When Darkness Falls

Chapter 5: NIGHTRIDERS

Chapter 5: NIGHTRIDERS
Kyron awoke with the sound of harsh laughter filling his ears.  He opened his eyes feeling the hard earth against his scratched face.
“Gedytal!  Ssron eseax tierhni!”  A harsh voice sounded as the laughter stopped.  Kyron was jerked to his feet where he swayed dangerously.  “Neklis tsimgg kocl?”
Kyron stared and the creature in front of him confused, his mind still trying to adjust.
“Futhfh rhann!”
“I-I, uh…” Kyron shook his head trying to clear it so he could think straight when he noticed a cage hanging from a tree off to one side of the enemy camp.  There was a small form in there huddled up like a dog.  It looked oddly like…
“Wimble!”  Kyron tried to run forward to his companion but was immediately tackled to the ground by one of the creatures holding his arm.  The creature pinned him down with his arms behind his back.
“Face him towards me” said the standing creature in his own language to the one holding Kyron down.  The creature obediently pulled Kyron’s head back by his hair so he was looking at the leader.
“Yes, we have your little friend.”  His accent was thick and he had a hideous smile stretched across a face not even a mother could love.  He had dark brown, creased skin with course green hair all over his body.  His face mocked that of a human’s with it’s evil, almost goblin like appearance and black eyes that made you think you were looking into a pit of death.
“By the orders of Rashaka himself, we are here by authorized to take any and every being that enters Skull Crevice to him immediately for questioning and observation.  It would be in your best interest to not struggle, otherwise the consequences will be severe.”  He looked at the Zorg holding the no longer struggling Kyron.  “Take him to the cage.”  He turned around and started walking away but Kyron called him back.
“What right have you to do this?  Is this not a free land?”  The Zorg turned around and looked Kyron directly in the eyes.
“I need no right!  I have the command of Rashaka!”
“And what right has Rashaka over the free peoples of Algaseia?” he shouted.  “I will tell you!  None!  He is just some power hungry beast set on destroying the land!”
“Silence you filthy half-breed!  You are not worthy to lick the mud from his boot!”  He spit at Kyron’s face and then walked past him, kicking him in the ribs as he went.
Kyron doubled over and was dragged over to a cage somewhat close to Wimble’s.
“That’ll teach you, you rotten piece of scum.” 
As the night drew on, and the enemy camp finally slept, except for the few guards who were a little ways off not in hearing range, Kyron took the chance at trying to get Wimble’s attention.
“Wimble” he whispered softly.  “Wimble!  Wake up!”  Wimble’s head jerked up and he looked around.
“Psst!  Wimble!  Over here!”  Wimble turned around in his cage and then saw Kyron.
“Kyron!  I’m so glad to see-“
“Shhhhhhh!  The guards will hear you!”
“Kyron”, he said in a whisper this time, “where are we?”
“I’m not exactly sure, but from what I could gather, we are in the encampment of a party of Zorg.”
“Zorg?” he said repeating the funny name.  “What kind of name is that?”
“I don’t know.  I’ve never heard of them.  Anyway, how are you?  Did they hurt you at all?”
“Yeah, they did.  But I don’t know what happened. I turned around calling for you and the next thing I know, there’s an arrow in my shoulder and I’m on the ground.”  Kyron noticed his voice sounded weak, and strange.  “What about you?”
“I’m O.K. except for a broken rib or two and a sore head.”  He winced as he shifted around so he could face Wimble.  “We’ve got to get out of here.”
“But how?  We’re in cages like dogs, the guards are only a few yards away, and we’re both injured.  Not exactly a lot to work with”, he said bluntly.
“Where are our packs?”
“Over there”, he said pointing to the base of the tree he was hanging from.  Wimble saw Kyron’s expression brighten slightly.
“Could you reach them with a branch?”
“ You see, the problem with that is, I can’t reach a branch.”
“Well maybe I can.  Just wait a second.”  He painfully reached above him getting on his knees in the cramped cage.  The end of a branch was just inches away from the tips of his fingers.  Wimble put his fingers in his mouth in excitement, silently cheering Kyron on.
“Just-a bit-farther”, he grunted stretching his arm to it’s full extent with his side screaming in protest.  Then Kyron found the branch in his hand.  His eyes widened in astonishment but he said nothing, suddenly understanding. Thanks, I forgot. He gently pulled the branch toward him, so he would not break it, and looked at Wimble. 
Wimble was wiggling causing his cage to rock dangerously.  Kyron pulled the branch in further.
“How long does it need to be”, he whispered frantically as the branch started to slip.
“Uhh?”
“Hurry!”
“It-it looks about…10 paces!  Yeah, that looks about right.”  Kyron pulled the branch in farther hoping it would not break before he was ready.  When it finally came far enough down, he called to Wimble.
“Wimble.  I need you to swing your cage to the branch.”
“But-“
“Just do it!  You need to break it up as high as you can reach.  Hurry!”  Wimble took a deep breath and started rocking back and forth careful not to move his shoulder too much. 
Just a bit farther.  I can make it! He reached his hand out to grab the branch but missed it.  He swung it again and missed.
“Come on Wimble!  Concentrate!” The words!  Lord help me!  What are the words…Gra-no, Gram-no!  What is it?!  Gron… Grontusha! “Grontusha!”  Suddenly as Wimble desperately reached forward once more, the branch was in his hand.
Wimble held on tightly to the branch to stop swinging, so he could reach the top.  The cage jerked backward nearly pulling his arms out of there sockets, but he held on firmly.  Once he stopped swinging completely, he carefully started pulling the branch closer causing his cage to go higher.
“O.K.”, Kyron whispered.  “I think that is far enough.”  Wimble nodded and with one swift motion he snapped the branch of the tree causing his cage to swing wildly.
“Kyron!  The cage!  I think it’s going to fall!”  Even as he said so, the rope tied to the cage started fraying.
“Try to keep still!”  The rope frayed some more.  The other end of the branch was ripped from Kyron’s grasp making Wimble lurch forward into the bars.  He yelped as his shoulder smashed into them and dropped the branch.
“Shhh!”  Kyron tried to warn but it was to late.
“What’s going on over there?!”  One of the guards came into view holding his spear in front of him readily.  He looked and saw the swinging cage and then the branch lying on the ground, mere feet away from Kyron.
“Trying to escape are you?  You rotten little-” But what he was, Kyron never found out because the Zorg in front of him dropped to the ground dead his own spear thrust straight through his heart.  Wimble’s eyes were wide with terror.
“What did you do?”
“I-nothing.  Forget about the branch.  We need to go now.  More guards will be here any minute wondering where he has gone.”  He looked over at the Zorg.  Sure enough they heard calls a little ways off.  Kyron reached for the spear and called it into his grasp.  He then broke off the head and jammed it into the lock making it break open.  He pushed the door open and gingerly crawled out still very sore.
“Come get me out!  Hurry!”  The voices were getting nearer.  Kyron grabbed the spearhead and jammed it into Wimble’s lock, pulling him out.
“Can you stand?”
“I-I think so.”  Suddenly another Zorg appeared right behind the one that lay dead.  It looked at its dead companion and then at Kyron and Wimble and howled in fury.  They heard the responses of other Zorgs as they started waking up.  Kyron ducked as a spear came flying at him where his head had been only moments before.  He turned around, scooped Wimble up in his arms and ran into the forest with the Zorgs chasing after him not even noticing the pain in his side in the excitement.
As he ran down the hill he dodged between trees and over roots not having a clue to where he was headed.  Instead of the Zorgs’ shouts getting softer, they got louder as the entire camp started to wake.
Kyron could hear them crashing through the woods behind him gaining speed.  Normally he could have outrun these creatures easily but tonight, he was carrying Wimble and he heard the distinct sound of a horse whinnying. 
As Kyron saw a shimmering light ahead, he realized with horror that it was a river. I’m trusting you Lord.   He pulled Wimble tight to his chest as he jumped into the frigid waters of spring.  Instantly, the water jerked Kyron south, away from his pursuers.  Or so he thought.
Then, ahead of him, ten horsemen jumped out of the trees as the ones behind came out as well running parallel with the river.
The horses and riders in front of him split up, five and five, and half of their number sprang across the river with a mighty leap.  Normally, horses would not have been able to keep up with the river’s swift pace, but these did.  They weren’t normal horses at all.  Their eyes were red as flame, their coats as black as night, and their movements as smooth as liquid.
As Kyron was hurtled down the river with a struggling Wimble in his arms, he knew all at once he was doomed.  Not far from here the river lead right into the city of Bashinma.  If he went there, he would not only be breaking the law of returning, he would be bringing a dangerous enemy right to their doorstep.  But if he somehow tried to leave the river’s safety, well, he didn’t like to think of that.
The river was swift and he was nearing Bashinma quickly.  He looked down at Wimble who looked back at him with desperate eyes.  Kyron winced but knew he had no choice.  If he left the river, two of them would die, if he went to Bashinma…there might still be a chance.
With his mind made up, he set on communicating with the elves he was about to reach so they would have at least some kind of warning before these death riders were upon them.
-End of Chapter Five-