The Island's Inhabitant

Skirmish

"So she wasn't lying after all," Zoey gasped as they stared at the gathering of deceivers slinking through the valley.

"I told you," said Denver. "She wouldn't lie. Not about that."

"Well then, this will certainly be fun."

"Edward," Den queried, wrinkling his brow. "What's fun about fighting deceivers?"

"I suppose you're unfamiliar with sarcasm then..."

"What's the Alten word for that?"

Denver stepped in. "Never mind that right now, boys, we've got a bigger issue to deal with." He gestured to the group moving steadily closer.

Zoey frowned. "Can we find a way to sneak around them?"

"No," Denver sighed. "The only way to TeKi is through the Valley of Tears. Further up it narrows into a gorge. It's a perfect bottleneck. If we went around the valley and over the gorge, the cliffs plunge down over the lake and there's no way down but to jump into the water. And let's just say, swimming in enchanted waters is not a risk I'm willing to put up with right now."

"Enchanted what?" Zoey stared at her uncle.

"Several of our old legends mention that the TeKi Lake is enchanted," breathed Edward. "Is it really true?"

Orrick snorted. "No one knows for sure, and no one wants to be the first to find out."

"What if we went all the way around the lake and approached from the other side?" suggested Zoey.

Denver swallowed, placing a hand across his nose to think. "Time, Zoey. We don't know how much longer Jack can hold out. He's just a kid, playing mind games with a very clever and evil woman. If Tatl realizes he's free from her control..." He trailed off, his eyes saying what everyone else knew.

Zoey grasped the hilt of her Sword, anger darkening her face. "I'll kill her if she so much as touches Jack. Same goes for them up there, too."

"Then let's go," Edward cried, standing and drawing his blade. Adrenaline coursed through his veins, shaking off the depression of the surrounding desolation. "Let's at least meet them head on."

Denver hauled Edward back by his shirt collar. "Not so fast, your highness. We need strategy. There's only a handful of us against many of them."

Edward huffed at the delay. "What strategy? We're in a bare valley with no defensive position. I say we plunge in and try to use surprise to our advantage. After all, if we try to sneak around and they catch us, they get the first hit."

"So let's go," Zoey echoed, also agitated by the incessant need to wait. A boom of thunder punctuated her exclamation, and a breeze flickered across the path. It was as if the entire Valley of Tears sensed their coming doom and, like Zoey, wanted it to be done.

"Fight!" Hatchling chirped from Den's shoulder.

Denver turned to the boy. "And you're sure about your weapon choice? Please, just take my bow or dagger, anything."

Den shook his head, twirling his frying pan. "Me cast iron is just as stark as your blade's steel."

"But these are deceivers," insisted Denver. "They are a lot tougher than anything you've been used to fighting."

"Then I'll just put extra macht into my swings."

Denver opened his mouth to continue the argument, but Edward tugged on his sleeve. "Lord Denver," he hissed. "Deceivers can't fly...right?"

"Not unless they shift to birds but even then it's rare." Denver peered into the distance, then horror spread over his face. "No way..."

"Angelics?"