“We called you, because we need your power to bring us the chosen one, before the comet disappears from the sky. Please help, so the goddess can come to life in this world! Bring us the girl, unscathed. You can find her, wherever she is,” she asked the summoned creature.
“I was created by the goddess of pain and distress and her power is endless! I will bring you the girl, so our goddess can walk this earth once again!” the thunderous female voice replied, spreading her enormous wings.
*****
The little team was walking with the horses, with the elf in the front, who was examining the ground, looking for traces. He was searching for broken sticks, footsteps, anything to suggest that someone walked the ground before. The rain had almost stopped. It was just sprinkling as it was getting dark. They were in the middle of the mountains, far from the roads.
“We should camp down soon, sunset is coming,” Lowarien said, turning back on horse.
“You are right. Let’s find a suitable place to wait for the morning,” Corwen agreed with the elf.
They arrived at a little field on a slope. They prepared their tents and lit a fire. They had no problem with the wet wood since Al Sarran dried and sparked up the wood with his fireball within seconds. Drying their wet clothes, they all assembled around the fire. The sky went completely dark, and following the dark clouds, stars appeared on it. Together with a rare flashlight-like phenomenon. The dancing flames were reflected on the faces staring at the fire. Their constantly changing dance almost mesmerized them.
“Can you see that light in the sky?” Al Sarran pointed with his horned staff.
“It only appears every few centuries and it always brings some life-changing, important events for the whole continent. Maybe it won’t be different this time either and we will witness some big events, like our ancestors did,” he informed the company sitting around the fire.
“It is highly possible. People have been whispering about the coming of a great war around the whole continent,” the elf tracker said.
“Maybe the news is true. It has been long since, the Nozgold Empire threatened the world with its armies,” Corwen added.
Meanwhile he got out a hunting knife and shaved himself with the blade, leaving his full beard untouched.
“Orcs don’t go to war for the Nozgold Empire. It was enough, chief decide to make peace with humans, elves and dwarves,” Tusk was chewing on a salted pork leg.
“This light is beautiful. I feel like it is calling me up to the stars,” Everly said, staring at the sky under a blanket.
“I haven’t seen anything like this, even though I saw many years ago,” the little dragon said.
Tilting his head, looking at the flashlight curiously from the magician’s shoulder.
“Captain, what’s the plan if we find the assassins? Do we kill all of them?” Everly asked, curiously.
“I will prepare a plan for the attack, when we find them, I’ll need everybody’s knowledge. It depends on how many of them are there and where they are camping. We attack them and take hostage of whoever surrenders, and kill all who don’t. When we finish them, we go back to Terran, I pay everyone, and we’re done.”
The orc chewed almost all the meat from the bone, when he began to glare at the little servant dragon.
“Do dragons taste good?” he asked with a gorged burp.
“You will never know, Tusk!” the little dragon flashed his pale yellow eyes at him.
“Just kidding. Not a serious question,” the large fighter said with a grin.
“How many assassins are we following in your opinion, Lowarien?” the captain was inquiring.
“Hard to say, they are travelling with horses too. My guess is that there must be about one and a half dozen of them, if not more.”
“Isn’t that a bit too many for us?” the thief girl asked.
“Not a problem if we can surprise them. We can overcome the numbers with a well crafted plan,” the captain answered with confidence.
Larianna covered herself in a blanket. The warmth of the fire caressed her wet and cold body. She was sitting next to the captain and looked around the small company.
“We and our lives might have to depend on each other since we applied for such a dangerous task, we should get to know each other a little better. What if everybody tells a little about themselves? I will begin if you don't mind.”
“I have been wandering and healing for years. I earn my living with taking off curses and hexes and if necessary, I serve people with practicing natural magic. I was born in the Dukedom of Argwira, in a village twenty-nine years ago, to an average bourgeois family. My father was a blacksmith. My mother was a servant. I left my family at an early age. The priests of nature took me in and taught me. That’s how I became the master of healing and magic. I have been going on adventures all around the world and I’m not afraid of danger. This is why I applied for this mission,” he turned to the brown-eyed captain next to him and poked him a bit with her elbow, to motivate him to start speaking.
Clearing his throat, Corwen began to talk.
“I was born in the Northern Dukedom of Eregorn to a noble family. I appeared to be talented in weaponry, so my parents took me to the Three Shield fighting order, where I served for five years. After that, I went to several masters of weaponry, to teach me different fighting techniques, because I wanted to become the best. After a few years, I became a mercenary and a guard. I gained the title of guardian captain, not long ago and started serving my latest master, Jahren Galdara, the dwarf merchant. May he rest in peace. I am here now, to take revenge for him and my men,” he finished his story.
“I guess I am next,” Al Sarran continued.
“I grew in my motherland, Rakashara in a coastal town. I have always been fascinated with the supernatural and especially magic. Since we don’t have any sorcerers, I left the empire of the rours for a while and went south, leaving my family behind at an early age. In Kirson province of the Southern City-states, I was accepted at the Inner Circle sorcerer academy. After many trials and tests, I had studied the deepest connections of magic for more than ten years before I could become a sorcerer. In order to gain the title of magister of the Inner Circle, I had to study and gain a lot of experience. This is a high honor among sorcerers, which is deeply respected. That is why I am wandering around the world and educating myself. That is how I found Dergo in the laboratory of a scientist, where I saved him from and he offered me his services in return. I wandered to the North, across the wilderness, crossing populated and dangerous, unpopulated areas. I met Lowarien six months ago and we have been wandering together since.”
The little dragon started talking next, still sitting on his master’s shoulder.
“Servant dragons were created several thousands of years ago by your sorcerer ancestors. They needed servants, who were intelligent and able to speak and perform magic too. After a series of experiments involving magic, of course, the first servant dragons were born. We live to serve the sorcerer, who we choose with free will. I am several hundred years old and Al Sarran is the third sorcerer I have served humbly. I am able to perform a few charms to help my master. By the way, we are peaceful creations with a respect for life. We only kill when it is absolutely necessary.”
Next in the line was the elf fighter leaning on his bow.
“I was born in Horeldien, the land of the elves. I became an Ertonfellian frontier hunter and tracker by choice. I fought in the last war against the Nozgold Empire and their allies, including the orcs,” he looked at the mold-green-skinned giant, next to him who listened to him calmly.
“As a gift for my heroism during the fights, the leaders of my folks, the Illvars gave me a bow made of the ancient and rare tree, the elloro,” he stroked the beautifully crafted weapon with his palm.
“Only a few can receive this high honor. Later I lost my wife in a tragic accident and decided to leave my homeland, travel around the world to mourn my love. Then I met Al Sarran, who I get along w
ith well and we’ve been travelling together ever since.”
The next one to talk was the young thief girl.
“We have been always on the road, since I was a little kid, though, I only remember my mother. She was taken away from me by armed men. I was forced to grow on the street, following its laws, this is how I mastered the art of thievery. I am from Terwaldia, or at least I have my earliest memories from there. I have been chased by strange monks from time to time, but I always manage to escape. I never stay at one place for long. I am here now to get to know some new places and collect experiences.”
Last one to talk was the orc, who was well fed with the meat he chewed on so loudly while listening to the others. He had his large sip from his wine flask and burped.
“Me from clan of Blood Drinkers from the tribal nation. Me descendant of the chief. I had argument with my father years ago and we had a fight. He won. This is big shame among orcs. My father send me away from the tribe. So I go search for adventure and danger in the world. I left past behind. I love beautiful orc women, wine and firewater,” he drank from the flask again.
“We suspected that!” the others laughed.
“It was nice to get to know you a little better. We can be more open towards each other and form a real team,” Larianna said, looking deep into Corwen’s eyes.
“I agree with you,” the captain said.
“But it is late now, let’s go to sleep, we will need all our strength tomorrow. I think we should guard the camp in two-hour shifts to avoid unpleasant surprises. I will take the first two hours.”
They said goodnight and everybody went to bed; Corwen began the night watch and he was exchanged by Lowarien in two hours. He lied down in the tent, but soon someone entered the tent and the smell of rose filled the space. He got up and instinctively grabbed his weapon, but then he saw it was Larianna.
“What do you want so late?” he asked.
“I am really cold, my clothes are still wet. Can I sleep next to you?” she asked on a thin, kind voice.
“Fine, come here,” he replied, slightly tired.
Larianna slipped into the sleeping back, she pressed her breasts to his body and put her arms around him. Her hands slowly slipped down towards the man’s loin. Before they reached their destination, the captain softly grabbed the woman’s hands and put them back on his chest. He turned towards her and caressed her face gently.
“Larianna, don’t think I am not interested in you. On the contrary. I think you are painfully attractive, but it is not a good time for a liaison. I have to stay focused so we could finish the Night Blades. Let’s sleep, tomorrow is an important day!” he revealed his feelings to the woman.
She smiled, knowing that there was hope for her to get the captain. The captain put his arms around her and they fell asleep.
The night was eventless. They gathered their equipment in the morning and left, going up the mountain, following the footsteps of the assassins. They were up quite high, close to the top. The air was slightly colder. The greenery transformed, the beech, oak and ash, exchanged by evergreen pines. The forest was quiet. They met a few wild animals like deer and boar. Lively squirrels were chasing each other on the trees and birds were singing joyfully. They arrived to a rocky area, where the traces were hard to follow and there were hardly any plants. Then the perceptive tracker noticed a cave mouth on a slope, under a reef with horses waiting in front of it.
“I see something on the mountaintop, it is probably a cave!” The elf stopped the team.
They could not see anything, but they could not compete with the sharp sight of their elf fellow.
“One of us should go closer and explore the area. Check how many guards they have and where are they located,” Corwen suggested.
“Who can make the least noise possible and hide the best? You Everly, or Lowarien should go, if you are willing to do this dangerous task,” he looked at the thief girl and the elf.
“I can make the hiding part easier, I can temporarily make one person invisible,” Al Sarran said.
“This is fantastic. It will be so much easier this way. Who wants to take on the task?” Corwen asked his mates.
“I will go, because I move faster than Everly and my eyesight is better, plus I have more experience in the field,” the elf warrior replied.
The others agreed. The sorcerer grabbed his unicorn horned staff and began to murmur magic spells. He pointed towards the Ertonfellian warrior who disappeared in a blink of an eye.
“You will be under the spell for about an hour, but after that, you will become visible immediately, do not forget that!” the panther man warned him.
“We are waiting for you here. Be careful. This is just exploration!” Corwen said to the invisible elf.
Lowarien headed to the mountain with airy steps that could not even be heard on the rocky surface. He reached the cave in fifteen minutes. To his surprise, he found something completely different than what he expected. He did not see any movement around the cave. The horses were waiting quietly, tied to poles. He sneaked closer and looked into the dark creek, where the footsteps led. Thanks to his thermal sight, he could navigate in darkness too. He stepped inside the cave to see what was inside.
Chapter Five
The team was waiting nervously, especially Corwen, who was walking up and down, as he could not stay in one place.
Where the hell is Lowarien? Did they catch him? Impossible. He is invisible and almost inaudible, he thought.
These were decisive moments and he could finally fulfill his oath to master. Everyone was deep in their own thoughts.
Tusk was leaning on his double battleaxe against a tree. Larianna was sitting on a smaller rock, fumbling in her backpack and watching the others. The Panther man was sitting cross-legged, preparing for the upcoming fight with Dergo on his shoulder. Everly was playing with her throwing knives.
An hour slowly passed. When the lanky figure of the elf appeared behind a rock, the others gathered around him impatiently, waiting for him to tell them what he had seen at the cave. Lowarien stopped in front of Corwen and looked deep in the captain’s eyes with his ocean blue eyes.
“Dead! They are all dead!” he said shortly and briefly.
“What? How is it possible? What did you find exactly? Tell us!” he asked his partner impatiently.
“I entered the cave, still invisible. I did not see any guards outside, which was suspicious. However, I found the assassins inside, all covered in blood, killed with cuts and stabs. There were no signs of a battle, the enemy seemingly got in easily, because the fight went down from the inside to the outside. Come up with me and see it yourself,” he said, sharing the details with the others.
Everybody prepared for a fight, not for somebody to do the work for them and kill all the assassins. They got on their horses and quickly went up to the cave, where Lowarien led them inside the heart of the cave.
It was a natural cave, carved into the mountain by wind and rain. Some torches hung on the wall to provide light. Al Sarran lit them with a click of the finger, so they could finally see what their elf mate talked about. Going inside, they saw Night Blades lying dead all around the ground. Most of them were stabbed in the throat during close combat. There were not too many rooms, only a few with mattresses on the floor. A small storage with food and beverage and a little container with iron bars to store the valuables. They had a few cases too. The elf estimated their number well; there were sixteen dead bodies.
“They have been dead for half a day at least, judging by the bodies,” Larianna examined one of them.
“This must have been their leader,” Al Sarran pointed at a bearded man in leather mail.
“How do you know my friend?” Corwen asked.
“I only sense magic from him. His weapons and the ring on his finger have magical power. I can sense that clearly!” he replied confidently.
“Can you tell what kind of power that ring has?” the captain asked.
“Of course I can
,” he grabbed the object and concentrated for a few moments. “This ring can increase the physical power of its holder,” the sorcerer replied.
“Fantastic, this can come handy in the future, it would be foolish to leave it behind,” he put away the golden ring carved with ruins.
Lowarien was examining the footsteps. Leaning down, he analyzed the possible events in the dancing lights of the torches.
“There were not many attackers. Probably half a dozen and they did not lose any man.”
“They are good fighters sure,” the orc muttered.
“There was no pint coming here captain, somebody already took revenge,” Everly said, playing with her knives.
Corwen knew he had to tell the truth to the team about the ancient map so he came across to share the story.
“I’m afraid there’s more to the story than my personal revenge, Everly,” he took off his helmet and ran his fingers through his hair.
“Listen to me all! There is something I haven’t told you before. Besides taking revenge on these assassins, I had another goal. They took something my master, the merchant had. It is an ancient map, which is several thousands of years old, and it leads to the hiding place of an ancient object. If it got into the wrong hand, it would have fatal consequences. The dwarf merchant made me promise, I would not let this happen. I have to find out what happened and who has the map. If you decide to come with me, we will go on a much more dangerous journey across empires. I wanted to make this clear,” he revealed the truth to the others.
“If it is big mission, my friend, Tusk is with you, whatever danger comes!” the orc replied immediately, banging his chest with a fist.
“Thank you mate for standing by me,” the captain looked around the pensive company.
This adventure will be longer than I thought, but let’s see the positive side. I will have more time get know the Corwen better. I feel it won't just a one-night stand. I like him. I would like to spend more time with him, to know him better. So I stay with him and help.
Larianna stepped toward him.
“Wherever you go, I go too. I will be next to you, whatever danger may come!” she embraced him and the captain did not draw apart. He welcomed her kindness gently.
Legend of Fire and Ice Page 5
