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Authors: Sidney Wood
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my signal and then kill. It was always the same. He didn’t care how. When it came to it, he didn’t even care who. As long as they killed the person who needed killing, they could do what they wished once unleashed.
He turned back to the homestead and saw the old man walking back into the cabin. The man on top of the shed looked to the eastern edge of the property, watching something. Death shivered with anticipation as he watched the man swing down from the roof wielding an axe and run in the direction he had been looking. He stepped forward to get a better view, and saw a panel open on the south side of the house. A crossbow was pointed out, toward the east.
“There.” He thought as another man came running from the eastern tree line. The man was carrying a bundle of weapons.
Death turned again to look at his men: still only three. “The fat and the skinny…and the old one.” He calculated. He looked at the younger axe-man, the idiot, and the loudmouth. His anger started to swell again.
When he turned back to the homestead the men were shaking hands. He had hoped his mark would kill, or at least wound, the other man. Now it looked as if they were allying. They walked together to the cabin and went inside.
Death swung a fist viciously at the nearest tree and set it shaking with a dull thud. Unsatisfied with the result, he pulled one of many knives from his belt and stabbed the tree lightning fast. His blood rage boiled over as the tree refused to die. He wrapped his enormous hands about the base of the adolescent tree and heaved upward. Slowly, the roots broke free of the ground and ripped as he pulled. With a growl he shoved forward through the tree line and hurled the tree toward the cabin like a missile. They already knew he was coming. It was no use hiding now. His hat, knocked to the ground during the tirade, lay at his feet. Gaining control of his anger, he snatched his hat and stepped back into the trees.
He gave a slight nod to the west and stepped off; leading his men to a new position and buying himself time to think. Looking at each other, the remaining three men in his crew shook off their feelings of uncertainty and followed Death deeper into the woods.
Chapter Nineteen
(Present Day: 237 Cycles into the Light)
Lynn looked over the weapons cache the Sergeant Major uncovered beneath the floor of the cabin. They were in pristine condition: another crossbow and quiver; two plain, but well-conditioned swords with belts; and a battle axe with a broad blade on one side and a wicked hammer opposite. Lynn claimed one of the swords and fastened the belt about his waist. He lifted the battle axe and smirked grimly as he tested the weight and balance.
Chase looked at the swords he carried and set them aside, claiming the other sword and belt from the Sergeant Major’s armory. He fastened the belt about his waist and lifted the other crossbow, sighting down the body. He grunted approval and slung the quiver over his shoulder.
Just then, the Sergeant Major, who had been keeping watch out the southern window growled, “Movement southwest!” Then he added, “He just ripped a tree out of the ground and threw it at us. That’s not something I see every day.”
“They’re going to move,” said Lynn looking over the Sergeant Major’s shoulder. “I’ll watch the back. Lieutenant, I’d appreciate it if you’d take that crossbow up on the shed roof where you saw me earlier. You can see almost full-circle up there, but that means you’re exposed too, so be careful.”
“I’m on it,” said Chase, and he was already heading out the door.
Lynn turned toward the corner nearest the fireplace to see Charity and her puppy peeking out of a secret hatch in the floor. “Charity, you and…Cuddles…get below and stay there, Love.” He said with a furrowed brow. “Why did I let her name that dog?” he thought. “Lock that hatch and don’t come up for anything or anyone, unless you know it’s me or
He turned back to the homestead and saw the old man walking back into the cabin. The man on top of the shed looked to the eastern edge of the property, watching something. Death shivered with anticipation as he watched the man swing down from the roof wielding an axe and run in the direction he had been looking. He stepped forward to get a better view, and saw a panel open on the south side of the house. A crossbow was pointed out, toward the east.
“There.” He thought as another man came running from the eastern tree line. The man was carrying a bundle of weapons.
Death turned again to look at his men: still only three. “The fat and the skinny…and the old one.” He calculated. He looked at the younger axe-man, the idiot, and the loudmouth. His anger started to swell again.
When he turned back to the homestead the men were shaking hands. He had hoped his mark would kill, or at least wound, the other man. Now it looked as if they were allying. They walked together to the cabin and went inside.
Death swung a fist viciously at the nearest tree and set it shaking with a dull thud. Unsatisfied with the result, he pulled one of many knives from his belt and stabbed the tree lightning fast. His blood rage boiled over as the tree refused to die. He wrapped his enormous hands about the base of the adolescent tree and heaved upward. Slowly, the roots broke free of the ground and ripped as he pulled. With a growl he shoved forward through the tree line and hurled the tree toward the cabin like a missile. They already knew he was coming. It was no use hiding now. His hat, knocked to the ground during the tirade, lay at his feet. Gaining control of his anger, he snatched his hat and stepped back into the trees.
He gave a slight nod to the west and stepped off; leading his men to a new position and buying himself time to think. Looking at each other, the remaining three men in his crew shook off their feelings of uncertainty and followed Death deeper into the woods.
Chapter Nineteen
(Present Day: 237 Cycles into the Light)
Lynn looked over the weapons cache the Sergeant Major uncovered beneath the floor of the cabin. They were in pristine condition: another crossbow and quiver; two plain, but well-conditioned swords with belts; and a battle axe with a broad blade on one side and a wicked hammer opposite. Lynn claimed one of the swords and fastened the belt about his waist. He lifted the battle axe and smirked grimly as he tested the weight and balance.
Chase looked at the swords he carried and set them aside, claiming the other sword and belt from the Sergeant Major’s armory. He fastened the belt about his waist and lifted the other crossbow, sighting down the body. He grunted approval and slung the quiver over his shoulder.
Just then, the Sergeant Major, who had been keeping watch out the southern window growled, “Movement southwest!” Then he added, “He just ripped a tree out of the ground and threw it at us. That’s not something I see every day.”
“They’re going to move,” said Lynn looking over the Sergeant Major’s shoulder. “I’ll watch the back. Lieutenant, I’d appreciate it if you’d take that crossbow up on the shed roof where you saw me earlier. You can see almost full-circle up there, but that means you’re exposed too, so be careful.”
“I’m on it,” said Chase, and he was already heading out the door.
Lynn turned toward the corner nearest the fireplace to see Charity and her puppy peeking out of a secret hatch in the floor. “Charity, you and…Cuddles…get below and stay there, Love.” He said with a furrowed brow. “Why did I let her name that dog?” he thought. “Lock that hatch and don’t come up for anything or anyone, unless you know it’s me or
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