To Be A King • 5
The Manhunt • Part five of a six-part sci-fi fantasy. New chapters every Tuesday.
If you are new to the story, you can begin here:
In the previous chapter, Rattar told Cliff about his plan and gave Cliff his assignment.
The general and I both changed into ancient-style clothes. I grabbed a crate of explosives, and the General grabbed a bag of things he planned to take with him. Dressed and ready for the mission, we walked back to the stones.
“Why haven’t people from the past come through the portal to here?” I asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s malfunctioning or it was designed that way. But it only appears to work if you enter it from this side first.”
I stepped through the stones. I still found it hard to believe I was on Earth, let alone Earth in the past. I tried to stay focused on my mission. Get it over with and get back to Liz, I kept telling myself.
I headed east until I found the small village Rattar told me about. It wasn’t much. There was an inn, a blacksmith shop, a bakery, a stable, several cottages, and a church. I figured the inn would be the best place to start.
“Well met, stranger,” the innkeeper said as I walked in.
“And you,” I replied.
“What can I get ya?”
“Ale will do,” I answered.
“Aye, and will ya be wantin’ somethin’ to eat with that?”
“Maybe later. I will need a room, though.”
“Got one available. What brings you to these parts?”
“I am looking for someone. A man robbed me on the road. I managed to stab him, but he got away. A tall fellow with black hair, probably limping. You seen anyone like that?”
“We get a lot of strangers through here. I don’t recall anyone limping.”
“Keep your eyes open. I will gladly pay a reward if I can get my purse back.”
“You got money to pay for the ale?”
“Aye. I had a few coins stashed in my shoe that he didn’t get.”
“I will look out for him.”
I finished my drink and made the rounds to the rest of the village. Nobody claimed to have seen him, but I didn’t believe them. This wasn’t going to be easy.
I had just fallen asleep when I was woken by two men grabbing me by the arms. They were probably farmers, and I was pretty sure I could have taken them both, but I wanted to see where it would lead. They took me outside and then into the church and sat me down on a pew. A tall priest with black hair and a slight limp came out of a door in the back of the church and walked over to me.
“Rattar send you?” He said.
No point in denying it. I reached for the gun tucked in the back of my britches.
“I wouldn’t try it,” Habar said calmly.
He had a gun tucked discreetly inside the sleeve of his robe. Pointed right at my head.
“I don’t know what Rattar told you, but I’m sure it was a lie.”
“I doubt it,” I replied.
“Did he tell you we were on our third mission when he discovered silver in the church? And that for the next ten missions, he had us raiding every church we could find. Did he tell you he wanted us to stay here with him? That he was planning to use the silver we were looting to buy an army and he planned to set himself up as a king?
“No, he told me you went crazy and killed the whole squad.”
“It was Rattar who went crazy. He became obsessed with the idea of staying here and ruling his own kingdom. We had been looting churches for weeks. None of us liked it. The General hardly spoke to us except to bark out orders. He started staring into space a lot, like he was in a trance.
“Jones had finally had enough. He got angry and said he wouldn’t be stealing anymore silver and that he was going back. The General looked at us and said, ‘I guess that’s enough silver.’ Then he started shooting. I ran for cover, but he got my leg as I was running. I fell down and laid there waiting for him to come and finish the job, hoping I could get him first. But he never came. When I got back up, he was gone. Back to the portal, I assumed.”
“I don’t believe it,” I replied.
One of the men who pulled me out of bed spoke up.
“It’s true. I seen it.”
“Me, too,” said the other man.
“We all three seen it,” said a young woman who walked out of the same door as Habar. “These are my brothers. We was out working the field when we heard people coming. We ducked down in the field, fearing it was robbers. We saw them coming closer, then they stopped. One of the men started getting angry and shouting at the old man. Then the old man used some kind magic to kill the other men. He put up his hand, made a loud noise, and the men fell. We seen Lucas fall too. We were terrified.
“Then the old wizard left. A few minutes later, we seen Lucas get up and start limping. He saw us too and said, ‘Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you. Can you help me? I’ve got money.’ So we took him to the inn and bandaged up his leg.”
I sat there in disbelief.
Continues next week.
Thanks for reading and responding. You make it fun.
Mark
Great plot twist. The General does seem to be obsessed and cooky for wanting to spend the last years of his life on Earth during the Middle Ages. The prospects of riches and power can change a man. Can't wait till Tuesday.
Oooo. Which story to believe now.... hmmm.