The Marenon Chronicles Collection - By Jason D. Morrow Page 0,225

of Coffman began to move to the side almost imperceptibly, giving Darren the slightest opening to fire the harpoon. He crouched to one knee, trying to line up his sight. Coffman couldn’t help but feel nervous. Darren’s fingers were visibly shaking. He glanced to his left to see Alric searching for him in the crowd. Coffman knew that his old friend’s hope must be running out. Coffman had not been able to tell him about today’s plans, but Alric knew something would be attempted.

“Today you will witness the beginning of a new era in Marenon,” Anithistor said. He reached into his black cloak and pulled out the orange medallion, placing it in the coordinating spot on the pedestal. In a flash, the stream of lighted souls shot above the pedestal, instantly beginning to spin with the power of the medallion below it.

Darren’s breathing became heavier and his hands were shaking more violently. He can’t take the shot, Coffman thought. He watched Darren wipe away a cold sweat.

“And today we begin our demonstration with two Human prisoners and the Erellen prince.”

Take the shot Darren!

Anithistor looked down at the nervous, but defiant prisoners as the glowing sphere illuminated the room. “Today, you become my best soldiers.”

Take the shot!

“Today, you become Soldiers of the Dead.” Anithistor raised up an arm, using his powers to begin the process.

Coffman looked down again to see Darren placing his head in his palm. Is he crying? Coffman reached down and threw Darren away from the weapon, and in the same motion he dropped to one knee and lined up his shot, focusing on Anithistor. Three… Two… One…

With the pull of the trigger, the harpoon went sailing at an alarming speed through the air toward the Stühoc king just below the Sphere. At first, Coffman was sure that he had hit Anithistor squarely in the chest, but the Stühoc king was too quick, using a magical shield to deflect the shot. The harpoon instead landed in the chest of one of his guards sending him flailing to the ground.

What happened next was complete mayhem. All of the slaves that knew of the uprising began fighting instantly, punching, kicking and trying to steal weapons from the guards closest to them. None of the soldiers had been ready for it. Nestorians and Stühocs alike sprang into motion, fighting back against the slaves. Coffman jumped from his spot, and tried to pull Darren up from the ground, but the man was a wreck. The pressure had been too much for him and he couldn’t bring himself to run away or to fight. He would be one of the first to die.

Recognizing what was going on, Anithistor ran for cover as many guards rushed to his side to protect him.

Coffman bolted for Alric and Nalani who had begun fighting as soon as the harpoon had landed. A Stühoc jumped in front of Coffman, swinging his sword with all of his might. Coffman jumped back from the swing, and while the creature was off balance, he tackled him to the ground. With his brute force he was able to disarm the soldier. He grabbed the sword from the ground and swung hard. The Stühoc’s head fell from its shoulders with ease.

He turned and sprinted to his friends. By this point, Alric had already disarmed his guard and was busy unlocking the chains from Daewyn and Nalani.

“I was beginning to think you forgot about us,” Alric yelled to him, picking up a sword from the dead guard.

“Yeah, I just liked the slave life too much,” Coffman yelled back.

Nalani and Daewyn had also found weapons for themselves and ran up next to Coffman.

“We’ve got to destroy this thing,” Nalani said.

“I’m guessing you’ve got a solution to that problem, dear?” Daewyn said.

Nalani had no answer for him. None of them had the answer.

Many of the slaves had been able to find a weapon or tool to defend themselves. The shift of the battle had moved toward the carriages, and Coffman led the others in that direction, thinking of Dink and his wife. The four of them came in from behind, hacking and cutting as Nestorians and Stühocs alike fought through the massive horde of slaves. Coffman could see that Dink was leading the charge to break open the carriages. He moved in the same direction, hoping he could help. Opening the carriages would allow for hundreds more fighters. Though weak and malnourished, they would be more effective if they were free from their cages.

Dink was able