Richard Tuttle - Island of Darkness

“What was that?” Mistake whispered.

“A tree falling,” MistyTrail whispered back. “I thought I had heard distant chopping sounds. Now I am sure of it. Someone just felled one of these giants. Let’s move closer,” she urged. “Maybe they are friendly.”

“Use caution,” warned Mistake. “I am not ready to trust anyone until I find out where we are.”

MistyTrail nodded and started walking softly. Mistake followed her as the thief’s eyes constantly scanned the forest around them. It took almost an hour for the stealthy approach, and the sunlight was beginning to fade entirely from the forest. MistyTrail suddenly moved swiftly and hid behind one of the massive trees. Mistake slipped silently to her side.

“Did you see what I saw?” gulped MistyTrail.

“I did,” Mistake nodded nervously. “I have never seen such a thing before. What are they?”

“They look like large apes,” whispered MistyTrail, “but they are using tools to cut the trees. I thought I was imagining it.”

“Then we are having the same nightmare,” frowned Mistake. “Did you see any people directing them?”

“I only got a glimpse,” MistyTrail shook her head. “We need to get a better look. I am going to move closer. You stay here.”

“Not a chance,” Mistake said as a knife slid into her hand. “I will stay a little ways behind you to watch your back.”

MistyTrail smiled and nodded as she dropped to the forest floor and scampered towards a tree closer to the logging activity. An hour later MistyTrail was positioned where she had a view of a large cleared area. Thirty huge ape-like creatures were dragging the felled giants onto massive wagons. She turned and waved Mistake forward.

“Not a human in sight,” MistyTrail whispered as Mistake arrived alongside her.

Mistake was about to reply when one of the apes started walking towards the tree they were hiding behind. He carried a large axe, and it was clear that he intended to fell the tree they were hiding behind. Suddenly, one of the other apes shouted as he pointed to the sky.

“Stop,” bellowed the lead ape. “The day is done.”

The ape with the axe turned around and gazed towards the lead ape and then looked up at the darkening sky and nodded. He strode back to the wagons and threw his axe into one of them. Mistake slowly exhaled her held breath as the apes gathered in front of the wagons and picked up the long tongues. They grunted loudly as they struggled to start the wagons rolling. Once the wheels began to turn, the apes pulled the wagons with surprising ease. Within half an hour, they were gone from sight.

Mistake and MistyTrail stepped from behind the tree and surveyed the cleared area. Huge stumps dotted the landscape, but the cleared area also afforded a view of the mountain beyond it.

“That is our destination for this night,” pointed MistyTrail. “I want to be well above this area before the morning sun. I do not know what they were, but I am not anxious to go against them with only knives.”

“You will get no argument from me,” promised Mistake. “I doubt our knives would do more than scratch them. I am not getting a warm feeling about this land. Let’s get out of here.”

* * *

The squad of Imperial Guards escorted the Sakovan wagon through the streets of Alamar. The citizens stared in horror as they watched FalconEye drive the wagon towards the Imperial Guard headquarters. He sat holding the reins, but his face was a mask of pain, and the reins were held loosely in limp hands. They saw two arrows sticking out of his back as the wagon passed by. The Imperial Guards escorted the wagon solemnly and did not interfere when the citizens filed into the street and followed the wagon. The wagon went directly to the headquarters building and stopped.

General Manitow and Mayor Reaker were on the steps of the building when the wagon stopped. Temiker and Ukaro had just been leaving to return to the schoolhouse. They stopped and returned to the wagon when they saw it. The squad leader dismounted and marched up the steps to stand before the general.

“He would not let us tend to him,” reported the Imperial Guard. “He said that Imperial Guards had massacred them. He has only returned here because he had no choice. My men guided his team to the city gates. What shall we do with him? He is nearly dead.”

Temiker and Ukaro rushed to the wagon. They each climbed up to the seat of the wagon from different sides.

“Perhaps the mages can save him,” the general said softly. “What of the others?”

“Their bodies are in the back of the wagon,” the soldier replied with a lump in his throat. “I think he was trying to take their bodies home to the Sakova. I have never seen such strength of will in one so young. I do not know how he is still alive.”

One of the citizens looked inside the wagon. She saw the bodies of the other Sakovans and screamed. The word spread through the crowd like fire through a thatched roof. Within seconds the mob closed around the wagon. When two men reached into the wagon and dragged out the body of SpringThaw, the Imperial Guards moved to disperse the crowd. The squad leader ran down the steps and started shouting orders for his men to control the crowd, but it was a futile effort.

The angry mob pushed the soldiers away from the wagon. The general stepped inside the building and called for reinforcements. When he returned to the steps he saw the crowd carrying the bodies away. The crowd of angry citizens created a human corridor, keeping the Imperial Guards away as others lifted the dead Sakovans and carried them towards the marketplace. As the reinforcements began surging out of the building, the general ordered them to halt.

“Do not interfere,” commanded the general. “They are taking the bodies to the marketplace. Cordon off the area and keep things from getting out of hand, but do not interfere with their sorrow. I do not want us attacking our own people.”

“I had better go to the marketplace,” stated Mayor Reaker. “I think the people fully understand what this tragedy means to our city. I must explain this accident, or your soldiers may well be blamed for what has happened.”

“This was no accident,” scowled the general. “This is what our future is now that the Katana has decided that these Sakovans are our enemy. You had best explain to the citizens that we cannot depend upon the Sakovans for any more food. We are on our own now.”

The mayor nodded sadly to the general. He walked to the marketplace and pushed his way through the crowd to see what was happening. When he got close enough to see, his mouth opened in amazement. Each of the dead Sakovans had been placed on one of the tables in the marketplace. Women knelt alongside the tables and cried hysterically. Others placed jewelry and flowers beside the bodies.

The Imperial Guards sent to keep order stood silently around the perimeter of the marketplace. They kept their backs to the nearby buildings, and it appeared as if they wanted to be somewhere else. The mayor could hardly blame them. Suddenly, the mayor’s arm was grabbed, and he was pulled towards the body of SpringThaw.

“Is this what our protectors are supposed to do for us?” shouted the man who had dragged the mayor from the crowd. “Are we now to starve to death because these young folks were Sakovans?”

The Imperial Guards around the marketplace tensed and began to close inward to rescue the mayor. The mayor held up his free arm to halt their advance.

“Maintain your positions,” shouted the mayor as he pulled his arm free from the citizen.

The mayor turned in a slow circle as his eyes scanned the angry mob. He saw an empty table nearby and he jumped up onto it so the crowd could see him.

“Citizens of Alamar,” he shouted, “hear my words. I grieve alongside you for the loss of the brave Sakovans. They brought us food when we had none. We owe our lives to them, but there are things that you must understand in your grief. The Imperial Guards of Alamar did not do this nasty deed. Do not take your hostilities out on them. They are here to protect you and had granted the Sakovans safe passage.”