Seeker of Legends (Fate of Legends Book 2), page 21
The hallway turned right, and he followed it, spotting stairs ahead, going down. A guard was running up the stairs toward him; Hunter skid to a halt.
“I’ll get Dios,” he stated tersely. “You, get to the Lady!”
The guard nodded, rushing past him and down the hallway…and right into the Seekers chasing Hunter. Hunter heard the clang of metal on metal, then a scream. He ignored the sound, leaping down the stairs, taking them four at a time, reaching the bottom quickly.
Second floor, he knew. He counted the footsteps echoing down the hallway ahead. Six men.
He found himself running down another wide hallway, sunlight streaming though large windows spaced at regular intervals to his left. Sure enough, three more guards were in the middle of the hallway, all the way at the other end…and three Seekers clad in black and gold. Two of the guards fell, the third managing to impale one of the Seekers. Then he too was cut down, and the two remaining Seekers turned to face Hunter.
Two very familiar Seekers.
“Hunter!” one of them cried. A short woman with long, dirty-blonde hair tied into thick braids. And beside her, a gigantic man holding a huge warhammer.
Sukri? Gammon?
Sukri ran toward him, a huge smile on her face.
“Hunter, it’s us!” she cried. “Come on, we have to get you out of here!”
Hunter hesitated, but only for a split second.
They’re being used, he thought coldly. It was obvious, a pathetic attempt to gain his confidence. Still, a part of him yearned to go with them.
Za-ga-mar!
He ran toward them, moving as if in slow-motion, his mind racing ever-faster. A map of the entire estate – of the places he’d been, matched to the exterior portions he’d seen so many days ago – came to his mind, perfect in every detail. The idea that his understanding of the mansion had been so vague moments before, that his memory had been so fuzzy, his mind so pathetically slow, was contemptible.
No surprise, a rebirth within a fool.
He ran straight for Sukri and Gammon, watching as they ran toward him, the gold on their uniforms glittering as they passed through the sunbeams slanting through the windows. He passed by one window, then another, charging toward the two, shoving his feelings aside. The boy was no longer in control.
Third window. Fourth.
He was only five meters away from Sukri and Gammon now, and closing fast.
Fifth window.
He veered left suddenly, and Sukri moved with him, intercepting him.
Hunter grabbed Sukri by the shoulders, throwing her backward into the window. It disintegrated in a shower of glass, and Hunter leapt right into it, passing through the cascade and into the cool morning air.
Glittering shards flew all around him, falling slowly toward the packed dirt four meters below. He saw Sukri a meter below him, arms flailing in slow-motion as she entered into free-fall. Right toward a tall hedge just under the window, precisely where Hunter had known it would be. Where he’d remembered seeing it from the hilltop days ago, when he’d first laid eyes on the mansion from kilometers away.
Sukri plunged into the hedge, and Hunter joined her. Innumerable branches scraped at his body, and he felt himself lurch to a stop, slamming into Sukri and shoving both of them deeper into the hedge. Pain shot through his chest, but he ignored it, reaching down to unsheathe her longsword, then scrambling off of her and bursting through the bushes. He sprinted across the huge dirt field toward the closed gate ahead; A single Seeker stood guard there, having no doubt anticipated that he might escape.
He charged toward the Seeker, who quickly unsheathed their sword, widening their stance to brace for his attack.
He reached the Seeker, swinging Sukri’s sword at the man’s neck. The Seeker blocked the blow, but Hunter kicked at the man’s knee at the same time, forcing it to lock. The Seeker’s body bent forward at the waist, and Hunter snapped at the hips, elbowing the man in the temple. The Seeker’s head snapped to the side, and he dropped like a stone.
Waste of time to kill him.
Hunter stepped over the man, opening the gate and jogging through. The forest began where the grassy field ended, and Hunter ran toward it, knowing that no horse would be able to navigate the dense trees quicker than he could run.
He was free.
But then he felt the hunger rise within him once again, that overwhelming lust for sustenance. Felt his heart racing, sweat pouring down his body. He realized his breath was coming in short gasps.
Damn this pathetic body!
He cursed under his breath, realizing he only had so much time before his body gave out on him. If he didn’t find some place to hide – and soon – then his escape would be for naught.
They’ll send dogs after me.
The tree line was less than a dozen meters away now, and he ran for it. It was difficult to pace himself, his body still seeming as if it were moving in slow-motion, his mind far outpacing his flesh. But he knew it was only a matter of time until he mastered this. He’d mastered everything he’d put his mind to.
He entered the forest, trees passing him, leaves rustling sinuously, as if an underwater current had passed through them.
Water!
He veered leftward, spotting the river ahead…the same river he’d seen from so far away days ago. The Lady’s mansion was on its shore. The Serpent’s Tail, whose winding body led to great black spires rising from the forest. A kingdom at the mouth of the Potestatem Magnum, the Great Power.
There was shouting in the distance.
Hunter ran parallel to the tree-line for a while longer, then cut leftward, bursting through the trees onto the grassy shore of the river beyond. He went right in, water seeping through his pants and spilling into his boots. He waded for a short distance, then unbuckled his belt, tossing both swords aside. He pulled off his breastplate, then leapt forward, plunging through the water. Ice-cold wetness enveloped him, forcing his breath to catch in his throat. There was more shouting behind him, but he did not turn around to see how far away his pursuers were. It was a waste of time; the guards would sink if they tried to swim in their armor, and the Seekers wouldn’t be able to swim without discarding their weapons.
He relaxed into the water, taking a breath out and feeling himself sink below the surface. He held his breath, letting the current carry him forward under the water.
They won’t risk archers, he knew. They need me alive.
He kicked, lifting his head above the water, taking a few breaths, then plunging below the surface again. His heart began to slow, the feverish racing of his mind gradually abating. A sudden exhaustion came over him, and he resisted the urge to give in to it, to let the swirling darkness lull him to sleep.
Rising to the surface, he took another few breaths, then went under again.
Hunter felt himself return, as if he were stepping forward within his consciousness, that alien part of him – the other – slowly fading away. Time sped up, returning to normal. And at the same time, his thoughts slowed, feeling sluggish and scattered. The incredible precision and utter certainty he’d known was gone.
But the hunger…that incredible lust for food, that need for food…remained.
He lay there in the water, letting the current bring him downstream, shivering as the cool water drained the heat from him. It was all he could do to stay awake, to resist the exhaustion threatening to pull him deeper into the river. But he had no fear. He’d done what he needed to do. Now the river would bring him where he needed to go.
It would bring him home.
Chapter 16
Sukri’s stomach lurched as she entered into free-fall, shards of glass twirling around her as she plummeted from the shattered window. Faster and faster she fell, the exterior wall of the mansion a blur before her. Hunter leapt through the window after her, falling directly above her.
She didn’t even have time to scream.
There was a sharp jolt, and suddenly she was surrounded by countless small branches. She felt a sharp pain in her back, and realized she’d fallen into a bush. A split-second later, Hunter slammed into her, the impact blasting the air from her lungs and shoving her deeper into the bush. She gasped for air, feeling something tugging at the sword at her left hip.
Then the weight on her vanished, and Hunter was gone.
Sukri lay there for a moment, struggling to take a breath in. After what seemed like an eternity, she did, sucking air into her lungs hungrily. Then she grimaced, rolling onto her belly, then scrambling out of the bushes and onto the packed dirt beyond, seeing row after row of crops all around her. To her left, she saw the giant statue of the snake-like thing, and ahead she spotted Hunter sprinting across the dirt field to the path, making his way to the gate at the front entrance. A single Seeker stood there, blocking his path. Sukri got to her feet, running after them, sharp pain seizing her lower back with every stride.
Hunter!
She saw Hunter charge at the Seeker, swinging his sword so quickly it was a blur. The Seeker blocked the attack, but only barely, and Hunter kicked him in the knee, then elbowed him in the side of the head.
The Seeker collapsed.
Sukri sprinted across the field toward Hunter, shouting after him.
“Hunter! Wait!”
But Hunter ignored her, opening the gate and sprinting through toward the tree line in the distance. He reached the trees, then veered left, and Sukri ran after him, struggling to keep up. He was moving fast – incredibly fast – the distance between them increasing rapidly.
“Hunter!”
She was about to reach the gate when she heard a whizzing sound by her left ear, and saw an arrow fly past her, bouncing off the wall ahead.
Shit!
She spun around, seeing guards sprinting after her…and Gammon running after them. She reached for her sword, but it wasn’t there; Hunter had taken it.
Fuck!
The nearest guard reached her, thrusting his sword at her chest. She felt herself dodge out of the way, grabbing his arm and using his momentum to pull him off-balance. He tumbled to the ground…just as another guard reached her, slashing at her neck!
She found herself stepping into the attack, blocking the base of the guard’s blade with her forearms. The sharp steel sank into her flesh, throwing her to the side. She tumbled to the ground, pain shooting across the backs of her forearms.
The guard stood over her, raising his sword high into the air, point down. He grunted, stabbing downward, right at her chest!
She screamed, squeezing her eyes shut and throwing her arms out in front of her.
There was a thump, followed by a shrill scream.
Sukri opened her eyes. The guard was gone…and his place, a huge man loomed over her. It took her a moment to realize who it was.
“Gammon!” she cried.
He reached down, grabbing her arms and lifting her to her feet. She cried out, pain shooting through her forearms. Gammon let go, staring down at her arms. They were soaked with blood, a deep gash on the back of each forearm.
“Watch out!” she warned; two guards faced them, swords drawn. Gammon stepped between them and Sukri, his huge warhammer in his hands. One of the guards leapt at him; Gammon swung his hammer, striking the guard in the left flank, sending him flying. The other guard rushed at Gammon, thrusting his sword at the big guy’s belly. Gammon blocked the blow with the long handle of his hammer, then thrust the head of his hammer into the guard’s face. Blood spurted from the guard’s nose and mouth, and he dropped to the ground. Gammon lifted his hammer up over his head, then smashed it down on the guard’s face again.
The guard’s head exploded.
More guards spilled out of the front door of the mansion, rushing toward them. Way too many of them.
“Where are the others?” Sukri asked, her voice rising in fear. Gammon faced the oncoming guards, his mouth drawn in a thin line.
“Inside,” he answered tersely.
“But…”
“Go,” he ordered.
“I’m not leaving you,” she retorted, reaching down and retrieving a sword from one of the fallen guards. Or at least she tried to; her hands were clenched, and wouldn’t open. She stared at the deep cuts in her forearms, at the severed ends of the rust-colored muscle exposed there. “Gammon…” she blurted out, her voice rising in panic. “My hands!”
“Run Sukri,” he ordered. “I’ll hold them off.”
“No Gammon, you can’t…”
She stopped as he put a hand on her shoulder, feeling a familiar calmness drape over her like a warm blanket. Her fear was snuffed out instantly, replaced by a profound sense of peace. She stared at her mutilated arms, the wounds no longer bothering her.
Everything was going to be okay.
She relaxed, gazing up at Gammon, then at the approaching guards.
“Think you can kill those fuckers?” she asked. Gammon stared at the approaching guards – there were six of them – and assumed a wide stance, gripping his warhammer tightly.
“Yes.”
“Liar,” she murmured. She put a hand on his chest then. “You know, if you don’t, they’re going to do a lot worse than break my leg again.”
Gammon grimaced, and she felt a bolt of fear penetrate the peacefulness.
“Gammon?”
“Yes?”
“I’m gonna need you to be real sexy for me.”
Gammon took his hand off her shoulder, then wrapped his big hands around her waist, lifting her off of the ground until they were face to face. He stared into her eyes for a long moment, then pulled her into him. Her lips crushed against his, and she closed her eyes. Her skin tingled, euphoria washing over her. His mouth opened, and hers did as well, accepting him into her.
For a moment the world vanished.
Then there was shouting, and Sukri felt Gammon disengage, lowering her to the ground. She opened her eyes, seeing the guards nearly upon them. Gammon shoved Sukri away, toward the open gate in the distance.
“Run!” he shouted.
Three of the guards ran up to them, sunlight gleaming off their swords. Sukri stumbled away from Gammon, then bolted for the gate. She heard shouting, then footsteps coming up quickly from behind. She turned around just in time to see one of the guards leap at her, slamming into her back and throwing her headlong into the ground.
“Gammon!” she screamed.
She scrambled to her feet, turning to see the guard standing behind her, sword held high above his head. Before she could even scream, he swung the blade downward at her skull!
And then there was a loud whump, and he was thrown violently to the side, tumbling on the dirt. He came to a stop, his limbs twitching, a massive dent in the side of his skull.
And where he’d once been, Gammon stood, his huge warhammer dripping with blood.
“Watch out!” Sukri cried. The other two guards were right behind Gammon; one of them thrust their sword at Gammon’s back. Gammon swung his hammer in a half-circle, knocking the sword out of the guard’s hands. Then he shoved the butt of his hammer into the man’s chest, knocking him clear off his feet and sending him flying into the dirt. The other guard thrust his sword at Gammon’s left flank; Gammon dodged out of the way, but not fast enough. The blade grazed him, blood oozing out of a small gash in his flank.
Gammon didn’t even flinch.
The big guy kicked the guard in the chest, sending him flying onto his back on the dirt. Then Gammon swung his hammer over his head, chopping downward with all his might. The hammer sank into the guard’s chest, his rib cage obliterated by the sheer force of the blow.
The remaining living guard got to his feet, stumbling backward, his eyes locked on the blood dripping from Gammon’s warhammer. There was more shouting from near the mansion, and Sukri turned to see four more guards rushing down the path toward them.
“Run!” Gammon shouted, glaring at Sukri. She turned to flee, sprinting toward the gate.
And then something struck her in the ankle, pain shooting up her calf.
She screamed, her ankle giving out underneath her, and tumbled to the ground, her head bouncing off the path. Pain shot through her skull, her vision blackening. She resisted the sudden urge to puke, trying to get to her feet. But there was something wrong with her right ankle. She looked down, seeing a crossbow bolt embedded in the back of it.
Fuck!
She heard shouting, and looked past her ankle to see Gammon standing less than ten meters away, flanked by two guards wielding longswords. And the third guard standing further back, a crossbow in his hands.
“Watch out!” she cried.
Gammon turned to glance at her…and then a crossbow bolt slammed into his upper thigh. He stumbled, staring down at his leg in disbelief.
The two guards flanking him attacked!
Gammon held his hammer out before him, spinning in a full circle, the head of his huge hammer slamming into one guard’s temple, then smashing into the other one’s shoulder. Both guards were sent flying, landing in a heap in the dirt beyond.
The crossbowman loaded another bolt, then aimed it at Gammon.
And fired.
Sukri cried out, watching as the bolt zipped through the air with terrible speed, right at Gammon. The big guy lurched to the side, the crossbow bolt shooting right at his head. It struck in a spray of blood, the bolt continuing past Gammon, whizzing right over Sukri’s head, then landing in the dirt near the gate.
Gammon!
She watched in horror as Gammon stumbled, blood pouring from the side of his head. He reached up with one hand, pressing it to the gushing wound. Then he lowered his hand, staring at it for a moment, then dropping something onto the dirt. It was his ear, Sukri realized; it’d been taken clean off by the crossbow bolt.
Gammon gripped his hammer with both hands then, the veins on his head bulging, his eyes wide with fury. He sprinted forward in a mad rush, a primal scream bursting from his lungs.
The crossbowman stumbled backward, struggling to load another bolt. He finally managed to do so, raising the crossbow at Gammon just as the big guy reached him.
