“I didn’t change anything aside from adding a house for Sari and Kira,” the telepath answers in a gravelly voice. She grabs a handful of snow and swallows it to help with her dry and sour throat. “Sari and Kira have been warned about Haven. They are close to rescuing Luke, but I fear that they won’t be able to leave with him. My father will close the path behind them and Sari’s powers might not work on the waters around Shayd.”
“Another reason why the dragon should have brought us closer,” Nyx complains as she leads the way. A tug on her arm shifts her more to the north, which causes the channeler to whirl around and jab a finger into Delvin’s belly. “We might already be too late, so we need to take the shorter route. I couldn’t even see Haven from the sky, so we have a long walk ahead of us. All I ask is that you trust me like you promised.”
The brown-haired warrior’s lip nervously twitches and he coughs to clear his throat of the first words that come to his mind. “I’m asking you to do the same. Walter is waiting for us, so I want to go in from the forest side. Something is definitely wrong here and I want to take every precaution I can think of. Even from so far away from the town . . . the entire landscape doesn’t feel right.”
“There are no birds singing and the wind has died,” Timoran points out while patting Fizzle on the head. Taking a big sniff of the air, the barbarian struggles to understand the familiar, but out of place, scent. “For some reason, I smell mountains. Damp rocks that have moss on them, but on a greater scale than you would find in the forest. Walter must have brought monsters from the north.”
“Possibly, but I want to go in expecting everything,” Delvin replies while heading toward the distant town. He waves for Fizzle to join him and waits for the drite to get comfortable on his arm. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Walter is looking for you, so no scouting from above. I want you to stay invisible and watch our rear. He might not expect you there and that means you can escape to find Sari if things fall apart.”
Saluting with his tail, the dragon flutters into the air and disappears. “Fizzle not be seen by evil boy. Fizzle fly fast too. Friends count on Fizzle.”
The champions do their best to move quietly, but the frost-covered earth and icy leaves routinely crunch under their feet. The noise is magnified by the unnatural silence that has swallowed the forest, the danger having driven every animal out of the area. The idea of an ambush so far away from Haven is ridiculous to the adventurers, but the longer they travel without seeing signs of life, the more they wonder if Walter is closer than they realize. Not wanting to talk, they clench their weapons and focus on spotting hints of an attack. After an hour of tension and slow progress, the champions relax enough that their muscles loosen and stop aching. Only their hands remain tight to keep a hold of their gear and be ready to swing at the first sign of trouble.
Coming to a large oak, Dariana walks ahead of the group and touches a strange knot on the trunk. The telepath moves around the thick tree to see that more of the odd protrusions are cover its surface. As the others inch closer, she puts her forehead to the rough bark and scans it for thoughts. Stepping away in shock, she waves her friends to join her and points at a collection of five faces. The images give the illusion of looming out of the oak and are frozen in agony, their features revealing them to be dryads. Touching one of the knots, Dariana makes a fist to relay to her friends that they are the fae’s knuckles. She can sense the question on her companion’s mind and sadly shakes her head. Unable to revive the trapped creatures, the champions walk away from the horrific scene and fall back in line.
A high-pitched scream coming towards them causes the adventurers to jump and raise their weapons for battle. The sound of stumbling footsteps and a chorus of pounding thuds can be heard to their left, the noises shaking snow from the trees. An Elven woman with short, blonde hair and orange eyes comes into view, her once elegant gown torn and covered in mud. In her white-knuckled hand is the hilt of a rapier, the blade having broken off to leave only an inch of fractured steel. She keeps her other arm across her stomach, making the champions think she has been wounded. As the figure gets closer, Nyx recognizes Alyssa Goldheart and sprints ahead to reach the terrified noblewoman. Ignoring the calls to come back, the channeler waves to Haven’s mayor and is relieved to see that the elf is not as injured as she originally thought.
“To your right!” Delvin shouts as he rushes to the half-elf’s left.
Having been focused on Alyssa, Nyx fails to notice the giant birds that are charging out of the forest. Massive and flightless, the predators stretch their long necks to hungrily snap with large, razor sharp beaks. Each foot has three toes ending with talons that can flay their prey as efficiently as any carving knife. With the elf too close to use an attack spell, Nyx creates a protective shield around them. The bubble catches the nearest bird’s beak, which struggles to open while the powerful beast lifts the two women over its head. With a touch of her fingers, the channeler sends a deadly pulse of heat through the creature and boils its insides. As they fall to the ground, her spell pops and allows Dariana to catch Alyssa, the telepath immediately leaping into the trees with the elf.
Free to unleash more of her magic, Nyx creates a fist-sized fireball that she hurls into the flock. Keeping it tethered to her hand, the channeler whips it around to burn feathers and drive the beasts into a greater frenzy. A clawed foot comes dangerously close to disemboweling the half-elf, so she hurries to put some distance between herself and the predators. As she retreats, the fiery orb bounces along the ground to strike legs and underbellies until a surge of energy makes it explode. Nyx is about to turn around and see where she is needed when three of the flaming birds continue their charge. Ducking their beaks, she creates an acidic saber to slice off one of its legs. Caught between the other two, the half-elf flops to the dirt to let their heads collide. A blast of lightning from her hands finishes the predators off and she rolls to her feet, which tremble when she is struck by a sudden bout of vertigo.
Not far away, Delvin does his best to battle the birds that have him surrounded and are showing little fear toward his weapons. His blade skitters off their beaks, which bang into his shield or hook his chainmail for a terrifying moment. Beheading one of the creatures, the warrior spins around to strike another in the face. The crushing beak catches his shield and flips him out of the circle where he lands on his back. A large foot pins Delvin to the ground, two of the talons coming close to impaling his head. With a swing of his bastard sword, he snaps the bird’s solid knee and kicks the damaged limb to knock the creature over. The others rush the injured animal, settling for easier prey over one that is still able to fight back.
“These are orusids,” Delvin explains as he hurries to help Timoran with another pack. He rams into the flank of a bird, the impact knocking it back a few steps. “They’re found in Yagervan and only in the southern area. Nothing special about these birds aside from eating whatever they can find. We need to kill all of them because leaving one alive could be a disaster for the forest. Trolls and dread boars are probably the only local animals that have nothing to fear from an orusid. Are you able to fight, Dariana?”
“I have my hands full here,” the telepath replies as she wrestles Alyssa in the tree. Four of the birds are below, leaping whenever they see a leg dangle from the branches. “This woman is barely aware of what’s going on. All she wants to do is run. Using my power on her would probably make things worse.”
“Fizzle help,” the drite declares, appearing above Dariana. He knocks Alyssa out with a sleep spell and wraps his tail around her waist to lift her higher into the tree. “Fizzle hold former Luke mate. Dariana fight.”
With a nod of thanks, the silver-haired champion drops from the branches and delivers an elbow to the top of an orusid’s head. The solid skull sends a jolt of pain up her arm, but the blow is enough to collapse the bird’s long neck like an accordion. Leaping over another predator, Dariana lands with her hands on the ground and flip kicks the beast in the
throat. With a gurgled screech, the orusid turns on the telepath and swallows her arm up to the shoulder. She keeps its mouth open with her other hand, eventually releasing enough of her strength to snap off the animal’s lower jaw. A solid kick caves in the bird’s chest and it crashes to the ground where a merciful snap of the neck finishes it off.
The final orusid is felled by Timoran’s great axe and the forest plunges into another eerie silence. Straining his senses, the barbarian makes sure that there are no more of the birds and pats Delvin on the shoulder. The warriors relax and return to their friends as the area fills with steam that wafts off the birds that Nyx roasted. A foul stench flows from the carcasses, warning other animals that their meat is highly toxic. Once Fizzle lowers Alyssa to Timoran, the champions clean their gear and wait to see if anything else attacks. For the first time since arriving, a cold wind whips through the branches and shakes snow loose from the branches. The adventurers jump when the unconscious noblewoman screams at the top of her lungs and weakly thrashes in the barbarian’s arms.
“Everyone dead. Have to run,” Alyssa mutters as Timoran strokes her matted hair. She shudders and cries at the touch, but her eyes remain closed. “Nobody left in Haven. Have to run away. I don’t want to die too.”
“We should make camp,” Nyx suggests, surprising her friends. She gently removes the broken rapier from Alyssa’s hand, the elf’s smooth skin cold to the touch. “If we don’t get information from her then we’ll be walking in blind. Besides, it sounds like we’re already too late to save Haven and this is nothing more than a trap. Let’s give a round of applause for the champions who can’t save anybody.”
Nobody attempts to argue with Nyx as she trudges further into the forest, her shoulders slumping forward. The flickering image of Luke appears next to the channeler, his posture identical to her own. She stops and faces the illusion, unaware that she is the one who created the blank-faced phantom. Muttering an angry curse, Nyx waves the specter away and continues walking without checking to see if her friends are following.
*****
Alyssa’s screams echo off the trees as she tries to run away from the champions, her eyes wide with fear. The elf trips over her own foot and lands in the mud, but she continues to crawl in the opposite direction of Haven. Her breathing heavy and tears streaming down her face, the young woman makes it to a tree, which she tries to climb. Two nails break off before she falls back to the ground where she remains weeping into her cupped hands. Feeling someone gently touch her wrists and move her arms, Alyssa meekly looks up at Nyx and blinks hard to make sure she is not staring at an illusion. The channeler smiles in a way that reminds the other woman of Luke, which helps to put her at ease. Accepting a cup of tea with shaky hands, the elf allows herself to be led back to the campfire.
“So, it’s true that part of him is inside you,” Alyssa whispers as she curls against a fallen tree. She looks from one face to another since she only knows the other champions by reputation and their figurines. “We should run away. The monster that attacked Haven wiped everyone out within a few minutes and it was taking its time. There weren’t even any screams until it reached my home. A maid happened to be outside when that thing arrived and she managed to yell a warning before she died. Everyone else was gone soon after while I hid on my special balcony. I don’t know why it let me run, but I’m not stupid enough to return.”
“Queen Ionia was supposed to be there,” Nyx says while she grips her sabers. Noticing the gesture, the half-elf flexes her fingers and tries to figure out a way to stop her hands from moving. “Is she okay? Not to be insulting, Mayor Goldheart, but you haven’t given us much information. Is it possible that she was still alive when you left?”
The dirt-covered elf shies away from the champion, her pupils dilating with fear again. “She was called back to Darkmill right before the attack. Maybe she came back to kill the monster after I ran, but I’m not going back to find out. That thing murdered my entire family and all of my friends. It left me with nothing, except my own life. I’d suggest none of you give it the chance to do the same to you.”
“We don’t have that luxury, but we won’t force you to come with us,” Delvin states, yawning wide enough to pop his jaw. Tempted to continue asking questions, the warrior rubs his chin and tries to get a sense of Alyssa’s mental state. “The master of this thing has been attacking us for a while. His father is our greatest enemy, who currently has Luke as a prisoner. They’re making him watch the destruction of his life in order to break him. You were his childhood friend and fiancée, which means it’s important that you stay alive.”
“We can’t leave her in the wilderness,” Nyx argues while she scratches at the scar on her chest. She winces when the wound opens and bleeds enough that she has to put a cloth under her shirt and press it to her skin. “Walter could show up and kill her as soon as we leave. If not him then any monster that he’s released into the forest. That would cost us the . . . why don’t you have any of Luke’s energy inside you?”
“I don’t know,” the elf replies as she begins to cry. Dropping her drink, the young woman hugs her stomach and falls onto her side. “That monster did something to me. It touched me as I ran and took her from me. Now I’ve nobody left.”
Alyssa’s psyche collapses as she wails and cries on the cold ground, her body curling into a tight ball. She clenches her eyes and refuses to let anyone touch her, the woman shrieking at the slightest contact. Wanting to help, Fizzle gets close enough to hit her in the face with a puff of rainbow breath, but the elf continues to panic. A matching scream erupts from Dariana’s mouth as her mind is bombarded by a surge of terror that erupts from Alyssa. Not wanting the situation to get any worse, Delvin touches the telepath’s leg and tries to enhance her defenses. The incompatible energies violently collide and the warrior is set crashing into a tree. With a final whimper, Alyssa goes limp and her suffering mind becomes nothing more than a gentle push against Dariana’s psyche.
“Her memories have been altered,” the silver-haired champion says while wiping blood from her ears. She is about to stand and check on Delvin when the warrior gets up, his movements merely stiff from the mild pain. “Walter did something terrible in Haven and I think he had her watch the event. He’s copying our father’s tactics now. From what I can tell, this attack was done over the course of four days with every second locked inside Alyssa’s head. If we push her any further then she will remember, but she will break completely. It’s also possible that her being near us is eroding the barriers.”
“But she is the real Alyssa Goldheart, right?” Nyx asks while putting a blanket over the shivering elf. The channeler jumps away when the woman’s entire body spasms and shakes off the covering. “There should be residue in her, but I sense nothing. I guess it’s possible that Walter removed the energy. No idea why he would bother. Luke’s aura doesn’t give him any extra power.”
“It may have allowed him to enter the Garden of Uli without incident,” Timoran mentions from where he has been calmly sitting. Paying more attention to the forest than the campsite, the barbarian’s voice is soft and distant. “There is also the fact that I saw the Ring of Uli in the Guilt Skin’s head, so the residue could have powered it enough to enhance the demon. Honestly, we can make hundreds of guesses as to his reasons, but the time for such discussions is over. I suggest we rest until dawn and finish journeying to Haven tomorrow. Nighttime would put us at a disadvantage since we are still not sure about the dangers ahead.”
Delvin reclaims his seat by the fire and pokes at the embers, making sure the flames do not go out. “Timoran, Nyx, and I will take the first watch since Dariana only needs to meditate for a few hours. Fizzle can sleep for as long as he wants in case he has to travel far. I’ll take the third shift too, which gives me some time to think about where to put Alyssa.”
“Leave former Luke mate here,” the drite says from a low branch. He climbs down to the ground and curls up by the fire, his scales shimmering in the li
ght. “Walter want Fizzle. Haven not safe for Fizzle. Be smart to guard. Dariana send message if lose. Give Fizzle head start if have to run too.”
Nyx sits with her legs folded and lays down, the channeler showing a level of flexibility she has never had before. “I don’t like that idea. You’re the only one who has managed to hurt Walter, so I want you nearby. Delvin is right that you need to run if all of us fall, but that doesn’t mean you should stay away from the fight. I think you should linger around the battle and take the first opening you see to finish Walter off. Personally, I think we’ve given this kid too many chances.”
“I’m sorry for that mistake,” Dariana whispers as she drifts into her trance. A strange whine in her ears prevents the telepath from achieving her usual calm, so she opens her ivory eyes. “I sense something strange. Not so much interference or a telepathic attack, but an oddness that sinks into my brain. This reminds me of creating echoes in the psychic plane, which can last for hours.”
“Maybe Fizzle or Nyx can knock you out with a spell,” Delvin jokes before a knot grows in his stomach. The warrior dry heaves from the sudden pain, which disappears as soon as he catches his breath. “I think I’m okay. Not sure what happened. Felt like someone grabbed my intestines and twisted. Are we under attack?”
“I do not think so,” Timoran replies even though he is standing with his axe ready. A faint groan draws his attention to Alyssa, a barely noticeable twitch drawing him closer. “If Walter wants to fight us in Haven then attacking us here makes very little sense. This may be a way to prevent us from getting rest and keeping us weak.”
“Or his monster did something unexpected,” Nyx whispers as she watches Alyssa begin to squirm. Her eyes turn gold, which reveals a coating of dark green magic around the woman’s midsection. “She has a spell on her, but it isn’t one that I’m familiar with. This is frustrating because the energy keeps regenerating whenever I try to unravel it. Wait . . . There’s something underneath the invisible binding, but I can’t get a clear look at it.”
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