CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

*~~~**~~~*

Urman

*~~~**~~~*

22nd of Decepter, 935 PC

Urman crossed his arms and studied the board intently. You can’t lose to him again. He leaned forward, reached, froze. He looked at Kathar slyly. The man’s good eye stared back at him. Hmm. The back of the chair was curved, allowing him to rest against it comfortably as he leaned back, still contemplating his move. Partially. How does he get the wood so perfect? Why am I thinking about this right now? Maybe this is why I always lose. He gave up on trying to find the best move and made the obvious one.

“Khet,” said Urman. Kathar grinned as he leaned forward and moved one of his own glass tiles to a new location on the board.

Urman processed the move for a few moments. The inevitable outcome of the game came to light. His shoulders slumped as he sighed in disappointment. They shook hands.

“Well played. Yet again,” Urman said. “I’m absolute rubbish at Khet.”

“Ah. Don’t get down on yourself. I sit and play against myself each evening when you’re not around.”

The thought was a bit sad to Urman. “Ya know… they play Khet in every city in the empire. Why don't you try finding a place to play with other people? Make a trip of it.”

“I have. And I do.”

That thought was even more saddening. He has other friends… And a regular life, well besides living in the ground and all. But still. I been running from one enemy or another for almost a decade while he’s been playing games with friends. Real friends.

“Good,” Urman muttered. He nodded his head. “Good.” I need to figure out how to get out of this mess and be more like him. Just live here. You could learn to do that.

Kathar sipped his warm tea and stared at him. “What is it?” he asked.

Things had been slightly awkward between them for a bit after Urman explained what had happened in Steppe, but eventually things fell back into line. Like always. It baffled Urman to think there was someone out there that could look past his flaws so easily. It helps when ya wiggle the truth around a bit, I suppose. But still. I’m damn lucky to have a man like Kathar on my side. He had spent each night since their interaction on the cliff thinking about what Kathar had said, how he managed to stifle the hatred that was growing inside him, how he could ignore the desire for revenge. Takes a real good man to think like that. Too hard for a pig-headed dunce like me.

Urman stood, bringing his own cup of water with him. He put one hand on the support beam in the middle of the room and leaned slightly. He sighed. “It’s just that… I don’t wanna go to Locke. I just wanna stay here. With you. With this.”

“I’m coming with you, ya know…”

“Aye, but it’s here… this place. You’re so normal. Happy.”

“Ha. “I’m anything but happy, Urman.”

“I don’t believe that,” Urman said. He doesn’t know what it means to feel real sorrow.

“You’re not the only one who has had terrible things happen.” I guess I don’t have a ruined eye.

Ember wandered into the room and let out a tired exhale before walking in a circle and laying down by Kathar’s feet. He reached down and scratched the hound.

“I understand… and it ain’t about self-pity. I’m just tired, ya know?”

“Aye, I do,” said Kathar. He stood. “We can’t stay here though. You have to get Harlow back.”

I don’t even know if Harlow is still alive. This could all be for naught. I could be putting Kathar in danger for nothing. But if he is alive… he needs me. And where else are ya gonna find someone as useful as Kathar? “Fine. But then it’s right back here. Harlow can come too.”

“We’ll see.”

“What do you mean?” asked Urman in shock.

“I mean, every man, woman, and child in the empire knows your name. There’s no escaping who you are… not for you. And I live here to escape everything,” said Kathar as he moved across the room to grab the spear and bow he had fashioned for Urman. He tossed the spear first. Then the bow.

“You live in a hole, Kathar. No one can find us out here. Come on. For an old friend. Your closest friend.”

Kathar put his hand on Urman’s back. “Something tells me with your luck, someone would find us.” He disappeared down the hallway that led to his bedroom.

No. With my luck you’ll die.

*~~~**~~~*

Kathar made sure the hatch was shut tight then fastened the padlock. He placed a few rocks over the lock and stood up. He smacked Urman’s shoulder as he walked past him. Ember traipsed along behind him slowly. Urman stared at the patch of grass where the hatch lay covertly. Goodbye ya lovely little home. I’ll see you again as soon as possible.

He tried to wiggle his toes in the boots Kathar had lent him but they were so tight it was a near impossibility. That’s gonna cause some nice blisters. Better than catching the Frost Mother’s Freeze though. The butt of his spear banged against the hard earth as he turned to follow his friend. I’m coming Harlow.

Their route took them further south than Urman had ever been inside The Emerald Wood. As they walked the environment began to change. The wind became heavier and colder, the trees became less dense, and the peaceful quiet of the forest was interrupted by the sounds of water. Then, he saw it. The Jazak Sea. They cleared the last of the leafless trees and crossed a strip of grass to the edge of a cliff. Below, a rounded cove, the harsh waves were crashing against the jagged cliffside, propelled by the heavy winds. Two sea stacks stood high above the water a hundred feet off the coast. One was thinner at the bottom than the top and made Urman wonder how it did not tip over in the wind. The other was considerably wider and had a triangular shaped hole toward the bottom. He pulled his cloak tight and turned his shoulder to the wind.

“It’s beautiful!” he yelled. Though, it’d be better if we weren’t being knocked over by the wind.

Kathar squinted his eyes and smiled as he covered his face with his hood as much as he could. Then pointed down the coast, off to the east. There was a thin, black line jutting into the sea. Locke. And Berrows sits just north of Locke. And Estyl above that. The names of towns and villages that sat north of Locke on its long, thin peninsula filtered through his mind. It will take us ages to get that far on foot. And in this weather. Three hells. Better than the forgotten valleys though.

They retreated from the cliffside before the brisk wind could fully chill their bones and made their way back into the forest far enough to hear themselves think. They leaned against a fallen log with their backs to the wind. Both the spear and scroll tube lay across his lap. His bow on the ground. Ember curled up in a ball as close to Urman as she could. She lifted her head slightly when he placed a hand on her back, but then laid back down with a tired sigh.

Kathar pulled a hand-drawn map of the forest from his breast pocket and unfolded it. They studied it together. According to the map the forest was cut into thirds by two rivers; The River Thyie and The Koro River. To the west, the unnamed section of the forest where the forgotten valleys lay. And Steppe. Good to not be going back that way. In the middle, the heart of the Emerald. That was where they were but they needed to get to the sanctuary, the easternmost portion of the forest. To do so they would have to use the Bridge of Bermine to cross The Koro River Valley. Walking through the sanctuary was not something Urman was looking forward to but it would drastically cut down on the length of their trip.

“Are they still there?” Urman asked.

“The grave walkers?”

“Yes, the grave walkers… who else would I be asking about on this route?”

Kathar folded up the map. “Of course.”

Urman frowned. Thought so.

*~~~**~~~*

Urman grabbed Kathar by the shoulder and spun him around. A sense of panic filled his chest. An anger lay beneath that, working its way upward quickly.

“What do you mean they’re Lotus?” he hissed.

“You know… purple fingernails, kill things with purple streaks of death, addicted to lotus magic. Those folks.”

“Those folks want me dead,” said Urman.

Kathar casually uncurled Urman’s grip on his shirt. “Not these ones.”

Has this man lost his mind since you saw him last? “I ain’t comfortable with this, Kathar. Are ya sure it’s a good idea?”

“Yes.”

“How?

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

Do I really have to explain this? “Need I remind you I have a bounty on my head…”

“Trust me. They don’t care about that.” He jerked his head toward the campfire in the distance and started walking.

Urman stood still until his friend was at least ten feet away, pondering what kind of Lotus wouldn’t want him dead or in shackles, then jogged after him. If I can’t trust Kathar, why is he here?

There were four of them sitting near the dancing fire. Not exactly together, but in each other’s company.

“Where did you meet them? Urman asked quietly.

“I met the big one at a khet gathering in Amberwood. Over a year ago. Not talkative, but not rude either. Just leave him be.”

What was he doing in Amberwood? “And the others? Do you know them too?”

“Not as well as Kole, but I’ve seen them. Theresa is a fiery one.” He grinned at Urman. “Think you’ll like her.” He turned away and waved as the smallest figure in the campsite stood and called to him.

“Kathar!” the woman hollered.

There was still enough distance between them for Urman to whisper one last question. “Why aren’t they with their outfit?”

He let out an mmph sound as Kathar smacked him in the chest with the back of his hand and yelled back to the woman. “Theresa!” He whispered his next words. “They’re deserters.”

Deserters. The thought had crossed Urman’s mind before but he always figured anyone who abandoned the Lotus Army simply died of deprivation a few weeks later. Never to be heard of again. How long have these folks been on the run? On the run. There’s something to bond over.

He wandered closer to the campsite, one hand on his spear, the other wrapped around the scroll tube. He tried to look as non-threatening as he could. I didn’t survive half a decade living the life I live by just blindly trusting strangers.

Kathar offered his hand but Theresa went straight in for a hug. Doesn’t know her well? Then he spotted Theresa’s hand patting Kathar’s back the way a nobleman’s guard might pat down a suspicious visitor. Oddly enough, it was the first time Urman didn’t have something hidden on his body in several years. Good first impressions I suppose.

“Got one on my hip and one in my boot,” said Kathar.

A large man sitting by himself across the campsite grunted something indecipherable. At least to Urman. Theresa seemed to understand it meant, leave him alone. She stepped away and turned her shoulders, gesturing for Kathar to head toward the large man. Urman assumed it was the Kole character Kathar had mentioned before based on the khet board laying on the tree stump in front of him.

Before heading over to his board game friend Kathar introduced Urman. “This is Urman Gant. One knife at his waist, then the spear and bow,” he said. “And a scroll tube, but it’s worthless. Urman shook the tube to show the woman there was no weapon inside it. Only the sound of the formula hitting either end of the tube projected

Kathar walked away, Ember followed, leaving Urman to deal with the tiny Lotus that was approaching him. She did not wear the light green gambeson like active Lotus. Instead, she had on a large black cloak that reached the ground. It ruffled dry leaves as she walked. On her forehead, was a tattoo of a square with thin lines surrounding a fully shaded black circle. There was nothing particularly impressive about the tattoo, but its relevance exuded from it.

She extended her gloved hand. To hide her fingernails. “Don’t worry. I don’t run with those folk any longer.”

The fact that his eyes darted down to hers made him realize he had been staring at her forehead. “Sorry,” he said. “Never seen that design before.” He took her hand in his. Her hand was small but fierce.

“And hopefully you never do,” she said. When they withdrew, she ran her fingers across the tattoo as if wanting to wipe it away. “Can’t seem to find who I belong with.”

I can understand that feeling. He nodded.

Theresa’s mood changed abruptly as her charisma poured from her. “So! You’re Urman Gant. The living legend. It’s a hell of an honor to meet you.”

He was unsure what to say. Most people that met him had a very different opinion of him.

“Anyone who has stuck it to that bitch is a hero in my book.”

I wouldn’t say I’ve stuck it to her. What stories about me are out there? “I don’t know about all that,” he said.

“Quick pat down.” She was on him quick. His hand grabbed her wrist like a flash of lightning. Their eyes met. She wasn’t afraid, more so curious as to why he was so jittery.

He released her wrist. “Sorry. Bad habits die hard.”

She moved toward him more slowly. Patted his back, his hips. “I’m gonna check your boots now. No reflexes down here I should be aware of are there?”

He shook his head and mumbled.

She was crouched as she spoke. “Sorry, but can’t be too safe these days. Especially with someone with your… um…”

“Reputation,” he said.

“Right.”

He wanted to talk to her more instead of standing silently like a dim-witted oaf, but he was struggling to find any words that seemed right. When was the last time I spoke to a woman? Really spoke and not threatened.

“Come on, let me introduce ya to the others.”

He followed her into the campsite.

A slender man named Wynu stared at him intently as he ate some bread. His eyes were observant. The kind of eyes Urman knew to be careful in front of. Though, for once, he was not up to no good. A second woman, Midella, was much larger than the petite Theresa and gave him little more than a gruff hello. An enormous man named Kole was dressed in a cloak and barely acknowledged him. He was staring at the khet board on the tree stump. A cane leaned against his leg. Kathar was standing on the opposite side of the stump, studying the board in silence as well.

Within an hour of meeting Theresa, Urman was infatuated with her. She was charismatic, hilarious, and extremely generous. Time after time he denied her offers for more of the squirrel and rabbit meat Wynu had prepared earlier in the evening. He lost track of time that evening as he sat and talked by the fire with the tiny ball of energy and the much quieter Wynu. It almost felt like he had no responsibilities, just enjoying a simple trip with old friends. It may have had Wynu not remained cautious and suspicious of him the entire evening. Urman couldn’t blame him though.

The moon watched them as Urman sipped his whiskey lightly and listened to Theresa’s endless stories about life as a Lotus. Suddenly, Theresa grabbed her sword from the ground beside her and climbed to her feet. She fluttered toward the fire with smooth skips and hops and finally a spin. He watched as Theresa acted out a fight she had had with a Purist a few weeks before. Each of her two shortswords swirled and slashed in ways he felt were counterintuitive to how he fought. Rough and direct. Her feet danced around gracefully in a way that reminded him of the warriors he had seen in DuVale years before. She fights like a westerner. And though it was impressive, he spotted flaws in Theresa’s movements that he believed he could exploit if it came down to it. Then a realization. Fighting styles don’t matter much when your enemy is typically asleep or unsuspecting. The notion built up shame in him.

Theresa’s cloak spread wide as she spun on one foot, dropped to a knee and sliced one of her blades through the fire. “And that there’s how I earned my pin.” As she knelt there, she smiled at him. It made his heart beat faster. He rubbed his stubble-covered cheeks, his eyes were wide. Now she’s a woman you could see yourself fallin’ for. “Course, I don’t care about it much no more, but my first kill…”

“Nothin’ else like it,” mumbled Urman.

Theresa dug into the pocket of her cloak and tossed something at Urman. It was a golden pin shaped like a lotus flower. He had seen plenty of them on gambesons but never held one. It’s density surprised him. It almost seemed unnatural. She stabbed one of her swords into the dirt and used it to push herself to her feet.

“Quite impressive,” he said. “Where did you learn to fight like that?”

Theresa pointed to Wynu. “He’s even more beautiful to watch, but you’d never know it with him just sitting around quiet all the time.” She approached them and sat down on the ground beside her friend. “What’s wrong Wyn?”

“Nothing, nothing at all,” he said. His voice was deep, wise. Urman had wondered if the man was from the Pillikin Coast when he heard his name. His accent confirmed it.

“DuVale?” Urman asked. Wynu nodded. Makes sense.

Kathar smacked his thighs in frustration. For the fifth time that evening. Urman heard him demand they play again. Kole didn’t object. At least someone’s beating him.

Urman handed the pin back to Theresa. “So… Are y’all Lotus?” he asked. He knew the answer but he had a tendency to like hearing people tell him the truth. To see if they would.

“We were,” Theresa said. “Guess we still are, but we’re deserters now, of course.”

“Mind telling why?”

“Not at all, Mr. Gant, I think you could relate to our reasoning,” Theresa said as she grinned. “Besides, it’s nothing ya couldn’t guess. We don’t wanna die.” No, I wouldn’t want you to either. “I knew there were consequences for eatin’ the shit, but I thought they’d treat us better. Keep us alive as long as they could. But they don’t give a damn what happens to you. Especially if ya ain’t killing or capturing Purists. Some of the officers.” She paused. “Evil, manipulative bastards.”

“Truth,” Midella said gruffly. It was the first time she had spoken in an hour. She had spent most of her time holding her stomach in pain or vomiting somewhere away from the campsite.

Theresa turned to the woman. “You need one?” she asked. Midella nodded her head. A purple capsule glimmered for a moment as it flew past the fire and into Midella’s cupped hands. She tossed it into her mouth eagerly and laid down flat on the cold ground.

“Over here,” grumbled Kole from across the campsite.

“No,” Theresa said. Kole grunted again, this time more angrily, and returned to his game. Theresa looked at Urman. “Stole a nice sized batch before we darted off into the night, but we don’t have too many left.”

“I see. What exactly are you doing? Out here. Or anywhere,” he asked.

“Trying to find that couple that’s working on the cure,” Theresa said. “Before this shit dries us out.”

Urman sipped his drink to hide the look on his face. Wondered if that might be it.

Theresa continued. “Like them two fell off the edge of the earth.” She shocked her head annoyedly. “We heard they was in Steppe. Heading that direction next.”

“Aye,” muttered Urman from behind his cup. He could feel Wynu staring at him. “Think they was, but I heard they’re movin’ east now.”

“Where did you hear that?” asked Wynu.

“I don’t just got enemies,” said Urman and took a sip of his whiskey.