The Shattered Path

Chapter 18 - The Pit

Aryl opened his eyes to the blazing sun. Mud caked his mouth and sweat soaked his clothing. He couldn't move his hands or feet, and the rocky terrain seemed to shamble along just above his face. He knew he was upside down. He remembered the horde of charging beastmen. Their added weight had been too much and the flooded ground had gurgled and trembled. Then everything had gone black.

Where was he? He struggled to focus his eyes. His hands and ankles were tied to a long, wooden pole carried on the shoulders of two beastmen. The creature at the rear grinned at him, baring sharp teeth above hungry eyes. He twisted his aching head around to spot Jaegor bound in the same fashion; he appeared to be alive, at least, though painted brown in dried mud. There were at least twenty beastmen ahead of him and more behind.

Aryl had assumed beastmen would kill and eat a man on the spot, though Jaegor had said otherwise. He never thought they would take prisoners. Now, he was being carried like a pig trussed up to be roasted. He still wore his shirt, pants, and boots, though caked in dried mud. His backpack, cloak, and sword were gone. He rolled his ankle in a circle; his throwing dagger was gone. No, he had thrown that dagger during the storm. His other dagger was still in his other boot. He could feel the leather sheath and warm metal handle against his lower leg. If they tried to eat him, he would at least put up a fight. If he could get a hand free first.

It all seemed hopeless, yet Aryl wondered if there might be a rescue attempt. Nearly all of the scouts had disappeared in the frontier. With so many missing, surely the Brotherhood of Light would suspect something. Surely they would send a rescue. Or a military expedition to be certain their enemies were not amassing. Maybe Aerham would come for him. That did seem plausible, but how would any of them find him so far north? And against so many enemies, it was unlikely they would succeed if they tried.

Aryl had sweated like this before. It was not in such a desolate place, but any of the gambling houses and taverns around the Shimmersea on a summer night. He had flirted with the women and lived life to the fullest. He tried to remember more recently in Arnich to take his mind off of his predicament, but he could neither remember the name of his favorite tavern nor the woman who had caught his eye.

The beastmen stopped to rest several times, but the day seemed to last forever. At each stop, they lowered Aryl to the ground. He spent those breaks wriggling his fingers and toes to get the blood circulating again. He was too exhausted to see if Jaegor was close enough to speak with. He didn't know what he would say anyway. There was comfort to be had in knowing another man shared his fate. Little that it was.

At nightfall, the procession didn't stop to sleep. They traveled many hours after the stars appeared overhead. Eventually, while still dark, they dropped their prisoners and gear, sitting where they were. They had no tents or fires, many fell asleep almost as soon as they hit the ground.

"So, featherback, how do ye like being a scout so far?" Jaegor whispered a few paces behind. After a moment, he added, "I think I can chew through this rope. It's hanaran hair. Shouldn't take me more than a day."

There was a moment of silence followed by the sound of Jaegor spitting.

"Unwashed hanaran hair," he added. "I guess there is only one kind."

A large beastman with dark fur glared at Aryl as if he had been the one speaking. It bared its pointed teeth in a snarl, readjusting the spear laid across its lap.

It was hopeless. Maybe some unforeseen happenstance could turn the situation around, but escape was unlikely, if not impossible. Aryl sighed heavily, listening to Jaegor gnaw on the ropes.

The creatures wanted them alive for something. At least, it seemed so. Maybe they just wanted their meat to be fresh when they reached their destination. It was a chilling thought that these creatures probably saw him as meat, although he repeatedly recalled Jaegor saying they didn't eat men. Jaegor could have said that just to make him feel more comfortable, not that Jaegor was one to create a sense of comfort.