by James Hunt
An arrow struck it in the cheek, exploded, and half the creature's head disappeared in a red mist. It howled horribly as its flesh quickly reformed, and fled the battle by flying off.
"Fuck, that worked?!" Rollis hooted and slapped Kelria's shoulders. "Do it again!" He said as he took aim with another shot. Kelria focused hard and magically packed compressed air into the metal arrowhead. Rollis let the shot fly, but at the last minute the creature dove, and it struck its tail instead of its back. The arrow exploded and half the tail blew off. Unfazed, it hastened its retreat by climbing higher into the sky.
"Tamain!?" Rollis howled, hoping for instruction. But he found his leader's body locked rigidly upright and twitching uncontrollably with his head thrown back. Kelria ran to him, but the static magic around him made her pull up short and grab her temples in pain. Whatever he was doing, it was massive, and massively taxing to his body. As she backed away Kelria suddenly wondered what this would do to him when he was finished, as weak as he was.
"Stop it before it gets to the town!" Rollis shouted. "If it feeds again it'll only get bigger!" Iala had crudely healed her legs and was working her magic on Kalek's rent arms.
"Go!" Kalek shouted. Iala locked her jaw and stopped his bleeding, and he rewarded her for her efforts by him thrusting his blades into her hands. Hers had been so coated in the monster's blood and ichor that even the one that hadn't been dissolved in its throat wasn't of much better use.
A dark shadow fell over them, and Iala looked skyward to find dark clouds had suddenly formed in a concentrated area directly above them. She didn't give it a second thought and the Knight Captain sped after the creature as fast as her feet could carry her. As fast as she was she wasn't gaining on the creature, and the walls of the town were already fast approaching.
"Drop it!" She yelled back as it started to dive for the other side of the walls. But no arrows flew overhead. With a grunt, she sheathed her blades and pulled her own short bow out from under her tattered cloak. Her garment along with her quiver had also taken a splash of the monster's acid, but she was able to pull a few quality arrows from it. Two pinpoint shots in quick succession and she had it plummeting to the ground. She winced when it fell on the other side of the town walls to the crash of splintering wood timbers and a plume of dust and debris. The humans could do nothing against something like this but feed it. She rued letting it get that close to them.
Iala scanned the wall's length. It was too high to jump over and the stonework looked too slick with mildew and moss to climb. Worse, she couldn't see an opening on this side – she would have to go around.
Someone grabbed her from behind, and a terrible rush of wind yanked her off her feet before she could react. She only caught a glimpse of his dark skinned arm, and the swirling air vortex that pulled them up and over the wall before he gave out and they crashed to the ground on the other side.
Tamain had somehow carried her over with his magic. The two tumbled across the dirt part along the wall and into the side of a house. Iala stood and staggered uncertainly in the direction of her prey before the stars and white dots faded from view. When she rounded the corner, it wasn't hard to tell where it had fallen from the ruin in front of her. She found it half-buried in a crumbling stone foundation of the nearby house. That entire wall was in danger of collapsing and already there were shouts of alarm from the occupants inside. A quick assessment of the structure and she knew how to bring it down on top of the creature. But not yet.
Human soldiers had come to investigate the commotion. They found themselves unprepared and uncertain of how to handle an Lunarin woman demolishing buildings. Their surprise and irritation was premature as a leathery monster broke through the building's damaged side with a shriek. The men that had startled at seeing an Elth, panicked and fled upon seeing the monster emerge. Iala looked up to the sky in exasperation; she was exhausted, wounded, and hoping these black clouds somehow held the key. Black clouds like this usually preceded a storm.
It started to rain.
The creature was trying to wrench its still buried wings free when Tamain emerged, clinging to the side of a building woozily, panting heavily and trying desperately to stand upright. Iala looked at him pityingly. Her harsh judgment of him had been a terrible injustice. Never again. Came her Queen's harsh instruction. And she couldn't help but snort derisively at her own nearsightedness. They had been right all along – all of them. And she owed them all a great apology. If they survived the day, tomorrow would be all the sweeter now. But she knew that was not going to happen. This monster needed to be stopped, and there was a certain way she would apologize to them and redeem her honor without having to say a word.
"Tamain of The Discarded," she called out. Tamain groggily looked up. "Strike it with all your might. I will hold it still for you." And with that she leveled one weapon, flipped the other to a backhanded grip, and charged at it. Severing both the creatures arms at the shoulders before it could turn its attention to her. Without pausing, she threw her shoulder into the foundation's cornerstone and her strength behind it. It broke free, and the wall shuddered. She had only a second to react and get free before half the wall collapsed on top of the creature. The din was horrible, and the dust blinding.
"Now! Destroy it!" She shouted and started to retreat from the devastation she knew was about to happen. But nothing happened. She looked over and found the Zecairin half collapsed to the ground with a hand outstretched to the heavens, his body wracking with convulsions as he was focusing his power.
Then there was a shriek of terrified horror. Iala looked up to see three human girls huddled in a corner of the upper floor of the house. The floor, and their escape, had collapsed below. The rubble stirred below them, and a grotesque face protruded and eyed the girls hungrily.
"Now Zek!" She screamed and bounded over the rubble, skewering the beast in the head with one blade, pinning it, and reaching the girls in one leap, landing gracefully on the structurally unsound floor. It creaked and gave way under her added weight and all four of them slid down the breaking floor boards to the ground below.
"Go!" she coughed through the dust and pushed the girls away. It took them a moment to realize what was happening, but they followed instruction. But much to Iala's wonderment and fear as she realized what it was, the hair on all three of their heads was starting to stand on end. Lightning was about to strike. She could taste the charge in the dust choked air. Good. Kill this abomination. She thought relieved. End our misery once and for all. You have my gratitude Zek, my respect, but also my hatred. I am not that noble a lady anymore. Iala closed her eyes and waited for destiny to strike.
The monster's tail broke free of the rubble and speared her through the thigh. She screamed. "Damn you Zek!" She wailed as it crawled towards her with a hungry look in its eyes. With her remaining weapon she severed the tail and turned to crawl away.
There was a blinding flash of light. Iala braced for the earsplitting boom of thunder. But all she heard were the gasps of surprise of the humans nearby, an eerie silence, the horrible smell of something burnt, then a thunderous roar of celebration.
Helping hands pulled her up and free of the rubble. She had hoped it to be Kalek, Kelria, or perhaps even the other Zek. But it was the guardsmen in their panic stricken, yet grateful expressions that welcomed her back to a calmer reality. They helped her to her feet, pulled out the creature's spiny tail, and bound her wounds. All this took long painful moments, but her dazed state of mind was blanking out. The rain was starting to cease, and a clearer sky was returning.
Kalek and Kelria appeared sometime later. Iala had lost track of the time. She was content to collapse on her haunches, seated on the ground as the guardsmen inspected the rubble for traces of the monster. They spoke to her, asked her things, but she stared blankly off into the distance for now. What exactly was that magic he had used? She wondered. She was not widely versed in magic, but she understood the general principles. It seemed as if he was calling a light
ning strike – no small feat – but there was no thunderous boom, and a strike that close should have killed her as well. She looked up to where Tamain lay. His body was face down in the dirt, and he was very still.
"Help him," She managed to say and gestured to the still Zecairin. Kelria squeaked in surprised and rushed over Tamain. She found him still alive just unconscious with a face full of mud.
"Mother," Kalek said as he tended to her leg. Iala's blank bewildered stare slowly turned to regard him.
"Hmm?" she said.
"There was an incident here recently with a Zecairin. We need to get him out of here before they arrest him, or us." Kalek said in Lunarin. Iala scowled and looked around. Whereas she and her son were being regarded in a friendly manner, the guardsmen had weapons at the ready and were giving Kelria and the shadow elf she struggled to carry a cautious, almost threatening distance. They wore chain shirts and held metal spears and swords. Iala snorted and shook her head – if they threatened him it would only take one spark and he'd have them all on their backs, she mused. If he was awake that is.
"I'll handle it," she sighed and rose to her feet.
Some diplomatic conversations later with her arms sternly crossed over her chest along with her fierce scowl and she had negotiated the Zecairin's release into her custody. Service to the town be damned, they were ready to hang him for simply being a shadow elf. But during the course of the conversation she gained some valuable intel – recently a Zecairin masquerading as a brother from Niyana's Monastery had killed a few people. Her Queen would be eager to hear that.
The townsfolk were grateful for the slaying of the creature, but aggravated that it had been steered their direction in the first place. Yet when she regaled the guardsmen of what had happened in the fight outside of town – accented by the nasty looking scars over Kalek's arms - they dissuaded the farmers from demanding compensation for the hogs. The magistrate, whose home had been half destroyed, was a different matter. This man was clever and unscrupulous in the face of personal loss, and when he expected to be compensated by the Lunarin crown for the loss of his house, Iala turned a steely gaze on him that made his face turn pale. It was the guard-captain's suggestion to the Magistrate that settled the matter honorably and amicably by declaring the reward to the elves for saving the town equal to the losses incurred during the battle.
Many offers were made to host and toast the town's saviors, but the Knight Captain thought it best to escort their "prisoner" to his "dungeon" before he woke. And all were immediately understanding.
Three Lunarians and one unconscious Zecairin soon left Hornsdale and were grateful for the company of Rollis who waited patiently well out of sight. Iala found she preferred his grumbling company over the irksome, squabblesome, fawning humans.
****
Niyana was putting her new combat leathers through their rigors when the delegation returned. She was now wearing the same green vest, arm bracers, and leather leggings as the rest of the unit. Those Knights not on duty or not in their tents resting were helping her break them in with a round robin spar session. Each combatant eagerly joined in the fray, but once she landed a critical blow they were tagged out and had to retreat to the ring's edge. Thus far, only a few had managed their own blows. However, because the purpose was to allow Niyana to regain her skills, she remained in the fight. It was clear from the scowls of frustration and the rubbing of bruised muscles that these handful of Knights were not expecting such a challenge from the princess. They studied her movements as they waited their turn. Some so intently they passed on their opportunities to rejoin. When someone discovered a weakness in her technique, they all exploited it, hammering her hard and pressing the advantage until she worked the kinks out of her movements and became more fluid, or adapted her tactics.
Iala and Kalek's return had gone unnoticed until Iala broke through the ring. Niyana and Jayrill paused, they both recognized the Knight Captain with her stern look and crossed arms, and broke off the session. Each of them sat on her knees and placed her hands on her hips, a sign of respect to the Knight Captain and their way of awaiting instruction. Jayrill looked over at the red face, panting Queen with an incredulous look as if she had forgotten something and tried to signal for her to rise. The rest held looks of mixed amusement and shock at her behavior. Apparently the Queen should bow to no one. Even Iala's stern expression was taken aback as she struggled to hide her sudden embarrassment, and her back involuntarily hunched over as if she couldn't decide if she should kneel as well.
With the captain's permission. Niyana signed in their silent hand language. Iala nodded quickly and Niyana stood. Her heavy breathing was slowly calming down and she gathered up her borrowed swords and sheathed them at her hips. While I am here, I am one of you. She signed. Elsewhere, not. The Knights gave each other a long look. Some did not think it appropriate, some thought it too appropriate – she had earned her position as Leaf Knight after all, and it was not as if they had a crown for her to wear as it was.
Something caught Niyana's eye and she pushed past the ring to where Kalek was trying to not be noticed. It was then all eyes turned on him and noticed the horrible scars and mangled, crudely healed wounds on his arms. It was the rending of his left shoulder that had left it almost unusable, as muscle that should be there was missing in small chunks. Niyana's concern betrayed her, and Kalek scowled and shook his head signing. Father will heal. She understood, nodded to Brylen to help him find Tarin, and turned her attention to Iala with a dark look in her eyes.
Iala nodded to the hanging tents above, and they both leapt up through the branches to one of them. Inside they could speak freely without breaking the Knight's Code. Niyana had been reprimanded by both her and Tarin for her initial transgressions – spoken words outside of camp only. Niyana took one of the wash buckets and started to clean the sweat from her brow, neck, and arms.
"My Queen," Iala began humbly. It wasn't a tone Niyana was used to, especially from Iala, and it made her pause mid rinse. "I do not know where to begin..." The Knight Captain said, but eventually began to report of their encounter with the Zecairins and Kelria, even admitting to her outburst of aggression against Rollis which Niyana was not pleased with. Her face turned expressionless, and her eyes cold, but she bid the Captain continue. The story improved, as apparently Tamain had won her respect with his ability, honor, and persuasive reasoning. But it was the tale of the demon spawn that was the most unsettling. And yet, Niyana was not as surprised as the Captain had expected. Shocked perhaps, but soon it turned to a grim understanding as some unknown piece to the puzzle of her mysterious Monastery fit into place. The report about the rogue Zecairin murdering townsfolk coincided with the one they had spotting sparing with the Elite on a few occasions. Which revealed another problem – a Zecairin was learning to fight as well as those humans. They would be a serious threat to any Leaf Knight should the worst happen. Iala concluded her report with the five of them parting of ways, with Kelria and Rollis carrying Tamain home alone, despite Iala and Kalek's offer to escort.
"Clearly we have underestimated him, and we have done him a disservice," Niyana said, amazed.
"Rollis-" Iala was about to say before the flap to the tent burst open and a panic stricken Tarin burst in without announcing himself. He ignored protocol and looked to his wife and his Queen with grave concern in his eyes. Niyana motioned for him to enter and sit, and the old elf did just that.
"Demon Spawn!? From a harpy!?" Tarin said incredulously. "Demon spawn inherit form and abilities from both. For this Tamain to have destroyed one so utterly... My Queen do not pursue this alliance! We must leave this region at once!"
"A Harpai." Iala corrected him. "Had it been born with a mind, her powers would have passed on to it, and we would all be dead."
"Merciful Night Hunter!" The cleric exclaimed. "Great Earth Spirit, protect us from this evil." He prayed out loud and clasped his hands over his heart as if the news had shortened his life by a century.
"We owe Tamain, and his people." Niyana declared. "He has his alliance unless you can tell me for certain it is a trap." She waited for Iala to respond, but she only shook her head. Tamain had indeed won her respect. "Before you protest," she held a hand up to Tarin. "You know the wrath that lives in my heart against his people. I would not suffer their presence solely out of honorable obligation for his selfless deed." Tarin's protest was swallowed hard, he could not deny that. Iala arched an eyebrow at her husband – she knew Niyana had escaped Zecair, but she did not know what she had had to endure to achieve that. Apparently Tarin did; the princess had confided her pain in the Cleric. Niyana caught her expression, and understood it.
"Iala," she said softly, her coolness breaking and the hurt in her voice became apparent. "As a Knight you do not want to know. As an Lunarin you do not want to know. Even as a woman, you do not want to know. I am grateful for your husband's support. He has helped me realize my wounds are deeper that I thought and is helping me heal them."