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Filled with dread, Al was anxious to push on, but he knew better than to barge ahead with enemy skirmishers about, so they crept forward. Soon they heard the tramp of feet, curses, whips cracking, and the snapping of branches. Al stole ahead to have a look and peered out from under an evergreen bush.
He saw a band of twenty chained prisoners guarded by six Halfmen. The Halfmen were marching the prisoners diagonally across the terrace to the cliff wall. He was filled with anger at Bigelow and the Halfmen.
Saying a quick prayer to help him think more clearly, Al watched the Halfmen whipping their prisoners. They were clearly taking delight in the pain they inflicted. They’re completely taken up with guarding the prisoners. They’re not expecting to be attacked.
Al signaled his friends to fade back into the woods, then led them at a trot to the base of the escarpment. When he reached it, he saw a narrow trail wending its way up the cliff face and knew that the chained men would be able to climb up this path. The Halfmen have to be coming this way. If they start ascending the narrow trail, any attack will cause the Halfmen to pitch their prisoners over the edge to their death. We have to intercept them before they reach the cliff!
Al led his friends back along the path looking for a good ambush site. He found what he was looking for in a small glade with a creek that meandered through it, surrounded by dense brush. He could hear the crack of a whip and the guttural shouts of the Halfmen as they goaded their captives along.
“When I let fly with my crossbow, only then do you shoot.” Al instructed, as they hid themselves in the brush.
They didn’t have long to wait. The first captives, staggering under the blows of their captors and bound by a long chain, appeared at the edge of the clearing. When they reached the creek, the captives rushed down to the water and threw themselves down for drink. The mad rush toppled the stragglers at the end of the line and chaos ensured. The Halfmen, cursing and whipping every prisoner in sight, were not watching the forest.
Al took careful aim at a Halfman who was raising his whip to beat the last fallen prisoner cowering on the ground. The bolt took the Halfman in the side. He dropped his whip. His cry was lost in the ensuing shouting. Al reloaded his crossbow as quickly as he could.
When he looked up, he saw one guard racing down the path. Al shot at him but missed. Everywhere else the guards were down, having been shot by Larsen and Chartrand. Al raced after the Halfman who had escaped, but could not catch him. Satisfied that the guard wasn’t going to double back, Al returned to the glade and saw that the prisoners had already been released. Larsen had found a key on one of the corpses and unchained the prisoners.
“I don’t know how much time we have,” said Al, “but we should leave as quickly as possible.”
“Al,” said Chartrand, “these prisoners are near death. They need to drink and then have something to eat otherwise the trip will kill them.”
“Alright, let them have a quick drink. Then we’ll head back into the woods and find a defensible place until they’ve had a chance to eat something. We’ll question them about Pam and Little Thomas while they’re eating.”
Al led them into the woods, following the creek, which was soon joined by a second creek from the cliff, becoming a small river. Al chose a place to rest by a deep pool. He could see trout dimpling the surface as they fed on insects. At another time this would be a wonderful place for some fly fishing. He was filled with longing for that time when Pam and Little Thomas weren’t in danger.
Chartrand broke out the rations and gave each rescued prisoner a chunk dried fish about the size of a child’s fist. They devoured the food eagerly.
Al approached the one who seemed to be in command. Speaking in the Common Tongue, Al introduced himself.
The leader of the band nodded his head to Al and responded to the introduction. “My name is Camgar, second in command of the Eagles after Loktor my chief. I give you thanks, stranger, for your rescue, yet I see you are not of the Hawk clan but look like the strangers who have come into our midst.”
Al’s spirits lifted. “Strangers? Was there a woman and a young boy among them?”
“Yes,” said Camgar, “The lady, Pam, and her son. We rescued her many weeks ago from a raiding party coming up from the land of the Necroans as they walked along the edge of the terrace cliffs on their way to the town of Seth.”
Al felt an elation he had not felt since before that dreadful night when he had come home from the college, found his home empty, and his family gone. “Where are they now? Are they safe?”
Camgar’s face clouded. “Safe, no! They have fallen into Bigelow’s accursed hands, that sorcerer’s spawn of an overlord. Through treachery, he knew exactly where we were and attacked without warning at dusk. All were killed or captured. Only two bands, mine and Loktor-the-chief’s band escaped by joining forces and cutting our way out past our encircling enemies. We watched for a while from a high point on the cliff wall and saw all of our people taken by the encircling ring of enemies. None that were not with us, escaped. Then, with our enemies in pursuit, we split up into smaller groups in hope of warning the Hawks. In our long history, no one has pursued us so far down the terraces. We must reach the Hawks and warn them that they likely have a traitor in their midst (as we did) before Bigelow surprises them as well.”
“Are you sure they—Pam and her son—are captured?”
“I am sure. We were completely surprised and surrounded. No others escaped. Only we were strong enough to cut our way out, and it was a near thing. I am sorry for your loss my friend. I am sorry to start our friendship by bringing such terrible news.
“We have little time. Come with us now.”
In a daze, Al followed Camgar’s band. The pace Camgar set was gruelling, but Al found himself plodding along so numbly that he wasn’t aware of his surroundings. Still, they covered the ground quickly since Camgar’s men seemed familiar with the route.
They reached the Hawk camp late that evening, and Al was so sleepy he and the others simply lay down on some grass and fell fast asleep.
He was awakened after a few hours by Camgar. “The Hawks are breaking camp and moving to a new location immediately. Don’t be left behind!”
Another brutal day of travel started. All along the way, Al could see the Hawk scouts and lookouts keeping watch over their trail to warn of Bigelow’s expected advance.
Later in the day, the Hawks began to climb down a well-hidden trail to the fourth terrace. That evening the Hawks made camp on a small butte raised about ten meters above the floor of the terrace, right against an overhanging rock wall leading to the third terrace.
Al was just returning from an exploration excursion of the camp, when he saw Camgar approach. Larsen and Chartrand jumped up from their lounging to greet him.
Camgar bowed. “Friends of Lady Pam, I have come back to wish you ‘goodbye.’” I am about to head back with some of the Hawk scouts to look for my chieftain, Loktor. He does not know the Hawks have moved their camp, so he will need guidance.”
“Friend Camgar,” said Al, “we are deeply grateful for your help. As Pam’s husband, I am very worried about her and my son, Little Thomas. I ask you again and mean no disrespect by the asking, is it certain that they were captured by the enemy Bigelow?”
“I did not see Lady Pam captured since I was fighting for my freedom and the freedom of my chief,” said Camgar gravely. “What I did see was the whole camp surrounded when the attack began. As I said before, in my estimation, there was no escape for anyone without a fight that would break through the cordon. We only escaped because we were the only force strong enough to fight through the ring. Even so, we barely had the strength of arms to escape. If I were you, I would deal with the grief of Lady Pam’s capture. Most assuredly she is now in Seth, with the other captives.”
“Thank you, friend Camgar. I will not shame myself or you by asking that question again. I wish you the Creator’s blessing on your journey.”
“I thank you, friend Al. It has been a long time since I believed that the Creator could bless this accursed land. It is good to hear you wish it. I will take it as a sign for a hopeful tomorrow.” With that Camgar rose, tugged on his forelock by way of salute, and left their campsite.
Al, Larsen, and Chartrand watched Camgar leave the camp with four warriors. Finally, Chartrand broke the silence. “Al, what do you mean to do?”
“I can only think of one thing to do. I have to get back into Seth and find Pam and the others.”
“But that’s madness,” said Larsen, “Bigelow is at war and will be guarding the gates like a hawk.”
“Will he?” asked Al. “All of Bigelow’s best men will be used in the hunt. There is a constant stream of slaves flowing into the town and they will have to be guarded. With the rebels on the run, why guard the walls so carefully? If you were in charge, would you not thin out the guard on the walls and reinforce the prison guards, making sure that you don’t have a slave revolt on your hands?”
“When you put it like that, it makes sense,” said Chartrand. “Still it’s a gamble.”
“I overheard Camgar call this place their last refuge,” said Larsen. “We’re not even supposed to be here. If you ask to leave, I don’t think the Hawk chieftain will let you go.”
“I have to go,” said Al. “I can’t leave Pam and Little Thomas in Bigelow’s hands. Maybe in the confusion I can get them out.”
“But how are you going to pull it off?” asked Larsen. “The cliff here to the third terrace forms an overhang over the whole encampment. That makes it impossible to climb, at least for me.”
“For me too,” said Al. “I walked around a little bit and I found the entrance of a tunnel that climbs up inside the rock. I think it’s a backdoor escape. It emerges above the overhang where the cliff wall is much easier to climb.”
Al looked around at his friends and saw worry and doubt on their faces. “I’m not asking you to come. It isn’t your fight. You have done more than any friend could ask.”
“I’m coming,” said Larsen.
“So am I,” said Chartrand.
Al felt a broad grin break across his face. You can’t put a price tag on friends that always have your back, even when the potential exists for the cost to be so high.