Chapter 43 - Attack

Violetta looked out over the camp from the tent that served as the jail for the four women. Raeyn watched on with distress as the soldiers went about their task of putting oil down the ventilation tubes before putting down flaming rags. The warren caught fire quickly, the funeral pyre smoke and smell became horrid as the tunnel network all but exploded into a fireball. The underground tunnels would have their air consumed and the flames would make it an oven hot enough to roast anyone within. It was a coward’s way of fighting, but Wekts would not risk his men in a pointless battle.

The two Kithe resigned themselves to sleep and sat in their corner, assured that they were fine. Cookie and Cake did not seem to care in the least about Raeyn’s silent crying or her concern as the plumes of smoke became black as night fell. There were just two soldiers assigned to guard them, two grizzled veterans who were in their forties. They did not care much for the post, but orders were orders, and they ignored attempts to inquire further.

“If I did not come back…” Raeyn whimpered.

“They would not have held off forever, it is not your fault.” She tried to console her, but the truth was that she had handed Wekts the assurances he needed to torch the warren.

It was pointless to fight, but it did not mean she did not want to. The thought of massacring an entire tribe and roasting them alive was nothing short of murder. Lady Geraen who had come the same conclusion and defended them was held elsewhere. From looking out behind the oiled cloth tent, she decided to push her luck and gather some information.

“Nature calls,” She explained to the guards, “Can I be escorted to the latrine?”

They shrugged their shoulders and turned to face her, the thought of a man as old as her father having to escort her was embarrassing, but it was not a lie. No soldier would bring something like a chamberpot out on a mission such as this, so they were all but obligated to listen to her.

“Go in the corner.” One said.

“No leaving the tent, Wekt’s orders are absolute.” said the second before parroting, “Go in the corner.”

She shook her head and said, “I am a lady. I do not like the thought of having the two of you watching me do my business.”

“Perhaps…” The second was the first to entertain the idea.

It took a little convincing, a little back and forth, but she soon found herself on the edge of the camp and afforded the privacy of a bush so long as she remained on the rope collar. Fifty paces, a generous length by any means, of slack was given to her. The latrine itself was nothing more than a channel cut into the soil. There was little escaping her, and doing so would endanger the rest, but on the way through the camp she had paid attention to the men who were reaching their limits. A whole day of preparing for an enemy attack, then having to torch the warren underfoot had made them exhausted and vulnerable. The camp had six fires and a loose set of guards, most had retreated to their tents for the night and only a handful of complacent soldiers held watch. There was nothing she could truly do like this, everything of value had been confiscated and while they had not been treated bad, she was for once out of ideas. The second guard, a man named Bern, had brought her out here and she decided to make her move now. It was foolish, but if it worked she’d have some leverage.

Then she heard a rustle, something moved and slipped from one tree to another. No beast would move in such a rushed and precise fashion to hide itself. No, it was not some deer or any mere animal, she felt eyes on her.

“Guard…” She called out softly, “Do you see something moving in the trees?”

“No.” Came a stern response, “Finish your business and back to the tent.”

“Something is out here. Please…” She tried to sound convincing, “I am not kidding.”

“Enough.” He gave a tug on her leash, making sure she was still attached, “No tricks. You are a sellsword, but you still have your honor. Don’t…”

A sudden arrow lodged itself in her left shoulder and she let out an agonized cry, the guard rushed forward and around the brush, pulling his sword as he did so, “You better not… Oh no. ATTACK! WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!”

She saw him drop the rope, but she retreated behind him, the arrow lodged in her shoulder. She was decent, having finished her business long before, “Why is there no watch on this side.”

Chaos erupted as the sleeping soldiers were roused from their tents, cries went up in the dark, but it was all, but impossible to see through the forest. The thin sliver of the moon offered precious little light in which to work with. The unseen enemy could obviously see them, as an arrow whizzed past her head and struck the iron scale armor of Bern with a snapping hiss.

“Archers!” Bern called out and called out for Violetta, “Back to the tent. Hurry, I’ll give cover.”

“Run.” She said, “They can see in the dark. They are Gobbos or Dwellin.”

Arrows shot from the trees into the camp, the first cries of alarm turning to panic as they found themselves surrounded on all sides. The panic had awoken Raeyn and the Kithe, but she returned dutifully to her defenseless tent with Bern to find the other three in shock from what was happening.

“What is going on?” Cookie asked her.

“An attack. Stay low and find cover.” She said as she handed the rope to Raeyn, “Keep a hand on my leash, and don’t pull it - it is attached to my neck.”

The silhouette of Raeyn and the two Kith were hard to make out in the darkness, but she trusted at least Raeyn with her life, “Can you see anything?”

“No.” Raeyn said, “But we do not have any bows. This is not an attack by my tribe.”

“Can you help?” Bern asked, “I do not care if you are a Demon or whatever Wekts said, if you are willing to fight with us.”

Cake laughed heartily, “Ah. So killing is allowed? Bring our weapons and we shall bring death.”

“Raeyn. They can see in the dark, can you do anything to help?” She asked.

“Against what? I do not know what is even happening.” She shook her head and watched as the soldiers formed into small groups.

The voice of Wekts filled the air, with an unnatural boom, “We are surrounded on all sides. Form on the west and we will break through. Shields at the ready, charge them!”

The cries in the darkness went up as fleeting flickers crossed the campfires to the west, a pained cry went out as someone was struck in the volley of arrows. Then the sounds of battle erupted as horrible screams and deep gutteral bellowing filled the air as the soldiers made contact with the enemy.

“DWELLIN!” Went up cries from the western attack.

“Take us to our equipment,” Cake demanded of Bern, “We are easy prey standing here in the open.”

“R-Right.” He gestured, “You four follow me and don’t run off.”

Finding their way in the pitch-black darkness would have been tough, except she only needed to follow him. Raeyn and the Kithe held a loose grip on the rope, and they were able to follow as the chaos broke out. The battle began, screams in the dark surrounding them. The central tent, which was Major Wekts, was the central point for crying out order even while the guards had resorted to ducking behind the chests as arrows pierced through. Two soldiers were already dead, a small lamp hung over head only making them more obvious to the attackers.

Welks who had taken position up against the back a chest looked to Bern and then to her, “What are they doing here? Come to kill us?”

“They want to help. Their equipment sir,” Bern insisted.

Welts sprung open the chest and reached in, throwing their packs across the tent without so much as an objection, “Help if you can, but don’t be stupid. Demon… you are not allowed to perish, stay here.”

Referring to Raeyn, Wekts refused to hand over her pack, but Cookie, Cake and her own pack were tossed across the tent.

“Shall we go all out?” Cookie asked Cake.

“Oh there is no doubt.” Cake responded.

The two small Kithe brandished their divine weapons and laughed together, “Give sight to counter the night. Ever since we left the tower, we’ve always wanted a little more power.”

“Just do something, priestesses!” Wekts demanded, “I know you are quite-”

A sudden queasy feeling washed over her and the rest of the camp as the night suddenly turned to a monochrome cast of black and gray. The trees twisted and warped, the world shook and bent as streaking arrows shot through the air. Around each person was a weird glowing aura, masking their faces, their hands and any part of their body exposed to the air. Splatters of blood seemed to steam in this gray world. She saw clearly through the night and saw the hazy moving shadows of the enemy pop out from the trees, bows at the ready. She looked to the Kithe and Raeyn, their bodies enrobed in unnatural light, shimmering like three full moons in the darkness. Divine power radiating from them.

“They’ve come to save us.” Raeyn said, “The Dwellin have answered the Great Mother’s plea!”

“Reinforcements!?” Wekts shouted, “Demon! Whose side are you taking? You must be taken before General Stronghold!”

Raeyn’s glowing form twisted for just a moment as she said, “You tried to murder my tribe. In what world do you think I’d ever capitulate to you?”

The Kithe snickered, “Help we shall. Let’s create Hell.”

Wekts drew his sword and steeled himself for the fight, “Betrayal? You fools, we are on the same side! I do not care who you are, but you will not-”

The world seemed to shift underfoot as Cookie drove the tip of her staff into the ground. The battle had just begun.