Brian Pratt - Fires of prophesy

“Iron,” interjects Kristo.

“What?” asks James.

“They’re most likely iron smelters,” he explains. “They mine iron ore on the island, it’s one of the Empire’s main sources of iron, or so I hear. Those buildings are most likely smelters where they extract the iron from the ore.”

“Anyway,” continues James, “there are two docks, one to the north and one closer to the smelting complex. They both have guards stationed there so we wouldn’t be able to use them without notice.”

Turning to Kristo, Jiron asks, “You have any ideas?”

Surprised at being asked, he says, “Me? Why would I help you? You break into my estate, kidnap me and steal my boat.”

Shaking his head, Jiron says to James, “Any other place we might make landfall, far enough away to avoid notice?”

“I haven’t examined the island that thoroughly yet, maybe,” he says as he turns back to the mirror and begins a more precise examination of the island’s coast.

After several minutes, he looks up and says, “There is an inlet on the southwestern side of the island, not very big. It would allow us to drop anchor near shore without being detected. A forest separates the inlet from the smelters.”

“Perfect,” Jiron says in satisfaction. “Can you direct him there?” he says, indicating Kristo.

“Definitely,” he replies. Turning to Kristo, he says, “Steer us to a more westerly direction until I tell you to swing south.”

With a slight movement of the tiller, Kristo steers in the desired direction. “That’s good,” says James when the boat is heading in the right direction.

They continue on the westerly heading until James determines the ship is at the proper position and then has Kristo swing due south. A half hour later, the island comes into view and James points out a large outcrop of the island and says, “The inlet is just to the right of there. You can’t see it very well but it’ll open up as you swing around it.”

Sure enough, a small inlet extends some way past the outcrop. Kristo steers the boat around the outcrop and into a small, hidden cove. “Drop anchor,” James tells him.

He furls the sails and drops anchor, bringing the boat to a stop.

James looks over to the shore, twenty feet away and says, “This will do nicely.”

Jiron grabs some rope and comes toward Kristo. “What are you going to do?” he asks nervously as Jiron approaches.

“Tie you up so you won’t take the boat and leave,” he explains. “We’ll need you to get us off the island.”

Taking him over to the railing, he has him sit with his back to it and proceeds to secure him to it. When he’s done, he tests the ropes to be sure Kristo won’t be able to get free. Nodding satisfactorily, he says, “That should hold you until our return.”

“What am I to do if you don’t return?” he asks before Jiron places a gag in his mouth to prevent him from hollering for help.

“Just pray that we do,” he tells him, receiving a glare in return.

Standing up, he turns to James and asks, “Ready?”

“Sure,” he replies as he goes to the rail and stands up on it. Jumping off, he dives into the water, Jiron hitting the water just after him. They swim over to the shore and then climb out. James is shivering slightly from the coldness of the water.

“Now, let’s go find your friend,” Jiron says as they enter the forest.

After days of working in the mines, his hands have toughened up and the sores have begun to form calluses. A friendship has developed between Nate and him, each helping the other as needed. Even though the work is hard, he finds himself proud when his team achieves their quota for the day.

There are dozens of teams throughout the mines and a rough score is kept as far as how well each team consistently meets their quotas. His team, while at first having been low in the rankings due to the loss of men and the new ones joining, is now steadily climbing toward the lead team spot. Essin, though tough and strict, has been fair in his dealings with his men.

Since coming to join Essin’s team, there have been two cave-ins, including the one that occurred on the first day. The second one, the team caught beneath the falling rocks hadn’t been so lucky, they were crushed and killed. Miko’s team wasn’t the one sent to help dig out those poor souls, but had heard of it through the gossip channels later when leaving for the night.

Every other day or so, Black Tooth makes an appearance to give them their water and bread. His scowls have become so common now that Miko is no longer bothered by them. Lately, when they leave the mines at night, Black Tooth can be seen hanging around some of the supervisors, talking and joking with them. Whenever he sees Miko though, his smile fades from his face and hatred creeps into his features. He absently rubs his stump while looking at Miko, almost as if he’s unconsciously reliving the day he lost his hand. But Miko no longer fears him. He’s never far from his team and he knows they will stand by him should things ever get ugly between him and Black Tooth.

A day ago, during a break when bread and water was brought to them by someone other than Black Tooth, Miko had bitten into his bread and felt a sharp, jabbing sensation in his mouth. He reached in and pulled out a sharp rock, stained with blood from where it had punctured his tongue. If he would have swallowed it, it would’ve most likely torn apart his insides.

He had taken it to Essin who then proceeded to yell at the man who brought it. The man said he didn’t know how it had made its way into the bread but that he would look into it when he got back. Later that day, when they were leaving the mines, Miko saw Black Tooth standing near the kitchen building talking to the one who had brought the bread down to them. He pointed them out to Nate who said, “Apparently, he’s not through trying to get you, and he’s enlisting aid.”

“What can I do?” Miko asks him.

Shrugging, he says, “Nothing to do, just watch out until you have proof to bring to Essin.”

Miko kept glancing over to Black Tooth until his team reached their room and went inside for the night.

The following morning after they reach their spot in the mines, all goes as usual and they are able to maintain their pace to achieve their quota for the day. The day passes uneventfully as they load wagon after wagon full of ore.

James and Jiron look out from the woods to where the smelting complex lies. Six buildings bellow smoke from tall smokestacks, wagons being unloaded into smaller carts which are then taken inside. Several other smaller auxiliary buildings surround them. Two wagons enter the complex from a road on the far side and make their way toward one of the smelters.

“That road must lead to where Miko is,” states James.

“Let’s work our way around to it,” Jiron suggests.

Nodding, James makes to move when he’s stopped by Jiron’s hand on his shoulder. He glances back as Jiron indicates a group of workers walking along the side of a nearby building. Remaining motionless, they wait until the men move to the door in the side of the building and enter.

Working their way through the edge of the forest, they circumvent the smelting complex and come to the road. At the road they pause a moment as they look both ways. Not seeing anyone upon the road, they step out of the trees. James says, “Let’s take the road. It’ll be faster.”

“Alright,” he says. “But we better keep our eyes open.”

They travel down the road for a hundred feet before Jiron suddenly takes him by the arm and whispers, “Someone’s coming.” Further up the road, movement can be seen.

James follows Jiron into the forest where they crouch down behind some bushes and trees to wait. Shortly, they begin to hear the unmistakable sound of a horse drawn wagon coming toward them down the road. When the wagon reaches them, they see that it’s heaped full of ore from the mine, heading for the smelters. Aside from the driver, two guards with crossbows ride upon the wagon. After the wagon passes and has moved further down the road, they return to the road and continue down toward the mine.