Part 36
Beka and Dylan turned toward the sound of the accusing voice. A young boy who appeared to be about fourteen stood with his feet planted firmly on the ground. He held a sword, upraised and level with their hearts.
"You're the boy from the village." Dylan said. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to tell my grandmother about the two men you murdered. One of them was her nephew, my cousin. Only when I got here I found out they weren't your only victims!" the boy screamed. He lunged forward trying to run his sword through Dylan. Dylan grabbed the sword and disarmed the boy easily. The boy dropped to his knees crying.
"Why did you kill them all? I don't understand." He said. He looked up at Dylan. "Are you going to kill me too?" he asked quietly.
Beka stepped forward and knelt in front of the boy.
"No one is going to hurt you. Dylan is not a bad man. He only kills when it is necessary. You have to believe me, we aren't they villains in this." She said.
The boy raised his head and pointed an accusing finger at Dylan.
"He and the other one killed two of the men in the village. He killed Tourk. And you are the reason for Reenia's death. You have taken almost everyone I love. How can you say you aren't villains?"
"We did not take those lives because we wanted to. We had no choice in those matters." Dylan said. "The men from the village were waiting to ambush us. Tourk would have killed me and hurt Beka if I hadn't stopped him. And it was your grandmother who killed Reenia not Beka."
"She had no choice. The Giving must happen if we are to continue." The boy defended his grandmother. However both Dylan and Beka noticed the attempt was only half-hearted.
"We are the ones who haven't been given any choices." Beka said quietly. "I was forced to crash here against my will. Your people have done cruel things to keep me here. They have hurt many other people before us."
"No! I won't listen to you. You are the evil ones. My grandmother is only doing what is best for our people. She is the best person I know." The young boy turned and ran from them as fast as he could.
Beka moved as if to go after the boy but Dylan grabbed her arm and restrained her.
"There is nothing we can say to change his mind. We have to get out of here."
"Right." She said.
They turned to climb over the wall. Just as Dylan had begun to hoist Beka up so she could climb over they heard sounds of gunfire coming from the front of the palace.
"Well what do you know?" Dylan asked letting Beka back down to the ground. "Sounds like the Calvary is here."
"Not a minute too soon for me." Beka said with a grin.
"Actually, they are just a minute too late." Neffa said as she and her guards came from out of the trees.
Before either of them could react, the guards restrained them both.
"I am afraid your time is up." Neffa snarled. "I will have what I want from you Beka."
"What are you going to do? Kill me like you killed your daughter?" Beka asked. "Like you killed all those other women and those innocent babies?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact, just like that. Only your death will be mean something. Your death will set us free of the imprisonment we have endured." Turning to the guards that held Dylan, she said, "He is no longer necessary. You may dispose of him any way you wish. I will be taking Beka with me to the pit."
She turned to the two guards holding Beka. "Take her away."
Dylan struggled against the guards. He almost broke free of the three holding him, but a fourth guard managed to strike a blow to the back of his head. Dylan slumped to his knees. He fought the inky blackness threatening to overwhelm him. His last glimpse of Beka was of one of the guards punching her across the face and knocking her out. The guard lifted her over his shoulder and carried her away.
"Beka." Dylan whispered before being overcome by the darkness.
From a short distance away, a pair of sad, disbelieving eyes witnessed the entire scene.
Beka and Dylan turned toward the sound of the accusing voice. A young boy who appeared to be about fourteen stood with his feet planted firmly on the ground. He held a sword, upraised and level with their hearts.
"You're the boy from the village." Dylan said. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to tell my grandmother about the two men you murdered. One of them was her nephew, my cousin. Only when I got here I found out they weren't your only victims!" the boy screamed. He lunged forward trying to run his sword through Dylan. Dylan grabbed the sword and disarmed the boy easily. The boy dropped to his knees crying.
"Why did you kill them all? I don't understand." He said. He looked up at Dylan. "Are you going to kill me too?" he asked quietly.
Beka stepped forward and knelt in front of the boy.
"No one is going to hurt you. Dylan is not a bad man. He only kills when it is necessary. You have to believe me, we aren't they villains in this." She said.
The boy raised his head and pointed an accusing finger at Dylan.
"He and the other one killed two of the men in the village. He killed Tourk. And you are the reason for Reenia's death. You have taken almost everyone I love. How can you say you aren't villains?"
"We did not take those lives because we wanted to. We had no choice in those matters." Dylan said. "The men from the village were waiting to ambush us. Tourk would have killed me and hurt Beka if I hadn't stopped him. And it was your grandmother who killed Reenia not Beka."
"She had no choice. The Giving must happen if we are to continue." The boy defended his grandmother. However both Dylan and Beka noticed the attempt was only half-hearted.
"We are the ones who haven't been given any choices." Beka said quietly. "I was forced to crash here against my will. Your people have done cruel things to keep me here. They have hurt many other people before us."
"No! I won't listen to you. You are the evil ones. My grandmother is only doing what is best for our people. She is the best person I know." The young boy turned and ran from them as fast as he could.
Beka moved as if to go after the boy but Dylan grabbed her arm and restrained her.
"There is nothing we can say to change his mind. We have to get out of here."
"Right." She said.
They turned to climb over the wall. Just as Dylan had begun to hoist Beka up so she could climb over they heard sounds of gunfire coming from the front of the palace.
"Well what do you know?" Dylan asked letting Beka back down to the ground. "Sounds like the Calvary is here."
"Not a minute too soon for me." Beka said with a grin.
"Actually, they are just a minute too late." Neffa said as she and her guards came from out of the trees.
Before either of them could react, the guards restrained them both.
"I am afraid your time is up." Neffa snarled. "I will have what I want from you Beka."
"What are you going to do? Kill me like you killed your daughter?" Beka asked. "Like you killed all those other women and those innocent babies?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact, just like that. Only your death will be mean something. Your death will set us free of the imprisonment we have endured." Turning to the guards that held Dylan, she said, "He is no longer necessary. You may dispose of him any way you wish. I will be taking Beka with me to the pit."
She turned to the two guards holding Beka. "Take her away."
Dylan struggled against the guards. He almost broke free of the three holding him, but a fourth guard managed to strike a blow to the back of his head. Dylan slumped to his knees. He fought the inky blackness threatening to overwhelm him. His last glimpse of Beka was of one of the guards punching her across the face and knocking her out. The guard lifted her over his shoulder and carried her away.
"Beka." Dylan whispered before being overcome by the darkness.
From a short distance away, a pair of sad, disbelieving eyes witnessed the entire scene.