Dark Soul Silenced - Part Two (11 page)

“What do we do?” asked Nathan, horrified both at how closely he had travelled with Daniel and at the catastrophe that could be unleashed.

“
We must try to capture or kill them before they reach Echtberg.  First we will travel to the keep.  I know the way and we can move more quickly than you could on your own.  We know these lands, and the best paths to follow.”

“
What if they have moved on?”

“
Then we will head straight for Echtberg.  On the way there are several places they are almost certain to pass.  We can tell if they have already passed, and if not we can set up an ambush.  We have a problem though.  We do not know what any of them look like, and in particular we won’t know which are the most dangerous two — the users of dark powers.  I know you swore to return to your order, but I have to ask.  Would you defer that?  Travel with us, aid us in stopping this abomination from happening.  You can point them out, help us to capture or kill the two wielders of darkness.  What do you say?”

Nathan didn’t even have to think about it.  He had already considered travelling with the Major.  He had unfinished business with both Josef and Daniel.  With the Major’s troops he could finish that business.

“Count us in.  I want that bastard’s head on a spike.  Slipping amongst us, spreading his darkness into the souls of good men.  Like Ser Josef.  When we started out he was a brave and steadfast man.  Strong in purpose and deed, living with the blessing of the Almighty.  All that has changed now.”

They talked some more, planning how best to proceed and what to do when they caught up with Josef and the others.  The Major listened carefully to Nathan’s ideas, though Nathan was never under the impression they were equals.  He didn’t mind.  All that mattered, all that had ever mattered, was chasing down and destroying darkness wherever it manifested itself.  Soon the plans were made, the food eaten and the horses rested.  Nathan and the other guards mounted up and followed the Major into the forest.  Back towards the keep Nathan had hoped never to see again in his life.  Now though he was eager to reach it.  Eager to find Josef and Daniel still there.  Eager to see their faces when they realised their plans would come to nothing.  Though he didn’t know it, Nathan rode with a cold smile on his face.

Chapter Twelve

Josef and the others were gone.  Nathan had known they probably would be, but that did nothing to settle the anger and frustration he felt.  Even with the Bronze Order guiding them it had been too far to travel before nightfall.  They reached the keep two days after Nathan and the other guards had left it, early in the morning.  They found signs that Josef’s group had passed but no more.  A tracker with the Bronze Order announced that Josef and the others had moved on the previous day, probably sometime in the afternoon.

“It isn’t surprising,” Major Zentmann said.  “We would have been fortunate indeed to have found them still here.  We know where they will head though, and they seem to be taking a less than direct route.  We can head them off.”

“
Good,” Nathan replied.  “What about the keep though?  It is packed with night walkers.  You have a strong force.  Shouldn’t we destroy them?”

“
A noble thought.  One that does you credit.  If we had the time I’d like nothing more than to burn out that nest of vipers.  But we don’t.  We have to focus on the most dangerous threat, and that is this Daniel.  The time we would spend here would risk him slipping from our grasp.  So would the injuries to my men.  We could not cleanse so many foul creatures without losing some of our own, and those men might be the difference between killing Daniel and him getting away.”

Nathan nodded but couldn’t help staring back at the keep.

“You are right Major, but it is still hard to leave such darkness unchallenged.”

“
I know.  When this is over, when we have dealt with Daniel and Rafael’s plans for the girl, you and I will return and put this place to the flame.  You have my word on it.”

Nathan was moved by the offer, and by the determination in the Major’s face.  Here was a man who viewed the world as Nathan did.

“I would be honoured Major, as would my men.”

“
Good.  Now, we must focus on stopping Daniel.  They are heading for Echtberg, but not directly.  I suspect it is a ruse on Daniel’s part.  Knowing the way directly there would rouse suspicions in the others.  We can use that.  There are a set of cliffs they will need to climb, and there is only one place within easy reach where they can get the horses to the top.  If we hurry we should be able to beat them there.  We can be there by early morning tomorrow if we move quickly.”

The Major turned away, issuing curt orders.  Nathan felt excitement building once more, replacing the disappointment at finding Josef had moved on.  Soon, very soon, he would be able to correct the mistakes Josef had made.

When they reached the cliffs Nathan saw what the Major meant.  Several hundred feet high, the cliffs were jagged and steep.  A decent climber could probably find their way up in a few places, but not without abandoning their horse.  Instead they followed the base of the cliffs for a short while before reaching the path.  It was narrow but more than wide enough for the horses.  In places large clusters of rock thrust up from the ground, as craggy and rough as the rocky walls.

They continued up until the Major raised his hand, bringing everyone to a halt.  He started to issue orders, gesturing to reinforce the details.  Nathan was too far away to hear the orders but he could guess what they were pretty well.  Some troopers with crossbows were being sent up the path, told to travel quickly then double back along the cliff top.  Others were told to find places of concealment nearby.  A larger group had been ordered to follow the path up and double back, but if Nathan read things right then they would be climbing down the cliffs to trap Josef’s party.  The rest of the force, the majority, was sent farther up the path, to wait out of sight.  Now the Major approached Nathan.

“Ser Nathan, please ask your men to wait up the path.  I need your knowledge here though.  When Daniel and the others reach this point we will ambush them.  We will try to take as many alive as is possible, but those who are most corrupted by darkness we need to kill outright.  Daniel and the girl’s father.  The taint in both makes them dangerous, and Daniel has shown how deadly an opponent he can be.  I need you to wait with me and my men, to point out those two so we can strike them down.  Are you willing to help?”

“
Of course!  I have dedicated my life to the destruction of darkness.  And I have to admit to having a score to settle with those two.  Between them they have turned Ser Josef and several other good men from the path of light.  I owe them for that.”

“
Good man!  We will strike them down so they cannot draw anyone else in with their lies and their darkness inspired powers.  What happened to Ser Josef and the others is a timely reminder of the many ways in which darkness works.”

Nathan had barely got into position when a scout rushed up to the Major with the news that a small party of riders was approaching.  Nathan tensed inside.  Surely this must be Ser Josef and the others?

Then it became a matter of waiting.  Nathan had plenty of experience at doing just that, but today he fidgeted like a new recruit.  He wanted it to be over.  He wanted Ser Josef caught and both Daniel and Jon killed.

Finally they saw movement farther down the path.  The Major passed a small telescope to Nathan, asking him to identify those in the party.

Nathan studied the party and told the Major, and his men, who was who.  He paid particular attention to Josef, Daniel and Jon.

“
You heard him,” the Major ground out to the men nearby.  “Kill the two users of dark powers but do not harm any of the others.  And wait for my signal.  If anyone moves too soon and alerts them then I’ll have him whipped!”

Nathan watched the party continue up the path, slowly getting closer.  He felt the tension building in the Major’s men but the party were still too far away for an accurate shot.  The party moved still closer.  Nathan’s heart was in his mouth and he placed a hand on his sword.

Finally the party was close enough.  The Major let out a low whistle and two men fired their crossbows.  The first had targeted Daniel.  Somehow, impossibly, Daniel caught the bolt before it struck.  Jon, the target of the second, wasn’t so lucky.  He was punched off his feet as the bolt struck him in the chest.

Within moments the party was on the ground and seeking shelter behind some rocks.  All except Daniel who darted back to retrieve the injured Jon.  Several more bolts flew at him but all were turned aside before they could hit.  Soon Daniel too knelt in the shelter of the rocks.

Not that it gave true shelter.  Nathan had seen several of the Major’s men on the cliff top who would have an ideal shot.  None came though.  The Major’s order to keep most of the party safe held them back.  It didn’t matter.  Josef and the others would be trapped soon enough, the Major’s men sent on that mission would be in place already, or nearly so.  There was no escape.

Nothing happened then for several minutes.

“Why don’t you move in?” Nathan asked the Major.

“
They aren’t going anywhere.  This way they have time to realise how hopeless their position is.  That will weaken their determination, make them easier to capture.”

“
Daniel remains alive though.  He won’t be easy to kill now he is alerted, and the others will draw hope from him.”

“
We can handle him, when the time is right.”

There was a steely edge to the Major’s voice this time.  Nathan decided not to push his point and settled back to wait.

What happened next caught everyone by surprise.  A shape exploded from the cover Josef and the others were hiding in.  Within moments it was climbing the cliff wall, though climbing was a poor description.  The figure was leaping from one secure point to the next, often covering eight or ten feet with a single leap.  As the figure neared the top Nathan realised it was actually two people — one tied to the back of the other.  He knew Daniel must be one, no one else had the dark power to perform such incredible acts.  Nathan had no idea who clung to Daniel’s back, though he suspected it would be Josef or Sarah.

Then the pair reached the top of the cliff.  Daniel paused to raise an arm to those below, then he turned and was gone — moving at an even greater speed than he had climbing the cliff.

“Damn it!” 

The Major’s face was red with anger.  Nathan shrank back, suddenly nervous.

“Damn it!” the Major repeated.  “We’ve got no one on that side of the cliffs.  Hell, I never imagined he could do that.  Even if I had they wouldn’t stand a chance of keeping up with him, not at the speed he was going.” 

The Major took a deep breath, clearly trying to calm himself.

“No matter.  We will have to deal with him later.  The others demand our attention first.  Let’s see what they plan.”

The answer came soon enough.  A voice Nathan recognised as Josef’s called out, offering surrender if his men were well treated.  After some negotiating terms were agreed.  Josef and the others trooped out without their weapons and laid down on the ground.  The Major’s troops ran forwards, securing their prisoners then binding them with manacles.  Wards against the dark powers were then dropped around the neck of each captive.

The Major walked down to the group, studying the captives.  Then he turned and gestured for Nathan to approach.  Feeling strangely nervous Nathan made his way over.

Despite his determination to let the Major speak first Josef was struggling to hold his tongue.  The Major had studied Josef and the other guards in silence for some time, then had turned and gestured for someone else to approach.  Josef could feel himself growing more tense, could feel the desire to snap something at their captor.  Gritting his teeth he forced himself to stay silent.

Then he saw who approached.  The shock was so great he couldn’t have spoken even had he wanted to.  Nathan!  How was that possible?  How did Nathan come to be travelling with such a large force, and apparently not as a prisoner.

“
Ser Nathan,” said the Major.  Josef realised he had been right, this was the man he had negotiated with.  “I don’t believe the two wielders of darkness are amongst our captives but could you confirm please?  I’d rather avoid any unpleasant surprises.”

“
No, they aren’t.  Daniel was the one who escaped by climbing the cliff.”  Josef saw the Major’s face tighten at that.  Nathan didn’t seem to notice.  “Jon, the girl’s father, is the one your men killed.  Though as I said, Ser Josef here has also been tainted by the darkness.  It is the only explanation for his actions.”

“
That’s a lie!”  Josef finally found his voice.  “I have not turned to the darkness.  I seek to stop a great evil.  The creature Rafael will wreak untold havoc if his plans for Mary aren’t stopped.”

“
So you allied with the darkness?” Nathan spat back.  “Let them travel with you?  Let their dark powers infest you?”

“
No!  I don’t know for certain whether Daniel is lost to the darkness, or if Jon was.  Even if their powers were from darkness we couldn’t have traced Mary without them.”

“
Condemned by your own words!  You should have trusted to the Almighty.  I did, and it brought me to the Major and his men.  You have fallen so far, Ser Josef.  So far you can’t even see the light anymore.  You have…”

“
Enough!” bellowed the Major.  “Thank you Ser Nathan.  Please see to your men.  I will meet with you soon.”

Nathan looked ready to argue, then he saw something in the Major’s expression and shrank into himself.  He turned and left with a small nod, not saying a word.  Josef could tell Nathan was still angry by the set of his shoulders.

“Major, you must believe me.  We have to stop Rafael.  We have to save Mary.”

“
I am well aware of the dangers Rafael presents, Ser Josef.  We will move to deal with him soon.  We now know where he is headed so we will be able to track him down.  First though we must deal with his poisonous accomplice — this man Daniel, who you seem to have taken to your heart.”

“
Daniel?  He isn’t working with Rafael.  He is doing everything he can to rescue Mary.”

“
Is he?  How can you be sure?  Because he told you?  What better cover than to travel with a group of witch hunters.”

Josef went to answer and realised he couldn’t.  Could the Major be right?  Could Daniel truly be working with Rafael.  Looking back on the past few days Josef couldn’t honestly say it was impossible.  The Major stayed silent for a while, watching as the implications sank in for Josef.  Finally he spoke.

“So… finally you understand.  This is why we have so few dealings with your order.  You lack the strength, the certainty of purpose, that we of the Bronze Order maintain.  You are weak.  This Daniel should have been secured the moment you found him.  He should have had an amulet dropped around his neck to neutralise his powers.”

Josef laughed at that.  The Major looked startled, then angry.

“Have I said something funny?” he asked.

“
Yes,” replied Josef.  “We did as you said.  We secured him and placed the amulet around his neck.  Not long afterwards he shrugged off both the amulet and his bonds.”