Fires of Prophecy_ Book Two of the Morcyth Saga - Brian Pratt [52]
Hassin turns at just that moment and sees Tinok there helping Roland to his feet. He shouts out, but is unable to be heard over the cries from the crowd. He advances on Roland with the long knife, intent on killing him.
Tinok sees him advancing and is able to easily deflect the long knife with one of his own. Remembering what James told him, he strikes out with the blunt end of his other knife and connects with Hassin’s temple, dropping him to the ground. The two men there with him are oblivious to what is happening to him as they continue to watch the creature take shape.
“Let’s go!” he hollers to Roland as he directs him over toward James. He looks over his shoulder at the now fully formed vision of Hell that is walking out of the oasis toward the panic stricken people who’re fleeing for their lives. You’re good, James.
Reaching James, they turn and race through the town together, toward where the horses had been left. They help James, as he is still trying to maintain the hellish vision. Throughout the town, cries can be heard as some people race back to their homes, slamming and barring their doors. Others just race out into the desert as fast as their legs can carry them.
When they reach their horses, Roland says, “I don’t know how to thank you!”
James opens his eyes just as a flash of fire comes from the creature and then it slowly disappears. “We’ve got to get you out of here!” he says to Roland.
“I can’t leave!” cries Roland. “Not without my wife and child!”
“But they’ll try to sacrifice you again if you remain,” Tinok exclaims. Then he looks in Roland’s eyes and sees the determination there.
“Do you have a horse?” James asks him.
“Yes, I do,” he replies.
Turning to Tinok, he says, “Go with him and get his family, then meet me back here.”
He gives James a nod then turns to Roland and says, “Lead the way.”
Roland hurries down the street, followed closely by Tinok. They soon leave James behind as they turn down another street, making quick speed through the darkened town. He goes past several more houses and then turns down one more side street, stopping in front of the third house. The light from a single candle comes through an open window and voices can be heard coming from within.
They look through the window and see his wife sitting in a chair surrounded by three men, one of whom is Hassin. He’s yelling at her, gesticulating wildly with his hands, obviously demanding to know where Roland is.
She just sits there crying, not saying anything as she glances through the doorway to where the baby lies. Tinok can hear the baby’s wail.
Smack!
He backhands her across the face when she fails to answer his questions. Not waiting to see more, Roland runs over and slams open the door with his shoulder, bursting into the room and tackling Hassin.
Seeing him come crashing through the door, his wife cries out, “Roland!”
Tinok is right behind him, knives flashing from the light of the candle. He immediately engages the other two men, the same two who had been guarding Roland during the ceremony.
They quickly draw their swords, but the speed of Tinok drops one of the men to the floor with a stab through the chest before he even gets his sword all the way out of its scabbard.
The other guard tries to slash at Tinok but he parries the sword with the blade of one knife while striking with the other one. The guard steps back, blood now oozing from a fresh wound in his left shoulder.
Roland is on the floor, struggling with Hassin for control of the long knife. Curses from the two men fill the house as they roll back and forth.
The guard grabs a small chair from the floor and uses it as a shield as he strikes out with his sword.
Tinok easily blocks the thrust, but is unable to adequately close with the man as the chair is keeping him at a distance. He continues exchanging blows with the man when suddenly Roland’s wife comes up behind the guard and strikes him across the back