章節 381: A Bit of Excitement
Alaron watched his companions make their way across the river. He breathed a sigh of relief when his sister made it across to the far bank.
"Keep going!" the Guardian yelled, but the princess either did not hear him or ignored him as she pulled her bow and arrow from her pack.
Renat, who was the last of the trio, was nearly across the rapidly flowing water when his horse stepped too close to the edge and the earth of the bridge sheeted off. The horse and rider tumbled into the water, but thankfully both were safe.
The bridge was not. With a creak and snaps of the supports, it began to sink and bow under the weight of the rushing water before giving away entirely. The flow gushed over the rim of the dam, pushing away the earth and wood until almost nothing was left.
Alaron was both relieved and horrified. The lack of crossing meant the horsemen would be unable to pursue the rest of his group. This was good.
Yet, now he also had no way to cross without getting caught up in the river's rushing current. He would risk it, but it wasn't ideal, especially with horses behind him who would likely be better able to navigate due to their size.
The bank was coming up quickly, but not as quickly as the first steed. Juking to one side, Alaron managed to dodge the downward thrust of a spear.
'Where did he get a blasted spear?' The Guardian paused as the horse continued forward. Then he moved behind the stallion to its left side before continuing to run. The rider quickly shifted his spear to the other side as he reined in his horse, but Alaron anticipated his movement and grabbed a hold of the shaft. Pushing with all of his might and then pulling, the silver-eyed man was able to unseat the rider from his mount.
The man came tumbling to the ground, his body falling under the beast which he had formerly ridden. Alaron flipped around to engage another of the vagrants who had come with the first. He hurled the spear at the man and it lodged in his shoulder, causing both rider and horse to panic.
The horse veered sideways and careened off the designated course. This motion, coupled with the other stallion trying not to trample its rider underfoot, disrupted the other six horses from reaching Alaron.
The small respite gave the Guardian a moment to survey the river, and his heart lifted ever so slightly. Although the dam had been washed out, a few stones remained protruding from the frothy churning of the water. This had been the basis for the dam: a perilous natural bridge.
The Guardian's lips turned up in a smile. 'Let's do this!' His focus was pulled from the stones as an arrow whizzed by his head.
"Watch out!" the young man yelled angrily at his sister. "Don't hit me!" However the grunt behind Alaron told him that the spear holder had regained his footing and had nearly gotten the jump on him. If not for his Mairwen's well-placed arrow, the Guardian would likely have breathed his last.
"Hurry!" the princess called anxiously, nocking another arrow and letting it fly. The warning was enough for all but one of the other riders to pause their pursuit. The idea of becoming a pincushion was unappealing.
The lone rider who was willing to brave certain death was Collyn. He held his shield in front of him as another projectile came his way. The arrow glanced off his metal buckler, much to Mairwen's dismay.
With his other arm, Collyn bore down and swung his sword at Alaron. The Guardian tried to avoid the slash, but he was not quick enough. The blade cut the Guardian's exposed sleeve and shoulder, leaving a trail of blood along the shiny metal.
Only Alaron's lighting speed kept him from the sword separating him from his head. However, his right arm was his dominant one, and he had just lost the ability to defend himself.
There was only one option. Rolling over his shoulder below another stab by Collyn, Alaron made a final break for the river. At the water's edge, he leapt with all his might for the first rock cropping out from the water.
He landed lightly on his feet on the flattened stone, just out of reach of the angry man with the shield. Collyn cursed at him, but Alaron knew better than to stop.
'One down, five to go…" he surveyed the rest of the gap between the other shore and himself.
Unfortunately the next leap would be the farthest. It was impossibly far. Yet, from practice with Justum, the Guardian knew just how extraordinarily long he could actually jump. If he put his entire weight into it, he just might make it. If not, well… his injured arm would make swimming quite difficult.
The man braced himself as a spear splashed into the water next to him. Whoever had thrown it must have made hasty aim while trying to avoid Mairwen's arrows. Alaron could waste no more time. He could not risk another wild throw.
Taking a step backwards, the Guardian rushed off the stone and flew through the air. At the top of his arc he spread his cape wide, the magical fabric giving him the extra lift he needed to span the distance.
Alaron skidded onto the rock. His feet slid across the wet stone, unable to find purchase. Dropping to his stomach, the Guardian tried to find a hold or out cropping with his hands, anything to stop his skate into the raging water.
The fingers of his left hand searched desperately as the momentum of his monumental leap pushed him ever forward. His feet dipped in the water as he finally found a small crag in the hardened slab. Grabbing furiously, the Guardian's body jerked to one side as his uncontrolled landing finally came to a halt.
His injured shoulder stung as he pulled himself from the water, dripping tiny droplets of red into the unwavering flow. Alaron's eyes opened wide as he looked down into the river. He had almost become fish food.
Cradling his arm, he surveyed the next few jumps. They were neither as far nor the stones as narrow as the one on which he was perched. Over the sound of rushing water, Alaron could hear yelling from both sides. His companions were cheering him forward while those behind him were cursing that he hadn't succumbed to his perilous plunge.
One voice in particular was calling out to him. "You'll never make it! Come back and we won't kill you. We just have some questions for you." Collyn had made it to the stone behind him, but it was clear he would prefer not to go any further.
'Anyone who says they won't kill you certainly has murder on their mind," Alaron did not even turn around to respond. He closed his eyes for a moment, picturing his training.
"Alaron, hurry!" Mariwen warned. She shot off an arrow at the opposing bank.
The Guardian's eyes popped open, silver lightning streaking across them in determination. He made four leaps in a fluid combination of movements, resembling a mountain goat. All was going well until the last stone, by far the smallest and least solid, gave way beneath his shoes.
The heavy flow tugged at his feet, pulling him downward as the rock sheared away. Out of nowhere, a hand reached out and grabbed his arm. Renat, anchored with a rope by Eira and Mairwen on shore, had waded out to help.
"Where do you think you are going?" The scientist tightened his grip on his brother-in-law as the two women, with the aid of a horse, pulled them to shore.
"We need to get out of the water, now!" the Guardian urged. Yet there was not need. The ladies were highly motivated to pluck their companions from the water. They were brought swiftly onto the bank.
Angered by the sudden success of the cloaked intruder, Collyn threw caution to the wind. He braced himself to make the inhuman leap across the watery chasm. Mairwen readied her bow to stop him.
"No need. Save your arrows. He won't make it," Alaron said as he walked to his horse. Mounting was difficult with one arm, but he managed.
"How can you be sure?" The princess looked at him, concerned.
The Guardian did not have time to answer. Collyn leapt, missed, and plunged into the water's depths.
"I'll get you!" he screamed as his head bobbed in the water. "I'll... ouch! What the...?" Panic flooded Collyn's angry expression as hundreds of tiny teeth bit at his clothes. He cried out and swam full force back to the bank from which he had come. When he exited, his clothes were tattered, pock-marked with small fish latching onto his skin.
"What are those?" Eira asked, astounded by the strange sight. "Leeches?"
Alaron chuckled, "No. Biting fish. It seems Justum really was preparing me, that sneaky Fate. You three disturbed one wall of a fish farm. The dam was never meant to be used as a bridge. But we better get out of here before they find the other wall and try to use it to cross. They might not all make it, but some probably will." He paused, then added. "When you get back to the palace, you'll owe the farmer a pretty penny."
"One problem at a time," Mairwen rolled her eyes and mounted her steed. "One question though. Why farm biting fish?"
Alaron licked his lips. "For sport, for the fun of having a strange pet perhaps....but mostly because they are delicious!"
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