Shades of the Past: The Morcyth Saga Book Six (7 page)

“No father,” his daughter says, holding up a
hand. “He’s alive.” She nods to Miko and adds, “I think he’s a
priest.”

Looking down at his son, blood soaked and for
all the world looking as if he’s already passed to the other side,
he holds little hope for his survival.

Others begin entering through the opening,
first James and then Jiron who has left the rope in the hands of
two of the other farmers. They make their way over to the others
and arrive just as Barric’s chest begins to rise and fall on its
own.

“He’s breathing!” his father exclaims.
Looking to his daughter, he can see his hope and joy reflected in
her eyes.

Another few minutes and the glow suddenly
disappears, the only light now in the cavern is that of James’ orb.
Barric’s eyes flutter open and he looks around at those standing
around him.

Miko gets to his feet and returns the Star to
its pouch. “How can I ever repay you?” the father says to Miko as
his son begins to sit up.

“There is nothing to repay,” he tells
him.

James comes and pats him on the back, “Good
job.”

“Thanks,” he replies. Then to the boy’s
father he says, “He should be okay now, but will need many days of
rest before he’ll fully recover.”

“What temple do you belong to?” the father
asks. “I would like to go and give my thanks and make an
offering.”

Miko looks surprised and glances to James.
James just shrugs and allows Miko to handle this on his own.
Turning back to the father, he says, “I don’t really belong to any
temple. The healing of your son was done by the power of the god
Morcyth.”

“Morcyth?” the father asks. “Don’t think I
know of him, but tonight I shall pray to him and offer my thanks
for the life of my son.”

“Maybe we need to start thinking about
getting everyone out of here,” Jiron suggests.

“Yes,” the father agrees. He offers his son a
hand and helps him to his feet. Barric has to lean heavily upon his
father as his legs have very little strength left.

Lifting his hand to his forehead, Barric
scratches and the cloth covering his head falls away. His sister
gasps when she sees the pink line where a jagged tear had been but
a day before. “It’s healed!” she exclaims.

“Of course it’s healed,” her father says.
“That’s what priests do.”

At that, Miko turns to James and silently
mouths,
‘Priest?’

James simply grins and pats him on the
back.

Using the rope, they help the brother and
sister up to the top first, then the father. James climbs up next
and Jiron follows last. They make their way along the sloping
passage, the father and another farmer helping Barric along. At the
opening, the two dogs greet Barric and Aria with barks and attempts
to jump on them but the farmer holding their leash keeps them at a
distance.

On the way back down the mountain, Aria
explains that this cave is a favorite of theirs. They’ve been here
many times before but this time while descending the shaft, Barric
slipped and fell.

“Why didn’t you come get help?” her father
asks.

“I’m sorry,” she says. “But I didn’t want him
to die all alone and in the dark.” Then she lays her head on his
shoulder and begins to release the pent up worry and sorrow she’s
been feeling since that fateful fall. Her sobs last quite awhile,
almost lasting until they reach the camp where Illan and the others
are waiting.

Most everyone is still awake, worried about
what was going on. Devin hears them coming and calls out, “They’re
back.”

As Illan comes forward, he sees the two kids
walking with them, Aria clutched to her father and Barric supported
between two of the farmers. “Good work,” he says to James with a
smile.

James turns to the father and says, “You are
all welcome to share our fire this night.”

Shaking his head, he replies, “Thank you, but
no. Our farm is but an hour away and I think it would be best to
return and put him to bed. Their mother is beside herself with
worry too and I would hate to extend her misery any longer than I
have to.”

“I understand,” James says. Extending his
hand, he adds, “Good luck to you.”

Taking it, the father says, “You too.” Then
to Miko he comes over, extends his hand but then reconsiders and
gives him a hug. “Thank you so much for my son,” he says softly.
When he releases Miko from the embrace, tears can be seen at the
corners of his eyes. At that, he and the others turn and make their
way back down the road toward their home.

“So what happened?” Illan asks after the
villagers leave. Everyone gathers around as James, Jiron and Miko
take turns relating the events as transpired upon and within the
mountain. When Miko comes to the part where he heals Barric and is
named priest by the father, he falls quiet.

“What’s the matter?” Yern asks him.

“I…I don’t think I am a priest,” he says.
“Just because I have the Star doesn’t make me one.” He looks to
James and asks, “Does it?”

James takes a long look at him while he
contemplates the answer. The shade of the dead priest of Morcyth
had stipulated the glow only manifests for priests of Morcyth and
the glow manifested for Miko. Did that make him a priest? Finally
he says, “I think by the broadest definition of a priest, you are.
A priest calls upon his god and things happen, such as when you use
the Star to heal people.”

“But, I don’t feel like a priest,” he says,
slightly scared. “You once named me a warrior priest of Dmon-Li.
Now am I a priest of Morcyth? Am I both?”

“Maybe simply being in possession of the Star
enables him to tap into the god’s power without actually being a
priest,” Scar says. “In fact, Potbelly and I once ran into…”

James stops him with a wave and says, “Not
now.”

Becoming quiet, Scar glances around and sees
that no one was paying him much attention anyway.

To Miko, James says, “If you are, you are.
There’s not a whole lot you can do about it right now.” He takes in
Miko’s demeanor and asks, “Does it bother you to be so named?”

After a moment’s thought, he shakes his head.
“No,” he says. “A name is just that, a name. I have made no vows of
priesthood so I can’t consider myself one.”

“These are the sort of things other priests
should discuss with you,” Illan says. Then to all those gathered he
adds, “But the night is waning and if we are to get any rest before
heading out in the morning, we best turn in now.”

“You’re right,” James says and they break up,
each heading to their tents except those currently on watch.

Miko walks with James and asks quietly, “Do
you really think I am a priest?”

“Yes, Miko,” he admits. “In one way or
another, I do.”

They walk the rest of the way in silence
until James’ tent is before them. Pausing before the entrance, Miko
says goodnight too. As he moves toward his tent, a smile comes to
him and he absentmindedly rubs the Star where it rests in the
pouch.

The following morning, with the sun breaking
through fluffy, white clouds, they get underway with James and
Illan in the lead. The group continues down the road as it meanders
its way through the foothills, never straying very far from the
mountains.

Refugees from the south stream past in
intermittent groups, those fleeing the impending conflict when the
Empire makes its push for Lythylla and the north. The few they do
speak to tell them the Empire has already made probing attacks on
the defenders at Lythylla but have yet to commit their entire
force. One man tells them that before he left, the force outside
the walls of Lythylla had grown to over five thousand with more
arriving every day.

“Grim news indeed,” Illan comments to James
after the man continues on.

Nodding, James hopes what he brought can win
the day against so many. He had thought to face perhaps a thousand,
maybe two.
But five thousand?
“We can but do our
best,” he says with more confidence than he feels. The outcome will
primarily depend upon how many mages they have. If but one or two,
he should be fine. They have yet to put more than that with any
force he’s encountered so far and it isn’t like they’re expecting
him to show up or anything.

The end of the day finds them approaching a
small town nestled in a small valley in the hills. “Yeln,” Illion
tells them as the town comes into view. They set up camp south of
town in the lee of a hill.

While preparations are underway to set up the
tents and get the horses settled in, a family is seen traveling
from the south. Illan takes notice with keen interest and says to
James, “Be right back.”

James nods his head and watches Illan move to
intercept them. When he’s crossed half the distance, an older
gentleman disengages himself from the others and moves quickly to
meet him. “Looks like he knows them,” he says.

Miko comes over and stands with him as he
watches the two men. When they come together, they exchange a
hearty handshake and then stand there in conversation for several
minutes.

The man’s family leaves the road and joins
the two men. A woman places her hand on Illan’s shoulder and he
gives her a hug. Suddenly, Illan releases her and stands erect. A
few more words are exchanged before he turns and returns to where
they have all but finished settling in. Behind him, the family
returns to the road and continues making their way north,
eventually entering Yeln.

As Illan approaches, they begin to take note
of the expression on his face. Many of the recruits have been on
the receiving end of that expression through some infraction or
other they had the misfortune to make during their training. All
hope never to see it directed at them for it means dire
consequences. The fact that he’s wearing it now can only be
bad.

James and Miko make their way to him and
James asks, “What’s wrong?”

When he nears them he comes to a stop. In a
voice quivering in rage, he says, “My wife is dead.”

“What?” exclaims Miko.

“How?” asks James. He glances over his
shoulder and sees Devin already has his tent ready for him. Turning
back to Illan he says, “Let’s go to my tent and you can
explain.”

Illan nods and stalks forward toward James’
tent. On the way James catches Jiron and Delia’s eye and indicates
for them to come along as well.

Devin comes forward, sees the expression on
Illan’s face and stops in his tracks. His heart begins beating
again when he realizes it’s not directed at him. He glances to
James who says, “Make sure we’re not disturbed for anything.”

Nodding silently, Devin moves to the tent
flap and holds it open for them to enter. Once they’re all in, he
closes it and takes position outside.

“What’s going on?” Delia asks as she looks to
James.

He nods to Illan and remains silent. All eyes
turn to Illan as he stands there in silence for a full minute. Then
in a voice cracking with sorrow and anger, he explains. “My wife is
dead. Our son and his family taken. Everything my family has is
gone!”

Delia gasps and Miko asks, “How?”

Illan turns his gaze to James and says,
“Things have gone ill in Seastar.”

Seastar. The last time they were in Seastar,
they had freed a captain from jail in order to reach the far side
of the Sea in short order. “It’s not because of the captain is it?”
he asks.

Nodding, Illan replies, “Yes it is. Remember
that man whom the captain hit, Lord Faetherton?” When James nods,
he continues. “Seems he found out who it was that took the captain
from the jail, nothing stays hidden in a small town. From what my
friend said, it didn’t take him long to extract his revenge on the
only ones available.”

“Your family,” says James in sorrow.

Illan nods. “That’s right. Through means
legal and foul, he ousted Harlan from the Magistrate’s office and
basically took over the town. From then it was fairly easy for him
to jail my wife, my son and his family. He then took our lands and
all our possessions as reparations for taking the captain.”

“How could he get away with all this?” Jiron
asks, not believing what he’s hearing. “Shouldn’t the guards or
even the townsfolk have done something?”

“With the war going on, all able bodied men
are down south,” he explains. “There was no one left to stand
against him but old men and young boys. He’s acquired a score or so
of toughs who keep the people in line and none now dare gainsay his
wishes.”

“Did he kill your wife?” Delia asks.

“Not directly, no,” he replies. “She
languished in jail, as has my whole family, through the winter. She
caught pneumonia and died. My son and his family are still being
held.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” announces
Jiron. Everyone turns to look at the murder in his eyes. “Seems we
have some justice to dispense!”

“I agree,” says James, Delia and Miko both
nod in agreement. “We can’t let this continue.” To Illan he says,
“We’re with you, just tell us what you want to do.”

“I thank you all,” he says and then marches
from the tent. “Jorry! Uther!” he hollers in the tone of voice all
have come to know and at times fear.

“Yes, sir?” Jorry replies as he and Uther
come running. The others move closer to see what’s going on.

“I’ve got some work for you two,” he
says.

Late the following afternoon, Illan along
with everyone else but Jorry and Uther, approach the outskirts of
Seastar. The mood of the group is somber, the story of what
happened to his family has been told to each and every member of
their group. They are saddened by his loss while at the same time
angered at the man who is behind it.