Chapter LX: Gobudo (Cont. VI)

Gobudo punched one of the figures who caught onto their plan, sending it stumbling back towards the closing ring. Hands clutched hands as Gobudo and Thyrus each grabbed hold of the orb. Thyrus was busy unclamping the orb, but Gobudo’s blurry eyes travelled to the others, one by one they met his glance.

“You can’t…” Adelia pleaded….but she could already see that he knew what he was doing.

“It has been an honor, Vasu,” West said, saluting.

“I’m sorry,” Eza tinkled.

“Godspeed,” Laura whispered as she let another arrow.

“Thank you, my friend,” Samden said with sorrow.

Finally, Gobudo’s eyes locked with Blackheart’s, the two sharing a moment of all the past, of the days when they had wandered together within the Vasu tribe, and the day that Gobudo had stood up for him after he had slain the Vasu leader. He had always been there, and if he wasn’t there in presence, he could always be relied on to come running, and now he would never be there again. “Gobudo……I…..” Blackheart choked. There was nothing left for him to say…..”I love you, old friend. Thank you…..for everything.” The Vasu’s eyes clouded, partly from pain, partly from sorrow…..as Thyrus released the orb and Gobudo grabbed one of the advancing figures who was part of the large ring. And then all expanded and then split apart, stretching over time.

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Baen knelt in the middle of the wastes, his eyes shut tight as he tried to focus on the fading images. “Why would the assassin do this? What is going on? Is there something I’m missing?” His voice was a deep hiss, a frustrated and tense knot of anger. He rose slowly, his eyes flickering with fire and rage as he glanced over at Vigile who slowly drew up with the remaining forces. “It has been a long time, Xul’Nue…and now we are close. I sense a strange sense around this place, but I can feel the magic of the Watchers…..and thus my heart dismisses this as a nervous fear spawned by living with humans too long. Though….it has never occurred before.” Baen’s eyes surveyed the horizon, trying to search the minds of all involved….but nothing was there.

“Vigile, one of their number is dead. He sacrificed himself to help them get here….even though he knew that…..” Baen’s eyes narrowed as he tried to determine what he was missing. “Be wary of them, Vigile. I sense a surprise still coming….and it will be upon us, rather than by us.”