Eternal Forest: Savage Rising (16 page)

             
“Boys!” Viyana shouted as she jumped between them. Both Cherin and Zehlyr stopped, but eyed each other coldly. “We are all very tired. It’s been a long day and I don’t think anyone is in a rational mindset.”

             
“We have plenty of food here,” Azalea chimed in. “We’ll make some dinner and then we can all get some sleep.”

             
Viyana shot Cherin a coy smile. “If you still feel like it in the morning, go ahead and kill each other.”

Chapter 16

              Dawn came and nearly turned to midday before Viyana finally arose from her slumber. She was sitting in the dust and leaning against the stone wall at the mouth of the cave. Her back hurt from the lack of comfort and what little skin her armor left exposed felt cold to the touch. Her sword was lying at her side, her hand gently resting on the hilt. As the evening had turned to night, she’d wondered if her nerves would even let her sleep. Every sound in the woods sounded like the footsteps of a balisekt soldier on approach. Apparently exhaustion finally took her, and she fell into a sleep so deep that a raging storm couldn’t have pulled her from it.

             
After rubbing her eyes, she looked over her shoulder and saw Cherin slumped over in the dirt. A puddle of drool near his mouth provided the only moisture the dry dust had seen in a long time. Zehlyr and Azalea were deep in the cave. She didn’t know if they were awake or not, but it didn’t matter to her either way. Heeska was up on the rocks, his clawed hands folded together on his belly and one leg hanging down off the side of the cave, swinging freely next to his tail.

             
She stood and stretched. Her muscles ached from the activities of the previous day. Morning always brought with it an ingrained feeling of calm and peace, but memories of the battle were quick to remind her that things were far from peaceful. She took up her sword and returned it to the sheath on her belt. With the air so silent, the blade clicked loudly as it settled into place.

             
With her arms up over her head, Viyana stepped out of the shadows set by the mouth of the cave and into the sunshine. It had been a cold night, especially at such a high altitude and sleeping against a stone surface. The fire they’d built in the night died out long before dawn. The last thing she could remember before drifting off to sleep was staring into its burning coals and thinking of the horrifying creature they’d faced in Stonemouth.

             
“So, you didn’t kill me in my sleep,” Heeska said as he slid down from the rocks and onto his feet. The balisekt rocked his head from side to side, making his neck pop loudly. “I guess I should thank you for that.”

             
Viyana instinctively reached for the hilt of her sword, but sense finally took over and stayed her hand. “Well, you saved my life in the Wilds yesterday, so I suppose I’m in your debt.”

             
“If it keeps me alive, I’ll just let you keep owing me.”

             
Viyana continued walking towards the edge of the cliff. She could still see the smoke climbing into the sky on the horizon. Zehlyr was right; the fire burned in the same spot and at the same pace as the previous day. No natural fire would behave in such a manner. It should have long ago either spread or died out as all possible fuels were consumed. It was the second thing in the forest she’d seen burning unnaturally yesterday, so the thought of the two being connected was inescapable.

“You seem to make a habit of that,” Viyana said to Heeska. She could hear him approaching from behind her, and it took every bit of her restraint not to spin around in fear and distrust.

“A habit of what?” Heeska asked.

“Saving human lives,” she responded. “It’s amazing. In you I’ve seen more civility and intelligence than I ever dreamed a balisekt could be capable of.”

Heeska stood beside Viyana and looked with her over the cliff. His heightened sense of smell could detect the sweet nectar of the fruits in Azalea’s grove a few hundred feet below them. “We could be capable of so much more. When the balisekts migrated north after the Blight, they split into many different factions. Some built homes, and markets. They established systems of trade and bartering. There were farms, communal spaces, and even schools. They made real communities.”

“It sounds no different than us,” Viyana said humbly.

“It wasn’t,” Heeska said. “In fact, there were many communities that voted to approach your tribes with an offering of peace, to see if we could be accepted as one of your ‘civilized species’.”

Viyana said nothing, but instead wrapped her arms around her torso and rubbed her hands against her elbows. She tried to imagine how such a thing would’ve played out. As much as she didn't want to admit it, the only outcome she envisioned was her soldiers chasing off the balisekt diplomats with swords and spears. “So, what happened?” she asked, hoping to change the subject.

Heeska sighed and hung his head. “Killika and the Shadow Chasers declared war on the balisekt tribes. With the powers they’d discovered, no one could stand up to them. All of our communities became one empire under his rule. He promised us the Lands of Order would be ours, but not by means of peace and understanding.”

“He sought to drive us out,” Viyana said softly.

“No,” Zehlyr said from behind them. “He sought to eradicate us.”

Heeska and Viyana turned to see Zehlyr and Azalea standing together outside of the cave. They
were fully dressed with their weapons strapped and at the ready. Azalea was wearing a simply, hand-made dress instead of the green gown she’d worn the day before. Over by the cave door, Cherin still lay motionless on the ground.

“Killika’s hatred for all of our tribes burns hotter than his fire demon’s hide,” Zehlyr continued. He’d heard all about the Shadow Chasers after years of living with Heeska. “Blame was used as a rallying tool. He told his followers that we were responsible for their savage lives; that we cast them out to live like animals. His words inspired them to rise and fight under his banner. Once a large enough force was assembled, it was easy to bully the other balisekt tribes into submission.”

              “None of this explains how they created that…
creature
,” Viyana reminded them. “No power in the entire Lady’s forest could—”

A rustling in the foliage down the eastern slope interrupted the moment. All eyes turned towards a small cluster of walnut shells shaking in the branches. It was clearly no natural arrangement. A thick piece of rope trailed off from them down the mountain. An unseen force jerked on the rope, making the shells clack loudly together.

              “What is that?” Cherin asked as the noise shook him suddenly from his slumber. He rose to his feet, swaying back and forth as though drunk on ale.

             
“Early warning system,” Zehlyr said, his eyes growing wide. “Something is coming this way.”

             
Heeska lifted his snout and sniffed the air. “And it isn’t friendly,” he added.

             
Everyone quickly regrouped at the mouth of the cave. Viyana drew her blade as she turned in place. Her eyes scanned the forest below for any signs of movement. “I don’t see anything,” she said. “How far out does that…” A lone arrow shot out from the shadows of the trees, striking Viyana in the left shoulder with a loud thwack. She went down to her knees, grasping her shoulder. A painful cry escaped her lips as her sword fell in the dust at her feet.

             
Azalea rushed to her side. Quickly she gathered up the fallen sword and helped Viyana to the mouth of the cave. Everyone retreated tightly around them. They stood in a semicircle with their backs to the cave and their weapons at the ready. Zehlyr had an arrow pulled back tight in his bow. Cherin picked up his stolen sword off the cave floor and extended it out in his right hand. Heeska stood in a wide-legged stance with his claws outstretched.

             
From the shadows of the trees came the balisekts, quickly becoming innumerable. The sword in Zehlyr’s hand began to tremble slightly. There was no way they could take on a force this large, especially with more emerging from the trees with each passing moment.

             
Azalea pulled the arrow out of Viyana’s shoulder, causing her to whimper in pain. As Viyana held pressure to her wound, Azalea rose to her feet and joined the others in their defensive line. The balisekts continued to swarm in, all impatiently keeping their distance like eager dogs at the end of their leashes. As the soldiers hissed and snarled anxiously, one balisekt made his way to the front of the pack. This soldier was wearing nicer armor than the rest, leading Zehlyr to believe he was important.

             
The lead soldier surveyed the humans and rogue balisekt in front of him. Its yellow eyes dated from face to face. Zehlyr was puzzled. These soldiers weren't here for mindless killing. They were here to search for something, or someone. He didn't know what they were after, but they clearly felt they needed a massive force in order to secure it.

             
The lead soldier's eyes widened as it glanced over Zehlyr's shoulder. Puzzled, he looked back to see Azalea standing right behind him. The soldier began to hiss and click rapidly while pointing a clawed finger at Azalea. It was clear he was communicating something important to his squadron. When Zehlyr noticed Heeska turn nervously towards Azalea, he was sure of it.

             
"What did he say?" Zehlyr asked.

             
"We have to get out of here," Heeska insisted. "Right now!"

             
“Into the cave!” Azalea shouted. Everyone dashed into the mouth of the cave. Near the entrance, there were crudely made beds of straw and a few personal belongings. Azalea’s green dress, now soiled and torn, lay discarded on the ground along with some simple tools and a woven basket. It wasn’t much, but it was all Zehlyr or his two companions had in the world. The ground was flattened out, with the stone smoothed unnaturally to make it more comfortable to live on.

As Azalea and Zehlyr led the others into the cave, the army poured in after them. Out from under the noonday sun, everything rapidly became dark.

Robbed of their sight, the charge of the army slowed. Viyana and Cherin reduced their speed as well, but Zehlyr, Heeska, and Azalea were familiar with every crack and crevice of the cave they’d called home for three years. They each took the hands of their lost companions and led them through the pitch-black passageways. They could hear the balisekt army behind them. The long claws on their feet scraped against the stone floor and echoed off the walls.

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Viyana said nervously. Azalea had her wrist firmly grasped in her hand, while Viyana’s free hand was extended out in front of her, hoping to find a stray stalactite before her face did. The footing was also
becoming treacherous. The rocky surface was not only uneven, but also rather slippery. Her boots slid on the cave floor a few times, but she managed to keep going.

“Just stay close,” Azalea assured. The sound of running water had always been present in the dark tunnels, but it was getting louder and louder. Zehlyr, Azalea, and Heeska led the way with their arms out in front of them, feeling for the obstacles and leading the others around them. A few echoing bumps and angry hisses behind them suggested that the balisekts were having less luck.

              “Are we heading towards the water?” Cherin asked. The sound was very loud now. There was a full, rushing stream running through the caverns, and the smell it was now heavy in the air. The spray misted against Cherin’s cheeks.

             
“We’re going to get lost in here!” Viyana shouted.

             
“Don’t worry, we know where we’re going,” Zehlyr said. “But, you might want to brace yourselves.”

             
“What do you—?” Cherin began before his next step was swept out from under him by the fast-moving stream. He and the others were all quickly whisked away by the freezing-cold water. It rushed them through the darkness across the slick, smooth stone below them and into a narrow tunnel. The chute jerked them violently as they raced out of control through the cave. Zehlyr could feel his skin starting to go numb, but he knew the ride would be over soon.

             
Viyana took in a big gulp of air, holding it before a splash of cold water hit her face. The river didn’t have enough depth to be worrisome. If it were moving slowly, she could lay flat and it would only submerge her ears. It was the rapid movement of the water, coupled with the unpredictable course it took in the darkness that made it dangerous. A sudden drop sent her falling hard on her back against the wet stone floor, but the water continued to push her and the others along.

             
As the stream took them across another sharp bend, a beam of light broke through the darkness. The walls of the narrow chute filled with bright sunlight as it glistened off the surface of the water.

             
“Hold on!” Azalea yelled. They broke out of the tunnel and into the daylight, the rocky ground below them sudden disappeared. Everyone dropped like a stone down a tremendous waterfall. Zehlyr could see the tops of the trees hundreds of feet below getting rapidly closer. His arms and legs flailed wildly with nothing below them to find. Taking a deep breath, he splashed down into the small pond below the mountain.

             
When Zehlyr’s head broke from the surface of the water once again, he found everyone all around him. They were shaken and out of breath, but they were safe. “Is everyone okay?” he asked.

             
“Let’s…not…do that…again.” Cherin requested between gasps for air. This trip to the mountains marked the highest he’d ever been, and he was so far not enjoying the experience.