Chapter 15: Vicious Negotiations

  Avner backed up, Haran and Suti joining close behind him in a well-rehearsed sequence. The others, however, were not so well trained. Ninah lowered her bow and threw up her hands. “Uh…I surrender. You raise your hands when you want to surrender, right?” she asked Etar.

  E’Tar stiffened in fright and could do little more than ball his fists together instinctually. Roshana and Amos gasped and moved closer behind E’Tar, fighting to use his frame for cover. Avner glanced back at the group and could do little more than sigh in frustration as he faced the band of horsemen.

  “What is this?” asked the lead horseman, trotting to the guard on foot.

  “They are nothing…just mercenaries working for the local lord.”

  “Mercenaries? Perhaps this could work to everyone’s advantage.”

  The man on horseback, dressed in fine clothes and polished armor approached and Avner raised a knife. “That’s far enough. If you want to offer a deal or speak with us, do it from there.”

  The man stopped his horse, lifting his hands away from his weapons. “I am Barbek.”

  “Don’t care,” interrupted Avner. “Let's just get to business.”

  Barbek nodded. “Very well. You are mercenaries, are you not? If so, I would offer you work that not only pays but gives your life meaning.”

  “Oh? How self-righteous of you. And what fanatical group do you belong to?”

  “We are The Independents; those seeking to undermine and eventually overthrow the tyranny of the United Houses.”

  Avner glanced at Haran and Suti. Haran glared at the man on the horse while Suti raised an eyebrow at Avner and shrugged. Avner returned his attention to Barbek. “So…you are part of the ‘infamous’ Independents who raid government warehouses, and noble estates while killing a swath of innocent people along the way. Is this the ‘fulfillment’ you are talking about that we so desperately need in our lives?”

  Suti’s eyes rolled and closed them. Haran’s glare switched to Avner. Barbek men muttered darkly at this and he glared. “I would be wary of your words, mercenary. You may think you are innocent but we would have no trouble killing you with a clear conscience.”

  “I’m not questioning your conscience. I’m denying its existence.”

  “Avner!” hissed Suti. “Not the time.”

  Barbek clicked his tongue and his men began to move forward. Avner raised his hands shouting, “Whoa! Now, wait! Just because I don’t like you doesn’t mean we can’t come to an agreement!”

  Barbek’s hand raised and the men stopped. “I suspect you would kill several of my men before we killed you. So, if you would like to join us, tell us now.”

  Avner nodded slowly as if thinking. His eyes flicked to the top of the canyon where another movement caught his eye. It was a long tail, pointed straight out. A raptor. “Counteroffer…we walk away and let you take the livestock. No harm, no foul.”

  Barbek chuckled. “That is already happening.”

  “Yes, but all of you will get to leave,” said Avner, winking. “Sounds a lot better, doesn’t it?”

  “Um…Avner,” came Amos’s voice from behind. Suti hissed at him, her eyes blazing, and he fell silent.

  Barbek’s eyes were also flashing dangerously. “You think this is a joke?”

  “Absolutely not. I simply see this as the better option for all.”

  “You think we will allow you to leave and tell the lord about this arrangement? I think not.”

  Ninah, hands still raised, stepped forward. “Um…if anyone is interested, there are rap…”

  “No one cares,” Avner interrupted as he continued to address Barbek. “So…that offer is off the table?”

  “Choose whether you will join us, or die now.”

  “The woman is right,” said a herdsman. “There must be raptors in the area. The animals are skittish.”

  “Counter-offer!” called Avner, drawing the eyes of Barbek back to him. “I and my two companions will join but these behind us will be allowed to return to town. They do not know how to fight and have no skills, none at all. It is doubtful the lord would allow an audience with them, even if they wanted to tell him about this operation.”

  “Which we wouldn’t,” piped up Amos.

  “Well, not any lord,” added Ninah. “But maybe we could tell friends-”

  “Enough of this!” shouted Barbek. “There is no more time for negotiating, yes or no. Choose now.”

  Avner hesitated yet again, his eyes still desperately flicking about. He sighed and said, “I suppose…I will have to say no.”

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Barbek’s face darkened and his hand lifted, as if to signal. A screeching cry, somewhere between a roar and a rasping of a blade on sheath could be heard and everyone whirled around. From the ravine entrance where Avner and his group had come from, a single creature stood, as tall as Avner’s chest, with a long back and tail, arching neck, and elongated face. Its jaws snapped loudly, sharp nails digging into the earth and its front claws, shorter in size, waving. It threw up its head and let out yet another piercing sound, its scaled body, hopping about in an almost wild frenzy. “Raptor!” someone cried.

  “Get back,” called Avner, pulling at Amos and Roshana’s clothes from behind. Barbek called in a foreign language to his men who began to circle closer to one another, seeking to keep their horses from bolting. Ninah was the only one who stood her ground. “Get back!” called Avner again.

  “He isn’t the one to worry about,” she said. “He’s the distraction so the rest of the pack can circle.”

  It took only a moment for the group to register but it was too late. From behind, several forms darted from the opposite trench and made a beeline for the flocks. With leaps, they went over the fence and began to attack the livestock viciously. Bleats and screams from the animals drew all eyes and the humans cried out in alarm. One man, too close to the animals, had the misfortune of being a target instead and he was knocked from his horse as the creatures went for his head.

  Avner backed away, followed by Haran and Suti. “Time to go.”

  “Stop them!” called Barbek.

  He was ignored as the men were too busy fighting off the creatures who, in turn, snapped and hissed, letting out loud screeches. The raptor behind them suddenly sprinted forward and made a flying leap at Ninah, the closest of the group. She dodged nimbly, rolling away to the right. The creature missed but landed in front of E’Tar who panicked and leaped back, crashing into Amos and Roshana who were still using him for cover. He tripped over them and the trio lay in a heap at the creature’s feet. The raptor hissed and leaped onto all three, its foot claws digging into E’Tar’s leg as he yelled.

  Avner rushed in, shield raised as he bashed the creature off E’Tar. It was thrown back but quickly recovered its feet, shrieking in fury. Avner faced it, shield raised and sword resting on its top as he peered over the rim. “Come on! You want dinner, you fight for it!”

  His eyes lifted to see another two raptors appear from the ravine and he cursed. “Oh, crap…”

  “Behind you!” came Suti’s cry.

  Avner turned his head to see a rider behind him, followed closely by the town guard. The rider had his bronze sword raised and was going for E’Tar as he struggled to his feet, Amos helping him. With a glance at the raptor facing him, Avner switched his sword into his shield hand and, yanking a thin metal spike from his belt, hurled it. It flew into the man’s raised armpit and buried itself there. The man cried out and lowered his arm as Haran barreled in, ax in hand, smashing into the horse’s flank. The creature screamed and fell to its side, dropping the rider as it scrambled back to its feet. Haran raced to deal a blow to the man but Avner called, “No killing!”

  “What?! Still?! How in-”

  He was distracted as a raptor charged him with a leap. He threw out his arm and took the bite on his leather bracer which could not prevent the tips of the teeth from penetrating. He yelled and took his ax close to the head and began hammering into the creature. It let go as it shrieked. Haran swung his ax down into the creature’s neck and snuffed out its life.

  Avner didn’t see any of this as, upon throwing the spiked shard, he was struck in the side by the raptor in front of him. He was sent flying sideways, the shield saving him as the creature leaped onto him to attack. He struggled to pull his sword from underneath the shield. A light blue orb flew from out of his view and struck the creature in the side. It screeched and fell, writhing in pain as its scales burned away and flesh sizzled beneath. Avner turned as a second orb hit the creature in the flank and it screamed again, limping away.

  Amos stood close by, his arms raised and an orb in either hand. Avner looked at him with incredulity. “You…you have the gift, too?!”

  Amos’ eyes widened and Avner got his head back into the situation as two raptors charged his prone form. They were struck, one by an orb and the other by an arrow from Ninah’s bow. They collapsed from the blows, inches from Avner. He jumped to his feet. “We need to go!” yelled Suti, staying close to Haran’s back.

  There was a loud crack as a side of the wooden fence holding the sheep caved and the creatures bolted for the exit, desperate to escape the killing box of the pen. E’Tar, Roshana, and Amos were all directly in their path. Amos turned but was too late to move as the herd struck him. He toppled over, one hand going down to stop his fall and the other flying into the air. The orb in that hand was released as his fingers unclenched and it sprung away, flying high into the air and soaring above the canyon like a comet before dissipating high above. “Amos!” cried Avner, moving to help him.

  He need not have bothered. E’Tar, still standing in the throng of sheep, lifted Amos and pulled him close while holding Roshana to his other side. Ninah was dashing toward the exit. “Come on! I know the way out!”

  “It’s a one-way canyon!” yelled Suti, exasperated as she followed Haran toward the exit. One last wounded creature blocked their way but Avner and Haran finished it off with a powerful swing as it tried to limp away.

  “Come on, Amos!” called Avner.

  E’Tar struggled with Amos and Roshana clinging to his arms as they waded through a herd of sheep. The guard was following, sword raised to strike at Roshana. She turned just in time to see him and let out a cry of alarm. The guard suddenly sprouted an arrow from his leg and he cried out, stumbling forward to land on his side.

  Ninah lowered her bow, calling, “No one hurts my friend! Try running from raptors with that leg!”

  Avner tried to pull Amos from E’Tar but the man’s arm was clasping Amos tightly and refused to let him go. Nothing could break his iron grip on Amos’s arm. “Oof! You big oaf! Let him go!”

  “Just run!” called Amos and Suti at the same time.

  The party ran down the trench they had come from, the herd of sheep and goats surrounding them. Behind them, the cries of men could still be heard along with the shrieks of raptors. A scream from a goat behind and the hissing of raptors alerted them to their pursuers. Ninah pulled another arrow from her bow, ran up an outcropping of rock, leaped off while turning, and fired. Her arrow struck a raptor in the face and it collapsed. She landed and gaped. “I made that shot. I’ve never made that bef-”

  “Still moving,” said Haran, pushing her forward.

  Amos struggled to release his grip from E’Tar. “Let go of me! I have a plan!”

  E’Tar had just enough wits to let go but refused to leave Amos’ side, stopping with him as Amos turned. One last raptor was on their tail and it rushed him. Two orbs combined into one in Amos’ hands. As the creature leaped, he splayed his fingers and produced a translucent shield in front of himself. The raptor crashed into the shield with a shower of sparks and a sizzle as its scales burned against its surface. It bounced off and thrashed on the ground, hissing. Amos pulled the shield back into an orb again and launched it into the creature’s side. It screamed louder till Avner, who had stopped as well, struck it in the neck and ended its life.

  He grabbed Amos by the arm, pulling him along again. “We are not done talking about this power of yours! Now come on!”

  *

  Above the canyon, many eyes had seen the trajectory of the bright blue orb flying high into the air from the canyon. Amos’s orb vanished from sight as it fizzled out but not before it was traced back to its source. Now, many figures raced toward the trench and the unsuspecting rogue Athelward.