The Marenon Chronicles Collection - By Jason D. Morrow Page 0,16

their position to any Stühoc that may be listening.

“Come on,” he said as he took off in a sprint.

Silas almost protested, but didn't have time. He had to keep up with Kaden. They ran through the forest with the fear that every step would bring them closer to being surrounded by Stühocs. Silas gripped his sword as Kaden fixed another arrow. They finally came up to the creature that Kaden had shot, an arrow buried deep in its chest. It had died only seconds after the shot.

“Is this one of them?”

“Yeah,” Kaden said. “It’s a Leaper.” He looked in every direction. “They’re close.”

Silas nodded, not knowing what to say. He looked down at the grotesque figure, unable to distinguish many of its features in the night. He wasn’t sure he really wanted to see what it looked like up close anyway.

“Well, Mr. Ainsley, if you aren't sure of the way from here then I suggest we keep heading north to try and find the path.”

Silas agreed. They traveled silently for several long minutes and finally found the path with the tire tracks in the dirt road that led off the cliff. This was the spot. They both looked over the edge and could see a dark mass of metal on the main road far below. Kaden looked at Silas. No direction was needed. They had to get down to the truck.

“We don't have time to walk the path around the mountain,” Kaden said.

Silas raised an eyebrow fearing he knew what Kaden was about to suggest.

“I know you've been through a lot already,” Kaden said, “but the quickest way to get to the truck is if we climb.”

Silas looked over the edge again. The thought of descending the steep jagged rock nearly a hundred feet to the next level made him dizzy.

“I'll go first,” Kaden said. “I'll guide you down.”

“I don't need you to guide me down,” he said defiantly. “I've climbed steeper.” It was a lie.

Kaden could sense his apprehension and he waited a moment then shrugged. “Sure.” He said.

They both began to make their way down the steep cliff side. Inch by inch Silas felt his way down. Several times he nearly lost his footing to loose rocks. Kaden seemed to feel at ease, climbing without any struggle. He called out to Silas from time to time to see if he was all right, but was only met with grunts and swears.

The two reached the ground and Silas rubbed at the small scrapes he obtained from the jagged rock. He followed Kaden who crouched behind a brush pile. The demolished truck sat crumbled about thirty paces away from them.

“What's the plan?” Silas asked.

Kaden watched in all directions, feeling for the sword and bow strapped to his back.

“This feels like a trap,” Kaden said. “Almost as if they are waiting for us.”

“We haven't seen or heard any sign of Stühocs down here,” Silas said annoyed. “I don't think they're here.”

“Which is exactly what they would want you to think if they were about to ambush you,” Kaden shot back. “They are brutal creatures, and as smart as you or me. They don't always attack their enemies blindly. They wait for the opportune moment so they can be thorough in their destruction.”

It was an argument that Silas couldn't win, so he decided not to fight it.

“Well, if you think there's an ambush, then what's your plan?”

Kaden raised an eyebrow as if to say, why are you so annoying, but he had more tact than that. As much as he wanted to say it, instead he said, “There's nothing we can do but to go to the truck and get the medallion. It's likely they didn't see us on our descent because of the trees. But they'll know we're going to the truck.”

“Why would they know that?”

“They can sense the medallion,” Kaden said, not taking his eyes from the truck. It was as if he were lost in thought, a memory from his past. “They can almost smell it.”

“Then why haven't they already gone after it?”

“Silas,” Kaden said with a sigh, “I didn't come here to protect you from Theron and Marcus.”

A red flag went up in Silas' mind. Then what are you doing here at all? Silas thought.

“You living or dying isn't what is important,” Kaden continued. “You cannot, at all costs, be captured by the Stühocs. It would be better if you just jumped off the side of the cliff.” Kaden said this with such calm and lack of emotion;