Chapter 16 - First Blood

Wilde pulled his bow from his back and nocked an arrow, his aim pointed directly at Raeyn. As the bowstring was pulled back, they stared into one another’s eyes through the darkness that Violetta and Cade could not see through.

“Die.” Wilde demanded.

He let out a pained cry as it was let loose, but the shot streaked over her head and broke upon the cavern floor behind her. His body twisted and he recoiled before dropping to his knees. Stirge rushed over to him and those piercing eyes turned briefly away only to comfort Wilde.

Violetta marched out of the cave and to the campfire. She spoke the language with a different tone and pace, making it impossible to follow without the aid from Belos, but that is exactly what she sought to remedy. Raeyn rushed to her and offered Violetta her pack. As Violetta’s hands groped the sides and found the torch the order was clear even without Belos, " Light! "

Thrusting the torch into the hot ashes and digging it in, the torch took to flame and blazed in the starlight. Clarity of her words came with it.

" The darkness will not protect you! Did you forget your bindings? " Violetta’s left hand found Raeyn’s head and patted it like a child, " I declared her useful. She is mine and so you will not harm her. "

" Such…. power…. " Wilde grunted " They are…. attacking. "

" Yes! We are surrounded by Gobbos. " Cade affirmed, " She led them to us! " Violetta’s hand dipped down to caress Raeyn’s cheek for a moment as she gave a sly chuckle and explained, " She has not left my side. They have come for her. So, they want her back? Well, Raeyn. Do you want to leave? "

“No!” Raeyn found herself calling out to the grey darkness beyond the torchlight. Her eyes saw the trees, the shrubs, the rolling hills as faint outlines and saw not a Gobbo. If they were there, they would hear her at least.

“Go back! Do not fight!” she pleaded.

From behind a tree came a stifled little cry from Leaf, “We will take you back!”

" Kill them. " Violetta ordered.

Wilde recovered and readied his bow by nocking another arrow and drawing it back, " Gladly! "

The other Dark Elf, Stirge, rushed towards the tree and pulled his two daggers out. With Wilde at the ready and Stirge rushing the tree, she would be forced from cover and forced out into the open.

“Leaf!” Raeyn whimpered as Stirge flanked the right side.

Violetta glanced down at her, " You had your chance to leave. "

Stirge came out from behind the tree a moment later and in confusion looked upwards. He pointed up and crossed his hands to switch their position as he swapped them over and the blades were held upside down now. His right hand held it between his thumb and index finger. With a graceful bowlike movement, the blade crossed his left shoulder and then was flung. The cry of pain was evidence enough it had struck true. A shadow fell from the tree and hit the ground.

“Leaf….” Raeyn whimpered.

The hills became a roar as the battle cry rose. The tribe had come for her. A dozen different voices rose up and Leaf’s cry was clear among them.

“The dark Mahn has killed Rock! Kill them! Kill all of them!” Leaf screeched from her place on a sturdy bough, “Take her back! Take our priestess back!”

Violetta took a step backwards as she realized that they were surrounded. Snatching Raeya’s arm, she thrust the torch into her hand, " If they will not leave, then you fight with us. "

Stirge plucked his dagger free and readied himself again. Leaf could not do much from her place in the tree, but she did not need to as another Gobbo darted out of the bush and barreled into Stirge from behind. The Dark Elf stumbled forward, his foot seized and spun as the Gobbo moved around him. Wilde let loose the arrow, but it sailed past. Metal cried out he jumped on Stirge's back and began pounding his head in with a rock firmly clenched in his fist. Stirge and Metal fell to the ground. Metal plucked the dagger from the unconscious Stirge. Metal let out a howl before he began furiously stabbing Stirge.

“KILL IT!” Leaf howled from above as Metal avenged his brother.

Wilde nocked another arrow and fired; this time the arrow grazed the ear of Metal in the midst of his furious stabbing.

" Back! " Violetta demanded and retreated into the cave as she heard another war cry resound.

Wilde lowered his bow and took a quick retreat with Cade close behind. Violetta would not let her go so easily, she found the dagger drawn and the blade directed at her neck. She did not need an order to know that Violetta would not hesitate to kill her. She hurried back into the cave with Violetta. It was as simple as it was effective, Cade and Wilde fell back beyond the large pit where Huron lay. Wilde took cover on the right and Cade on the left, the two having a clear line of sight from cover as Violetta and Raeyn swung in behind Cade. The torchlight illuminated the cave, but it was only the poor night vision of Mahn who were greatly bothered by the dark. Wilde did not seem displeased by having the torch near and fell back to another deeper recess to have better cover.

The torchlight extended how far Raeyn could see into the darkness, but soon she did not need to see through the grays as a light in the darkness appeared. Swinging around and burning like a torch, but instead it was on a metal place that was suspended by three chains. Burning like a small brazier, it jostled back and forth and started to burn brighter to reveal Flamekeeper Agog. Holding it in his left hand and a strange round piece of wood on his right arm he came forward, flanked by two familiar faces, Muck and Barkep.

Wilde let loose an arrow then another and another. Agog’s body was small enough that the comparatively large shield offered excellent cover. One of the arrows embedded itself in the wood, but the other two bounced off harmlessly.

" Get Huron out of there. " Violetta demanded.

" Impossible. He cannot move his leg, and it is deep. " Cade broke rank and headed further back.

" He will die without help. " Violetta snapped.

" I will help. " Raeyn looked at her before going to the pit.

The central pit trap was three times her height and in the middle was the skeleton of a large bear. Pressed against the back wall was Huron, the Mahn’s leg appeared to be free of any wound to her, but it did not matter. Sitting and then slipping off the edge, she lowered herself and jumped into the pit. Cracks and lines at the far wall showed the vague outline of a door, but it seemed that much like the front gate it was not able to be opened from this side. The cracks were enough to allow water to drain out and little more.

" Go away… " Huron whined as she came closer.

Though she was weak even for her kind, she grabbed him and struggled to lift him like a baby. Despite being twice her height it was still possible to get under him and prop him up. Violetta appeared above, dropping to the floor and throwing out her arm to manage to bridge the height gap. Propped on the top of Raeyn’s back and pushed partially upright by straining her arms and legs to their limit, Huron reached his hands up and locked them with Violetta. The weight began to shift off Raeyn and she was able to push further, allowing Violetta to bring him over the edge.

Violetta looked over the edge, offering her right hand and Raeyn jumped up to grab it. Locking around each other’s wrist, Violetta pulled her back up and rolled to the right to grab the torch and gestured from Cade to Huron. It was clear Cade did not want to, but he rushed over and grabbed Huron and slung him on his shoulder, ignoring Huron’s agonized cries. Wilde launched arrow after arrow at Agog, drawing their advance to a halt, but the quiver only had four arrows left now.

" To the back. " Violetta called for them to retreat again.

Crossing the spring and going through the path of shoveled filth Violetta did not hesitate to put both sides to the torch. It took to the flame quickly and began to burn and let out a white cloud of smoke. Pushing through it and heading to the far wall, Violetta led the way as the flames spread and filled the cavern with light. Bats which had come back to roost in the cavern began to flee once again with their shrill cries. Raeyn spared a look back at the white smoke and the heat from the flames prevented any chase. She saw Agog through the smoke drop the strange brazier and raise his hand as if he was waving goodbye.