Men of Anderas II: Dak the Protector (28 page)

* * * *

Using Digger’s straw hat and wool poncho,
Dak hunched over, trying to make himself less conspicuous. He was
at a serious disadvantage. It was difficult to blend in when you
were a full head taller than every other man he’d seen. No weapon,
his horse stabled at the public corral and he was in unfamiliar
surroundings. His choices were limited. The plan was to work his
way to one of the gates, overpower the guard and ride like hell
back to Kierin’s fortress. The main street was heavily patrolled.
Side streets and alleys provided better coverage but he needed to
find somewhere to hide until the sun went down. He would use the
cover of darkness to escape.

At the end of a blind alley, Dak spotted the
partially collapsed wall of an old building. It was a tight fit,
but he finally wiggled and squirmed until he was completely covered
by the rotting timbers and overgrown vegetation. Just maybe, the
Riders looking for him wouldn’t give the ruins a second glance. If
they did check, he made sure he was deep enough under the rubble
that a sword shoved into the pile would miss him by about a foot in
any direction. He just prayed there wasn’t anything poisonous
slithering around with him.

By the position of the sun, he figured he
had about four or five hours until dark. Time for a light nap. One
of the first things a warrior learns during training was to eat
when you could and sleep when you got the chance. The high walls
forming the alley would echo any sound and wake him instantly.

* * * *

“This is much too easy.” Draagon complained
when he read Jud’s note. His beloved wasn’t at the market but a
man
was there in her place. “Trapped inside a walled village
with no way out. My genius amazes me. Why can’t he make it
interesting and attempt escape?” He didn’t expect a response from
the guard standing before him. He and his men had been on the march
for five days. Another day of hard riding would bring them to the
village.

“Call out the Riders--every man--we leave
within the hour.” He would soon have everything that was his due.
There was no need to push the animals to exhaustion. Jud would not
risk his life by allowing this
man
to escape. They would
ride through the gates of this doomed village as the sun broke the
horizon tomorrow.

Everyone who dared stand between him and
Kierin would die for their impertinence. Turning to the guard on
his right, Draagon began issuing orders.

“Take a dozen Riders and my personal cart to
the village two days ride due west. There’s no one on this
miserable planet with enough courage to challenge me but I won’t be
caught in a wasted battle. For two years we’ve followed the trek
along the eastern terrain.
If
anyone looks for us, they will
think we’ve continued along that route. When you arrive, secure the
town and hold it until I join you. Make very sure no one goes near
that cart.”

“As you order, Lord Draagon.” The man
saluted sharply and turned his horse away, pulling men from the
line as he went.

“You, my disobedient Kierin, will have a
most unusual surprise waiting for you.” His maniacal laughter
floated across the desert on the ever-present wind.

The creaking leather saddles and jangling
harnesses of two hundred mounted riders created a numbing
background noise. Draagon, drunk on the intoxicating euphoria of
impending success, fingered the cluster of crystals he wore around
his neck and allowed his fantasies free reign as his Riders
escorted him across the wasteland. His focus on the upcoming
confrontation kept him in a state of semi-arousal and knowing
Kierin was so close brought him a painful erection. “Another
lesson, sweet Kierin. You must learn not to employ your feminine
wiles unless I demand it. Yes, my dear, you will pay dearly for
this discomfort.”

Well after midnight, Draagon noticed a
slight vibration through the crystal he fingered. Within minutes,
the vibration became a throb and a soft glow brightened the
darkness around him.

He pulled his horse to a halt and screamed
for his Riders to do the same. Those closest to him saw the glowing
crystal but none dared ask about it.

“Something has triggered my amulet.” Draagon
spoke aloud to no one in particular. Gesturing two guards to follow
him, he began a systematic search of the area. For two hours he
rode slowly in increasing arcs until his crystal grew as bright as
the sun. It almost hurt his eyes to look at it. Only a massive
power source from his home world could call to his crystal this
strongly. Since his crystal was man-made, it had to be another
man-made crystal creating this power.
The outlawed crystal!
Kierin!

“You.” He pointed to the guard on the right.
“Ride to Commander Jud and tell him to kill the villagers--slowly.
And you,” he turned to the other guard. “Ride back and bring the
remaining men. Tell them to spread out on either side of me,
parallel to the eastern horizon. Quickly!”

“Tsk, tsk, sweet Kierin.” He whispered
gently. “Your father tried to protect you, didn’t he? He was doomed
to failure. He never knew there was a second crystal created after
he left. Not as powerful, so I can’t breach your web. Not as
elegant. In fact, this disgusting mass is rather hideous, but mine
is just as deadly. Now, my dear, how do I get you to come to
me?”

Chapter Twenty-Six

As soon as darkness covered the alley where
Dak hid, he slowly worked his way out of his bolt hole. A short nap
earlier renewed his energy. He desperately wanted to contact Kierin
but needed to stay focused. He couldn’t keep her safe if he lost
his edge. Slipping from shadow to shadow, he crept slowly, silently
toward the nearest gate.

It took more than an hour to get close
enough to see the south gate. This was the lesser used of the two
entrances to the village. He didn’t expect to encounter many people
at this gate, but the total lack of movement raised the hair on the
back of his neck. Not even a guard patrolled the streets and alleys
around him. Why? It didn’t make any sense to leave an exit
unguarded. Every instinct Dak possessed screamed
danger
.

It didn’t take but a single glance to answer
his internal questions. The rear wall around the village was draped
with titanium razor wire for twenty feet on either side of the gate
itself. A field mouse couldn’t squeeze through those links. He
seriously underestimated Draagon if his Phantom Riders traveled
with that much wire. It made no sense. That covering had to weigh
several hundred pounds. How did a roving patrol manage that much
bulk? Why would they even try?

Knowing he couldn’t use this gate, Dak
headed back through town. It was well after midnight before he
reached the central plaza. On a normal day, he would have jogged
through the village in under an hour. Careful, deliberate steps
took longer but didn’t alert anyone to his presence.

Dropping to his belly, Dak shimmied under
the long boardwalk that ran around the plaza connecting all of the
businesses in a three-sided assembly. From the corner he could
watch the main gate and wait for an opportunity to slip out. The
entire courtyard blazed with torches leaving very little shadow to
mask movement. One Rider on horseback sat between the open gates
but two dozen foot soldiers patrolled the area between him and the
gate. He would need a hellava distraction to slip through that many
men.

A comm unit crackled in the distance and the
mounted Rider quickly answered. “My Lord.”

Dak couldn’t hear the other side of the
conversation well enough to make out the words but the vicious grin
spreading across the man’s face sent chills racing along his body.
Whatever his orders were Dak wouldn’t like them.

“You three,” the mounted guard pointed to
men close to him. “Bring ten
citizens
to this
courtyard.”

The trio ran to the nearest houses and
dragged the residents into the street. The men and women huddled
together in the dusty roadway, shivering from cold and fear.

“Arm lasers!” He yelled. “Fire!”

In seconds, they lay in butchered pieces.
The stench of scorched flesh filled the night air. Dak gagged on
the bile rising in his throat. Never in his life had he witnessed
such wanton disregard for human life. There was no humanity left in
these Phantom Riders. Every instinct he possessed urged him to
act--to help--but he fought the demand from his soul. He
must
stay alive or Kierin and his daughter would die.

The mounted guard raised an open horn to his
mouth and amplified the volume of his voice until it echoed through
the village.

“You have one hour to produce the man sent
by the crystal witch! Ten of your friends and neighbors just died.
If you fail to surrender this man, twenty of you will die. For
every hour you harbor this man the number of dead will double until
there isn’t a single heartbeat in this fleapit.”

By all the Ancient Prophets! I cannot let
this village die but I cannot desert Kierin. Goddess of Light, you
protect my crystal witch. If there is a way to end this without
another death, please tell me. Nothing in my training has prepared
me for this level of depraved madness.

“Servant of the crystal witch! Are you a
coward?” Bellowed the guard. “Come forward! Will you allow these
strangers to die in your place? My Lord Draagon is marching on the
witch’s fortress! Your sacrifice will be for nothing! Surrender and
I will give you an honorable death.”

Kierin? Can you hear me, my love?
Dak
had to warn her about Draagon and he needed to feel her essence
once more before he died.

I’m here, Dak. What’s happening?

Listen carefully, Little Witch, there isn’t
much time. Draagon is headed to your fortress. Hide, Baby. Go to
the inner chamber. You can survive inside for nearly a year. JarDan
will be here in two months, possibly less. He’ll protect you and
the baby. Promise me that you will stay alive and love our daughter
as much as I love you.

Dak! What are you going to do? You can’t
die! There has to be a way ….

“
Shhhh, baby. Don’t cry. You’re killing
me with those tears. The Riders will continue to systematically
kill the villagers until I surrender. I can’t let these people die
for me. I need you to go into the chamber so you won’t know when I
….

No! My head understands what you’re saying
but my heart screams in pain at losing you. I won’t block you. I
will hold on to your love until the very last instant and my heart
will die with you. Our daughter will hear every day what a brave
and honorable man her father was and how much he loved us. I
promise you.

Kierin, my dearest love. I never thought to
love someone as deeply as I love you. Your face will be the image I
cling to as my life force slips away.

Dak scooted back to the alley. There was no
way he’d crawl out from under the building like a dog. He had time
to retreat to a position where he could proudly walk out to meet
his death.

* * * *

Kierin swiped at the tears flowing down her
face. Draagon would kill Dak and still come for her. Unless she
could stop him. She didn’t place as much trust in the King of
Falcon Tor as Dak. He was a man who could order the execution of
his own brother because he fathered a child with the woman he
loved. If he showed up and offered her protection, she’d consider
it. Until then, she would do what she could to save her family and
that included Dak.

There was more to being a crystal witch than
herbs and potions. Her father never taught her about her
other
powers but since the day she placed her birthstone
around her neck the knowledge was there in her mind--her very
genetic makeup.

Gathering a warm cloak and filling her
pockets with an assortment of crystals and powders, she hurried to
the stable. Snow was falling in big, wet flakes and already
blanketed the ground. She wasn’t aware it had started but it wasn’t
going to keep her from going to Dak. Quickly saddling Rocky, she
secured the rest of the animals and trotted toward the gate. With
the heavy snowfall, visibility was limited to about two feet but
she didn’t need to see to navigate the trail. Ten minutes travel
brought her to the gate. Not being able to see through the
protective grid because of the snow caused a momentary panic but
Kierin pushed it down and opened the portal.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

“Ahhh, dear one. So glad you decided to join
me.”

Draagon!
Kierin struggled to breathe
through the panic choking her. She walked into his trap!
The
crystal!
She urged the horse forward to clear the portal before
tossing the key inside as the grid sealed itself. There was no way
he could open the gate.

“BITCH!” Draagon roared into the night. “You
have defied me for the last time! Do you think your feeble attempt
will keep me from claiming that crystal?! Or you?! You were
promised to me at your birth! The secrets you hide are mine by
right!”

“I feel the energy from your amulet, but it
isn’t strong enough to open my gate. My father’s crystal is pure.
That misshapen cluster you wear is a puny imitation.” Kierin stared
into the face of evil and gripped the reins tightly to control her
tremors. She
would not
allow him to see how much he
frightened her.

Draagon stared at her, his harsh breath
forming soft clouds in the cold air. “You will come to heel, my
pet, you may be assured of that. I have no tolerance for
disobedience from those in my command.”

“I will die before submitting to you.” She
whispered vehemently.

“That can be arranged; but I much
prefer…shall we say
persuasion
?”

His evil chuckle chilled her beyond her
minds ability to grasp.

“I wonder what your pathetic bodyguard will
think of your capture. Will he rush to your rescue with guns
blazing? Ahhh, I see by your expression that he means something to
you. A lover perhaps? His life or death is meaningless to me. The
choice is yours, dear one. If Jud hasn’t already killed him, I can
arrange to keep him enslaved for the remainder of his natural life.
Come with me, willingly, and I will allow you to see him
occasionally. How often will, of course, depend on how well you
behave.” His cold stare dared her to refuse.