Taylon (16 page)

Shaking her head, the councilwoman came back to the
moment.
You have a report?
Her voice changed too.

“Yes…” The soldier hesitated, thrown off by the
tone.

Go on.

“Um…the humans have begun attacking Aladedas. From
what we can gather, it is their entire military force. Our main
force will be there within fifteen minutes.”

This was good. The humans were no match for the elf
army. The destruction of Aladedas did not concern Da’Lynn. It could
be rebuilt. She would have the power within the hour.

Good. Make sure the archers set themselves high.
When the humans learn we are there, they may try a counterstrike
against us.
The soldier’s face went blank and then masked with
a horrified look. Her shawl had slipped to the side revealing her
withered face.

Da’Lynn sighed. Her hand shot forward grabbing the
soldier by the throat. She lifted him off his horse while draining
him. She tossed the corpse behind her before consuming it
completely. The horse, free of its rider, continued following
hers.

She flexed her withered hand finding the strength in
it remained. What was causing this? Was it the power she sensed? If
so, it was indeed something that she wanted to possess.

Before kicking her horse to join the main force,
Da’Lynn adjusted her shawl, tying it this time to make sure she
didn’t have another issue with anyone else, at least until they
could join the battle.

***

“This doesn’t look like it is the right way,” Kara
said uneasily as she pushed aside a creepy looking vine. They had
been walking west for some time, and the trail recently turned what
she would label as
spooky
.

Warren, of course, said nothing. He had not uttered a
word since Kara forced him to leave his home. She did her best to
draw up conversation with the brownie, but it was no use.

Another few feet, a rotting skeleton lay off to the
side of the path. Insects buzzed around it, and something else
scurried off as they approached. Kara didn’t bother to inspect it
once she saw it was an animal and not a person. Some of the hungry
flies followed her for a few steps, zipping around her head.

Kara looked down to see Warren reach out and snatch a
fly from mid air. From his hand, it went to his mouth.

Crunch!

“Ewww.” She tried to hold back her disgust, not
wanting to offend the little guy. “Sorry.”

“There is a cottage coming up.” His tone was bland
and showed no sign of insult.

Peering along the trail, Kara saw nothing ahead but
more creepy vegetation and trees. “I don’t see anything.”

The brownie remained silent. He was busily picking
his teeth.

With a sigh, Kara continued forward. It only took her
another fifty feet to see the house looming out of the woods. Her
heart leapt with excitement, but as each step brought her closer,
dread began to water down her hope.

Like the forest that surrounded it, the house cast
ominous tones. Something about it, and the surrounding trees, made
Kara want to turn and run.

“Is this where you were leading me?”

Warren stared ahead, not giving the human an answer.
This frustrated Kara to no end. She was going to tear into the
brownie when her eye caught movement at the back of the house.
Someone was there.

She hunched and slowly crept forward, toward the side
of the house. It was slow going as plants clung to her dress, and a
vine tangled in her hair. Eventually, Kara made it to a tree where
she could peek around and see some of the backyard.

There was no one.

“Didn’t you see someone back there?” Kara whispered
to Warren. “Ahh what’s the use, you aren’t going to answ—”

“The elf is still there. And a human.” The words
shocked Kara. She stared down at the brownie. Her mind raced with
possibilities. Could it be Jesset and Ra’na? Or Gantha? She wanted
to ask, but her eyes looked up as a dark elf came around the side
of the house.

“Ra’na…” In her excitement, Kara spoke but even as
the word came out, she realized she was wrong, dreadfully
wrong.

Kara turned and sprinted, not caring about stealth.
The elf had to have heard. She remembered to duck under the vine
that had tangled her hair, but a thorn plant drew blood as it
scraped her hand. It was all inconsequential as she made it to the
trail.

Oh how she wanted to look back, to see if someone
followed and how close the dark elf was, but she knew better. Three
steps on the path, and her legs suddenly bound together. Panic
flooded her as she realized she was falling to the ground. Kara
broke some of her fall, but her knee banged against a tree
root.

On the ground, Kara rolled to her back. A rope
wrapped around her legs. She kicked and struggled, only loosening
the rope slightly. A shadow fell over her.

“Well, well. Looks like a day for meeting old
acquaintances. Just the person I was looking for.” Katrena laughed
as she grabbed Kara’s bound legs, and dragged her to the house.

***

All hell broke loose. They had been in the market
only about five minutes before the pandemonium. A kobold ran
screaming past, letting everyone know the market was under attack.
Most patrons watched the small creature with little interest. The
panic didn’t start until the arrows dropped from the sky.

Hambone pushed Ra’na aside as a dwarf crashed to the
ground, impaled right before them. A few other arrows struck the
roof of the stall over them. Ra’na wielded a dagger in each
hand.

“Where did those come from?”

“I am always prepared,” Ra’na said, as she tracked
the stampede of customers starting.

Sprites, selling sparkling bottles of liquid, ran the
booth in which they sought refuge. Several of the illuminated
creatures were flying around erratically. One red sphere hovered
right by Ra’na. It twittered.

“Do you realize the market is under attack?” Ra’na
addressed the blue glow.

Hambone looked at her, puzzled. “Did I hear right? He
is trying to sell you a sparklelite?”

The blue sprite twittered in agreement. Both Ra’na
and Hambone looked at each other.

“Tell him if I can get a weapon, we will buy two
lights.” Hambone said, turning his attention to the aisle. Another
volley of arrows came through. One bugbear stood stunned, skewered
through the back twice. It turned around; another arrow sunk itself
in its eye.

The noise was unbearable. Screams of alarm and
outrage.

“He says to run straight across. There is a gnoll
that has some fine battleaxes. If the gnoll makes a fuss, tell him
Roberto sent you.”

“Roberto?”

The sprite flew up to Hambone’s face and twittered
loudly.

“Okay. Okay.” The Dwarc held up his hands. He looked
across and saw the stall. Quickly he dashed there, accidentally
kicking a gnome in the process. On the wall of the booth, a
beautiful double-edged battleaxe hung. Hambone took but a moment to
admire it before he pulled it down.

“Nine! Nine!” Furry arms grabbed the Dwarc’s.

“Roberto sent me. It’s okay.” The gnoll was
surprisingly strong.

“Nine! Zis is mine! Not take!” There was a tug of war
over the weapon.

“Do you realize that the market is under attack? I
need this.” Hambone pulled again, but was unable to dislodge the
gnoll’s hands.

“Pay! Pay me fer it! Then you have!” The gnoll pulled
again, his grip was stronger than before. But suddenly an arrow
penetrated the weak canvas ceiling. It stuck in the side of the
gnoll’s neck, and his grip on the battleaxe loosened
immediately.

Hambone stumbled back a bit, suddenly in charge of
the axe. He watched the gnoll, who first felt the arrow and then
panicked. But the Dwarc didn’t have long to stare. Horse hooves
sounded as three human soldiers galloped toward the biggest target
in the aisle. Hambone.

He felt the aura of fear as the horses charged down
upon him. One soldier gripped his head suddenly, and fell back off
his horse. The one in the lead twirled his sword, ready to strike.
A blue blur shot in front of a soldier’s horse, spooking it. It
veered sharply, throwing the rider forward into a booth.

Having the moment to get his head straight, Hambone
cocked back the heavy axe. The soldier saw his movement and was
ready with a counter strike. As the horse neared, Hambone squatted
and swung. The axe clipped the horse’s legs, severing one. Its
rider’s attack missed Hambone completely. Panic flitted in the
soldier’s eyes as he and his crippled horse crashed to the
ground.

In a deft move, Hambone was on his feet again. He
glanced at the thrown soldier. Trolls that owned a nearby booth
were currently beating the enemy. A few steps and Hambone was at
Ra’na’s side. Roberto zipped back over.

“Uh…thanks,” Hambone said to the sprite. Ra’na threw
her other dagger suddenly. There was a scream amongst the chaos,
and a human soldier fell to the ground. A flood of soldiers poured
forward, taking their time to kill and destroy everything in their
path.

Roberto twittered and shot up into the sky. Ra’na and
Hambone looked at each other, a knowing glance that said
everything. The blue sprite was back in a moment, speaking
rapidly.

“Elfin army?” Ra’na’s eyes grew wide at the news.
Maybe there was hope for Aladedas after all.

“But who’s leading the army? The council was killed,”
Hambone said to no one in particular. Someone crashed into a nearby
booth causing him to turn and draw up the axe.

“We need to find someplace safe,” Ra’na yelled as the
chaotic noise increased. Roberto chirped up, his blue light
flashing. Taking a chance, the two followed the sprite as it wove a
path through the market. Every aisle appeared to have the same
amount of chaos. Hambone tripped over a dead satyr, while Ra’na
avoided a flaming gnome. A fire pit overturned in one of the food
booths. The canvas sides of the booth quickly caught, and there was
a medium-sized fire creating its own brand of panic.

Roberto was quick, and there were a few times they
lost sight of the sprite. Where was he taking them? They hadn’t
seen a human since they started this retreat, but Hambone wasn’t
stopping to scout around.

Finally, Roberto came to the edge of the forest.
Neither human nor elf soldiers were visible. Patrons and merchants
ran by, doing their best to stay alive. There was still screaming,
yelling, and crying behind them. Smoke filled the air, smelling of
burnt things.

“I sure hope Snow wasn’t in there.”

Chapter Sixteen

Taylon awoke to the sounds of screaming. His hands
tied above him and his feet bound below, barely touching the floor.
It took the ex-captain a moment to realize his predicament.

AHHHH!

The yell came again, close by. It was a female cry of
terror. Taylon thrashed in his bonds like a fish on a line, but it
did no good. Pain pinched his wounded leg. Through all the
confusion, his training kicked in.
Check out your
surroundings.

Strange lights decorated the walls. Each had a soft
glow yet looking at it made Taylon’s heart feel sad. Before him lay
what looked like a room, somewhere the homeowner could rest and
relax. A table and several plush chairs were not more than ten feet
in front of him. But on closer inspection, the thought of comfort
disappeared. Bone made up the framework of each seat.

AHHH!

Taylon’s attention snapped in the direction of the
scream. A wall blocked his view of the vocalist. He wanted to yell
out, but instinct kept him silent. A wave of nausea passed over
him. Once his body calmed, Taylon struggled against his bonds
again.

“Can you stop that?” a voice said above him. He did
his best to look up, but he only saw the roof. Taylon twisted and
tried to get up, but to no avail.

“Who?” It was easier to whisper one word than a whole
statement. There was no answer at first and he was going to try
again.

“I’ll free you, but you must help my friend.” The
voice was bland and had no emotion. It was a bit suspect
considering the situation, but Taylon wasn’t about to question
freedom.

As he felt the tension in his arms loosen, something
occurred to him. “Shouldn’t you free my feet first…?” The rope
holding him up broke. His hands were free, but his feet couldn’t
find balance and he was falling. Luckily, he fell toward the
skeleton furniture. A plush chair broke his fall.

AHHHH!

This scream was longer and piercing, but it came just
in time to cover Taylon’s noise as the chair toppled over. An
animal horn or something from the chair’s framework stabbed his
shoulder hard. He shoved his fist in his mouth to keep from crying
out.

Pushing the chair up, blood dripped from what looked
like a razor-sharp claw. Taylon’s eyes stared at the unbelievable
remains of some dead creature. Had it not been for the voice again,
he would have stared at bone until he bled to death.

“My friend needs your help.” The voice came from
Taylon’s ear. Coming to his senses, the ex-captain pushed the chair
to its upright position and got to his feet. The wound in his
shoulder was not terrible, but would need some attention soon. The
bindings around his feet fell away.

Taylon looked down to thank whatever had released
him. Below, stood a miniature man. In Taylon’s awe-struck state,
due to the creature standing before him, it took yet another scream
to shake him from his wonderment.

AHHHHH!

Quickly he searched his surroundings for a weapon.
The claw on the furniture would have been great, but the chair held
it tight. There was a table of candles and vials. He found a small
knife, but it really wasn’t anything that would be intimidating in
a fight.

Another table looked like it held cosmetics. Taylon
was running out of options. That was when he stumbled over
something hidden half under the couch. A hilt poked out from
underneath. Once he brought the full weapon into the light, its
beauty amazed him. A two handed broadsword that looked as new as
the day the blacksmith sold it. Even in the dimly lit room, it was
spectacular.