“Sir?” stammered the soldier, afforded some surprise by the order.
Vakk looked at him again. “You heard me correctly. Do as I request and be swift about your steps,” he charged. The soldier nodded, saluted once more and rushed away.
Alone again, Vakk felt an ill wind rush his soul. If possible, the he wished to hold to a code of conduct, his remaining semblances of honor. Yet, inwardly he accepted that he was a survivor, and had proved it since the day of being cast out of Quenthell. Despite this, he still held no stomach for vile things, nor the abominations that came with them. He reassured himself that this was necessary for victory, this was simply what was required.
And after a span, Vakk almost believed it himself.
****************
Kaysa fought the unease swelling in her stomach, keeping her focus upon the horizon. Despite her best efforts, the barren landscape and the jostling of the skiff that carried her wrenched at her innards. Coupled with the grief that still held grip upon her heart, Kaysa found herself waging an internal war to not be overwhelmed completely.
In an attempt at distraction, she focused on the words and actions of her company. Onzlyn talked casually with Marro, offering the only semblances of jovial banter. Lokus focused on the terrain as well, arms crossed and tension apparent through his body language. Vienda sat with wary eyes, talking softly with Khey. Her chosen had his arms around her, running a hand through her hair in an attempt to keep her at ease.
“I am uncertain of our present course,” said Vienda to Khey with soft bluntness.
“But it is the course that we must take,” offered Khey gently.
Vienda shook her head softly. “We are no longer in control of our fate and this unnerves me to no end.”
Khey nodded as he looked about. “The wind blows the leaves regardless of reservation. We must not focus on the course but rather the journey,” he replied.
Vienda finally looked at her chosen with pained, determined eyes. “And if our destiny is to fall?”
Khey offered her a loving smile. “Fall or stand, my destiny is beside you, and that is enough for me,” he said before he kissed her head.
Feeling her heart stir at her friends’ words, Kaysa again scoured the landscape with her eyes. She too questioned their futures, for their past and home were no more. Kaysa and her friends were offered no course but to press forward into the unknown with strangers at the helm. This knowledge chilled her and offered no hope at the prospect of their chances.
“If you keep rubbing at that seed, you are going to wear it thin,” said Marro as he sat next to Kaysa.
Kaysa looked down, not realizing that she was holding feverishly to the seed in her hands. She released it, pretending to not be jostled by Marro’s words. “I shall do no such thing,” she said, offering Marro an unamused gaze.
Marro’s good eye was alight with amusement as he studied the young elf. “There is no sense in trying to hide your unease, young one. I’ve endured enough trials in this life to sense fear.”
“I am not afraid,” snapped Kaysa.
“But you are,” replied Marro.
Kaysa shook her head. “No. I do possess fear, but I refuse to let it define me or my actions,” she replied.
Marro chuckled to himself. “You are amusing, little one, though I admire your courage regardless.”
Kaysa sat herself, still working to repel the anger that longed to swell within her. “My emotions and responses are one of the few things I still hold control over and I refuse to have them taken from me,” she stated.
The smile dissolved from Marro’s face as he locked his gaze with the young elf. “Never lose that trait, Kaysa of Quenthell. You think for yourself and fight for such thoughts. There will be those that will wish to steal that from you. Do not let them, regardless of pain or condemnation. The price for such surrender is far too great.”
Kaysa fought her inclination to turn from Marro. “You speak as one who holds experience in such matters,” she observed.
Marro snorted, turning away as he replied. “All that is left in this world is wisdom, lost by those who made poor decisions or simply chose to do nothing until it was too late.”
“And how would you have stopped it, Marro?” challenged Kaysa.
“By embracing the conviction of those like you when I held the chance,” said Marro, still turned from her. To this, Kaysa had no words.
“Give it time. You grow accustomed to the swift swaying of his moods,” said Onzlyn casually from the helm.
“Though never will you grow accustomed to his unwarranted opinions,” countered Marro.
“The wondrous joy of friendship,” mused Onzlyn with sarcasm.
“We are friends? I was not informed of this development,” offered Marro. Kaysa could not help but giggle as Onzlyn grunted a grim, yet boastful laughter.
Marro then searched about the landscape himself, rolling his eye at the mild annoyance. Kaysa witnessed his demeanor change in an instant though as the mercenary stood and procured his rifle. Marro still looked about as he motioned to Onzlyn. The Faeth native’s soft jubilance escaped his face as he too became alert at the signal.
“What is it?” whispered Kaysa.
Marro did not look at the young elf as he responded, raising his voice all heard him over the skiff. “Ready yourselves, for we are being hunted,” he said bitterly.
Vienda stood quickly, drawing her blade. Lokus and Khey armed themselves as she spoke. “Should we not increase our speed?” she asked.
Marro shook his head. “No, for we are already caught within his trap somehow,” he replied.
“Who’s trap?” asked Lokus.
Marro’s reply was filled with rancor as he spat his reply. “Donnath. The Huntsman,” he said, raising his weapon to fire. “Offer no mercy in your attacks, for he and his creatures will offer you none in return.”
Before Kaysa could respond, her eyes were drawn to the glimmers of motion. Soon she witnessed several creatures emerging from hiding to give chase to the skiff. The young elf gasped at the sight of the animals, for they were haunting in their visage. Rushing at them were brown skinned, bipedal creatures, resembling dragons. They ran with great speed, armed with sharp talons on their feet and short arms and with scars scouring their powerful bodies. They hissed and barked, revealing razor sharp teeth under hungry, blood red eyes. Their long necks moved their angular heads as they smelled the air and gave chase.
“What are these creatures?” asked Kaysa as she gripped and readied her quarterstaff.
“Wyverns,” said Marro with disgust. “Abominations created by the Huntsman through the darkest alchemy. Born from dragon’s blood but not dragons. Have no remorse for their demise, for they would surely eat you while you are still alive with relish.”
At his words, Kaysa shivered and readied to fight for her life. She searched about, making note of the approaching creatures. In her count, she discovered an elf in the distance, watching them upon a mount. A hood obscured features, yet Kaysa could feel his predatory gaze upon her. The mounted rider placed two fingers in his mouth, whistling sharply. As he did, the wyverns wailed in response. Their reply was savage and heavy with hunger, and the sound of it gave all those that heard it great dread.
Marro knelt, securing himself as he called out to his comrade. “Onzlyn, increase our speed now, but make your path erratic. Expect anything,” he said. Onzlyn nodded silently as he complied with Marro’s wishes.
Steadying himself, Marro took aim with his rifle. Patiently the mercenary held his aim, waiting until the pack of predators loomed closer. Satisfied with their range, Marro fired. As a puff of wispy black smoke coughed from his weapon, its payload spat forth with great report. Marro’s shot struck the head of the nearest wyvern, the surprise and accuracy quelling the creature’s reply. The wyvern crashed and rolled before stopping lifelessly against the rocky terrain. Its death sent a great swell of rage among the other of its kin.
As Marro reloaded, he looked
impatiently upon Kaysa’s childhood friend. “Lokus, if there were ever a time to use that bow, this is it, child! Make your shots true!”
Lokus instinctively wished to protest in anger, yet quickly quelled his retort. Nodding with reluctance, he turned and readied an arrow in his bow. Training it upon a target, the young elf drew a calm breath before releasing the arrow. His shot was true, striking the wyvern in its side. To his surprise, the wyvern screeched and increased its speed, setting its eerie sights upon him. Lokus drew another arrow, firing again and again until the wyvern cried out one last time and fell. In all, it took five arrows to stop the beast’s charge. Lokus exhaled in relief at the kill.
“Lokus, watch yourself!” Kaysa commanded.
At her instruction, Lokus ducked instinctively. As he did, a leaping wyvern’s jaws snapped shut where his head had been a second before. As it screeched and landed upon the ground again, Onzlyn turned the controls of the skiff. The skiff veered, slamming into the wyvern and knocking it off its feet. The wyvern screeched as it reclaimed its bearings to resume chase. Lokus nodded to Kaysa in thanks.
As Marro fired once more, Vienda readied herself for an attack. The wait was brief, as another wyvern made it alongside the skiff. Leaping, it bared its teeth as it prepared to pounce upon the elf warrior. Lowering herself, Vienda made a slash upon the wyvern’s body that spilt blood upon her and the skiff. The counterattack halted the wyvern as it bellowed in pain, but the force of the momentum also placed Vienda off balance. As she recovered, her back faced the wyverns briefly. It was enough time for another to strike.
Leaping upward, a rushing wyvern bared its deadly fangs, intent on pulling Vienda from the skiff. Vienda turned in time to see the teeth close upon her as well as the hand that stopped the assault. Vienda gasped at the sound of searing agony pouring from the lips of her chosen. Khey’s blood spilled from his arm as piercing teeth tore into his flesh to the bone. Before Vienda could turn fully, her chosen was ripped from the skiff and left to the mercy of the wyverns.
"Khey!" Kaysa gasped, still attempting to process what her eyes had just absorbed. She could only watch as Vienda offered to the world a scream of defiant fury before she leaped from the skiff to reclaim her lover.
Catching his own breath, Lokus looked pleadingly to Kaysa. "What must we do?" he asked.
But it was then that any choice they possessed was stripped from them.
As Onzlyn maneuvered the skiff with sound precision, he was too late to realize that the wyverns had herded him in a desired direction. The elf was too late to see the trap laid out for him. The skiff soared over a small outcropping of rock, and as it did it struck over a stick protruding from the ground. An explosion soon followed, sending clusters of rock and debris into the skiff and, in places, through it.
The explosion rocked the rickety transport, sending its passengers lurching. Onzlyn barked his painful surprise as his body was peppered with rocky debris. Kaysa was thrown upon the floor of the skiff and was joined by Lokus before Marro tried to cover them both. It was then that the front end of the skiff collided with the ground, sending the three hurdling from the transport.
Kaysa reached toward Lokus, calling out for her friend, but found no purchase in the effort. Swirling through the air uncontrollably, Kaysa lost her breath as she connected with the ground. Rocks tore at her flesh and clothing. Instinctively the young elf clasped the seed to her chest, risking her own well-being for its sake.
Soon, Kaysa felt a semblance of relief as she came to a reluctant stop. Her vision swirled and faintly she could hear Marro's voice calling for her through a haze that had befallen her senses. Her body tried to surrender in that moment, longing for the release brought from unconsciousness. Kaysa did not know if it was the shrill shrieks of the wyverns or the urgency to reclaim her friends that brought her to clarity, but her eyes suddenly shot open defiantly.
"Khey! Vienda!" screamed Kaysa as she found her feet with great difficulty. Staggering a spell, Kaysa searched for her quarterstaff. She could hear the wyverns looming closer. The scent of blood was driving them to a frenzy. The fear of being unarmed when they reached her was overwhelming.
Ambling, letting her fingers scour the ground, Kaysa wrapped her hands gratefully upon her quarterstaff, joyed the weapon was undamaged. Instinct took over then, and the young elf rushed toward the sound of her friends. The sounds of Khey’s anguish were quite clear, nearly as loud as the defiant scream of his chosen sworn to protect him at all cost. Even through this, Kaysa could hear Marro call for her to remain, yet her legs and heart defied the request.
As Kaysa ran, she quickly found a snarling wyvern charging her. Raising her staff, Kaysa continued her momentum, trying to time her strike as the creature rushed to pounce. As its teeth struck out, Kaysa darted to the left, slashing downward against the wyvern’s jaw. The wyvern shrieked in agony as it crashed, rolling upon the ground stunned. Thus cleared, Kaysa’s speed brought her close to Khey and Vienda.
The sight now before Kaysa brought her to a breathless halt. Vienda, sword at the ready, squared off with three wyverns trying to circle her. Behind her, Khey’s free arm wrapped around the wyvern clutching him, both refusing to let go of the other. Blood trickled through the wyvern’s teeth as it tore at the arm and hand in its clutches. Vienda’s urgency to reach her chosen was evident, as she struggled to stand her ground with the three creatures intent on feeding upon her.
“Kaysa, I need you!” screamed Vienda. The desperation in her voice restored Kaysa to action and the young girl rushed forward again.
“Both of you, hang on!” said Kaysa, moving forward, quarterstaff raised.
The wyverns each snarled as they took notice of new prey. At the distraction, Vienda swiped her sword at the nearest, administering a painful gash. As the injured wyvern shrieked and backed away, the remaining two attempted to overwhelm the elf warrior. Vienda kept her sword swinging, allowing its now bloodied edge to give her enemies pause. It offered Kaysa enough time to cross the distance fully.
Now close enough to engage, Kaysa swung her quarterstaff. Her weapon struck the side of the nearest wyvern, and the creature howled as it jumped from the impact. The skin of the creature was stronger than she anticipated and Kaysa stumbled. Instead of fighting this, Kaysa dropped to one knee to steady herself, allowing the remaining wyvern’s assault to pass over her.
Afforded precious seconds, Vienda offered a fierce, guttural battle cry as she gathered her strength. Turning, she set her sights upon the wyvern tearing at her chosen’s arm. Overwhelmed at the blood and pain pouring from Khey, Vienda was upon his assailant in a breath, sword raised and at the ready. Her training and intentions melded as one as she brought her sword down with precision.
With one swift stroke, Vienda sliced through the wyvern’s neck, removing its head and freeing her chosen. The wyvern’s body leaped about in protest as dark maroon spat from the open neck. Free of its clutches, Khey rolled away to avoid the flailing wyvern’s talons and strength. Any relief felt in the attack for Vienda was vanquished quickly by more wyverns being drawn to the melee and scent of fresh blood.
The joy at assisting Khey was short-lived as the elves’ peril intensified. While Kaysa had ducked one attack, the first wyvern she assaulted had recovered and pounced as she avoided the second. Kaysa had just enough time to raise her staff and catch the gnashing bite meant for her face. The momentum of the attack set Kaysa painfully upon her back as she wrestled with the wyvern wishing to kill her. Vienda tried to reach the young elf but was distracted by the third wyvern turning back to claim her as its own meal.
As Vienda desperately tried to aid Kaysa, the young elf fought to keep the pressing wyvern’s teeth at bay. She grunted at the pressure and strength of the beast, could feel the claws of its small hands gripping and trying to pierce her clothing and flesh. The wyvern’s legs pushed fiercely as its teeth continued tearing at the quarterstaff in its mouth.
Kaysa’s arms burned as she continued her struggle, wonderi
ng when another of the beasts would join the attack. It was then that the wyvern upon her screeched and retreated from the young elf. Kaysa drew a grateful breath as she recovered, noticing the arrow protruding from the wyvern. The creature then set its focus on Lokus as he drew another arrow, rushing the young man as he prepared to fire once more. Taking advantage of the freedom, Kaysa rushed to help Vienda.
In the distance, Lokus readied his bow as his target focused squarely upon him. Drawing a breath, Lokus avoided gazing in the frenzied eyes before him and released yet another arrow. His mark was true again, striking the beast in the chest yet slowing it not at all. Unnerved, Lokus drew an arrow and fired again, this time hitting the creature’s belly. The wyvern stumbled and then increased its speed, hissing as it bared its razor-sharp teeth at Lokus.
Lokus fired for the fourth time as the wyvern drew closer still, refusing to cease its charge. The arrow stuck in the beast’s neck and still it continued its pursuit. The fifth arrow sailed past the wyvern, as Lokus found his hands growing shaky. With only breaths between him and the wyvern, Lokus drew one more arrow, taking what little time he had left to make his final shot true. Exhaling slowing, the young elf released the shot, letting it fly true and placing his hopes upon it.
The last arrow struck the approaching wyvern in the chest once more, prompting the creature to shriek again. It's dimming eyes set on its quarry as it offered its sharp teeth fully. The wyvern stumbled again, yet held its footing, reaching Lokus with the last of its fury. The unholy creation collided with Lokus as the young elf screamed and lost his grip on his bow.
Lokus felt every bit of the impact as the weight of the wyvern crushed him. He couldn't breathe or cry out further as an overwhelming pain assaulted him. The wyvern clutched to him as both rolled furiously, skin and clothes scraped and cut upon the ground. Lokus gripped to the creature upon him, desperate to fight for his life, anticipating its claws and teeth to pierce him at any moment. As they came to a stop, Lokus fumbled for his dagger as the wyvern rested fully upon him.
The Last of Kel'Thara Page 10
