Wind-Scarred (The Will of the Elements, Book 1) (11 page)

The man, John Culbert, literally jumped,
letting out a short, startled cry. He turned to look at them and,
while visibly shaken, sighed in relief. “Oh, it's you. I mean... of
course it's you! Just like the last time, just like you said.” He
laughed nervously and peered at Ezra. “Where's the other... um, who
is this?”

Mat smiled and answered, still keeping his
voice quiet and sounding slightly amused. “No names Mr. Culbert.
And no questions. You have a problem. We're here to help. Why don't
you walk me through what's been going on here.”

“
What's been...oh, yes, the wind-scarred. Well, um,” he cleared
his throat, “about two months ago he appeared and demanded food and
a place to stay. We had a good harvest of apples this year and had
already finished trading with the lowland towns for the supplies we
would need for winter. Just like we do every year, you know, for
things that we can't produce up here, wheat and-”

“
Let's just stick to the problem, Mr. Culbert. Why didn't you
call us then?”

Culbert cringed at Mat's
question, sharp despite his quiet tone. “Well, you know how it is.
That is to say, not
you
, but someone who... wind-scarred rarely stay in one place for
too long, and we had enough food to share. Arn... the wind-scarred
that is, he kicked us out of the old lumber mill outside town, but
we were done using it for the year, so that was alright, and we
never even really had to see him or anything. He demanded food,
water. Oh, and apples.” Culbert laughed weakly. “Arborlen apples,
pride of the region. It was all fine... for awhile, at
least.”

Mat nodded. “He started demanding more.”

“
Three days ago. Protection money, he called it. We can live
comfortably, you see, but we're not a wealthy village. The amount
of money that he wanted... it would beggar us. We refused.” Mr.
Culbert's face drained of color. “He was... he became angry. He
called up the wind, and it was so strong that several children were
blown toward him. He grabbed them and told us that with so many
people to protect, maybe we should double it. That we should think
of the children, that it would be a shame if anything were to
happen to them. He walked out of town, back up to the mill, pulling
them along with him.”

“
And you just let him go? No-one tried to stop him?” Ezra asked
incredulously.

John Culbert looked at him like he was
speaking another language and whispered, “He's a wind-scarred. I
mean, I know that you can all do... things,” clearly, the man was
more uncomfortable with whatever these 'things' Ezra and Mat could
do than with what this elementalist, Arn, was capable of. “But
we're just normal people. We can't stand up to a wind-scarred. We
just want things to go back to normal.”

“
We understand, Mr. Culbert, and we'll do everything in our
power to bring this to an expedient resolution.” Mat gave Ezra a
warning look. “Why don't we take a walk back to the village and you
can show us where this Arn is holding your young ones.”

“
Oh, yes, of course. I mean, thank you, thank you so much.
Arborlen thanks you.” Culbert gushed as he started away at a brisk
pace. Mat and Ezra followed.

“
You get all that?” Mat's voice came through to Ezra loud and
clear.

“
Hostage situation,” Sarah responded. “I'm en route to Arborlen
now. Maps place the lumber mill about four klicks out, up on a
hill.”

“
What's your take on this?”

“
Wind-scarred normally just take what they want. Using hostages
suggests that he couldn't stand up to real organized resistance.
Also, he's out in the middle of nowhere. Hasn't caused any real
physical harm to anyone.” Sarah paused as if considering something.
“If he were strong enough, he'd be hitting a serious township or
small city, maybe go pirate on the sky stream. I advise we engage
him directly.”

“
What's the sky stream?” Ezra managed to say it while hardly
moving his mouth.

Mat winced. “Not so loud. I'll explain it
later. So, we go in guns blazing? Or maybe a bait and shoot,
minimize the hostage risk.”

“
I
like that.” Ezra could almost hear Sarah's smile. “And I'm sure
that Hawkins will make a marvelous stalking horse.”

“
Wait, what?” Had they just decided to use him as
bait?

“
Don't worry Ezra, you'll be fine,” Mat tried to reassure him.
“This Arn guy sounds pretty small-time. You just walk up, get him
outside, then hit the deck. We'll do the heavy lifting.” Mat
sighed. “We should probably try to pull our shots. Disable him if
we can, give the town a little justice on their own, empower them.
You know, all that stuff Blair goes on about.”

“
You guys call him Blair too?” Ezra managed his voice much
better this time.

“
Village is clear. And as far as we can tell, it's his real
name. He just likes to come off as mysterious to the newbies,
Hawkins.” Ezra blushed a bit at Sarah's wry voice, feeling rather
gullible.

They came out of the woods and on to a
well-packed dirt road just outside the small town. A quick look
around as they walked through showed a handful of homes and a large
town hall that backed up to a well-kept orchard. Several women were
drawing water from a well in the middle of town, speaking softly
while managing the children around them.

A little boy noticed the men approaching and
gaped openly at the sword hanging from Mat's side. He broke away
from his mother and ran up to them, then, apparently finding Mat a
little too frightening, turned to Ezra and asked shyly, “Are you
warriors here to bring Elisha home?”

Ezra glanced at Mat, who shrugged and
gestured encouragingly. Dropping to one knee so he was eye to eye
with the boy, Ezra said, “We are going to do everything we can to
bring them back.”

The boy nodded seriously, then reached into
his pocket and pulled out a tiny stick. “This is my treasure. A
fire-kissed warrior gave it to me and said that I could be like him
when I used it.” He held it out to Ezra and continued in a somber
voice, “I think you might need it more.”

Ezra suppressed a smile and gravely took the
crude match from the boy, slipping it into a pocket in his pants.
“I will carry this with honor.”

The boy studied Ezra's face for a moment,
then nodded again, finding this acceptable. He whirled and ran back
to his mother, grabbing her leg and holding on tight, moving to
watch them walk by from partially behind her. She reached down and
patted his head with a sad little smile, then turned haunted eyes
to Mat and Ezra. Mat gave her a broad grin and tipped his hat as
they made their way toward the far end of town.

“
Pretty lady,” Mat murmured thoughtfully. Ezra looked at him in
surprise. He shrugged, the smile still resting easily on his face.
“Doesn't hurt to admire. Plus, I bet she'll be grateful when we
come back.” He winked at Ezra.

“
Womanizer,” came Sarah's amused voice just as they reached the
small path leading away from the village.

“
We'll bring your people home Mr. Culbert. You can count on
it.” With a brief nod of his head Mat strode up the trail, Ezra
close behind him.

“
May the Mother watch you and keep you.” Ezra heard John
Culbert recite the blessing as they left him at the forest's
edge.

Mat outlined the plan as they hiked toward
the lumber mill. “Okay, this is going to be easy. Sarah is flanking
off to the right. She'll stay hidden in the forest until he comes
outside. I'll break off just before we get there and get in
position on the left. You come straight up the path and yell
something to him. Tell him you have the money or something; just
get him to come out where we can get a clean shot.”

Ezra grimaced as he saw a flaw in this plan.
“I thought you said that guns don't work on wind-scarred.”

“
Well,” Mat continued, “they rarely work like you hope they
will. Wind elementalists tend to be con men and thieves. They're
usually tricky, and most pick up a knack for feeling things moving
fast through the air and stopping or deflecting them. That's why
you hit the ground the second he gets clear of the building. Best
chances are to open fire from both sides; only the strongest of
them can manipulate air they can't see very well. If that fails,
I'm closing to melee.” He patted the sword at his side fondly.
“Wouldn't be the first time I've gone toe-to-toe with a
wind-scarred. They give up pretty fast once things get up close and
personal.”

“
If it looks like he can handle bullets, I'll close with him
too.” Sarah's voice came through the communicator. “Two on one in
melee is pretty much a death sentence. Especially since most
wind-scarred think actual weapons are beneath them, preferring
their unbreakable scars and powers when tricks and intimidation
don't work.”

They walked along in silence for a ways.
“One more thing you should know, just in case.” Mat gave Ezra a
questing look. “When a wind-scarred goes down, he doesn't do it
quietly. If we have to take this guy out, make sure that you get
well away from him. A few seconds after a wind-scarred dies, they
and everything within about ten feet of them gets torn to pieces by
a massive explosion of air pressure.” His eyes shifted, expression
distant. “I once saw a man whose wife and daughter had been
murdered by a scarred and his thugs,” he said quietly. “The guy
stabbed the elementalist in the back and just keep stabbing while
the thugs tried to pull him off. The only thing left was the
knife.” Mat looked back to Ezra. “It was in pieces.”

“
Great, he's a guy with superpowers who blows up when he dies.
And I'm going to lure him outside.” Ezra gulped and gave Mat a weak
smile. “I love this plan.”

Mat threw his head back and laughed richly,
clapping Ezra on the back and making him stumble forward a few
steps.

The top of a building came into view ahead
of them. “Looks like this is my exit,” Mat said. He gave Ezra a
thumbs up. “I'll let you know when I'm in position. Stay loose and
hit the ground when we tell you. We'll be back to the pretty ladies
in the village in no time.” Ezra lost sight of him as he took off
at an easy run out into the forest.

Panic began to rise in
Ezra's stomach almost as soon as he was alone. He took a few deep
breaths and shook his arms and legs, trying to limber up.
Okay Ezra
, he thought to
himself,
this is no big deal. Just walk up
there and get a person you've never met to come outside so your new
friends can shoot him. A madman. A madman who can control the wind.
You just get him outside with you.
He
gulped.
No problem.

“
In position,” came Mat's calm voice.

“
In position,” echoed Sarah, sounding cold and detached.
“Everything is green to engage.”

Ezra blew out a long breath. What was it Mat
had said? Oh yes. “Making contact.” Ezra hoped his voice sounded
steadier than he felt.

He walked up the last few meters of the
trail, the lumber mill climbing steadily into view. Ezra took
another deep breath and stepped out from the tree cover, inching
forward into the clearing before the ominous gray building.

“
Arn!” he shouted, voice cracking. “I have what you asked
for!”

Ezra thought he could make out the glint of
someone's eyes peering out from between the cracked shutters on the
upstairs window. “Don't move,” a gravelly voice grated from inside
the building.

A minute went by. Then another. Finally, the
shape of a man seemed to solidify from the shadows in the gaping
lumber mill door. There was a cocky sneer on the wind-scarred's
face below beady brown eyes and a heavy brow. His head was covered
in a short brush of brown hair, liberally peppered with gray. As he
came closer Ezra drew in a swift breath. Every inch of visible skin
– from his thug-like face to his big, rough hands – was covered in
a network of fine, white scars. They seemed to form patterns,
swirling and twisting all over him. “You ain't from that little
dump,” he said, looking Ezra over, eyes pausing briefly on the
knife strapped to Ezra side.

“
Hawkins,” Sarah's voice sounded in his ear as he stared with a
mixture of horror and fascination at the delicate scars.

Arn's eyes narrowed, and Ezra saw something
dangerous glittering in them. A thought of violence from a man who
loved it. “Those losers call in a third party or some-”

“
Hawkins! Get down!”

Ezra abruptly pulled himself together and
dropped to his belly, arms over his head. He heard a rapid woofing
as Sarah's rifle unloaded on the scarred man in front of him.
Cracks from his left marked Mat, walking calmly toward his target,
shooting as he came. It was all executed flawlessly.

The man let out a bark of laughter. Sarah's
automatic fire formed into a rapidly expanding cloud, suspended in
the air as if she had been shooting into a thick gel. Arn turned to
face Mat, whose bullets all suddenly deviated from their course
about half a meter in front of the wind-scarred, arching around him
to get stuck along with Sarah's shots. One scarred hand came up,
beckoning Mat forward.