Metal and Flesh (The Rohvim, Book 1)

7.3 Abandoned

"Mother. We must leave now. We have to leave NOW!" he yelled in her ear, as he noticed a few more stone-faced men enter the hall.

   She did not move, but shook and screamed, "I can't leave my baby here!"

   "Mother," Aeden knelt next to her and raised her face up to meet his gaze, "if she is dead, then we must go. There is still a chance to escape, but only if we move. Now!"

   She did not move, but, shaking, brought her bloody hands up to his face, tears streaming down her cheeks and said in wonder, "You're alive. My son." She frantically looked all around her, "My baby! She's gone! My baby!"

   He grabbed the hands on his face and held them tightly, "Mother. Now. Please come with me. I can't lose you."

   She looked at him again, falling eerily silent. She spoke in a deadened voice, "I saw them cut her down. I was working my way through them, but some got around us and aimed for the children. I ran back to the little ones, and she lay there. I lifted her head. She had no breath. It was ... it was ... it was...." She trailed off. He stood, and dragged the woman to her feet. Seeing the entering soldiers take down another defender, he ran forward and killed the intruders, beckoning to his mother.

   "Please, mother. It's time to go," he said as calmly as he could, despite the raw rage seething within. He turned and saw a man fly through the door, landing in a heap at his feet. He looked up and saw another enemy soldier, this one with an evil, twisted look on his face, approaching another defending woman. He raised a hand as he approached her, and not quite believing his eyes, Aeden saw a bolt of lightning shoot out from the fingers, striking the woman who flew backward with a scream. The soldier advanced quickly, finished her off with a sword to the neck, and turned his gaze to Aeden. Aeden lifted his sword high and charged as the man raised his hand, pointing it at him. He saw another man rush forward toward the soldier from behind, and suddenly the enemy fell in a heap before the blast could escape his blackened fingertips. Aeden paused in wonder, and saw the master healer standing before him, hand outstretched still from touching the soldier's head.

   "Master!" Aeden rushed forward. "All is lost. What do we do?"

   The healer grabbed Aeden and looked in his eyes, firmly saying, "Aeden. I've been to the castle. It is overrun. I am sorry, your father is dead, as is the lord of the city and everyone else there." The boy stared blankly back at him.

   "And so is my sister," he said, overcome with numbness. "And hundreds, maybe thousands of others." He turned toward his mother, who walked slowly toward him, still shaking and silently sobbing. The master healer quickly touched both of their heads, and Aeden instantly felt a calmness pass over him, and his mind focused. He looked at his mother-a similar effect had come over her.

   "We must go. I will not lose you too," she said.

   The master healer looked at the remaining survivors and announced, "If you want to live, come with me now. I will help you escape, and you will find refuge in the city of Ramath. Move!" He led the way back into the courtyard where a few soldiers remained fighting as more surged down the street towards them.

   Aeden assisted the defenders still on their feet before yelling "Follow us!" They rushed out the front gate and made a desperate dash to the west as several approaching attackers sprang in their direction. Aeden and a few of the defenders held off their attack, felling several of them and allowing the bulk of the group to escape west down the street. They wheeled around and sprinted after them, running ahead to keep the path clear of the enemy.

   The master healer ran next to Aeden and spoke to him in a low voice, "If I'm not mistaken, I believe they are aiming solely for the nobility. I believe the rest of the people may be safe, for now. Gather all that you can, and go to Ramath. I will follow after, though I may not arrive for a week or two."

   Aeden looked at him in surprise, "What will you be doing?"

   The old man answered, "There is much to investigate before I come to Ramath. I need to find a few of these soldiers and rummage around in their heads to discover who is behind this. I believe I will be safe here, since I am not nobility."

   Aeden replied, "Very well. Master?" He turned his head to look at the man in the eyes, "Will you keep an eye out for Priam?"

   "I will. You and he are actually rather high on my list of people to save today. Go now and make extreme haste. Of one mind and heart!" he cried out as he turned, running down a side street.

   "Of one mind and heart." Aeden murmured as he watched the man go. He resumed his run towards the west gate, clearing a bloody path with the help of those few still able to fight so that the rest of the group could go through unharmed. As he passed the houses of the nobility that he recognized he gave a quick shout out, warning any present to join the escape immediately or else surely die. Only occasionally did a few terrified people emerge from the houses to follow the group, which had slowed to a brisk walk out of sheer exhaustion.

   At last the west gate loomed up ahead of them, wide open. There were enemy soldiers scattered about, but it was apparent that the contingent of invaders sent to this gate had already passed through, crushing whatever defense they encountered. Aeden and his companions slashed their way through the stone-faced men and women guarding the gate and sprinted down the road leading out from the western city wall. Up ahead in the distance, the clouds had broken. The setting sun beckoned, sending down shafts of golden light upon the green fields spreading out before them, illuminating the farms with their small houses crowning the tops of the rolling hills that stretched out to the horizon. They ran for several minutes until they saw no one followed them or marked their escape. Slowing to a quick march, the group turned to the northwest.

   They passed countless farms and pastures, stopping momentarily at one that belonged to the Rossams to beg the residents to give what they could in the way of provisions. The woman and her children bowed low to a blood-stained Aeden and his tear-streaked mother, and gave them a few sacks full of bread, dried meats, and dried fruits. They thanked her profusely and gave her what coins they had, telling her that the invading army seemed more interested in occupying the city and directed most of their violence toward the nobility and that the peasants should be safe. They offered to take her and her children to Ramath, but she shook her head, saying she would wait for her husband-who had answered the muster-to return home before deciding their course. Aeden looked at his mother grimly, who closed her eyes. They bade farewell and resumed their march to the northwest, toward Ramath and safety.