn’t even bother to help with the tough work of the plantings and tendings of the fields. Good riddance I say.”
Belka scoffed at Simrou, “I hope he is alright. Brian’s performances have provided so much joy, even in the middle of a tough season.”
Max’s father, Lorn came over, one of the only times since Max’s return that ‘d been acknowledged by Lorn, “Its better. Now that Brian’s gone, he can’t screw things up for the rest of us. If only more of the hamlet’s trouble makers would make off with themselves. We could get back to living a normal life again.”
Mathew and Max made their way out to check on the traps that had been set up along the outer edge of the fields. The sun started to sink beneath the horizon when both of them stopped for a moment and looked up. Mathew spoke first, “This is the first time I’ve seen the sun go down from here... from outside the hamlet. It does still pretty much look like the same sun. It’s a good feeling though. We’ve got to survive this. There is so much out there to see.”
Max could feel the tense waves of energy coming off of Mathew, especially with the absence of Brian over the last few days. “We’ll make it out on the other side just fine. We’ve got so much to live for now.” Max grabbed Mathew’s shoulder and gave it a friendly squeeze.
The next day was the time. At about noon, when the sun stood highest over the hamlet, a group of raiders showed up, coming down the path towards the gathering locals. A young lookout, probably Wade, sounded the alarm, running through the small central courtyard. Everyone immediately began to gather the makeshift spears and weapons. It was a rag tag allotment. The laborers’ natural physical prowess from long work in the fields was likely the only true advantage that they had. Almost no one was for lack of muscles. That would hopefully be enough to turn the tide.
Brian’s mentor, Lelamar, emblazoned the group with his loud boisterous voice. “We stand here today to fight off the dark dregs of the world beyond. These beings know nothing of civilized behavior. They are here for what we have strove so hard to work for. They are here for what we need to survive. They are here for our lives!” Max recalled a performance during a play three harvests ago that Lelamar used almost the exact same words. The Tragedy of Luscentia, he believed it was called.
Mathew and Max could not help but look at each other. They both smiled. Even in this situation of grave concern, Max knew that Mathew also could not help but think that Brian would also make some melodramatic speech that was far from necessary. Even if their friend had run off, at least he was obviously represented in spirit.
The hamlet folk braced themselves. They watched as the raiders approached along the road and came up to the area that was most heavily trapped. They all held their collective breaths in anticipation. Some of the younger folk, just barely old enough to stand with a spear, shielded their eyes so as to not see the bloodshed that would come from some of the more gruesome traps.
Then, just as it would begin with a step farther on the path, the raiders moved around the spiked pit. They stepped over the trip lines that would trigger the other traps. The hamlet folk sought not to give up the clever traps by their reactions. After the raiders avoided so many, the collective could not possibly keep silent.
“It was Brian.” Lorn said. “Yeah, He betrayed us!” Several of the people started to throw their fists in the air in collective agreement. “Traitor! Betrayer!” Simrou yelled, “How could he?” Whoever that was seemed to feel as though it was personal. It might have been his mother or father, maybe even his mentor.
The raiders smiled as they were now eye to eye and could easily make out the people of the hamlet, standing there as a rag tag militia. Max and Mathew looked at each other, shaking their heads. Neither of them could believe that Brian would betray them or the people of the hamlet. Just days before, he risked his very life to save a small girl who lived here. Why would he suddenly turn all that around and join a bunch of anarchic raiders?
A young woman wearing an eye patch with wild unkempt hair spoke for the raiders once they were within shouting range. “You people look pathetic. How you have survived on your own for this long I’ll never know. You need a lord and his men to protect you. You need to find a liege. Too late now I’m afraid.”
Lelamar stood before the others, taking up the stance of a leader. “We will fight to the last to defend what is ours. There are a lot of us and you will surely pay with much blood for what we have.”
She smiled widely; it was the only way to see her facial expression from here. “But you don’t even know as of yet, what it is that we want. How can you be so certain you wish to spill so much blood?”
That statement made Max worry. He began to contemplate the meaning when the woman spoke, interrupting his thoughts. “There is one amongst you and his compatriot we are after. Give them to us, and we will have no further quarrels with your little hovel here.”
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“Who would that be, pray tell? We are a proud people; we won’t simply give you anything.” Lelamar spoke again.
She motioned with her weapon still in her hand. The odd looking crooked blade of a device pointed directly at Max and Mathew, standing guard at the end of the militia formation. “We want those two. They are worth a bit of coin, that’s what we are after.”
Everyone standing ready to defend the hamlet looked over. The couple of people standing next to the two boys stepped aside to make sure there was no confusion on who they were after. There was mumbling amongst rabble, most of it full of surprise.
It was just then that Wade spotted another group of raiders at the edge of the woods, just coming into sight. He pointed and the group gave off a collective groan of stress and worry.
Max stepped forward, “Might we have a few minutes to discuss things amongst ourselves?”
The woman cackled and made a couple of the militia members jump back. “Yes. Please, make this easy on your hovel folks here. Come with us of your own will and spare your families and friends.”
Lelamar nodded and so did Max. Mathew followed Max towards the center of the gathered mob, tugging on Max’ tunic and whispering furiously. “What are you thinking? Do you think Brian turned us in to them? Why would he do such a thing? I’ve known him all my life. He must be under duress of these bastards. Let’s fight ‘em and go rescue our friend.”
Max waved a respectful, but dismissive hand to that comment. “Look at all their men up on the tree line. They have probably been fighting all their lives; we can’t just fight our way through them with a lack of experience. The traps were our only chance at equalizing the field. They didn’t help at all.”
Lelamar stepped aside and allowed Max center stage in front of the militia. “I am going to make this short and easy,” Max began. “I know that in some ways, it is our fault that we have to deal with these raiders at all. The goddess has always protected us before. I don’t want to see any of you hurt, or killed. For this reason, I hope Mathew will come with me. I will go with the raiders. It sounds as though they want a bounty. We have done nothing to deserve death. We’ll go, and whoever is after us will hopefully be lenient and fair.”
Mathew thought about that statement and seemed to agree. It was true that they had done nothing that would make them deserving of death or even a great punishment. That was unless, of course, that beast actually was a servant of the goddess and somehow the goddess put the bounty on them.
The people all nodded. A few of them came up to hug Max and Mathew. Mathew’s parents spent the longest time embracing their son. Max’s father was here to embrace him, his mother was not in a shape that she joined the militia and so she was not present. His embrace with Lorn was short and sweet. The longer embrace was a surprise comfort from Belka. She was not a part of the militia, but apparently upon hearing all of the commotion, she ran out to wish Max safe travels and good luck. She kissed him on the lips, which shocked him. “Make it back safe. I’ll see you again someday.”
He nodded to her and blushed in surprised embarrassment. “It’s time we go now.”
Max and Mathew started the long, slow walk up the path to where the leader of the raiders stood. Max kept his knife on him and both he and Mathew still walked using their makeshift spears. Two of the raiders that flanked the raider woman advanced on the boys and relinquished them of their weapons.
They could hear some of the hamlet folk mumbling their relief at having the “troublemakers” away from their home. They were hushed by the people who then gave well wishes and praise for the boys’ bravery. Max even heard one say, “Maybe they are men now.”
The two were treated roughly the entire way through the forest. Once they reached the other side of the woods, a small camp was thrown together. There were a couple of wagons there headed by beasts of burden of various breeds. Tents were set; a few fire pits were made. Max and Mathew were hog tied and blindfolded. They could easily hear when the same woman they negotiated with spoke up. “Now I want you and the other men there to head back and teach those hovel dwellers about what our kind are capable of. Burn down a few houses. Take a woman if you like. Just don’t bring her back here. The sound will disturb me.” She cackled in the same devilish way.
Mathew and Max both screamed and rolled back and forth along the ground. “Leave them alone! We came with you. You have no reason to go back there!”
She continued to laugh as both of the boys were hit across the back of the head with a blunt instrument until they were silenced down to groans of pain. Max lay still, his head pounding. It was then that he passed out.
Both of them could hear a familiar voice speaking with the female raider.The voice cracked with youth, but the sureness of the words seemed so practiced at speaking. He sounded so friendly. They spoke of rewards. They spoke of travel. They spoke of foolish hovel folk. Max could hear Mathew mumbling in the gag that was newly added to his bonds.
Later that night, as the two were nearly asleep despite their uncomfortable state, a figure came and stood over them. The shadow leaned over and whispered, “I’ve got a surprise for you. I hope you like it.” The laugh that followed unmistakably belonged to Brian.
Max’s wrapped up head heated up with conflicting emotions flowing around in his head. The feel of those emotions flowing back and forth in his head was like that of a field of corn swaying one way and then back the other. Was Brian really a turn coat? In Max’s heart, he knew there must be some sort of explanation. With that, the wind swirling the corn field in his head calmed and he felt that Brian was really going to help them.
Time passed. Max finally found a state of sleep amongst all the pain and lack of comfort. His dreams were disturbing. He saw a world shattering. He saw mammoth beings of power stepping upon the fragments of the worlds. They stepped between the ever separating pieces with ease. Sometimes, one of the giant figures would even reach down and pick up a little being, as small as the size of their hands. He watched as the mammoth gods of the separating world smashed the little creatures between their fingers. The flesh and guts of those were once alive drained between the fingers and dripped down onto the fragmented world.
The dream ended violently as Max’s head hit on something with little give, replacing his dream with powerful waves of pain. He found himself still bound, gagged, and blindfolded. A chunky body rolled and bumped into Max. It must have been Mathew’s. The violent jumps of their bodies up and down became fairly regular in frequency and intensity. Occasionally, there was a harder thrashing. Max heard the sounds of beasts being whipped into action, followed by a small, squeaking sound. They were in a wagon. No, he realized, they were under the carriage of a wagon, which puzzled him even more.
The raiders must be hiding their bodies from any possible run-ins with authorities. They are probably just posing as merchants, especially if they took harvested food from the hamlet’s warehouses. He did not hear any conversations. He did hear the off-key whistling of a single wagon driver.
After several long and uncomfortable minutes of travel, the wagon seemed to pull slightly off the road and come to a halt. There was no apparent reason; perhaps the driver was fatigued and finally ready to camp out for the night. If sounds were any indication, the wagon driver dismounted and started a slow, casual walk towards the back of the wagon. Max heard a gasp come from Mathew. Mathew stopped moving and was very still.
Moments later, Max felt hands around his feet. He thought for a moment to kick at the malicious wagon driver. Did the driver put Mathew out of his misery? Was it really Max that they were after, with Mathew serving only as collateral damage? The hands grasped at the bonds around his feet. With a sharp inhale, Max realized what was happening. The bonds loosened and then fell away from his feet. With a sense of relief, Max tried to lean up. He felt free from bondage. That thought ended quickly as his head bumped solidly into the wagon’s undercarriage.
Max heard laughter coming from two sources. One of them was gagged, but he could still determine that it was laughter and not panic. It was a few minutes in waiting. Their position was obviously out of sight and almost out of reach of hands. Finally though, their bonds were released, their gags undone, and their blindfolds removed. There, standing before them, was Brian. They both took a minute to pull themselves out from under the carriage of the wagon.
“Hey guys.” Brian certainly did not look like someone from the hamlet. He wore a strange hat, probably dug up from the costume bin at the theater, along with the armor that used to be on display outside. A scabbard at his side sheathed an impressive looking sword, and he wore a shiny red cape that looked too showy to be taken seriously.
Mathew shook his fist at Brian. “What the hell? What happened? What did you do? Why?”
Brian waved a friendly hand at Mathew, “Before I explain everything, it is best that we get a head start. If the raiders realize what I have done, they will be on our trail before sunrise. We better get a nice head start on them.”
“Sounds like a great reason to put off explanations to me.” Max whispered more quietly than he probably needed to in the circumstance. The other two took his lead as they all said a very quick hello before moving on.
They took the path to increase their speed of travel. It was certain that the raiders would take the same once they realized that their queries were gone. The distance that they could cover should make up for the difference. They didn’t have much experience in these things. At one point, Brian quoted a few lines from a theatrical performance that he had done with Belka. Max and Mathew assured Brian that his stage work experience in such skills was probably a bit misleading and less useful than he might like to think. The argument about the stage and the skills learned while performing was brief. Max hushed Brian and Mathew. They were both running out of breath quickly from the walking and all the talking to go with it.
Several hours passed since the time they left the scene of their wagon, the vehicle that led them to freedom from the hands of the raiders. The sun was even starting to rise at that point. Max looked at his friends; they were both haggard and making very little progress. “I think that it is about time we found a place to rest and catch our breaths.”
The three boys started looking around from the highest vantage point around. They noticed very little that could provide cover throughout the day. Suddenly, Brian got another flash of brilliance. “Remember where the panel for the beast was? We will never see a good hiding place from up here on the high ground. Any place we find from here, they will surely find as well.”
“Too true.” Mathew was still a little bit suspicious of his friend, but this logic did make a good bit of sense.
Max nodded in agreement as well. “To the bigger streams then. Let’s look for the fastest spot the water is flowing through. That is probably where the heavy rains would cause the largest over hangs.”
They split up and each checked out a different stream. A few minutes later, they all got together. After a short discussion, they decided that Mathew’s stream was the best. He joked that it should forever be known as Mathew’s stream if it protected them from the raiders. They all got a small chuckle out of that while they moved to their camp. Max jumped down into the stream bed first, and then aided his two friends in hopping down behind him. They were at the sharpest bend of all the streams in the area. There were a couple of smaller old looking shrubs just above the ledge. It looked as though the thick old roots held the ground together to a certain point. Below that the dirt was all washed away. It was actually a tight fit for Mathew. At least the dirt was soft, and with the current water level, they were not going to be ice cold, trying to sleep in the water. The three companions crawled into the tight space and fell into a deep sleep of exhaustion.
During the early afternoon, Brian and Max woke. Mathew snored quietly. He looked peaceful and did not appear to have the signs of panic and fatigue that the other two might.
Brian adjusted his position and whispered to Max, “Should we get going now? I don’t know if I can sleep for another minute.”
Max’s own heart rate jumped for a moment and he rolled to give his arm more blood flow. It tingled uncomfortably, “I think we better wait. People can see for a long way in the light. There aren’t so many trees or tall crops out here to protect us and we could get washed away downstream if we try to trudge through the water.”
“Cover of darkness then?”
“Yeah, it’ll give that big lug some more time to sleep and help us not get caught. We need to figure out where we are so we can find a good direction to go.”
Brian nodded, “right well, I took the cart to down the left fork of the road from our home.”
Max looked to the sky, contemplating, “I’m pretty sure that if we make it to at least the nearest village, the raiders will become an afterthought.” The raiders were small enough in number that any establishment larger than the hamlet should be perfectly safe.
Over the coming day and the evening when their travel commenced, the distance in time between them and the raiders finally put all three at ease. And as the sun started to peak over the far horizon, the boys finally resumed their conversation that was held at the time of their rescue.