by K. M. Bonde
Drake takes a step forward and points with one of his daggers. “We should be able to follow the forest to reach the tower. Beyond the forest is the pass and a river that’s too harsh to cross. The only way over is at the tower.”
“Please lead the way,” says Elora serenely, happy to let someone else take the lead from her for a while. Being a leader is more exhausting than she imagined.
They slowly make their way toward the forest below. As they walk, Felan plays in the small streams of water that run down the hill. Elora plays with her power, creating art from the water. She even creates a water image of Felan that runs next to him. As Felan plays with his water copy, Elora reaches out to him mentally. Run and hide, she says, but act normal, Felan. The Stream is telling me something. The Great Wolf looks back at Elora, but then he runs off into the forest. Elora smiles and breathes deeply, trying to keep a peaceful mask on her face.
Arddun grins at her and says to Ryan, “It’s only been a few days, but her powers are growing so quickly.”
However, the peace is disturbed by what sounds like a stampede. The party halts on the grass below the hill, ears sharp and eyes wide. There is a stampede coming over the hill, wild animals running together near the forest and past the party. While they’re a safe distance from the stampede, Elora notices that Eadric cannot take his hand off his sword. What would have made the animals run? she wonders. There’s no fire.
The animals are gone as quickly as they appeared, leaving only their footprints in the ground. Drake takes his hands off of his daggers and strides toward the forest, following the animal tracks.
Elof peers at the tracks and then at Drake. “I guess they’re heading the same way as us.”
Just as the party reaches the tree line, they hear more noise, apparently originating from the same place as the stampede. Elora puts her staff in the ground in front of her and focuses on the sound. It sounds like horses running… but we haven’t seen any horses.
Drake shouts, “Take cover behind nearby trees in case there are wild horses!” The master thief is swift and climbs a nearby tree while the rest walk behind some trees.
Unfortunately, they are not fast enough, and soon, more than twenty riders appear on the grassy field. It’s the Raiders, and they quickly surround the party.
“Lay down your weapons!” one of them calls.
Arddun whispers to Elora, “Use your powers and lay waste to them. Freeze them, and I'll shock them with lightning.”
Elora lays her staff down and puts a hand on Arddun’s arm. “Not this time. I have a strange feeling about this, something tells me that we need to go with them. Something in the Stream is telling me to play along. It’s mystifying, but at the same time, it makes sense. I can't explain it.”
Arddun is perplexed, but she nods and lays her own staff down.
Elora reaches out to Felan again. Help Drake find me, she tells him. When she senses Felan’s confusion, she adds, I have to do this, there is something in the Sheastream that has been talking to me. Something that I must do, and the Raiders are the clue to finding my answer. This mysterious Wolf person that leads them might have a clue to why this is the path now and why our main quest must wait. Felan, feeling her confidence, stays hidden.
“Do not resist,” Elora urges her party. She looks back at the Raiders. “We will go with you,” she says calmly.
The leader of the pack jumps off his horse and walks up to Eadric. “Well well, if it’s not the famous Eadric Stronghand. The Wolf will be happy to see you.” He yells to the rest of the Raiders, “Put the bags on them and bring them with us!”
The Raiders put canvas bags over the group’s heads, and Elora breathes calmly. I may not be able to see, she thinks, but I will trust the Stream. They’re put on some of the horses and the Raiders ride off with them.
When all is calm again, Drake jumps down from his hiding place, landing as silently as he has climbed the tree. He was never noticed by the raiders. He sighs and observes the tracks from the horses. “I guess I have to track them and save the day,” he mutters to himself.
As he takes a few steps, Felan jumps out in front of him. Drake smiles. “Good to see you too, Great Wolf,” he says. “Let’s go find the Raiders.”
***
The Raiders ride on and on, and Elora can’t tell where they’re going. The only thing she is certain of is that it’s the wrong direction. This better be worth it, she thinks. Soon, she feels branches hitting her on her arms and head. We must be in the forest now. After a while, they come to a stop and are being lifted off the horses and back on solid ground. Elora sighs with relief at being back on the ground again. She was never very interested in riding horses, even finding them a bit scary.
Once the canvas sacks are off their heads, Elof grunts. “Give me my axe so I can bash something!”
Elora looks around. They’re in a small opening in the forest with small huts, both on the ground and in nearby trees. There is a cave in the middle of the camp and a mountain behind it. Water runs somewhere nearby, and she smiles. Excellent, she thinks as she feels the water in the distance. Her hand itches to use it, to freeze something, but she knows she must wait. The Raiders push the party toward the cave, and soon a tall big figure comes out and all the Raiders cheer in chorus.
It’s the leader of the Wolf Raiders.
Chapter 27: The Wolf
The Wolf leader comes closer, and Elora looks at him curiously. He’s wearing armor and a large wolf pelt over his shoulders, and a sword hangs at his right side, several daggers on his left.
He looks at the party and laughs. “You all look like peasants, and here I thought my raiders had captured real warriors. Who is the leader of this merry party? Please come forward so I can make this quick.”
Elora walks up to the Wolf. “Watch your manners,” she says sharply.
He chuckles again. “And what would the little queen do?”
Elora looks at him for a moment. “If you know who I am,” she says, “then you should also know what I can do. I don't want to hurt you.”
The leader shakes his head and laughs, then motions for two of his men to come forward. Elora, sensing their movements, quickly freezes one solid and uses her earth magic to summon vines from the ground, tripping the other one. He falls with his face down into the mud, splashing it everywhere. He looks up, confused, with his face covered in dirty dripping mud, and all the other raiders laugh at him.
However, the Wolf is not laughing anymore and takes a step back from Elora. “You… you are a magic wielder,” he stammers. “You are the one from the tales?”
Elora steps toward him. “I think you need my help with something. Something wanted me to come here, and I don't think it was to fight you.”
He raises his eyebrows. “How did you know?” He points toward the cave behind him. “Please come and I'll tell you.” He waves his hand to the raiders and commands them. “Give them back their equipment and let them be as friends in my camp.”
As Elora walks into the cave with the Wolf, she asks him about his name. “Why do they call you the Wolf?”
He holds his head high and smiles. “It is an old tale about heroism and a warrior’s faith that is behind the name. One day, long ago, I was up against a pack of wolves in the forest, all alone and with no help. I was still able to fight them off. After that, I got my name, and an older warrior in my pack gave me a the wolf pelt I wear now. It was a show of respect to honor the bravery.”
They walk around a bend in the cave’s tunnel and soon enter a larger opening. A fireplace warms the air in the cave, and the light from the fire reflects upon the walls, making it quite cozy for an old cave. Various paintings hang on the walls, and armor, weapons, and chests, presumably filled with various treasures from raids, line the walls, too. There’s a big chair in front of the fireplace with a big chest next to it.
The Wolf sits down. “Come and sit down on the chest next to me.”
Elora sits down, and the Wolf launches into his ex
planation of why he needs her help.
* * *
Further away from the cave, Drake and Felan make their way to the camp. Drake has already taken out a lone scout patrolling the path through the forest. They swerve off from the path and walk slowly, hidden in the bushes. Eventually, they reach a perfect spot where they can see the camp. Drake is amazed to find his friends roaming free in the camp. Drake looks at Felan with a smile. “I guess they didn’t need our help after all.”
Felan lays down next to Drake and rests. “Well, Felan, I guess you think we don't need to do anything more. I guess I can rest some as well and see what happens in the camp. They seem fine for now, but let’s be ready.”
Felan bumps his head on Drake and looks at him like a puppy. Drake sighs and starts to tickle him behind his ears.
* * *
“We are an honorable band of raiders and have been left in peace for a long time to do our thing until recently. The Baron came along and required tribute for his games. Horrible tribute, boys and men of all ages, never treasures, always boys and men to fight in his games,” the Wolf says. “The games are the most horrible thing. Even if you survive the game, you will never be the same. The blood spill is beyond anything, worse than war. There was nothing I could do as the Baron had the support of the Dark Army. When the Baron came, he had the Dark Army at his side with his own army of goons. It was a slaughter, and finally, we had to give up and retreat. Every month, his goons come to pick up people. If we don't supply people from nearby villages, they take us instead.”
Elora raises her eyebrows, feeling a little sick to her stomach at the thought of such violence. “You need to fight back! When are they scheduled to come next time?”
The wolf looks into the fire, his eyes heavy. “They’ll return in two nights.”
Elora stands up and smiles. “Then we have plenty of time to prepare and teach them a lesson. The Dark Army is preoccupied with finding me right now, so they won’t come to the Baron's aid. With my party and your men, we can strike back at the Baron.”
* * *
Back in Flaxan, Bruce has arranged evacuation plans. All the villagers are taking refuge in the nearby caves and mountains. As he oversees the final evacuation of the village, he speaks to Alric. “I found the sword Comet.”
Alric looks at him while walking out of the village over the small wooden bridge. He halts for a moment. “The Comet! It cannot be. Where is it now?”
“It is wrapped and safe with Elora,” Bruce says.
Alric almost faints and supports himself on his staff. “Have you any idea what you have done!” he growls. “You might have doomed us all.”
Bruce stares at him, eyes wide with confusion. “What do you mean?”
Alric puts his hand on Bruce's shoulder as they walk up the slope, following the last group of villagers. “It is a sword of such power that a wizard can cause grave damage to a lot of things if one were to possess it. Elora is, or at least will be one day, much more than a wizard. Her powers, in combination with the sword, could cause devastation large enough to crack the world in two... or worse.”
Bruce stares into the emptiness of the forest. “I should have known,” he says quietly, “and disposed of it.”
“There was nothing you could have done, Bruce. The sword is unbreakable. No mortal can break the sword, no metal can dent it. According to legend, there is only one thing that can sever it, and that is if it is returned to the other side, to the Stream itself. But the sword must be one part in this world and one part in the Stream, and at the right time. Unfortunately, only one person has ever had that power and connection to interact with the Stream at that level, and that was Cornelia. That’s how she was able to forge it a long time ago.”
Alric sighs heavily, then continues. “Even if Elora reaches her full potential, it would require a miracle to destroy the sword. It would be safer to throw it down a bottomless pit high up in the mountains and forget about it.”
Bruce mulls over Alric’s comment for a few minutes, then finally speaks. “The decision would have to be Elora's.”
They continue up the mountain in silence and make their way to the cave. The village people have constructed a massive wooden gate that they can seal the cave with, and they’re moving supplies into the cave.
Before entering the cave, Bruce says, “Alric, I have to tell you something. Nevrik has secretly been working for Grimdar.”
Alric moves into the cave, and once Bruce is with him, he seals the gate shut with magic. He turns his attention back to Bruce, shakes his head, and sighs. “I knew that Nevrik has always been reaching for more than he can chew. One day, my brother will have to face the consequences of his choices. He is beyond saving now. There is only one way you leave Grimdar, death.”
Chapter 28: The Baron
A couple of days later, eight of the Baron's men closes in on the Raiders’ camp. One of the men says boldly, “I’m ready for another payload. It's so easy to keep these Raiders in check.”
“Where is the Wolf?” one bandit cries as he approaches a nearby Raider. “We have come for the Baron's due.”
“Wait,” says another, observing the couple of Raiders in the clearing. “Where is everyone? The Wolf knows we’re due.” Normally, the camp would be bustling, but this time is different.
As if on cue, the Wolf, his Raiders, and Elora’s party emerge from the surrounding forest and cave, taking the Baron’s bandits by surprise. The bandits are outnumbered, and the Wolf slays four of them himself.
As Elof approaches the last bandit, the man chuckles. “The Baron is already on his way with his full army. You may have surprised us, but you don’t stand a chance against them.”
“Elof, wait,” orders Elora. She walks up to the bandit and grabs his collar. “How can the Baron be on his way? Does he know about me?”
A wicked grin spreads across the bandit’s face. “The Baron has a new friend who has been most forthcoming with information about you and your little gang.”
“Who does he know?” Elora asks. “Tell me!”
The bandit spits on the ground, and Elora jumps back. Now free from her grasp, the bandit lunges toward her, but Eadric is faster, killing the bandit with a single swipe of his sword.
Elora sighs and looks away from the dead bandit, turning her attention to at the Wolf. “How many can we expect?”
The Wolf frowns. “At least seventy if he was telling the truth.”
Elora looks around and quickly counts the Raiders to only around thirty. She quickly brings Arddun and Eadric. “We need to set up the defenses.”
Arddun nods, then quickly raises wards around the camp, including magical traps.
“If anyone wants to train in defense against a stronger army,” Eadric says, “I’ll help. I fought in the last war.” Several of the Raiders take him up on his offer, and they move to the far edge of the camp to begin their exercises.
“We should expect the Baron to flank,” says the Wolf, looking at the remaining twenty men. “Spread out and arm yourselves with arrows. We need to be prepared.”
* * *
In the bushes near the Raiders’ camp, Drake and Felan have been watching everything. Drake, seeing that Elora has been handling the situation well, has stayed back, waiting for his opportunity to rejoin the party.
“I’m beginning to like the young queen more and more,” he says to Felan. Felan doesn’t look away from Elora, “We’ll stay here, Great Wolf, until she needs us. It looks like they’re preparing for something.”
Seeing the commotion below, Drake decides to scout the area. He puts his hand on Felan and says, “Keep close to Elora but stay out of sight.”
Then, Drake moves silently between the bushes and trees to get closer to the camp.
The peacefulness of the forest is suddenly disturbed by horses rushing through and angry people running toward the camp shouting. The first wave coming through the forest is a group of bandits with drawn swords, but they’re quickly decimated with arrows.<
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“Well, that’ll help our odds,” Drake murmurs as he moves toward the action.
The next wave reaches the camp proper and a vile fight ensues. Swords and axes clash, and blood drenches the ground in the camp. The horses soon reach the camp, and the Baron himself is upon a white stallion, two swords drawn as he rides into the camp. He slices at Raiders as he enters the camp, then he jumps off the horse, only to reach the Wolf as quick as possible. A merciless fight starts, both fighting for their life and honor.
Kvenalon is doing what he can to help heal wounded and stay out of the way. He looks up and shouts to the others, “I'm not a fighter, keep them away from me!” He looks down at the person he is trying to heal and mutters, “I really despise this violence.”
Arddun is trying to kill the bandits with fireballs, but they bounce off a magical ward. Arddun glances at Elora, confused. “Strange, how can this be? I don't see any magic wielder among these bandits. Do you?”
Elora glances around and shakes her head. “I don’t see anyone, but I feel a strange presence, one I felt before.” Among the bandits riding in on horses, they can finally see another person hiding near the back.
“Nevrik!” Arddun shouts, furious. “That bastard is helping the Baron!”
“Arddun, focus on destroying the wards! I’ll attack,” orders Elora.
As Nevrik comes closer to the battle, Drake sees him from his hiding spot, so he sneaks closer to attack. As he gets in position, a portal suddenly appears, and a tall dark figure arrives in front of Nevrik. The thief pauses, waiting to see what Elora orders.
Arddun points to the portal and yells, “That’s one of the dark generals! We have to retreat!”
The Wolf has gotten a break from the Baron thanks to his raiders keeping him busy. Seeing the dark general, the Wolf shouts to Elora, his voice raspy. “Venture through my cave, there is a secret exit on the other side! Thank you for your help, we will handle it from here.”