Chapter Six

“You should go faster if you don’t want to be caught by the Areans Princess.” Collin chided. Tella growled at him and continued to plod on. When the boat had crashed again the rocks of the beach, it had sent everyone in a different direction. She had lost sight of Will and had hoped to lose Collin as well, but Tella knew it wouldn’t be so easily, especially after he had already lost the wanderer. So instead Tella contented herself with taunting him.

“Well, well, what will your master say when he finds one of us is gone?” Tella asked. Collin said nothing but continued to follow her closely. She continued to taunt him, but Collin ignored her and soon she became bored and let her thoughts wonder.

What to do now? The wanderer was gone. Perhaps she should just continue on to the Arean border and see what happens. But that sounded a little iffy. And kind of wrong. Tella felt that the Wanderer was a vital part to this mission, why else would He have called her from beyond this world. Tella sighed. And then there was Will. She felt bad that he had gotten involved. The poor guy was probably dead now.

Not that I care! He… He’s stupid. And he… Tella wrinkled her nose. He liked her. Even so, she was kind of guilty. He was probably dead or captured by Areans because of her and the wanderer.

Fairien would have never let himself be captured.

Tella cut her thoughts off there. No use thinking of him now. She didn’t want to end up doing something stupid like crying in front of Collin. She redden at the very prospect of it.  No. The key was to think logically now…

 

 

 

  Will wondered through the woods helplessly lost. He gazed up into the trees and searched around hoping to glimpse some sign of the others. Maybe they were ok. Maybe…

He sighed thinking of Tella. She was very pretty. And not only that but so… fiery. Will blushed letting his eyes glaze over. Oh, there had been pretty girls in all the harbors, but none like Tella. And Will had never felt anything toward them. But Tella… She brought such strange feelings. Strange, but pleasant feelings. He sighed again, then remembering his plight he snapped back into reality.

“I hope their all okay.” He said quietly to himself. The woods were suddenly filled with the sound of a high-pitched scream. Will jumped and stared off in the direction the scream had come from.

“That sounds…” he broke off and began to run toward the scream. It was Tella… Yes. Will was sure of it now as he heard the scream a second time. There, just ahead in the clearing he could see movement.

“Come dear, hold still. I haven’t got many shots left.” Will watched as a tall man cloaked in brown robes, lifted a weapon and pointed it at Tella. He gasped, realizing that it was the same man that he and the wanderer had encounter.  Tella huddled down glaring up at the man. Neither one had noticed Will yet. The man cocked the trigger to his weapon and took aim. Will never knew afterward what made him suddenly spring forward and wrapped his arms around Tella. All he could remember was a sudden rush of emotions flooding him and his body moving into action. Then there was nothing but the cold searing that filled his mind and body completely. Will fell to the ground, still holding Tella. Now he knew why even the stoutest men in the bars had feared the Arean weapons. They had said they were like ice filling your body and freezing everything within you, rendering you completely helpless from the moment of contact. Numbly Will tried to focus his attention on Tella. She had made no sound when they hit the ground.

“Tella…?” Will whispered, coaxing his lips to move. She gave no answer but instead faded away like mist. Will stared in horror, wondering if he was hallucinating. But no. He heard the cold laugh of the Arean general behind him and immediately knew what a fool he had been.

“So I have a companion of Princess Tella.” Mahito said. It had been an illusion, created by the Arean to ensnare him, or any of Tella’s companions. Will cursed silently to himself.

“Well little boy, I don’t suppose you know where the real Tella has slipped off to, do you?” Mahito asked him. Will tried to spit or growl, or show some kind of contempt, but all that came out was a gurgling noise like that of a cat coughing up hairballs. Mahito shook his head making a small noise of amusement.

“Men,” he called to a small band of soldiers that had remained hidden behind a clump of trees, “Bind him and return to the camp.”

“Yes sir!” the men called hurrying forward. Wills thoughts blurred and grew dark, both in perception and in disposition.

 

 

Tella was uneasy. The birds had stopped singing a while back. Collin too was aware of the change and every once in a while would jerk his head to the side and peer into the foliage intently. Tella wonderer if he would tell her if he saw anything. Probably not. Tella blinked suddenly as the air in front of her shimmered. Collin had stopped already his shoulders drawn up and tense.

“What…?” Tella asked him softly. But Collin did not answer. Instead he balled up a fist and held it above his head, chanting something in Arean. Tella jumped back in surprise when everything around her suddenly shattered apart. The woods they had been standing in were gone, now replaced by a wide clearing. Tella reached for her staff but stopped when she saw Mahito and a band of other Arean men behind him.

“Good work Collin. I should have known you would be too clever for that.” Mahito said, “Ah, now, Princess Tella. Hello. I think its time we took you back to Area.” He moved toward her reaching inside his cloak. He pulled out the short pointed staff and held it in from of him. Collin narrowed his eyes and stepped in from of Tella.

“You have no need to do that.” Collin told him coldly. “This girl is in my charge.” Mahito laughed, clearly amused.

“Is she now? Are you sure its not the other way around?” he asked. Collin said nothing but glared at him in distaste. Mahito continued, “besides, you are hear by ordered by the Arean administration to submit this girl to us. Your master’s orders have been canceled.” Collin studied him, narrowing his eyes.

“Did my master order me back?” he asked. Mahito paused.

“No. But these orders come directly from the higher offices.”

“Then I cannot-” Collin broke off and Tella suddenly behind released a blindingly powerful spell aimed at Mahito. Mahito raised his staff and absorbed the energy, then concentrating briefly he shot a small  binding spell into Tella.

“Stop that!” Collin yelled at Mahito. Tella made a small noise but found that she could not move. “I told you, that girl is in my charge!… I swore allegiance to my Master, not you Mahito.”

“You also swore allegiance to Area. And the girls are no longer in your charge. Now you are to report to Area.”

“Area?” Collin asked, genuinely puzzled. “Why? Shouldn’t I report back to my Master?”

“Not yet.” Mahito said. “First you must go to Area.”

“Why?” Collin asked dangerously.

“I am not authorized to give you that information until you are in Area.” Mahito said showing his teeth and lowering his eyelids. Collin stared at him silently. “So Collin, lets go.” He said. Collin glared at him a moment then in a low voice said,

“I was ordered to follow the girls until my Master comes. That is what I will do. You need not worry. The girls will be killed. My Master will come.” But Mahito shook his head.

“I’m sorry you feel that way Collin. But I have orders as well. You will return to Area.” Mahito swift pulled a small key pad out of his cloak pocket and aimed it at Collin. Collin only had enough time to gasp before he fell to the ground, his expression frozen in surprise. Tella watched and Mahito slipped the pad back into his pocket. So those were the Arean keypads. She had heard of them of course. All Arean apprentices, which was what Collin was, were implanted with a microscopic device near the back of their brain. It was a safety measure against any apprentices learning the Arean secrets of tecnology and using them against Area. With a single press of one of those buttons, the apprentice could be paralyzed, knocked out, or even killed. But Collin was still alive, she was sure of that. Mahito had said he needed him to return to Area, presumably alive. However, Tella had doubts about whether she would be left alive for the journey to Area. Now Mahito was moving toward her…

“Cowardly Areas. You even use such tricks against your own?” a deep voice asked, seeming to come from all around them. Many of the Arean men, who had remained silent until now, let out small yells as they frantically looked for the source of the voice. Some cried out obscure phrases in Arean that Tella couldn’t catch, for the heavy accent and the fear in the voices. Mahito shouted back at them in harsh Arean to keep quiet. They quelled under the malice in his voice. Suddenly the clearing lit into furious flames that danced insanely through the foliage consuming everything. Tella fought panic as she tried to bolt away, but Mahito’s binding spell still held her firmly in place.  However, Mahito had no spell over the Arean men, and their obedience to him only lasted so long. They scattered screaming in panic. Mahito cursed them as he reached for Tella.

“You didn’t run.” Called the voice as the form it belong to jumped out of a near by tree landing gracefully on the ground. Mahito whirled around clinching his staff.

“More the fool you.” The man said. Tella observed he was Hailian and solidly build, but that’s all she had time to notice.

“I? The fool? I believe you are mistaken.” Mahito said, his confidence returning now that he could see whom he was up against. “If you think I would flee from such a crudely constructed illusion such as this fire, then you must be terribly ignorant.” he scoffed at the flames, which suddenly went out beneath his gaze.  “Just as most of your people are.” He smiled, hoping to make the Hailian angry. But the Hailian man simply raised his hand and pointed at Mahito. Tella watched in fascination as Mahito suddenly cried out, clawing at his eyes and falling to his knees. The Hailian man hurriedly scooped Collin up in one solid motion. Then, grabbing Tella by the arm he pulled her roughly out of the clearing. Still bound by Mahito’s spell Tella nearly collapsed. However, as he brought her out of the clearing Tella could suddenly move. Now that she could run on her own power Tella reached to tug away from his grasp, but the Hailian man held on to her and ran so quickly she had a hard time keeping up.

He runs so quickly, and he’s carrying Collin… Tella thought.

Finally, they came to a small hill near a stream. The man stopped and looked around, alert and tense to even the smallest sound. Then, carefully he led Tella down to the bank. There, he pushed a tree root aside to reveal a hole in the earth. Tella cringed at the black little cave but darted in quickly before she had time to think about it. It was completely dark inside, but Tella had the feeling that it wasn’t as cramped and small as she had first thought. Now the Hailian man was coming in still carrying Collin. He lit a small lamp filling the roomy cave with light. It was modestly furnished. A small kitchen area with a washbasin and boxes of dried berries and herbs. Tella settled back against a wall breathing in the herby smell of this place. She felt edgy around this man she decided, but not afraid. He set Collin down gently on a small cot in the corner and opened one of the boxes.

“Would you like something to eat?” he asked.

“Oh, yes.” Tella said remembering her last meal had been a long time, “Thank you.” She paused, “For everything, that was a bad situation. Thanks for getting me out of it.” The Hailian had his back to her. He did not answer.

“My name is Tella, as you may have heard.” She said.

“My name is Demus.” He said.

“Oh,” Tella was taken aback, “Demus, the Murderer?” everyone had heard the tales of the insane murder of Hailia who had once killed two hundred Areans single handedly. However, this Demus didn’t seem insane, or a murderer… I suddenly occurred to Tella that perhaps she had been rude to call him a murderer… “Oh, sorry,” she said. “Please excuse me.” Demus didn’t answer but handed her a plate of fruit and bread. Tella thanked him quietly and munched at the food. Demus went over to look at Collin.

“He’s been stunned by an Arean keypad.” Tella said helpfully.

“Yes.” Demus said.

“There’s no way to undo what ever it is it did to him, unless you have another Arean keypad.” Tella told him.

“Yes.” Demus said.

“Which is actually a good thing for me.” Tella mused. She blinked, thinking perhaps she was being to talkative, and revealing too much. Perhaps this Demus fellow would want to know more about her. But no, he wasn’t saying anything. Tella finished her bread and set the plate down.

“Well, I have to be off. There are people I need to find. Thank you again. Good bye.” Tella said moving toward the exit. Demus slowly turned around.

“And what of this young one?” he asked, motioning to Collin. Tella grimaced.

“He is no concern of mine.” She said. “In fact, he is my enemy.” Demus said nothing but stared into her eyes solemnly. “Hmph!” Tella said turning her back.

“He might never wake up.” Demus said. Tella spun around to face him,

                “Well, I’m glad! He is my enemy, and a filthy Arean. He should die. And this saves me the trouble.” she cried out, feeling as though Demus were silently challenging her. Finally after a moment, Demus responded.

“You are no different than the Areans.” He said. Tella started to cry out in rage, but Demus continued, “You would leave this enemy to suffer on eternally, never to face him, never to put this conflict to an end. You deny your enemies rest. This is one of the worst kinds of cowardice.”

“And what right have you to judge me?” Tella asked angrily. Demus looked down smiling sadly, his face suddenly gentle.

“I have no right.” He said simply.

“Well, then you should stay silent. And besides, even if I wanted that boy awake again there would be nothing I could do.”

“Ah, but I can help there.” Demus said. He reached back and pulled a small black object out of a box behind him.

“An Arean keypad…” Tella said quietly, “How-?”

“Do you wish for me to awaken him?” Demus asked.

“Do as you want.” Tella said. “He is not in my charge, I will have nothing to do with him, as I already told you.” Demus did not answer but instead focused on the keypad, rapidly press buttons. When he seemed satisfied, Demus looked up and, pressing a final button, aimed the device at Collin. Almost immediately Tella could see a change come over Collin. Where his muscles had been stiff and seemingly locked in place, they were now relaxing and falling back against the cot. His face regained some of its color and his glazed eyes blinked several times to restore the moisture that had been lost to them. Collin turned his head and stared blurrily at Demus.

“Master?” he asked. Demus paused before answering.

“No boy. I am not your Master.” He said. Collin groaned coming fully awake. The coughed, embarrassed and looked around the small cave.

“Where are we?” he asked quietly.

“In a cave near the south eastern part of Hailia.” Demus said. Collin nodded then said in a surprised voice,

“How did you awaken me? I assume Mahito didn’t do it. Did he?” Demus lifted his hand, showing Collin the Arean keypad it held. Collin stared in silence for a moment then asked coolly,

“Where did you get that?”

“A high ranking Arean challenged me once...” Demus paused and lowered his voice. “And I gained his earthly possessions when he was defeated.”

“You stole from the dead?” Collin asked, his eyes alight. Demus looked away and was silent.

“Collin,” Tella called to him in an irate voice “This man saved you. You should thank him, or is that to high an honor to bestow upon one of the ‘lower people’ of this land?”

“Be silent princess.” Collin told her.

“Be silent? Then you don’t want to hear the truth.” Tella spat. “You Areans are all the same! You brutally kill innocent people in the name of your country and your ideals, but it is murder. How can you live with yourself? How can you sleep at night when you know the suffering you have caused? You Areans are heartless I think.”

“Wars are heartless, Princess.” Collin told her sternly. Demus watched them silently, letting the two bicker back and forth.

   “Oh.” Tella said softly, dangerously. “Are they? So you feel there are no feelings where war is involved?”

“If there are they are useless.” Collin said. “The terror from victims and their fear for their lives can be useful to persuade people to follow your orders, but emotion in war other than that is useless as any respectable Arean knows.”

“You sound as though you are quoting a manual.” Demus observed quietly. Collin regarded him in cold silence.

“Hypocrite.” Tella said to Collin, “What of you master?” she asked mockingly, “Will you tell me you care nothing for him? Why that is all we have heard from you! You mindless, little obedient puppy! Are you even capable of forming your own thoughts with out some higher authority to tell you what to think?” Collin glared at her in unspeakable fury. Tella sneered at him. “Fool. Do you really think he will come?” Collin’s eyes widened in anger.

“Shut up!” he cried, “When my Master comes, and he will come, you will die a slow painful death for the insults you have spoken!” Tella laughed softy.

“You are really a fool. If you couldn’t figure it out by just how much time has gone by, then this meeting with Mahito should have confirmed it.”

“What are you suggesting?” Collin asked quietly.

“Your master isn’t coming Collin.” Tella told him simply. “Couldn’t you see how Mahito dodged any questions you asked about your master? How he was hiding something. I will tell you the truth Collin, where your own people will not. You’re master is dead.” She sneered. Collin let out a small exclamation of anger, and lunged forward slapping Tella as hard as he could. Tella’s hand flew up to her face to sooth her stinging cheek. She glared at Collin, but turned her glare into a shrewd smile of triumph. An awkward silence followed.

“I wonder if you two know where your other companion is?” Demus asked.

“What do you mean?” Collin asked.

“There was a boy with you, was there not?” Demus asked.

“Yes. Will. Do you know if he’s alright? And where he is?” Tella asked. Demus nodded.

“About an hour ago a young man was caught by the Arean general Mahito in an even more dishonorable manner than your capture would have been.”  

“Do you know anything of another girl?” Collin asked. Demus stared at him silently then shook his head.

“I see most of what happens in this forest. It is possible she is here somewhere, but not likely. Strangers here are easy to notice.”

“I see. So Will has been captured. Where is he being held?” Tella asked.

“Now who cares nothing for their companions? What of the wanderer girl?” Collin asked mockingly.

“We will look for her too but she’s most likely dead.” Tella answered curtly. “We’ll have time to morn later.”

“Hm. How logical of you. But, if you were really logical, you would see that you should proceed to Area, and not waste time on Will.” Collin told her. “You mission lies there, does it not?”

“I will not leave him to die in an Arean camp.” Tella said, “His only sin is that he got involved in our mission. I will not let the Areans have the pleasure of torturing him.” Collin shrugged.

“As you wish.”

“Demus,” Tella asked, “You know where the Arean camp is right? Will you please take us there?” Demus looked away thinking. Seeing Demus not answering Tella continued. “I’ll pay very well you if you take us.” He shook his head.

“Money matters not to me. I will take you for free or not at all.” He said.

“All right. Then it is agreed.” Tella said. “Let’s get going.” Collin slouched back on the wall crossing his arms and closing his eyes.

“If you want to sneak into an Arean camp your only chance will be at night.” He said.

“I would have to agree.” Demus said. Tell pouted silently.

“Fine. We’ll wait then.” She said.