Into the Black

Falling to the black
Slipping through the cracks

The smell of lightning hung heavy in the air. Dark clouds approached from the left. Barak resisted the urge to look over his shoulder and kept his eyes on the danger in front of him. Avi would lead the refugees out of the black desert to safety in spite of the storm if only Barak and the few who stood with them could delay the soldiers long enough.

“They’re coming.” Lora fidgeted on her feet not far from him.

No one answered her. The sound of many boots tramping over hard rock rang over the distant thunder and the dark red and grey of the Capitol soldiers’ uniforms stood out all too well against the black landscape. They moved slowly now that they had crossed into where the black desert’s treacherous cracks rippled beneath a thin layer of rock but they hadn’t turned back.

Thirty-six. Thirty-six of the Capitol’s best against seventeen desperate but mostly untrained refugees. Maft. If we can just slow them down…

A soft moan came from behind Barak. Some one else had been counting the odds as well.
“Peace,” Barak spoke loud enough for each to hear and took a few moments to meet the eyes of as many as he could, “stand firm. Listen for Achala and Ethan’s warnings. Do not let yourself be moved from the safe ground.”

Achala, unarmed and unafraid, winked at him. Perhaps even more so than Avi, she knew the pattern of the desert’s cracks and had confidence in using them against an enemy. But she didn’t know how relentless the Capitol could be.

He could smell them now, a mix of aeran dye, mated iron and bloodlust. He recognized the face of the Captain but didn’t know the man’s name. Several of the soldiers carried the Capitol’s short crossbows but Barak did not think them foolish enough to use them here. Ethan’s arrows, on the other hand, held no risk of enflaming the volatile desert.

So much for your dark inventions and trickery. Your numbers are your only advantage here.

Rain began to fall in slow heavy drops. Perhaps the Captain sensed the trap ahead because he brought his soldiers to an abrupt halt still some distance away but well within Ethan’s range. Barak willed an arrow to fly straight into the Captain’s unprotected neck but none came.

Curse your sense of honour, Ethan! What are you waiting for?

The thunder rumbled closer but neither side moved as the Captain studied the refugees with undisguised suspicion. Impatience chafed at Barak. When the Captain turned his way, he offered a full mocking grin.

Scared?

Recognition and anger spread across the Captain’s face simultaneously. He gave a harsh command to his soldiers and a half dozen moved in front before the whole company started forward again. Short swords rasped out of sheaths.

Ten more steps… Four, three, two-