Page 9 - The Daily Builder - Day 04

child, watching him think. seen him because Garzik wished Because Jak had discovered no Instead, she sat nearby, awake, as “There are other ways for this to They will become the ash of the
“I see the wisdom of it, especially it. But tonight, he decided to meet answers then. still as the night. end,” Agnez said. “Violence is an world if they have not already,”
out here.” you… or maybe his curiosity got And he had none now. And she stared right at him. end that murders a small part of Agnez said, her eyes sharp like
The eastern fringes purpling the better of him. Either way, he It took him by surprise. Agnez the world with darkness.” obsidian. She pushed the man
toward night, Agnez stared off will not bother you. He is shy.” * * * did not move, arms folded against The arabi speaking only for some reason Jak could not
into the distance. It was a look Jak Jak nodded, removing a blanket the morning chill. The woman had infuriated the man more. He stood, understand. “The All Father has
had come to know well since they from his pack. It settled over When dark dreams tore Jak penetrating eyes anyway but they teeth clenched. Then he pointed a saying. ‘No man may be saved
had met. Sad amusement. “No, not the sands of the oasis. The goats from sleep, fiery dawn tinged the were dark with anger. That’s when the weapon at Jak’s head. “Who who does not wish it.’ I have found
especially out here, City-born Jak. stood within the cooling shadows horizon east. he realized she wasn’t looking at are you?” the man growled. “You it quite true in all of my years of
Everywhere. It is the reason the of the ending day. Agnez pulled He sat up, wiping the grit from him. are not one of the desert folk. That walking these sands.”
off-worlders are here, to further a smallish black book free of her his eyes. He couldn’t remember The arabi was looking beyond is clear.” “No savage spewing archaic
despoil a natural world.” She robes, the tome of her faith. She the nightmare that had plagued him. “I am Jak Dreadth, son of Bruss religion is going to save me.”
sighed. “It is late in the afternoon read it until twilight prevented the him all night but it was one that When he turned, he froze. Dreadth from Solomon Fyre,” Jak “You lack honor,” Agnez said.
and we have traveled hard these last necessary light. continued to haunt him, no matter “Do not get up,” the man sitting admitted, unsure how lying would “But I will survive. That is honor
days. We will sleep here tonight,” These last few days had not how many times he woke up at the edge of the oasis said. help him but hoping his name would enough.”
Agnez said, withdrawing her small gone as planned, and his future and tried to shake its chase. The It took Jak a moment to focus carry some weight with the man. “I Agnez stood slowly, arms still
satchel containing the dried meat had become an unknowable Dreadth had not slept well as a on him, heart thumping. The battled against the Imperium. My folded within her robe. The man
and dates she shared with Jak. thing. Questions burned through result, the questions from every man looked like a shade from the mech Viridian malfunctioned, hit shifted his gaze from Jak to her,
“The stars will watch over us. Jak. Where should he go once night demanding his attention. burning edges of Hellfire. Even the sands, inoperable. I survived. the laz-pistol following his sight.
We still have quite a journey but he could communicate with his He rubbed his temples, trying to in the early light, Jak could tell he Barely. With aid from this caring “The All Father is a teacher first,
when the moon is full, you will be family? Should he even go back? become free from the cobwebs of had a severe sunburn, his mech arabi woman.” an all-knowing creator second. His
free of an old woman’s nattering Had his brother survived the mech sleep, and looked around the camp. pilot uniform torn and bloodied, “I see, a traitor then. Running lessons can be hard to hear and
foolishness.” war above? If he had, should The goats still snored softly, even and one arm held close to his body, from the Imperium.” harder to understand. Lessons can
Taking the offered food, Jak he confront his brother and the the kids who possessed boundless its hand twisted as if broken in a “Look about you, look out over even kill.”
relaxed, content. He watched the betrayal that had almost killed Jak? energy. He didn’t see Garzik, the dozen places. the sands,” Jak said, pointing. “Then you die first,” the man
arabi set up her small camp. Once If his brother had not survived, lizard absent. All that remained The other hand held a laz-pistol “The mech fleet is lost, destroyed, spat.
she finished, Agnez sat upon one could Jak go home? Would he still with Jak were the ghosts of his though, pointed right at Jak. broken titanium shells and dead In response, Agnez clicked the
of the oasis’s stones and withdrew be hunted? Perhaps he could never life, creations of his own making “What do you want?” he asked, pilots all over the desert. We will roof of her mouth. A blur of yellow
a cylinder-like white wooden box, go home? that affected the living—and Jak adrenaline waking him fully. be hunted. And if found, killed. and green, Garzik tore from her
one almost as long as her forearm. If he couldn’t home, where should Dreadth now had more ghosts than “Your animals, your supplies,” The Imperium will not allow the black robes, across the oasis, and
“What is that?” he go? Somewhere else on Erth? Or he cared to admit. the man said, eyes feverish. “That knowledge and experience that we up the injured pilot’s leg before the
Agnez whispered a word Jak maybe off-world? The questions Realizing his thoughts mimicked robe you wear. Her robe too, for possess to escape. It would be a other could even react, making a
couldn’t hear. The end of the box had plagued him ever since Viridian Agnez’s words, he looked for her, that matter. And her hand.” threat to them.” loud hissing sound that filled the
dissolved. A spiny lizard zipped crashed. thinking he’d share them once she “Why her hand?” “And how do you know that?” morning with its rage.
out, almost faster than the eye awoke and they’d both have a The man grinned with no humor. the other sneered. The mech pilot yelped in
could perceive, red eyes glaring at laugh. “To activate the wells in this Jak thought of his brother and surprise, laz-pistol flaying about,
Jak. wasteland, you idiot.” father—and what they had done to the man trying to get the creature
Then it vanished in a flash. “You will not like the hand I give him. off. After he realized the danger
“That was Garzik,” the arabi you,” Agnez said evenly. “I know the type.” was minimal, he pointed the
said. “A friend of mine.” “Join us,” Jak said, trying to think The man stood. “You leave me no weapon at Jak.
Jak looked for the lizard. “Why of a way around the laz-pistol. He choice then. I will be taking your And pulled its trigger.
haven’t I seen him before?” also didn’t want the man focused water skins and the goats. Killing Jak stumbled back, expecting his
“City-born Jak, you have much to on the arabi. “We have plenty of them should supply the food I need inevitable death.
learn,” Agnez snorted. She pet the supplies, you can have my robe. to get home.” It didn’t happen. The weapon
lizard that had suddenly reappeared And we have more water than we “Where is home?” Jak asked, wouldn’t fire, no matter what the
on her right shoulder, the reptile’s can carry.” still trying to find a way to keep man tried. Jak realized the lizard
eyes still appraising Jak. “I release The man laughed, one filled with the man from killing them. “What had wrapped its tail about the laz-
Garzik every evening. He likes the pain. “I can have all that without Royal House are you with?” pistol, preventing the depression of
night a great deal. You just haven’t you.” “Royal Houses are no longer. the firing mechanism. Unable to

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