Twin Suns of Arterra

15

"Bane!"

The sound invaded my stunned thoughts, pulling me back to the fact that I was being propelled down a widening river. Already the current was running faster than it had been. I looked forward and saw the line of it coursing downslope.

This tributary must feed the river I'd seen running through the valley. Which meant that at some point ahead of me the water would either need to switchback in a series of turns, or tumble over the downslope on its journey to the valley floor. I could see no turns. The sudden worry in my gut told me that the latter was more likely.

I needed to get out.

"Bane! Over here!"

The others were on shore just ahead and to my left, waving and calling to me. They had moved to the edge of the river to get out of the current, instead of staying and staring at the destruction like an idiot.

Kicking myself into action, I stroked for the shore.

The others were yelling and pointing. I risked a quick glance, and saw that they were pointing for me to head to an outcropping where the bank poked into the river. Rock and some tree branches had formed a small spit of land, and the water beside it spiraled into a soft eddy. It looked rather like an arm stuck out to cradle the water to its side, calming it like a mother soothing her child.

I pressed my body into high gear, pulling for the side with all I had. I was still swimming with the current, but using my body to move slowly sideways as I went forward.

A roaring sound filled my ears.

Was the creature coming back? Had he spotted us? I craned my neck back to look, but saw no shadow or flame.

Feeling the weight of exhaustion and panic start to drag at me, I battled with my body to keep pushing for that arm of land. If I could just make it there, the others could pull me in.

The roar grew louder.

This time I recognized it for what it was. This was no dragon. This was the mighty roar of the water. The noise of the crash as the water hurtled over the rock, plummeting to some far-below point.

This was the sound of a waterfall.

If I didn't make that arm of land, I was going to be pulled over the edge. There was no doubt in my mind. My body was already beyond its end, pulling from the reserves fed only by adrenaline and desperation. If I missed this spit, I would have nothing left to fight with. I had managed to avoid death more times in this one day than I could count. Going over a waterfall was one wager that I would not win. My survival hung on the crux of the rocks and sticks that were drawing closer with every breath.

I gritted my teeth, feeling the water pulling my legs outward like a lover's arms, trying to supplicate them into submitting. The cool soothing water turned to cold, clutching hands. Already numbness pricked at my fingertips.

Aaliyah was the first to recognize that I was losing my battle. She launched herself toward the spit of land, her lithe form hurtling over logs and bushes. She ran like a deer, fleet and light, flying faster than the water.

I pushed with all I had, the muscles in my sides and shoulders screaming as I stretched for shore, trying to move closer to the side. I forced my feet to kick, my legs like heavy logs that I drove up and down, up and down as I tried to propel myself.

Only fifty spans separated me from the spit of land.

I was not going to make it.

I was still too far out. The safety mocked me, so near, but beyond my reach.

There was a splash to my left. I couldn't muster the strength or energy to turn and see what it was. I was done. My body had endured enough. I had nothing left. My heavy legs began to sink, pulling at my body. I sputtered as my head dipped into the water, but could not so much as lift it.

Something warm circled me.

I was dragged upward.

My head broke the surface, and I gasped in a lungful of air, grateful that I did not have to move to get it because I could not. The circle of warmth held me up, pulling me steadily in. I moved my eyes and saw a hand reaching down, short but well-muscled.

Thoris.

His hairy arm was caught by a slender one, lithe and strong as it anchored itself to against the muscled wrist and forearm. The warm circle around me grew tighter, and then I was being pushed and pulled, lifted from the cold clutch of the water. I saw the ground go by, but felt nothing as I was dragged onto the bank. I was numb. My body felt like one of the dead, charred stubs I'd seen above.

"Stay with me, Bane."

The voice seeped into my head. I could not feel, but I could hear. I heard the fluctuations in the tone. I heard the strong, spirited iron at its core, and I heard the silken, lovely threads that wrapped around it. Silk and iron. An unlikely duo, but one that somehow worked. For all its delicacy, the silk made the iron stronger, dulcet tones like fibers that filled every crack and split.

<i>If I survive, I have to tell her.</i>

I'd explain that she should embrace her softer side, instead of burying it beneath her tough exterior. Tell her that it didn't make her weak, it made her incredibly strong. That she was both.

Silk and iron.

I felt a warm hand on my arm, but the cold in my body had reached my head. Its fingers dug into my skull, leaving cold, dead trails behind.

Too late. The warmth had come too late.

The darkness had finally found me.