Heroes of Darkness

XXXII

ALEXANDER

Though they now had a Spirit Bond, it was hard for Alex and Marshtomp to bond as individuals, talking was kept to a minimum, though the fifty Sondim prisoners broke that rule more often than not. They were often greeted with harsh words and lashes from their Odaran captives. The prisoners were a gift from Brandon Brightflame to the leader of the Draconids, to assist them in the coming war- what war Alex had no idea of still, but what Alex did know was that these men were vicious. Rapers and thieves and murderers they were- and all of them starved and bloodthirsty.

The hundred-man party moved at night and in separate groups to avoid the glaring eyes of the Empress's spies, and even then, they needed to move quietly and away from the main roads to stay hidden. Though they never ran into the Empress's forces, the Draconids found them all the same.

At first the Draconids were hostile until they saw Marshtomp, Alex's new Spirit Pokemon, and then they were confused. Alex then gave the Draconids the letter Burningtree had given him, and off they went, hardly any time for a break other than to sleep during the daylight hours in some cave or crevice.

On the second day, the rocky bluffs of the jagged pass gave way to a blistering desert. During the day, the Draconids led them to a network of tunnels buried under the sand where it was cool, but at night there was nearly a never-ending spring towards the east. Marshtomp would tire easily, as the air was dry and it would slow down. Alex took it upon himself to carry the blue Pokemon on his back as they finally began to see a dark line of trees in the distance.

"Almost there, boy," Alex panted to Marshtomp who grunted in response.

"HALT," came a voice as they were twenty yards away from the line of the jungle that broke the desert. The moonlight was already broken and streaming through cloudy sky and the that cast mysterious patterns that waved back and forth on the sand in front of them. In those shadows Alex knew were more Draconids, ready to pounce on an enemy if need be, using the darkness to hide their numbers. "Who goes there?" The voice was familiar to Alex.

"Someone you'd very much like to see," said one of the Draconid escorts. "And a hundred more men to aid in the assault."

"More men have been hard to come by," said the voice and recognizing his man, the Draconid leader stepped out of the shadows. It's him! Alex recognized the tanned face, almond shaped eyes, and tight bun on top of his head. It was the man who spoke to Alex in the grove and showed up at his aunt's execution. "Pray tell where you've found a hundred more." Alex watched the man's eyes survey the party as more began to arrive behind them.

Nearly half were the Sondim prisoners who had their hands bound together and ran in rags. Many of them were skinny and malnourished and seemed to have more than one kind of hunger in their eyes. A third of them were armored in a sort of leather and more well off, the Odaran infantry that was a gift to the Draconids, and the rest were Odaran commanders and captains armored more ornately with sharp steel at their sides.

"You!" was all Alex could say as he interrupted the Draconids. "You're... a Draconid?" There were so many questions he needed to ask the man. How did you know my aunt? Did you know my mother? These were the sort of questions Alex wanted to ask him, but what came out was "You're one of Burningtree's men?"

That made the man smile sadly. "Burningtree is one of my men... or was before he abandoned us in a rather untimely fashion. Oh gods! We'll have time for questions and answers later, Alexander, but for now..." The man rushed forward and embraced Alex who was still sore and tired from the night's journey. With a thump, Marshtomp fell off of his back and landed in the sand. "What... how?" The man looked at Marshtomp and then back at Alex. "So its true... Come, then, Alex, follow me there's much I must ask you."