Michael glared over toward Dabiri, wondering what
the man had been thinking when he had agreed to bring the Csytyrian civilians
along with them. Dabiri hadn't said much since they had departed
Csytyr, and Michael didn't really feel like bringing up the subject.
He had better things to do, like protecting the mass of people behind him.
At least it was something do to, he supposed.
Rose emerged from the mass of people behind Dabiri
and glanced toward the two of them. "Hello." she offered quietly.
Michael nodded toward her, not really wanting to deal with self-centered
clerics such as Rose. Dabiri favored his student with a smile and
a grander nod, and then turned his attention to the plains before him.
Rose turned to speak with Michael. "Sir Morhaime, I think that Cary
wants to see you." she said, not looking directly at Michael. Michael
shrugged and pushed his way back through the crowd toward where the rest
of the clerics were. The crowd ignored him, concentrating mainly
on walking. It is what they had been doing all of today, and most
of yesterday as well. Michael felt sorry for them, but was also annoyed
at having to escort them all the way to Eltai. The journey was going
to take a great deal longer now, he reflected.
"Sir Morhaime!" The shout came from Cary, who was
holding the leading end of the goddess' transport. Michael allowed
himself a short moment to just look at her, another short moment to reflect
on the dreams, and then walked over to Cary.
"What's the problem?" Michael asked. He hoped
it wasn't riders- they had been forced to stop the group multiple times
because brigands had ridden a bit too close. Michael would have fought
them off, but somehow Dabiri talked them into not attacking. Michael
suspected the use of magic, but let the topic go. He found himself
letting a lot of topics go lately.
"Dean's gone." Cary said.
Michael shrugged. He wasn't even sure which
cleric Dean was. "What do you mean 'gone'?"
"Well... He left this morning, like he usually does,
and he hadsn't come back. He's supposed to take over for me." Cary explained.
Michael just looked at him. This was the emergency?
"I wouldn't worry about it. Isn't he always missing?" Michael took
a guess. He remembered that one of the clerics liked to wander off,
he just didn't remember which.
"Well... yeah." Cary admitted grudgingly.
Arthur, who was holding up the other end of the
transport, smiled. "Sounds like Dean, all right. I wouldn't
worry." he said. Whispering in an exaggerated aside to Michael,
he added "After all, Cary just doesn't want to carry the transport anymore.
Some people just aren't cut out to be clerics." This earned a glare
from the cleric.
"Don't worry about it." Michael said to Cary.
"I'll carry your end for a while."
Cary looked suprised, but wasn't about to turn down
the offer. Michael took the transport, glad for something to do besides
glare at Dabiri, and resumed walking with the rest of the crowd.
A few minutes later, Eve arrived and releived Arthur. Michael hardly
noticed. His thoughts were on the goddess that he was carrying.
And the dreams in which she spoke to him. What did they mean?
If anything? Michael considered the possibility that his mind was
just making the whole thing up. It was certainly likely, after all.
This was his chance to be a hero. He hadn't been a hero at Ethanac.
He had just been the lucky one to escape the death that the rest of his
comrades earned at the hands of Thavirat's men. The only time that
he had been a hero had been when he fought at the temple. He had
defeated that thing...
It called itself Stinnett
Michael shuddered with the memory.
But he had defeated it, whatever it was. That had bought them some
time- enough time to escape. He had been a hero then. And if
the goddess was really speaking to him, he could be a hero then.
Not only to these clerics who he found himself with, but to the entire
world. He could save a universe from destruction.
If it was all true, and Michael was unsure of that.
A few hours later, Michael spotted Dabiri walking
through the crowd toward him. One of the clerics, Michael supposed
it was the errant Dean, followed afterward.
"It seems our lost fellow is found." Dabiri said,
gesturing toward Dean. "If you wish, sir Morhaime, you may relinquish
the transport."
Michael decided to let Dean carry the goddess for
a while. His arms were getting tired. Goddess or no, she still
was hard to carry for hours on end.
"It looks like it may rain." Dabiri said, moving
over to where Michael was standing. Eve and Dean continued forward,
and Michael and Dabiri, realizing that they might get left behind, followed.
Michael looked over to the horizon. "It may, but
not for some time yet. Hopefully, we shall arrive at Eltai this evening,
sometime after sunset. If it rains, we won't get there until it stops.
It'd be impossible to move a group this size in the rain- they'd fall over
and trample each other."
Dabiri nodded, looking as though he thought Michael's
predictions were a bit on the exaggerated side. "Michael, I think
we're being watched." he said.
Michael looked toward him. Apparently talk
about the weather was the only smalltalk Dabiri knew. After that,
he just cut straight to the point. "By who?"
"I don't know." Dabiri admitted. "But whatever
it is, it does not intend us good. Will you take a look around for
us?"
"Sure." Michael said. He didn't actually think
there was someone watching them, but part of him was inclined to trust
Dabiri's instinct. The man could be cryptic at times, but he was
usually right. "Where do you think our snooper could be?"
Dabiri closed his eyes for a moment. He might
have murmured somehting, but if he had, it was so low that Michael couldn't
hear it. An instant later, Dabiri's eyes snapped open. "Behind
us." He said, sounding winded. He looked up at Michael.
"Do you still have your sword?"
Michael nodded. Of course he still had his
sword. It wasn't every day that he got a weapon imbued with a goddess'
divine wrath- he wasn't about to let that thing go. "Do you think
I'll need it?"
Dabiri closed his eyes again, nodding. "It's
behind us, following at a safe distance... Oh my goddess..."
His eyes snapped open again. "Be careful Michael."
"Okay, I'll be careful." Michael replied,
having decided to humor the old cleric. Still, something about Dabiri's
demeanor stirred a small amount of fear inside him. The priest wasn't
usually this paranoid. Michael was too tired to argue, so he turned
around and started walking away from the rest of the group.
Dabiri watched him leave,saying a silent prayer.
Michael looked around, his senses on edge.
There wasn't anything back here- Dabiri must have just been paranoid.
He sighed loudly and turned around, preparing to head back.
The sound of a horse neighing sounded quietly behind
him.
Michael spun, drawing the sword more out of instinct
than anything else. He spotted a man, sitting on a horse, in the
distance. "Who are you?" Michael demanded.
Slowly, the man dismounted and began walking toward
Michael, his stride full of purpose.
"Stay where you are." Michael warned. He didn't
like this at all. Dabiri's warnings came back to him- the paranoid
way that Dabiri had looked was still fresh in his mind.
An arm came up, removing the hood and revealing
the visage underneath. Michael's mind siezed instantly on the face.
He knew this being. Stinnett! "You're dead." Michael
said, backing away unconsciously.
Stinnett smiled wickedly. "What's wrong?"
he asked, his voice mocking. "Are you afraid? Ha!" Stinnett's
laughter echoed through Michael's head. "It is such a shame- I thought
the hero of this world would be so much stronger. For one moment,
I was actually afraid- yes, me, Stinnett himself, afraid- that the Goddess
had tired of my presence. But, of course, if she's sending one such
as you, than I have nothing to fear. Even that trinket of yours can't
stop me."
Trinket? What trinket? Michael's mind
was racing. The only thing he had was... The goddess' sword!
As though responding to his thoughts, the
sword lit up suddenly, its magic surging through him. His fear was
washed away, and only the magic lived within his mind. "It is more
than enough to stop you, demon. You felt this blade once, and if
ever you feel it again, you will feel no more! This, I promise you!"
Michael was yelling at the top of his lungs, but was only vaguely aware
of it. The words didn't even seem to be coming from him.
Stinnett backed away, but it wasn't enough to save
him. With an inhuman cry of rage, Michael rushed forward, swinging
the sword toward the demon's torso-
And striking nothing. Where Stinnett stood
just a moment before, now there was nothing. The magic left Michael
swiftly, causing him to collapse on the ground as though one of his legs
had been knocked out from under him. He concentrated on breathing
for the next few moments, as it seemed his first priority. Slowly,
his strength returned to him and he was able to find his feet.
so go there!