Fate Has A Plan Of Its Own

Notes:

This is a story I wrote for a subject at school.

Dar and BeastMaster are one and the same. Demon Curupira gave Dar the power to talk to animals, which is why he is called BeastMaster, as well as Dar by his friends.

Update is on time! The day sure comes quick.

Chapter 4

Rescue and Retreat

"Where's your BeastMaster?" Voden asked Tao, who was tied to a post in the fighting pit. Tao didn't reply, knowing that Dar was on his way, but hoping that his friend thought before he acted. Zad had disappeared, and Tao was sure that he was near the gates with soldiers, waiting.

Arina and Cath tried hard to keep up with Dar, who seemed to be leaping through the forest. When they were a few metres from the edge of the forest, they stopped to rest and try to work out a plan. It was nearing dusk, and the sun was moving towards the horizon.

"We could use the tunnel under the wall," Dar said. "Then we could make our way to the fighting pit, where Tao is most likely being kept, and figure out something from there."

"But Cath doesn't have a robe," Arina said.

"She can use mine," Dar replied. "I'll be okay." Arina looked as if she was going to say something but didn't, and Dar smiled before leading them towards Voden's compound.

Tao winced as the light from the flames of the torches shone into the fighting pit. This was what he had feared. This was a trap, and he was the bait. Voden was now nowhere to be seen but Tao was sure he would be when Dar appeared.
The cement slab that covered the entrance to the tunnel under the wall rose so there was a gap between it and the rest of the cement. Dar looked out, and when the coast was clear he left the tunnel and hid behind a pile of bamboo. Shrinking into the shadows as a soldier walked past, he checked to see that there were no more near by before sending Kodo and Podo the message. The cement slab rose again, and Catherine hurried out of the tunnel and joined Dar. When again the coast was clear, Dar resent the message and it wasn't long before the bamboo hid all three, Kodo and Podo crawling off Arina's shoulders to their bag, which Dar had on. After a bit of confirmation of the plan, Arina and Cath put on robes and scurried off into the darkness. Dar stayed where he was, waiting

There was torchlight shining in Voden's quarters, voices reaching them.

"Wait," Cath said. "I have to get my bag."

"Where is it?" Arina asked, hoping it wasn't going to interfere too much with the plan.

"I say it's in there," Cath said, pointing to where they were heading. They waited in the dark a bit, and soon Zad and Voden exited the tent, talking quietly, and passed by, not seeing the girls.

As soon as they were out of sight, Arina and Cath hurried inside, Arina picking up a plank of wood on the way. When they were in, Cath gleefully snatched up her bag, which was sitting on the table, and checked its contents. Arina lit the plank of wood from one of the torches and Cath helped her cover the top and sides with her robes, then they went to an empty hut and set fire to it and several others nearby. The wind helped to spread the blaze and the girls quickly left the scene, hiding from the soldiers that were running towards the huts. Arina and Cath hurried towards the tunnel and hid where they had before. Dar had gone.

A few minutes after Arina and Cath had left, Dar hid in a passage near the tunnel. When a soldier came past, Dar grabbed him and knocked him out, taking his fur and helmet and then dragged him further away from the tunnel. He quickly pulled on the fur and helmet and walked towards the fighting pit, hiding by the side of the steps. When he saw the smoke cloud in the air, he waited until he heard the pounding of boots on the front steps stop before hurrying up the side steps.

Throwing off the furs and helmet at the top, he held onto his staff and somersaulted into the pit, ignoring the steps that led into it. Putting the staff on the ground, he got his dagger out of where it was strapped to the inside of his boot and cut the rope. Tao was quiet as Dar picked up his staff and they went quietly up the steps. When they reached the top, the smoke could be seen more clearly. They rushed down the steps and towards the tunnel, and a shout had them running.

"The prisoner is getting away!" Zad and Voden had seen them, and soldiers were after them.

Arina and Cath hastily got into the tunnel when they heard the shouts, and it wasn't long before Dar and Tao were jumping through the hole and they were all running down the tunnel as fast as they could.

Coming out into the open, the smoke could be smelt clearly, the shouting barely audible above the crackling of the fire. Even though they were soon out of sight of the compound, the sounds didn't leave their minds for hours.

They hadn't stopped moving since rescuing Tao

, even though it had been nighttime. As sunlight lit up the world, Dar let them stop and rest. Tao and Catherine fell asleep. Dar and Arina talked until he convinced her to rest, and then he listened to the sounds of the morning, tuning in to the forest and the life that lived in it. He roused the others after a couple of hours sleep and Tao suggested a place they could go.

"There is a village about half a days walk from here. They have skilled healers, sword fighters, and an underground library that has scrolls of prophecies."

"Sounds like a good place. Will they be okay with us staying with them?" Dar was doubtful, even though many villages had loved having them as guests.

"Yes, because it will be a chance for knowledge to be shared."

They reached the village that afternoon, and as Tao had said, they were welcomed with open arms, and were shown to a guest hut that was roomy and well lit. A hole in the top of the hut let out the smoke of a fire, and could be covered when storms approached. Sitting around the fire that night, they discussed what they would do the next day.

In the morning the chief would show them around the village. Arina was keen to see the village swordsman, as both her sword and Cath's needed to be sharpened. Tao was eager to visit the underground library and learn the histories of some of the prophecies. Dar wanted to see how the men fought in battle and some of their techniques. Cath was happy to just wander around.

In the afternoon, Dar, Arina, and Cath would go to the hot springs nearby, allowing two hours to get there and back. Tao would share prophecies of his people, the Eirons, with the elders of the village. As they had walked all night and then all day with only a few hours rest, they doused the fire and turned in for the night.

Woken the next morning by the noise of the village, Dar, Tao, Arina, and Cath quickly ate breakfast. Joined by the chief, he took them first to the village swordsman and then to the field, where the men of the village were practising. Tao didn't stay long at the field. Even though he had seen Dar fight many times, he still cringed when weapons clashed, so he beat a safe retreat to the library.