Alchemist (11 page)

“How do you know
it was safe to drink?” Darius asked.

“It didn’t make me
ill.” With that said, Lyle led them inside.

The interior was
no better than the outside. The main entrance led them into a bar,
which to everyone’s surprise, was very busy. None of them could
imagine the draw of such a place.

“I’ll be back in a
second.” Lyle said, heading for the bar.

The others took a
seat at an empty table. Connor glanced across the sea of faces. No
one had even cast them a passing glance when they came in. By the
sweat on their brow and the tattered clothes most of them wore he
could tell that the main trade in the town must be farming. Though
living in such a harsh landscape on the edge of the desert must not
have bought much food. He figured not much of it would have been
sold – if any at all. No, these people just had to do what they
could to scratch out survival.

“Maybe stopping is
not such a good idea.” Faye said, keeping her voice low. She peered
about warily.

“I didn’t want to
either but I’m very tired after all that running.” Terry replied,
resting her head on a folded arm.

“I know and I am
not trying to sound ungrateful. But maybe we should go in a few
hours rather than wait till morning.”

Terry yawned. Her
bones ached. “I’m a little nervous about stopping too but we’re a
few miles over the border now and we were downwind of the colony.
It will likely be a couple of days before the patrols start heading
through here. They’ll be looking under every rock in the desert
first.”

Faye seemed
unconvinced. “Are you sure?”

She shrugged.
“Well, I can’t be that sure but dad never sends patrols out this
far.”

Connor leant
forward across the table, lest unwanted ears heard him. “But this
time they’re looking for
you
.”

“I know but there
are loads of towns and villages on the border just like this one.
It would take days to check them all. Also it was very windy
earlier, so it’s not likely that they’ve picked us up.”

Connor and Faye
looked at one another, doubt bare on their faces but neither said
anything.

But the Alchemist
caught them. “What do you want me to say? How can I possibly know
for sure?”

“I wasn’t having a
go or anything.” Connor said, brushing away her anger.

Lyle returned at
that moment. “We’ve got two rooms on the third floor. The
bartender’s going to send someone up with food in half an hour.
It’s only bread and stew though on offer I’m afraid.”

Terry squinted at
him. “What did you pay him with?”

“A couple of
silver coins.”

Connor arched an
eyebrow. “Silver coins? You bought money with you?”

Lyle lowered his
voice as he sat down beside Darius. “It’s not real silver. It was
just two fifty pence’s.”

Connor laughed.
“But you told them that it was silver?”

“Well they do not
know any different, do they?

Terry had fallen
asleep as soon as she touched the bed. Darius sat on the bed on the
opposite side of the room, chewing on a piece of bread. It was
stale and the thin, grey soup did little to improve the taste.
Their accommodation was cramped. A sleeping mat and a hard pillow
had been laid out for Connor. No matter how well they paid this was
still the best the hotel could do with its poor resources.

A grinding sound
caused Darius to gaze across to Terry, who’s back faced him. The
skin on her back crawled, as if snakes moved beneath it. Then it
stopped.

Darius tip-toed
back to his own bed. “Why does that happen sometimes?” He
whispered. He had seen it the other night too when they camped in
the desert.

Connor looked up
from his food. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, why does
her skin do that sometimes when she’s asleep? I’m always worried
she’s going to change.”

Connor shook his
head. “She won’t change in her sleep. Do you think she’s going to
eat you or something?”

“Sometimes.”

Connor smirked.
“I’ve known her since I was a kid. If she was going to do it, I
would have been a goner a long time ago. I think you’re safe.” He
swallowed the last mouthful of his stew. “It’s just her body
shifting.”

Darius nodded.
“This soup’s not very good.”

“Aye but what do
you expect in a place like this?” Sitting the empty bowl to one
side, he lied down.

“The first thing
I’m going to do when we get to the Lake Kalo is have a shower.”
Darius said, pouring himself a glass of water.

Connor laughed.
“Me too. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

A few minutes
later Darius snuffed out the candle and settled in for the night.
He quickly fell asleep, unaware that on the horizon a hundred
strong legion marched their way...

Run

Terry looked at
each of her companions in turn through the poor lantern light –
they were just as terrified as she was.

“I know you are
here! Do not make the mistake of hiding from me!” shouted a voice
from the town square below.

Lyle’s gaze found
Terry’s. He gave a slight of the head and took a step toward the
door but he was stopped from going any further when Terry waved her
hands and shook her head vigorously at him.

A glint in his
eyes told her that he was not pleased with her decision but Lyle
kept his peace and pressed his back to the wall, resuming the
position he had occupied moments before.

Outside a tall,
thin man, dressed in long, dark robes turned slowly around,
examining the faces of the townsfolk that had gathered about him.
They were kept at a distance from the man by way of a ring of
armoured human-form Alchemists.

Beyond the line of
the guards some faces watched in fear, huddled in doorways and
behind windows but the ones in the street stared on passively, in
different to this loud visitor from the north of their border
town.

When no reply was
forthcoming, he began to shout again, the poor light from the
street lights highlighting the grey in his thinning blonde hair.
“Someone came though here today! A traveller!” He turned around,
his robes swirling behind him. “Someone who does not belong here!
The person who delivers her to me will be greatly rewarded!”

Darius shot Terry
a weary glance, from where he sat crouched, hidden below the window
frame that overlooked the square. “He sounds pissed!” he
whispered.

“He’s always
pissed.” Terry replied, her back pressed against the wall to his
left.

“He’s only angry
because you won’t go to him.” Lyle said.

Terry shot him an
angry look. “If we go out there now then everyone will know that
we’re back and we’ll never get to Lake Kalo.”

Lyle rolled his
eyes, the moonlight casting his features in silver highlights and
heavy shadows. “We’ve been caught it is time to give this up. We
will just have to convince your father to help us.”

“What? Let him
invade Earth and go to war with this country? What a great
idea!”

Lyle gazed at her
angrily but before he could reply an angry shout grabbed all their
attention.

“Terrifallo!”
roared the King, at the top of his voice.

“Shit.” Terry
swore under her breath, pressing herself even tighter against the
wall.

Connor leant
forward. “Sorry to interrupt, but I think we should be getting out
of here.”

Faye looked about
the room, her vision finally resting on one of the back windows.
“Terry.” She said, nodding in its direction.

“Go!” Terry
whispered, waving her on. Being the closest, Faye opened it and
climbed out. Darius crawled across the floor, fearing to stand less
he be spotted. Terry urged Connor on and the fire elemental did as
he was bid.

Lyle joined Terry
as she finished edging around the room to the window. “Is this
really what we have become? The heir to the empire sneaking out of
windows?”

“Just...”
she hissed, raising a hand to him. But another shout of her name
from the town square told her that they did not have time.
“
Go
.” It was not a request.
Terry had never seen her uncle give her such a resenting look
before but still, he went. Terry was the last to climb out of the
window to the alley below.

In the
square the king continued to wait. When it became apparent that
no-one was going to come forward to reveal her whereabouts his
patience finally snapped. “
Fine
.” He nodded to the lead guard, who gestured
to his men. They drew blades and began proceeding towards every
building and home about them. Screams filled the night as residents
fled, often pushing and falling over one another in a stampede to
get away from the deadly insects.

Darius stopped and
looked back as a scream caught up with them, piercing the night.
Seeing him falling behind, Connor slowed. He too could not help but
look back. There was another scream. “Come on.” He said, touching
the youth lightly on the arm. Darius started to follow but he could
not help but look back one last time. He feared to think what was
happening to the residents of the town they had just fled but he
knew there was nothing he could do. Pulling himself away, he turned
and ran.

******

The heat of the
sun was unrelenting. They had kept moving all night, only stopping
once just before dawn briefly after Darius complained. After the
youth had sat for a few minutes Lyle had wrenched the youth to his
feet with an iron grip to keep moving. He had not complained
since.

“How are you
keeping?” Lyle asked Faye, wiping the sweat from his brow. They had
slowed to a walk, none of them able to move any faster in such
heat.

Connor was unfazed
but his feet ached from running for most of the night.

“
I’m a
little bit warm but I am alright.” She replied, unconsciously
wiping sweaty palms against her clothes.

Lyle gave a slight
smile. “Let me know if you get thirsty. I will help you find
water.”

“I will.” She
replied. There was a long pause as they trudged onwards. “Will your
brother forgive you and Terry for running away from him?”

Lyle stared off
over the vast grasslands. Despite the shift to more lush terrain
the desert heat had not yet left them. “I don’t know. He’s the
nicest man you’ll ever meet but he has a vicious temper. Only an
idiot would dare cross him.”

“Forgive me for
saying but you’re temper can be just as short.”

He smiled that;
something she had not seen in years. “I know, but it’s nothing
compared to his. In the past he’s slaughtered whoever’s stood in
his way just because he got angry.”

“Maybe this was
not the best course of action. Your king could help us track down
Edward with his men. Even if it is not him, a murderer, especially
a Phantom, cannot be allowed to walk the Earth.” She observed.

“I agree. But we
didn’t really have the time to argue.”

Connor couldn’t
help but over hear them. Lowering his voice, he asked Terry, “Do
you think we did the right thing?”

“I hope so.” She
sighed, revealing her own doubts. “I thought it would be better to
remain anonymous until we found Lord Rilario rather than have
everyone coming after us. Now we just have my father after us which
may be just as dangerous.”

“We won’t make it
to the Lake Kalo on foot. We’re going to have to get some sort of
transport.” He smirked. “It’s stupid isn’t it? I could fly or you
and Lyle could transform and sprint and we’d be there in no time
like we did yesterday. But we can’t do any of that without being
spotted now, can we?”

Terry failed to
see the funny side. “You’re right we’re too exposed to try anything
like that now.”

“Your father will
chase us to the lake won’t he?”

“Yeah, he will.”
She sighed, although she hated terribly to admit it. “And that’s
assuming this lord is even at his estate there. He’s probably
fled.” They walked on in silence for a minute as she collected her
thoughts. “Maybe we should split up. You, Darius and Faye could go
on and we’ll go back. That way we’ll keep dad occupied and you can
find Lord...” A hot pain exploded in the back of her neck. Terry
reached round. Her fingers fell on a long, thin object that seemed
to be protruding from her flesh. She pulled it free and gazed at it
as her vision began to flicker. It was a dart. Connor suddenly fell
in front of her. She looked at him curiously and was about to speak
but the words would not come out. She felt her knees grow weak,
then saw the world racing up to meet her.

******

Shafts of colour
punctuated the gloom then vanished. Then they returned again, this
time lingering for longer before disappearing once more. The third
time they surfaced the colours resolved into shapes. Hazy at first
and distant, they eventually gained definition.

Terry’s head
throbbed. It felt like a lead weight. She tried to move but she
could barely feel her limbs. Then she looked down and saw them. She
was in chains. Panicking, the Alchemist tried to summon her blades
but they failed to eject. Twisting, she tried again, this time also
trying to move her tentacles but her body felt numb.

“This one’s
awake!” shouted a voice. A face leaned over her. The man was
hideous. His face was grubby, forming deep creases every time he
smiled his broken toothed smile. His breath reeked, causing Terry
to wince against the slab she was chained too. “And she is hot! I
think I might have a bit of her!” He laughed, turning back to his
companions and grabbing his manhood.

When he turned
back, Terry spat a mouthful of acid in his face. He screamed,
clawing at burning flesh as he fell to the floor. Terry lifted her
head, hissing at the other men who gathered around her. One of them
struck her across the head with the butt of a rifle. It stung and
her skin bled but she remained conscious. Terry spat again, this
time missing as the rifleman pulled away out of her reach.