Gutter Rats: Origins Chapter 15

Both men leapt up. Rome’s swing killed the first Crodin before the nomad had even registered he was under attack. As he went down, the man right behind him tripped over him. Rome chopped down, and blood sprayed.

Meanwhile, Quyloc jabbed with his spear, stabbing the Crodin on his side of the road in the face, withdrawing quickly to keep his spear from getting caught. The Crodin screamed and staggered sideways, running into a nomad who was trying to get around him. Quyloc stabbed that one in the side, sliding it between his ribs before yanking it out.

The first wave was down, thrashing on the ground, making it hard for the ones behind them to get at the two Qarathians. With his reach, Quyloc stabbed two more without ever putting himself at risk.

A Crodin leapt over the pile at Rome, twin daggers in his hands. Rome chopped him from the side. The axe bit deep, and the man went down. Another Crodin leapt over the pile. Rome met this one at the top, blocking the Crodin’s attack with his axe, and then flinging him bodily backward to knock down the man behind him.

Quyloc felt a spear graze his cheek, leaving a line of fire. He smashed its holder in the teeth with the butt of his spear. He heard a grunt that told him Rome had taken a wound, though not a bad one.

They were holding their own, but Quyloc knew it couldn’t last. Others would be arriving soon. Rome put down another Crodin and all at once there were no more enemies on their feet. Both men stood there gasping.

More were coming, still a bowshot away but closing fast.

“I don’t know how much longer we can hold out,” Quyloc said.

“Me either,” Rome admitted. “We need more time.”

An idea that had been building in the back of Quyloc’s mind came together then. “Hold them. But stay back. Jump back when I yell.”

To his credit, Rome didn’t ask for details. He simply set himself and rolled his shoulders.

Quyloc grabbed two fallen spears, giving him three, and skittered up the side of the canyon. He stopped at the base of the balancing rock, praying this would work. None of them would live long if it didn’t.

He jabbed the Crodin spears into the loose stone at the base of the rock and pried. Nothing. The rock didn’t so much as creak.

Desperately, he shifted the spears to a new spot and tried again. He could hear the clash of weapons, and Rome bellowing something about the Crodins’ mothers. Tough as he was, Rome wouldn’t be able to hold them for long.

Quyloc threw his whole weight on the spears. One snapped with a loud crack, and he thought it wasn’t going to work.

But then several of the small rocks at the base fell away and clattered downhill. More followed. The rock tilted.

All at once, gravity took over, and the rock fell. Quyloc screamed Rome’s name, suddenly afraid he’d just killed his friend.

With a terrifying, grinding sound, the rock picked up speed, obliterating everything in its path. Heartbeats later it struck the bottom with a huge crash, throwing up a choking cloud of dust.

Quyloc ran heedlessly down the side of the canyon, yelling for Rome, sure he was dead.

“Right here.” Coughing, Rome emerged from the cloud of dust. “That was a close one.” He looked at the fallen rock. It was the size of a farmhouse. “Nice work.”

Quyloc was gasping for breath. He still couldn’t believe he’d been able to pull it off. “That probably shouldn’t have worked.”

“I never doubted you,” Rome said confidently. “You always know what to do. We better get moving. That won’t hold them forever.”

They ran to catch up with the others. Glane and another soldier were guarding the rear. Glane gave a cry of relief when he saw them.

“I thought you were dead for sure. What was the noise?”

“Quyloc just brought down half a mountain on our friends,” Rome said. “He gave them something to think about.”

Rome moved forward to the men carrying Tairus. “Let me take that,” he told one of the soldiers carrying the litter. “Good news, Sergeant. It looks like we might survive yet.”

“What crazy thing did you do? What was that big crash?”

“A whole lot of rock, that’s what it was. Quyloc came through again.”

Quyloc stayed at the back again, listening now and then. He heard no signs of pursuit. He saw no shadowy figures. Had the Crodin given up?

Over and over, he stopped to check the road, but every time it was empty. Then he heard cheers from ahead.

He sagged with relief, suddenly so tired he could barely stand. Leaning on his spear like an old man, he continued on. They’d made it to safety.

Do you want to read more about the adventures of Wulf Rome and Quyloc? Their story continues in Wreckers Gate. The next tale picks up about 10 years after Gutter Rats ends. But don't fret! I'm working on expanding Gutter Rats. I'll fill in the gaps before too long. I'll keep you informed!