Kathryn III
When Kate had first arrived at Cerulean Falls, she thought the worst had already been behind her. That nothing could compare to the torture and suffering that she endured on her journey to reach the castle. Unfortunately, she was wrong.
Every single day seemed longer and more brutal than the last. They were put to work relentlessly out in the fields and forests, doing back-breaking labour for hours on end. Manual tasks like mining marble, stone, and metal, felling trees, uprooting stumps, plowing farmland, carrying heavy goods until they collapsed from exhaustion. The overseers were cruel and demanding. Throughout the entire day, they were only given a single lunch break where they would eat whatever measly rations the cooks had seen fit to pack them, then get shoved back into working under the blistering sun. Kate was grateful that it was fall, because she did not think she would have survived the summer heat.
Her muscles ached and she had trouble walking. Every single fibre of her body screamed in pain whenever she was forced to lift another log, strike another rock, or plow another tract of land. Her throat was always dry and yearned for the relief of water. Her stomach ached and rumbled, never full. Kate quickly burned out after just a week of labour. Every day afterwards seemed like a long hazy blur. She only got more and more weary, more sick of her life which only seemed to be full of pain and agony.
The work took a heavy toll on both her physical and mental health. At the end of the day, she returned to her cell weary and exhausted. But she was not free to rest yet. She was never free. Kate always had to be on constant guard, carefully watching her mannerisms and interactions with her cell mates. She had to keep up her ruse, for if she feared anything more than death, it was being found out by the other prisoners. Kate timed her visits to the latrines such that nobody else was there. She constantly strained her voice a few octaves lower, to the point where she was unsure if she could ever speak normally again. And at night she was constantly on edge. Sleeping in a locked cell so close to men made her extremely uncomfortable. Kate never felt safe sleeping again. And even when she did manage to get some rest, her sleep was plagued by nightmares of the terrible abuse she had suffered at the hands of her captors.
It had been three months since Kathryn got captured by the Protectors of Man. Two months since she first arrived at the prison, and she already felt like she could not go on any further. At first she had hoped to push forward through all ten years and win her freedom. But now she saw that it would be nearly impossible for her.
Sir Melvin had confirmed as much. He was the knight that had treated her kindly during the journey to Cerulean Falls. . . and quite possibly the only person in the base who knew her secret. One day while she was carrying lumber into the castle storehouse, Sir Melvin had pulled her aside on the pretext of needing someone to help saddle his parasaur. Kathryn had been terrified of the knight remembering her face. Her fears came true, but it turned out Melvin's discovery was the least of her worries. Once they were safely inside the stables, Sir Melvin had lowered his voice and spoken to her quietly.
"I know what you're doing and I'd advise against it," the knight warned.
Kate had stiffened up immediately. "You. . . you knew the whole time? Why didn't you tell the others?"
"By this point you must realize that if you get caught, anything you suffered through before will seem like a pleasant walk along the beach compared to what they'll do to you."
Kate held back tears, nearly on the verge of collapse. It was a truth she already knew, but hearing someone else tell her as much only crushed her spirit. "What can I even do? I'm powerless here."
The knight frowned, clearly also at a loss. "For now just stay safe and hidden. Keep your head low and don't draw attention to yourself."
She nodded. "I've been trying. I really have. But it's just too much. I don't think I can keep going on like this, I'll die of exhaustion before I'm ever free."
Melvin sighed. "You're right. Barely anybody makes it to the end of their ten year tenure. Most get worked to death long beforehand, or try to escape and end up all the worse for it."
"Then there's nothing I can do." Kate sank down onto the floor, her head cradled against her knees. "I'll die here without ever having lived a true life."
There was a pause. Then Melvin spoke slowly. "There might be a way. I'm still thinking about it, but if you manage to get transferred to another castle, the conditions will be less harsh."
Kate glanced up hopefully. "And how would I get transferred?"
"This is why I didn't want to get your hopes up. Only the highest-ranking military commanders can move troops and slaves around as they see fit."
"There must be something you could do?" Kate asked hopefully. He was a talented knight and surely held some sway with the Protectors. Back on the beaches, Kate had witnessed firsthand just how deadly Melvin was with a lance and a sword. Someone with that calibre of skill would surely be important to such a militaristic nation.
Melvin shook his head. "I'm only a household knight in service to Sir Griffeth, who in turn serves Lord Keith. But maybe. . ." He stared at the distance, then his gaze hardened. "If I prove my valor I can become a landed knight. Once I'm given my own land and keep, I could request for you and some of the other prisoners to serve me."
The thought of escaping her dreary prison made Kate's heart pump faster. "How long will it take for you to become a landed knight?"
"It's hard to say. There are many knights at Cerulean Falls, and I'll admit many of them are more skilled and ruthless than myself." Kate nodded, knowing first hand just how true that was. She held her breath eagerly as Melvin mulled over the situation.
"There's a war eventually brewing," he said at last. "Lord Keith had been eyeing the north for ages, but the situation around Cerulean Falls has never quite aligned for him to take action. However, something tells me the time is near. I'll try to prove myself in the upcoming campaign against the Northern Coalition. There will be plenty of enemy castles to storm, and if I take one down, I may be rewarded to keep it for myself."
Kate nodded solemnly. She wanted to be free. She wanted it more than anything else in the world. But if what Melvin was saying was true, the Protectors were eventually launching a full-scale invasion of the north. . . I don't want that to happen either, she realized. I've heard of the strength and benevolence of the Wolf Lord. In fact, I've seen his kindness firsthand. All those poor brave rangers who risked everything to get me to their home safely. All the men and women who laid down their lives to defend the wagon. Cara and Alexander and all the others, even though I never had the chance to learn their names or earn their friendship. I don't want any of the northerners to die in the upcoming war. But then again I don't want to stay a slave forever.
Kate took a deep breath and exhaled. "It's the best we can hope for. Thank you Melvin. Your kindness was one of the only things that kept me going through all those terrible months."
"It was the least I could do," the knight smiled wearily. He glanced at the stable doors. "We should get going now, before the others think something's amiss."
"Wait," Kate called after him. "I'm grateful for everything you're doing, but why risk your own life by helping me?"
Melvin paused by the door to his parasaur's pen, gripping the wooden rail. "Perhaps after years of watching my comrades commit terrible atrocities, I've had enough of sitting back and doing nothing. When I said it was the least I could do, I really meant it. This is nothing compared to all the horrible things I let pass. But now. . . maybe if I can change the lives of even a few slaves, it will start to atone for my sins."
"I can speak for the others and say that whoever ends up on your land will be grateful for everything you've done. Thank you, Sir. You're the only true knight in this wretched place."
For the next few days, Kate thought about her situation and what she could possibly do. She was grateful that Sir Melvin was willing to put himself in the front lines of war to try and secure a castle, but she didn't want her freedom to come at the cost of invading the north. The northerners had shown her kindness and hospitality. In her heart, she kindled a distant hope that she would one day rejoin the tribe. Kate despised being weak and powerless, an object for others to use and abuse. She had grown a natural distrust of almost all men, yearning for the company of other women. Kate still remembered the warm camaraderie that Cara had shown her, over the few days that they had been friends. I want to follow Cara's footsteps and become strong enough to defend myself. I want to join the Northern Coalition, where men and women are given equal opportunities. Cara always told me I could choose whatever job I wanted, once I reached the mountains. Well if I'm ever given the choice, I want to be a soldier. I want to fight against the cruel injustices that these monsters dressed in human skin have committed against the weak.
I want to be free.
And that got her thinking. Perhaps one of her wishes need not come at the expense of the other. I could escape and run to the north. I could warn them of the army planning to conquer their land. And maybe, just maybe, I could join the Northern Coalition to fight back against these human devils.
She knew it would make matters much worse for her if she was caught a second time, but she was willing to take that risk. Her current situation was unbearable. If she died in the attempt to escape, then all the better. If there's one thing I would regret, however, it's leaving Sir Melvin behind. He's throwing himself into battle so recklessly, and all for the sake of the maltreated slaves. . . But there might be a better way for him to achieve his goals. If he's willing to betray the Protectors of Man, he could help me reach the north. I know for a certainty that I won't be able to make it through all that wilderness alone. If I have a skilled knight with me, we could both make it to the north.
Kate was nervous but she needed to meet with Melvin again to tell him of her plans. One day, while she was carrying goods inside the castle, she spotted Melvin in the training yard. Kate waited until her overseer was looking away, then dropped her items and snuck away. Her heart had been pounding the entire time, as she made her way along the shadows of buildings, dodging the eyesight of onlookers. When Kate got to the training yard however, Melvin was already gone. Kate cursed and was about to try a different route, but stopped in her tracks when she overheard a conversation from two knights. She listened intently and realized they were both slave hunters who served under Sir Griffeth. They were talking about how in four days, the hunting party would ride south to track down escaped prisoners, since they had done a sweep of the north beforehand.
That's perfect. I can wait for the slave hunters to leave, then head in the opposite direction with all due haste. It would greatly increase my chances of reaching the north before anybody pursues me. I just need to tell Melvin the good news. However, as Kate was making her way along the compound, a pair of patrolling guards noticed her wandering around by herself and forcibly dragged her back to the slave overseer. Kate got the harshest whipping of her life. Her back was bloody and bruised, and she doubted she would be able to sleep in any position except laying on her stomach for the next while.
But it was worth it to gain the valuable knowledge. With a new burning passion, Kate looked for anything that she could use to aid in her escape. There were many obstacles that had to be overcome for her plan to work, like getting out of her cell or sneaking away unnoticed by the sentries on the walls. She studied everything that could potentially prove advantageous, but frustratingly could not even figure out the first step of escaping from her cell. Not to mention the fact that the slave overseers were watching her closer than ever, lest she sneak away from her work again. The close surveillance also meant Kate could not meet with Melvin. That was quite possibly the worst thing to happen to her yet.
Fortunately, her trouble sleeping proved useful for once. One night as Kate lay awake, too frightened of her nightmares to shut her eyes, she overheard some curious whispers in the dark. It must have been well past midnight, though of course time was hard to track in the darkness. Kathryn had strained her ears to listen, realizing that the hushed conversation was coming from her very own cell. She rubbed her eyes and looked in the corner where sure enough, two dark shapes were huddled together. From the conspiratorial way they were whispering, Kate figured it must have been important. Pretending to be asleep, she rolled near the edge of her bed to get a better idea of what they were saying.
"It's true. I saw them with my own eyes," a deep voice murmured. Xeris, Kate knew at once. His gravelly timbre was unmistakable.
"If Hedge really does have the keys, then when do we even make our move?" A younger, more nervous voice asked. Carter. He was the other prisoner that arrived with me.
Xeris sighed. "I wish I knew. It's only a matter of time before that bloody steward notices the guards are missing a pair of keys. Maxwell takes inventory of the supplies every week. We'll have to act soon."
"I'm not ready yet," Carter hissed. "I need at least a few more days to hoard the extra rations. We'll all starve otherwise."
"Make it quick then," Xeris growled. "We don't have much time left."
It sounds like they're planning an escape, Kate realized. And if they really have a pair of keys then that means I could get out! For the first time, she was filled with a strong hope that she would actually be able to get out alive. It seems like they're missing crucial information about the best time to leave. Fortunately for them, I have just what they're looking for.
She crept over to the corner where the other two were huddled and cleared her throat. Too late, Kathryn realized she probably hadn't thought that through.
The two conspirators whirled toward her with alarm. Their eyes glistened with fear, which quickly morphed into anger. Xeris sprang up, seized her by the neck, and pushed her against the wall. "Nate," he scowled. "How much did you hear?"
Too panicked to think up a clever excuse, Kate blurted what was on her mind. "I know you're planning an escape. I—"
Xeris slammed her into the concrete, then turned to Carter. "Grab the brick."
"Wait—" Kate managed to gasp. "—I can help!"
Xeris narrowed his eyes and released his grip slightly. "Go on."
"I know the best time to escape. When there will be the least guards around, the least likelihood of pursuit by the slave hunters."
"When?" Xeris demanded. Carter had returned with a brick. The senior prisoner was eyeing the weapon dangerously.
"Let me go and I'll tell you." Kate's vision was greying around the edges and she desperately needed air.
Xeris reluctantly stopped throttling her. After pledging yet again that she only wanted to help them, Kate managed to ease the tension slightly and get them all sitting on the floor.
"I overheard some knights talking about when Griffeth's hunting party was going to leave," she explained. "They're heading south this time, since they already looked north. We'll wait for them to leave, then head in the opposite direction."
Xeris and Carter exchanged glances. The older man spoke first. "Give us an exact date."
Kate did not like the way he kept eying the brick. She felt like if she gave away all her information, then she would no longer be of any use to the men. Then it might even be advantageous for the others to silence her rather than risk their plan leaking out to the guards. So she stared at each of them in turn, then made her own conditions known. "I'll tell you the night before the hunters leave. As long as you promise me safe passage."
Xeris glared at her. "We only have a small window of time before the Head Steward takes stock of the inventory and notices the keys are missing."
"And he's due to check in five days, correct?" The other man nodded. Kate grinned. "Then you have nothing to fear. The hunting party leaves before then."
"That's all I needed to hear." Xeris finally looked relieved. Kate shared his relief. . . until he grabbed the brick. Kate suddenly realized that she had given away her only leverage.
Before she could do anything, Carter grabbed Xeris's arm and pulled it down. "Stop. Nate held up his end of the bargain, the least we could do is honour ours."
Xeris considered the weapon in his hands before reluctantly lowering it. "I still don't like this. Too many people already know about our plan. The more who join us, the greater the risk we get caught."
"Well at least Nate contributed valuable information, which is more than can be said for some of the men Hedge recruited."
"So be it," Xeris sighed and dropped the brick. "If it were up to me, I'd keep it down to three or four people at most. But Hedge is the one with the keys so there's little I can say about who he brings along."
Carter turned to Kate. "We're trusting you Nate. Don't speak of this to anyone."
"My lips are sealed," she promised. She felt pale and cold from narrowly avoiding death yet again.
After a near sleepless night, Kate spent the next day brainstorming ideas of escape. If it was true that another prisoner had managed to steal a pair of keys from the guards, then not only would they be able to unlock their cells, they would also be able to get past the gatehouse towers easily. As she worked in the fields hammering away at rock deposits with a pickaxe, she kept her eyes on the walls of Cerulean Falls. Kate was able to locate a blind spot underneath a tower where they could slip away into the forest without being seen. She also paid attention to how pairs of guards walked along the top of the walls, making note of the brief interlude that signalled a shift change.
Over the next few nights she conspired with Carter and Xeris in the dark, relaying everything she was learning about the weaknesses of Cerulean Falls. They in turn provided her with details about their plan so far and the other prisoners involved. Xeris was undeniably the leader who was pulling all the strings into place, using connections to his advantage and setting up everything they needed for the escape. Carter was his right hand man, helping secure the aforementioned goods and tools that would be necessary for their survival. The other four men were strangers to Kate, as they were kept in different cells. However, the entire plan relied on Hedge so she naturally heard lots about him, and even chanced to meet him while mining rocks one time. Hedge was the one who had stolen the keys, a smart and enigmatic man with an aura of danger around him. Kate was not quite sure why, but she had felt extremely uneasy when she met him that one time.
In either case, Kate placed her faith in the plan. All the pieces had neatly fallen into place over the past few days, giving them the best opportunity of escape that they could hope for. Besides, she judged the others to be capable allies who knew what they were doing. Of the four other inmates who shared her cell, Xeris had been in prison the longest, having endured four long years of incarceration. He was a large muscular man with greying hair, probably well into his forties. Kate always thought that if any of them stood a chance of earning their freedom through ten years of labour, he was the one that would actually be able to make it that far. If Xeris believed in the plan enough to risk his safe future, then Kate was sure it would work.
And so she quietly bided her time, suffering under the cruel hands of the Protectors for now, but knowing in her heart that it would all be behind her soon. Kate felt her energy return to her on the day before the escape, a nervous exuberance that empowered her to take that leap of faith into the darkness. And then suddenly, all her months of pain and agony were almost over. She could almost feel her newfound freedom as she watched Sir Griffeth lead a column of knights and spearmen out of the south gate. However, she also felt sad that Sir Melvin would never be able to escape with her. If I do make it to the north and join their army, then it could potentially mean fighting against Sir Melvin in the future. She frowned as she watched him depart into the distance. I pray that it never comes to that. In spite of everything, he's a good man and possibly my only friend here. But I have a feeling that he'll be alright in the end. I just need to watch out for myself now.
That night she was wide awake, listening to every little sound in the darkness with her back against the concrete wall. She kept glancing at Carter and Xeris nervously, reassured by the icy determination on their faces as they waited for salvation. Then down the hallway they all heard the slight creak of an iron grating as a cell was unlocked. The noise was barely perceivable but rang clear in Kate's ears. It was the sound of freedom. Then came four sets of soft footsteps, followed by the other prisoners appearing outside their cell. Kate recognized Hedge's shadowy face as he unlocked their cell and slowly turned the door. She could hardly contain her excitement as the cell yawned wide open. Xeris and Carter slipped out with their packs of supplies. Kate glanced back at her two last sleeping cellmates who were blissfully unaware of the escape taking place. She felt bad for leaving so many people behind, especially given that they might be punished for their disappearance. But Kate had long since learned that the world was cruel and unfair. If she had any chance of getting away, it would come with a sacrifice. When I get to safety. . . If I ever make it to the Hotspring Hold, I promise I'll speak of the evil acts committed here. Maybe in a perfect world all these people will be free in the future. One can hope. . .
Kate followed the six other prisoners outside into the fresh night. There was no time to enjoy the outdoor air or the refreshing darkness, for they were still within the walls of Cerulean Falls. Kate could see three pairs of bright orange lights moving along the walls, undoubtedly guards holding torches. All seven of the prisoners ducked into the shadows between buildings as they made their way toward the gatehouse. Fortunately the torches were a double edged weapon. The light would spell the death of them if the guards got too close, but as long as they remained outside the ring of firelight it would be nearly impossible for the guards to see them in the inky expanse of darkness. The most the soldiers could hope to see were movements in the darkness. For that reason, the seven prisoners moved slowly and crouched close to the ground, even though all their instincts screamed at them to get out of there as soon as humanly possible.
When they reached the gatehouse, everyone waited under the dark overhang beside the iron gratings while Hedge snuck over to the adjacent watchtower and opened the door. Opening the gate would cause far too much noise. Instead, they could simply use the tower to get across the walls since it had doors on either side. The gatehouse was only meant to provide easy transport for large mounted hunting parties or supply wagons, of which the small group of humans had no need.
Once Hedge had successfully gotten both doors open, the prisoners snuck into the tower one by one. After they emerged on the other side, facing the labour fields and the forests in the distance, they could all breathe a little easier. However, they weren't completely safe yet. At any moment the guards patrolling the walls or manning the watchtowers could spot them. So they scraped against the walls and edged along toward the blindspot Kate had detected earlier. She fervently hoped that she had been right and the guards in the tower wouldn't see them. After all, she had never been up there herself. Kate had only based the guess off of her own intuition.
But she soon saw she had no need to worry. It was safe, as she had predicted. The watchtower commanded a poor view of that particular stretch of the hills, so they easily avoided detection by crawling amidst the stones and boulders. Kate scarcely breathed all the way to the tree line. It was probably a twenty minute crawl but it felt like ages. Everytime the firelight shifted behind her she felt as if prying eyes were watching her through the darkness.
When all of the prisoners had finally reached the forest, they expressed their joy through muted gasps. However, the celebration was short-lived. Xeris quickly motioned for them to move, and the group jogged into the darkness, away from Cerulean Falls. Although Griffeth had led a huge search party toward the south, there were still plenty of experienced hunters and trackers inside Cerulean Falls. As soon as the guards noticed a group of prisoners missing the next morning, they would surely sound an alarm. Whether the Protectors of Man would trouble themselves with pursuing seven prisoners was another matter. Kate had a sinking suspicion that they would follow, but at least they would be lacking manpower in their search efforts. Besides, their head start would surely help them gain some distance from the fortress before the hunters even started after their trail.
The prisoners jogged through the night and well into the next afternoon, only taking short rests as needed. They had enough supplies to last them around three days, after which they would have to hunt and forage themselves. That was a problem for another time. For now, they just needed to get as far away as possible.
Of course, the wildlife was another huge problem. A few of the other men had sharpened spears out of branches during their rests, though it would do them little good if a huge carnivore took up their trail. But as long as the primal weapons kept the smaller creatures away, it would be good enough. The hustling and puffing as the seven of them trampled through the undergrowth was already enough to keep the more skittish animals away. That was good.
After their initial burst of energy and adrenaline had given out, the group took to walking for the rest of the day. During the night, they found a small cave to sleep inside. The prisoners set up a watch schedule to look for danger. Kate volunteered for first watch, then after a few hours of gazing into the dark forest, she woke up the next man and promptly sank down onto the cave floor. After staying awake for nearly two days straight, she fell asleep easily for the first time since being captured.
They continued on like that for the next two days, jogging when they could, walking when they couldn't. Kate was exhausted from the constant trek through the wilderness, but then again it was no worse than labour at Cerulean Falls. The one good thing about her imprisonment was that it had conditioned her to brutal working conditions and constant searing pain. Her sore muscles no longer troubled her as much. And along the way, Kate gained a new appreciation for the beauty of nature. She had been too terrified of the woods to fully enjoy the Island's beauty during her first few days as a castaway, but now she immersed herself in its wonders. She was no longer afraid of getting ambushed and attacked by some wild carnivore. After everything she had been through, a quick natural death would be a mercy. Kate almost welcomed the idea of contributing to the magical cycle of life that sustained the Island's wild and beautiful ecosystems.
The morale of the company gradually swelled the farther they got from Cerulean Falls. Kate slowly grew to trust the other men more. She could never fully recover from her trauma associated with the other sex, but the journey at least rekindled a spark of her faith in humanity. As she got to know the other ex-prisoners better, she realized that in spite of being thrown in jail cells like wild animals, these were no monsters. The real criminals were the soldiers who had locked them in the cells to begin with. Kate started respecting Xeris's gruff but protective nature that bound the broken individuals into one functioning team. She appreciated Carter's kind hearted attempts to liven the mood whenever everyone else seemed down on their spirits. She valued the commitment of all the other prisoners who went about their duties vigilantly and responsibly, whether it be foraging food or keeping watch for the night. Yet despite her newfound trust of the men in her group, she could not shake her feeling of unease about Hedge. . .
One morning, the group was startled awake by the infuriated roar of a tyrannosaurus rex in the distance. With mounting dread, Kate realized the sound had come from the direction of Cerulean Falls. "You don't think—" she began.
Xeris shoved the nearest men to their feet, his face pale with dread. "I'd recognize that roar anywhere. Inferno. Keith's personal warmount. Move!"
The group immediately packed up and jogged away, all of them scared for their lives. If the Great General had taken to hunting them down personally, it meant trouble. Kate had only seen him up close that one time she was being sorted into the group of male prisoners. A large and imposing man with dark eyes and a thick black beard. His scar-pocked face and arms spoke of just how dangerous he truly was, being the veteran of what seemed like a hundred battles. That, along with the great double-headed axe strapped to his back, made Kate quake in fear at the thought of him pursuing them through the forests. Especially mounted atop his prize tyrannosaurus, a powerful specimen with obsidian black scales accented by red and orange whirls. Kate had glanced at the muscular apex predator dozens of times while inside Cerulean Falls. She knew they were as good as dead if that monster caught up to them.
They ran for their lives, wildy slapping away golden-brown leaves and half-dead vines as they scrambled northward. Every so often they heard another sign of pursuit behind them. The wrathful cries of Inferno, or perhaps the distinct screeches of a raptor pack calling to each other. Regardless of what horrible carnivore they heard behind them, there was no doubt that each call was closer than the last. Kate was absolutely terrified. Not so much of death, as being taken prisoner alive. She dared not imagine the cruel punishments they all had in store for themselves should they be captured.
Despite her adrenaline and her heart pumping faster than ever before, there was only so much her body could take. Kate started slowing down, wheezing and coughing as her chest burned and her lungs felt like they were on fire. Somewhere along the way she had abandoned her backpack to run faster. She saw that the other men were also getting winded. All of their faces were as red as apples, and they had all dropped their heavy packs as well. Kate realized that hobbling away was futile. They were hopelessly outpaced by the predators bearing down at them. The only way to escape would be some form of deceit.
Hedge seemed to have reached that conclusion as well. His face suddenly seemed to brighten up, as if he had just solved some confounded mystery. "I know exactly where we are!" he said between gasps. "This is near my home village. We can lose them in the caves."
Without waiting for affirmation, he turned off toward the left and never cast a backward glance, bolting away into the forest. A chorus of screeches, closer than ever before, convinced the others to follow him. The hope of actually escaping alive revived their lost strength. They hurried after Hedge, desperately hoping that he was right and they would get away safely.
Sure enough, a cave loomed out of the trees. Hedge was already part way inside, waving them forward. The entrance was too large for a fully grown tyrannosaurus rex to fit through, meaning they would be safe from Inferno's jaws. The men crammed inside the abyss in record time, plunging headfirst into darkness with no second thoughts. Only the wild irrational fear of hunted animals. Whatever was inside would be better than waiting outside.
The darkness of the cave forced them to slow down, lest they trip and meet an untimely end to the stalactites and jagged crystalline formations. The caves narrowed down, forcing them to hobble forward in single file; the blind leading the blind. Kate's eyes slowly adjusted to the dim green glow emitted from the crystals. She was third in line, just behind Xeris. Hedge led the way, seemingly an expert on these particular caves and their layouts.
Something nagged at the back of her mind. Ever since she first met Hedge, she had always felt something was off about him. Now that voice screamed louder than ever not to trust the man. Kate frowned when they came to an intersection where three separate passages yawned out in front. Without the slightest moment of hesitation Hedge condemned them to the central path. Kate hesitated, craning her neck to at least get a peak into where the other caves led. The frantic pushing and shoving of the men behind her forced her to move along before she got a good look at the other routes.
Suddenly and without warning, it hit her. I know where Hedge is from. In fact, I've seen his face throughout almost my whole entire journey. He was one of the foot soldiers from Griffeth's hunting party. He's probably been inside me more times than I can count, but I always had my eyes closed. Not to mention that all the faces of my tormentors blurred together. But no doubt it's him. He's one of the bastards that made my life a living hell.
"Stop!" She shouted. "This is all wrong!"
"What are you talking about?" Xeris said without breaking pace.
The insistent shoving and bustling of the men behind her forced Kate to stumble forward against her will. She desperately wanted to get out of those evil caves at that very instant. Kate shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. Her voice trembled when she spoke. "It's Hedge. He's one of them."
"One of who?"
"The Protectors of Man. Don't trust him."
"Impossible," Xeris scowled. "Nate get a hold of yourself. Now's not the time to break down."
"He's with them! I'm sure of it." Tears were now freely running down her face but she did not care. Kate threw herself against the tide of bodies behind her, pressing to get as far away as possible from the evil man leading them into the darkness. "We need to go back!"
Her outburst was met by angry curses and harsh shoves. Xeris grabbed her arm and pulled her forward into the cave. "Stop this Nate. You're slowing us down. Even if what you say is true, we've gone too far now. There's no turning back."
"Precisely right," A new voice laughed. "You're trapped."
In the chamber in front of them, a rank of armored soldiers levelled crossbows at them. Behind the line of crossbowmen loomed the dark shape of some vicious theropod with glowing yellow eyes. The creature snarled and the prisoners flinched backward. Turning around, they saw streams of pikemen pouring out from the adjacent cave passageways, followed by yet more of the nightmarish cave monsters.
Author's Note:
Girlbook, You'll find out...
DinoNerd89, For sure, it's sad that Willam had to lock Argentum up after raising him to adulthood. And you'll see more of Zach soon, rest assured.
Caleb R. Watson, With a giga on their side, there's definitely lots of ways the war can go. I think it's a nice idea that there's a good afterlife in store for heroes, but well. . . nobody's ever died and come back to tell us about it, so I don't think anybody could ever confirm or deny it. Also I'm in Canada if that's somewhat close to where you live.
Loremaster Endercreeper, Great to hear back from you! It's too bad that your internet's kinda patchy but I'll be looking forward to the next review even if it takes a while. And yeah, Argentum did get kinda unlucky being hatched at around this time. You're right in that he's getting forced into a role he never would have had to take in nature. But at least it helps defend his home and his tribe.
Death korps boi, You bring up a great point. . . I actually hadn't thought of that lol. Darn too late to change it. In my head the boats were only used at Ice Harbour to go fishing and whaling. I guess the in-story reason is that it might be hard for large ships to get close to the coast without beaching themselves, so they would need to send smaller rafts ashore which is a bit of a hassle. Also the winds would be a problem, since they'd only be able to travel quickly with a tailwind. Otherwise they'd need to row, which would take a lot more manpower than just sending a few riders. As for the brontos/paraceratheriums, just you wait :)
Bladerunner24k, Thanks I'm glad the worldbuilding paid off!
Nateman264, Ha that would sure be a sight to see. I don't think Argentum's quite that strong, but if he were to build up a running charge he could definitely tip a rex over and into the dirt. But yes, he would be a terrifying ambush predator and if the Coalition does a good job of keeping him hidden he could slowly take out chunks of their army, piece by piece. As for taming, I've always been a bit curious about other ways to domesticate creatures so I'll take a look into the mods you mentioned! Maybe I can incorporate some methods into my story.
Thunder, Glad you enjoyed! For that question the answer is unfortunately no. Although if anybody were able to control a tyrannosaurus like that I'd be scared for whoever they go up against.
Thanks for taking the time to check out my work, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Feel free to comment, ask questions, or criticize my story, review is always welcome! If you liked what you saw, make sure to check out the other ARK stories on this site! Have a great day!
- DaRumpyBurr
