The Descendants Book One: The Broken Scroll (53 page)

“Catch the orb!” yelled Davin as he threw the orange-red device over the fighting.  Egan reacted quickly enough to the swipe the item out of the air.  He grasped it and pulled it down to his body. 

Davin looked around him and noticed that Egan, Druce, Aiden, and Governor Seamus were still fighting away.  Each of them was engaged in their own urgent fighting matters, but Niahm, Kayleigh, and Teague were gone.  Hopefully they made it out of the tunnels alright. 

He grew so worried that he didn’t see a small handful of soldiers rush him.  Before he realized what had happened, they had sent him sprawling to the ground.  His head was dizzy from hitting the stone.  A small drip of blood fell down his face. 

One of them spoke to him in a stiff manner as he raised his sword.  “I know what you are.  Your kind should not be allowed to live.  You will only cause chaos and destru-ugg”. 

He was unable to finish his sentence because a sword had been stuck through his abdomen.  His face turned rigid and then relaxed as his life faded.  The killer was revealed to be Prack.  Davin was very grateful for the pub owner’s intrusion.  They only had time to exchange nods before the other soldiers were upon them. 

Davin tried to use the wind orb, but failed to be able to concentrate.  He stepped in front of Prack and speedily took down two soldiers.  Prack disarmed another man handily and sent a vertical cut up his body, spraying blood over both of them.  Davin never knew Prack to be a fighter. 

The longer we stay here the more will come.  And we may need to help the others.
 

He glanced around again, wanting to find a way out.  Bodies were beginning to line the floor, which was making getting anywhere fast difficult.  Davin noticed dead fighters from both sides as he maneuvered among the fighting.  Swords, shields and armor were still ringing with an ear-pounding clatter as the mass continued to battle. 

Davin stopped and sent a swipe of wind to his right where one of their people was struggling.  The soldier grabbed at his neck as it suddenly broke into profuse bleeding.  A few seconds later he was down.  The man who had been fighting looked up in surprise and then thanked Davin with a wave of his sword.  Davin ran along a little further and performed the feat again to success.  He downed two more soldiers this way.  If they could clear a path with Driocht they might be able to make it back into the tunnels with minimal problems. 

The third one of them was the commanding officer that had made the command.  He was fighting Governor Seamus.  Before Davin could call the sharp whip of air again the governor received a nasty cut on his leg that made him stumble backward.  As the soldier went in for the kill, Davin pushed the Driocht out at him lazily.  It missed the officer’s throat but swept under his legs, sending the man flipping onto his head.  A pool of crimson issued from it moments later, and the man moved no more. 

“What is your plan to get out of here?” Davin shout out to Egan as he finally reached him.  Egan elbowed a soldier in the face and sent a sword through his neck before turning to Davin. 

“Teague led them toward the exit when the fighting broke out.  They will try to keep hidden and find out what’s going on in the city.  Don’t worry.  They should be safer than we are.  Down!”  Davin dropped.  Egan pulled the red orb into his hand and pushed a ball of flame into the soldier swinging at Davin from behind.  He screamed as his body burned. 

“We need to get moving ourselves,” Davin said, watching the weapons flying wildly around him.  He needed to not fall down on his guard. 

“I agree,” Druce interjected, stepping away from a fresh kill.  “Let’s push everyone to exit.  I am done with this place, and we are trapped here.” 

Egan wasted no time.  “Push forward!  We make for the city!” he yelled to their fighters.  There was a slight pause as these words were taken in by room at large.  The reaction time was fast.  A yell of excitement escaped the lips of many. 

Egan, Davin, and Druce led the charge.  Davin pushed forth pulse balls of wind at three second intervals, keeping soldiers out of their way to the exit they needed.  They met only slight resistance, but they knew soldiers would file in quickly behind. 

The rest of their fighters followed.  This bold advance took the soldiers by surprise.  Some of them were dead before they could react, but many recovered quickly.  Out of the corner of Davin’s eye he saw Haskell fall from a blow.  His heart panged for the kind man shortly before he was thrust back into the battle. 
The dead will be honored properly when this is over.

As Davin and the others advanced to the far exit, Davin began to let a smile leave his face.  It disappeared quickly as a new set of voices sounded behind them.  A fresh wave of soldiers flanked the rebels from the side doorways. 

Before Davin could speak, he was attacked by the newcomers.  He deflected a wide blow to his left side with a vertical block.  Another soldier swung at his head.  He ducked just in time, rolling into the man and sending his off his feet.  Davin returned the favor that was almost bestowed upon him and took off the man’s head, or at least most of it.  The section of the neck he hadn’t severed caused the head to hang loosely.  The other was sent against the wall next to them. The rush of wind was so hard the soldier left a dent in the stone. 

“We don’t have fighters left to take them head on,” Davin growled, growing more frustrated.  “The exit is clear.”  He pointed to the doorway that they were nearest. 

The survivors began to pile into the doorway, moving in a chaotic manner.  Some were being carried because of their injuries.  Davin looked away.  He didn’t want to see who was maimed or missing from the group. 

Soldiers pressed from behind as the last of Lemirre and Swift River entered the tunnels.  Davin joined at the end of the line.  Darkness consumed them once as they tried to run toward the city.  There was still light, but it was much fainter in here.  The fact that they were so compact together didn’t help either. 

Behind them Davin heard, “I want half of you to return back the other way!  That’s an order!” 

He knew what they were going to do.  He called to Egan, whom he knew who was ahead of him.  “They are going to try and cut us off farther down!”  He knew Egan heard him even though he didn’t respond. 

The mob rounded a corner a little farther down.  Egan led them to the right and Davin hoped he knew where he was going.  They attempted to pick up speed as everyone began to spread out more.  The soldiers continued to chase them from behind and kept pace without actually reaching them.  Every now and then arrows would fly dangerously close to them.  The boots of the soldiers echoed heavily on the walls, which drove Davin mad with uncertainty about their actually position in the frail light. 

They drove straight forward at the next four-way cross roads.  The torch light showed more of those directional signs with the strange symbols.  Many outwardly expressed their hope that this underground excursion was almost finished.  Davin couldn’t help but agree. 

At last, one of the arrows struck a woman near Davin.  She fell unexpectedly, sending a large handful of their fighters tumbling.  The army would surely catch them now.  Davin had to think quickly. 

An idea occurred to him almost too late to act.  He stopped suddenly and let the stragglers pass him so that he was at the very rear.  The soldiers’ heaving bodies revealed themselves in the soft light a few seconds later.  Davin called upon the wind one more time and forced it toward the ceiling.  The power he put into blow made him sweat.  It had been worth the effort though.  The stone began to crack.  Seconds later, an enormous slab fell to the ground, allowing dirt to flood into the tunnel, blocking the hallway slightly.  It wasn’t much, but it might slow them down a little. 

Davin didn’t wait to watch.  He had bought them some time.  He ran at top speed to catch up with the others, the torch lights a blur as he passed.  As he came upon another cross roads, this one with only one other hallway, more soldiers poured out the opening.  This time he didn’t stop.  He allowed his momentum to bowl them over.  They slammed against the walls and ground. 

He could see in front of him the rest of his people now.  The tunnel was brightening, causing Davin to involuntarily squint.  The light was natural, not that of torches.  His heart pounded even faster than it already was.  He stayed at the rear, looking back often to see how close the soldiers were. 

The tunnel curved slightly and the source of the light became apparent.  There were two hallways.  The one that turned right led into the brightness, and the other returned to the dimness of the torches.  The caravan of people continued into the tunnel that led right. 

Davin made the turn and bounded up a flight of stairs into the crisp winter air.  He looked around.  They were in a grand courtyard next to the castle steps, surrounded by soldiers at every turn.  First Captain Deverell stood not far from Davin, smiling in his arrogant way.  Soldiers poured out behind him and were stopped from attacking by the First Captain’s hand.  Davin was pulled to the front of the rebel group. 

“It’s good to see you, Davin,” he said, smirking.  Davin’s heart sank farther than it ever had before, and fear began to take him over.  Egan found his way toward him, looking morose as well.  This was surely it for their insurrection. 

Chapter 30 The Race to the Throne Room

“Ah, nice of you both to join us,” Deverell said.  “Not fleeing like you did that fateful night in Daust.” 

Egan didn’t respond to Deverell’s jab.  Instead he said, “Where is your master, O’Hara?  Or does he let you off the leash to play from time to time?” 

A snarl grew on Deverell’s face.  “You will address your king as his title requires.  He deserves your respect.” 

Egan laughed, looking completely at ease.  “It is good to know that he has you well trained and under control.” 

“Alas, that is where you are wrong.  You see it is I who has him under control.  If only you knew the kind of power I have.” 

Egan nodded slowly, his volume growing lower and more intense.  “We know more than you realize.  But what we don’t know is how.  Why don’t you enlighten us?”

“You may be allowed to know if you surrender and I agree to let you keep your lives.  As you have surely learned, your little group has no chance.”

Druce stepped toward the Descendants.  “I find it hard to believe you have any power other than that of overconfidence.” 

Some rustling sounded behind Davin, Egan and Druce.  Aiden and Governor Seamus emerged from their group. 

Deverell’s raised his eyebrows in genuine shock.  “Well, this is quite a collection you have amassed.  Tell me, First Tenant Druce, what was it that you didn’t enjoy about serving your king?” 

“You are all mad, the lot of you.  I would happily put a sword through you and the king for your treachery,” Druce sneered and spat at Deverell after he finished.  Their utter loathing for one another was apparent. 

Deverell ignored Druce’s remark and looked to Governor Seamus.  “Conn…” he started, shaking his head, disappointedly.  “These Descendants even convinced a governor that their cause is noble.” 

“I would have never served under such filth, had I known of the corruption,” Governor Seamus retorted in his regal-spoken manner. 

“Interesting choice of words, governor,” said Deverell, vaguely. 

“Enough of this!” Davin snapped before Deverell could continue.  He was finished with all of the fooling around.  “Where are the others, what have you done with them?” 

“Such an impatient young man,” scolded Deverell.  After a pause, he continued, “Lucky for you, I brought them with me to see you die.  Bring the captives forward.” 

There was some movement behind Deverell in the assembly of Grand Soldiers.  No one spoke as they broke through the line into the open.  Davin witnessed Niahm, Teague, and Kayleigh being shoved into the center of the open ground, but that wasn’t all that came.  Behind Kayleigh, an older man with long, disheveled hair and an oval face followed.  He had an unclean appearance that suggested poverty.  He must have been Kayleigh’s father, Oeam. 

Deverell broke up their reunion conversation.  “Once we learned that you had come so willingly into our hands, the execution ceremony was cancelled.  It was no trouble.  As you have surely guessed, it was simple ploy to persuade you to hurry quicker to us.  We did not expect a force behind you, but that only delayed your deaths very slightly.” 

I thought you wanted Egan and I alive,” said Davin, angry but curious. 

Deverell hesitated, as if deciding to answer or not.  He began to pace back and forth in front of them.  “When I learned that there were still Scholars who studied your people, we searched out this Oeam.  We brought him here and forced him to give up the Scroll locations.  I sent my army out to find it.  For years we combed the desert and found nothing.”  He smirked.  “Finding Egan was an accident or pure luck, whichever you prefer.  But I knew what he was right away.” 

“This is information we already-,” Davin started.