Invasion by B.N. Crandell Page B

your world too?”
    “Yes, there were a few of us captured by Sylestra.” Gerard shuffled around in his chair and leant forward.
    “You do not use the Supreme Mistress’s title? Is this the custom on your world to so dishonour one of high station?”
    Gerard sighed. This would prove to be a very long conversation.
    “To me she is my captor, an enemy, and therefore not worthy of my respect. But let me start from the beginning and I’ll tell you of how I ended up here and then you can ask me as many questions as you like.”
    After Sarai gave him the go ahead, Gerard explained how a magical gate mysteriously appeared not too far from his farmhouse and how his son and his son’s best friend had discovered it.
    He explained about his first confrontation with these orcs and how he and Jeff had killed the two scouts. He fought back tears when he told her about finding his wife and daughter dead after returning from informing the Duke of Arthea. Tears formed in the corner of Sarai’s eyes as she listened intently.
    He told her how he had rushed off to confront the murdering orcs with his son at his side. It had been the last time he had seen his son as he ran out with Trent to direct the fleeing soldiers. The Black Skull had captured him and offered the release of himself and all the other captives in exchange for knowledge and that had led to the treacherous release where they had to fight an army of the Red Axe tribe in order to escape alive — many did not.
    His story continued with the theft of the river boats and the tending of the wounded as they floated away from danger; their trek south along the Black Skull border where they were finally confronted by Sylestra and her army and once again taken prisoner.
    “You must be a mighty warrior to survive all of that,” said Sarai after a moment’s silence.
    “A fair degree of luck was involved too,” added Gerard.
    “I am sorry for the loss of your wife,” said Sarai sincerely, “while it may not be entirely the same, my breeding partner was recently sacrificed and I cared for him a great deal.”
    “And that is why I must escape this place,” said Gerard without thinking.
    “Escape? But surely that’s impossible.” Incredulity laced Sarai’s voice and her eyes widened.
    “Difficult, but not impossible if we set our minds to it. Any information you can give me about this place would be a great help,” replied Gerard.
    “Would — would you take me with you?” Sarai pleaded.
    “It’ll be very dangerous. If we’re caught we’ll likely be put to death at once,” explained Gerard.
    “If I stay here my fate will be the same” — Sarai lowered her head and stared at a spot on the table — “and what of all the others here? Would you leave all them behind too?”
    “No one here knows how to fight. If we were to all escape at once it’d lead to a battle we couldn’t hope to win. Stealth is our only option which means we are limited to how many can make the attempt.” Gerard explained it as simply and gently as possible but he still saw the incomprehension in her eyes.
    “There are some that know how to fight. Those that work at the Weapon Smith train a little so that they know how to make better weapons. My last breeding partner, Brendan, told me of this. And you could teach many more.” The pleading tone came back into Sarai’s voice and it almost broke Gerard’s heart. She was such an innocent woman and cared a lot for all those in the compound. But she didn’t understand the full extent of her request.
    “How many do you estimate are in this compound?” Gerard asked the question to give her the impression that he was considering the request.
    “Twenty thousand or more.”
    Gerard opened his mouth wide and stared at Sarai.
    Could there really be that many inside the compound walls? He pondered on it briefly based on the small area he had seen so far. The Slaughterhouse he worked was massive but a lot of that meat went to feeding the palace