Chapter 4
“Yes madam?”
“Send Clinton and Agora to join the other two. I want as much protection as possible.”
Hans sighed, “Yes madam.” He tiredly walked out the room and headed for the stables.
***
As the duo reached the nest of the parimole tunnel, they could hear some whimpering. There was a baby parimole, not older than a week, nestled in the straw and grass. It was whining for it’s mother.
“Oh, it’s hungry!” Acacia reached in her backpack and took out some milk. She also grabbed a pair of rubber gloves from Doran’s bag and poked a hole in one tip. Filling it with milk, she picked up the parimole baby and fed it. After it had it’s fill, it snuggled up to Acacia and fell asleep.
She looked up at Doran. “We have to take it with us, otherwise it will die.”
“No way. I’m not carrying that evil hairless thing.”
“Fine, but just remember who brought you here in the first place.”
“How could I forget?”
Acacia ignored Doran’s comment and began to rock the little parimole in her arms. “I’ll call you Mulligan, or Molly for short.” She cleared a little area in her backpack and made her sleeping bag into a little section for Molly, then tucked the newborn into her sack. Closing it carefully so as to give Molly air, Acacia climbed back into the tunnel and kept going. Doran only shook his head and followed.
***
When they arrived at the gate, Acacia and Doran had to quickly duck behind some rocks so as not to be seen by the four parading reumans. Acacia took out her knife and sharpened it on the stone. When she was sure it was pointed, she aimed carefully.... and threw it at one of the reumans. Hitting it square between the eyes, the animal dropped dead to the ground. The other three walked over and looked at it oddly. They sniffed it, then ignored it and started looking around again, watching for intruders.
Doran handed Acacia the knife he had brought, and she pointed it at another reuman. Hitting this one below the ear, it too fell dead. The two remaining just ignored it.
“How come they don’t even care? I was under the impression reumans were smart,” Doran whispered to Acacia.
“They are smart, but these have been trained to ignore the deceased. It helps when attacking larger numbers if the carnage doesn’t distract them.” Acacia was out of knives, so she picked up some rocks and threw them over in another direction to beguile the other reumans. When they went around the corner to investigate the noise, Acacia quickly ran up and retrieved the two bloodied knives. She had barely slipped back behind the rocks when the animals returned.
Aiming once again for the head of the third reuman, she pitched the knife. It hit the beast in the back of his skull, killing him. They were now down to one. Doran wiped the blood from the last knife and handed it to Acacia. Just as she was throwing the knife, the reuman moved suddenly and the blade stuck in a crack in the rocky wall. The reuman looked at it for a second and then stared at the boulder where the pair was hiding. He casually walked over and began sniffing the rock. Doran backed up and accidentally fell in a deep crevice between two slabs of stone. Acacia, noticing he couldn’t move and would therefore be the first of the reuman’s meals, threw her backpack with Molly inside to Doran and did a flip over to the gate. The reuman followed her and strode to where she was standing. He stared her down, ready to strike if she moved. Thinking of her training, Acacia focused on the reuman’s pupils. He began to back off slowly, but seemed confused.
“Come on, back off. Back off,” she told him, but he seemed only to be partially hypnotized by her stare.
When he had retreated far enough, Acacia looked at her knife, just a foot or so near her head. She did a kick to knock it down, but only managed to fall flat on her back. The reuman snickered.
“Are you laughing at me, you smelly overgrown garden snake?”
He stopped chuckling and glared at her. She glanced behind him to where Doran had gotten unstuck and was holding his sword. He looked at Acacia and tossed it to her. She caught it effortlessly and got in a good stance to fight. The reuman also braced himself for a struggle.
The first blow came from the beast. He struck at Acacia, narrowly missing her. She advanced, sword in hand. She swung the weapon at his feet, but he only dodged. Expertly flipping a rock into her hand with her toe, she chucked it at his head. It hit him right on his brow. While he was shaking off the dizziness, Acacia picked up a handful of dirt and flung it in his eyes. Now the brute was blinded, and Acacia proceeded to chop off his head. Doran cheered from behind the rock.
“Wow, I didn’t know you could do that!” Doran stared at the reuman’s head, which had rolled to his feet. He kicked it to the wall and raised his arms in a victory.
“It’s not over yet though. I still have to get that magnacore. You stay here, and I’ll go address Lucia.” Acacia opened the gate and entered the huge palace courtyard. The doors shut behind her and Doran just sat down, disappointed that he didn’t get to come.
***
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Acacia.” Acacia turned her head and saw Lucia seated on a large throne, dressed in an elegant gown. The two ferrets from Aldrich were wearing diamond studded collars and were sleeping in her lap. “So nice to finally see the newest addition to the Munik family.”
“Give me the magnacore.”
“Oh, I don’t think so. First we must chat, like old friends. Sit at my feet.” Acacia sat down cautiously, next to the long folds of Lucia’s dress.
“What is this really about, Lucia? Why do you want the Oren?”
“Oh nothing really, just a little power hungry, I guess.” Zeke blipped from under Acacia’s belt. “You’re being paged.” Acacia took out Zeke and looked at his screen.
“DON’T LISTEN TO HER, FRIEND. SHE ONLY WANTS TO CONFUSE YOU. JUST GET THE MAGNACORE AND GET US OUT OF HERE!”
“Quiet Zeke, I have everything under control.” Acacia tucked him back in her belt.
“That’s quite a cute little device you have there. What is it?”
“He’s a Munik apprentice’s companion. He was specially designed for me.”
“But you’re not an apprentice any longer. You have become a warrior. I watched the way you handled those reumans.”
“Anyone would fight well when fighting for their life.”
“Wise words from such a foolish child. You are losing.”
“I’ve come this far, haven’t I?”
“But it was in vain. You have one hour left before your people are squashed like flies. I suggest you give up now, and leave with dignity.”
“Dignity?” Tears were falling down Acacia’s face, “I fought to get here. I survived a vendrin attack, I saved my friend from mitrobitters, I climbed a mountain! I killed four of the most vicious creatures I have ever met to get to you. I fought harder these past few days than I’ve fought in my entire life, and all to save my family and my home. It would be no where near dignified if I gave up now. I would be watching my life disappear.”
“Oh there, there. No need to get upset,” Lucia said with mock-sympathy. “Don’t worry. I’ll make their deaths quick and painless.”
The wall screen blinked on. Acacia and Lucia looked over at it and saw the council of Aldrich gathered.
“Acacia, you made it there safely. We are so relieved. We brought your mother and father in to speak to you,” one council member said. Then Acacia’s parents pushed through the crowd. They both had tear-stained faces and were holding tissues.
“Acacia, we’re so proud of you. We were so wrong not to believe you when you told us about the letter. We’re both so sorry,” Donella said, holding tightly to Auner.
“How touching. Aren’t we forgetting one detail, I still don’t have my ransom,” Lucia grabbed the magnacore, a foot-long cylinder with buttons and gauges on it, from a hall table. “I have the magnacore right here. Now you all see this small button? Good. This red button is the activation switch. It can also be used to de-activate the electrosphere. If I don’t get the Oren within the hour, I will press this little red button.”
“Lucia, give up the magnacore now!” Acacia pointed at Lucia and a bolt of electricity accidentally shot from her finger. Lucia ducked, and it hit the wall behind her, going through the next three rooms.
“Wow!” Lucia was staring at the hole with awe, “I could never do that.”
“I didn’t think I could!” Acacia was just as stunned as her adversary. Lucia looked over at the council on the screen. A sly smile grew on her face.
“I’ve changed my mind. I’ll negotiate with you. You can have the magnacore........ for Acacia.” The entire council was hushed. Then they burst out in anger. Everyone started yelling and shouting at Lucia. She couldn’t understand what they were saying, but she didn’t care.
“All right. You can have me,” Acacia stated calmly. For the second time that evening, the council was silent. She heard her parents crying, but she was set with determination. If it meant saving her family, friends, and planet, she would do it. Lucia grinned smugly.
“Gentlemen, our transaction is complete. See you at the Christmas party.” The screen blinked out.
“Why didn’t you give them the magnacore?” Acacia asked.
“I was never going to give it to them in the first place. Do you think I’ll surrender it now? I have control over your planet. I own them.” Lucia screamed down the hall, “Hans, take this slave to the dungeon. I need my beauty sleep.” Hans grabbed Acacia by the arm and dragged her through a door and down a moldy flight of stairs, and shoved her in a cell.“They’re actually close!” Lucia was watching her telescreen where she could clearly see an image of Acacia and Doran crawling through the tunnel. “I’ll just have to double the reumans at the gate. Hans!” she screamed to her butler. He hurried into her bedroom.