The Seven Thunders Part 2

                                            Chapter 3





 





  My boat was gone.



  I stamped my feet and cursed the skies; ripped strands of hair from my scalp. The rotted stump where I had tied my skiff had been uprooted. I searched the calm sea with my eyes and saw nothing. I was stranded.

  The roots had been cut, and I saw a few clumps of dirt leading a few steps away from the grassy hill leading down to the soft waves of the gulf. This had been no accident, my boat had been stolen.

  "But by who? I have been over every inch of this pathetic little island, there is no one here but that fucking witch girl in that joke of a cabin!" I hollered while kicking the dirt where the stump had been, "Who in the hell could have torn this stump from its roots! Where is my GODDAMNED boat!"

  No one answered my question. The gentle waves just licked the rocks beneath me, as if to say peace, brother. I began to panic. I spun around searching the scenery, looking at everything and nothing. The peaceful morning only further fueled my rage. I wanted a gale, a storm of titanic proportions. I wanted to raise my hands to the heavens and beckon the thundering sky to strike me down, pour its torrent upon me. I wanted the waves to crash at my chest, I wanted flashes of brilliant fury to spread across the tumult of the sky. I wanted pain, anger, wrath and reaction. But all I saw were clear blue skies with white drops of cloud moving slowly and calmly. The morning sun shone on my eyes with gentle care. The breeze kissed my face tenderly.

  I broke down and began slamming the dirt mound with my fists like hammers. I erupted into a childish tantrum. I had failed. I was lost, and worst of all I knew nothing. I laid my head in the dirt and sobbed. I cried like a spoiled infant denied of its prize. I loathed myself and the world around me.

  "This place is where my story ends father. I am a wasted life, a sad sack of empty dreams," I muttered to myself in the dirt, "I saw a tree on a hill on my way back here. Its not as grand as your tree, I'm afraid, but I won't be resting beneath it. No, my shame will be hung with my body. Until the rope breaks or my neck returns to dust. Perhaps the next accursed fool will be given fair warning, more warning than that little girls passive sign!"

  I turned my forehead in the dirt and thought for a moment.

  "That wasn't her sign," I said, knowing it was a fact the moment I had spoken it.

    I opened my eyes, crumbs of dirt fell from my eyelids.

  My boat was there. It was bobbing in the shallow just as I had left it. I raised my head and hit a hard surface on the way up. I had been lying at the base of the stump. My rope was tied tightly around its base and it extended down to the knot at the bow of the skiff in the water.

  I stood up, wiped my cheeks. The dirt from my hand stung my eyes, I winced and fell to my knees. The morning sun still shone clear, the breeze was cool, water sprayed from the rocks below. A gull drifted overhead, and just to prove me a fool it seemed, it landed on the stern of my boat and squawked.



 



























                                 Chapter 4





  She had become quite the hunter. In the mountains it was invaluable. How she knew where the deer ruts were I had no idea, but with Diamonds help our trek across the rocky cliffs south of Dothyn was progressing with little hardship. The nights were getting colder but with the pace we were at we would clear the chain before winter sunk its claws deep enough to draw blood.

  Diamond had grown to a healthy, strong size. She was blessed with remarkable intelligence which was rivaled only by her loyalty to me. She knew when to play, when to sleep, when to bark and when to sit silent when the sun faded over the mountains. I couldn't have asked for a better companion.

  It had been a close call in Luccian Hayes, a small mining community now two days behind us. The locals had been driven mad by the shadows. They saw a shadow in me, and a light in her.



  The mill was deserted, there were tools and scraps of metal strewn about near the entrance of the wide cave in the base of the mountain. The small cabins lining the dirt packed lane were empty, I was sure of it. Not one chimney smoked.

  Diamonds ears were pointed stiff, and her body was frozen in a ready posture. She knew as well as I did that we were not alone. We heard not a single sound, all the evidence surrounding us suggested this place had been abandoned a long time ago. But that feeling of being watched, like a speck in your eye, was undeniable. I felt hatred, loathing and lust blowing in our direction from every angle. This might not end well, I thought to myself. Diamond turned her head and looked at me. She was giving me a nod of recognition. She and I made an accord with each other with our eyes, No matter what, we'll fight. With all we have. For each other.

  There was no retreat, the geography wouldn't allow it. We could either scale the steep upgrade to the left of the cave mouth, or walk back for miles the way we came. My food rations were being stretched as it was, a detour like that would mean certain death in these lands. It was move on or die. I summoned my nerve.

  "I am Scott Vanguard, a traveler! I seek no aid or quarrel, I desire only safe passage! What say you? Will you show yourselves to me in peace?"

  For a few moments there was nothing, just the breeze. Diamond surveyed the scene with a cool patience and concentration. I felt the emotional wind change from violent intent to a sick, thickening curiosity.

  Up ahead of us, pale forms began to emerge from the darkness of the cave. They walked in perfect stride together, each one of them smiling. As they came into focus, I saw that every one of them were albinos. Their pink eyes were lifeless, and every one of them were focused on me. I counted 8, but knew there were more following behind I could not see yet. They wore tattered rags, not nearly enough clothing to make it through the bitter cold of this terrain.

  Their lips were stretched as wide as their facial structures would allow, a few were bleeding from the corners of their mouths, the skin was taught and cracked on their lips. I was frightened by their freakishly thin frames, bare feet almost black with diseased flesh, but most of all it was the way they walked. Every step was in sync, every sway of their arms were simultaneous. The cave dwellers moved as one. And they were very pleased about something.

  Diamond arched her back and began to growl very low. I stood my ground as the procession made its way towards me, there were only a few dozen feet away.

  "Will one of you speak to this?" I asked, "I mean no harm to any of you. Please, state your intention as I have mine."

  To my horror, every single one of them slowly shook their heads back and forth. They had replied with a grinning No. They kept their slow pace.

  Diamond growled louder, and beared her teeth. My hand went to my knife. I would not retreat, not a single step back. If this was how things would end, Diamond and I would stay true to our agreement. I was ready to fight, until my last breath was drawn.

  The albino procession was now almost ten feet away.

  "Heed me now, sapless ghouls of the mine, I wish no hurt upon your tribe, but step any further and I will strike. Speak!"

  Diamond barked. All of them stopped immediately. Slowly they cocked their heads in an awkward tilt and regarded my dog. Their smiles faded, and were replaced with an expression of pure awe and desire. Their pink, globular eyes were wide in their sockets, crusted brown mouths wide open with jaws slacked. Diamond was silenced for a moment, and actually looked at me. I saw fear in her eyes for a moment, but only for a moment. She returned their glare with one of her own, and bared her white fangs once again.

  We remained this way for a full minute at least. They were frozen like statues; paralyzed by the sight of her. The lust I saw in their faces began to grow with every passing second. My fear turned to rage when I witnessed this. They may have meant me harm, but they wanted to claim my companion.

  "Not while there is breath in my lungs!" I hollered with with authority, "Your unholy hands will not touch a hair on her coat! I ask you for the last time, speak your peace or be gone. Do it not and we will settle this. Mind me, there will be plenty of pale corpses to share this ground with my own before the matter is at an end!"

  No response. My hands grasped the hilt of my knife and began to remove it from the scabbard when one of them, the taller one in the center, moved its head and looked at me. All the others kept their gaze set upon Diamond.

  "Speak. No more warning," I said.

  The tall one spoke, but with a silent rasp. I immediately saw why, he was inhaling while forming his words. He addressed me with a drawn whisper.

  "Give us the light," he said with tremendous effort. All the albinos slowly nodded their heads at this.

  "What light? The sun is high."

  "The sun is not real. Give us the light," he said, again while breathing in. The crowd groaned behind him. He took a step towards me, and looked back at Diamond, "You have been missed."

  "Look at me. All of you," I said. The one in the center struggled, and eventually turned his neck back towards me. All the others stayed with Diamond.

  "We will have it," the tall one replied.

  I pulled my knife and held it straight at him. Diamond growled and lurched back on her legs. She was ready to spring the moment I made my move. I stood motionless for a moment with my knife pointed at the tall one.

  "What is your name?" I asked.

  "No name," he said, and then appeared to ponder the question. I saw the same expression of introspection form on the rest of the faces.

  "Only darkness," the albino said at last. The rest of the commune repeated the words, all with an inhale.

  "Then my kill will be nameless if you draw any closer. You will not have your prize, the answer is no."

  All of them smiled at this. The same wide smile from before. The tall one raised both of his arms to the sky as high as they would stretch.

  "The light.. To it, claim it," he whispered.

  They all erupted in a ear-piercing howl, their mouths forming an O shape, eyes wide as dinner plates. Their banshee call struck such a fear in me as I will never forget. Then with eerie speed they launched themselves at Diamond.

  I bolted towards the line of albinos and swund my blade across their flailing forms. Diamond had pounced upon one of them and had locked her jaws around his neck. She jerked the head until it cracked. More of them descended upon us, I slashed and guouged in a fury. Stick thin arms pushed me with a cumulative strength, trying desperately to get to Diamond. We were overrun. Three of them were on top of Diamond now, she was trying desperately to get free. Numerous hands were pulling me back, away from her with an uncanny unified power. Diamond had her fangs sunk into the knee of one of them, while four others piled upon her, hugging her body with a palpable ecstasy in their eyes.

  They knocked me down, a gang of them forced me to the ground and pinned me. There lifeless faces hung over me, howling widely and shaking. I pushed and shook with all of my strength, screaming in anguish. They had her, they were suffocating her with their bodies. Each one of them was desperate to embrace her, they fought with each other while trying with mindless devotion to hold her to their bosoms. Diamond was being lost in a sea of flailing arms, I heard her shrieking in pain.

  A hand left my right arm, the albino holding it had given in to his temptation and headed for Diamond. My knife was on the dirt within reach. I grasped the hilt and drove it into the neck of the one pinning my chest. A blood rained from the wound upon my face. The albino never stopped his howling, even with his throat open and gushing. I feared that this had done nothing, that his hold on me wouldn't fail, but I felt his strength diminish. I leaned forward, slashing and cutting the remaining albinos who hd not yet given in.

  I rushed towards the pile of bodies trapping my dog against the earth. With all of my strength I began pulling their bodies away. It seemed they all were in  a trance, their bodies fell limp on the ground. I saw Diamonds head, her nose was forced to the ground, she was whimpering but still struggling. I pushed three more away, which gave Diamond just enough room to squeeze her way out.  The pile was dead weight, every one that had touched Diamond was now suspended in a euphoric slumber. They looked like a pile of corpses after a bloody battle.

  The few stragglers kept howling, and fell to their knees. Only five were left awake. I could see the desperation in their eyes. They had missed their chance. They panicked and began to convulse. They began to violently rip their own eyes from the sockets while shrieking in anguish.

  Diamond was limping and crying loudly. I regarded the strewn bodies of the sleeping albinos once more, while the stragglers writhed and kicked on the ground with trails of blood streaming from their eyesockets.

  Diamond and I turned and ran up the hill past the cave. Once were clear of the valley, Diamond yelped in pain. She didn't stop for an hour.



  We sat on the stony hill with a perfect view of the highest peaks we had seen yet, and the last I was sure. I could see the wind swept peaks cast a mist of frigid dust across the horizon almost like a warning. Diamond was chewing on the remnants of a bone; I was starting our fire.

  She had healed remarkably fast. I hadn't felt any broken bones, but I couldn't be sure, I was no expert in anatomy. But after being tackled by a scrum of deranged pale-skinned goblins not two days before she was amazingly unaffected. I had a tough line in me, even back then, but could still see the tall ones eyes as clearly as I could see my flint in my hand. I didn't suspect they would follow, but the thought certainly scared me. But my dog showed no memory. I thanked God for that.



  Putting the mountains behind us was a struggle indeed, but thankfully uneventful in the grand scheme. The cold of the high rises was almost insufferable, but cold has a short memory. As soon as your skin is warmed it almost immediately forgets why it had been shivering.

  My hunger was reaching its limits finally, but with good timing. We came upon a rather large town a few miles from the base of our final descent. This was the largest populace I had seen in quite some time, Diamond had only seen small villages. The horror of the wild was behind us for now, only to be replaced by the even more dangerous settlement of the civilized man. Diamond knew to be on her guard without being told.

  We entered the first tavern we came upon, a surprisingly clean estabilishment called "Mountain Dew."  It was crowded with pleasant looking folks sipping drinks, mostly hot ones, and chatting amiably. It was pleasant to see a calm, safe environment at last; but at the same time alarming. I knew I stood out here, and standing out can be dangerous. A large bearded man with an honest smile walked towards us with arms wide open. He chuckled.

  "Welcome! Be welcome, young man and mongrel alike! Take a chair, rest your boots on the keg and be at ease," he said, and paused, "Here at Mountain Dew, aye?"

  Most of the patrons cheered at this and raised there glasses. The grizzled man put his arm around me and walked me to a rocking chair near a corner fireplace.

  "Come from the mountains, chappy? A bit sight better this place must seem! What names do you carry, you and your flea-bag companion?"

  "My name is Scott, and you have my thanks. This is Diamond, and if she has fleas she hasn't complained to me yet."

  The big man laughed heartily at this, as well as all those within earshot. We weren't being regarded by everyone directly, but I could feel the unanimous attention anyway. It was a simple, good-natured feeling though,  I like a fond relative stopping by unexpectantly. I took a seat.

  "And yes, we just traversed the mountains. It nearly claimed us, so yes this place is a sight for the sore. What is your name?"

  The man took a seat on a bar stool and slapped his knee.

  "My handle is Hamble, Gregory Hamble. I own this tavern, as you might have guessed. I have to tell you Scott, my wife's buried many a red rag since we last seen a traveler come from the North. No roads through the rockies, not for many a year. Ha! It warms my gut to see one again!"

  "You must see a few occasionally, the mountains stretch to the sea."

  "You'd think. And yes we used to, Scott, at least a dozen a week I'd wager, but something changed maybe...oh...twelve, thirteen years nigh?"

  I smiled, and he returned it. He was a horrible liar, and he wore that openly.

  "And what might that something be, aye Hamble?" I asked, while taking a cold brew from a tavern maid. She layed a plate of meat scraps at Diamonds feet.

  "Ha, how foolish of me, you obviously seen them. You're the first who could give an account since my brother's brother...long story in and of itself...he but muttered five words before his driver dropped the reins, if you take my meaning. White smiles, all moved, darkness . That's all he said. And words like those have a way of becoming legend, and strong in a simple town as this. They be the miners I always thought, though many disagree. No way those men could still be alive they say, but it makes sense to this old rump. I'd hear your tale sure as moss on a limey, but first...rest, drink and eat! I'll prepare us a stew!"

  Hamble stood and grinned with heart-warming candor.

  "I would be glad to tell it. And again, my thanks to you and yours."

  Hamble disappeared into the kitchen; I rested my head and sighed. The feel of a real chair again was euphoric. My muscles sang their praises. I knew without even opening my eyes there were people summoning their courage to approach me and ask their questions. But I had a feeling they would leave those questions to Hamble.

  I hadn't realized how tired I really was until I was in this reclined posture.  Within a few minutes, I fell asleep by the crackling fireplace.

 

  I awoke with a blanket wrapped around me softly.  The fire had grown dim, the crowd was gone.  Diamond's head rested on my boot.  Hamble sat in a rocking chair directly before me,  his silhouette rocked slightly back and forth.

  "Good rest, son?"

  "Good indeed.  How long was I out?"

  "A few, boy," Hamble replied, "Where you headin', if you don't mind my question."

  "That's a good question in and of itself," I said, and laughed to myself.

  "A quest," Hamble said.

  "Yes."

  Hamble leaned forward.

  "It is not my intention to keep you from it," he said with an ominous tone. He stopped rocking and anticipated my response.

  His words hung in the air like tendrils of smoke. I did not fear this man, but I was starting to get the picture.

  "Then don't," I replied.

  Hamble sighed and leaned forward. I could see the desperate conflict in his eyes. This was not an evil man sitting in front of me, just a cornered man, which can be even more dangerous.

  "I own this town, Scott, I've mayored it since my pappy died, and he ran the slop after his. Six generations of my family's name have put there grit and snuff into the welfare of this place, Hamble it is named as you'd expect."

  "A proud tradition," I said.

  "Proud indeed, Scott. I'd stake my life for this dwelling under the mountain. And Scott, the mountains used to be our lifeblood. Hamble has thrived for many years. Tell me, did you see our town from afar in the daylight?"

  "No, dawn was breaking just as I arrived."

  "So you saw its size, aye?"

  "And marveled at it, it's been years since I've seen such a large settlement so isolated."

  "But you did not see it's state. Two-thirds of our homes and buildings are deserted, falling down. Are commerce is dying and nearly dead, soon even the most faithful citizens will have no choice but to leave and seek the city across the plain."

  "Many more than a dozen a week came, right Hamble? Back in the good days? I knew this town couldn't have survived without trade from the South. I am sorry to hear..."

  "It's the dog, isn't it?"  Hamble interrupted.

  We sat in silence and stared at each other. Diamonds head raised from my foot and looked at me. Hamble's eyes were distraught but focused. I didn't feel the low buzz of any threat from him just yet, but I knew without even checking that my knife had been removed from my belt.

  "What do you mean?" I asked.

  "If it's a game you wish to play, I'll join I suppose. You are the only man whose ever safely arrived in this town from the mountains in thirteen years. We've tried everything, sent convoys, wrote letters for aid, we even...aye, it doesn't matter."

  "Made a sacrifice? A virgin maybe?"

  Hambles head dropped into his hands.

  "It wasn't my idea. Fucking Melda, damn witch-doctoring loon. I was too late to stop it! But my point is we've tried everything. No one comes back, no one has a tale to tell, all we know is White smiles, all moved, darkness. My brother's brother is a farmer whose probably laying his wife as we speak. No one came back, those words were written on a parchment in blood a mile up the crest, a brave young chappy found it and cried off ten years ago."

  "A braver chappy then you, I see. You look no worse for the wear Hamble, if this town is so dear to your heart why is it you haven't faced the pale miners?"

  Hamble eyes widened.

  "So they are the miners..."

  "They came from the mine, that is all I know."

  "And what happened?"

  "Hamble, get to the point."

  Hamble stood, and Diamond reared up on her legs in an ready stance.

  "It has to be your dog. In fact, I'm sure of it, and despite how well you've trained your eyes to lie they give me all the answer I need."

  "Sit down, Hamble, if you wish to keep this a talk. Do it not and I will stand with you, aye?"

    Hamble looked at me for a few seconds, and then sat, but never removed his gaze.

  "And talk we can, Scott. Name your price, and you go free with no bother."

  "No."

  "Give us the mutt, boy, we're in need."

  "Not going to happen Hamble. You can throw me your shiniest jewels, loveliest women...hell, you can sacrifice as many virgins as you like, it won't change my mind," I said, and stroked Diamond's ear, "But you already know that. So the question is, where does that leave us?"

  Hamble stood again, and put his hand to his belt, my knife hanging by side.

  "You already know that as well, chappy."















READ MORE IN THE SEVEN THUNDERS PART 3