They get to the town just as the sun nears the horizon. The town is eerily quiet as they pass the first couple of buildings. At the oasis, they find the entire town assembled to watch Roland’s sacrifice.
They tie their horses to a post at the edge of town and walk the remainder of the way to the oasis. They see Hassin in front of the crowd and his voice can be heard loudly and clearly as he speaks to the people. Though they’re unable to understand what is being said, the meaning is unmistakable as they lead Roland over to stand before Hassin.
The crowd becomes even quieter as they make him kneel before Hassin. James looks for the woman who had been making the scene earlier but she’s nowhere to be found. They must’ve removed her so she wouldn’t spoil the proceedings.
James whispers to Tinok, “Make your way as close to the front as you can. I’ll create a distraction and you get him out of there.” As Tinok nods and begins to make his way closer to where Roland is kneeling, James grabs him by the arm and says, “Don’t kill anyone.”
Tinok winks at him as he pulls away and enters the crowd.
James skirts the edge of the crowd until he comes near the now dry oasis. Looking over to Hassin, he sees him draw a long knife and approach closer to Roland. Holding the knife high, he begins speaking loudly to the gathered people. James begins to concentrate…
“…now, with the spilling of the cursed one’s blood, our gods will be appeased and life will flow back into our oasis!” Hassin, exuberant and ecstatic, raises the knife high as every eye in the crowd is upon him.
Suddenly, the mood of the crowd alters and they begin to murmur. He looks to them and their eyes are no longer on him but are looking at something behind him. Irritated at being interrupted in his moment of retribution on the man who had wronged him, he turns his head to see what they’re all looking at and his eyes grow wide at what he sees.
Lights, many lights are glowing above the oasis. Pulsating, they begin moving in an intricate pattern over the oasis, as if they’re dancing to the beat of unheard music.
Tinok is amazed by the dancing lights, and then he looks over and sees James’ eyes closed as he concentrates on maintaining the spell. Knowing this is his friend’s work, he begins to edge closer to Roland.
The murmuring begins to grow as the crowd continues watching the beautiful pattern of lights. As the lights continue to swirl, their pattern begins to tighten as their dance brings them closer and closer together. The lights begin to change from their brilliant colors, turning a darker, foreboding color. Suddenly there’s a brilliant flash as all the lights come together, and where many lights once stood, now only one remains, a dark sphere that pulsates a red, purplish glow.
Tinok hears the crowd’s murmur of wonder begin to change to one of fear and uncertainty. He shoves his way to the front of the crowd, now only feet from where Roland kneels. He sees Hassin has turned toward the sphere, intent on what it’s doing. The two men who are guarding Roland have also turned to watch it, Roland momentarily forgotten. Glancing over, he sees James staring at him and then he sees his head nod before closing his eyes once more.
This is it! he thinks to himself. Suddenly the sphere begins to bulge and change shape, the people in the crowd gasping at the sight. He runs the few feet to Roland and quickly severs his bonds with his knife.
Roland looks at him, fear in his eyes. “Come with me if you want to survive,” Tinok whispers to him. With sudden understanding that he may not die, he nods and quickly gets to his feet.
Over at the oasis, the sphere has begun to form into the shape of a humanoid creature, with glowing red eyes and two foot long horns sprouting from its forehead. The crowd has begun shouting in fear as panic erupts. All thought of Roland’s sacrifice is abandoned as the people begin to flee the area.
Hassin turns at just that moment and sees Tinok there helping Roland to his feet. He shouts out, but is unable to be heard over the cries from the crowd. He advances on Roland with the long knife, intent on killing him.
Tinok sees him advancing and is able to easily deflect the long knife with one of his own. Remembering what James told him, he strikes out with the blunt end of his other knife and connects with Hassin’s temple, dropping him to the ground. The two men there with him are oblivious to what is happening to him as they continue to watch the creature take shape.
“Let’s go!” he hollers to Roland as he directs him over toward James. He looks over his shoulder at the now fully formed vision of Hell that is walking out of the oasis toward the panic stricken people who’re fleeing for their lives. You’re good, James.
Reaching James, they turn and race through the town together, toward where the horses had been left. They help James, as he is still trying to maintain the hellish vision. Throughout the town, cries can be heard as some people race back to their homes, slamming and barring their doors. Others just race out into the desert as fast as their legs can carry them.
When they reach their horses, Roland says, “I don’t know how to thank you!”
James opens his eyes just as a flash of fire comes from the creature and then it slowly disappears. “We’ve got to get you out of here!” he says to Roland.
“I can’t leave!” cries Roland. “Not without my wife and child!”
“But they’ll try to sacrifice you again if you remain,” Tinok exclaims. Then he looks in Roland’s eyes and sees the determination there.
“Do you have a horse?” James asks him.
“Yes, I do,” he replies.
Turning to Tinok, he says, “Go with him and get his family, then meet me back here.”
He gives James a nod then turns to Roland and says, “Lead the way.”
Roland hurries down the street, followed closely by Tinok. They soon leave James behind as they turn down another street, making quick speed through the darkened town. He goes past several more houses and then turns down one more side street, stopping in front of the third house. The light from a single candle comes through an open window and voices can be heard coming from within.
They look through the window and see his wife sitting in a chair surrounded by three men, one of whom is Hassin. He’s yelling at her, gesticulating wildly with his hands, obviously demanding to know where Roland is.
She just sits there crying, not saying anything as she glances through the doorway to where the baby lies. Tinok can hear the baby’s wail.
Smack!
He backhands her across the face when she fails to answer his questions. Not waiting to see more, Roland runs over and slams open the door with his shoulder, bursting into the room and tackling Hassin.
Seeing him come crashing through the door, his wife cries out, “Roland!”
Tinok is right behind him, knives flashing from the light of the candle. He immediately engages the other two men, the same two who had been guarding Roland during the ceremony.
They quickly draw their swords, but the speed of Tinok drops one of the men to the floor with a stab through the chest before he even gets his sword all the way out of its scabbard.
The other guard tries to slash at Tinok but he parries the sword with the blade of one knife while striking with the other one. The guard steps back, blood now oozing from a fresh wound in his left shoulder.
Roland is on the floor, struggling with Hassin for control of the long knife. Curses from the two men fill the house as they roll back and forth.
The guard grabs a small chair from the floor and uses it as a shield as he strikes out with his sword.
Tinok easily blocks the thrust, but is unable to adequately close with the man as the chair is keeping him at a distance. He continues exchanging blows with the man when suddenly Roland’s wife comes up behind the guard and strikes him across the back of the head with the long handle of a broom.
The man is dazed by the blow and Tinok easily gets within his guard dropping him to the floor.
Tinok comes over to the struggling pair on the floor, neither one has been able to gain the advantage over the other. Laying his knife across Hassin’s throat, he looks into his eyes and can see him contemplating different courses of action and their consequences. Suddenly, he makes his decision and releases his grip on the knife. His eyes flick murderous hate between them both as Roland gets to his feet, holding the knife.
Roland looks and sees his wife standing there with their baby clutched in her arms, eyes filled with uncertainty and fear, her face turning red from where Hassin had slapped her. She says something to him and he goes over to her, replying in the same language. Giving her a hug for reassurance, he speaks to her again and she
