Fires of Prophecy: The Morcyth Saga Book Two (25 page)

Finished with getting the stubble off, he
replaces his knife and mirror back in the kit. He notices Jiron
pacing impatiently about the camp as he waits for the upcoming
auction. When his pacing brings him near, James says, “Relax.”

“Can’t,” he replies as he pauses a
moment.

“Tomorrow won’t get here any faster,” he
tells him.

“I know,” admits Jiron, “but I can’t just
sit and do nothing all the while knowing she’s stuck in there.” He
then resumes his pacing.

Several hours later, Delia and crew come
back with a wagon much emptier than had left. “How did you do?”
James asks as they roll up.

“You’re not going to believe it!” she
exclaims. “We received two hundred golds for one package alone!
Altogether, we collected seven hundred and fifty six golds.”
Beaming, she pats a small chest resting on the floor of the wagon
by her feet.

“Impressive,” he says as he helps her down
from the wagon.

“Thanks,” she replies.

Tinok says, “We were unable to find out
anything about your friend. We didn’t push too hard for answers
since we wanted to avoid drawing attention.”

“I understand,” responds James. He goes over
to Roland and asks, “Would you mind going into town with me?
There’s something I’d like to get.”

“Sure, what?” he asks.

“I want to find someone who can make a belt
for me to hold my slugs,” he explains.

“Right now?” he asks.

“If you don’t mind,” says James.

“Alright.” He says a few words to Ezra and
then with Jiron tagging along, they head back into town.

After inquiring with several locals, they at
last make their way to a clothier who specializes in leather.
Walking into the store, they see many different types of goods made
almost entirely of leather; belts, coats, hats, etc. Bent over a
table is a man currently working on stitching a belt together. When
they enter, he looks up and says, “One moment, please,” and then
finishes up with a few more stitches.

Thankful that the man speaks his language,
James says, “Not a problem.”

When he’s done, the man sets the belt aside
and then asks, “How can I help you?”

Stepping up to the table James says, “I am
interested in a belt, one that will hold the slugs for my sling so
I can have ready access to them.”

“Like what?” the man asks.

“I want firm pockets attached to the outside
of the belt, just large enough to hold each slug firmly so it won’t
fall out as I move,” James explains. “There should also be a slit
up the middle where I can grab it with my finger to pull it
out.”

The man takes out a piece of parchment and
begins drawing what James is describing. After a couple
corrections, James is satisfied the man understands what he’s
asking of him. “I could get something like this done for you,” the
man says, “for about five silvers.”

“I’ll give you six if you can finish it by
sundown tomorrow?” James offers.

Shaking his head, the man says, “I have
another order that I must do first, but I can have it ready by day
after tomorrow, for six.”

“Alright,” James says as he hands over three
silvers. “I’ll give you the rest when I pick it up.”

Taking the coins, the man says, “Very well,
day after tomorrow.”

James shakes his hand and then they leave
his shop.

They make it back to their camp and spend a
restless evening as they wait for the morning, and Tersa’s
auction.

The sun no more crests the horizon before
Jiron is itching to get going to the slave market for his
sister.

“Relax,” Roland says, “the auction doesn’t
start until two hours after sunup.”

“Still,” Jiron says as he resumes his
pacing.

Once they’ve had breakfast, Jiron, Roland
and James leave for the auction. Jiron sets a fast pace and the
coins in James’ shirt that he had brought for the auction can be
heard jingling with every step.

At the gates to the slaver’s compound, they
find a line of people has already begun to form to enter. They wait
their turn and finally pass through into the courtyard beyond.

They see that one of the platforms on the
edge of the courtyard has been set up for the auction. Pressing
through the crowd they maneuver to get as close to the front as
possible. Jiron looks around at all the people waiting for the
opportunity to purchase a living being and it just makes him
angry.

Several slavers are already in position
there on the platform, watching the crowd as the courtyard fills
up. Each has a whip hanging at their waists. Jiron stands there
impatiently for over ten minutes before a door finally opens in the
side of the courtyard and a line of girls comes out. Jiron looks
over at them anxiously but doesn’t see Tersa among them.

The auctioneer steps to the front of the
platform and calls for the first girl to be brought forward. When
she approaches the front of the stage, one of the auctioneer’s
assistants removes the girls clothing. Standing there naked, she
starts crying as they turn her around, showing her off to the
crowd.

Once the auctioneer has spoken to the crowd,
the bidding begins and James sees those in the crowd raising their
hands. When the bidding is done and the girl is being led to the
man who bought her, Roland says, “She went for seventy five
gold.”

“Is that a lot?” James asks.

Shrugging, Roland replies, “I don’t know,
I’ve never been here for this kind of auction.”

One by one they watch as the girls are
brought forward, displayed and then sold. Once sold, each has a
tether attached around their neck before being led off the platform
to be received by their new owner. One girl collapses in a faint
and has to be carried away. The onlookers laugh while some call out
to the new owner as he goes to take his property.

The next line of girls are brought out and
at the head of the line is Tersa, not looking nearly as nervous as
the rest of them. James can see her searching the faces of the
crowd, trying to find her brother, but isn’t able to.

When she is brought to stand next to the
auctioneer and stripped, James thought Jiron was going to run up
there, killing everyone. But to his surprise, he took it stoically
and endured this so he may have her back. The bidding commences and
Roland raises his hand to make a bid. It had been decided he should
be the one to bid on her since he understands the language.

During the bidding, James watches Tersa as
her eyes move from one bidder to the next in a hopeful attempt to
locate her brother. He can see a slight uplifting at the corners of
her mouth when her eyes stop their roving and settle on her brother
standing next to one of the bidders. A slight smile escapes her as
she stands there on the platform, knowing her brother is out
there.

Roland continues bidding until all but a few
are still with him. Then, from the back of the crowd, a loud voice
says something and the crowd becomes positively silent. Looking
back over the crowd, James sees a large man, easily a head taller
than anyone else in the courtyard. Bald head and extensively
tattooed, with two swords strapped to his back, he strides to the
front as the crowd quickly parts for him like the sea for
Moses.

All the other bidders are silent as the man
strides forward, confident that she is his. When Roland doesn’t say
anything, Jiron says, “Bid!”

“But…” he stammers.

Jiron, having picked up a little of the
language after having listened to the bidding, shouts out a bid in
their language.

The crowd collectively catches their breath
and the auctioneer pales. The giant of a man suddenly stops and
turns to see Jiron staring fiercely back at him. He cries something
out and again the crowd gasps.

“What’s going on?” James asks.

“That’s a Parvati,” he says, “terrible
fighters.”

“And?” Jiron asks.

“They have a custom that is supported by the
Empire,” Roland explains. “They may call for a blood duel if anyone
crosses them.”

James looks shocked by that, “Why in god’s
name would they support a custom like that?”

“They serve the Empire loyally and
fiercely,” he explains. “That’s why no one crosses them, those that
do, die.” He looks at Jiron and says somewhat nervously, “He has
called one on you for challenging his right to this slave.”

Jiron looks over at the Parvati and sees him
staring back at him. The crowd begins to widen into a circle, a
wide circle.

“So now…” begins James.

“Jiron must fight him, right here, right
now,” he finishes. Looking to Jiron, Roland says, “You have no
choice in the matter and it’s to the death.”

Jiron looks toward Tersa, who is standing
there on the platform, uncertain now that things are not going
exactly as she had anticipated. He removes his excess native attire
and with a glance to the waiting Parvati, he pulls his knives and
advances.

“Good luck,” says James.

“Thanks,” Jiron says nonchalantly, “just
like back in the pits.”

As he advances, the Parvati draws both
swords, one slightly shorter than the other. Not nearly as
confident as he’s making out, Jiron sizes up his opponent as he
would in the pits.

When he’s within about six feet of the
Parvati he stops and waits for the attack. Knives are no good
against an opponent who’s prepared and waiting for your attack,
you’ve got to get them moving so an opening will present itself
that you can take advantage of. Those in the pits who failed to
learn that didn’t last too long.

With a roar, the Parvati slashes with his
longsword while keeping his shorter one close for defense.

Jiron dances back and lets the sword pass by
in front of him, mere inches away, never once taking his eyes from
the Parvati’s.

The Parvati studies Jiron and then begins a
series of attacks using both the long and short sword.

Jiron easily deflects each blow, trying not
to absorb too much of the impact.
He’s good, but not the best
I’ve seen
, Jiron thinks as his knives move to counter each
attack.

The Parvati stops his attacks and steps back
as he stares in disbelief at the little man with the two knifes.
The expression on his face says he doesn’t understand why Jiron is
still standing.

Again the Parvati closes to attack Jiron and
launches complicated pattern, using attacks and feints to try to
get within Jiron’s defense. Unable to breach it, the Parvati begins
growing frustrated at not being able to kill this upstart.
Suddenly, pain erupts from his left outer thigh and he’s shocked to
see blood beginning to well from a shallow cut that Jiron had
managed to land.

The crowd gasps, utterly surprised that this
man with knives against swords had managed to draw first blood,
especially against a Parvati.

James nudges Roland who turns to see him
there with a smile on his face, “He’s good.”

“I see that,” Roland says, amazed.

His pride wounded at not drawing first
blood, the Parvati screams and presses the attack, trying to
connect less by skill than by brute strength.

This new series of attacks begins to leave
Jiron’s arms fatigued from having to take more of the force of the
blow on his knives rather than deflecting it away. Deciding to
change tactics, Jiron goes on the offensive, startling the Parvati
who’s not used to such a maneuver from an opponent.

With amazing agility, Jiron manages to get
within his guard and scores another slash across his chest. Not
deep, but it’s a staggering blow to the Parvati’s ego. Jiron takes
a few steps back to catch his breath as he watches to see what the
Parvati will do next.

The Parvati stands there staring at the
blood coming from his chest and then looks over to Jiron. His eyes
begin to turn red and flecks of foam can be seen at the edges of
his mouth. Berserker! Jiron recognizes the signs from others he had
faced in the pits. Berserkers are incredibly dangerous, but often
leave themselves open for counter attacks, providing their opponent
lives that long.

With a cry unlike any he had uttered thus
far, the Parvati races toward Jiron, swords flying with incredible
speed. Jiron’s knives deflect blow after blow, his arms deadening
from the impact of a berserker’s strength.

Then the moment comes that he was waiting
for, a series of attacks that will bring the longsword into just
the right position. He catches the longsword between his knives and
twists while at the same time jerking the longsword. To the
amazement of the onlookers, the Parvati’s longsword flies out of
his hand and sails over the crowd. Onlookers dive out of the way as
the sword strikes the ground, its point sinking a foot into the
ground. Everyone looks in awe at the weapon standing upright a
dozen feet from the combatants.

The loss of his sword snaps the Parvati out
of the berserker’s rage which greatly diminishes his strength. All
berserkers use up most of their stamina while in the rage. He
staggers backward, staring at his empty hand, not understanding
what had just happened.

Taking the offensive, Jiron advances upon
him, knives whirling in a pattern that a single sword is unable to
defend against.

Doing his best, the Parvati, who had been so
sure of victory, now was trying to merely survive. Cut after cut
springs open upon his body; arms, legs, and chest all begin to well
blood. Greatly weakened by the berserker rage, he’s increasingly
becoming unable to block Jiron’s blows. Until at last, Jiron gets
within his defense and slices him across the wrist, severing the
tendons. Unable to hold the sword any longer, he watches as it
falls from his now useless hand to the ground.

Without even pausing, Jiron moves in and
finishes him off with a stab through the chest, puncturing his
heart. To the shocked awe of the crowd, the Parvati falls to the
ground, dead.