by John Grover
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“We lost two of our number,” Nix said, as the group caught its breath near the foot of the mountains. “We must not let this hinder us. The danger will only get greater.”
No one answered. Lianna stared into Nix’s eyes again. Thoughts of how he rescued her twice in the lower depths spun in her head. It had been a long time since she'd connected with a male of any race. Nix was different. Something radiated inside him. She wondered what kind of father he would make.
Pulling herself back, Lianna listened as Nix finished his rally and prepared to ascend Baneridge Mountains.
Hours of steep climbing, hiding in the shadows, and scaling dangerous terrain delivered them to a notch where several mounts came together. The group halted and listened to the soft sound of drums. Through a crevice, they spotted a Gibbelin war party dancing about a crimson fire. Their animal skins swayed in blistering winds. Their pig-like noses sniffed at the air as they grunted.
Gibbelins were weak willed and cowardly, and only served the dark queen out of fear. Their true nature was to scavenge and steal from others, rather then engage in direct combat.
The group watched them dance and celebrate, until footsteps sounded behind them. On the rock-encrusted path, a Gibbelin made his way forward, with a fresh kill slung over his shoulder. He was supplying the night’s meal to the war party. Alarmed, the group scrambled to hide, except Lianna. She remained behind and caught the Gibbelin in her sights.
His eyes widened with surprise as the Gibbelin glared at the vision of beauty before him. Gibbelins, also notoriously lustful creatures, always had a soft spot for amazons. Lianna knew this well.
“Greetings,” she whispered. “I seem to have lost my way. Do you think you can help me?” She winked, then beckoned him closer as she gently ran her hands over her curvaceous body.
Grunts escaped him as he dropped the meat and reached for her. As his fingers brushed her flesh, Nix sprang from behind a boulder and tackled the creature to the ground.
After slicing his throat, Nix wiped the blood on the beast’s animal skins and gestured to Vanare that it was safe. “Well done,” Nix said to Lianna, admiring her physique as much as the Gibbelin had.
After taking care of the meat bringer, they moved away from the war party and circumvented it, confident that the Gibbelins would not be alarmed while they waited endlessly for their food.
They were wrong. A net dropped over the group, weighted down with stones like a bolo. A second war party spied them from the cliffs above and launched a trap. The first party forget their celebration and joined the first, overwhelming the group.
Spiked clubs and serrated swords clattered. Grunts and snorts formed a chorus of excited mockery and rage. There was no hope of resisting. Nix and his group were put into chains and led into the midst of the peaks.
The Gibbelins marched the group into the daylight hours and into the next night. They traveled up and over the mountains, scaling dangerous cliffs, avoiding landslides and stopping for breaks. Ultimately, they brought them to a flat area near the top of the mountains. There they chained them to monolithic stones. Soon after, the Gibbelins removed all supplies and weapons from the group, including the three soul jars. Everything was thrown into a pile where it would be divided among the strongest. A few of the Gibbelins were already fighting over the bounty.
“Enough!” The largest of the Gibbelins stepped out of the horde. All eyes turned towards him. Silence washed over the mountain. His ears were pierced with bronze pins and chains. In his nostrils he wore a bone bleached of all flesh, polished to sparkling perfection. He exuded dominance and confidence.
After the calm, he addressed Nix and his comrades. “You are a mighty catch! The clan leader will reward me greatly. Your goods make wondrous Gibbelin spoils. To thank the dark queen, you will be our sacrifice!”
“You worship her!” Nix cried, pulling on his chains, wanting to lash out. “She is not a God...you will be next when she is done!.”
Only cackling answered his cries. A bonfire was ignited as drums began beating and daggers were sharpened. The Gibbelins worked themselves into a frenzy, for the killing time drew near.
Nix looked over at Lianna, and their eyes met. Despair left its mark on her face. She strained against her bonds, but it was no use.
Vanare’s fairy wings dimmed. Nix gritted his teeth and got Vanare’s attention. “Do not give up.”
“We are doomed,” Vanare whispered.
Nix turned to stare at the three pouches containing the soul jars, scattered among their supplies. He looked up at the triple moons rising behind the cloud-capped peaks. His heart fluttered. His veins pulsed. He squirmed and struggled, but the chains held strong.
