Legends Of Thamaturga The Guardian : The Guardian Read online

  Legends of

  Thamaturga

  The Guardian

  H.C. MacDonald

  Copyright © 2016 HC MacDonald

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN:

  ISBN-13:

  DEDICATION

  To my family thank you for your Love and Encouragement.

  To Ruth and Holly thank you for all your help

  To my fans thank you for your support and love.

  Prologue

  Nezra wandered the halls of his fortress, plans in place. When he reached his study on the top floor he was greeted with a familiar face.

  “Are you ready?” Nezra asked.

  “Yes, I have perfected all my skills.” The young man replied.

  “Take her and leave. You will know when it is time.” “I will follow the plan.”

  “You must.”

  The stranger took his leave and with him the spirited prisoner. They headed to the shoreline of Thamaturga. There, with the prisoner shackled, they waited patiently in a cave for the sign.

  Part 2

  The Guardian

  Chapter 1

  Fortress

  Leon

  The capture and brawl had gone off without a hitch. Ethan walked away with a black eye and light scratches. Gregory a broken arm. Thibault a split lip and cut leg. Nobody would suspect we weren’t really attacked. I was taken as their prisoner. Our plan was working.

  Gregory’s acquaintances held up their end of the bargain and promptly sold me to the Raiders. I stayed in a partial transformation. The most hideous parts of me present. My fur lined my back and stuck up high on my head. My face half man, half beast. My arms elongated and my fingers tapered into my claws. I felt this would hide my identity, and allow me to be prized enough to be taken to the fortress instead of being killed on site. It worked. The Raiders liked the idea of me being their entertainment. Raina was not at the camp. Instead others like me were chained in cages, ready to be sent off.

  I arrived days later. I was sore from all the bumps and dips the wagon took along the way. The fortress was large. A thick wooden gate with iron bars awaited our entrance. We were checked by the Raiders at the gate. Each adding their own insult my direction. Inside the courtyard I was re-shackled and dragged into the stone fortress building. As we walked, I tried to pick up on every detail. There were four guards at the gate, two more on the walkway above the courtyard, and another six more in the courtyard. We walked up one set of stairs, then down a long hall to another thick wooden door. There were to many guards to make an escape the way I had come. I would have to find another way.

  The Raider at my front opened the heavy door. We were greeted with the smell of waste. I vomited in my mouth. A set of iron bars greeted us. He unlocked the second gate and thru me into a cell. I sat there alone in solitude for six months. My only visitor, Raiders, and that was just to bring me a meal from time to time.

  One day they finally came to move me. He shackled my arms and legs, then waited for his companion to secure the area. They then took me to another stairwell. Out thru a large wooden door like before and an iron gate. We walked down a long hall. Either side of us were more cells. Each filled with a body. I didn’t know if they were dead or alive. None looked our way.

  “Put him in here.” The raider in front of me chuckled.

  “Ah, yes, she will make a tasty snack for him.” The one behind me said as he unlocked the cell door.

  I snarled at them both, playing my part. Then in an attempt to irritate them lashed out. I was immediately thumped across the chest. It knocked my breath out of me for a moment. I stumbled into the cell. My hope, that Raina was in this part of the fortress. The door closed and locked behind me. The Raiders laughed as they strolled down the hall and out the doors.

  I knew it wasn’t Raina. I could smell it. Slowly I turned. Growling and ready to fight. Hidden in the corner in the shadows and a pile of dirty hay was a young girl, no more then twelve. She was very thin, and scared. I immediately stopped growling. I moved to the bench that hung from chains on the wall and sat.

  “I won’t hurt you.” I said to the shadow.

  Slowly, she moved out of the corner. She came to sit in front of me between the bench and the door.

  “What is your name?” I asked.

  “Kayley.”

  Her voice was a mere whisper. She looked at me. Then down at the cell floor. Opting to draw on the rocks with a piece of straw. I watched her silently. Thinking what my next steps would be, this plan to escape had been taking to long. Now that I had been moved, this might be the chance I needed to get out, and find Raina.

  Hours passed, neither of us saying a word. My stomach growled. My hunger was getting to me through my boredom. “Do they feed us?” I broke the silence with my question.

  “Sometimes.” Kayley answered. She had been playing with the piece of straw for hours. I laid on the bench with one arm under my head.

  “Is there a way out of here?” I figured we had the time, and I needed more information to formulate a plan.

  “My friend may know a way.” She replied.

  “Is your friend here?” I asked starting to feel frustrated. She was not very forthcoming with answers.

  “Maybe.” She said.

  I ran my hand thru my hair. “Can I talk to her?”

  “That’s up to her.” Was the reply.

  Okay, I thought, let’s try a different line of questions. Maybe that will get us somewhere. “How often do the guards come in?”

  “Sometimes every day, sometimes twice a day, sometimes not at all.” Kayley said.

  “Do they always come in pairs?”

  “No.”

  “So they come alone sometimes.”

  “Yes.”

  I felt a little hope. If one came alone, opened the cage or got close enough for me to grab hold of. Maybe with the help of the others here, I could get loose. Find Raina, then head home.

  “Do you know any of the others here.”

  “No, they sleep mostly.”

  I was feeling frustrated again. This was going to take time. I stood up to pace the cell. I needed to have a plan. I was at the end of our cell facing the moldy stone wall deep in thought when I heard the sound of an iron door move. I moved to the bars and looked through the cells to the doors I had come through. No one was there. I moved back into the shadows of my cell. I heard the noise again. My back was to the bars. As I stood there, I smelled the familiar scent I had come to know Raina by. It was very faint. Hard to decipher from the other stenches that filled the floor I was on. A flutter of relief filled me. She was here somewhere. I heard the young girl move closer to the bars.

  “You have a guest.” I heard Raina’s voice say. I turned from the wall to face the cell bars. Beyond the iron cage sat Raina. She was covered in dirt and wore a burlap sack tied at the shoulders. I could see a fresh cut across her collar. Anger swelled up inside me. I watched as she handed the girl two rolls of bread. With a smile she added, “Tell him the rules. We don’t want anyone to get hurt. Three days to the arena event, keep your head down.”

  The young girl smiled up at her. “I can do that.”

  “I know you can. I am counting on you.” Was Raina’s reply. She patted the girls hand and then stood to walk away. I wanted to go to her. For some reason I didn’t. I stayed in the shadows. Afraid of her seeing me in this grotesque state I had transformed into. Afraid she would not remember me. I watched her as she gave each person a roll of bread. I could see the fresh whip marks on her back and scars on her shoulder. It looked as if someone had taken a knife and carved words into her back. I vowed to kill a
nyone who had done this to her.

  Raina had just finished passing out all the bread she had brought and was headed back to the opposite end of the hall. As she passed our cell, I moved out of the shadows to the bars. She glanced at me and smiled. Then moved the iron grate that covered the wall and disappeared.

  I was so relieved that she was alive. Together we could escape. I looked down at the young girl. She handed me some bread.

  “Is that your friend?” I asked with a smile.

  “Yes, she always brings us food when she can.” She said stuffing the bread into her mouth.

  “How long have you been here?” I asked her.

  “A few months now.” She took another bite. “My father and I were captured. Raina says he’s okay and will be waiting for me. She can get you information if you need it. How long have you been here?”

  “A while now. I hope to leave soon.”

  “I’m leaving soon. Raina says so.” She said with a smile.

  “How is that?” My curiosity peaked. Did Raina already have a plan. She was resourceful, and from what my sister Sanna had told me, knew this fortress like the back of her hand. If anyone knew how to slip by the guards, she did. I felt a surge of hope grow inside me. I knew a plan would come together. “So what are these rules of yours?” I asked my host.

  “First, don’t upset the guards. If you do, you will go to the Arena. Raina can’t help you there. Second, if you do go to the arena, run as fast as you can to the gate. It is only open for a short time. Three…”

  “Wait, why is the gate only open for a short time. Why do I need to run to it?”

  “So you don’t get killed. That’s what Raina says.” She was so absolute in her answer I dared not question her again.

  “Three, whatever she tells you to do you do. No questions. Got it.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” I replied. These were easy enough rules. Considering number one, my plan to take down the guard was canceled. I needed to trust Raina. If she did have a plan, that was good enough for me.

  Chapter 2

  Snapper

  Raina

  I had been here just over six months. When I first arrived, they took me to see Nezra. He took the necklace Sanna had given me and branded it to my back then whipped me for being in possession of magic. I then spent the next month in isolation. They eventually moved me into a section with other prisoners. I recognized the floor as the one below my mother’s. I kept to myself. Searched for loose bricks, weak joints in the bars, anything to aid my escape.

  One day when the raiders had been doing rounds they were complaining about loosing the beast keeper, I volunteered. It would grant me the freedom I needed to visit my mom and plan my escape. The raiders were happy to have me.

  I was put on the ground floor. I had no cell, just a chain fixed to the wall and shackle around my ankle. I could work with that.

  The beast I was to tend was a snapper; a vial creature. He had a body of a snake. Hard hump on its back protected by a shell. His head poked out of the shell at the top. He had transparent fins that flowed in a line down the sides of his body. They moved gently in the wind. Even looked soft to touch, but were extremely poisonous. One touch of the fin you were dead in seconds. Completely paralyzed from head to toe.

  This one was close to ten feet tall and another eight to ten feet long. He moved slow compared to other animals. However, he could keep pace with us. He could outlast any runner in the arena. What he lacked in speed he made up for with a lightning quick tongue. It could reach a good ten to fifteen feet in front of him. It was slimy and sticky. Anything it touched would end up at its mouth. The tongue was what you had to watch out for.

  The snapper was near impossible to kill. It only had one weak part at the back of its neck, between the hard shell and its head. If you could spear the beast in that one spot, you could kill it. Getting to the spot was life threatening. I had volunteered to be its keeper.

  My job consisted of cleaning out its cage. Feeding it between matches, and keeping myself alive. I was given a helper once. She didn’t listen and got to close. The snapper whipped out its tongue and she was crushed by the cage bars.

  As for my freedom; it took me a few weeks to be able to slip my ankle out of the shackle. Once so, I began learning the routines and habits of the raiders. I didn’t want to be caught. When I was confident I had the schedule down, I ventured out. First stop was to my mom.

  She was not on her floor. The cells were now filled with young children. My heart ached for them. I then began searching the rest of the fortress. There were so many prisoners. More than there ever was before. What was Nezra up to? Why so many? He never kept that many before. Now, everything was full. Nezra even had people helping about the fortress. I searched the entire fortress, she was not here. I hoped she was still alive.

  I couldn’t help my mother, but I could help these other prisoners. There were three kinds. The ones eager to leave. The ones ready to die. The ones who would betray you. The first time I opened cells for a planned escape, I had some troubles. An older man ran down the hall yelling for the raiders to come. Told them I was sneaking about. Five people died that day, including the snitch. I had to scramble back to my post. I barely made it. It didn’t stop me from getting whipped. I think if it were not that I tended the snapper I would have been killed with the others.

  It took me weeks to get over my guilt and fear. I was more cautious. Started bringing bread and scraps from the kitchen to the prisoners. Those that talked to me, thanked me, I tended to trust. Those that would call for the guards not so much.

  Eventually, those that yelled for the raiders would be sent to the arena to face the snapper. Even then I would try to give them pointers. Help them out. Very few would listen. One raider saw me giving advice to a group getting ready to go in. Since then, they built a cage that hangs over the arena just for me to watch. Says it will teach me to keep my mouth shut. It never does though. I will never stop trying to help those here.

  I couple months after my first botched attempt at helping people escape, I tried again. I was able to get close to thirty people out in one night. When morning came, the raiders were baffled and afraid. None wanted to tell Nezra. Security tightened then. We also had a new batch of prisoners arrive.

  My next attempt was the children on my mothers old floor. They needed guidance and help. Some to young to understand. I picked some of my more trusted prisoners. They ensured me they would keep them safe. With their help, we emptied the four cells. The raiders never filled those cells again. I had spread rumors when the raiders would discuss the disappearances. Claim another raider would bring them by, or they were sent to clean the snapper cage and didn’t make it.

  One night I was making a food round. I saw they had brought in another child. They didn’t put her upstairs where the others were once held. They tried putting her in with some shifters. There were some mean and cruel ones in that section. I ended up bargaining with some of the nicer ones to protect her. I felt she was my responsibility. She reminded me of an older version of Keiko.

  I had a small window for my allies and the child in that section to escape. However, a few brut’s caught wind of my plan and threatened to kill the others. I arranged for the escape of the three brut’s only. They didn’t follow any of my directions, ended up tortured and killed. They gave me up to the raiders. I got another trip to the whipping block. I also got a guard watching me half the day. Made it harder to help those in need. When I did get a moment. I would hurry to the kitchen for scraps and make as many rounds as I could. I couldn’t stay and talk anymore.

  Time was of the essence. I caught wind of a raider party leaving soon. It would allow for a chance of a mass breakout. They always celebrated with a slaughter in the arena, food and drink. By the time they would notice, I would have most the prisoners freed. If I was on point, I could empty out Kayley’s floor before the next arena selection protecting her and the others.

  It was late in the day, my chores done. I sat a
gainst the wall with my eyes shut for hours now, listening to the sounds of the fortress. My guard had other things to do than sit and watch me, I heard him say. At the announcement, he got up and walked away. I sat for an hour longer. If he came back it would have been by now. He was probably gambling and drunk. He wouldn’t be back. I grabbed some food and headed out. My last floor was Kayley. I was hopping to spend a little time with her tonight.

  I got to her floor, I lifted the iron grate in the wall just enough to check for raiders. I didn’t see any. I moved the grate out of the way and went to deliver food. As I got to Kayley’s cell, she had company, another shifter. The mean ones never transform completely to human. He stood in the shadows. I looked at her, then back at him. Here we go, I thought, test his loyalty. I gave her my loaf and hers. Told her to tell him the rules. I wanted to trust him, but knew it may be a vain attempt. None of the others like him could be trusted.

  I finished leaving bread for all, even those who had given up hope and no longer wished to leave. I walked back toward my hole in the wall. The stranger stepped out of the shadow. I prepared for the betrayal, a call to the raiders. He didn’t call for them. He just watched me with curious eyes. They reminded me of Leon. I knew he wasn’t here. He would have to be a fool to attempt to come here, not to mention, the raiders would kill him on site if they knew who he was. I smiled at him for reassurance. Then slipped into my hole and went back to my station.

  I got back, a raider was waiting for me. I had to come up with a quick lie. He didn’t fully believe me, and I got another whipping. My shackle was tightened. My plans to get Kayley out would have to wait. I didn’t have much time. This would put a damper on my plans. Make them more rushed. I began the process of loosening my shackle.

  It took a couple days, my shackle was loose, or my ankle was thinner. Either way, I could move about again. I heard the raiders laughing at the thought of Kayley being next to go into the arena. I needed to act. It was close enough to sundown, that I could make it happen. I took my daggers out of my hiding spot behind a loose stone. Tucked them into my rope belt and headed to the floor they were on. I knew two raiders would be assigned to select prisoners. I also knew the prisoners would help me if I needed it. They would grab arms and hold them against the cells if I asked. I could do this. If I was lucky, it would only be one raider in that section with me at a time. If both were there, then I would need to go over the top of them to block the door. I couldn’t handle an entire party of raiders. Two, I think I could handle two.