The sun’s rays barely touched the starry sky. Everyone in the camp had been awakened at some point during the night and been asked to think when they had last seen any of the missing people. No one could remember seeing them since the group had separated to talk about sheep, crafting and elixirs, and scouting around the village.
“I believe Alek and Adam know where they are,” Jal said suddenly. “I heard the brothers talking. One said to the other that we would make great slaves for the master.”
“Do you think those young men took our people down in the mines?”
“I don’t know what to think. I just know what I heard. We need to speak to Denis.”
***
“I have no idea what you’re talking about!” Denis raised his voice.
“Where are Alek and Adam?” Dr. Gyasi asked calmly. He was very annoyed by the situation and was doing his best to keep his temper in check.
“They’re out with the sheep.”
“I suggest that someone go find them and have them return home.”
“I have work to do. Find them yourself!” He stomped off muttering curses. “We try to be good hosts and give you a good time and you accuse us of capturing your people.”
Jal and Sage Elvan went off at a fast pace, and returned, pushing the young men ahead of them.
“We are missing members of our group. Where are they?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Alek’s chin stuck out defiantly.
Sage Elvan stepped forward and studied his face. “He lies. His reactions say that he knows where they are.”
“Tell us where they are!” Jal said anxiously.
Alek lowered his gaze and shrugged. “Who cares?”
“We care! You will bring them to us!”
“And if we don’t? Then what will you do?”
“Tie them up,” Dr. Gyasi told Mink Faber and Tomau Lop. “We will hold them until Denis brings our people back to us. Bind their hands and feet.” He turned to a Gonomo who had been listening. “Tell your leader that we will hold his boys as hostages until our people are returned.”
The young man disappeared between the buildings. Nearly two hours passed before Denis returned.
“Release my sons!”
“Return our people to us!”
“I have no idea where your people are.”
“Perhaps you should ask your sons.”
The leader walked over to his sons. “Do you know where our visitors’ friends are?”
“They wanted to see the mine.”
Jal’s normally blue face turned purple and its color deepened as Jal walked toward the boys. “Did you take them there?”
“Us? We’d never do a thing like that!” Adam’s high-pitched laugh was as if someone had told a great joke.
Jal stopped about a meter from them. “Where are our people?” its voice crescendoed.
“We didn’t do anything to your people.”
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
“I said, ‘WHERE ARE OUR PEOPLE?’” Jal lifted Alek’s head with one hand and pressed his fist against Alek’s chin. “TELL ME!”
“They wanted to see the mine. So, I showed them.”
“You led them down into the mine. You led people that you wanted to present to your ‘Master’ as a gift, to do your job in the mine. Is that true?”
“I would never-”
“You’ve done it before. I’m sure you would do it again.” Jal turned to Dr. Gyasi. “We need to conference.” Jal listed off the people that needed to be in the discussion. “Take this man,” he pointed to Denis, “and tie his hands and feet. I want four guards on these three people at all times. Use your weapons if you need to prevent them from escaping.”
It didn’t take long for the expedition leaders to decide that they were going into the mine to extract their people. Jal hit the emergency communication button for the Protectorate Enclave. “We need an emergency shipment of all the fighting gear that we gathered. Please deposit it at these coordinates.”
Within a few minutes the weapons and protective gear materialized. Everyone willingly donned their gear. “If our people do not return alive, you will suffer the consequences,” Dr. Gyasi said firmly.
Sage Elvan spoke quietly into his ear. “Wait! I think that a show of force might make the point.” The sage walked to a nearby building and went inside. A moment later, it was back. “This building is empty.”
“Show them what we will do to them!” Dr. Gyasi directed.
Several expedition members who were not trained fighters quickly switched places with the guards around the three men. They drew their swords and held them centimeters from their necks.
Fighters went through a flashing demonstration of the use of their weapons and shields.
“Are you prepared to pay the price for your sons' bad decision?” Dr. Gyasi lowered his voice.
“They haven’t done anything wrong!”
“Lallo? Kir?”
“Pilger!” the two magicians said simultaneously. Flaming arrows hit the building and a fire started. “Rak!” The building was flattened, and the boards continued to burn. “Pilger!” A flaming arrow skimmed the top of Alek’s hair and he screamed.
“We can’t bring them back!” Adam screamed. “Our master will kill us!”
“I’ll talk to him!” Denis shouted. “He’ll listen to me!”
***
Denis went into the cave in the side of the mountain, carrying a lantern. Fourteen people followed him. They each carried two weapons and had wands tucked in their belts.
“Stay back,” Denis told them. “Let me talk to the Master. Don’t show yourselves or it will anger him.”
He walked around the corner and called out. “Master, I’d like to talk to the slaves that we just brought you!”
There was a deep growl. “No! They are mine!”
“Master, there’s been a misunderstanding. Please send them out to talk to me.”
“If you do not return them to me, I will come after you and you will take their places.”
“Okay, okay. Calm down. There were...” he looked around. “How many were there?” Denis wondered. He had to take a chance. “There were ten,” he said boldly. “I need to speak to each of them.”
“Why?” The growl turned into a boom.
“There’s been a small misunderstanding.”
“Very well,” he growled.
A variety of creatures came forward to Denis, and he shoved them aside. “These are not the newest slaves, Master. I need to speak to the ones who walk on two feet. They are tall and have colored eyes.”
Six more slaves came forward. Denis pushed them hard, and they smashed into the wall.
“These aren’t the right slaves either! Where are the ten that Alek and Adam brought you?”
“Those slaves are dead! Worthless creatures! They would not do as they were told. So, I killed them!” A maniacal laugh echoed through the tunnel.
“What should we do?” Mink whispered to Golsho. “How do we know he’s not lying?”
“We don’t. We’re going to rush this creature,” Golsho said. “Let’s get our people back and get out of here. Ready?” Those who had lights built into their equipment, activated them. “Three, two, one, GO!”
Golsho slammed Denis out of the way and ran forward, looking to either side. “There’s no one in this cave, but there are exits.” The others poured into the room. There were four doors and two people went through each of them.
Six people stood alertly, listening for signals from the others. Shouts of “clear!” came from the four doors. “None of our people are here!”
“The second opening from the left leads to a tunnel.” Fighters went back to the main room and down the tunnel. They checked more caverns, but their friends weren’t there.
“Here!” Chetan shouted. “I’ve found them!”
“You found them, but you can’t have them!” Long tentacles stretched across the floor. Chetan and Zamani slashed at them.
“Pilger!”
“Pilger!”
“Pilger!”
The fighters unleashed a barrage of arrows, and they could smell the burning flesh. There was a shriek, and a two-meter-tall, octopus-like creature slid across the floor. Six tentacles lay around the large space. As the fighters watched, the creature re-grew the tentacles.
“Verlaam!” Jal shouted. “Quick! Cut its head off!”
Golsho and Chetan slashed it repeatedly. Golsho slashed out its eyes and slid them into a pocket on its pack. Chetan checked its mouth and pulled several teeth out. When they were finished, the beast was a pulverized pile of pink pulp.
When the fighting was over, Golsho and Zamani went to Kees, Nehee, and Diya. They were huddled together along a wall. “They’re dead,” Zamani sighed. “We didn’t get here fast enough.”
“Where are Alerveco and Tora?” Golsho wondered.