SCAR
Their group had been instructed to meet in the Willow Meadow several miles from the city of Emmanuel. One could only access the Willow Meadow by paths, as it lay some distance from the Emmanuel Road. They hoped to remain well hidden from any soldiers who might be sent looking for Gideon once his escape became known.
Willow trees surrounded a green meadow of short grasses. A small fire burned inside a ring of small stones constructed by Seth. Dung had carried Gideon from the time they had emerged from the tunnel outside Emmanuel's wall. The rat had placed Gideon near the fire in hopes of warming him.
Seth had spoken to Gideon several times, but so far his only reply had been coughing and moaning. They waited for Ethan and Levi to arrive according to their plan. Upon leaving the tunnel, Seth had heard a great deal of chaos going on behind the city wall. 'Whatever diversion Ethan cooked up with the Captain-it must have been good.'
Dung only continued to devour several rabbits he had caught in the meadow. Hearing the gnashing of his rat teeth and the gurgling of saliva, Seth found comfort in not having to actually witness the gruesome scene. 'Well, Dung, you've quelled my hunger…thank you.'
The rat paused for a moment, perhaps curious about what Seth had said. Then, as if with a shrug, the rat dove back into his rabbits. Within moments, Dung had devoured all that he had. His ears perked up and he sniffed the air-Seth heard them too.
Ethan and Levi came jogging into the firelight, both of them a little winded, but Bonifast the more so. Ethan searched around the fire until he found the priest lying opposite Seth and Dung, covered by one of Seth's outer robes. 'So you found him? Is he all right?'
'He's been hurt pretty badly,' Seth said. 'They kept him in horrible conditions.'
Levi started around to where Gideon lay. He knelt down and uncovered Gideon's face. 'Mmm…they've really worked him over. You can hardly recognize him under all that swelling and bruising. And the smell…they've not let him wash or anything?'
The priest's hand smashed up under Levi's jaw, knocking him backward off the balls of his feet. With his other hand, the priest drew Levi's cutlass as he fell back. He stood, throwing off Seth's robe as he drew back his sword hand, preparing to strike.
No one had any idea what had happened. There had been only a blur of motion. Now Levi had fallen backward in a daze and Gideon stood with firelight glinting off of something in his hand. Only it wasn't Gideon at all. Ethan seemed to realize it only after the imposter's hand whipped forward. But the realization startled him so much that he did not even begin to react as the cutlass sliced the air between them.
Furry arms encircled Ethan. The rat tackled him just before the blade hit home. Dung shrieked in Ethan's ear as they fell to the ground together. Ethan remained pinned under the rat, unmoving. Seth stood up, but did not realize what had happened either.
He drew his sword and echo-located the priestly imposter. 'Gideon what are you doing? Are you delirious?'
Levi recovered. 'It's not him-we've been tricked!'
Seth lunged toward the man, about to leap over the fire to kill him. Scar pulled a leather pouch from his soiled robe and whipped the open end toward Seth. Gunpowder streaked through the flames, landing on Seth. His robes caught fire as the flames leaped upon the scattered gunpowder.
Seth screamed as the heat engulfed his clothing and burned his skin. He dropped the sword and flew to the ground, rolling through the grass in a desperate attempt to extinguish himself. Levi dodged to the side of the fire and found Seth's sword upon the ground. He noticed Ethan unconscious and Dung lying on top of him with his own cutlass standing out of the rodent's side. 'You villainous dog!'
Levi launched himself at the imposter, slicing through the air as Scar danced away from him. Scar dodged past Dung and drew the cutlass from the rat's wound. Levi came for him full of malice.
Levi had strength to his advantage, but Scar was faster. Levi only managed to keep the younger man at bay. But when he took the offense, Levi battered the imposter's sword away left and right.
The two men danced away from the fire, thrusting and slashing furiously at one another. Levi raged at the man and drove forward. Scar parried and knocked Levi's blade out of his hand, but too late. The Captain ignored his weapon and lunged inside Scar's line of attack.
Scar drove his palm under Levi's jaw, trying to fend him off. But Bonifast returned the favor with two sharp knee strikes to the ribs. Levi whipped a hand between them and lunged at Scar with all his weight. They fell backwards and became still. When Levi sat up on top of the imposter, he left a dagger protruding from beneath the man's sternum.
He stood up, looking at the imposter with disgust. Levi turned back to his friends, finding Seth smoldering in the grass, but extinguished. 'Are you all right, Seth?'
Seth stood patting hot spots and breathing heavily. 'A little singed, but I believe so, Captain.'
Levi walked over to Dung and Ethan. 'I need some help.' Seth found his way to him and together they rolled Dung away from Ethan. Levi knelt down and made sure the boy was still breathing.
Seth waited. 'Is he all right?'
'Unconscious, but he will be.'
Seth turned to Dung's body. 'Is he?'
Levi patted Dung's large head. 'He gave his life to save Ethan.'
Ethan woke soon afterwards with more questions than pain. When he realized what had happened to poor Dung, he spent several minutes stroking his fur, weeping. Levi watched, trying not to tear up himself.
When they had gotten their gear together and started off, wondering what in the world they should do for Gideon, Levi stood still. Ethan turned back. 'It's time to go, Levi.'
Bonifast did not reply. He stood staring over smoldering embers at Dung's body. 'I should have been kinder to him, don't you think?'
Ethan looked at Seth, then back at Levi. 'There's nothing that can be done for him now. We have to go. We have no choice but to go to The Order and speak with Isaiah. He'll know what we should do for Gideon.'
'We can't just leave him like this…not after all he did for us, Ethan.'
Seth spoke up. 'Captain, I'm afraid we don't have any way to bury the poor creature. I feel as bad as-'
Levi straightened. 'A pyre then…we can do that much.' He began to walk toward the edge of the woods in search of firewood.
Ethan tried to plead with him, but the Captain would not hear of it. 'I'll not leave him to the buzzards!' he said, throwing his hands up in the air.
Ethan turned back to Seth. 'You wait here and I'll help him.'
Seth smiled, nodding. 'I didn't know he had such a soft spot for the beast.'
Ethan smiled. 'Neither did I.'
INVADERS
Gideon took a drink from a water-bladder as the noon sun beat down upon him. Grimwald had driven his men unrelenting toward the Thornhill Mountains for just over a week. Halfway through the journey, two of his soldiers had fainted and fallen behind. Grimwald had flogged the first to death with a bullwhip. The second, he had slain with a sword in order to save time. None of the other men had dared to fall behind for the remainder of the journey.
Gideon knew Millertown waited for them several miles in the distance. He wondered if he would have to face Sarah's parents dressed in this vile crimson armor. The thought of his old friends watching him ride through the town with Grimwald and his soldiers made him feel nauseated. Still, he had no choice.
Grimwald rode up next to Gideon's horse with a smile on face. 'Soon we will be at your Temple, priest. I'm sure they're going to love you in your new uniform.'
