Ander - Part 5: Subchapter 63
63
"You all know your parts?" Dorin asked, and all his men nodded their heads in unison. "Good. Danado may have the positional advantage, but we have the numbers. No matter how good he is with that bow, he can only shoot at one of us at a time. Remember, keep it to short sprints, don't get caught out in the open, stop and take cover frequently. And for the love of the Cora, be careful. He might have planted more of those arrow traps among the trees."
"Bloody coward," Thoka muttered.
"We can't stay bunched up like this. Thoka, Yanek, Vekka, you three sweep around to the east. Hyker and I will loop around to the west. Seffer, you stay here with Denko. If you see an opening, take the shot. We need to divide his attention as much as possible. Once we get him fully surrounded, we can all move in together."
Seffer twanged his bowstring, making it sing in the night. "I'll put an arrow between his eyes before you can even get close to him."
"Good, good..." What is good? Killing to prevent killing? What about any of this is good!? "We go on dri. You guys ready?"
Surly grunts all around.
"En! Do! Dri!"
Five Wolves sprinted for all they were worth, dashing from tree to tree, two on one side, three on the other. Dorin slammed his back against a tough old sycamore, his breath rushing in and out of his lungs in misty clouds of vapour. He's felt like this twice before, once at Ander's trial, and again at Hezzi's challenge. It was the sensation of knowing that your life could disappear at any moment - a frightful, paralysing feeling. But as bad as it was, he was surprised to discover that it wasn't nearly as bad as the moments following the murder of Danado's sister. That hollow feeling of unbelief as he had staggered away with her blood on his hands had seemed to last forever. Actually, it was still with him, eating him from the inside out. The only reason it wasn't so strong right now was because it was covered up with the knowledge that he might not live to see another minute, and that made him feel...
By the Cora, did that make him feel better? Was he actually finding relief in the thought of an arrow flying out of the darkness to pierce his neck? How could he have changed so much in the span of a single day? How could he have become so...
Different?
Dorin pushed away those confusing thoughts and ran for the next tree, keeping his head down. The distance couldn't be more than ten strides, but it felt like the distance separating the village from the mountain, the very distance their quarry was so intent on crossing.
He ducked behind the tree just as an arrow struck the wood and an explosion of bark pattered down onto the snow in tiny black spots.
Looks like he's targeting me, Dorin thought, keeping his arms tucked close to his body.
You killed his sister, of course he's targeting you.
Dorin crouched down and peeked out from behind the tree. He could see the top of Danado's head sticking up over the wall of snow, peeking right back. He was closer now, and he could tell he had the bow on top, resting sideways, but the falling snowflakes made it difficult to discern more than that, like if he already had his next arrow nocked or -
Fwip!
Dorin jerked his head back and a small explosion of snow erupted right next to him a scant moment later, showering his leg in the freezing white powder. If the night hadn't been so still, he never would have heard that coming. But maybe this was good. If all of Danado's attention was focussed on him, that meant the others could reach him without trouble, and then -
They'll kill him for sure, Wardo's orders be damned. They'll rip him apart like animals, and I don't think they'll feel bad about it afterwards.
That hollow, gnawing sensation bloomed in the pit of his stomach again, like he hadn't eaten anything in weeks, only much, much worse.
What should he do? What could he do? What did he want to do? He didn't know the answer to any of these questions, only that he didn't want to do this.
But what if... What if he could reach Danado before the others? He won't surrender, Dorin knew that much, but if he was there, maybe he could keep it from going too far. And then, once Dan was out cold, they could rescue Ivio. That crazy kid has been quiet, but maybe he's just passed out. He could still be alive. Maybe he could get everyone home safely.
That's a lie. Even if you do save everyone tonight, Wardo will simply have them killed tomorrow.
Well it's something, isn't it!? It can at least buy some time, right!?
You helped them get away, now you're helping to capture them again. You can't have it both ways. It just isn't logical.
What else is there!? If I cross the line, I'll be standing trial right alongside them!
The thought of death didn't seem so bad a while ago. In fact, it was rather soothing.
I don't want to die by whatever twisted punishment is brewing inside Wardo's head!
Then do as you're told. Be a good little puppet.
I don't want that either!
Then what do you want?
I don't know! I just don't know anymore! I just... I don't want anyone else to die...
Dorin stepped out from behind the tree, his fists balled, his gaze fixed on the wall of snow and the spot of shadow hiding behind it. "Danado!" he called. "Before you fire your next shot, there's one thing I need to say to you! After I'm done, do whatever you want!" He waited a few seconds to see if an arrow would suddenly lodge itself in his brain, but when that didn't happen, he had no choice but to plough on. He didn't know exactly what he wanted to say or how he should say it, but he did know that time was running out, so he did the best he could. He spoke from the heart. "I'm sorry, Dan." His voice sounded natural enough (to his own ears, at least), but he was surprised to feel that tingly sensation in his eyes and nose, that feeling of tears struggling to break free. "I know this will probably only make you angrier, but... I'm sorry I killed Lana." He knew the others must be listening to this just as intently as Danado, but oddly enough, he didn't really care about that anymore. "I wish I could tell you I was only doing my duty. She attacked the Chieftain and I was bound as leader of the warriors to protect him, but that would only be partly true. I killed your sister because I thought it was what I wanted. I did it because I wanted to feel alive, and I guess that crazy part of me Lana had called an 'animal' thought it could get that by ending a life. It all seems so woefully backward now, so idiotic, so foolish, completely insane, whatever bad word you can think of. I'm not asking you to forgive me. I know I can never be forgiven for what I've done, but I am asking you to stand down. We've seen a lot of blood spilled over the last few hours, but there is no need to spill any more. Yes, I know it's just delaying the inevitable, but there will be a trial, and you will get an opportunity to speak. And maybe... maybe you'll get to attend Lana's funeral pyre. Don't you want that? A chance to say goodbye? I'll do everything in my power to make sure it happens, so... please, just drop the bow and stand down. Then we can all go home safely. What do you say?"
Complete and utter silence. It was so quiet Dorin could actually hear the snowflakes striking his ears, and he knew it was the part about Lana's funeral that had stayed Danado's hand. Until...
"You're lying, Dorin," his voice travelled across the clearing. "All you ever do is lie. Lana was a traitor, a would-be assassin, and an enemy of the Wolves. There's no way she'd get a respectable pyre like an 'upstanding' member of the tribe. You'll just carry her body out into the woods and dump it some ditch for the crows to fight over."
"That won't happen!" Dorin shouted back. "I promise you, Dan! I'm the leader of the warriors! I have the Chieftain's ear! I'll do everything I can to make sure Lana has a proper funeral, just like any other Wolf, and I promise you, you'll be there to pay your respects. You may need to be tied up for the duration, but that's still better than nothing, right? It's better than dying out here in the snow, all alone. Right?"
Dorin listened to the snow falling all around him. The sound in his ears was probably more imagination than reality, but they sounded like a thousand whispers.
He's thinking it over. I think I might have gotten through to him. Maybe, if I can save Lana's little brother, I won't have to hate myself so badly anymore. Maybe I can close my eyes without seeing her staring back at me from the darkness inside myself, with blood flowing out of a hole where her heart used to be. Maybe...
"Dorin?" His voice was hesitant, barely audible, totally different from before. "Do you really think you could -"
It happened so fast Dorin didn't even realize until it was over.
A thin black line simply appeared in Danado's head from out of nowhere and an earsplitting crack shattered the silence of the clearing in a single moment. He slanted to the side, that line sticking out of his face like a bizarre horn, and then he simply fell over without a sound, vanishing from sight.
And that was all. The silence was back, but completely different from before.
What just happened?
Seffer's voice rose out of the shadowy woods, boisterously loud and cheerful. "Yaaaaaaahh!! I got him! By the Cora, I got the bastard! Mountain almighty what a shot! Haaaaaah!!"
All the strength ran out of Dorin's legs and he dropped down to his knees in the snow, staring at the tree that would serve to mark Danado's final resting place.
So that's it. It's over. He's dead. You're not the one who killed him, but you're still the one who killed him. You're the one who's going to kill all of them, whether you lay your hands on them or not. It's all you. You're a killer. You're a murderer.
Just like your father.
Dorin couldn't breathe. It felt like he was choking. He gripped his head and hitched in big lungfuls of cold air,
This is it. I'm finally going crazy. This is what finally pushes me over the edge.
Oh, Dorin... Do you honestly believe there ever was a time when you weren't insane? The only difference now is that you're aware of it.
Thoka, Vekka, and Yanek came bursting out of the woods on the other side, their arms up in the air, cheering and laughing. They had come surprisingly close to surrounding Danado's little fort.
"Sai!" Vekka ran up to him and clapped him on the shoulder. "That was amazing! You had us all going there for a minute! By the Cora, you've got some balls, standing out here with that maniac bearing down on you!"
His face. His smiling, cheerful face. It was hideous. "Yeah," Dorin said. He got back to his feet, his knees shaking, and because there was nothing else to say, he said it again. "Yeah."
Thoka finally caught up to their little group, puffing and wheezing. "Damn, Sai!" he panted, clutching his knees. "Maybe a little warning next time you try a crazy stunt like that? You started apologising and we damn well forgot what we were supposed to be doing! Vekka here just about fainted!"
"You're one to talk! Your mouth was open so wide it was even bigger than your gut!"
Their laughter struck him like a slap in the face. He didn't know how much longer he could keep it straight like this, but he had to try. He put on a fake smile, hoping that any hint of falsehood would be seen as a consequence of his brush with death. "It was a spur of the moment kind of thing."
"Ha! I'll say! No way anybody could plan to be that stupid ahead of time!"
More laughter. He couldn't stand it. The way Thoka's jaws moved up and down, the way thick ropes of drool swung from his teeth. Everything about him just made him want to -
He felt his fingers curl into a fist of their own accord, felt his muscles tense. "Thoka."
"Yes, Sai?"
Dorin took a deep breath. "Take Vekka and Yanek and check on Ivio. See if he's still alive. Hyker and I will... deal with Danado. If there's any dealing left to be done."
"Yes, Sai!"
They broke off and ran in Ivio's direction. That crazy Wolf was nothing more than a dark spot in the snow from here, covered in dozens of sharp spikes. Dorin didn't want to go near it. He didn't want to see something like that.
"Are you all right, Sai?" Hyker asked. "You seem kind of shaky."
"I almost got shot in the face. I think I've earned the right to be a little shaky."
"Of course, Sai. My apologies."
Five more. There are five more of them out there. By the Cora...
"Whoooo!" Seffer was at the south end of the clearing, waving his bow above his head. "Sai, did you see that shot!? Was that not the best shot in the history of the world!?"
Dorin waved back, feeling sick to his stomach. "You did great, but stay with Denko for now. I'll call you over once I'm sure it's safe."
"Aye!"
"Come on, Hyker. Let's get this over with."
They started towards Danado's little fort-turned-grave, their progress slowed by the thick layer of snow about their feet.
"You don't look very pleased, Sai," Hyker ventured.
"Of course I'm not. There are five more out there and we're two Wolves short."
"What do you plan to do?"
Dorin thought about it for a while. "Denko's hurt pretty bad. I'm going to order Thoka to take him home."
"Thoka won't be happy to hear that."
"Thoka is a fat sack of crap who's of no real use in a pursuit like this. At least this way he can make himself semi-useful."
"And what about Ivio?"
"If he's dead... we'll just have to leave him out here. We can always send someone for his body once this hellish mission is over. If he's alive, I'll have either Vekka or Yanek take him back to the village."
"But that sacrifices two more of our number. We'll be left at four versus five."
Dorin rounded on Hyker. "Well maybe it would be better if we all just go back! Did you ever think about that? This whole mission was lunacy from the start, the pitiful attempt of a child to hide his waste before his mother comes home!"
"Wow."
"I... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."
He could feel Hyker's gaze crawling all over his face, scrutinizing every aspect. "It's no worry of mine, Sai," he said. "Just be careful where and when you decide to say such things about our industrious new Chieftain. I have the feeling he won't be as understanding as I am."
Great. One more thing to worry about.
Vekka's voice suddenly rang out from the centre of the clearing. "Ivio's okay!"
"I think you mean 'alive'," Thoka retorted, "because I would most certainly not call that 'okay'."
Dorin looked back and saw them all standing around in a crude circle, looking down at Ivio's sprawled form. He had one blood-soaked fist up in the air in a rather sad attempt at a victory pose.
"Just keep him calm!" Dorin shouted. "Don't try to move him yet!" Thoka gave a thumb's up while Vekka and Yanek crouched down beside their fallen comrade, talking about who knows what.
Dorin sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I guess that's it. This mission is a bust."
"Forgive me for saying so, but you seem awfully intent on scrapping this mission. Sai."
"I think it's better to fail the mission with everyone still alive than to return victorious with half our number dead, don't you?"
"Once again, it's no worry of mine. You're the one giving the orders, and you're the one putting your own head on the chopping block."
"I know, Hyker. I know."
They walked on in silence the rest of the way. They didn't make any real attempt at haste, but Danado's little fort came closer and closer, faster and faster, until they were standing right at the edge. Seffer's first arrow was sticking out of the wall of snow like a marker, as if to point them in the direction of the gory spectacle awaiting them on the other side.
You can't back away from this. You have to confirm it. Just one quick look and then it will be over. You can all go home. And if Wardo throws a temper tantrum because his toys got away, then too bad. Just look over and...
Dorin peered over the edge and got the biggest shock of his life.
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